by Clarissa Yip
Kerry’s mouth dropped open, but Lauren ignored her. Rapping on the wooden panel, she turned the knob and saw Kane’s mother sitting on the couch. “Hi, Mrs. Bradley.”
Maria Bradley glanced up and smiled. Lauren’s heart constricted as Maria rushed to hug her. She stood still, enduring the older woman’s affection. She reminder her so much of her own mother. She couldn’t help drawing in a deep breath. The sugary sweetness of pastries radiated from the woman’s chocolate-brown hair—hair the same color as Kane’s. As a chef and baker, Maria was known for the decadent concoctions from her kitchen.
“How are you, dear?” Kane’s mother asked.
“I’m…fine.” She was starting to hate that word.
“I’m really sorry about your husband. I’m sure it’s hard on you…” Maria released Lauren and patted her hand. “You should be at home resting, not working. I’m surprised that you’re actually here.”
Lauren just nodded. How many times did she have to go through these formalities? She and Daniel had been apart for almost a year, and everyone assumed she’d be the mourning widow. Was it because she didn’t have another man in her life that they all believed she was still pining for him? “Where’s the bride?”
“She said she didn’t need any help.” Maria leaned in closer, cupping her hand to her mouth, and whispered, “I think she’s turning into Bridezilla.”
Lauren chuckled. She’d seen enough of those around. “It’ll pass. She’s just nervous. The wedding is next weekend, so I’m sure there’s still a lot to do.”
“I guess. Good thing I only have one daught—” Maria stopped and gave Lauren a smile as she drew her down to the couch. “Have you seen my son?”
Boy had she. Lauren kept her laugh to herself. “I have seen Kane a few times.” She didn’t want to tell anyone about what had been happening. Doubt, fear, and anxiety. They were starting to build up in her chest and every corner she turned, there seemed to always be something. First Daniel’s death, the trip to the morgue, the funeral, the break-in… And it all involved Kane. “Have you seen him lately?” Lauren asked. She studied the older woman. Her head hung; she gripped the magazine she’d been reading.
“Just once in the three months since he’s been back.”
Lauren frowned. She almost didn’t hear Maria’s words, but they sent a wave of sadness through her. Kane was still the same—still ignoring his mother, still trying to be the loner he’d been all his life. She had thought maybe his return was because he’d at least missed his family, but no. Once again, his job sent him back here. “He’s busy, I’m sure.”
Maria shook her head. “He’s my son. I know him better than anyone. You may not think so because I hardly see him, but he’s determined to keep everyone out of his life.”
Anger pulsed through her. Her fingers curled at her sides, but she quickly relaxed. What was the point of getting mad? Maria was right. He wouldn’t allow anyone near him. Their relationship had been based on attraction and her distress over the loss of her own mother. She had needed him, and he’d been there for her at the darkest moments of her life, but he had never allowed her into his problems. He could laugh over anything, push everything aside as if it didn’t matter, but Kane never talked much about himself. Just his work.
“Well, he’s back. Maybe he’ll change.” Lauren didn’t know what else to say. She wanted to put her arms around Maria and comfort her and then find Kane and lay one on him. How dare he hurt his own mother? How could he not know that she was suffering from his ignorance?
“Mom!”
Lauren shared a smile with Maria over the exasperated shout. Sara Bradley flung the fitting room door open, hands on hips and a displeased pout on her lips. “I got fatter.”
Maria rushed to her daughter. “No, it fits perfectly.”
Lauren stood up. The dress did fit perfectly. Strapless A-line with pearls along the side of the waist in an intricate pattern that rode down to the train. The design was immaculate. And the seamstress did a wonderful job. She couldn’t have better employees. “It’s gorgeous. I actually think you look thinner than the last time I saw you.”
Sara frowned and moved to the three-way mirror onto the stand in the front of the room and studied her reflection. “Why do I feel so fat in this dress, then?”
