by Norah Wilson
“Yes, scurry away like the rat you are.” Scott strained against Titus’s iron grip. “And if you value your hide, you will never lay a hand on her again. Never so much as speak to her. You hear me?”
“You Standishs are all the same.” Dundas managed to sneer even as he wiped away blood from above his left eye with the sleeve of his jacket. “But you’ll get yours. And I’ll be there laughing when it happens.”
Ocean laughed sharply. “That’s hilarious, Dundas. Even if that day came to pass, no one would hear you laughing. Not with your head stuck so far up Terry Picard’s ass.”
Dundas whirled toward Ocean. “Shut your mouth, bitch!”
Titus released Scott so suddenly, Scott almost fell. Then Titus started toward Dundas with deadly purpose. In a reversal of roles, Scott grabbed his brother’s jacket and held him back. Well, slowed him down, at least.
Realizing the peril he’d put himself in, Dundas finally displayed the good sense to retreat. Hastily.
Heart pounding in her ears, April watched him jump in his old pickup and peel out, leaving the unpleasant smell of burned rubber behind.
Chapter 27
SCOTT WOKE chilled. He’d kicked the blankets off his side of the bed in his sleep. Small wonder. He’d been dreaming of kicking the crap out of Dundas Bloom.
Actually in his dream, he kicked the crap out of him quite a few times, starting with that pimply-faced, lying jerk Bloom had been in high school. In the dream, he set the bastard on his ass with a wicked uppercut to the jaw. But when Bloom got up again, it was no longer the high school punk who’d made up those stories about Ember. This time, he had his filthy hands on April. Holding her by the arms. Leering at her.
Thank God he’d gone in to see what was keeping her. She’d looked so scared. He heard her voice again, high and thin with fear, but trying to sound commanding: I’m leaving. Get out of my way, Mr. Bloom.
Bloom barring her way. Oh, I don’t think so.
Scott raked a hand through his hair. Jesus, it was amazing he hadn’t done more than just kick off the covers.
He glanced at April. She lay on her side, facing him, her head nestled into her pillow. It was too dark to see much, but from the way she breathed, he knew she was asleep. He eased himself out of bed. She stirred briefly, then settled again. Exhaling the breath he’d been holding, he pulled the blankets up and tucked them closer around her.
Quietly, he dressed and descended the ladder to the barn floor. The tiny nightlight with its dusk-to-dawn sensor illuminated the way so he didn’t have to count steps or feel for the floor. He’d installed it for April’s safety, but had to admit it was convenient.
He shivered. The loft was nippy enough, but it was even colder down in the main barn’s large, empty space. It wouldn’t be empty for long. Soon it would be trimmed for Christmas. April seemed to be really looking forward to the party. Sid too. And Arden? Scott almost smiled—he seemed to be looking forward to everything a little bit more these days.
He opened the door and slipped out into the night.
Locating his cigarettes in his coat pocket, he shook the package open. One left. He looked at it for a moment. When had he bought this pack? Over two weeks ago.
At that rate, he might as well quit.
“Last one,” he announced to the night. Yeah, it would be. It was a stupid habit. Stupider still with a child around. Yes, he was very careful to keep it well away from Sid so she wouldn’t model his behavior, but kids didn’t miss much.
Lighting up, he leaned on the barn door and stared out into the night. The yard light up at the house made it harder to see the night sky, but if he turned his back on it, he could still pick out plenty of stars. He waited for the peace they usually brought him, but all his mind wanted to do was run over earlier events, again and again. The longer he stood there—thinking, remembering—the angrier he got. At Dundas Bloom, certainly. But more so at himself.
He should never have let April go back in there alone.
Yeah, he got it. He did have a tendency to be overprotective. Sometimes oppressively so. Everyone knew it. It was damned near primal, the need to protect those he loved, especially women. God, how many times had he and Ember butted heads about it over the years?
But what people didn’t know was that he did it because he was scared.
