by Hayden Wolfe
“I’m glad you came to Kyle when you needed him.”
Ronnie took a sip of her drink. She set it down and swiped her finger over the condensation on the glass. Was that why she’d come? Her subconscious leading her back to the man who’d once promised to always be there for her? She didn’t have an answer. Avoidance was easier and safer.
“My mom left instructions for me to bring a bunch of paintings she’d made to Dad. She’d written her will right before he’d died.” She glanced at the older woman. “Anyway, I needed a break from the craziness of my life and decided to come out here and hang them in the cabin.”
Eliza tilted her head to the side. “That was a smart choice. It’s peaceful here, a good place to come in order to reevaluate your life.” She narrowed her eyes. “That is the true reason you came, isn’t it? Those paintings could’ve waited until you’d grieved.”
She shrugged and dropped her gaze to the worn tabletop. “I suppose. Living in our big house alone was hard. Too many memories.”
“You never moved out?”
“No. There was enough space to separate our lives. Besides, I liked having someone to eat dinner with every night.”
“No man in your life?”
She shook her head. “Nothing exclusive.”
Eliza took the seat in front of her. “Why did you leave? Kyle loved you.”
She glanced at the door separating them. “Because I was a coward. It was easier to walk away than look him in the eye and tell him I didn’t want to marry him and live here.” She waited for Eliza’s condescending words, but Kyle’s mother only watched her with her insightful brown eyes.
“I couldn’t. Do you understand?”
Still no response. Eliza held her gaze.
Ronnie looked away. “I had my mom, the gallery, the Axel legacy. By the time I had second thoughts and wondered if we could’ve made it work, too much time had passed. I figured Kyle had found the wife he’d desperately wanted, and I couldn’t bear learning of the happy life he’d built without me. It was easier to just move on.”
“He didn’t want a wife, Ronnie. He wanted you.”
She sighed. “I realize that now, but it doesn’t matter. Ten years have passed. We’re different people with our own established lives.”
“And are you happy with yours?”
“Sure.” But she wasn’t positive that was the truth anymore. She rubbed at her bare ring finger with her thumb. Longings rose. She pushed them aside. Nothing had changed. Her life was in Virginia. His was here.
Without her mom, she had double the responsibilities. Already she was working sixty hour work weeks. There were shows scheduled into next year, charity events, auctions she’d promised to attend. It wasn’t as if she could drop any of those things and drive to Sander’s Valley every weekend. Kyle couldn’t afford to come see her all the time either. Gas was expensive, and it wasn’t as if he’d take money from her to pay for his trips.
No, it wouldn’t work. It was better to slink away and hide from her mistakes. She couldn’t change them or herself.
“How do you plan to win her back?”
Kyle tore his gaze from the kitchen door and focused on his father. “I have no clue. I thought to do it by reminding her of what living in Sander’s Valley was like, but she doesn’t want to live here. It’s the reason she left.”
“Don’t you think it’s more important to remind her of what you can give her?”
He rubbed at the back of his neck and thought about how good she felt in his arms, how her cries of passion completed him. “I’ve started.”
“And?”
Kyle glanced at his dad, an older version of himself with streaks of gray in his hair. In his fifties, he still looked good with a muscled frame and a deeply tanned face from working outside. “I don’t know if it’ll be enough. She’s a billionaire, Dad. I have debt and a floundering business. Only thing I can claim is my house, and that’s because you own the land.”
His dad frowned. “I didn’t think Ronnie was like that. She never seemed to care that you came from a working family. Hell, she shoveled manure with you.”
Kyle chuckled at the memories of working side by side on the farm. “It was a way for us to spend time together. We had so little.”
“And you have even less now. Why are you wasting it here with us?”
He let his gaze drift to the kitchen door. “Because she needs Mom. She’s hurting and feeling guilty. Mom’s got a way with people, you know? She makes them think and helps them come up with the right choices without them knowing it.”
