by Liz Crowe
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist, loving his feel, his smell, the sound of him breathing above her. “How did such an incredible guy such as yourself escape the clutches of some social-climbing wanna-be suburbanite anyway?” She’d admit to wanting to know more about his dating past. He’d not been forthcoming, but she’d been busy with the renovation, and her Dominic-related bad choices.
He kissed her hair. “Many a small war has been fought and won with less effort to drag Doc Tolliver to the altar, I assure you.” She shot him a glance, surprised, but not really at the same time. “But I knew something was missing. And I found it when a bossy, sweaty, flustered young woman drove her horse up onto my property and demanded I tell her why it was misbehaving.”
She shivered at his words, wondering how fate had done this to her, finally tossing her in the path of someone perfect. She leaned into his chest again. “I have to go help him tomorrow, okay? His … friend is in town and has his—Dom’s son with him.”
“His son?” Lee held onto her, stroking her hair.
“Yeah, some girl he met in Germany and brought home. She took off when he pissed her off. He’s pretty good at that.”
“I can see how that might be the case. So, this friend….”
“It’s a man friend. They were lovers, I guess, for a while. I’m pretty certain Dom loved him, but won’t admit it. His daddy isn’t exactly the liberal-minded type when it comes to…that.”
Lee tilted her chin up, then kissed her softly. He broke it, smiling and touched the tip of her nose. “Leave it to you to be still puppy-dog obsessed with a high school boyfriend who’s gay.”
She gripped him tighter and decided against the he’s not gay, he’s bi, trust me, angle of conversation. “Thank you,” she mumbled into his skin.
“For what, other than the record-breaking sex I bestowed upon you here in the bed—not the wham-bam, thank-you-ma’am in the barn.”
“Oh, I kinda liked them both. But thanks for understanding and for still loving me.”
“Like I said, it might have taken me forty-six years to find you, but I did and I won’t be letting go anytime soon.” They stood quietly in each other’s arms. “I’m still pretty famished.”
“Gotcha.” She grinned. Nothing much brought her real happiness more than feeding people something she’d created. He smacked her ass as she wandered into the bedroom to find a few bits of clothing she’d left here the last time she’d stayed over.
“Want me to come with you tomorrow? Moral support?” He cranked on the shower. She froze, wondering how she could tell him no and not spoil their reunion. The truth seemed like the best option so she went with it.
“No. I’m not going to stay long, but he asked me to be there. We’re…old friends before we’re anything.” She willed him not to be jealous.
He crossed his arms and glared at her. She tugged on a pair of her shorts and his Cornell sweatshirt.
“All right.” He ducked under the spray. “I understand.”
She paused, biting her lip and counting every lucky star she possessed.
Chapter Nineteen
The hours passed so slowly Dominic was half-convinced the clock started running in reverse round about 3 a.m. He sat, gaze fixed out onto the lawn in the glow of the single light between the barn and house, contemplating the bizarre moment he managed to inhabit.
He felt Diana’s absence like a void, one that hurt, sort of like a dry socket after a bad tooth extraction. He thought he’d numb it with booze, then recalled what he’d be facing in a few hours.
Kent.
Kent with his son.
Jace.
He dropped his chin onto his arms and kept up his vigil, alert to every sound, trying not to panic and give in to the urge to drink every drop of alcohol in Diana’s house, or to drive out and drag her from the horse whisperer’s bed. Because one thing he did know—the good doctor deserved her, and she him.
Dom took a long, deep breath, wrapping his mind around the fact that Kent would be back in his universe in a few short hours. And he had absolutely no idea what he would do, or say. Kent Lowery had fallen into his life and sent ripples spreading out in directions Dom never even knew existed. He’d gone off his meds right before diving into that chat room scene the first time, and had stayed off them once he’d connected with Kent, virtually. After they’d met and had sex, Dominic honestly believed he’d found his way—he’d never require medication ever again.
When the man had told him that he was going to marry Cara Cooper, Dom must have been drunk and pissed off enough to mention the kid. And Kent, in his usual fix-everything-for-everybody-else way had decided that Dominic should have a reunion with the child, despite the fact that after that gut-wrenching almost-wedding he had ruined, he hadn’t so much as spoken to Kent in over two years.
