by Jenna Jacob
Closing his eyes, he held Nina and kissed the top of her head. He blindly reached out for his mom. Brooke took his hand and squeezed it tight.
“Sweetheart,” she began, looking at Nina. “Since you’ve finished your breakfast, why don’t you get dressed for playgroup and give Gramma and Daddy a few minutes to talk.”
“Okay.” Nina climbed off Sky’s lap and skipped down the hall to her bedroom.
“Thanks, Mom. I’m sorry I lost my temper. Breakfast was delicious,” he praised halfheartedly and stood, anxious to make his escape. “I’m going to shower, then get started on that fence.”
“Not yet you’re not. Sit down,” Brooke commanded with a scowl.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now, Mom. Drop it.”
“The hell I will,” she hissed, planting her hands on her hips.
Oh, shit. Sky knew the second she put on her bitch wings he was in for a major ass chewing. It took a lot to rile his mother up, but once she was, he was in for an old-fashioned tongue-lashing…like he was about to endure now. Plopping back onto the chair, he figured the least he could do was give her the advantage of ripping into him at eye level.
“One day Nina is going to expect you to tell her what happened to her mother,” Brooke stated pointedly. “Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will happen. You can’t keep coming unhinged every time the topic comes up. Talk to me, Sky. Tell me what you’re keeping buried inside…stop shutting me out. You know I love you and I’ll help you deal with anything, but you have to give me the chance.”
“I know you will, Mom. I love that you’ve always been there for me…and that you still are. I’m just not ready yet.” Sky exhaled heavily before scrubbing a hand over his face.
“Well, you’d better start getting ready. Nina deserves the truth.”
His guts churned. “No. She’ll never know the truth. I won’t allow it.”
“You’re willing to lie to your own daughter?” Brooke hissed in disbelief.
“If that’s what it takes…then yes,” he spat.
“You’d better rethink that, son. Secrets have a way of revealing themselves when you least expect it. The longer you keep shoving down the truth, the more it will eat you up inside.” Brooke smoothed a hand over his head. “I want my son back…all the way. I want to see you happy again.”
“I know, Mom. You’ve told me a thousand times.”
“And I’ll keep telling you a thousand more, until you finally decide to purge that darkness you carry around.” The pity in his mother’s eyes was like a wrecking ball. Guilt sizzled. The familiar live wire zapped his system, the way it always did when she pressed him for details about the life he longed to forget. “All right. That’s enough on that subject. Where were you all night?”
The change of topic should have been a welcome relief, but it wasn’t. “I was with a friend.”
“Not with that trashy girl from the bar again, were you? She’s earned herself quite a reputation around town…none of it good, either.”
“I wasn’t with Misty,” he stated defensively.
“Watch your tone. You might be bigger than me, but I’m still your mother.”
Oh, lord, this was getting uglier by the second.
“Now exactly who were you with?”
“I’m a grown man, Mom.”
“You still live under my roof,” Brooke reminded, not backing down an inch.
“Katie. All right?”
Sky wished he’d pulled out his cell phone to capture the look on his mother’s face. Disbelief was an understatement.
“Oh.” Brooke blinked.
“Are we done now? Or am I grounded for staying out all night? In which case, you’ll need to go to the back field in the hot sun and fix the damn fence.”
“I’m going to smack you upside the head with a skillet if you don’t stop sassing me.”
Did his mother ever wonder who he inherited his smartass genes from? Probably not.
“What on earth were you and Katie doing all night?”
Sky dropped his gaze to the table. His head swam with indulgent memories…of her sounds and the way she responded to his every touch. No way in hell was he going to share a single detail with his mom.
“Oh, Sky,” Brooke groaned. “You two were fighting again, weren’t you?”
Not until the magic ended and the sun came up, he thought bitterly.
“You have no idea what Katie’s been through. Gran called me this morning…” Brooke shook her head. “Look, I know you’re still angry with Katie for leaving you, but right now she’s got bigger problems to work out. Try to give her a little sympathy until she gets her life back in order. Between you and me, that man she lived with in Chicago…well, he was a monster. Gran’s half out of her mind with worry. She has no idea how to help Katie.”
