Beyond Always (Lex and Amanda Series)

by Carrie Carr

  Although she was already agreeable to the idea, Lex knelt in front of Lorrie and Amanda. "What do you plan to do with her once she's grown and your project is done?"

  "The same thing I was going to do with a calf. Sell her at the fall auction."

  Lex rubbed the back of her neck and tried to appear thoughtful. "And you'll feed and clean up after her? We'll have to build her a pen inside the fence, to protect against predators. Will you help with that, too?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "I must be out of my mind," Lex muttered. "All right."

  She stood. "She doesn't have a mother, like a calf would. So she's going to need a lot of extra attention for a while. That's going to cut into your spare time."

  She put her hands on her hips. "If your grades go down, we find her a new home. No arguments."

  "Yes, ma'am. Can I sleep down here with her tonight? I don't want her to be scared."

  With a quickly mouthed "˜thank you' to her wife, Amanda stood. "What do you think, Lex?"

  "I don't think so. The laundry room will be too cold tonight."

  As if in deep thought, Lex rubbed her chin. "But, since I don't think she can get out of the box, how about the two of you camp out in the living room?"

  "Really?" Lorrie practically glowed. "Thanks, Momma!"

  Lex held up one hand. "Only for tonight. Tomorrow, we'll get her a stall set up in the barn until it gets warmer."

  "But--"

  Amanda stopped Lorrie. "She's right, honey. The kid will be fine in the barn. Now, run upstairs and get in your pajamas while we find a good place in the living room for your little friend. Oh, and take Freckles with you and leave her upstairs. We'll introduce her to the goat tomorrow."

  "Yes, ma'am." Lorrie gently placed the kid in the box. "Thank you, Mom." She hugged Amanda and turned to Lex. "Thanks, Momma." As she squeezed Lex she said, "I love you."

  Lex put her hand on Lorrie's back. "I love you too, sweetheart."

  After their daughter left, Amanda sidled up to Lex and put an arm around her waist. "Thank you for bending on this one. I believe this is just what Lorrie needed."

  "Yeah." Lex kissed the side of Amanda's head. "Guess I'm getting soft in my old age."

  Amanda laughed and patted her on the stomach. "You've always been soft."

  "I noticed you didn't argue about me being old."

  "True." Amanda squealed when she felt a light pinch on her rear. "Watch it."

  Lex swatted the spot she had pinched. "Turn around and I'll be glad to watch it."

  "I'm going to get you."

  "And I'll let you." Lex jumped away. "As soon as we get our kids settled."

  Amanda rolled her eyes. "That was baaaaad." She laughed at the look on her wife's face. "Gotcha."

  "You'll think gotcha when I get through with you." Lex lifted the box and settled it in her arms. "Lead on, Mo...o...o...me...e...e."

  When Amanda threatened to swat her, she raised the box. "Careful.

  Don't want to make me drop this little critter."

  "Any more of your goat jokes or imitations and I'm going to have to think of something wicked to do to you."

  "Promises, promises."

  When they walked into the living room, the first thing Lex noticed was the silence.

  "Should we be worried?" she whispered to Amanda.

  "I don't think so." Amanda pointed to the quilt spread on the floor in front of the dark television.

  Lying amongst toy cars, wooden blocks and dolls, were their two youngest. Eddie was on his stomach, drooling on his fist. Melanie, who was stretched out on her side across from him, had a naked doll clutched firmly in one hand.

  Lex left the box near the fireplace before she moved to stand beside her wife. "That's too cute."

  She picked up their son and handed him to Amanda. "I'll give you the lighter one, this time."

  "Ugh." Amanda adjusted her hold on Eddie, who was dead weight. "He won't be the lighter one for long, at this rate."

  "Yeah." Lex dropped to one knee so she could lift Melanie without too much effort. "But at least by that time, this one will be too big to lift." She groaned as she stood. "What have we been feeding them?"

  Amanda snickered. "Fertilizer, I think."

  She took the lead and they trailed upstairs. "All three are growing like weeds. It won't be much longer before Lorrie's taller than me."

  "Well, sweetheart--"

  "Don't say it."

  "Say what?"

  "You know damned good and well, what." Amanda led the way to Melanie's room. As Eddie slept against her shoulder, she took a pair of pajamas out of Melanie's dresser and handed them to Lex. "No short jokes."