But the fact that he had a son, and would be responsible for him now freaked him out to the point of his current insomnia. And the kid had been abused? He wished he could wring Gina’s skinny neck, the crazy cow. He started pacing again, willing away the hours, willing away thoughts of Diana reuniting with her Mister Perfect even as he stood here, flipping out, sweating, and shivering, and wishing he could bolt.
But he’d promised Diana he wouldn’t. And he owed her at least one time he kept his word on that. But the closer it got to sunrise, the harder it got to keep that promise.
Dominic sat on his bike, gripping the handlebars in the driveway of his parents’ house a full four hours ahead of schedule. His heart pounded so hard he had to consciously take long, deep breaths in order not to panic. When Kieran pulled up beside him at the foot of the drive, his chest unclenched ever so slightly.
“Leave the bike here. I’ll drive us over to the diner,” his brother called through the open car window.
Nodding, still speechless with nervousness, he walked it up next to the pole barn, put down the kickstand and climbed into the car. “So I hear congratulations are in order,” Dom said, sliding down in the seat on reflex. He’d spent way too many hours of his life sneaking away from or into this property. Old habits died hard.
“Yeah.” Kieran drove out into the pre-dawn street. “I wanted to get married. She didn’t want that, but did want a baby. She won. It’s a boy, God help us, another Love brother.”
“Yeah,” Dom grunted and stayed silent the rest of the way to the diner where he’d claimed he wanted to get some breakfast. But the thought of putting food in his roiling gut right then made him want to puke all over the inside of Kieran’s new car.
They parked and headed for the front door. The place overflowed with a pre-church crowd, much to Dominic’s dismay. He’d managed to hide pretty well the past few months, focused on Diana’s project, not to mention Diana’s body. All of which had resulted in two new barns, a lot of sex, and a fond, I’ll always love you, but I’m marrying some other dude, good luck with your kid and your ex-lover-blowing-off from her.
He slid into a cracked red plastic booth seat after smiling and waving to half the joint. Hiding behind the laminated menu, he wished he’d chosen a damn Starbucks or some other suburban hangout where he’d know no one.
“Solve your zone-defense problem, Coach?” He glared at Kieran when the man finally took his seat after chatting with some old couple about Lucasville High basketball.
“No. I’ll be a while solving that, I’m pretty sure.” Kieran waved to the waitress who brought them two dark-brown ceramic cups of the Lord’s nectar. Dominic clutched his coffee and sipped, keeping his shoulders hunched and his collar flipped up.
“So, this new Love family spawn makes his blessed arrival when?” He stared at the menu without seeing it and knowing he’d never be able to choke down a bite.
“About a month from now. I’m terrified. But Cara is super-calm about it. She’ll be a great mom.”
“Huh.” Dom wished he’d not brought up the topic. “Kept it quiet long enough.”
“Well, as you might imagine, Mama and Daddy were
not thrilled with the concept of an out-of-wedlock baby. So we waited until it became too obvious. Then laid it on ‘em.”
“Glad somebody else is making waves besides me.”
“Well, I hear that Aiden and Rosie are considering moving to Louisville since shes got promoted. That won’t fly, so he’s stressing about it.” Kieran put the menu down. “Did Angelique ever press charges?”
“No, the silly bitch.” Dominic stretched his legs out in front of him. “She moved home though. I believe that Diana had a come-to-Jesus meetin’ with Lindsay Love about it. Wish I coulda been a fly on the wall for that. I hardly know a woman better matched, stubborn-wise for our lovely mother.”
“Huh, yeah.” Kieran chuckled then sipped. The silence gathered between them. “So, tell me something, are you and Kent….”
“Please don’t bring it up right now. I’m not in a chatty mood. I just wanted company so I wouldn’t rip my hair out by its roots. Or get on my bike and take off for the West Coast.”
Kieran shrugged, ordered a full stack of pancakes with a side of bacon and they both got coffee refills. “Not eating?”
“Don’t think I can,” Dom said. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do with a kid. I don’t even have a place of my own anymore.”
“I’m sure Daddy will let you have the apartment, if there’s a grandkid needing a roof over its head.”