“I already know what Doug did to her, Mom. Believe it or not, I was giving her comfort last night.” Please don’t ask what kind…please. Sky swallowed tightly and continued. “I feel for Katie and Gran, but there’s nothing anyone can do unless Katie asks for help…which will only happen when the devil starts serving Popsicles in hell. She’s too damn stubborn for her own good.”
“If you were comforting her last night and not fighting, then why are you in such a foul mood this morning? Oh, honey…I know seeing her again has dredged up bad memories, but you can’t keep holding on to a grudge. It was years ago. She was young. You both were.”
“I’m not holding on to anything. Dammit, Mom. I didn’t go up there to intentionally pick a fight. It just happened. A whole hell of a lot happened. I might be an asshole, but I’m not that big of one.”
“Oh, honey, you’re not an asshole. It’s just… Oh, hell.” Brooke exhaled a frustrated sigh. “Just try to get along with her while she’s here. Her life’s a—”
“Hot mess. Yes, I know. Look, I promise I’ll stay as far away from her as I can. How’s that?”
Thankfully his mom had no idea how far he actually planned to steer clear of Katie, or his mom would bust his balls even more.
“Don’t ignore her. Be a friend,” Brooke encouraged as if he were six years old. “I know you still love her, and I’m sure it’s hard to forgive her, but you’re a good man. I know you’ll find it in your heart to at least be kind to her.”
He certainly didn’t feel like a good son, father, or human being at the moment.
Nina bounded back into the kitchen, saving him from further discussion about Katie. But nothing could save his eyes from the outfit his daughter was wearing. Holy shit.
“I’m ready to go, Gramma.”
“Well, yes, you are. Wow,” Brooke exclaimed with a nervous chuckle, gazing at Nina’s eye-popping, mismatched ensemble.
His not-so-fashion-savvy daughter had dressed herself in a pair of pink shorts that clashed loudly with her canary-yellow striped shirt. Even more shocking were the purple-and-green knee socks that stuck out the tops of her powder-blue cowgirl boots. The lime-green, faux-rhinestone tiara poised on her head was the cherry on a preverbal shit Sunday.
“My…don’t you look…pretty,” Sky praised, biting back a laugh.
“I know,” Nina gushed. “I’m a princess cowgirl.”
A huge grin spread over her face that sent heart-melting dimples to wink at him. Everything about his beautiful daughter warmed his heart. With a grin, he stood and scooped Nina off the floor, swinging her around as she giggled and squealed and held tight to the tiara. When he clutched her to his chest, Sky inhaled the scent of her bubblegum shampoo and a hint of maple syrup. He longingly wished she would stay this young and innocent forever and never ask about his shameful secret.
“I’m sorry I was a grouch at breakfast, muffin.”
“It’s okay, Daddy. I’ll draw you a purdy pitcher today so your grouches will go away.”
“I’d like that a lot,” he replied, trying to leach a few more drops of her love and happiness.
Several minutes later, he stood at the window and watched h
is two girls drive away. Spending time with his family seemed to have eased the heaviness inside him. Determined to hold on to his partially buoyant mood, he closed thoughts of Katie from his mind as he strolled toward the bathroom.
The thick steam of the shower, his soap-slicked skin, and the hot water sluicing over his body had thoughts of Katie worming their way into his brain. He couldn’t wash away the feeling of her sultry mouth or her hot, slippery core. As his cock stirred, Sky released a resentful sigh. He may have momentarily blocked out her biting words, but the ghost of her luscious body continued to haunt him. He looked down at his growing erection and scoffed.
“You’ve had all the action you’re going to get for a while, pal. Hope you enjoyed it, because it looks like we’re in for a long dry spell.”
Soaping his body, Sky managed to keep from fisting his cock by thinking about the fence that needed mending and the ungodly color-clashing outfit Nina was wearing to playgroup. Thankfully, the images were enough to make his eager appendage droop between his legs before his shower was through.
