Liar's Fire: A Cooper Brothers Novel

by Dee Burks

  Tyler scooped a big spoonful of chili and shoveled it into his mouth. Stopping a moment, he savored the taste. Fresh herbs, garlic, onions. Spicy, but not too hot. Perfect in fact. He watched Justin, who ate so fast you’d think it was his last meal. If he’d come up with this on his own, then the boy had a gift. “How do you know she’s upset if she never cries?”

  “She’s quiet. I mean, when she’s a little upset, she yells. Medium upset, she screams. But quiet, now that’s bigtime upset.”

  “She that way very often?’

  “No.” He shook his head and stared toward the back door. “Hardly ever.” Worry creased the boy’s brow heightening Tyler’s concern. He should go talk to her, see if he could help. Shadow jumped on the back door and looked at him through the window.

  “Shadow’s a great dog.” Justin took his empty bowl to the sink. “I set her out some water and Mom got her the dog food. She wasn’t sure what kind to get, so she got a little bit of everything.” He pointed to a small table by the back door.

  A large bag of premium dog food and several varieties of canned food filled the surface, as well as a couple of bags of doggie treats and one or two rawhide chews. Tyler stared. Serena must have spent a fortune. Guilt gnawed at his conscience. “She didn’t have to do that.”

  Justin smiled. “Mom’s a sucker for a furry face.”

  Tyler ran a hand across his cheek. Then maybe he should let his beard grow. The good part of this was that if Serena liked Shadow, then she might keep the dog for a little bit while he set himself up in another place. It seemed a lot to ask right now, but he didn’t have many options.

  Justin pointed to the box and the garbage bags. “So are you homeless or what?”

  Tyler almost choked on the chili. The kid cut right to the point. “You could say that.”

  “Where you planning to go?”

  “Not sure, but I’ll figure something out.”

  Justin frowned. Tyler hated to imagine what went through the boy’s mind. What kind of man, and business owner to boot, was homeless at his age? Other than maybe Bobby Jack. The image of himself at 70 hobbling down an alleyway begging for a sandwich, turned Tyler’s stomach. The way things were headed right now, it could happen. Easily.

  “What kind of place you looking for?”

  The question halted Tyler’s depressing train of thought. “Don’t know, haven’t had much time to think about it.”

  A roof would work for now. He glanced at the door as Shadow whimpered. She knew he was here; Serena probably did too but hadn’t come in yet. She must be really upset. The dog leaped up to look in again. “Be nice to have a yard. Shadow’s never had a real yard.”

  Justin frowned again. What could the kid be thinking now? And why all the questions? Was he worried about his mom? Or afraid that Tyler would take advantage of her? It sure might appear that way if he started asking for favors.

  Justin heaved a sigh. “I have an idea if you’re interested.”

  An idea? He couldn’t imagine what kind of suggestion he’d get from a kid, but at this point, but he’d listen to anything. “What’s that?”

  “Well, you know Mom has been trying to rent out Jacie’s old room. Ran an ad and everything.”

  “Yeah?”

  “And you know I’m going off to college this fall, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Well, I wondered if you might want to rent the room. I mean, I don’t want her to be all alone without anyone to look after her. You know?”

  Dumbfounded, Tyler stared at Justin. Surely the kid had no idea what he was saying, and Tyler knew that Serena had no inkling of the turn this discussion had taken, or she would be in here in a heartbeat. “Your mom seems plenty able to take care of herself.”

  “She acts tough and all, but she doesn’t like being alone. I mean, I know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s not like you have anywhere to go right now.”

  Okay, so he had a point. And the solution seemed so simple to hear Justin tell it.

  “You might even like her once you get used to her.” Justin shrugged. “You seem like someone I could trust.”

  Like her? Was he kidding? Tyler’d had fantasized about Serena every night since he’d kissed her and held her in his arms. He couldn’t even image what it would be like to be around her everyday.

