“Who’s that?” the boy asked his mom.
“No one. Why don’t you go back to your room and I’ll bring your soup to you.” Once again she knew how to punch him in the gut. No one. He’d always be a no one while she’d always be the daughter of a senator.
“Can I sleep in your bed some more?”
“Sure. Go back to bed. I’ll be right there.”
Waiting for the boy to leave, Colton bit out sharply, “I’ll unload your shit on the porch. You can figure out what to do with it from there.”
“Colton. Wait.”
But he didn’t. Not wanting to deal with any more of the constant back and forth with his feelings, he stormed out.
Feelings. Colton let out a river of curses as he unloaded the truck. Since when did he have feelings for Ellie? She made it clear in every conversation they had that she still thought of him as less than her.
He flung the last bale of hay on the porch and swore again. The Ellie from his past never made him feel like less of a man, but the current Ellie constantly reminded him of their class differences.
Still working for a Fairfield on minimum wage.
Careful not to smash the pumpkins, he moved them to the tailgate before jumping down with a heavy thud and unloading them on to the front lawn. Brushing off the hay from his fatigues, he slammed the tailgate and climbed into the cab of his truck.
Sadie gave him a thorough sniffing before resting her head on his lap and he sped out of there before the mistress of the inn could ruin his day any more.
The mall was looking pretty good about now.
Chapter Six
Colton
Since Colton and Ellie hadn’t swapped numbers, he texted Rachael the following morning asking her to tell Ellie he was taking the day off. With his shopping done and his measly cabinets and one dresser drawer filled, he had nothing to do but sit around and think.
About his future. Alone. Without a job, a woman, a decent home. Frustrated at himself for doing exactly what he didn’t want his family to do—pity him—he texted his brothers. Colton had been in town for a few months and frequented The Warehouse, the gym where Jake, Rachael’s fiancé, taught self-defense and karate.
The Warehouse had some decent bags to punch and kick and a ring to box in. Luke responded first and agreed to meet up in an hour. Colton rubbed his stub and examined his scars. Ugly, red and swollen. Forever. His brothers used to joke that Luke and Colton could crush a man with their thighs alone. They’d measure their quads and biceps every week, trying to one-up each other.
No competition anymore. Luke was huge but Colton had him beat a few years ago. They’d regressed to their high school days on Colton’s last leave and measured every part of their anatomy. Luke earned bragging rights in the chest and arm department, where Colton had won everywhere south of the border.
Chuckling at how pissed Luke was, Colton massaged his leg and rubbed lotion on the dry skin. He’d never be as big as he once was, but he worked hard and gained his muscle back in his upper body and nearly all the muscle in his good leg. There was minimal shrapnel and damage to his right side and he’d worked his leg hard to regain most of his strength back.
Once his leg was prepped, he strapped on his prosthetic and ripped the tag off his new wind pants. Thankfully the weather had turned cold and he could hide for a few more months beneath his layers of clothes. Colton loved the beach and running and hiking, yet he couldn’t see himself revealing that much of himself to his town or his family.
Grabbing a banana, he opened the trailer door and followed Sadie out. “You’ve got two minutes to do your business. You can’t come with me. I won’t be gone long, though.” Colton never imagined himself having a dog, much less talking to one on a regular basis. He’d never admit to his therapist that he’d grown close to his therapy dog or that he preferred her company over anyone else.
Except maybe Ellie. Colton finished his banana, whistled for Sadie, gave her a long rub on her belly, and locked her inside before settling into his truck. Yeah, having Ellie next to him in his truck would be nice. Then he remembered the distasteful face she made at him and the banana turned sour in his belly. He drove too fast and too recklessly to The Warehouse and didn’t give one rat’s ass.
It was all Ellie’s fault. Everything. His mood. His abysmal pay check. His stump. If she hadn’t snubbed her nose down at him and if her father hadn’t talked to him that morning, revealing some truths about Ellie, he’d be making hundreds of thousands of dollars in the city, wearing a suit to work, carrying his high tech laptop in his briefcase, ordering expensive scotch, taking high class women out to dinner, winning cases in court, and earning a name for himself.