Dom put his forehead down on the cool table surface, willing the clock to move forward so he could get past it. After a couple of hours of more coffee and random family gossip peppered with long silences, Kieran glanced at his watch.
“Cara’s gonna meet us. She wants to see Kent…you know, she hasn’t since….”
“Yeah, fine.” Dom slid out of the booth, marveling at the stupid, soap-opera entanglements between them all. When he reached the car, a dizzying panic attack made him stumble and gasp.
Kieran touched his shoulder. “Breathe, my brother. It’s gonna be fine.”
Dom nodded, irritated, yet grateful at the same time. After a few seconds, he let go of the passenger-side door, palms sore from gripping it so hard. “I’m okay. Thanks,” he whispered. “Can you run me out to Brantley’s?”
Kieran shot him a look.
“Diana’s coming with us. We’re…okay. Not, uh, anyway. She’s engaged to that rich horse vet.”
“That older guy?”
“Yeah, but he’s got quite an arm on him.” He rubbed his jaw, remembering how final that moment had been.
“You probably deserved it,” Kieran stated mildly.
“I probably did.”
When they pulled up to the farmhouse, Kieran whistled at new barn with its fresh paint and classy, wood-worked sign stating they’d just entered Brantley’s Farm, Classic Events With Homemade Flair.
“Yeah, the girls have done a great job. They both worked their asses off on this thing.”
Diana’s truck sat in the drive, much to Dominic’s relief. They got out and headed toward the side-porch entry. Diana was at the sink, dressed in her robe, hair turbaned up in a towel, sipping coffee. Dom froze, realizing he’d been a second from leaping at her, scooping her up, and kissing her. His heart sank at the languorous way she smiled and the obvious satisfaction in her every movement.
“Hey, Loves. Come on in. Coffee’s there. I’ll go get dressed.”
Kieran gave her a one-armed hug and quick kiss on the forehead. Dom avoided all contact by taking down mugs and pouring more coffee that his rattled nerves hardly required. They sat, passing Diana’s iPad between them, sharing the sports news and bemoaning the horrible season their beloved Wildcats had experienced.
“All right.” Diana breezed back into the kitchen, fastening earrings. “Let’s go.”
Dominic froze, anxiety stabbing his brain like an ice pick. Kieran got up and pulled his phone out of his pocket. His eyes—so green like their mother’s—were full of shock when he looked back up at Dom. “Cara’s already there. It’s….”
“Right.” Dom got to his feet. How hard could this be anyway? “Oh, fuck,” he moaned, dropping back into the chair and gripping the table’s edge. “No. I can’t.”
“Come on.” Diana pulled him up and shoved him toward the door Kieran held open. “I’ll follow you. I have a date later.”
Dom bit the inside of his cheek to keep the smartass comment at bay.
He followed Kieran to the car, got in, fastened his seatbelt and gripped his knees. “Let’s get it over with.”
Chapter Twenty
The Love family driveway resembled a parking lot by the time they arrived. Dominic got out and started across the lawn to the front door. His ears were clogged and his vision had tunneled. He sensed his brother on one side of him, which he appreciated. When he got to the door, his hearing cleared and his mother’s laugh, then the deep, once-familiar cadence of a male voice floated through his brain. He turned on his heel and headed straight back to the car, running smack into the brick wall of Diana Brantley.
She had her arms crossed and her lips pressed in a thin line. “No, Dominic.” He tried to sidestep her. She moved with him. “Go meet your son, if nothing else.”
When his knees gave out and he nearly fell to the grass, two sets of hands guided him up. He kept his gaze on Diana’s. She smiled, giving him strength as his brother held onto him.
“Dominic.” A sickeningly familiar voice called out from somewhere behind him, sending a lightning bolt of emotion through his chest. He shivered, keeping his eyes on Diana. She nodded.
Kent Lowery was standing in his family’s open front door, dressed as always in a suit. But it hung on him like he’d mistakenly put on someone else’s clothes. The silky red tie he always favored was loose around his thin neck. His dark hair was too long. His skin a ghostly sort of pale.
