“What was . . . ? What the hell just happened?” She had never been on this side of that kind of anger, much less seen Harley in such a state before. She hadn’t even gotten a good look at Marshall. She’d noticed Harley’s hulking body language seconds before he’d tried to tell her to go inside. The source fueling his rage had become blurred by her own protective instincts.
Harley’s eyes remained trained on the floor as he wore a path behind the couch. “Fucking Marshall was here when I showed up.”
“What did he want?”
“Who the fuck knows?” he snapped. “He probably needs money or some shit.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I have to warn my mother and Delaney. Damn it. I should have run the fucker out of town.”
“Whoa, Harley.” She touched his arm, trying to lower the phone. “Stop. Take a deep breath and think before you make that call. Did he say he wanted money?”
He whipped his hand away. “He didn’t say shit. I didn’t give him a chance to.”
“Has he asked for money before? I thought you haven’t heard from him in years.”
“What the hell else could he want? He fucking shows up out of the blue and acts like he didn’t abandon our family years ago? Who does that?”
“I don’t know!” Her voice rose, matching his.
“I need to warn Delaney and my mother.”
“Don’t.” She put her hand over his.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Now you’re on his side?” His eyes flashed with sudden outrage. “Did he come see you first? While I was at the dance? Goddamn it,” he growled, breathing erratically. “I never saw this coming. I should have kicked his ass.” He lowered his chin, and his eyes impaled her. “You’re not over him, are you? Maybe you didn’t even realize it until you saw him, and suddenly you can’t see past your feelings. What a fucking idiot I—”
Her palm met his cheek with the sting of a thousand bees. She was shaking all over, anger exploding inside her like bombs.
He blinked several times. “Did you just slap me?”
“You’re lucky I didn’t punch you, the way you were spouting nonsense like it’s the truth. Are you insane, saying all that shit after I bared my soul to you?”
The blood drained from his face, and he sank down to the edge of the couch, grinding out a curse as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “Jesus, Piper. I’m so sorry. I lost my mind.”
“You should be. I am always on your side. But you don’t know what he wants, and you can’t make things worse between Marshall and your family just because you’re angry with him.”
“Make things worse? Is that what you think I want?” His voice escalated again as he pushed to his feet, agitated and pacing. “I’ve spent my whole damn life protecting them from his shit. Racing home on weekends from the city to help with the girls and make sure my sister didn’t spiral into depression. Picking up all the pieces of our family, and the business, when my father was sick and after he died. Dealing with the aftermath of Marshall disrespecting our parents by showing up high as a fucking kite to my father’s funeral.” He grabbed his head with both hands and looked up at the ceiling as if he were trying to keep from shouting. He threw down his arms, pacing again. “I’m so angry with him for turning his back on my sister and mother. We didn’t know if he was alive or dead for all this time. You shouldn’t be around me right now,” he said without looking at her. “You should get out of here.”
She stepped into his path and put her hands on his chest, feeling his heart hammering against her palm. “You made me fall in love with you, and I am not leaving just because you’re so angry you can’t see straight. You’re allowed to be in a crappy mood. That’s what I’m here for.”
“No. It’s wrong, Piper. I said awful, hurtful things to you.”
“And I probably would have said worse if I were in your shoes, which means I get a free pass for when I say things I shouldn’t.”
His lips almost twitched into a smile, but stopped short, sorrow rising in his eyes.
“You have every right to be pissed and resentful. You might not realize this, but you said you were mad that he turned his back on your mother and Delaney. What about you, Harley? Where do you fit into that equation? He turned his back on you, too. Maybe somewhere deep inside, you miss the brother you hung out with as a kid. The brother you could relate to on some level.”
He scoffed and looked away.
“Don’t disregard that you matter, Harley.” She put her arms around him, resting her chin on his chest, and said, “I get it. Not everyone is good with words. Sometimes you have to go to the Mad House and just get it out of your system.”
He nodded. “It sucks being this angry.”
“No shit. I’ve been there too many times to count.”
“I hate that when I saw him, I wanted to beat the shit out of him, and at the same time . . .” He shifted his eyes away, swallowing hard.
“I know,” she said, saving him the discomfort of saying he missed Marshall and was glad he wasn’t lying dead in a ditch.
“It makes me even angrier at him that I feel that way.”
“I get that, too.”
His gaze softened, and he said, “I know you do. I should warn my family.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t warn them and instead just let them know he came by and you sent him away. Remember when your mom said she hoped one day Marshall would come back? She needs this, Harley, even if he digs himself a deeper hole. If he does, that’s on him. But your mom’s needs are different from yours, and I bet Delaney’s are, too. And the girls? They’re young and resilient. They’ll probably be psyched to have another uncle around.”
His jaw clenched, and he was silent for a minute. “And when he disappoints them and hurts them again and I’m left to pick up the pieces?”