Instead he drove a beat up truck, lived in a rundown trailer, and only had a dog for companionship. Sure, he had a hefty sum in savings and investments, but not knowing how long it would be until he could make a decent living, he wouldn’t touch a dime of it.
Punching his truck into park, Colton yanked his door open, slamming it shut so hard he thought the rusted door would fall off, and stomped into the gym.
Without looking around to see if his brothers had arrived yet, he shoved his way past guys who spent too much time standing around talking about working out and found an open speed bag. Not caring about his knuckles, he went to town, finding his rhythm, letting off some steam.
“Hey, you okay?” Luke stopped the bag and Colton snapped out of his trance.
His knuckles were bloody and sweat dripped into his eyes. Pulling the bottom of his shirt up to wipe his forehead, he nodded. “Yup.”
“I’m afraid to ask you if you want to spar. I have a feeling you’ll kick my ass today.”
It was kind of funny coming from Luke. His older brother was built like a tank and had two working legs. “Spar.”
“You sure?” Luke studied him with quizzical eyes. He’d always been the peacemaker in the family, able to read everyone and settle disputes between the brothers. Colton shifted his gaze away from Luke’s, not wanting him to read the hurt buried beneath the thick layers of scar tissue.
“Don’t tell me you’re scared a cripple can beat your scrawny ass.”
Luke smirked. “A, You’re not a cripple. And B, I don’t have a scrawny ass. Sage tells me so almost daily.”
“You’re whipped, man. You’ve got a whipped ass. I suppose it’s good I have the handicap.”
Luke laughed and wrapped a meaty bicep around Colton’s neck. “I hear you’ve got a pretty woman who’s got eyes on you as well.”
Colton broke free from his brother and picked up his water bottle, chugging it down in one breath. “Rachael has a big mouth.” He tossed the empty bottle back in his bag, wiped his hands on a towel, and climbed into the boxing ring. “The eyes on me have nothing to do with lust.” Just pity and embarrassment.
Luke held up a pair of gloves and helped Colton in to them as Jake entered the gym. “Perfect timing. Help the old man into his gloves and get ready to kiss his boo-boos.”
“This ought to be fun to watch,” Jake said, grinning as he shoved gloves over Luke’s huge hands. “Rules?”
“Don’t stop the fight until Luke starts crying.”
“You should wear protective gear,” Jake said.
“If Luke’s scared he can.”
“Dumbass probably has a metal plate in his head. He should be good,” Luke replied.
“While I love a good grudge match between brothers, you’re both huge and can easily do some serious bodily damage. Let’s establish some ground rules so nobody gets hurt.”
Jake droned on about cheap shots, tapping out and other technical moves. If he didn’t shut up soon Colton was going to pop him in the mouth. Not really but…really.
“Got it, Jake. This isn’t our first rodeo. Colton needs to let off some steam. We’ll keep our punches clean. Promise.”
Thankful for his brother’s level head, Colton nodded, bumped gloves, and headed to his corner.
After five rounds, Luke ca
lled time, claiming he had to get to work. Barely able to catch his breath, Colton mumbled, “Quitter.” He used his teeth to tear away his gloves and smacked his brother upside the back of his head. “Good match. Looks like the woman doesn’t have you as whipped as I thought.”
Colton was glad time had run out. As soon as his brother and Jake left he’d allow his body to collapse on the locker room floor. His left quad shook, needing a rest. Soon. Maybe wearing pants wasn’t such a great idea. His legs sweated like a mother, especially his stub, begging to feel fresh air on them.
“You okay?” Jake asked, handing him a water bottle.
“Sure.”
His soon-to-be brother-in-law studied him and motioned him over to a bench. Rolling his eyes, pretending to be annoyed with Jake’s mothering, Colton followed and did his best to ease himself slowly on the bench.
Damn, that felt good.
