by Jillian Neal
Summer considered that. “He told me about Max and the wreck.” The words tumbling around in her head took flight from her tongue.
“He told you?” Holly set down her coffee and stared at Summer in shock.
“Yeah, but maybe I shouldn’t have told you he told me. I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to him when we get back,” she pledged to his mama.
She smiled. “Honey, we were there. He won’t mind you telling us. I regret every day of my life telling them they couldn’t go. He’ll never believe it wasn’t his fault. If I had it to do over, Ev and I would’a taken ‘um out there, but that’s the thing about hindsight. It’s 20/20, and sometimes it leaves scars you can’t erase.”
“I can’t believe he told you. He never talks about it. Gets up and leaves the room if anyone even mentions Max. So, I guess what I’m saying to you is welcome to the family, Summer. I’m Holly and I can totally kick Austin’s ass if the need should ever arise.”
They both laughed at her secondary introduction. “I think I can handle that if I ever needed to,” Summer smirked.
“And that is precisely the kind of woman my son needs.” Jessie lifted her half-empty diner coffee mug for a toast.
Glancing at the large clock hung on the wall of the coffee shop, Summer grimaced. She hated to be rude. “Um, I’m so sorry to have to leave. I’ve had such a good time. It’s just I have a friend that lives a little ways out, and I promised her J.J. and I would visit this afternoon. I want to get back in plenty of time to take care of Austin before he rides.”
When Holly started laughing, Summer cringed. She felt heat flood her features. “Uh, I didn’t mean it that way. I swear.” She withered in her chair and longed to bolt out the door, but Austin’s mother grasped her hand.
“Sweetheart, trust me, if I thought you could take Austin to bed and keep him off a that damned bull tonight I’d keep J.J. and lock you two in a room and not let you out. I appreciate you wanting to take care of him, however you meant it. Besides,” she winked, “people like to say that good cookin’ is the way to a man’s heart, and that certainly don’t hurt the chances, but you and I both know it’s gonna take more than that to rope Austin. So, girl, you do whatever it is you need to do, because I want you on Camden Ranch as much as my son.”
Wow. Okay, these people really make their minds up fast. Clearly, Austin didn’t just get that particular trait from his father.
“Thank you. It’s just a lot to consider with J.J. and everything.” Before Summer could make her escape, the coffee-infused air seemed to be vacuumed from her lungs. She shivered when she felt him standing behind her. His presence was oppressive and heavy-laden with the fear he longed to inflict. Jessie, Holly, and Hope lifted their eyes in confusion.
“I need to talk to you, Summer, about our son. Let’s step outside.” His hand landed hard on her shoulder, and she instinctively jerked away from him.
Brant’s voice chafed her skin and irked her blood. She spun in her seat and glared at him. “You can go straight to hell where you came from, Brant. I’m not going anywhere with you, and our son is just fine.”
“With your new little boy toy, I’m assuming.” He simpered.
“Excuse me, young man, we were in the middle of a conversation before you so rudely interrupted to call my son a boy toy. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen Austin shoot, and since you’re still with us I’m gonna go with no, but he got his marksmanship from me. I can shoot a blowfly off a bull’s ass from 300 yards off my front porch with a cup of coffee in one hand and not spill a drop. You’re already on my nerves, sweet ‘thang. If I was you, I’d get before you get gotten,” Jessie commanded hotly.
Summer laughed mostly to annoy the fuck out of Brant, but my God, she loved Austin’s mama.
Holly turned to Brant pursing her lips. “Would you say that you learned your asshole-ish behavior from your mama? Do you feel she overly-dominated your childhood and now you have to show out as an adult because of regression issues? Or was it your father that taught you to be an abusive douchebag? Or are you just one of those kind of guys that stupidly believe that if you act like a dick yours will get bigger? Lots of that going around these days.”
Summer bit her lips together but couldn’t help herself. “He’s got a healthy dose of all of those things actually. Poor thing don’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.”
