She was everywhere.
When the hell had he given her access to everything? And how had she gotten in? Under his skin. A virus? They’d been having sex. Not a relationship.
He didn’t talk to her unless it was sex related.
Except he did.
Well, he didn’t know about her past.
Yes, he did. And her future goals, too. Damn.
He certainly didn’t do non-sexual nice things for her.
Ah, hell. He did that, too. When she was sick. In danger. Hungry. Tired. He leaned back against the fence post and cursed.
“Let me guess, the girl vortex?”
“Yeah.” He nodded to Moose. “Got it on the first try.”
His cousin studied him over his to go mug. “You know, Kev, it’s easier if you don’t fight it.”
Yeah, that didn’t work for him. “Have to, cuz. Can’t let the woman control me.”
All three men laughed. Great. The chuckleheads were back.
“What’s so damn funny?”
Moose sobered and cupped Kade’s shoulder. “Aw, isn’t that cute? Your cousin thinks we have a choice.”
“I’m right here, McHiliarious,” Kevin stated, pounding his chest. “And of course we have a choice.”
Cole shook his head. “No, we don’t. Not if we want to be included in their lives.”
Ah hell. He didn’t sign up for this. “How do you stop it?” He bounced his gaze between his friends. “How do you get out before it’s too late?”
“Oh, buddy. I’m sorry. If you’re asking these questions, it means it’s already too late.”
All three cowboys were nodding. And smiling. Damn. Not good.
“He’s right, Dalton,” Connor said, making a pucker motion with his lips. “Kiss your Casanova days goodbye.”
Shit no. “I’m not kissing anything goodbye, McPessimist. For your information, I’m heading up to Houston this afternoon to rendezvous with a flight attendant.”
A very attentive flight attendant.
“You sure that’s wise, Kevin?” Kade asked quietly.
“Wise? Who knows? Necessary? Hell ya. If anyone could get me over this slump it’s Amber.”
“Let me save you the trouble, and the time. It’s not going to work,” Connor told him. “I had the same stupid idea while I was in denial about Kerri. In my infinite wisdom, I took out the Fletcher twins.”
“Flexible Fletchers?” His brows rose. Damn. The sisters were record holding gymnasts. And flexible. He’d flexed with them a few years back. The positions those girls could hold while he… A sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. “Wait. Are you saying things didn’t go well?”
Moose snorted. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, genius. Things didn’t go at all.”
Kevin blinked. It didn’t compute. “But the sisters are willing, and inventive, and…flexible.”
“True, but they weren’t the most important thing,” the tall cowboy said, gaze suddenly serious.
It was never a good thing when Connor McCall was series. Kevin swallowed hard. “What?”
“They weren’t Kerri.”
Cole nodded. “Just as Amber is not Shayla.”
He knew that. The blonde was carefree, unattached, uninterested in a relationship, shallow, self-centered...Shit. He halted that train of thought before it completely derailed. Wasn’t helping his resolve to quit sniffing around Shayla.
The redhead was warm and caring, passionate and compassionate. A deadly combination Kevin usually ran away from like a little girl. So, why was he contemplating doing the opposite?
Oh, right, because he was an idiot.
“I know,” he finally replied. “But Amber doesn’t have a daughter who’s growing attached to me.”
There, he said it. His biggest reason for staying away from the redhead. Amelia.
“You sure it’s not the other way around?” Kade asked in that calm, commanding tone.
Kevin blew out a breath. “No, I’m not sure. And that’s another big reason to stay out of Shayla’s life.”
The three men nodded. Finally, they got a clue.
“Then I guess there’s no reason to tell you about the surprise party my fiancée and Kerri and Jordan are throwing for her this afternoon.”
Surprise party for Shayla? “Why?”
“Because you just said you want to stay away.”
“No, you jerk.” He shoulder checked the guy. “I mean, why are they throwing her a party? Is it her birthday?”
He realized with a start, the fact he didn’t know that was proof maybe they hadn’t gotten as personal as he’d first feared.
“No.”
Great. A one word answer. His cousin was really pushing it.
“Then what is it?”
“Can’t tell you. Might be too personal.”
“Dammit, Kade, quit pissing around and just tell me.”
A slight tugging pulled Sgt. Hardass’ lips into a grin. “She’s graduating.”
Had she already finished her two weeks of classes? His mind computed their time since Houston. Three weeks, going on four, and no sign of her father, either. He smiled. “She got her GED?”
“Ah, so you do know about it.” Cole nodded from his quiet perch near the fence, and Connor cocked his head. “Doesn’t that make things a little personal, Dalton?”
“Stuff it, Moose.” He turned back to Kade. “So? Did she?”
