A Buckhorn Summer

by Lori Foster

  And possible danger.

  “Damn it,” she said again, more meanly this time.

  Ticket had a fit, jerking and pulling at the leash when she went back in for a flashlight and her phone. It took her less than a minute, but when she got back outside she saw her small shed engulfed in fire.

  And there was Garrett, backlit by the flames, leading a reluctant Cody Donahue toward the house.

  Oh, no. Just what she didn’t need.

  Her heart sank, especially when she got a good look at Cody’s face. The boy was lost, and if someone didn’t intercede, he could end up with the same needless fate as Gus.

  Blowing out a long breath, Zoey knew she’d have to take on one more responsibility.

  And it was going to be a doozy.

  When Garrett reached her, he said in a voice as placid as the lake, “Don’t let Ticket loose, okay? The fire should burn itself out, especially with everything still dew-wet. But we don’t want him near it.”

  Straining away from Garrett’s hold, Cody avoided her gaze.

  She held the door open for both of them.

  Like her, Ticket watched with quiet sympathy until they were inside, then he started sniffing the grass.

  Zoey gave him plenty of time to do his business...while also giving Garrett plenty of time to do his. She assumed he’d call the sheriff, maybe the fire station...she wasn’t sure, but there’d definitely be some confusion going on.

  When Ticket finished up, she went into the kitchen. With the phone to his ear, Garrett stood behind Cody, who sat at the table. He had a hand on the boy’s shoulder, and to Zoey the touch looked more like reassurance than restraint.

  When she caught part of the conversation, she knew it was Cody’s father Garrett spoke to.

  “This was a courtesy call, Mr. Donahue, that’s all.”

  A raised voice came over the line. Garrett waited, occasionally giving Cody a squeeze.

  “No, you may not come get him. He’ll be at the sheriff’s station.” Garrett nodded. “Sure, call your lawyer if that’s what you want to do. No, I’m sorry, but there’s no mistake.” Again he squeezed. “I caught him myself, Mr. Donahue. He still had the lighter in his hand.”

  Zoey unleashed Ticket, who decided to lay by Cody’s chair, then she went about making coffee. She and Garrett finished up at the same time.

  To give them some privacy, she said, “I’ll go get dressed.”

  He nodded, and then to Cody, asked, “You drink coffee?”

  “No.”

  “Want a cola then?”

  Stubbornness and suspicion hunched his shoulders. “I guess.”

  “Don’t run,” Garrett said when he released him. “It’ll only piss me off and this is bad enough already.”

  “I wasn’t going to.”

  Feeling far too emotional, Zoey went on down the hall. By the time she’d dressed, the deputy had arrived, along with a fire truck and Morgan Hudson. The yard was busy, the kitchen busier. And all she could think about was how Garrett had handled Cody.

  He hadn’t bullied him, or hurled accusations. He’d been compassionate but firm.

  God, she loved him. Like crazy, over-the-top, never-going-to-end love.

  In for a penny, she decided... She’d do what she could for Cody.

  And then she’d do what she could for herself...with Garrett.

  * * *

  THE MORNING WENT by in a blur and Garrett stayed so busy he didn’t get a chance to see Zoey after leaving the house with the deputy. He’d showered and shaved at his own place, and barely gotten to the fund-raiser on time. Now, behind a booth grilling corn on the cob, games all around him, a dance stage set up across the way, his thoughts divided a dozen different ways.

  Number one, he wanted to throttle Cody’s dad. The man had made a big production of insisting Cody was innocent no matter the evidence, no matter Garrett himself being an eyewitness. When his rude blustering got him nowhere, he turned on Cody, loudly complaining that he didn’t have time to waste on nonsense.

  Cody’s dad was so opposite his own that Garrett couldn’t fathom what it must have been like for him growing up. Losing a brother, having a father who made excuses, but didn’t take time for him.

  That led him to number two, because he wanted to take Cody under his wing and maybe help him see a better way. Cody needed to know he wasn’t a waste of time. He could still make amends and get on a better path before he hurt himself or someone else. Though he thought for sure it was Cody responsible for the fire by the lake, and no doubt in the woods, too, he hadn’t been busted on anything else. With a little guidance, he just might be able to get it together.

  And thinking of better people led him to number three. Zoey. He wanted to cement their relationship, to have her actually commit to him. He wanted that bad.

  A few minutes later, there she was, wearing a pretty sundress and sandals, her silky brown hair dancing in the breeze. Garrett set aside his tongs and watched her sway to the loud music blaring over the park. Did she dance?

  He wouldn’t mind holding her to a slow song when he got a break.

  Her mother was in a wheelchair pushed by her uncle. They paused at a booth to get colas, smiling and taking in the crowd. Zoey bent to say something to her mom, smiled at some kids running past and pointed at balloons.

  Garrett pushed back his hat, his heart already tripping. She had that effect on him. Every single time.

  Moseying along with her mom and uncle, she searched the crowd. When she saw him, she stopped dead in her tracks. Color rushed into her cheeks and she sank her teeth into that plump bottom lip. Two seconds later she put her shoulders back.

  Huh.

  After saying something to her uncle, she started toward him.