Maria rolled her eyes and Lauren stifled a laugh. Sara was prone to dramatics. As the baby girl of the family, Lauren had learned that Sara had both her parents wrapped around her fingers. With three older brothers, the young Bradley could hold her own weight, but when it came to getting what she wanted, everyone had a tendency to dote on her, except Kane. She’d never seen him interact much with his stepsister, although Sara had tried many times to include Kane in family activities when he turned his mother down.
She bent to adjust the layers around Sara’s legs so the train would lie flat on the cream carpet. An ache nudged her heart. Each time she saw a bride, it reminded her of what she’d missed marrying Daniel. “Trust me, you’ll be the most beautiful bride ever. Your wedding day will be perfect.”
Sara sighed. “I can’t wait till all this is over.”
“Me, too,” Maria muttered. “If Matt wasn’t going into the navy, I wouldn’t have allowed you to marry so young.”
“Mom!” Sara’s eyes narrowed, meeting her mother’s gaze in the mirror.
“I’m serious. You’re only eighteen and you’ve been a monster these past few days. Your father runs out the door every time he sees you. And your soon-to-be husband follows him out just to get away, too.”
That made Lauren laugh. She held her hand over her mouth to hide her reaction, but Sara caught her expression and giggled. Maria smiled fondly.
“Lauren.”
Hearing the man’s voice, she whipped around and any amusement she’d found withered away. Kane stood at the door in the same suit she’d seen him in earlier during the day, except his tie was loose and a few of the buttons at his collar were undone, exposing his bronze flesh. She swallowed hard as the events of the past twenty-four hours crashed through her mind once again. “Was it Gabe?” she blurted out.
Kane’s lips thinned as he looked past her. “Hi…Mother. Sara.”
Lauren wanted to slap a hand to her forehead. She’d almost forgotten his sister and mother. It probably wasn’t smart for her to bring up the current drama of her life. She took a deep breath, trying to appear calm even though she felt Maria’s suspicious gaze on her.
“Kane!” Sara lifted up her skirts and hopped off the stand. “What are you doing here?”
He glanced at his feet and shoved his hands in his pocket, rocking on his heels. “I stopped by to see Lauren.”
Sara’s face dropped. “Oh…I thought you knew we were here. You’re still going to the wedding, right?”
Kane shrugged. A nervous tension radiated off him. “I’m going to try.”
Lauren frowned at Kane’s nonchalant attitude. Didn’t he know how important this was to his sister? His family? She bit her lip to keep from saying anything.
“It’s your sister’s wedding.” The sternness in Maria’s voice surprised Lauren. “You have to go.”
“You know how my job is.”
Maria moved next to Sara. “No, I don’t. You don’t tell us how it is. You just assume we would know when you blow us off.”
The room filled with tension. Kane stood uncomfortably, frowning at his mother. Maria’s lips pursed, her hands fisted at her side, as she glared at her son. Sara’s gaze bounced between the two, tears welling in her eyes. Lauren couldn’t believe Kane’s callous behavior. Unable to stop herself, she threw Kane a warning glare and immediately slipped between him and his mother. “Of course, he’ll be there. It’s Sara’s wedding. He can’t miss it.”
Maria’s eyes widened. “He won’t show. He’ll use his cases as an excuse, then send along some gift.”
Lauren bit the inside of her cheek. She whipped around and faced Kane. “You’re going, right?”
He frowned at her. �
�I’ll try.”
She jabbed him in the shoulder with her finger. “No. Trying isn’t good enough. You’ll be there if I have to chauffeur you.”
Kane gave her a hard stare, but she didn’t back down. “You know what I’m working on and—”
Her rage rose to the brim, closing her throat. Lauren whirled around. “He’ll be there. I’ll make sure he’s there,” she told Maria, then held out a hand to Sara. “Let’s go down the hall and try on a veil with your dress and you can tell me how you’re going to do your hair.”
Sara gripped Lauren’s fingers and allowed her to lead her out of the room down the hall. Lauren inwardly cursed. She shouldn’t have interfered. Just like old times. It was a bad habit to break, but watching and listening to Kane made her so angry. It was his sister’s wedding, for God’s sake. How could he not plan to show up? Didn’t he know what it was like to not have family? Didn’t he care?