His cousin shook his head. “Not yet. According to Brandi, Shayla’s taking the last of her tests from 8-4 today.”
Right now.
Kevin’s heart squeezed. Bet she’s nervous. Damn, he wished she had said something on Thursday. He would’ve…what? Wished her well? Helped her study? Actually, yes, he would’ve done both. Happily. He knew this was a huge dream for Shayla.
But, well, she didn’t need him. Didn’t need anyone. The woman had proven time and again she could take care of herself.
“She’s got this.” He nodded, mouth curving into a grin. Happiness and a feeling akin to pride washed through him in a wave of warmth. Her resilience was something else. “Good for her.”
“Yep, and we’ll be sure to tell her for you while we help her celebrate the accomplishment. You go ahead.” Bastard slapped him on the back with a giant paw. “Go to Houston. Don’t worry your pretty head about it none.”
And he didn’t. Much.
For most of the morning and half of the afternoon, Kevin focused on renovating the existing stable which would serve to shelter the neglected and abused smaller animals. Assigned to assemble metal shelving that would hold numerous medical supplies because none of his friends could figure out the instructions, he constructed eight towers and secured them into place in the new supply room Connor and Kade had fashioned from two stalls. He was just screwing the last bolt into place when his cousin called it a day. The McCall brothers had left a half-hour ago, but Kevin had wanted to finish the last shelf.
“It’s not too late to change your mind, you know. You can still come to the party,” Kade said as they put tools away in a battered, red, four-drawer tool box situated against the wall in the walkway.
He stowed the drill in the bottom and straightened. “Nah, I’m good. You enjoy,” he replied, determined to stick to his plans.
Leave Shayla alone. Don’t encourage Amelia.
Keep it simple.
“Any news on how she did?” Kevin couldn’t help it. He had to know. All afternoon he’d wondered despite his attempt to focus on work. At one point, he’d stopped, stomped out of the storage room, intent on sitting in his truck at the rec center to wait for the redhead to emerge. Someone should’ve been with her. Been there for support, to congratulate, or console, which ever was required.
He hated the thought of her being alone. She’d gone through life that way for far too long.
“Yeah, Brandi said she’d talked to Caitlin who was at the center.”
Relief eased the stiffness from his shoulders. Her sister had been with her
.
“Shayla passed. With honors.”
Kevin let out a breath and smiled. “Well, of course she did. Damn woman is smart.”
God, she must be so happy. He could visualize the relief in her eyes and dazzling smile on her beautiful face. The urge to see her, to celebrate with her, to give her a congratulatory kiss rushed through him.
“I think she’d like it if you were at her party.” Kade studied him, waiting, watching.
He rubbed at the tightness in his chest. Not an easy decision. He wanted to go, but if he did, that meant he’d taken a huge step into foreign territory. “No. I think it’s best if I stay away. Just tell her congratulations for me.”
“All right.” His cousin nodded, cupping his shoulder as they exited the stable. “Have a safe drive. Don’t forget to call Jen when you get there. You know she worries like a mother hen.”
Kevin laughed. His younger sister worried about everyone. “I will.”
“If you change your mind, the party’s at the McCall’s at four,” Kade informed. “They’re watching Amelia, so it’ll be easy to spring the surprise when Shayla goes to pick up her daughter.”
“Makes sense.” He nodded as they scurried around vehicles leaving the ranch, some, no doubt, going to the party. But he was heading to Houston, not Wild Creek Ranch.
A fact Kevin reminded himself an hour later as he drove through town, determination tightening his jaw. Stopped at a light, he glanced at the clock on the dash. An hour and a half before rendezvous in Houston. He had time. Amber’s flight wasn’t touching down for another hour yet. He’d get to their usual hotel and have everything waiting for her for when she arrived.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught Kevin’s attention. A red SUV pulled in front of Brandi’s beach cottage, and Shayla and Caitlin got out as Brandi’s door flew open and the smiling designer rushed outside. Even with his windows closed, he could hear the happy cheers that matched the three women’s smiling expression and jumping embraces. With the light still red, he continued to watch, sucked in, pulse kicking a hard beat against his ribs.
Big blue eyes bright with joy. Wide smile, opened and unrestrained. Shayla stole his breath. But when she drew back and wiped her face, something inside him cracked. Split wide open. Feelings he hadn’t felt in years seeped out and the ache in his chest increased.
No doubt about it. The woman made him feel.
Too much.
The short beep of a horn alerted him the light had turned green. With a strange heaviness squeezing straight down to his ribs, he drove through the intersection and forced air into his lungs.
Driving past the turnoff to the interstate, Kevin continued down Main Street until he pulled into the first vacant spot he could find and parked the truck. Was he making a mistake leaving? Or was it a bigger mistake to stay? He didn’t want to screw up Shayla’s life. Or Amelia’s.