“As if that wasn’t obvious from the moment he walked in here. Take a long walk a long way from Summer, Mr. Preston, but don’t be fooled, I’ve got my sights on you, son.” Jessie narrowed her eyes.
“My God you really are as stupid as I always knew you were, Summer. Not good for anything but spinning around barrels. How’d that end up for you? I’m not intimidated by a bunch of squawking hens. We need to discuss who you’re leaving our son with … without my permission.”
“I don’t need your permission to do anything, Brant. You never could figure that out, could you? Heard you couldn’t get Austin to fight you last night, like the dumbass you are, so you rode your horse into his this mornin’. Don’t that sound like a real man? Letting a horse fight your ridiculous battles for you.”
“I’ll just let my lawyers know that you’ve left J.J. with someone I don’t approve of,” Brant snarled.
Calling his lawyers was always his final threat. Largely, Summer had been so afraid of losing her son, she’d give into his demands. That’s why he continued to use the idle threat. Maybe it was sitting at a table full of strong women, or maybe it was finally being in the arms of a real man that really seemed to love her for her, but she officially arrived at the end of her rope. Brant wasn’t jerking her around anymore. “Great, and I’ll let mine know that you’ve threatened Austin repeatedly and were not only abusive with me and with J.J., but now you’ve expanded to animals. That should make you look good when we go to trial.”
“I think I’ll just talk to Dad about this.” Brant backed towards the door. Austin was right. He was nothing more than a bully, and she wasn’t taking his shit anymore.
“You do that.” Summer rolled her eyes.
The bell on the diner door announced his departure.
“Mmm, mm, mm, I take it that’s J.J.’s daddy. The one you were telling us about.” Jessie shook her head.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m so sorry about that. He’s been steering clear of me because of Austin. Brant’s afraid of him. I’m sure he was delighted to see me in here without him.”
“Well, sounds like we need to get you back to my son.”
“Oh, it’s okay. You all stay. I can walk back.”
“You will do no such thing. Not with him out there,” Hope vowed.
Everyone stood and escorted her out to Jessie’s Suburban.
Unable to help herself, she raced into Austin’s arms as soon as she spotted him sitting on the porch with his brother.
“Hey there, darlin’.” He sounded pleasantly surprised. “You okay?” The way his embrace was always full-bodied and all-consuming was intoxicating. His safety and his love radiated from his entire being. Letting her feel the strength of his upper body, he cradled her gently in his arms. Her heart wanted desperately to tell him that she didn’t need the full two weeks. She wanted to move to his family’s ranch right now. Her brain argued contentiously however.
“We met Brant,” his mother explained. Austin tightened his hold of her. She buried her face in his chest, wishing the rest of the world would disappear for a little while.
“He say something to you?” Fury perforated his normally-controlled, graveled tone.
“I’m fine,” she lied, and he knew it. Afraid he might actually call her on it in front of his family since it seemed he’d say most anything in front of them, she tried to plead with her eyes for him to just let it go. “Where’s J.J.?”
Austin continued to study her. “He’s still asleep. Dad and Brock are watching TV. They’re keeping an eye on him. I took good care of him. I always will.”
“I know. It’s just Ekta’s expecting m
e.”
“We are talking about whatever he said to you later, you understand me?” He lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper.
Summer nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“Luke wants to see the chutes and the arena before the crowds start to gather for the qualifications tonight. You okay with him riding to Ekta’s with us? Then we’ll run back to the arena and come pick you up whenever you’re ready to leave.”
“Sure, that’s fine.” Summer turned her head and offered Luke a smile. His single nod perfectly matched the one Austin frequently gave people, and he returned her smile. Luke was a little taller than Austin and had very similar features. His hair was dark just like his brothers, but his eyes were a royal blue, where Austin’s were as dark as charcoal. “Just let me get J.J. I probably shouldn’t have left him.”
Chapter Fourteen
Before Austin broached the subject of them leaving J.J. with his folks, he needed to know what the hell Brant had run his mouth about. Whatever it was, he had Summer running scared again. She was trying so hard not to show it, trying to be brave just like always. He kept his arm around her as they walked out to his truck. When she started to climb in the back with the baby, he wrapped his arm around her waist to halt her progress. “Luke can cram his ass in the back. You’re sitting up front with me.”
