by Kathy Ivan
“Hey, honey bear.” Brody’s deep voice yanked Beth back to the present. “Think you can carry this box for me?” He pointed to one of the biggest boxes in the back of his truck.
Jamie laughed again. “Uncle Brody, that one’s too big. Mommy can carry it. Give me a littler one.”
“You sure? Let me see your muscles.” He made a big show of examining her arm when Jamie flexed. “Well, you seem pretty strong, but let’s give you one a little bit smaller.” Her daughter held her arms up and Brody handed her a much smaller box, one holding kitchen towels and pot holders.
“Be careful, sweetheart,” Beth called out.
“I’ve got it, Mommy.” Jamie took deliberately slow steps up to the porch and then turned to look at her. “Where should I put this box, Mommy?”
“That one goes in the kitchen, baby.”
Beth drew in a deep breath, watching her little girl head through the front door with her precious cargo. Jaime had been through so much in the last months, being uprooted from the only home she’d know, and then losing her father. She was handling things better than anybody could ask. Jamie never complained, always had a smile for everyone. One day she knew she’d have to explain why her daddy wasn’t around anymore, but right now she was too little to understand. And really, what could she say? Tell her daughter her daddy was a monster and needed to be locked in a cell to keep her safe?
Brody strode past her, arms stacked with boxes, and she couldn’t help noticing the way his muscles moved and flexed beneath his navy blue T-shirt. He moved with the confidence of a man comfortable with himself and the world around him, and she only wished she had a smidgen of his calm demeanor. Instead, she felt like the biggest fraud, because nothing in her world felt right. Everything seemed off-kilter. She didn’t even fit in the skin she wore like armor, keeping away the ills of the world. If she was honest, it had been like that for longer than she cared to admit. Even before Evan had started acting elusive, she’d felt uneasy, off balance. Now, after the revelations of her ex-husband’s duplicity, her self-esteem and confidence in herself as a wife, mother, even as a woman, had been chiseled away until she felt like a hollow shell.
Brody walked past her and back down the porch steps, with Jaime trailing behind him like a shadow. Beth forced her feet to take one step and then another, following them to Brody’s truck. Reaching into the back, she pulled one of the remaining boxes forward and headed for the house. There really weren’t that many. Most of their belongings were still in North Carolina, in a locked storage unit she paid for monthly. Straightening her spine, she carried the box into the master bedroom and set it on the end of the bed.
Turning toward the door, she gasped when she spotted Brody in the open doorway, two boxes stacked in his arms.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. Where do you want these?” He nodded toward the unlabeled boxes.
She pointed toward the floor inside the bedroom. “Just put them there by the door.”
“No problem.” He flashed a smile as he followed her instructions. “Only a couple more to go.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you helping me…us get settled.”
“That’s what family’s for, Beth. You’re Tessa’s family, and by extension that makes you part of the Boudreau clan.” He winked before heading down the hall, and Beth felt that ever-present-around-Brody-Boudreau fluttery sensation in her stomach again. There was something about Brody that made her blood sing.
“Stop it,” she muttered, dispelling the spell he seemed to put her under. It was too little, too late. She wasn’t ever falling into the relationship trap again. Been there, done that, and wouldn’t wear the lousy T-shirt on a bet.
Voices from the front of the cottage drew her attention toward the door, and she spotted Rafe and Tessa, along with Douglas and Ms. Patti, standing on the front porch. Tessa grinned and waved, and Beth motioned for her to come in. Ms. Patti and Tessa walked into the living room, while Rafe and Douglas headed back down the steps of the front porch toward their cars.
“Brody mentioned he’s almost finished bringing your stuff in. Ms. Patti and I brought along a few supplies to help stock your fridge, so you don’t have to worry about doing grocery shopping for a few days.”