“I gotta go shower and head to the station. Take it easy tonight. You’re gonna be sore.” Luke punched Colton’s shoulder lightly before jogging to the locker room.
“You okay?” Jake straddled the bench next to him.
“Sure. Just taking a water break then I’ll be outta your way.”
“Not what I mean. I recognized that look in your face. This was more than a workout with your brother, and since I can’t imagine Luke doing anything to deserve the beating you gave him, I’m going to assume he volunteered to be your punching bag so you could get something out of your system.”
“Perceptive, are you?”
“You could say.”
“I’ve got baggage.”
“Who doesn’t?”
Colton recalled the story to Jake’s past. Stints in juvenile hall, a sister who nearly died in a crash after being given a date rape drug by one of Jake’s friends, prison time for theft and assault. However, the man’s resume didn’t define him. If it did, Colton and his brothers wouldn’t have allowed him anywhere near their sister.
“The leg?”
“Actually, no.” While his leg throbbed like a son of a bitch, it wasn’t the loss of it that set him off.
“Ah. Ellie.” Colton’s silence had Jake grinning. “We’ve all been there. Your sister sent me on a wild ride. If you ever need to talk…”
“Yeah. Sure.” Colton handed Jake the empty water bottle and pushed himself to standing. “Thanks.”
He’d been talking to doctors, shrinks, dogs for too long. What he needed was to get laid. Unfortunately only one woman could scratch his itch.
And she thought nothing more of him than yesterday’s trash.
“Not to pry…actually, yeah, man, I’m going to pry.” Colton gave him an ineffective death glare. Jake laughed—not the affect Colton was going for—and slapped him on the back. “Rachael is worried about you. Your sister has a huge heart.”
“And a bigger mouth.”
“If I didn’t respect her so much and you were just a guy and not her brother, I’d go somewhere else with that comment.”
“Dude.”
“Like I was saying, Rachael is worried. She told me about Ellie.”
Colton so did not want to go there. Who knows how much she actually knew about Colton and Ellie’s past? Did Ellie tell her stories over coffee? He had no idea what kind of information Ellie would reveal to Rachael and how much of it was actually true. Did she paint him as the lowly pool boy who she befriended and lost her virginity to but wasn’t good enough to settle down with?
No, that would insult Rachael and her upbringing as well. He so much as admitted he and Ellie had a past, and his matchmaking sister probably went into overdrive planning a way to make the princess fall for the pauper.
“I’m not her type,” Colton growled before reaching down for his duffel. Jake followed him into the locker room, casually leaning against the wall by the showers, not allowing Colton to escape.
“What type do you think Ellie goes for?”
“Not me.”
“Which is…?” Jake crossed his arms over his chest, his smile long gone.
“No way for her to move up the food chain with me.”
“And that’s what you think she’s looking for?”
“Maybe not, but that’s what her rich daddy expects.”
“You think she’s rich?” Jake laughed. “That woman is barely making ends meet right now. She lucked out with the Inn, winning it in some essay contest. And with CJ sick all the time she—”
“What? She won the Inn? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“True story. It made the news this summer when she moved up here. I guess it’s tradition. The last owner won it through an essay contest in 1976. There are rules and regulations that Ellie has to follow, but the Inn is hers free and clear until she wants to pass it on to someone else. Guess she had it pretty rough before moving up here.”
“Her father is a rich, powerful politician. I haven’t kept up with the news but last I knew he was a senator with sights on the White House.”
“Our Ellie?”
Colton didn’t like the way Jake proclaimed Ellie as his. Even though he didn’t mean it in a sexual manner, still, Ellie was not Jake’s. She wasn’t Colton’s either and the constant reminder was what dragged him to the gym in the first place.
“Rachael doesn’t know too much about Ellie except she worked waitressing jobs while raising CJ and has a stack of medical bills.”
“Medical bills? Is there something wrong with her?”
“From the sounds of it, her son has been sick a lot. Not sure if he actually has anything serious, just a lot of doctor’s visits. The new job has given her financial security and flexibility to stay home with him when he’s sick.”