  Lex expertly traded Melanie's clothes for the pajamas and tucked her under the covers. "Sleep well, baby girl."

  After kissing Mel goodnight, Amanda followed Lex to Eddie's room. She picked out his sleepwear as Lex undressed him and changed his diaper.

  "Whoa!" Lex coughed and discarded the diaper. "Toxic waste has nothing on him. How can such a sweet little guy leave such a nasty mess?" she muttered, as she cleaned him up.

  "Sometimes I wonder the same thing."

  Amanda rested her cheek against Lex's upper arm and watched as her wife got him ready for bed. They took turns placing kisses upon his soft, dark hair after settling him in his crib. "He's really starting to look like his momma."

  "Poor little tyke. Hopefully he'll take after his mommy." Lex gave him a final rub on the back and followed Amanda to their bedroom.

  "Why would you say that?" Amanda asked as she took off her dress and changed into her nightgown.

  Lex switched into her flannel boxer shorts and T-shirt then joined Amanda in bed. "Do you seriously have to ask that?" She rolled so that they were face to face. "The Walters' side of the family is not known for their mild temperament." She touched the tip of Amanda's nose with her finger. "You, on the other hand, could give saint lessons in patience."

  "You obviously don't spend much time around me when I have to take care of the kids, because our two girls could drive a saint to drink."

  Her face sobered as the day's events caught up with her.

  "Yeah, there is that." Lex cupped Amanda's face and brushed her thumb along the dark shadow beneath her eye. "Long day."

  Amanda turned her head and kissed Lex's palm. "Yeah. My heart aches for Gramma. They were together for sixty years. Just the thought of losing you kills me."

  "I'm not going anywhere for a long time, love. I promise."

  "You can't promise that, Lex. Things happen."

  Lex tugged on Amanda until she was safely in her arms. "I'm planning on at least seventy years with you. We'll be surrounded by our great-grandkids, and I'll still be trying to chase you around the house. Of course, by then you hopefully won't make me run too far, since I'll be so damned bowlegged from horseback riding."

  The mental image of an ancient, bowlegged woman chasing after her changed Amanda's tears into giggles. "Will you have spurs?"

  "If you want me to." Lex took a breath and began to sing, "I've got spurs...that jingle, jangle...wheeze."

  Amanda totally lost it and laughed as hard as she had been crying. "You're completely warped, you know that?"

  "Yep." Lex kissed her on the forehead. "Get some sleep, buckaroo. We'll be goat herders tomorrow. And those critters are more ornery than cattle."

  Chapter Eight

  THE DUPLEX'S FRONT window rattled as the door slammed behind the two women. The slammer, slight of frame with streaked, brown hair, dropped a navy blue backpack on the floor. "That's the last time I let you pick our vacation spot."

  She removed her heavy coat and haphazardly hung it in the entry closet. "I still can't feel my toes."

  "It wasn't that bad," the muscular blonde argued.

  Kyle Lind placed her dark green backpack beside the other one, took off her coat and handed it to her partner.

  "Not that bad?"

  Eleanor Gordon placed the coat next to her own and shut the
closet door with more force than was necessary. "Our tent collapsed from snow." She poked her lover in the chest with her index finger. "Snow, Kyle. I'm from southern California. The only snow I was familiar with was from television and movies."

  The two had left Somerville before Christmas for two weeks of hiking in Big Bend National Park. Kyle had always been an avid hiker and, during the year that they had been together, she had shown her partner how much fun it could be. Kyle brushed her hand across her crew cut.

  "It never snows there. How was I supposed to know? Besides, it wasn't that much snow. At least we were prepared for the cold, right?"

  The double sleeping bag had kept both of them warm, also giving opportunities for more than simple sleeping.

  Ellie sighed. No matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to stay mad at Kyle. The mischievous gleam in those sparkling, hazel eyes always made her smile. "That's true."

  "Let's not worry about unpacking right now. I could use a hot shower." Kyle put her hands on Ellie's hips. "And maybe some beautiful woman to scrub my back?"

  Heat filled Ellie's face. Although they had been living together for more than three months, she still couldn't figure out what Kyle saw in her. She considered herself plain--brown hair, brown eyes and no figure to speak of. There had to be other women that should have caught the mechanic's eye. But for some reason, Kyle only had eyes for her.