“You didn’t have to do that, but thank you.” Beth’s eyes widened as Rafe and Douglas strode past her toward the kitchen, arms loaded with grocery bags. “Guys, that’s far too much—”
“Nonsense.” Ms. Patti pulled her into a hug, and thumped her on the back. Beth squeaked a little at the bear hug. Ms. Patti was remarkably strong for such a tiny woman. Then again, Beth mused, having raised a passel of boys from youngsters into men, she’d have to be. Tessa grinned at the blonde-haired dynamo, and Beth linked arms with her sister, following her inside. Ms. Patti marched into the kitchen and began giving orders to Rafe and Douglas, who stood in the center of the room, looking lost and confused. She reminded Beth of a drill sergeant, her no-nonsense attitude getting the job done, her will indomitable even facing down two men bigger than her by nearly a foot.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Brody place a couple more boxes against the wall in the living room. His lips quirked up in a grin as he watched his mother ordering around the others, softly chuckling when they hurried to fulfill her every request.
“She’s really something, isn’t she?” Tessa’s words were whispered, and Beth nodded. “This is nothing. You should see her with the wedding plans. She’s got people jumping, bending over backward, ready to accomplish whatever she wants. People in Shiloh Springs practically worship the ground she walks on. Honestly, I don’t think I could do half of what she’s done in such a short time.” Tessa leaned in and added conspiratorially, “I want to be just like her when I grow up.” Her words were accompanied with a cheeky grin.
“Brody,” Ms. Patti glanced toward her son, “if you’re done moving boxes, could you please grab the hamper on the back seat of my car?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Ms. Patti watched her son walk out the front door before smiling at Beth. “He’s a good son, and an equally good man.” She rubbed her hands together, the spark in her eyes matched by her satisfied grin. “I brought two pans of lasagna, a couple loaves of garlic bread, and salad fixings. Oh, and there’s a gallon of sweet tea, and a gallon of lemonade on the back floor of my car.”
“I’ll help Brody bring it in, Momma.” Rafe dropped a kiss on his mother’s cheek as he walked past her.
“I got a good one, too.” Tessa leaned her chin on Beth’s shoulder. “I promise, Sis, everything will work out. Wait and see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Mommy, did you see? They bringed us, I mean brought us, two boxes of faffles. I get faffles for breakfast!” Jamie held up the frozen breakfast treats like they were trophies she’d won, waving the brightly packaged boxes over her head.
Beth burst out laughing. “I swear, Jaime, you eat too many of them and you’re going to turn into a waffle. There are other things to have for breakfast, you know.”
“Let the child have her waffles. Having a healthy appetite is a good thing, especially at her age.” Ms. Patti pulled Jaime against her side, and ruffled her hair. “Personally, I love frozen waffles in the morning.”
“Since when?” Beth heard the softly muttered question from Douglas as he closed the freezer door. She bit her lip to keep for laughing. Being around the Boudreaus made her smile and forget about her troubles, at least for a little while. Plus, seeing her sister in love and happy helped made everything better too.
Brody and Rafe trooped into the kitchen, their arms loaded down with the food and drinks Ms. Patti brought. Beth raced over to the cupboard, hand raised to open it, before realizing the few dishes she had were packed in the boxes stacked along the kitchen wall. Her sister walked over and opened the cupboard Beth had reached for, revealing stacks of plates, bowls, and glasses, all neatly arranged exactly how she’d have done it.
“I left my stuff here.
You and Jamie can use them, since I’ve already got brand new ones as wedding gifts. One less thing you need to worry about. Besides, once you get your stuff out of storage in North Carolina and shipped down here, you’ll have more than enough.”
Beth bit her lower lip to keep from crying, overwhelmed at her sister’s generosity. She felt like the biggest fraud, because she still hadn’t mentioned to Tessa about the nightmare she faced dealing with the fallout of her ex’s mountain of debt. Even paying the tab on the storage unit in North Carolina ate into her small nest egg, which wouldn’t last much longer unless she got a job. Or won the lottery.
Tessa pulled a stack of plates down and handed them to Rafe, with a quick kiss on his cheek. She quickly grabbed glasses and started filling them with ice, while Ms. Patti and Tessa started serving up the impromptu lunch. Passing around the glasses, she filled them with sweet tea and lemonade. The lasagna was still warm, the salad crisp and the perfect accompaniment.