Dressed and ready to head out the door, he filled a go-mug with coffee and a jug with ice water before walking to his truck. Glancing toward Gran’s, he saw Katie standing on the porch, with her phone to her ear, wearing a towel wrapped around her head. His testosterone-laced brain had no trouble picturing her naked in the shower…her slender body covered in soapy bubbles. The visual he’d conjured along with the outfit she now wore made his mouth go dry. Peering at her intently, Sky took in the pair of white—barely legal—short shorts and a breast-hugging orange halter top. She looked like an orange creamsicle…his favorite, and damn if he didn’t want to charge across the road and start licking her up. His dick woke up fast and hard.
“Son of a bitch,” he cursed under his breath as he climbed in behind the wheel.
How the hell was he going to ignore the woman when every time he saw her, he wanted to drag her beneath him and sink balls deep into her all over again? As he backed out of the driveway, he paused in the middle of the road and turned his head. The golden sun cast her in an ethereal glow. When their gazes locked, she hung up the phone. He could see that vexing foreign timidness and uncertainty swimming in her emerald eyes again. He wanted to punch something—starting with that ass-wipe, Doug.
She had a long road of healing ahead of her, but then so did he. Katie would likely travel the road to recovery with open arms—and he’d just as soon ignore the whole damn path.
Begrudgingly, he admitted making love to her had been a mistake…like she’d said—a huge one. Under the guise of trying to mend her heart, he’d let his own needs and lust consume him. He felt like a prick. He’d taken advantage of her. He had to keep his hands and lips off her. Once she got her shit together, she’d be gone. Turning his head, he shoved the truck into gear and drove away.
With his mind racing, Sky turned onto the dirt path that separated his fields from his neighbor on the east. The truck bounced and pitched over the uneven ruts worn into the hard-packed dirt. Taking the road too fast, he hit a huge crater. Flying up out of his seat, he cracked his head on the ceiling. Muttering a curse, he slowed the truck down and eyed the corn he’d planted in late April. The brilliant, green broad leaves sparkling in the sun were the same color as Katie’s eyes.
He shook his head and cursed again. “Christ, you’re waxing poetic about a fucking field of corn. What’s next? Are you going to start mooning over the straw in the barn because it matches her skin? You’re losing your goddamn mind.”
Scowling, he inched his truck to the back corner of the field and climbed out. The sun beat unmercifully on his back, and the humidity, like a layer of plastic wrap, nearly sealed the air in his lungs. Gathering up his tools, he tied back his hair in a strip of leather, then slipped on his gloves and began mending the fence.
~*~
Kaitlin sat at Gran’s kitchen table, sorting through her emails. She’d tried to call Veronica several times, but her assistant wasn’t answering her cell phone. A breeze blew through the kitchen windows. The air was growing muggier by the minute. Soon, Gran would turn on the air conditioner and close up the house. Kaitlin would miss the sound of the old woman humming as she worked the flowers surrounding the porch. Gran’s daily spring and summer regimen filled Kaitlin with a sense of peace. It felt good to be home…well, all except for the convoluted emotions Sky had sputtering through her system.
When the phone rang, Gran let out a grunt. Kaitlin leapt from her chair. “I’ve got it.”
“If it’s Hazel, tell her to keep her britches on. We’ll get back to the bank when we get there,” Gran called from the front yard.
Kaitlin chuckled, then picked up the phone. “Hello.”
“Katie? It’s Brooke.” Her voice was strained and she was panting.
“Brooke? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Kaitlin asked as she saw a huge silver pickup truck speed down the road.
“Pain… Something’s wrong… Oh, god. Ahhh, it hurts,” she cried out between gasps. “I need to… Nina pick her up… Can Gran… Ugh… Oh, god…”
“I’m coming over.”
Kaitlin slammed the phone down, slipped on her sandals, and raced out the front door. “Gran, come quick. Something’s wrong with Brooke.”
“What?” She blanched and dropped the garden hose. Wiping her hands on her housedress, she hurried over to the faucet and shut the water off. “What do you mean something’s wrong with Brooke?”
“I don’t know. She just called. She’s in pain. I’ll meet you over there.”