  He had to seriously question the boy’s judgment on the trust issue, though. You don’t hand a homeless fox the key to the hen house and expect him to keep his paws to himself. Not with Serena. He looked up at Justin. The kid had no idea how fabulous his mother was and how incredible this offer would be for any guy. Let alone him, given the situation.

  “Will you at least consider it?” Justin’s eyes bored into his.

  “Don’t you think your mom should have something to say about it?” Serena would never agree, which was too bad. The idea provided a perfect solution for both of them in the long run. Not to mention giving Tyler the chance to hang around and prove to her he wasn’t a complete loser.

  Justin waved his hand with a smile. “You know she likes a sob story. So do me a favor and give her one.”

  “That’s the easy part.” His whole entire life was a sob story. Tyler put his bowl in the sink and gazed out the kitchen window. Serena sat in the swing with her back to him, slowly rocking back and forth. She scratched Shadow’s ears, and the dog sat at her feet eating up the attention. Well, at least she liked his dog. That was a start.

  “I gotta get to work. Will you tell her I’ll be home by eleven?”

  Tyler nodded. “You don’t have any idea why she’s upset?”

  “No, but I do know that the message on the answering machine isn’t going to make it any better.”

  “What’s the message?”

  “Grandma’s coming to town.”

  Chapter 18

  Serena pushed the swing slowly back and forth. Shadow trotted between her and the backdoor. Tyler must be here. Her life had hit one of its lowest points today. It lifted her sagging spirits a little knowing he was close by. Not that he could do anything to help, but she needed to talk to someone. Her head hurt from trying to process the events of the day, let alone deal with them.

  She hadn’t called Aunt Macy yet to see how she was feeling, so now she had a whopping load of guilt on top of everything else. Serena feared she’d end up blubbering the second she saw Macy, knowing her aunt might have very little time left.

  Her chest hurt every time she thought of the job offer with American Woman. She’d tried to push it from her mind, but it refused to give her any peace. The dream of what life might be like in New York brought images of excitement, the constant motion of the city mixed with the thrill of working on important articles and projects that could really make a difference. She imagined herself in an office high up with a view of the Empire State Building or Central Park. Serena heaved a sigh; New York wasn’t an option at this point. Torturing herself wouldn’t change the facts. Her family needed her, and she couldn’t disappoint them.

  Family. A sense of dread filled her as she thought about Arlene’s arrival. The woman conveyed disapproval and disappointment with every glance. Her daughter’s pregnancy had been a huge embarrassment to Arlene, and she had never let go of that emotion. Somehow being around the woman turned Serena into a rebellious 16-year-old all over again. Every old hurt, argument, and past conflict tainted any conversation they tried to have. Not that there had been that many in the past 19 years.

  If Arlene said black, Serena said white. It had always been that way. But not this time. Her mother may not be over it, but she was, and it was time they related to each other as adults no matter how Arlene felt about things. She would not let it get to her. Besides, Arlene was coming for Macy, not for her. Never for her, never for Justin.

  Serena could count on one hand the number of times Arlene had visited since Justin was a baby. Each and every visit defined disaster in its own way, driving them further apart, which was fine as far as she was concerned.

 
; From arguments over her lack of motherly skill, to her taste in men, nothing was ever good enough for Arlene. Nothing ever erased the past, and Serena refused to dwell on it. It was time to let it go, and if Arlene insisted on replaying the old hurts, she was through trying.

  The sun sank below the horizon, and she stood to go inside. Shadow circled her legs and stepped everywhere Serena did almost causing her to fall. Reaching down she pushed the dog out of the way, but Shadow immediately circled her legs again, rubbing against them. Tyler opened the door and smiled.

  “This dog will not let me take one step without her.” She finally made it to the door. “Is she that lonely?”

  “No, she does that to people she likes.”

  The dog followed Serena inside and circled her legs again. “It’s like she’s glued to me. Like she’s . . .”

  “Your shadow? It’s not an original name, but it suits her.” He stood at the sink and washed two bowls and two glasses.

  “Where’s Justin?”

  “Work. He said he’d be back after eleven.” Tyler glanced at her. “He fed me some great chili.”