Once all the plates were filled, everyone moved to the living room, since there weren’t enough seats at the kitchen table, which only sat four. Beth balanced her plate on her knee, and watched everyone dig into their food, smiling at the feeling of family surrounding her. It was moments like this when she missed her parents. Family dinners had been a big thing in her home growing up. Even after she moved out for college, she managed to get home at least once or twice a week, loving catching up on the little things.
Those family dinners had dwindled over time once she’d married Evan. He’d never come right out and said he didn’t want to go, but somehow, he’d always have something else planned for them on the same day. His feigned interest made her enjoyment of being around her family strained. Knew her mother and father felt it too, though they never uttered a word.
But sitting here, in the center of another family, that feeling of warmth, of belonging, sparked deep within. She wanted Jamie to know what it meant to be part of something bigger, to know other people cared for her, the way Beth’s family had loved Beth and Tessa. Glancing toward her daughter, who sat cross-legged on the floor, her mouth smeared with sauce, Beth felt like she was finally home.
“Momma, this is awesome.” Rafe stood and dropped a kiss on the top of his mother’s head. “I’m gonna grab another piece.”
“Wait for me, bro. I want more too.” Brody stood, and his eyes met Beth’s. A tingling warmth filled her belly when his stare roved over her, lingering on her mouth. For a brief second, the hunger in his gaze made her think he wanted more than food. She broke eye contact, though it was hard. How could she feel like this?
“Ms. Patti, Douglas, I can’t thank you enough. I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.”
Ms. Patti reached over and squeezed Beth’s hand. “You’d have done fine. We’re glad you’re here, with your family.”
“You need anything, you call me. Or Ms. Patti.” Douglas’ gruff voice, deep and rumbly, was belied by the twinkle in his eyes. He was a big man, well over six feet, and muscled from his years of construction work. Though he wasn’t a big talker, not that she’d noticed anyway, everyone paid attention when he spoke.
“I will, I promise.”
Once everyone had eaten their fill, the leftovers were packed up and put in the refrigerator. Beth was surprised they’d gone through an entire tray of lasagna and part of the second one. She chuckled. Those Boudreau men sure could pack away a lot of food.
Walking to the door, she waved as their vehicles drove away, leaving her and Jamie to settle into their new home. Heading back inside, she ran her hand over the back of a chair, taking in the cozy living room. Tessa had told her about the break-in, how everything had been ransacked and destroyed, including the furniture that came with the rented house.
Her hand tightened on the back of the chair. This furniture, all of it, belonged to Brody. All of it had been in storage, and he’d immediately offered it to Tessa, to replace the stuff that had been unsalvageable. Taking in the warm butterscotch tones of the leather sofa and matching chairs, she had to admit he had good taste. Her sister had added a few simple touches, pops of color, making the house feel like a home.
A home Beth now shared with her baby girl. A noise behind her had her spinning around, catching her daughter with a cookie halfway to her mouth. Beth raised her brow, and nodded toward the cookie.
“Where’d that come from, young lady?”
“Ms. Patti gave it to me.”
“I don’t remember seeing any cookies.”
Jamie grinned and pointed to the freezer. “Mr. Douglas put them in the freezer, so they stay fresh. He said there’s a whole package just for me.”
“Oh, really? So, I don’t get any cookies, huh?”
Jamie giggled. “You gotta say please and thank you.”
Beth stepped forward and ruffled her daughter’s hair. “May I please have a cookie?”
“Yes. Ms. Patti said to cook it in the micro-something to make it taste better.”
Beth pointed to the cookie in Jamie’s hand. “The microwave, and yes, that makes them all warm and gooey. Want me to heat one up for you?”
“That’s okay, I like it this way too. Can I go play?”