Kaitlin sprinted down the driveway and across the road in seconds flat. When she burst through the front door, she found Brooke on the floor writhing in pain and clutching her stomach. Her face was dotted with sweat, her color pasty white, and an expression of agony lined her features. Kaitlin knelt beside her and touched a hand to her forehead. She felt cold and clammy, and Kaitlin’s heart thundered in fear.
“I’m calling an ambulance,” she announced as she launched off the floor and grabbed the phone.
A few seconds later, Gran hurried in and knelt next to Brooke. Kaitlin dialed 911 as she soaked a dishcloth in cold water and handed it to Gran.
“Where’s Sky, honey?” Gran asked, brushing the hair from Brooke’s face and applying the cool cloth.
“In the field. Greg Harris is… Oh, god,” Brooke moaned. “Greg’s getting him…but Nina… Need to get her soon.”
“We will,” Gran assured her with a gentle nod.
Kaitlin’s panic rose higher and higher as she volleyed questions from the emergency operator to Brooke and back again. Minutes seemed like hours before the sound of a siren squealed in the distance. As Kaitlin ended the call, Sky and Greg burst into the room wearing matching expressions of fear.
“Mom.” Sky’s voice quivered as he dropped to one knee beside her. Gran stood, inching away and wringing her hands. “What happened?
“I don’t know. Pain… Oh, god. It’s so sharp,” Brooke gasped, and the siren grew louder. “Nina. We need to get Nina from the church.”
“She’ll be fine. They’ll watch over her until we can get her picked up. I’m not leaving you.”
The fear in Sky’s voice gutted Kaitlin. “I’ll pick her up and watch her,” she offered. “Where is she?”
“The Presbyterian church on Center Street,” Sky replied in a rush of words. “Dorothy Patterson is in charge. Tell her I sent you and that the code word is rainbow. She’ll understand.”
“Rainbow. Got it.” Kaitlin nodded.
Greg Harris stood off to the side, his face pale and his eyes filled with panic. The approaching siren died in an eerie wail outside. Seconds later, two EMTs hurried into the house, their arms bulging from the weight of the black duffle bags clutched in their fists.
Sky unwillingly moved out of the way, and Kaitlin stepped up beside him, instinctively wrapping her arm around his waist. His body tensed like a slab of marble, and he flashed her an icy stare that chilled her to the bon
e.
Right. She’d slammed the door in his face once more. He wouldn’t even accept her offer of moral support. She had no one to blame but herself. Dropping her arm to her side, she moved away. Sliding a gaze around the room, it was evident that she was an outsider. Gran, Sky, Brooke, and Greg shared a kinship that Kaitlin didn’t. She wasn’t a part of their world, and that was her fault, as well. An arctic chill slid down her spine as she inched toward the front door. Her mind lobbied for her to leave…walk away, but her body refused to budge. The EMTs lobbed questions at Brooke, and when one of the men began to palpate her stomach, she screamed out in pain.
Sky lurched forward but Greg snagged his arm. “They’re trying to assess her, not hurt her. You’ve got to let them do their job, son,” Greg urged in a semi-calm voice.
A uniformed officer entered the house wearing a look of alarm. When he darted a nervous glance between Brooke and Sky, Kaitlin assumed this was the same cop who’d dropped Sky off last night. As the man in uniform moved in next to Sky, he gave a grim nod. “What happened?”
Kaitlin eyed the officer’s name badge. Carnes. A spark of recognition caught in her brain. Devin Carnes was a cop? She found it ironic that little Devin—the kid who’d stirred up more trouble in Connor than any other—was now enforcing the laws he’d once delighted in breaking.
“We don’t know, but thanks for coming, man.” Visibly distraught, Sky scrubbed a hand over his head.
Devin gave his shoulder a supportive squeeze. “Of course, brother. I heard the call on the radio and rushed right over.”
Sky’s focus remained fixed on the EMTs attending Brooke. “I was in the field. Greg came and got me. When we walked in, we found her like…” Sky’s words died on his tongue as one of the EMTs stood and approached him.
