by Sable Hunter
A harsh laugh escaped T’s lips. “A good brother. Yea, right. I didn’t save her, Glory. She died!” he told her as if she didn’t already know.
“I know.” She covered his hand with hers, where it rested on the console between them. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure she loved you so much.” Before he could lament, she confessed a secret of her own. “I have a sister. Her name is Lexi. We were never close. I know I told you that I was sick when I was a kid.” She took a deep breath. If he could tell some of his secrets, so could she.
“Yes, I remember. I’m sorry, I don’t think I even asked what was wrong with you.”
Glory shrugged. “No, that’s fine. I don’t like to talk about myself and my shortcomings. I want people to see me as strong, not just as a disease.” When he glanced at her, waiting for more, she relented. “I had childhood leukemia.”
“Oh, Glory!” he protested her past. “Are you okay now?” The thought that she might not be twisted his guts in a knot.
Careful. Careful. She wouldn’t say she was okay, she wouldn’t lie. “The leukemia is gone. I beat it. But in the process, I lost my family. I told you they left because my disease and dealing with it and me just drained them.”
“I’m so sorry,” he repeated. “What about your sister?”
“Lexi was younger, six years younger, and my condition scared her. She wouldn’t come near me. We never bonded. My mother kept us apart, almost as if she thought my cancer might be contagious.”
“Which was stupid,” T interjected.
“Yes, it was, and I regret not knowing her.” Glory sighed.
“Why don’t you call them? Didn’t Calvin have their number? Did he give it to you?”
His suggestion, while well meaning, terrified Glory. “Oh, no,” she shook her head, “I can’t.”
“Why not?” T-Rex asked. “I know you might not want to make up with your parents, but Lexi was young. She might feel differently now.”
What he suggested sounded wonderful. “I would love to know Lexi.” If things were different.
But they weren’t.
She was still sick. While she was determined to be self-sufficient, there was always the chance she’d take a turn for the worse. And when that happened, she didn’t want to be a burden to her family. Glory frowned at a new thought. She certainly wouldn’t want to be a burden to T-Rex.
“Think about it,” T urged as he came into town and started heading toward the shelter.
“All right. I will.” She gave him an appraising glance. “And you think about what I told you. You need to forgive yourself, T. The only person standing between you and everything you ever wanted – is you.”
Their arrival at the shelter saved T from answering. Once they were parked, Lauren came out the door. Apparently, she’d been watching for them. “Thank God, you’re here.” To T’s surprise, she gave him a hug.
“Tell me everything,” T urged, bringing Glory along with him. “Is everyone all right?”
“Yes.” Over the course of the next few minutes, she showed T the damage and explained to him what the police had learned. “The driver of the truck was Dennis Kholer. His wife Cheryl is here and their small son, Guy. He’s been after her to come home, but this has all happened before. Each time Cheryl gives in and goes back to him, the whole sad scenario starts up again.”
“He drinks, then he beats her.” T knew the drill.
“Right.” Lauren nodded sadly as she led them into the shelter, the dog following along behind.
From the side door where they’d entered, next to the parking lot, the wreckage site hadn’t been visible. When they did come upon it, Glory gasped. “It’s a miracle no one was hurt.” There was a truck sized opening in the wall. Bricks were scattered, studs were exposed, and sheetrock was crumbled everywhere. The cold night air could rush right in.
“Damn.” T surveyed the damage.
“Can you fix this?” Lauren asked, worried.
“Sure. For tonight, I’ll have to put up some plywood, but tomorrow I can get started on the repairs. I’ll have to have some help, but we can get the wall back up, then all we’ll lack is repairing the brick wall outside.”
Glory’s eyes traveled from T and Lauren as they planned the repairs, to the group of women and children who were huddled next to the far wall, watching with haunted eyes. As soon as T began work, she eased up to Lauren and asked, “What can I do?”
“How about helping me feed everyone?”
