Long Way Home

by Vaughn, Ann

  “Hey, Shane,” Scott, one of his dad’s deputies greeted him.

  “Hey. Did Mr. Kelly leave?”

  “Yeah, about thirty minutes ago. You got Tessa with you?”

  He nodded. “Is it safe for her to go in?”

  “Yeah, he’s gone. I’m here until midnight and then Brandon’ll be here until Tessa leaves for school. The Sheriff doesn’t like to take any chances, you know?”

  “Cool. I’ll let Tessa know. Thanks, Scott.”

  He went back to his truck and opened the door for her.

  “He left about thirty minutes ago and they will have someone watching your house all night.”

  “OK,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Thank you for finding out for me...and for bringing me home.”

  “Yeah, sure, no problem. Call me if he shows up again, OK? I can have my dad here in five minutes.”

  “I will.”

  They stood awkwardly in silence for a moment, neither wanting to walk away.

  “You want to maybe go to a movie with me tomorrow?” he asked, surprising them both.

  “OK. Sure. Why not?”

  He smiled. “OK. I’ll pick you up around five thirty. We can go eat first. How’s that?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Yeah, OK. Good night, Tessa.”

  “Good night, Shane,” she echoed.

  He watched her walk inside then got in his truck and drove off, waving to Scott as he left. Glancing at the clock on the dash he knew he’d have to fast-talk his way out of trouble for being late but was sure they’d understand once he explained what happened.

  Sure enough, both parents were waiting on the front porch when he pulled into the driveway.

  “Sorry, I’m late,” he said as soon as he got out. He quickly explained the situation and watched them both relax.

  “Tessa and her mom have had a rough few years,” his dad said.

  “She said you saved her a few years ago, when her dad was beating her.”

  Luke shrugged. “I did my job. He’d been beating Mary for years but she would never press charges. Not until he turned on Tessa.”

  His mother remained quiet up until that point. She touched his cheek in a light caress but he could see in her eyes that she was upset.

  “I’m glad you took her home and made sure she was safe but I don’t want you to make a habit of it, OK? You don’t need to get involved in the Kelly’s troubles.”

  “Susie,” Luke warned but she ignored him.

  “Harrison Kelly is trouble, Luke. Shane doesn’t need to get pulled into that.”

  “I’m taking Tessa to a movie tomorrow night,” he told his mother.

  “No, you’re not,” she countered firmly.

  “I’ve already asked her.”

  “Tell her something came up. I mean it, Shane, I do not want you getting involved with that girl.”

  “You’re being unreasonable, Susie,” Luke intervened. “I talked to Mary earlier. We’re filing a restraining order against Harrison. Their divorce should finally go through in another few weeks. Shane will be fine.”

  “I don’t want my son going out with that woman’s daughter!” Susie exploded. “It’s bad enough I had to watch them dancing together last night, starting all the tongues wagging.”

  Both Shane and his father gaped at her in stunned silence. Shane thought about what Tessa said, that her mom and his dad used to date. Did his mom think his dad still cared for Mary Kelly?

  “Go on in to bed, son,” Luke said quietly. “Don’t worry about your date. Everything will be fine.”

  “Luke!” Susie gasped. “Everything is not fine! I do not want Shane seeing that girl. Look at all the misery she’s caused him over the years already!”

  “We’re not like that any more, Mom. We’ve both grown up. I like Tessa. She’s really nice.”

  “So is Lauren Jenkins. Or Ivy Sinclair.”

  “Ivy is Gracie’s agei!” he countered, incredulous that she’d even bring up Steve’s little sister. “And it’s just a date. It’s not like we’re getting married.”

  “That’s right,” Luke agreed. “This is Shane and Tessa, not me and Mary...and I married you, not her.”

  “But you sure do drop everything and run to her side whenever she calls.”

  “That’s my job. You know that.”

  She ignored him, turning to Shane.

  “Please don’t do this.”

  “That’s enough, Susie. Leave him alone. Go on to bed now, son, I mean it.”

  “Yes, sir. Good night.”

  He left them on the porch, feeling shell-shocked and two inches tall. He hated that his mom was upset with him but he didn’t think it was fair for her to say he couldn’t see Tessa.

  “You know this really isn’t about you, right?” His sister Cordelia said, surprising him. She and Gracie were sitting at the base of the stairs in the dark, having obviously been eavesdropping.

  “It’s because of what Miss Nettie and Mrs. Pendleton said,” Gracie confirmed.

  “What did they say?”

  “They were talking about how you and Tessa are finally friends now and Miss Nettie said you two were a good match,” Gracie, four years younger than him said.

  “And Mrs. Pendleton said if the two of you started dating it would be God’s way of righting the wrong Daddy and Mrs. Kelly did by not marrying each other,” Cordy said. She was just one year behind him.

  “That’s just stupid,” Shane spit out.

  His sisters nodded.

  “Mom’s been really edgy ever since,” Gracie said.

  Shane met Cordy’s gaze. “I asked Tessa out for tomorrow. What do you think? Should I cancel?”