His dad grinned. “That she does. She’s a good woman.”
Kyle faced him and crossed his arms over his chest. “So’s Ronnie.”
His dad glanced from him to the kitchen door at Kyle’s back. “You don’t still hate her for what she did? Leaving you behind?”
“No, I don’t hate her. Angry? Damn straight. She wasted ten years. Some of the best of our lives. We’ll never get that back.”
“And I’m sorry. I really am.”
Kyle cursed and pivoted on his heel. He hadn’t meant for Ronnie to hear his words. Blaming her for the lost time together wouldn’t do them any good. “I know. I forgive you for it.”
Her features tightened. “But you won’t be able to forget it, will you?”
He wanted to tell her that he could. Dammit, he knew it’d be the safest choice, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie. He should’ve told her right off why he didn’t want to go to college in Virginia. But no, he had to hold on to his pride. Look at where it had landed him. Alone.
“You’re right. I won’t. Doesn’t mean we can’t start over.”
“I never said I wanted to.”
Ice dripped from her words. He clenched his hands and fought his anger. “As friends. That’s how we started in the first place.”
“I’m not looking to repeat the past.”
The front door opened, stopping their argument. Levi and Jack walked in. Although twins, they looked nothing alike. Levi was blond and thin, while Jack wore ruggedness like a second skin. They were rarely seen apart except for when they retreated to their own houses, identical log cabins on either side of the mountains framing Sander’s Valley. Kyle and Wyn had homes by the lake. Their parents’ place sat in the middle of the farm. The rest of the rolling acreage was empty.
Levi stepped forward and enveloped Ronnie in a fierce hug. Kyle was glad he’d called ahead and warned his brothers not to make a big deal about her bruises. She didn’t like other people seeing her cry.
“Ronnie Axel. I never thought I’d see you again.” Levi kissed her cheeks. “I’m so glad you finally decided to wise up.”
“About?”
“Breaking that Axel curse.” She stiffened, but Levi didn’t seem to notice or care. He hugged her tighter. “You need to move back to Sander’s Valley and sign over your gallery to someone else.”
A pregnant silence descended over the room, everyone waiting to hear what Ronnie would say.
“There is no curse hanging over my family.” She slipped out of Levi’s embrace. “And I’m not moving back here. I’m just visiting for a few days.”
So much for getting Ronnie to see reason. Even if there wasn’t a curse, the gallery would suck the life out of her, exactly as it had her mom. Ronnie hadn’t talked about her mom much, but when she had, she’d described her as depressed and sullen.
His mom stepped forward. “And if you boys don’t give Ronnie some breathing room, I’m kicking you out. She’s had a rough couple of weeks. Now”—she pointed toward the dining room—“the food’s getting cold.”
The mention of dinner caught his brothers’ attentions. They retreated along with his parents, leaving Kyle alone with Ronnie. He took her hand. “Please don’t hold what I said against me. I’m angry about how things ended with us, and that’s as much my fault as yours. I might never have been to Virginia, but I can read a map. I knew where you lived. I could’ve come, talked to you, and worked
things out. I didn’t. You hurt my pride and broke my heart.”
“And wasted ten years of your life.”
He closed his eyes and fought his frustration. She was clinging to their lost time like it was some kind of weapon or maybe a shield. Either way, he wouldn’t get behind her defenses tonight. He’d have to wait until they lowered. “Do you want to get out of here?”
“No.”
He studied her expression. She appeared genuine. The sadness had faded from her expression. So had the anger. “You’re sure?”
She nodded and led him to the dining room. “I’m sure. I’ve missed being a part of family dinners.”
He opened the door in time to hear his mama yell, “Stop licking the damn rolls! There’s enough for everyone.”
Ronnie glanced at him, a smile on her face. “See?”
Chapter 9
The overwhelming sense of being watched raised the hairs on her arms. Ronnie rolled her shoulders instead of scanning the bar. It didn’t matter who was looking at her. She’d come back to Jimmy’s place with Kyle. On a date. An honest-to-god date. After a day of lounging by the lake, they dressed up, went to dinner, and now they were here.