Glory was glad to do her part. Gradually as the afternoon wore on, things began to return to normal. She and Lauren prepared sandwiches for everyone. T didn’t stop to eat, but she put him something back for later. Glory found herself torn between wanting to watch her handsome guy flex his muscles while he worked, to smiling at the children as they played with T’s dog at her feet. When T-Rex did stop to rest and have a drink of water, Glory was entranced when the young ones naturally flocked to him. From the way he responded, this wasn’t new. Glory felt the strings on her heart tug at the sight of the boys and girls climbing on him, talking to him, laughing at whatever he said. How could he ever consider himself to be a danger to them? It was obvious to Glory that he’d protect any of these children with his life.
Over the next hour or so, T worked steadily to get the hole closed so the women and children would be safe and warm during the coming night. Glory helped as much as she could, but once or twice, her arm pained her to such an extent that she almost dropped what she was carrying. Even T noticed. “Is your arm hurting?”
“A little,” she admitted. “I think I sprained it when I fell.”
He pointed to a chair. “Sit down, take it easy. You look a little pale. Did you take your pills this morning?”
“Yes, I did.” Glory nodded. Since he mentioned it, she did feel a bit tired. “I’m fine, I’m sure it’s just the stress of the day.” She grinned at him. “You know, the excitement of the drawer got to me.”
He tweaked her nose. “You’re cute. I don’t have much more to do, just rest for a spell, we’ll go home soon.”
Glory didn’t have to sit alone long, Lauren joined her. Pointing to the new construction, she let out a relieved sigh. “I can’t tell you what a shock it was for that truck to come barreling through the wall. Just moments before it happened, three children were playing on the rug right in the path.” She covered her face. “If they hadn’t moved, we’d have lost them all.”
Seeing her distress, Glory took the kind lady into a hug. “I’m so thankful it didn’t happen. It seems like someone was watching after all of you.”
“True.” Lauren nodded. “Makes a believer out of you, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.” Glory nodded, keeping her eye on T from across the room. “I have faith that everything happens for a reason. We’re all here for a purpose. We have a higher calling than just…being. I know what your purpose is, Lauren.”
“Teagan and the shelter.”
“And T-Rex.” Glory pointed to the man who was working so hard, out of love, to repair something another man had destroyed out of hate. “He told me you saved his life.”
“Some things are worth saving, Glory. The good he’s done far outweighs any mistakes he’s made.”
“Oh, you don’t have to convince me, Lauren. I’m the president of the T-Rex Beaumont fan club.”
Lauren laughed and patted Glory’s knee. “You’re good for him.”
“He’s so good with the children.” Glory observed as a little tyke stood near him, ready to hand T any tool he needed. “He’s so patient with them. I just don’t understand…”
“I know. The decision he made to never be a father is mind-boggling. He told me the first night I visited him in prison that he never intended to marry or have a family. I thought he’d get over that notion as soon as he got his life together and forgave himself for what never was his fault to begin with.”
“He hasn’t forgiven himself yet, Lauren.” Glory twisted a lock of hair around and around her finger. “The
whole thing just breaks my heart.”
Lauren gave her a grin and a wink. “I think you’re proof that he’s making headway. You’re the first woman he’s ever let this close.”
“I’m just the beginning.” Glory smiled sadly. “If I have my way, he’ll know he can have whatever he wants in life. He deserves the best.”
“Hey, Glory!” T called her, then tossed her his keys. “Tell Lauren goodbye, then pull the truck around so I can load up this debris and take it to the dump.”
She caught the keys in her good hand, then stood, ignoring the wave of dizziness and the queasiness that accompanied her movements. “Sure thing, babe.” After hugging Lauren and promising to be in touch, Glory excused herself, exited the shelter and walked toward T’s white, double-cab dually. “Come on, Buford.” After unlocking the door, she and the dog climbed in, cranked the truck and moved it into place, looking both ways as she began to back up closer to the pile of rubble.