  "Let me check my voicemail for anything important, then I'll be right there." She kissed Kyle lightly on the lips.

  "The messages can wait." Kyle tugged on Ellie's belt. "That reminds me. Tomorrow, we need to get you a new cell phone. Who knew they didn't bounce?"

  Ellie hugged her. "I doubt anything would bounce from that height.

  It was my fault, anyway. You told me to leave it in my backpack. I was just curious if there'd be a signal that high up."

  She unbuckled Kyle's belt. "Maybe I'll be like you, and not carry a cell."

  "No way." Kyle unbuttoned Ellie's shirt as she was backed into the bedroom. "I worry about you enough as it is, driving that old clunker. I don't want you stranded somewhere without a way to call for help."

  Ellie's flannel shirt hit the floor, quickly followed by Kyle's denim top. Ellie playfully shoved her lover onto the bed and straddled her hips. "Enough about phones. So." She opened Kyle's shorts and popped the elastic on her red satin bikinis. "How dirty are you?"

  Kyle raised her hips as her cargo shorts were pulled down. "Guess you'll just have to find out."

  She laughed when the shorts became tangled in her hiking boots. "Need some help?"

  "No." Ellie wrestled with the shorts. With a final, powerful tug, she jerked them free of Kyle's boots with a victorious yell. "Ha!"

  Her grin faded as she toppled backward off the bed. "Aaaah!" A heavy thump came from the wooden floor.

  "Ellie?" Kyle sat up. "El?"

  "Ugh." Elle blinked rapidly at the ceiling, which seemed to be spinning. "Huh."

  Kyle rolled and peeked over the edge of the bed. Her lover was lying flat on her back, still holding the shorts. "Baby? Are you all right?"

  "Ow." Ellie blinked and tried to focus her eyes. "Not tonight, I've got a headache." She tried to get up, but decided against it. "Kyle?"

  "What, baby?"

  "I don't feel so good." Ellie put one hand on her head and closed her eyes.

  KYLE HUDDLED IN the chilly waiting room and anxiously rubbed her bare legs. "I should have changed into jeans. This place is an icebox."

  She stood and walked to the window, peering at the night and the brightly-lit parking lot. "Stupid."

  Her denim shirt was buttoned crookedly and as she hugged herself, she wished she had remembered her jacket. She turned in time to see the disgusted look from the only other occupant in the area, a middle-aged woman wrapped in a heavy overcoat. "What?"

  The woman lowered her gaze and ignored her.

  "Whatever." Kyle turned away from the windows and paced across the room. She looked up as a nurse came into the waiting area, but deflated as she stopped and spoke quietly to the other woman. "Damn."

  It had been more than an hour since she had brought Ellie into the emergency room. Her lover had feebly argued as she bundled her up, but gave in when Kyle had to hold her as she threw up in the hedges by their garage. Now Kyle was left waiting for word about Ellie's condition. She had considered calling Ellie's cousin, Lex, but decided to wait until she had something definitive to tell her. Besides, the rancher intimidated the hell out of her. It wasn't only her height, but her demeanor. Although Lex was always friendly toward her, her quiet stare seemed to look completely through Kyle.

  "Uh, ma'am?" A young nurse came through the emergency doors and stopped a few feet away from Kyle. "Are you here for Miss Gordon?"

  "Yes. Is she all right?"

  "Are you family?"

  Kyle answered without pause. "Yes."

  The nurse cocked her head and stared at her for a moment. "Follow me, please."

  She led Kyle through the emergency doors and down a quiet hallway, before stopping by a partially-closed door. "Exam room four."

  "Thank you." Kyle tapped lightly on the door and entered. Two women stood by the bed, one on each side. One wore green scrubs and a lab coat while the other wore a pair of navy scrub pants and a brightly decorated top.

  "Excuse me? I was told--" Kyle paused when her eyes met those of her lover. "El?"

  Ellie was propped up in bed, her eyes partially closed in pain. She did her best to glare at the physician. "I'm fine."

  "Now, Ellie," the doctor admonished. "As a nurse yourself, you know how cautious we have to be with head injuries. A concussion is a serious matter."

  "I know, doctor. But I think I could rest just as well at home."