  Cordy shrugged. “I can’t make that call for you...but I do know that you like her and she likes you...you’re only seventeen. It’s not like you’re getting married.”

  He looked to Gracie. “What do you think?”

  “I think Tessa was right.”

  “About what?” he asked.

  Her eyes twinkled as she leaned in a little closer to him. “You are going to marry her someday!”

  Shane thought about the conversation with his parents and his sisters when he was on his way to pick Tessa up for their date the next night. His mother spoke very little to him that morning before he left for school and she wasn’t home when he got home that afternoon. His dad stopped by as he was getting ready and told him not to worry about his mom, that she’d calm down about it soon enough. Shane felt torn, though. His mother was upset and he hated that it was because of something he was doing. Truth was he’d thought about canceling a hundred times today, but every time he saw Tessa he couldn’t do it. He wanted to spend time with her, just the two of them, away from school and their friends. He wanted to know if they were just good friends or if there really was something more between them.

  Tessa was sitting on her front porch swing when he pulled up. She was wearing a yellow sundress that showed off her tan and her long blonde hair hung loose over her shoulders. He sat for a moment just taking her in, and telling his heart to calm down. He couldn’t help it, though; he thought she was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.

  He got out when she stood, smiling at her.

  “You’re late, McCanton,” she admonished with a smile.

  “You’re beautiful,” he countered.

  Her smile was radiant. “You’re forgiven.”

  He opened the truck door for her. “I’m only three minutes late, anyway,” he defended. “The Miller’s’ cows got loose. I stopped to help Mark herd up the last two.”

  “Their cows always get loose. I’ve nearly hit one a few times out on Thistle Road.”

  “My dad told them they’d better get the fence fixed before someone gets killed. Any sign of your dad?”

  “Not that I know of, thankfully. Was something wrong at school today? You seemed quiet.”

  He shook his head but kept his eyes on the road. “Just worried about that Lit
test.”

  “Boy, are you a lousy liar! C’mon, out with it, McCanton. You were having second thoughts about tonight, admit it.”

  “No, I wasn’t,” he argued, but even to him it sounded forced.

  “It’s OK if you were. I would understand.”

  He sighed. “Look, it wasn’t about you, OK? I mean, well, it was, but not like you think.”

  “Uh huh,” she said, her green eyes locked on his profile.

  “Ah Hell,” he cursed, pulling over to the side of the road so he could face her. “Look, before I say anything else, I asked you out last night because I want to spend time with you. You’re beautiful and smart and funny and while I’m being honest, I’ve probably had a thing for you since the day we met in Kindergarten.”

  She blinked at his honesty. Admired it.

  “OK.”

  “Yeah. So, I want you to know that.”

  “But?”

  He sighed and raked a frustrated hand through his dark hair.

  “Not a but per se,” he began.

  “But?” she led with a half smile.

  “OK...but...when I got home last night my parents were waiting for me.”

  She nodded. “I made you late. I’m sorry.”

  “They were fine when I explained what happened...but then my mom was upset. She said she was glad I took you home and made sure you were safe but then she said she didn’t want me spending time with you.”

  Tessa’s eyes widened. “Oh. Wow.”

  He shook his head. “It isn’t about you, personally. It’s that you’re Mary Douglas’ daughter. See, Cordy and Gracie told me that Miss Nettie and Mrs. Pendleton were talking and said how if we got together it would be God fixing the mistake your mom and my dad made when they broke up. That naturally made my mom uncomfortable.”

  “Wow...OK, well, you should take me home.”

  “What? No, that’s crazy.”

  “No, it’s not. I don’t want to cause problems for you with your mom. Just turn around and take me home.”

  “I will if that’s what you really want, but it’s not what I want.”

  “Shane...she’s your mother.”

  “Yeah, and I love her and she loves me, but we’re three months from graduation, then we’re off to college and my days of living at home are numbered...my days of living in Indian Springs are numbered. I want to go into DPS and try to make Ranger. And my mom, while well meaning, has very little to say about the choices I make in my adult life. And beside all that, Tess, you’re one of my best friends now. I asked you out because I want to see if we can be more. If we can, great. If we can’t, that’s fine, too, but I want to at least try, don’t you?”

  She was quiet a moment. She turned her head to gaze out the window, watching other cars fly by. When she looked back at him there were tears shining in her eyes.

  “I’d like that, Shane, but your mom...”

  He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “You let me worry about her, OK?” She nodded. “Good...now, you hungry? I thought we could go into Sorghum Mills, to one of the places there instead of staying in town. That OK with you?”

  She wiped an errant tear from her cheek. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Hey, there’s no crying,” he teased, reaching up to softly swipe his thumb across her cheek. “Everything’s cool.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she replied.

  “I’m always right,” he countered with a wink and a laugh, putting the truck in gear and merging back onto the road.

  Tessa laughed. He loved the sound of it. The rest of the drive they talked more about his plans for college and his hope to one day become a Texas Ranger.

  “I thought you wanted to grow up to be Sheriff of Indian Springs like your dad. You know what everyone says. Everyone feels better with a McCanton in charge,” she said when they were seated at the restaurant. It was a town saying that had been around ever since Shane’s great-great-great grandfather became the first McCanton to be Sheriff of Indian Springs.