Luke rolled his eyes but didn’t complain.
Summer directed them off of the main street through Cheyenne where all of the festivities were being held further out of town. Austin navigated them over some rough terrain, and then they were upon a tiny log cabin near the south end of the river.
An elderly Arapaho woman was sweeping the porch. Her waist-length grey hair framed the wrinkles on her face. Summer leapt from the truck as Austin put it in park and the woman beamed.
“The whirlwind returns.” Ekta embraced Summer, hugging her and swaying her back and forth. Austin released J.J. from his seat and lifted him out.
“Whirlwind?” Luke spoke through his teeth.
“Tell ya later,” Austin matched his low intonation.
Keeping Summer’s hand in hers, Ekta met Austin and Luke between the porch and the truck. “And I see we’ve reached the end of our lariat and we’ve met both the hawk and the buzzard, Whirlwind. You have to let go of the rope, my child.”
“Uh,” Summer’s voice shook. “Ekta this is Austin and his brother, Luke.” She lifted J.J. out of Austin’s arms.
“Yes, but their purpose is to be the hawk and the buzzard.”
“Am I the buzzard or the hawk?” Luke quizzed softly.
“I’m the hawk,” Austin answered more audibly.
“Indeed you are. She’s needed you for some time. Had to construct that rope though. She’s always wanted to climb even when she shouldn’t have. Now, sweet Austin, make your wings strong. She needs your strength to make it back safely.”
“Okay, am I the only one that has no fucking clue what she’s talking about?” Luke huffed under his breath.
“No, you’re not,” Summer sighed. “But she’ll tell me after you leave.”
“Do not worry, buzzard, your time to be the hawk is nearing on the horizon. There is a Sapana for you awaiting your strength and your wings, as well. One you already know, if I’m not mistaken. Yes, you know her as yours, but you must figure out how to guide her home. That will not prove easy, I fear.” Ekta explained, but her gaze hadn’t left Austin the entire time she’d been talking. He was beginning to feel a little like the contents of a petri dish.
“Uh, I think we’re gonna get out of here. You sure you’re okay, honey?” Austin asked.
“I’m fine.” Summer shook her head at Ekta, but the beaming grin still hadn’t left her face.
“Just call me whenever you’re ready for me to pick you up. I have to be at the arena at 7:00.”
“We’ll just stay a little while. You two have fun.” She brushed a kiss on Austin’s cheek. J.J. followed suit, delighting both of them.
“You know it isn’t nice to make people think you’re insane as soon as they meet you. You should at least wait until they’re not afraid to leave me with you anymore,” Summer huffed as soon as Austin backed the truck out and drove away.
“Your hawk believes in his spirit that I know of what I speak. His concern is for his flight, which he feels coming.”
Summer rolled her eyes and followed Ekta into her tiny wooden cottage, one of the only places on earth where she always felt welcome. “Okay, tell me the what the heck you’re talking about. I know you want to. Why do you keep calling Austin a hawk?”
“Have I never told you the story of Sapana, Whirlwind?”
“If you’d told me the story I might have some idea why my boyfriend is supposed to be a hawk.” Boyfriend. It was the first time she’d called him that. A smile formed on her features. She knew she shouldn’t like the way that sounded as much as she did.
“So much more than a boyfriend, Whirlwind. So much more.”
“Talk, Ekta. You’re freaking me out.”
“Calm, Whirlwind. I made tea. Put J.J. on the rug and let him play, then I’ll tell you Sapana’s story.”
“He doesn’t stay on the rug anymore. He crawls everywhere and pulls up.”
“You say this like I have not raised children.” Ekta directed Summer to a basket full of toys on her rug. Studying the space, Summer understood that J.J. could crawl to his heart’s content. There was nothing he could harm or that could harm him.
She settled him by the basket and accepted the mug of tea Ekta provided her.
