The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus

by Claire Boston

  She took Toby’s hand and turned.

  A hand on her shoulder whirled her back around. Toby stumbled and fell to the ground with a shriek.

  “Don’t you turn your back on me.” Dean was right up in her face, his face screwed up in fury. “You’ve been a lying, cheating whore. It’s no wonder I haven’t been able to write. You’ve been sabotaging my creativity.” His fingers pressed hard into her shoulder and she wasn’t able to shake him off.

  Even now, it was all about him.

  “Let go of me.” Her voice wasn’t as strong as she wanted it to be. The pain was letting her fear seep in, the memories of past hurt all clouding around her.

  “Dean!” Martin’s voice.

  She needed to focus. She needed to overpower her fear.

  To the side, George was helping a silent Toby to his feet. He was holding his wrist to his chest and tears ran quietly down his face.

  Dean finally noticed his son.

  “What the hell are you doing with my boy?” he growled, keeping his hand on Elle’s shoulder.

  George ignored him, talking to Toby, examining his wrist.

  Dean didn’t like to be ignored.

  He let go of Elle and took a step toward George. “Give me my son.”

  George finished whispering to Toby, and Toby hurried over to the park bench Elle had been sitting on earlier.

  George had gotten him out of danger.

  The relief was a balm. Elle was about to tell George to go when he spoke.

  “I don’t know about your relationship with Elle, but if she were my wife, I wouldn’t treat her like you do.”

  He may as well have waved a red flag at a charging bull.

  The punch was fast, vicious, heading straight for George’s face.

  George must have been expecting it as he ducked and it only glanced the side of his face.

  George tripped as he stepped back and went down on one knee, and Lindsay shrieked. Elle rushed between the two men as Dean kicked at George.

  The kick landed squarely on Elle’s thigh and pain radiated through her body before going numb.

  Dean grunted in shock as George leaped to his feet and pushed Elle behind him. Martin grabbed his son’s arm and yelled, “Enough!”

  The shout got through some part of Dean’s brain and he took a couple of steps away, breathing heavily.

  Elle massaged some feeling back into her leg and reached for George. “Let’s go,” she said.

  George turned and his eyes were full of anger too, but she wasn’t scared. The anger wasn’t directed at her.

  “Elle, I’m so very sorry about this,” Martin said.

  “I know.” It was obvious Lindsay had set the whole thing up. It was a shame, but she’d been right to give them a chance. She wasn’t going to do it again. She couldn’t risk Toby or herself.

  She turned to Dean, her hands shaking. She needed to be confident. Drawing on her strength reserves, she stood tall. “You’ve violated your restraining order, you’ve hurt Toby, George and myself. I will report you to the police.” She took a breath. “You need to stop this. I’m not coming back.” Then she thought of the one thing that might convince him to leave them be. “You’ll end up in jail, and then you’ll never get your scripts made.”

  She hoped some of what she said would sink in, or that Martin would be able to talk some sense into his son.

  Elle hurried over to the park bench where Toby was standing, wide eyed, holding his wrist.

  “Momma.” He held his arms up to her and she picked him up.

  “It’s all right, my little man. Show me your wrist; does it hurt?”

  He nodded, his eyes filling with tears.

  The wrist was a little swollen. Anger rose in her chest but she kept her voice soothing. “We’ll get you to a doctor then.” She turned to George, who was behind her. “How’s your face?”

  “Sore,” he admitted.

  Elle didn’t want to leave with George but she could hardly leave him there when he’d taken a hit for her. Though if he’d listened to what she’d told him, he wouldn’t have been hurt at all.

  “Could you have a concussion?” she asked as they crossed to the parking lot.

  “I don’t think so.”

  She opened the car door for Toby and when she tried to do up his seatbelt she found her hands were shaking. “Do you need a ride to your car?”

  “I jogged over.”

  Of course. George’s house wasn’t far from the park.

  She belted Toby up and shut the door, turning to face George. “I can drop you off on the way to the hospital.”

  “How’s your leg?” he asked.

  “I’ve had worse.” Now Toby was safe, the fear turned to anger. She was angry at Lindsay, she was angry at Dean and she was angry at George. If he’d stayed at a distance, like he’d promised, none of the violence would have happened. Her rational side knew she should be pleased he’d been there for her as she’d asked, which was why she wanted to get away before she blew up. It wouldn’t help the situation.

  She opened the driver’s side door and slid in. “Do you want a lift?”

  “Sure.” His tone was easy but he had a wary look in his eye. At least he realized she was mad at him. It made things so much easier.

  When he’d climbed in, he said, “I might come to the doctor with you, if that’s all right. I’d better get this checked out. Then we can go to the police station together. It will save time.”

  She couldn’t argue with his logic but she didn’t have to be happy about it.

  ***

  George gave Elle directions to a nearby emergency clinic and fell silent. What he’d just witnessed was hard to understand. Sure, he’d seen the pictures but it was a hell of a lot different from experiencing that level of venom directed at you. She must have been living in hell.