  Ellie held her hand out to Kyle, who moved quickly to the side of the bed. "Kyle, this is Dr. Borden. She's covered at Rodney's office in the past. Just my luck she was the doctor working the emergency room tonight."

  Kyle shook hands with the middle-aged woman. "Nice to meet you, Doctor. What's the verdict?"

  "As I was just telling Ellie, we'd like to keep her overnight for observation. It's standard procedure for a concussion."

  Ellie's expression darkened. "And as I was telling the good doctor, I'll be fine at home."

  Kyle put her hand on Ellie's shoulder. "I know you want to go home, but maybe you should listen to her. That's a pretty good-sized knot on the back of your head."

  "Whose side are you on?"

  "Yours, of course." Kyle leaned closer and lowered her voice. "Baby, please do as the doc says. You scared the crap out of me tonight." She took Ellie's hand in both of hers. "Do this for me, please?"

  Ellie sighed. "You don't play fair."

  "Never have." Kyle lightly rubbed her lover's hand. "Do you want me to run home and get you anything?"

  "No, that's okay. I think I can survive one night here." Ellie yawned. "Sorry."

  Dr. Borden turned to Kyle. "If you don't mind returning to the waiting area, I'll have a nurse come get you once we have her settled in a room."

  "Sure, Doctor. Thank you." Kyle shook the doctor's hand again and nodded to the nurse. "Thanks for taking care of her."

  Kyle walked into the waiting room and stared at the bank of pay phones on the far wall. It was after midnight and she warred with herself about calling her lover's family.

  "Damn it." She dug in her pockets for change and headed for the phones. Right now, the idea of owning a cell phone sounded pretty good.

  AMANDA SPOONED AGAINST her wife and buried her head deeper into Lex's back when she heard the phone ring. "It's on your side."

  Lex groaned and picked up the receiver. "Walters. What?" She sat up and flicked on the bedside light. "Slow down, Kyle."

  "What is it?" Amanda sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  "It's Kyle. Something about Ellie being in the hospital."

  Lex climbed out of bed and reached for her jeans. "Where? All right. I'll be there as soon as I--wh
at?"

  She stood in the middle of the bedroom with the phone up to her ear and her jeans dangling from her other hand. "Are you sure? Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for letting us know."

  Amanda adjusted her nightgown, which had somehow ended up twisted beneath her arms. "Honey?"

  Lex put the phone back on its base and dropped onto the bed. "After they got home this evening, Ellie fell. Kyle took her to the emergency room."

  "Oh, no. Is she okay?"

  "She has a concussion, so they're keeping her overnight." Lex braced her elbows on her knees and rested her face in her hands. "Damn."

  Amanda put her arms around her. "But she's going to be all right, isn't she?"

  "Yeah, Kyle seems to think so. I'll go tomorrow and see them."

  "We will go and see them."

  "Right." Lex leaned into her and closed her eyes. "Never a dull moment, is there?"

  "Not since I've met you," Amanda rolled onto her back and brought Lex with her. "Maybe I should explain the family curse to Kyle."

  "Curse?" Lex leaned closer. "What curse?"

  Amanda ran her finger across the small scar that bisected Lex's right eyebrow. "The one where you always seem to have a bruise, cut, broken bone or some other injury. And from what Martha tells me, it's been a lifelong thing with you."

  Lex snorted. "Martha exaggerates."

  "Right." Amanda poked a bruise on Lex's forearm, where she had accidentally rammed it into a gate.

  "Ow!"

  "Exaggerates, huh?" Amanda's victorious grin disappeared when Lex pinned her hands above her head. "Umm, honey?"

  "Yeeees?"

  Amanda squirmed as Lex took her time unbuttoning the front of her nightgown. "Umm...the door's open."

  "Then you'll have to be extra quiet, won't you?"

  "You know damned good and well how loud I--" Amanda's mouth slammed shut as she felt Lex's gentle lips work their way down her throat, and stop in a very sensitive place. "Mmm."

  THE NEXT MORNING, Ellie was grateful for her lover's arm hooked around her waist, as they moved from the car to the duplex. Her head was killing her. The nausea was a little better, but the dizziness made it hard for her to walk. She leaned heavily against Kyle.

  Kyle unlocked their door. "Almost there, baby."