“Right after I get a hug. Stay on the porch though.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Jamie wrapped her arms around Beth’s waist and squeezed, then darted through the kitchen and out the front door. Beth watched her for a few minutes through the open door, and knew her baby was safe. Leaning down, she lifted one of the boxes piled against the kitchen wall, set it on the table, and pulled back the tape. Might as well get some things put away.
She was barely halfway through the box when her cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, her stomach plummeted. Not again. When would her ex learn? She wasn’t coming for a visit to the prison. And she definitely wasn’t bringing Jamie to see her father in such a place. Was he insane?
Swiping to disconnect the call, before she could put the phone down it rang again. Only this time, it wasn’t Evan.
CHAPTER FOUR
Evan Stewart paced the length of his cell, his footsteps barely making a sound with each step. He couldn’t stay still. It felt like a million ants crawled inside his body, giving him the heebie-jeebies. He really couldn’t stand being locked up inside this cell. Caged like a stinking animal. It wasn’t right. Nothing about this whole fiasco was right.
Add in his ex-wife still wasn’t taking his calls. He’d tried again half an hour ago, and she hadn’t answered. Did she really think he was going to go away so easily? Fade into the woodwork and let her life a happy little life, while he wasted away behind bars? He growled deep in his throat. She really had another thing coming if she believed that scenario.
Never claiming patience as his strong suit, spending one second more in this dank, depressing pit irritated his last nerve. He didn’t deserve to be behind bars. The blame rested solely on Trevor’s shoulders. How had he allowed a scrawny numbskull to convince him grabbing Tessa was a good idea? He’d been content to play a slow, tortuous game of cat-and-mouse with his sister-in-law, and it had only been a matter of time until he’d have had his hands on the Crowley County bond and the millions of dollars it represented. Instead, Trevor’s obsession with Evan’s sister-in-law colored his judgment, believing she’d come rushing back into his arms. Yeah, right. Like that had happened. No only had Tessa not given them the county bond, she’d involved the stupid sheriff over in Shiloh Springs. He and his brother had cost Evan everything.
If she’d only given me the bond, none of this would’ve happened.
Another circuit of his cell, hands clenched into fists at his side. He cursed the day he’d met his wife, Beth Maxwell. Like a fool, he’d been infatuated from the start. She’d been the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. The sound of her laughter drew him in, captivated him, until he’d tumbled head over heels. Yeah, they’d been happy—until they weren’t.
Never in a million years did he think he’d get tired of Beth. His wife. His love
r. The proverbial noose around his neck.
Traveling had been a godsend at first. Business kept him on the road a few times a year. The first time he’d slept with another woman, violated his marriage vows, he’d been eaten up with guilt. Swore it would never happen again. But it did. Over and over. It got easier to volunteer for out-of-town jobs, seminars, anything to leave Beth and North Carolina in his rearview mirror. The excitement of new places, bigger cities, and the draw of illicit hookups seduced him, addicted his mind and his body, until all he thought about was freedom—freedom from his mundane life and the shackles cobbling him to a now loveless marriage.
Then Beth got pregnant.
The shock of her joy-filled announcement hit him like a ton of bricks. He didn’t want kids. Never had. Didn’t even like being around them, especially other people’s children. They were nasty, messy, deplorable things that slowly drained away your will to live. Why’d she have to get pregnant? She’d been on the pill, he knew, because he checked religiously to make sure she didn’t miss any. Beth wanted children eventually, but he’d convinced her they should wait until he was better established at his job. They’d have the time and money to dedicate themselves to raising a family then. Not that he ever intended to have any of the stinky little buggers.
Now he had an ex and a brat, and between them they’d managed to ruin everything. If only he’d stuck to his plan, he’d be sitting pretty on Easy Street, a bereaved widower with a small motherless child. Jamie, his daughter, would have inherited her mother’s share of the millions, and he’d hire an au pair to take care of the sniveling brat, while he lived the life he deserved. Everything would have been perfect, exactly like he’d pictured in his mind a thousand times. Until Tessa and her sheriff boyfriend ruined all of his perfect plans.