  When he’d seen the confrontation he’d wanted to run straight over. It was obvious even from a distance that the man was Elle’s ex and that she was scared. And that Toby’s grandmother was keeping Toby very close.

  It made his blood simmer.

  It was one thing to try to get your son back together with his partner, but an entirely other matter to put your grandchild in danger.

  Would Lindsay still be making excuses for her son after today?

  They arrived at the clinic and he stood back while Elle helped Toby from the car. She was angry but he wasn’t certain whether it was with him or the situation.

  It was best to give her some space.

  The receptionist got an icepack for Toby’s wrist and luckily the waiting room wasn’t very full.

  They sat down and, as Elle did, her pencil skirt rose a little on her thigh, exposing a big bruise that was getting darker.

  George ran his hand gently over it. “You’re hurt.” It was a very nasty bruise.

  She slapped his hand away. “It’s fine. It will fade in a few days.”

  That wasn’t the point. The point was she’d been hurt trying to protect him because he’d been stupid enough to bait the man.

  He abhorred violence, but he’d wanted to hit Dean for all the things he’d said to Elle, let alone what he’d done. But the guy had been much quicker than he’d given him credit for – if it hadn’t been for Elle, he’d be a lot worse off than he was.

  “I’m sorry.” He laid a hand on her arm.

  She shrugged him off. She glanced at him with damp eyes but looked quickly away.

  His heart squeezed.

  Hell, he’d made her cry.

  He had to do something to make up for it.

  “Toby Carter,” the doctor called.

  Elle and Toby got to their feet. George hesitated. Maybe he shouldn’t go in with them.

  “Come on,” Elle said, without looking at him.

  They went through to the examination room and the doctor examined Toby’s wrist. “It’s not broken,” she said. “Ice it for twenty minutes every hour until he goes to bed and give him Ibuprofen for the pain. It should get bet
ter in a day or two.”

  “Thank you. Could you please check George for concussion?” Elle asked.

  The doctor frowned. “What happened to y’all?”

  “A run-in with my ex.”

  The doctor gaped at her. “I hope you’re reporting him.”

  “That’s the next stop.”

  She nodded and stepped over to George.

  George answered her questions as she examined him.

  “You’ll be fine but someone should keep an eye on you tonight. You’re not going to be alone, are you?”

  “I’ll figure something out,” he said.

  He had friends he could call on.

  ***

  As they left the doctor’s clinic, Toby said, “Momma, I’m hungry.”

  Elle sighed. It was dark now and way past Toby’s dinnertime. It was a wonder he hadn’t asked for food sooner. They would have to get some takeout on the way to the police station. “We’ll grab something now.”

  She drove through a fast-food place, checking her purse before ordering.

  “I’ll pay,” George said.

  “No, it’s fine.” She didn’t want to owe him anything. She was still simmering, despite his apology. She didn’t want to soften toward him. Elle ordered Toby some fries and chicken nuggets, the meal George wanted and then some fries for herself. Her purse contents didn’t stretch to more.

  “You’re not eating much,” George said.

  “I’m not hungry.” She wasn’t either. Her stomach was still tied up in knots.

  They’d finished eating by the time they reached the police station, so they went straight in. It was the same station as Elle had gone to two days before and the same young officer was at the desk.

  He fidgeted as she approached. “Everything all right, ma’am?”

  “I’d like to report a breach of a restraining order and an assault.”

  The man seemed relieved she didn’t burst into tears this time. She smiled as he got out the paperwork and started writing.

  ***

  Elle was exhausted by the time she arrived home. Toby was asleep in the car and George was still in the passenger seat. Against her better judgment, she’d offered her couch for him to sleep on, since the doctor said he shouldn’t be alone.

  Unfortunately he’d accepted.

  She let George carry Toby inside while she locked the car and unlocked the apartment. Leading him through to Toby’s bedroom she said, “Put him in bed.” She pulled back the sheets and George laid him down. She wasn’t going to wake him up and make him brush his teeth. It had been a rough day and one night wouldn’t hurt.

  When George gently brushed Toby’s bangs out of his eyes, Elle refused to acknowledge the tug on her heart. She kissed her son good night and went into the kitchen to start coffee brewing.

  She didn’t know what to say to George, didn’t know what he thought about the altercation in the park.

  Plus she was still angry about him interfering.

  Elle busied herself getting out mugs and milk.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” George asked, standing at the table, his hands on the back of a chair.

  “No.” She handed him his coffee, then, annoyed she was being so petty, she said, “Lindsay called him. Martin didn’t know he was going to be there.”

  “He wanted to see Toby?”

  She laughed. “No.” While it was a relief, she felt the pain of rejection for her son. “He was only interested in me, until you turned up.” Elle addressed George then. “Surely a father should have some regard for his child?”

  George shook his head. “It’s not always the case. Some people weren’t meant to be parents.”

  She should have realized when Dean had been so angry when she’d told him she was pregnant. Still, she hated the fact her child didn’t have a father who loved him.

  “He’s not normal, you know?” George said. “The obsession with you and the flip from calm to anger.”