Together.
Ronnie lifted her mug to hide her smile. Today had been the best Monday she’d had in her entire adult life. She definitely needed to play hooky more often.
Using a single finger, Kyle pushed her beer down. The corner of his lip raised in a small smirk. “Don’t hide your smile, Ronnie. It looks beautiful on you.”
“I feel guilty for it.” The truth came out.
With his eyes still sparkling with amusement, Kyle tilted his head and studied her. “Why?”
“Because it’s Monday and I should be in my office responding to emails.”
Kyle’s brow rose. “At eight o’clock at night?”
“I often don’t leave the studio until close to ten. There’s too much to do.” She shrugged. “Besides, the only thing I’d do at home is sleep. Or open up my laptop and work some more.”
“No hobbies?”
“Do you count keeping the gallery’s website up-to-date a hobby?”
“I wouldn’t.” Kyle leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “How about favorite TV shows? Anything you have to watch?”
“No.” She laughed. “We don’t even own a television. Mother said they disturbed her creative vibes. So I never got in the habit.”
“What about now that your mom’s gone?”
Ronnie closed her eyes for a moment and considered the question. She sighed. “I don’t foresee much changing, honestly.”
“How so?”
“I’ll still have work to do. More work, actually. And honestly, Mom and I basically did our own things once we left the studio. I rarely interacted with her at home. Except for when we shared a meal. And those were usually eaten in silence.” She forced a smile. “Talking is bad for digestion.”
“And poor digestion is bad for creativity, right?” Kyle asked with a mischievous look on his face.
“Yes.” Ronnie giggled, then rolled her eyes. “So many things negatively affected her creativity. One time a bird decided to make a nest outside her studio window. Mom was a wreck. She would literally stand by her window and glare at the momma bird and her babies. The moment the little birds left the nest, she had all the trees outside her window cut down.”
An irritated look tightened Kyle’s features. He worked his jaw and reached for her beer. He drank it in one long swallow, then set the empty mug next to his. “At least she waited until the birds flew off.”
She smiled wanly. “You never did like my mom, did you?”
“I didn’t know her. How could I have disliked her?”
She picked a stale pretzel from the bowl on the table and ate it. “Your expression always changed when I talked about her.”
“How so?”
“You either got this carefully neutral look or anger flashed in your eyes before you got yourself under control.” She glanced at him. “Like now.”
Kyle studied the table for a long moment, then raised his gaze to hers. “I want there to be complete honesty between us. Hiding shit to save face or avoid confrontations screwed us over ten years ago. It’s not worth it, you understand? I’d rather you be pissed at me, hurling accusations, and telling me what an asshole I am than for you to pretend like everything is okay. Life’s too damn short to take the easy way, Ronnie. Avoidance is the easy way. So is running. We deal with our shit right here, right now.”
Every instinct within her urged her to distance herself from this conversation. It left her uncomfortable. Ronnie fought the urge to excuse herself to the bathroom. Kyle was right. Life was too short. Her mom’s death taught her that.
Ronnie cleared her throat. “So I’m right? You didn’t like my mom.”
“I never said that.”
“But—”
Kyle leaned across the table and pressed a finger to her lips. “Hear me out, okay?”
She nodded.
“Every time you talked about your mom, you’d tense up. Especially around your dad. You’d avoid eye contact. Your breathing would shorten. Sometimes your hands would shake. I hated seeing you like that, Ronnie.” Kyle covered her hand. “I even considered calling the police in Virginia to report your mom.”
“Why?” She frowned.
“I convinced myself she must’ve been abusing you or something.”
Laughing, Ronnie shook her head. “Abusing me? My mom? That would involve touching me. According to her, most physical contact left her with other people’s bad vibes.”
Kyle squeezed her hand. “The only kids I knew who got weird like you did were the ones who were being kicked around by their parents. That’s the only comparison I could make.”