  Wondering what she was up to, Garrett nudged Noel, said, “Be right back,” and left the booth.

  He met Zoey halfway across the main entrance to the park. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” Clearly keyed up about something, she stared at him. “Do you have a minute?”

  The serious way she asked that left him uneasy. He searched her face. “Is something wrong?” Was she still upset over the fire that morning? “I can rebuild the shed, you know.”

  A smile flickered. “I know. It’s fine.” She poked him. “At least the snakes are gone, right?”

  “You live in the woods, honey. There will always be snakes.”

  Wrinkling her nose, she said, “Thanks. Just what I needed to know.”

  “Forget about snakes. You’re upset.” And trying to hide it. “What’s going on?”

  She shored herself up with a big breath. “This morning, when I saw you with Cody Donahue, I made up my mind. About two things actually. And because you’ll want to come home with me again after the fund-raiser—”

  “Damn right I will.” Someone bumped into him. He glanced back and saw the line for the corn had grown. Noel looked harassed, especially with the music even louder now.

  “Come here.” He moved them both away from the growing line and noise and, to be clear, stated, “I am coming home with you.”

  She nodded. “I know. And I want you to. It’s just—”

  “If this is about the Donahues giving you a hard time—” Had she thought he went too easy on Cody? No, he couldn’t believe that. Zoey was the most compassionate person he knew. She was also a woman wrongly targeted. “You know I’m on your side, right?”

  “Oh, Garrett.” She hugged him tight. “I loved how you dealt with Cody. That’s actually one of the decisions I made.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Pushing back from him, she seemed to screw up her courage, then spoke in a rush of words that ran together. “I’m sorry because I know the timing is off and my mother is waiting and you have duties, but I haven’t s
een you since I made up my mind to do this, and if I don’t do it now I might chicken out, so...”

  “Hold up.” This sounded serious, so maybe a little privacy was in order. Taking her arm, he steered her over to a park bench, out of the glaring sunshine. He ignored onlookers. He especially ignored Noel trying to get his attention. “Now.” He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know, but he asked anyway. “What’s going on?”

  She sucked in a very deep breath, then exhaled on a blurted, “I was wrong.”

  Uneasiness cut into him, tightening his jaw. “About?”

  “Being friends with benefits.”

  Feeling lethal, and a little desperate, he reminded her, “You’re the one who insisted on those benefits.”

  “I know!” She thrust out her hands. “But I can’t be just friends anymore.”

  Getting a breath wasn’t easy, so he just narrowed his eyes and waited.

  “Garrett,” she pleaded. “Don’t look like that. I realize there’s probably some right way to do this, but you know I was never any good at social etiquette.”

  “Screw etiquette.” She didn’t need to pretty it up for him. He wanted her to say it so he could get started convincing her otherwise. “Just spit it out.”

  “I’m messing this up so badly.” She took his hand. “I do want you for a friend, yes.”

  Damn it. No way could he do that, not after being so much more.

  “And sex, yes.”

  Okay, wait.

  “But...”

  With his heart suddenly thundering, Garrett nudged her. “But?”

  She winced. “Am I being too bold?”

  “No.” Be bold, Zoey.

  Behind them, Noel called out, “A little help here?”

  He glanced back. Damn. Did everyone in Buckhorn want buttered corn? Looked like. Luckily, Amber strolled up to the booth just then. He saw Noel gesturing toward him, and he knew his sister would pitch in. When she sent him a thumbs-up, letting him know she had it covered, he nodded his gratitude.

  Turning back to Zoey, he said, “Go on.”

  Uncertainty darkened her eyes.

  “Hey.” He smoothed her lips with his. “Remember, honey, you can tell me anything.” And one way or another, he’d work it out with her.

  “Right.” Like a soldier, she came to attention and said quickly, “I care for you way beyond just being friends.”

  Now that was more like it. Satisfaction brought him closer, but he needed to hear her say it. “Tell me how much.”

  Her lips trembled. So did her small smile. She started to speak, but something beyond his shoulder caught her attention. She glanced there, then tipped her head for a longer look. “You know how I said I made two decisions?”

  “Yeah.”

  She stood. “I’m sorry, but I need to take care of that second one right now.”

  No way. Halting her retreat, Garrett stood, too, followed her line of vision...and saw Carrie approaching. Damn it, not now.

  Stiff and formal, Carrie stopped in front of him. She made a point of not looking at Zoey. “I knew you’d be here. I need to talk to you.”

  Sympathy weighed on him, but he had no idea what he could tell her.

  Zoey knew. Smiling gently, she stepped around him to face Carrie. “I was hoping to see you here.”

  * * *

  “I DON’T WANT to talk to you.”

  Though Carrie tried to turn away, Zoey saw the heartache in her eyes. “I know you’re hurting.” Talking over the music wasn’t easy. The dancers had spilled from the stage to all around it.

  Half urging, half pushing, she got Carrie to the bench they’d just vacated, then took her hand and didn’t let go.

  Scowling, Carrie strained away from her. “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t imagine losing a brother.”

  That stalled Carrie’s animosity. “Gus is gone forever.”

  “I know.” She’d been living with that fact for a very long time. “The thing is, Cody is still here.”