Biting her lip, she watched the mirrors, making sure to do this just so. As she eased along, she saw T standing about ten yards away, next to the front door. Mesmerized, she saw him pull his shirt over his head, revealing a wealth of manly muscles and washboard abs. “Damn.” And when he turned on a hose and sprayed a stream of water over his fine form, Glory lost all concept of what she was doing.
Crunch! Scrape!
“Oh, no!” Glory grimaced at the sickening sound. “What did I do?” She jammed on the brakes, then hopped out, aware that T’s attention was turned toward someone standing in the door. “Crap! Crap! Crap!” she murmured, hurrying to the rear of the truck. “Dang!” She’d misjudged the width of the truck, pulling close enough to a pile of bricks to put a horrid black scratch down the side of T’s truck. Of course, his innocent strip-tease hadn’t helped her concentration. “He’s going to kill me. Dead.”
Oh, well, the test of T’s temper might come sooner than she thought. The one thing she didn’t want, if he was about to get mad, was for the explosion to happen in front of anyone else. After he wiped the moisture from his face with his shirt, he pulled it back on. When he turned to come her way, Glory hurried to meet him. “Wait, T-Rex.”
“This won’t take long,” he assured her, hooking an arm around her neck to plant a kiss on Glory’s cheek. “When we finish here, we’ll get something to eat in town before we head home.”
Glory felt like she needed to throw up, she didn’t know if it was her condition or the desecration she’d committed against one of T’s most prize possession. At the current moment, it didn’t really matter. “T, I’ve messed up.” She took him by the hand. “Come with me.”
“What do you mean?” T let himself be led. “Glory, I don’t really have time for this. I want to finish up this work and head home.”
She managed to get him away from the shelter and down an alley before he pulled back, demanding that she stop. “Far enough! What’s wrong with you?”
Standing before him, head bent, she wanted to cry. “I just scratched and dented your truck on a pile of bricks as I was backing up. I’m so sorry.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“You did what?!” he bellowed, whirling around and heading back to where they’d come from.
“T, wait!” Glory ran after him. “I’m sure it can be fixed. Maybe Spicer can repair it. I’ll pay for it. I’m sorry!”
T stalked to his truck, fuming and fussing. “I can’t believe this. I let you drive it and you wreck it!” When he came to the vehicle, he viewed the damage, tearing his fingers through his hair. “Look at that! Hell and damnation!”
“I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry.” She hugged her chest, cradling her sore arm and waited for the explosion she knew was coming. Standing her ground, Glory refused to budge. If he was going to get angry at her, she had it coming. She was ready for it. “It was all your fault, anyway.”
“My fault?” T bellowed again. “How in the heck could it have been my fault?”
She pointed at his chest. You pulled off your shirt and sprayed yourself down like some sexy macho stripper. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”
“Hell, what am I going to do with you?” T growled, put his hands on his hips, then squatted down next to his abused pride and joy.
When his shoulders began to shake, Glory was shocked. Was he crying? “T-Rex? Are you okay?”
“What’s going on out here?” Lauren called from the door.
“We’re okay, Lauren. Give us a minute.” Glory placed a hand on his shoulder. “T?” If he was going to get angry at her, she didn’t want Lauren to witness it.
To Glory’s compete and utter amazement, T began to laugh. What the heck? “You think this is funny?”
T stood up, a loud laugh rumbling from his chest. “You were too busy lusting after me to back up straight.”
When he reached out to grab her, he grabbed the forearm she’d fallen on. Glory gasped in pain, a momentary brief flash of concern coming to mind. But then he pulled her in his arms for a kiss and she melted against him. “You’re not mad?”
“Oh, yes, I’m furious,” he whispered against her lips. “At myself, for two reasons. One, I should have known better than to ask a girl to drive my truck. And two, I shouldn’t be so damn hot.”
Glory was relieved. Elated. T didn’t seem to realize it, but this was a huge breakthrough. “Well, you can’t help that you’re hot,” she teased. “The temperature is pretty warm today.”
Grabbing the bottom of his T-shirt, he began to shimmy it up over his body, singing, “I’m too sexy for my shirt…too…”
“T-Rex! Lauren is watching us!” She was more than grateful for his attitude. Relieved. Triumphant. If wrecking his beloved truck didn’t send him off the deep end, she didn’t know what would.