  “Yeah, he loves to cook.”

  “I was thinking about offering him a job.”

  Serena stared at Tyler’s back. He’d already helped her so much, doing everything she’d asked of him and more. No one could ever say he hadn’t gone the extra mile, and here he was doing it again. But she and Justin had made it this far on their own, and she certainly didn’t want Tyler feeling sorry for them. “You don’t have to do that.”

  The muscles in Tyler’s back flexed with every move. Remembering his kiss as she watched him, Serena’s tongue traced the inside of her lips. She’d let herself hope he cared for her beyond the normal friendship. Even spent the evenings fantasizing about what it would be like to be with Tyler, instead of just being around him. Serena pressed her lips together in frustration. Good grief she was starting to believe her own press, that the “Lone Star Love Affair” actually had love in it—or at least an affair. That idea sent a chill up her spine and her gaze to his firm butt.

  “I want to. He’s a good worker and a great cook. Who knows, he could be a famous chef someday.” He smiled over his shoulder at her.

  She forced her attention to his face as a sad, almost apologetic expression passed across his features. “I won’t ask him if it’s not okay with you. I’d understand if you don’t want him to work for me.”

  Serena frowned. Why would he say that? Did Tyler think she was that controlling where her son was concerned? “I don’t mind at all.” In fact it would give her a much better idea of what was going on in her son’s life if he were working alongside Tyler everyday. Serena hesitated a moment. Okay, maybe she was a little nosey, but not controlling.

  “You hungry?” He asked. “There’s some left.”

  She shook her head. “Not really.”

  He turned and leaned against the sink, drying his hands. “I hear you had a bad day.”

  “The worst.”

  “Don’t be so sure; mine sucked pretty bad, too.”

  “Is that why I inherited a dog and some dirty clothes?”

  “Yeah, sorry about that.” He carefully draped the towel over the oven handle to dry. “I was in a hurry and couldn’t think of anywhere to leave her that had a fence.”

  Serena leaned down and patted Shadow. “I didn’t mind. I enjoyed having her around. So what made your day so bad?”

  She pulled out a kitchen chair and sat. Tyler joined her. “It started off okay,” he flashed a grin.

  Serena recalled waking up in his arms less than 12 hours ago. It seemed like days had past since then. She smiled back as the heat rose to her cheeks.

  “But then, I got kicked out of my home, threatened by a scum sucking attorney, and almost blackmailed out of business.”

  Serena’s eyes widened. “Wow. That’s some day.”

  “Oh, that was all before noon.”

  “Who’s blackmailing you? And why?”

  “My former business partner sold his half to a very ruthless person who basically wants cash, which I don’t have. So they said I will either come up with it or be run out of business.”

  “Can they do that?”

  “Maybe.” He shrugged. “I’m hoping my brother Jeff can come up with something. He’s a lawyer in Dallas.”

  “Why were you kicked out of your condo?”

  “My name was never on the lease. It was owned by the uncle of my old girlfriend. I knew it could happen someday, and it finally did.”

  “Where are you going to stay?”

  He hesitated. “Well, I got a really interesting offer a while ago.”

  “From who?”

  “Your son.”

  “Justin? What kind of offer?”

  “He wanted me to consider staying here and renting out your extra room. Said he wants me to keep an eye on you.”

  “What? Why would he say that?”

  Tyler shrugged. “He doesn’t want you to be alone when he leaves for school. I told him that I didn’t think you would go for it, but you have to admit the idea has some merit.”

  “How so?” Serena’s mind whirled, and her heart pounded. She loved the idea, despite Justin’s faulty reasoning. She did, however, want to know Tyler’s thought process. Did he see her as a sympathy case and a convenient answer to his problems? Or did he really want to be with her? Right here, in her house, 24/7.

  “Well, you need to rent out the room, and I need a place to stay. Shadow likes you and would have a yard. You have to admit putting an ad in the paper for someone to live with you can be dangerous. You already know me pretty well, and we seem to get along alright.”