“If that happens, then luckily, you’re really good at picking up pieces and putting people you love back together. And yeah, that sucks, but he’s family, and even if you don’t feel it at this moment, I know you. You love him. Somewhere deep inside, past the part that wants to beat the shit out of him is the part of you that wants to see him productive and happy. But you can’t if you never give him a chance to speak his mind. If he fucks up, he does. That’s life. But don’t make it your doing. You’re not a bad guy, Harley, but if you stand between him and your family, you might be seen as one.”
He exhaled a long breath and hugged her tight. “It’s probably better if I don’t call them tonight and just see what happens. I don’t trust myself not to lose it if he’s with them.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and rested his cheek there. “When did you become the wise one about relationships?”
“I didn’t. Maybe I’m wrong and he needs money, or maybe he’s here to try to win me back.”
He drew back, leveling her with a dark stare.
She flashed a big, cheesy grin.
“That wasn’t nice, Pipe.”
“No, it wasn’t. I guess I was more upset over the shit you said to me than I realized.” She caressed his face, hurting for him. “I’m sorry for saying that. But if you ever accuse me of being interested in another man again, I will have to kill you, and nobody would ever find your body at the Mad House.”
He arched a brow. “You’ve put some thought into that, huh?”
“A girl’s got to cover her bases.”
He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “I really am sorry.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for slapping you, but someone had to do it. Your words hurt, and I know mine did, too. I guess we need to work on that, but on the upside, we survived our first fight. We should take that as a win.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON Harley stood in his mother’s kitchen filling three glasses with iced tea, wondering how he was going to break the news about Marshall without getting angry. If not for Piper, his night would have been hell. She’d suggested they take the boat out to try to clear his head. They’d taken Jiggs with t
hem and anchored the boat far from shore, where they lay beneath the stars talking about anything other than Marshall. Piper was good at distracting him, making him laugh and talking him off the ledge, but even with the gentle rocking of the boat, his girl in his arms, and his dog by his side, an hour later he was still agitated. They made their way back to the house, and Piper pulled a move that was so unexpected and unlike her, there was no way he could have remained enraged. She’d suggested they take a bubble bath, and then she’d pampered the hell out of him—bathing, loving, and soothing his battered and bruised emotions. It had been exactly what he’d needed. She was exactly what he needed.
Piper’s pampering had done the trick last night, calming his thoughts enough for him to fall asleep. But this morning he’d woken up with the sun, feeling discombobulated again, and with Piper fast asleep in his arms, he’d tried, and failed, to sort out his feelings about Marshall.
He’d been walking around with a gut full of lead since he’d arrived at his mother’s house. Neither she nor Delaney had mentioned hearing from Marshall, which either meant they hadn’t, or they were waiting to drop the bomb.
Delaney rolled her shoulders back, glancing out the patio doors at the girls sitting in the hammock together playing on their iPads.
Harley handed her a glass and said, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I did too much around the house yesterday. I’m just a little sore.” It had been almost two months since her operation, and she was doing much better. She’d decided to work from home part-time until her breast reconstruction was complete and she healed enough to manage carrying files and working for several hours at a stretch without too much pain or fatigue.
“Damn it, Dee. Why are all the women in my life stubborn? Didn’t I tell you to call me and I’d take care of whatever you needed?”
“Yes, but I don’t think I need my little brother to do my laundry or run a vacuum.”
He handed her a glass of iced tea and said, “I met the guys who run At Your Service at the dance. They’re expanding their business to include errands, handyman duties, and even cleaning. I’ll hire them for a month to help out.”
“Don’t you dare.” She turned away, but not before Harley saw her blushing.
“Dee . . . ? What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She tried to school her expression, but her joy broke free and she said, “God, I hate that I can’t lie to you. Ike still brings dinner by sometimes, but I don’t need him cleaning my house.”
He took a sip of his iced tea and said, “Are you seeing him? I met him last night, and he seems like a nice guy, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea with all you and the girls are going through right now.”
“The girls and I are fine, thanks to you. As you heard when we got here, Jolie hasn’t stopped raving about the dance. It sounds like you made quite an impression and left her friends wishing they had cool uncles like you. But as far as my nonexistent dating life goes, that’s not your decision to make. There’s no need to get all riled up anyway. I just hired him for dinners three times a week. It was easier, that’s all. It’s not because he’s hot and smart or because his daughter and Jolie have gotten to be good friends or anything.”
“You just said you can’t lie to me, but you seem pretty good at it.”
“I’m a lawyer, which means you have no idea if I’m lying or telling the truth, while I know one thing for sure: You look like crap. Having a hard time keeping up with your girlfriend?” she teased as they went into the living room.
“Hardly.” Harley handed his mother a glass of iced tea and sat down on the couch beside Delaney.
“Thank you, honey,” his mother said. “I’m so glad you decided to drop by. We’re taking the girls to the library later. Would you like to come?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got a lot to do.” Like trying not to punch a wall.
“With Piper?” his mother asked.
“She’s working right now, but later, yes.”