“Obviously, you didn’t call the cops on my mom. I would never have heard the end of it. Or been allowed to come to Sander’s Valley.”
“Your dad talked me out of it.”
A lump formed in her throat. “What did he say?”
“He was the reason you got so bent out of shape. That you were too attuned to other people’s feelings and all you ever did was try to keep the peace.”
She reached for her mug, needing a drink, needing to avoid this moment, needing to run. A few drips of warm beer landed on her tongue.
Kyle cupped her cheek. “I didn’t mean to upset you, doll.”
No, he hadn’t meant to upset her. He was only speaking the truth. She had bent over backward to make her parents happy. It never mattered what she’d wanted. Or how she felt. Same with Kyle. She’d left him so he could be happy. So he could have the life he wanted. Not the life she wanted.
Of course, it didn’t quite work out for Kyle. He never found happiness, but she’d tried to do things right by him. She’d tried, dammit! And suffered for it. Just as she’d suffered trying to avoid upsetting her parents.
She was a hot mess.
How did one fix that?
Kyle leaned in and kissed her gently until she sighed against his lips. He eased back. “Let me get you another drink.”
She slid her fingers through Kyle’s hair and rested her forehead against his. No man had ever picked up on her nonverbal clues as easily as Kyle. He was attuned to her. And he cared. “Thank you.”
Kyle made his way to the bar. A couple of locals she vaguely remembered from high school surrounded him, smacking him on the back and laughing. She grinned at the display of friendship. The men she’d dated would never touch each other like that. Or laugh so openly. People would talk about them if they did.
The scraping of a chair drew her attention back to the seat Kyle had vacated. The stockier man who’d led her into the alley out behind this bar took Kyle’s spot across from her. “I told you we’d see each other again.”
Kyle didn’t like Jeff. Likely, there was a reason why. This guy wasn’t doing anything wrong now, however. Besides raising the hair on her arms.
Ronnie folded her hands and fought
the urge to yell for Kyle. “This is a small town. The odds were in your favor, Mr…”
“Jeff Carson. I’m sure you’ve heard of my family.” He looked at her expectantly.
“I can’t say I have. I’m not from the area.” She offered a polite smile so he wouldn’t feel bad.
“You’re from Virginia, right? You own a big art store or something.”
A shiver ran down her spine. “A gallery, yes. How did you know?”
“You’re the talk of the town, Veronica Axel.”
Her cheeks ached from her fake smile. “Am I?”
“Uh-huh. Everyone’s saying how damn lucky Kyle is to have his sugar mama back in town. We’re taking bets to see how he plans on gettin’ his hands on your money.” Jeff slouched in his chair and stretched his legs out. His feet brushed hers. She angled her legs away from him.
Jeff smirked. “I’m betting he’ll knock you up just like your daddy did with your momma when she started talking about a divorce.”
“Excuse me?” Ronnie leaned forward. “You weren’t even alive when I was conceived. You have no idea what—”
“People talk. Especially your dear old dad. He used to come in here and get drunk. According to my pappy, your dad had a damn loose tongue when he was all liquored up. Talked about how crazy his wife was. How he knew she was cheating on him.”
The chair Jeff was sitting in got yanked out from under him. He cursed as he hit the ground. Before he could jump up, Kyle jerked him to his feet and got in his face. “You’re in my seat, Jeff.”
“I didn’t know it had your name on it.” Jeff shot back.
“While Ronnie’s sitting at this table it does. She’s my date.”
“Your sugar mama, you mean?” Jeff laughed. “Everyone in this town knows her money’s all you care about. Especially with your business—”
Kyle grabbed Jeff’s throat. “You shut up or we’ll take this outside. You hear me?”
Jeff shoved Kyle, breaking his hold. “Yeah, man. I hear you. Now you listen to me.”
Kyle rolled his hand. “Well, come on. Talk. I don’t have all night.”