He pulled his shirt back down. “All right. I’ll be good.” He gave her a kiss. “Climb in the truck and sit down. I’ll throw this stuff in, tell Lauren goodbye and we’ll be on our way.”
Glory did as she was told, rejoining Buford and turning around so she could see T-Rex as he threw the bricks, broken lumber, and other debris into the truck bed. Resting her cheek on back of the seat, she tried to even out her breathing, making note of the way her heart was hammering in her chest. She didn’t feel the best in the world. Her pills weren’t working like they normally did. Maybe she needed to get a check-up, her medicine might need adjusting. This had happened before. The thought of trying to get to Baton Rouge unsettled her. Calvin’s old truck was in the shop. There was a free clinic in New Iberia, she’d seen it on one of her excursions to the grocery store. She probably should see about making an appointment.
When T was finished, he fastened the tailgate, before coming to the driver’s side and crawling in. “All set?”
“Yea, I’m good to go.” Her eyes roved over him. She couldn’t believe he was going to let what she’d done to his truck go so easily. Where was this scary temper he purported to have? “T-Rex, I want to apologize again about messing up your truck. You’ve got to know how sorry I am. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”
T shrugged. “That’s what insurance is for. What do you want to eat?”
“You’re being awfully sweet about this.” Glory went to fasten her seat belt and winced. “I put on a pot of soup before I left. It should be ready now.”
“Here, let me.” He leaned over and slipped the seat belt into place, buckling her down. “Do you want to go to the hospital? Are you sure your arm’s not broken?”
“No, I can wiggle my fingers.” She gave him a little wave. “If it’s not any better on Monday, I’ll get it checked out. I need to pay a visit to the clinic anyway.”
“Something wrong?” he asked as he put the truck into gear and turned left to go to the landfill.
“No. Just routine.” She wished she could visit Dr. Lexington in Baton Rouge, but that was too far to go. If she was going to stay in this area, she needed to get a local doctor. “Do you think you could drop me off in town on your way to work? I can probably get a ri
de home.”
“I’ll do you one better than that,” T assured her. “You can take the truck to town and I’ll ride with Revel. We won’t worry about getting it to the shop until later in the week.”
Glory almost wanted to cry. “Why are you being so good to me, T?”
Her question floored him. “Why wouldn’t I be good to you? You’re my Glory Bee, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Glory couldn’t think of anything better to be – than his.
When they arrived home, T went to take a shower and cleaned up, while Glory checked on her pot of beef vegetable soup. She quickly stirred up a pone of cornbread to go with it.
“Glory! Glory Bee Hudson! Get your sweet ass in here!”
“Okay!” He sounded a tad upset. “What?” Uh-oh. Now, she remembered. “T-Rex, I can explain.”
She hurried into the bedroom to find him standing naked over his sock drawer with her red pair of high heels in his hands. “I found these mixed up with my shoes, which are not the way I left them. And…” He pointed down into the depths of his drawer. “Someone has defiled and dishonored the sanctity of my Fruit of the Looms footwear!”
“I know.” She crept closer. “I can fix it.” Glory took her shoes and placed them on the bed.
“Why would you do that?” T asked, confused and annoyed. He opened her drawer. “Your stuff is still straight. Why would you commit such sacrilege and violate my space?”
“I just wanted to show you that you wouldn’t get mad at me if I did.” She grasped his arm, so aware that he stood before her nude and so handsome her heart hurt. “And you aren’t mad, are you?”
He pulled from her touch, picking up a pair of jeans to pull them on, not bothering with underwear. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. What else did you do?”
Glory followed along behind him as he tromped from the bedroom to the living room, his eyes scanning the surrounding – zoning in on the areas where she’d pilfered and manipulated his possessions. “My books, my movies,” he whispered, stooping to quickly put them back into order, with almost desperate motions. “Why would you do this, Glory?”