  “I know.” She looked up at Garrett. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you—”

  “He’s on the wrong path.” Zoey regained her attention by saying, “And you know it.”

  She shook her head. “No, he just—”

  “You might be the only family he has who knows it. He needs you, Carrie. He needs someone to care enough to not make excuses.”

  Carrie blanched. “I don’t—”

  “He needs you to start paying attention.”

  Taking that like a slap, Carrie said, “I’m not responsible for what he did!”

  “Just as I wasn’t responsible for what Gus did?”

  When Carrie’s bottom lip quivered, Zoey patted her hand.

  “Believe me, I wish I had it to do over. I would have called the sheriff before Gus left. I would have called you. I would have...I don’t know. Taken his keys.”

  At that, Carrie shared a tearful laugh with Zoey, because they both knew that hadn’t been an option. For as long as she’d known him, Gus was a rage waiting to happen.

  Taking the shared laugh as an opening, Zoey reached out for Carrie’s other hand, too. “Unfortunately, we don’t get do-overs. All we have is here and now, and your other brother, Cody, is here, now.”

  Carrie whispered, “I don’t know what to do.”

  Looking over her shoulder at Garrett, Zoey said, “I bet you have a few ideas.” She couldn’t be wrong about that.

  He looked surprised to be drawn in, but reassured her by agreeing. “I’ve been thinking about it.”

  Zoey beamed at him. “I knew you would.”

  “Yeah, you know me pretty well.” He rested a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t guarantee anything, but it’s possible we could convince the sheriff to let Cody do some community time at the fire station. I wouldn’t go easy on him. He needs to apologize to Zoey and rebuild the shed he burned. He needs to learn there are repercussions to the things he does.”

  “And,” Zoey added, “he needs to understand the harm fire can do. It’s not something he can play with.”

  Garrett nodded. “It won’t be a picnic, but it’d be better than time in juvie.”

  Tears welled in Carrie’s eyes. “You’d do that for him?”

  So pleased that she almost couldn’t contain herself, Zoey said, “Of course he would.”

  Garrett drew Zoey closer. “You’d have to convince your parents, and Carrie, we both know that’s not going to be easy.”

  More resolute now, Carrie said, “Somehow I’ll take care of it.” She swallowed hard and admitted, “They mostly don’t want to be bothered.”

  “He has you,” Zoey told her. “Right?”

  “Yes.” Two shuddering breaths later, she managed a small smile and said to Zoey, “I don’t understand you.”

  “You don’t need to, as long as you understand Cody.”

  This time it was Carrie who squeezed Zoey’s hands. “Thank you.”

  Content with how that had gone, Zoey watched her walk away.

  Until Garrett tipped up her chin. “You were saying something about decisions?”

  Wow, he’d jumped right back to that. “Yeah, um, decisions.”

  “I get that you decided to help Cody.”

  “Yes. That was one of my decisions. He’s still young and his family is not easy—”

  “And you know something about that, don’t you?”

  She did. “I knew you’d understand.”

  His smile seemed to touch her heart. “What else, honey?”

  “I decided about you, too.” If she didn’t hurry it up he’d miss the entire fund-raiser because of her. “I don’t mean to rush you, but I’ve decided that I want more.”

  He kissed her bo
ttom lip, touched his tongue to her. “More with you? I like that idea.”

  Her heart stammered then stalled. “Not just sex.” Then she amended, “Not that sex with you is ever just sex. That’s not what I mea—”

  “I love you, Zoey.”

  Her jaw dropped, but she recovered quickly. “That’s what I was trying to say to you!”

  Sinking his hands into her hair, he kissed her more urgently.

  “You two are causing a scene.”

  They broke apart to see Shohn grinning down at them.

  Garrett said, “Go help Amber and Noel with the damn corn.”

  “Right.” He winked at Zoey, clapped Garrett on the shoulder and headed toward the booth.

  Glad for the reprieve, Zoey rushed to say, “I’m not trying to pressure you. You have a house and I have a house and my mom is moving in and... Everything doesn’t have to change right away. We could ease into things. Keep doing what we’ve been doing, because that’s really working for me.”

  “Me, too.”

  “We could keep taking it one day at a time...”

  Garrett hauled her close and kissed her quiet. “One day at a time works for me—as long as here on out, each day is with you.” Then he said it again. “Because I love you.”

  She squeezed him tight. “I am so glad I came back to Buckhorn.”

  “It’s where you belong,” Garrett whispered. “Here—with me.”

  * * *

  AMBER WAS SO busy watching her brother, she kept bumping into Noel. Not a terrible thing at all.

  When Shohn came around the booth and started tying on an apron, she said, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

  Shohn gave her a look. “Been scheming again, huh?”

  Smug, she said, “Think maybe we could make it a double wedding?”

  He glanced at Noel. “You getting married?”

  Noel choked.

  Amber felt her face go hot, but she ignored it. “I meant you and Nadine, Garrett and Zoey.”

  “Hey, I’m game. Nadine and I are ready to set the date anyway. But you’ll have to corral the others.”

  “I can handle that.” She smiled...until she saw Noel shaking his head at her.