  “He would have been fine if you hadn’t shown up,” Elle retorted. “I had him calmed down and I was about to leave when you came over. Damn it, I told you to stay away unless I called you.” Even as she said the words she knew she was being unfair, but she’d been holding in all of the fear from the afternoon for so long, she had to get it out.

  George raised his eyebrows. “From where I was, you looked outnumbered. I wasn’t going to leave you there by yourself.”

  “You should have. I don’t need you.”

  He put down his mug and walked around the table to her. She fought the urge to step back. She wasn’t afraid of him.

  “You need someone you can turn to when things get tough, you need someone who will stand by you and help you out, you don’t need to do it alone.” His voice was low, sympathetic.

  Tears stung her eyes and her throat burned. Why was he being so nice? Why hadn’t he walked out the door when she’d started blaming him? She shook her head, wanting to deny what he said but no words would form.

  “I said we were friends, didn’t I? I wouldn’t let any of my friends – Piper, Imogen, Libby, Adrian, Chris – face what you’ve had to face alone. It’s not who I am.”

  “But I asked you not to.”

  He nodded. “I know and I’m sorry I made it worse. I couldn’t stand by and watch you face that bully by yourself. I care for you.” He brushed away the tear that had escaped her eye. “I should have trusted you had everything under control.”

  Her anger deflated.

  She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want this, this kindness, this caring, these warm and contented feelings that were being stirred up inside her. She couldn’t trust those. She’d felt those with Dean and she’d been oh so wrong about them.

  But, damn, she was tempted.

  George stepped closer, gathering her into his arms, and she didn’t resist. How could she? She wanted to be able to lean on someone, even if only for a minute.

  Giving in to the temptation, Elle wrapped her arms around his waist and felt him relax.

  He was as uncertain as she was.

  That made her smile.

  George stroked her back, sending lovely, shimmery warmth everywhere. She gave herself a minute to enjoy it and then stepped back.

  His eyes captured her; something in them said he would protect her, that he cared for her.

  After five years of having no one she could turn to for help, the invitation was beyond enticing. She wanted someone she could rely on, someone she could talk her worries over with, someone to just be there.

  But was she wanting too much?

  George watched her, waiting. He was letting her make the choice. He was giving the power to her.

  That was what made her decision for her.

  She leaned forward and kissed him.

  Chapter 9

  Elle’s lips met the warmth and softness of George’s. She wanted to keep it light and gentle, but the moment they touched, she melted in to him. It was slow and maybe a little cautious as she went deeper, tasting him. There was a lingering coffee flavor and then there was George. There was something about him that drew her in.

  No.

  Taking a step back she noticed his breathing was a little uneven – like hers.

  She wanted more, so much more, that it scared her.

  “I …” She didn’t know what to say.

  “You,” George agreed and brought her back against him, kissing her, deepening the contact and causing her to hold on for fear of being washed away.

  It was so sweet: long luscious kisses that made her heart sing and her body zing. She sensed the control behind the kisses though, felt it in the slightly tense way he was holding her. He was holding back, being careful for her.

  He stepped back, rested his forehead on hers. “Do you want to go make out on the couch?”

  Elle laughed, surprised she could after the emotion of the day.

  She did, she really did but she wasn’t sure where it would lead and she couldn’t deal with any more today
.

  “Yes, but I’d better get you a pillow and some sheets for the couch instead.”

  “I like where your thoughts are going,” he said, causing her to laugh again and step back.

  “I’m not sure where this is going,” she said.

  George shrugged. “Neither am I. Do we need to be?”

  It made her pause. Could she start something not knowing what the outcome she wanted was? Was it fair to either of them to do so?

  But then again, life made no promises.

  “I guess not.”

  George squeezed her hand. “Don’t overthink it, Elle. We like being together: it’s a good thing.”

  “There’s Toby to consider too.”

  “I know you two are a package deal. He’s an awesome kid.”

  From conversations with Nora, Elle realized how rare that was. She was lucky.

  “All right.” She kissed him quickly and stepped away before it could go deeper. “Let me get you those sheets.”

  After she’d made up George’s bed on the couch, she spent a long time lying in her own bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking of him.

  ***

  George woke to the high-pitched, delighted shriek of a young boy.

  “George!”

  He opened his eyes to find Toby crouched by the couch, staring straight into his face.

  “Morning, kiddo,” he said and stretched, groaning at all the kinks in his muscles. He’d not cooled down properly after his jog and a night on the couch hadn’t helped matters.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “The doctor said I had to be watched, so your mom invited me to sleep over.”

  Toby frowned as he remembered what happened yesterday. “You could have slept in my room. I would have shared.”

  George smiled. “Thanks for the offer. The couch was fine.”

  “Or you could have shared with Mom. She’s got a bigger bed and sometimes she lets me sleep with her.”

  The idea held a lot of appeal but he didn’t say so. Instead he sat up as Elle padded into the room wearing only a pair of thin summer pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

  Other parts of him woke up.

  “Morning.”

  Elle gasped and stopped still, eyes blinking until she recognized him, and then quickly crossed her arms over her chest. “George. I, ah, forgot. Oh I hope Toby didn’t wake you … Let me get dressed.”