Scared? Hell, terrified. That he wouldn’t get there in time if something went wrong.
When he’d walked in and seen April cornered by Dundas Bloom, adrenaline had ripped through him like a jolt of electricity. He’d never been so scared. And yes, he knew nothing too horrible would have happened. Much as he despised Bloom, he doubted he’d have been suicidally stupid enough to assault her physically. But he’d gripped April’s wrist, actively intimidating her, making her feel trapped and vulnerable. He’d put that flicker of fear in her eyes and that quaver in her voice.
Dammit, Standish, you almost failed her. She was with you; you’re supposed to protect her. Unacceptable.
He took another drag off the cigarette, but the scene kept replaying. Bloom’s sucker punch. Dragging the bastard toward the door. The fight outside on the sidewalk.
His mouth went dry as he remembered what he’d said. Jesus. In the heat of the moment, he’d flat-out claimed April as his. For God’s sake, what was he thinking?
Okay, he hadn’t been thinking. Not with his brain, anyway. Those words had been torn from somewhere deeper.
The truth was, it wasn’t just some he-man possessiveness thing. It was something more. April Morgan had somehow become…what?
Precious.
Yes, she was precious to him. Priceless. Irreplaceable.
Yet it changed nothing. April and Sid deserved a man who would never leave. Someone who would face the daily grind of life beside them. Scott knew himself too well. He wasn’t that person.
So he’d have to let her think it was male pride that drove him to those words. Possessiveness. A macho reflex that—
“Scott?”
He glanced back inside the barn to see April descending the ladder.
He ground out his cigarette in the dirt as she came to join him at the door, arms wrapped around herself against the cold.
“Come here.” He pulled her close. “You must be freezing.”
She lifted a hand to touch his jaw where Bloom had landed that first punch. “I feel so bad that you got in a fight over me,” she said, “But thank you. No one’s ever come to my defense like that.”
Christ, that just broke his heart. Her mother, her father, that useless brother. The man who impregnated her and abandoned her. The older sister’s decision to leave, he could understand. But to never return to her sibling’s life? April deserved better, from all of them.
“You should stay longer,” he said.
“I will. Sidney’s sleeping over at Danika’s tonight, remember?”
“No, I meant you should stay in Harkness. Right here at the farm, if you want to.”
Her eyes widened. “But I have a—”
“You have a job lined up. I know. But what better job could you have than April Dawn’s? You could be your own boss, at the helm of something you created yourself. Anyone can see that you love it, and it’s keeping Sid engaged.”
She pulled back for a better look at his face. “Oh, I plan to continue building the business when I move on. In my spare time, as I’m doing here.”
“Will you have the same supports in Ontario? A great spot at a market, at a preferred rate, to sell your wares? And hell, will your employer even give their blessing to a secondary enterprise?”
She pulled away completely. “I’d be working for myself. It’s not like I’d be moonlighting for another employer, taking hours or energy away from the day job.”
“I just think you’ve made a good start here. Why not stay longer, and keep building? Maybe it can be more than just a cottage industry run in your spare time.”
“But we agreed I’d stay until after Christmas. To stay longer…” She clear
ed her throat. “I don’t want anyone’s charity.”
“Charity?” God, how many times did they need to have this conversation? “April, honey, that’s the last thing this is. Do you have any concept how much your being here has helped? I’ve been able to focus on getting through the apple-picking and sanitizing the orchards. Not to mention the repairs I’ve been able to get done around here. It’s meant that I haven’t had to bother Titus, so he could have his break. Arden’s been able to spend more time with Faye instead of trying to keep up on the domestic front. Ember’s been able to give her full attention to getting her practice going.” He reached for her hand. “And we’ve never eaten so well since before Mom got sick. Everyone feels better for it. Healthier, more energetic. Just ask any one of them and they’ll tell you the same thing.”
She lowered her gaze, but not before he saw a suspicious glint. “Thank you. I’m glad your family is happy with the arrangement. But—”
“No buts. Put this new job off until spring.”