Lauren drew in deep breaths to calm herself as she led Sara down to the area where they stored accessories.
“Lauren, slow down. I’m going to trip.” Sara tugged at her hand.
“Sorry.” Lauren paused and bent to lift up the train of the dress. “I’m just irritated.”
The younger woman chuckled. “Yeah, Kane has that effect on everyone. We’re probably not going to get dinner tonight now.”
“What do you mean?”
Sara sighed. “Every time Mom sees Kane, she gets upset and locks herself in her bedroom and we all have to fend for ourselves. I hear her cry all the time. I hate it. I don’t get why he’s the way he is.”
Lauren’s stomach dropped. Her fingers clenched around the fabric. She didn’t know why he was the way he was, either. Hardheaded and ignorant. Couldn’t he see his family was dying for his attention? For his love?
“Just one day, I wish he would cut her some slack.” Sara drew in a heavy breath. “I know he blames Mom for getting married again. Growing up, Kane always acted like we didn’t exist even though we tried so hard to include him in everything.”
Dropping the train of the gown, Lauren folded Sara into her arms. It felt awkward to be comforting another. “No. I’m sure that’s not true.”
Sara shook her head. “Oh, Lauren. He couldn’t get away from us fast enough. Why do you think he joined the police force right after he graduated? We’re not good enough for him. We don’t compare to his sister.”
Lauren stilled and drew back. “You are his sister.”
The younger woman swatted at her tears. “No. I’m talking about Kane’s dead sister.”
Chapter Eight
Kane shook with unease. Confrontations with his mother always made him sick. This time felt different, though. More intense. All he could think about was Lily. Buried deep in the earth, and it was all his fault.
“I promise to try to make it to the wedding, but I can’t guarantee anything.” It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be there. Dread and anxiety gripped him every time he came near them, especially his mother. He didn’t understand why they would even want him at a family event. The air filled with tension each time he actually showed up in their presence.
Maria crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you hate me?”
Kane shoved a hand through his hair. He could only take so much of his mother before she started in on him again. He hated these moments. The pain in her eyes ate at him. Why couldn’t she just leave him alone? Forget he existed? It’d make both their lives easier. “I don’t hate you.”
“Kane, I’ve only seen you once since you’ve been home. You can’t avoid us forever. We’re your family.”
Her family. He didn’t belong with them. Never will. “My work is important.”
Maria took a step toward him; he shifted back. “We’re important. Haven’t I taught you anything? Where’s the little boy I raised who used to cling to my side all the time?”
He swallowed hard. “I’m not a boy anymore.”
Maria covered her mouth with her fingers as if holding back a sob. “What do I have to do? Tell me.”
Helplessness wrapped around him. His mother was on the brink of losing control. He could tell. Her small frame started to shake. His arms itched to wrap around her, to comfort her, but he couldn’t. She had to learn to let him go. Just as she had let Lily go. He shoved his hand through his hair again, holding on to his frustration. “If this is about Sara’s wedding, then fine. I’ll be there.”
She stopped and eyed him warily. Her lashes were wet from her tears. “I don’t know what I’ve ever done to you that you feel like I deserve this. All I’ve done is try to protect you from your father, and I know I’ve done a poor job of that.”
His chest tightened; his fists curled at his sides. It didn’t have anything to do with his father. How could she not understand that it was him and not her? “Mom. I know that. I don’t blame you for anything. You’re happy with Bill and I’m glad. Dad”—he almost choked just saying the word—“got what he deserved.” His old man had died in jail from a heart attack right before Kane had left Grant, and his guilt hadn’t been assuaged. No matter what happened to the bastard, his baby sister wasn’t going to come back. If only he’d saved her as he should have…
Maria shook her head and moved in closer. He froze at the feel of her hand on his arm. “I’m your mother. I gave birth to you. I raised you. Doesn’t that matter to you? Is this still about Lily?”