  Serena frowned. Shadow likes you? Was that some kind of Freudian man-speak for “I’m scared of my feelings,” or did he really not have any for her? She and Tyler certainly did get along; there was no denying that, and Serena would love for them to get along even better. Not that she’d ever admit it, but she had had nightmares about some of the people that had come by to look at the room. Borderline ax murders at best. She’d never have been able to sleep with any of them in the house. Not that she’d be able to sleep with Tyler in the house either, but for completely different reasons.

  How perfect was this? Not to mention the fact that it could take “Lone Star Love Affair” to a whole new level—both in fantasy and reality. She could hardly wait to see that little reporter’s disappointment when she found out they were living together.

  “So what do you think?”

  Serena looked at him and nodded. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” He seemed shocked. “As in, I can stay?”

  She nodded.

  “For how long?”

  “As long as you want.”

  He looked at her as if she needed to explain.

  Serena shrugged. “You’re right, it’s a good plan. For everyone.” She got up and went to the front door. “Where’s the rest of your stuff?”

  They spent the next few hours shuffling furniture in the spare bedroom and arranging his things. What few there were. They worked out a rental agreement and division of chores. Tyler offered to do laundry and cook on the days he was off. Justin would be thrilled, and so was she. As he got busy sorting the clothes from his garbage bags, Serena decided to take a long bath.

  Sitting in the steaming water, she smiled to herself. Who would have thought such a rotten day could have turned out so well? At least Tyler had taken her mind off her own problems for a few hours and solved a number of other worries that had weighed her down. She now had the room rented, was living with her “lover” from “Lone Star Love Affair,” and though New York would have to be put off; as difficult as that was to think about, it would still be there when she was ready. All in all, things could have been worse, much worse.

  Shadow whined and scratched at the bathroom door. Serena reached up and turned the knob, and the dog poked her head in first, then pushed through the door. Serena scratched Shadow’s ears.

&n
bsp; Tyler’s footsteps echoed, then slowed in the hallway. “Is she bothering you?”

  Serena could tell he stood well away from the door and was impressed by the gentlemanly gesture. “No, she’s fine.”

  “Okay.” He left her to her bath, and Serena reached over and closed the door.

  Shadow sat on the green rug and leaned her jaws on the edge of the tub. How could the animal have become so attached to her so quickly? She smiled and dripped water on the dog’s nose. Shadow shook her head then resumed her position. As annoying as it was to have an animal worship the ground you walked on, Serena liked it. Funny how she could have this effect on a dog, but not its owner.

  Serena soaked in the tub until her fingers turned pruney. Dressing in silk PJs and a white chenille robe, she made her way to her bedroom, which was next to Tyler’s. She’d hoped to say goodnight, but the door was closed. Disappointed, she went to her room, Shadow on her heels. Serena tossed the robe aside and climbed into the large four-poster bed. She looked at the white coverlet and frowned at the dog. Surely she didn’t expect to sleep up here with Serena.

  “Stay.” Serena held up her hand. Shadow stayed perfectly still. Hopefully, the animal understood. Serena turned off the lamp and snuggled down into the covers. An occasional thump resounded through the wall as Tyler continued to arrange his room. Serena squinted through the darkness at the space between them. Ten, maybe 12 feet. That and a wall.

  She huffed a sigh and flopped over, trying to clear her mind. She glanced at the digital display on the clock. It flashed 10:30, then 10:45, then 11. Serena heard Justin’s truck pull up in the drive. Hushed voices drew her attention, and she sat up, trying to pick up pieces of conversation. What did he think about Tyler being here? She strained but couldn’t hear anything and flopped back down on the pillows.

  Sexual frustration was a bitch, as Nolea would say. And that was the root of this problem. She needed some relief and soon. Serena stilled for a moment. It had been a while, but if the batteries were still good, then she was in business.

  She yanked open the drawer of the nightstand and felt around in the dark. Her hand brushed against cold rubber and she pulled the object out of the drawer. She held it for a moment then felt for the switch. It leapt to life, vibrating for all it was worth. A single woman’s best friend.