  “I don’t know. Maybe someday after my dad retires...but he’s a long ways from that.”

  “Would you really want to come back?”

  “Guess it would depend on what’s going on in my life at that time. My dad’s only 42 right now. He’ll be in office another twenty-five years at least.”

  “My mom wants me to stay and help her run Dreams Come True and one day take it over,” she said, referring to her mother’s wedding service.

  “Is that what you want?”

  “I’m not sure. Part of me does. I enjoy planning weddings and parties and doing the decorating. But I’d like to get out of town, too. Maybe go to Austin or the DFW area. Somewhere exciting.”

  “What do you want to go to school for? Still journalism?”

  She laughed. “No, I think I outgrew that finally. I’ve actually gotten interested in criminology. I don’t want to be a cop like you, but a profiler maybe. Or forensics,” she shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s a big jump from Wedding Planner to Criminal Profiler.”

  “You’d really like to study Criminal Justice?”

  “I’ve thought about it. Ever since your dad saved me that day when I was little. I’ve also toyed with going into the military.” She could tell that she had shocked him with that statement with the way his eyes widened.

  “Really? Why?”

  “Well, I don’t know if my mom can really afford to send me to college. I could pay my own way, though, through the G. I. Bill.”

  “What branch?”

  “I’ve looked into all of them. I kinda like the idea of being a Marine, though.”

  His jaw nearly scraped the floor. “You’re joking.”

  “No, I’m dead serious.”

  “Wow. That’s kinda...sexy.”

  “Don’t laugh at me!” she scolded though she was smiling.

  “Who’s laughing?” he asked, holding his hands up in a gesture of innocence.

  “That’s right, keep a straight face, McCanton,” she said, shaking her finger at him. “I’m sure I will end up staying with Mama at Dreams Come True.”

  “You think so? You might get a scholarship, you never know.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not going to hold my breath. I haven’t really talked things over with her. I’m just assuming she won’t have the money because of the divorce.”

  “My dad said she filed a restraining order against your dad this morning.”

  Tessa nodded. “For all the good it will do.”

  Shane reached out and took her hand, playing with her fingers.

  “I’m sorry you had to live like that for so long. I wish I would have known. Maybe I’d have gotten over myself and we could have been friends before this year.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m glad you didn’t know. It’s all been embarrassing enough.”

  “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  “I know, but still. Can’t help how I feel.”

  The rest of the night went smoothly. They talked non-stop through dinner, decided on a comedy movie and walked hand-in-hand through the park afterward, conversation just as full and lively as before.

  “We’d better be heading back home,” he said when they made the complete circuit of the park. “I don’t want your mom to get mad at me because I kept you out too late.”

  “I don’t think we have to worry too much about my mom,” she said, though she was smiling.

  “Probably not but I don’t want to give her any reason to get mad,” he said, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, just for an excuse to touch her.

  “This has been fun. I’m glad you didn’t take me home.”

  “Me, too. Got plans for tomorrow?”

  Her smile brightened. “I’m helping set up a wedding. That will tie me up from 8:00 am until noon, then tear down is around 5:00, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

  “It takes up your whole day like that?”

  “Decorations don’t put themselves up.”
/>   “Guess not...can I help? I want to spend time with you.”

  “I’m sure we can find something for you to do, but are you sure? Wedding stuff?”

  “Why not?”

  “Well...OK. When we get to my house I’ll ask Mama if she can use you.”

  “Cool,” he offered her his arm to head back to his truck.

  She held on to him with both hands, holding his arm so close to her that he felt her breast touch the back of his arm every few steps. He opened the door for her and helped her inside then went around to his side. When he got in she reached out to take his hand. He liked the feel of her hand in his, and he liked having her next to him in his truck.

  She was quiet on the drive home and that was fine with him. He enjoyed stealing glances at her.

  “Let me run in and see what she says about tomorrow,” she said when he pulled into her driveway.

  “Want me to come with you?”

  “Just wait here in case she’s already in bed.”

  He nodded but knew she wouldn’t be. Mom’s tended to stay up until their kids were home. She’d barely been inside five minutes before she came back out and got back in his truck.

  “She said she’d love to have you. First Baptist at 8 am.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Good! Now I’m excited!” she said on a giggle.

  “It’ll be fun.”

  “OK then. Thank you, again, for tonight. It was -”

  He stopped her with a kiss. It was brief contact, over before she could fully process it.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” he confessed.

  “Really?” she asked, a smug smile on her face, “because I’ve been wanting to do this.”

  She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him until all coherent thought flew from his brain. When she finally pulled back he knew he was doing good to remember his own name.

  “See you in the morning, McCanton,” she said, leaving him breathless and alone in his truck.

  He watched her walk up to her house and wave to him when she got to the door.

  “Oh, yeah, I’m a goner,” he said to himself.

  Chapter Three

  The next morning, Shane got up early, trying to be quiet and not wake anyone else. When he went downstairs, though, his mother was already up, sitting at the breakfast nook with her morning coffee.