“I don’t know how she manages like she does.” His mother set the glass on the coffee table and said, “She’s so tiny, and she’s working with big, gruff men all day long. I tried to help your father when we first moved into this house and were finishing the basement. No sooner did we start than I hit my thumb with the hammer. It was excruciating. Needless to say, from that moment on, my help consisted of feeding him while he worked.”
“She’s been doing it a long time, Mom. She’s excellent at what she does, and the men respect her.”
“If they didn’t, she’d kick their butts,” Delaney added.
“Yes, she’s a tough cookie,” his mother said.
He could talk about Piper for hours, but every second he put off what he’d come to talk about made it that much harder. “She is, and as much as I love talking about her, I have something more important to talk with you about. Have either of you seen or heard from Marshall?” Their faces filled with confusion.
“No,” they said in unison.
“Have you heard from him?” his mother asked hopefully.
He set his glass down and pressed his hands to his thighs to keep them from clenching. “Yes. He was at my place when I got home after dropping off Jolie last night.”
“How is he?” His mother shifted to the edge of the chair, eyes wide.
“What did he say?” Delaney asked, only slightly less anxiously than his mother.
“Not much. I didn’t really give him a chance.”
His mother sank back in the chair and said, “Oh, Harley.” The disappointment in her voice was inescapable.
“What, Mom?” He was unable to keep the bite from his tone and was too agitated to sit still. He pushed to his feet and paced. “What did you want me to do after the way he abandoned you and showed up at Dad’s funeral all messed up? Welcome him with open arms? Offer him a beer?”
Grief worked its way up his mother’s face, forming a frown, heavy eyelids, and a furrowed brow, adding more weight to the lead in Harley’s gut.
“Of course not,” Delaney said. “Calm down for a second, Harley. This is a lot for Mom to take in.”
“No shit, Dee. How do you think I felt last night when he showed up out of the blue?” He couldn’t look away from his mother’s grief. “Say something, Mom.”
“Is he gone again?” she asked shakily.
“I don’t know,” Harley said. “I assumed he’d come here or to Delaney’s.”
“I haven’t seen or heard from him,” Delaney said. “If you went at him like you did after the funeral, he probably took off again.”
“Oh,” his mother said sadly, lowering her gaze to the coffee table. “He just missed Mother’s Day.”
“Mother’s Day? Really?” He scoffed. “What the hell do you want from me? I was trying to protect you. I’m sure he needs something. Wait until you see him. He’s covered in tattoos. We have no idea what he’s gotten into, and until we find out, I don’t know if I trust him around you.”
His mother closed her eyes, breathing deeply. When she opened them, determination replaced the grief he’d seen. She grabbed the arms of the chair and sat up straight. “Harley, that is not your decision to make.”
“Jesus, Mom. You have always had a soft spot for him.”
“He’s my son,” she said sharply.
Years of repressed emotions rushed out. “So am I, and Delaney’s your daughter. You had us busting our asses at the bar from the time we were kids—washing dishes, clearing tables—and Marshall never had a single responsibility. We’ve always been here for you.”
“You loved working there. So did Delaney,” his mother insisted.
“It’s true,” Delaney said. “But Harley has a point. Not that you chose favorites, but you have to admit, Marshall was brought up differently than we were.”
“He was a different child. He was moody, and maybe you don’t remember, but he could get very sullen and pull away from us. We didn’t want to lose him altogether,” his mother said, her eyes pleading for underst
anding. “He wasn’t resilient like you two were. He was fragile.”
Harley paced. “The only thing fragile about Marshall was the glass box you and Dad kept him in.”
“We had a business and two other children to care for.” His mother rose to her feet, speaking with her hands, which she did only when she was trying not to yell. “It was easier to let him do his own thing than to fight over what we wanted him to do. You and Delaney were strong and even-tempered. You wanted to learn and to be part of the business from the time you realized there was more to our family than just what was under our roof. But not all children are the same. Maybe you won’t understand that until you have your own, but Delaney should.” She looked at Delaney and said, “Jolie and Sophie aren’t alike in their moods or their interests. You know you cannot treat every child the same.”
“That’s true,” Delaney agreed. “But that doesn’t mean we didn’t feel slighted because of it.”
“I’m sorry, Mom, but letting him do whatever he wanted opened the door for him to blow off the few responsibilities and commitments he had, like school and family.” And Piper.
“You’re right, and it was something your father and I didn’t see clearly until years later, when Marshall quit college and disappeared. I—we—accept responsibility for that. We did the best we could. Nowadays you can go online and find a million resources for how to handle different types of children, but it wasn’t like that then.” She sat down in the chair and said, “All we wanted was for our kids to be happy, and instead we lost one son, and you two are obviously resentful and angry at me and your father.”
“We’re not angry, Mom,” Delaney said.
“No, it’s true, and it’s okay,” their mother said. “We did the best we could. We love you all. We never meant to hurt any of you. After Marshall disappeared, I started seeing a therapist in Port Hudson, and during the three years I saw him, I learned a lot about things we did wrong as parents and things we did right. I’m not ashamed for being human.”
She Loves Me Page 29