“Many moons ago, there was a young woman, Sapana, who went from her teepee village out to gather firewood. She was the most beautiful girl from her village.”
“So, this story obviously isn’t about me,” Summer quipped.
Ekta placed her index finger over Summer’s mouth. If it had been anyone else, Summer would have bitten them.
“You don’t have to see your own beauty for others to recognize it, Whirlwind. Stop spinning and whipping the prairies and listen. While Sapana and her friends were out, Sapana saw a porcupine. She immediately decided to catch the porcupine, never one to think of the pain she might inflict upon herself trying to do so. She wanted the quills, much like some girls want rodeo buckles.” Ekta winked at her. Summer ground her teeth.
“The porcupine began climbing a tall cottonwood tree. Of course, Sapana followed. She tried to strike the porcupine with a stick, but the animal climbed, constantly just out of her reach. Always obstinate no matter the task, Sapana climbed higher and higher until her friends begged her to come back down to the earth. Naturally, being her, she refused.
“She climbed higher and higher chasing the elusive porcupine. She climbed until she could no longer even hope to see the earth below her, and suddenly the treetop vanished and she found herself in the midst of a camp circle. The porcupine turned into an old man.”
Summer’s brow furrowed. “Keep going.”
“Patience, Whirlwind. This is important. Porcupines are very fond of their quills, but they will use them to protect themselves. It is important that you remember they will use them only to protect themselves. If you try to grab hold, you will get pricked. Remember that, Whirlwind. The porcupine-man forced Sapana to marry him.”
“And there it is. I take it porcupine-dude is Brant in this particular legend that’s supposed to reflect my life.”
“Seeing yourself as Sapana already, are you? Such a smart girl. The porcupine-man put Sapana to work that very day, scraping and stretching buffalo hides to make him robes. Sapana worried constantly about how she would ever get back home. She missed the green grass and the trees that had once been her world. The porcupine-man refused to allow Sapana to ever discuss her world or how she might return to it. Every day he would leave Sapana to go hunt. He never failed to leave her a list of work. In the mornings she was to dig for wild turnips, and in the evenings she was to work on the hides he brought home. Each morning he would warn her not to dig too deep when s
he found turnips. One morning, she stumbled upon an unusually large turnip. With a great deal of difficulty, she managed to loosen the turnip with her digging stick.”
“He made her dig with a stick? Asshole. Maybe he is Brant.”
“Whirlwind,” Ekta pursed her lips.
“Sorry, sorry, go ahead.”
“When she pried the turnip loose she was shocked to find that it left a hole where she could see her way back down to her earth. She quickly returned the turnip and covered the hole, understanding why Brant never wanted her to dig too deeply, for he knew what she would find.”
“I thought his name was porcupine-man.”
“Did you really, child? On her way back to the teepee, she came up with a plan. Porcupine-man always made her scrape and soften the hides he returned with so she could make him robes. After she completed his robes, there were always sinew strips left over. She decided she would hide the sinew under her bed until she had enough to make a lariat.”
Summer shifted uncomfortably. In her experience, Ekta’s stories almost always applied to her life in an all too familiar way.
“For months, Summer hide sinew strips away.”
“I thought her name was Sapana.”
Ekta smirked. “When she believed she had enough of the straps to make a rope long enough to carry her back to earth, she waited for porcupine-man to leave for the hunt and she set to work. She pulled up the turnip, laid her digging stick across the opening, and tied one end of the sinew lariat to her stick and the other around her waist. Slowly, she lowered herself by uncoiling the lariat. Down, down, down she went. A long time went by before she could see the tops of the trees from her village, and then she ran out of rope.”
“Figures that’d be my luck,” Summer sighed.
“Ah, but there is more to Sapana’s tale, my child. She hung for a very long time swinging to and fro, back and forth, unable to climb back up the sinew lariat and too high to jump down. Suddenly, the lariat began to shake violently and stones flew by her body. The porcupine-man had returned from his hunt and had located Sapana. Porcupine-man was furious that she’d tried to escape him. Another stone nearly struck her head.