Like yesterday. If Colton hadn’t already felt like an ass he’d kick himself in the bad leg. “What about her parents? Why haven’t they helped her out?”
“Dunno.” Jake shrugged his shoulders. “Rach hasn’t said anything about the parents being in the picture. Ellie isn’t closed off but she’s not exactly an open book either. At least that’s what Rachael says.”
“Rachael says a lot.”
“And I’ve learned to listen. One thing before I leave you to your shower.”
“Do I have a choice?” Colton tossed his towel over his shoulder and sighed, not knowing if he really wanted to hear what Jake had to say.
“If what you’re saying is true, Ellie coming from the other side of the tracks, that doesn’t mean you’re not worth her time. Look at me and Rach. She’s as good and pure as they come and I’m an ex-con. I probably don’t deserve her but I thank God every day for giving me a second chance. I can tell you have demons as well. Not sure if it’s from being in the service or something more, but if Ellie is as good a person as Rach says she is, she’ll look past your bank account. You just gotta ask yourself, is she worth the fight?”
Jake squeezed his shoulder before turning and heading out of the locker room. Damn Rachael for finding a guy like him. It only made Colton feel like more of a shmuck.
In some capacity, he owed Ellie his life. When the world had literally blown up around him, her image had been at the forefront of his mind, distracting him from the pain and death that surrounded him.
***
After playing the avoidance game for three days, Colton figured Ellie’s kid had time to recover from the flu. Having no more excuses, he took Sadie for a slow jog, scarfed down a breakfast sandwich, and headed out to the Inn. Respecting her wishes to keep quiet until her guests were up and out, he waited until after nine to show up. Avoiding the front door, he clicked his tongue to Sadie and told her to stay out back.
She was a good dog, never straying far from him. While he had yet to ask Ellie if it was okay to bring Sadie to work with him, she hadn’t complained. If Ellie had any issues, he was sure he would have heard about it by now.
Finding the ladder and all his tools exactly where he left them in the shed, he made five trips to set up his work area.
The coward in him
wanted to avoid Ellie as much as possible, but he couldn’t start up the circular saw without knowing if her son was still sleeping. Mustering up the courage of a man who’d been sent to the doghouse, he made his way to the back door and knocked. She had told him last week that he didn’t need to knock when working because she would most likely be busy cleaning rooms upstairs. He had permission to come inside to use the restroom, have a cup of coffee, or eat a snack that Rachael had made.
The door was unlocked and he let himself inside to the kitchen. Empty. The fruit bowl in the middle of the counter overflowed with apples and four trays of muffins cooled on the oven. Smelled like pumpkin. Good. Rachael must be nearby. Maybe she could play interference so he wouldn’t have to face Ellie.
He heard footsteps and soft humming coming down the hallway. Rachael didn’t hum, she sang. Loudly and terribly.
“Oh. You’re here.”
Ellie’s bright blue eyes widened, her pink lips opened to say more before clamping shut. Her plaid flannel shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a tight white shirt underneath. If Colton wasn’t so nervous he’d spend a few extra moments studying the outline of her breasts. Instead his gaze lowered to her tight jeans and feet covered in fuzzy purple socks.
“I need to use the saw.” Damn. He didn’t mean to sound like a Neanderthal. A little finesse would be better. “Is your son home?”
Those gorgeous blue eyes squinted and stared. After a long uncomfortable moment of silence, she finally answered. “He’s back at school today.”
“’K. I’ll be outside.” Feeling like a complete ass, Colton did a one-eighty and fled as quickly as his size thirteen work boots and plastic leg could get him out of there.
The warm sun felt good on his back, the sixty-degree day a gift in mid-October. Another hour and he’d have the side of the house all done. Maybe two days, three tops to finish the front and then his job would be complete. He wouldn’t have to see Ellie again. Never have to succumb to those domineering blue eyes that could make him feel like the god of the gods one moment, and a disgusting Cyclops the next.
Wounded Love (A Rocky Harbor Novel Book 3) Page 6