“Hey,” Dom choked out. Cara appeared at Kent’s side, looking stricken and miserable. Kieran let go of Dom and headed for her. Dom couldn’t move. “Uh, are you all right?”
“Don’t worry.” Kent crossed his arms over his chest, his posture as defiant as a really sick man could pull off. “You should be as fine as you were when we met.”
Leaning into Diana, who still remained at his shoulder, he was stunned, yet somehow galvanized at the same time. “Where is he?” He moved forward slowly.
“Jace,” Kent called into the doorway, keeping his gaze on Dom’s. “Come on out. It’s all right. Your…daddy. He’s here.”
Dom repressed a fresh shiver of fear, then looked down and into his own eyes, if a little watery and in the face of a tow-headed boy standing in front of Kent.
“Come on in now, boys.” He heard his mother’s voice. “Let’s sit down and have ourselves a visit.”
The boy glanced up at Kent as if for reassurance. Kent nodded, and prodded him indoors. Cara and Kieran followed Jace. Diana gave Dominic a quick squeeze and followed them. Dom stayed put. Kent did too, arms hanging at his sides, his gaze distant and sad.
“You look like shit,” Dom said, his voice breaking.
“You should see the other guy.” Kent heaved a sigh. “Come on in. Meet your boy.”
“You didn’t have to do this.” Dom couldn’t move. “I hope you don’t think you had to… prove something to me.”
“He was in a real bad way when I found him. He needed to be rescued. So I did it.” Kent took a deep breath. “He nearly died when he was three. Some asshole beat him with a broken bottle and stuffed him under a bed. I saw the pictures. He still has scars.”
“Don’t,” Dom choked out. “I get it. I’ll…take care of him from now on. How did they release him to you anyway?”
“I’m pretty resourceful.” Kent’s half-smile ripped into Dominic’s soul. “I like the little punk. Reminds me of you. C’mon in.” He held out a hand.
As he moved slowly to the door, Dominic acknowledged that his life would never, ever be the same from that moment forward. Once inside, he saw his mother sitting in front of Jace, touching his jeans-covered knee. Kieran and Ca
ra hovered at the perimeter of the room, arm in arm. Cara looked like she could birth a baby any second. Dom met his father’s gaze, which chilled him.
Antony and Margot were in the kitchen. Aiden and Rosie sat on the couch next to his mother and opposite Jace.
Jace Love.
Dom gulped. Kent gave him a gentle shove. He crouched down and regarded the little boy who was currently doing a great job pretending he wasn’t there.
“Hi, uh, Jace.”
The boy’s expression remained flat. He glanced up at Lindsay as if seeking a cue as to how he should react.
“It’s all right, honey.” She gave him an encouraging smile. “That’s your very own daddy.”
The kid swiped an arm across his runny nose. His feet swung faster and he started rocking back and forth. Dom had to suppress a groan, recognizing his own nervous tics in miniature.
Anton joined his wife on the couch. The little boy got off his chair without a word and went straight for Dom’s father, getting comfortable on the man’s lap. Anton patted his shoulder.
“Oh, now, it’s all right, boy. He ain’t gonna bite ya.”
Aiden chuckled, which got Kieran started. The boy blinked and held out a trembling hand. Heart breaking, Dom shook it, then rose, one hundred-percent unsure of what to do or say next. The sensation of staring into a weird, time-reversed mirror hit him every time he looked at Jace. The damn kid couldn’t be a more perfect mini-Dominic if he tried. When Dom glanced up and caught Kent’s intense gaze, his heart sank somewhere down to his knees.
“Where’s the booze,” he asked, voice croaky.
Someone gave him a glass. He tried to sip, but he shook so much it clinked against his teeth so he set it down and dropped into the chair the kid—his kid—had abandoned in favor of snuggling against the one man in the room no one considered snuggly.
Anton had a grip on the boy now, seeming confused, then, slowly, delighted. After a while, believing he could manage the glass, Dom drank the whiskey he’d crafted. He’d know it anywhere, imperfections and all. Kent was next to him, but Dom wouldn’t turn, unwilling to accept that the man he’d loved had issued his own death sentence. The anger in his chest had so many reasons for its existence he felt as if he were choking on its indecision.