She bit her lip. “I’ve already delayed almost two months…”
“Well, if they won’t wait, there are plenty of other employers out there who’d be thrilled to have you. If you still want another employer, that is. If you stay and build the business, you may find you have your hands more than full.”
She looked up at him again and he could sense how torn she was, feel her indecision.
“But it wouldn’t be fair to your family,” she said. “I feel guilty enough already, using your kitchen as my production plant. If the business grows any more, I’ll be out of room. I can’t exactly install a commercial refrigerator in front of the window.”
He frowned. “Well, we could always roll back your salary a little bit—say, five percent or something—for kitchen rental, if that makes you feel better. But I’m inclined to agree you’ll outgrow the space if you keep expanding like you are. In which case Jace could likely find you some commercial space.”
“I don’t know…”
“I do,” he said. “You should stay. Think about Sid.”
Her beautiful, full mouth tightened. “I’m always thinking about Sidney.”
“Sorry. I know you are. I just meant, wouldn’t it be nice if she could stay and finish the school year?”
Her lips twisted with pain. “Of course I’d like her to be able to stay put. We’ve moved around so much over the years... But sometimes what we want isn’t possible.”
“This time, it’s perfectly possible.”
“I don’t know. I’d feel…strange. You’ll have moved on by the new year, and I have to too.”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I’m not leaving in January after all.”
Okay, he’d done it, put that right out there. No taking it back now. But dammit, she deserved a chance. And he’d already forewarned Georgie…
“What?” Her head came up and she searched his eyes. “You’re not leaving? I thought you had another project you needed to get to? The Alberta thing.”
“That’s on hold for the moment.” Well, that wasn’t a lie, exactly. Not as long as Georgie could stave off his brother-in-law’s stacks of money and his sister’s entreaties. “Not until June or anything like that, but for a month or two, probably.”
“You’re really staying? I mean, you didn’t postpone that project because of me?”
He couldn’t straight-up lie to her when she looked at him like that. So he chose not to answer her question. “Come here. There’s nothing to fret about.” He pulled her back into his arms, and she went willingly. “The timing is great. I mean, there are so many more upgrades begging to be done around here. It’ll give me a chance to tackle them. Plus Titus can enjoy a more extended break.”
“Really?”
“So, will you stay through the spring?”
She took a deep breath and released it. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good.” He slid a hand into her hair and tugged gently to lift her face. When he bent to kiss her, she went up on tiptoe to meet him. Her slim, strong body meshed perfectly with his and his arms tightened reflexively around her. God, he wanted to crush her to him. Wanted to take her in through his skin, absorb her. He just couldn’t get enough of her.
He loved her.
He loved her more than he wanted to. More than he could fathom. Damn it, more than the world. And that terrified him, made him want to run like hell.
She pulled back and looked up at him. “Let’s go back to bed.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all night. Go on up and I’ll be right there. I’m just going to close the doors.”
He watched her climb the ladder safely before turning back to the door. With a last glance at the stars, he pulled the doors shut and latched them.
Chapter 28
ANOTHER MARKET day almost done. Despite her exhaustion, April smiled. She’d been up and running since five a.m. But it was a good tired. She’d earned it. She’d also made a tidy profit, her biggest single day’s sales yet. And she’d had a blast doing it. By now, she’d gotten to know, or at the very least meet, a good half of the population of Harkness. People loved her products. She hadn’t felt so alive in years. But more important than anything, she and Sidney had gotten closer.
It was the last market day before Christmas. The lovely place would reopen, of course, in the new year, with “real” leases. God help her, she was leaning toward staying on, as Scott had suggested. She hadn’t made a final decision yet, and he hadn’t pressed her. But they both knew she’d have to decide soon.
She hadn’t totally cut off her options. She’d applied for a couple of positions, and had strong interest expressed by a small, exclusive resort in the Niagara region. If she went after it hard, she figured she could land it. Thanks to the money she’d made from her little cottage industry, she had a bit of a nest egg built up. She no longer feared she and Sidney would be living hand to mouth.