He felt the sudden punch to his gut. His gaze roamed over her delicate features. His mother still looked the same to him as she did when he was younger—petite, frail, and at times helpless. He needed her to be happy, needed her to move on with her life. Without him. She’d remarried not long after his father had been locked behind bars, not long after the death of his sister, and he didn’t blame his mother for anything. She deserved all the happiness she could get after staying with their abusive father for so long. “I thank you for all you’ve done for me, raising me, putting me through school. I’m not ungrateful.”
She fell back a step as if he’d stabbed her. “I don’t want your gratitude. I want my son.”
He couldn’t breathe. “I am your son.”
She shook her head again. “I’ve had enough, Kane. I really have. A mother can only take so much heartbreak. If you choose to live in the past, then don’t let me stop you.”
Maria ran out of the room. Kane stared after her. His throat closed. He fell onto the couch and punched the cushion before leaning his elbows on his knees. His head dropped into his hands.
Lily, what should I do?
…
Lauren tucked herself into the nook of the wall as Maria flew past, down the hall to the stairs. Her hand pressed against the tightness in her chest. She’d never known Kane had another sister, never known conditions of their relationship was this bad. At the first sight of tears on the other woman’s face, Lauren had wanted to rush in and yell at Kane for being insensitive, but she’d seen the shadows in his eyes, the tormented gaze as he’d watched his mother start to break. His fingers had fisted at his sides as if he had wanted to reach out but stopped himself.
She remembered the many times he’d avoided conversations about his father and his family. Kane wasn’t a callous man. Deep down, Lauren knew he could love, had thought at one time he had loved her, until he’d left town with no word.
Something must have happened to cause him to hold everyone around him at arm’s length. She thought of her own parents. Her childhood was carefree and happy until the doctors had claimed they couldn’t save her father—no, wouldn’t save him—and her poor mother had been taken from her in a car accident. She had nothing to hide about her past. But Kane did.
And she needed to know why.
Pushing away from the wall, she slowly entered the room. Kane looked up and sat back into the cushions of the couch. “Where’s Sara?”
“She’s trying on accessories.” Lauren lowered herself next to him. Uncertainty ran wild through her. She didn’t know what she was doing. A little voice i
n her head told her to leave him alone, let him suffer through his own pain. She turned her body to face him. “I saw your mom leave. She seemed a little upset.”
Kane slid down his seat until his neck rested on the back of the couch, his long legs stretched out before him. “She’ll be fine.”
Lauren frowned, inching closer. “That’s your mother.”
He jerked up. “I know. I don’t need everyone reminding me.”
The anger in his voice startled her. Laying a hand on his arm, she slowly raised her gaze to his. “I’m sorry for whatever happened.”
Kane stiffened. “You heard everything.”
She nodded once. He stood up and Lauren followed. Kane shoved a hand through his hair then whipped around. “I should get going.”
He stalked past her to the door. Lauren panicked. She didn’t want him to leave yet. “Wait.”
He paused. “Yeah?”
Her mind ran a marathon in her head. She didn’t know what to say. “Didn’t you come here for something?” She paled as her own problems surfaced. “Was it Gabe?”
Kane glanced at her. He stuck his head out into the hallway, then closed the door before he walked back into the room. Taking her hand, he drew her to the couch and she sat down with him. Her heart started to beat faster. The heat from his touch ran up her arm.
Drawing in a deep breath, Kane reached up and cupped her face. She stifled the urge to rub her cheek against his palm. She’d missed his touch so much.
“We thought we had enough to press charges, but…Peters’s alibi checked out.”
Lauren let out a relieved sigh. As much as she wished Daniel’s murderer caught, she didn’t want the killer to be someone she knew.
“What happened at the lawyer’s office this morning?”
She closed her eyes, exhaustion beating at her again. She needed to put this nightmare behind her. “Daniel had a will drawn up, which was surprising. He actually willed his practice to me and put aside money that equated to the inheritance I had given up to help him open his business.”