But if she stayed, things would be so much easier. If she took a new job, she’d have to learn the ropes and get everything under control before she could expend any energy on a side business. She couldn’t imagine another employer being as invested in her success as the Standish family had been.
Mrs. Budaker came to stand by April’s booth to take up the conversation that had been interrupted by customers. The woman was relentless.
“So would you say it’s serious between the two of them?” the older woman asked. Her penciled eyebrows rose with the question. After weeks of fishing for information about Titus and Ocean, she’d finally come right out and asked.
“Oh, yes, it’s definitely serious.”
Her lips thinned. “Why is it that all the good men are taken?”
April shook her head. “Isn’t that always the way?”
Mrs. Budaker chuckled. “Oh, you’re one to talk! That other handsome young Standish man is just sweet on you.”
Of course, it was no secret in the community that she and Scott were seeing each other. After the initial relief of not having to hide it, April now felt a bit guilty. In a little town like Harkness, people tended to assume that dating would naturally lead to something more permanent. She and Scott knew better, but they could hardly come out and say that.
She grimaced. “It’s complicated.”
“Nonsense! Don’t give me that. That’s just young people speak for we’re slower than cold molasses!”
April glanced at her daughter who was currently unpacking yet more of the popular breakfast bars at the back of the stand. From her failure to react to the “cold molasses” analogy, April knew she wasn’t following the conversation. Sidney would have gotten a kick out of that folksy expression. She’d collected a whole slew of them from Arden and Faye, and even a few from Titus. Literally collected, as in writing them down on recipe cards April had given her for the purpose.
When she turned back to Mrs. Budaker, the older woman was all smiles. It wasn’t hard to see what had turned that frown upside down. A dashing and dapper gentleman had just stopped
at her booth. He was tall, well-built, probably somewhere in his early sixties. He was bald on the top, but his silvering hair and beard was neatly trimmed, contrasting flatteringly with his deep tan. He wore casual jeans and leather boots, and a sharp looking gray jacket.
“Marcel?” Mrs. Budaker hustled back to her booth. “It is you! What a sight for sore eyes. How long has it been?”
“Too long, Nell. Far too long.”
“Oh, my.” She laughed, waved a flustered hand over her chest. “Are you home for Christmas?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Oh?” Her disappointment was palpable.
“I’m home for you.”
April would have loved to listen in on the reunion—one that seemed to get cozier by the second—but three customers appeared at her booth at once. Sid took care of the first two while April looked after the third. By the time she’d finished helping the gal choose something suitable for her celiac daughter, Mrs. Budaker had closed shop, put up a Back Soon sign, and gone off with her handsome visitor. Presumably for coffee. Good for her!
April’s feet were more than ready for a break too, but it was too busy to leave Sidney alone.
A customer approached—a girl from Sidney’s class—and Sidney stepped up to serve her. April took the opportunity to sit on one of the two stools. She was going to need a foot rub tonight, something Scott was always quick to offer on market day.
She lifted her feet onto the rung at the bottom of the stool, flexing and pointing them by turns, and listened to Sidney and her friend, Courtney Pinnock, talk in excited tones about the Standish family Christmas party, set for the very next night. It would be a Sunday evening affair this year, and the Far South Barn was all but ready. Brighter and more beautiful than April had ever imagined it could be.
As the domestic helper, April had expected the preparations would fall to her as part of her job. But Ember had insisted on doing it, and well, it was her prerogative to take over.
As strong and proud as the Standish men were, the Standish women were just as well equipped in that department. It was a matter of enormous importance for Ember that the barn be perfect, or as perfect as she could make it. Ocean had contributed a ton of time too. April had helped as much as they’d let her, which wasn’t a whole lot. After an hour or two, they’d usually shooed her away, insisting she focus on making more product for the market.