Which decision would cause more harm?
Rubbing his temples to relieve the pressure, because his mind-palace was brimming with answers and he had no damn idea which ones were correct, he acknowledged the overwhelming, out-of-control feelings had been buried for a reason. He didn’t like not having control. Not having a plan.
Not having a clear-cut idea of how to proceed.
The reason for keeping his feelings locked up tight since Tina. He didn’t want to feel. Didn’t want to rely on someone else for his happiness. Or worse.
Didn’t want someone else to rely on him for theirs.
Taking everything in, his mind worked on solutions to his dilemma. There were three:
1. Get on the interstate and meet Amber as planned.
2. Attend Shayla’s party and take a small, tentative step toward a monogamist relationship.
3. Drive over to the pub and get drunk.
He voted for number three.
Releasing his temples, he opened his eyes and focused on his surroundings.
“Son-of-a-bitch...”
There it was. The answer to his problem stared at him with glinting precision from the store window. What were the chances he would’ve pulled in that exact spot at that exact store with that exact item in the window?
He’d never really believed in fate until Jordan and Cole were reunited. Especially since they’d both married other people. Then Connor was systematically, and quite comically, taken down by sweet, gifted Kerri. And after that, he’d witnessed how a tiny ad placed online had brought a special, understanding woman from up north and set her in his cousin’s path when Kade had returned from deployment in need of that understanding.
Fate? Hell yeah. You bet your ass he believed in it.
Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he eyed the eclectic storefront of the little gift shop, and left a voice mail to one soon-to-be pissed off flight attendant. He was not going to be able to make their rendezvous or any in the future. There was someone—two someones—far more important in Harland County.
Kevin got out of the truck, checked the time, then slipped the phone back into his pocket. He might be a little late for the party, but he wasn’t going empty handed.
He had a graduation present to buy.
She did it.
She got her GED.
For the first time in a long time, pride and happiness swirled in Shayla’s chest. After all these years of living with the knowledge she was a high school dropout, she could now hold her head high with new knowledge she’d gotten her GED. An accomplishment she’d thought, for a while there, would never happen. Especially this month, when she finally signed up to take the classes only to have to ‘drop out’ of them because of Lyle.
But this time, she didn’t let him control her life, or control how she lived her life. She’d caught the next scheduled classes and finished them this week. And yesterday and today, she was able to take the actual tests. No interruptions. No stupid Lyle rearing his ugly head. She was calm. Relaxed. Took the tests and passed. Finally. Finally, she had her high school education and could legitimately state that on applications.
Her stomach flopped. Okay, she wasn’t going to think about job applications today. Or her father showing up. Or leaving the county. People she’d grown to care about. Kevin. Nope. Not thinking sad thoughts. For the moment, she had a fantastic job, sweetheart of a daughter, and a terrific sister who sat the whole day today and waited until Shayla had finished. Caitlin was the first person she told about passing. The pride and happiness shining in her sister’s eyes was something she’d never forget. She felt lighter. Like a heavy, concrete barrier had been lifted off her shoulders.
She also had wonderful friends.
Especially Brandi, Jordan and Kerri who kept taking turns congratulating. Sniffing back another round of tears, dammit, she hugged one of her hosts, again. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”
Dozens of people had yelled surprise when she’d walked into Wild Creek Ranch to pick up her daughter. She had no idea where all the cars were parked. But, a bunch of good folks were there laughing and smiling and eating Kerri’s wonderful food, helping her celebrate her special day. People from town, the Masters and McCalls, of course, her friends and their husbands and fiancé, some of Kade’s guard buddies. Doc Turner. Her sister and Greg, Jen and Brock and Cody. Mrs. Avery, and even Macy and her mom.
“You deserve it,” Jordan said, hugging her back.
“Yes.” Brandi changed places with the deputy. “We are all so proud of you, Shayla.”
The thought of her friends going through all this trouble and that it could’ve been for nothing, cramped her stomach. “What if I had failed?”
“Not a chance,” Kerri said, pulling her in for a hug when Brandi finished. “You got your GED with honors. That rocks.”
“Yeah, I was surprised. But I don’t technically have my GED yet. I have to wait for them to mail it to me,” she explained, drawing back. She’d only gotten the verbal results.
“Well, at least they told you today and you don’t have to wait to find out.”
&
nbsp; “I know. I don’t think I could’ve waited.”
Waiting was always tough. For Kerri’s blueberry muffins to finish baking. Winter to end. Her dad to show up. The other shoe to drop. Kevin to walk in. Yeah, waiting was tough, especially when you already knew the outcome.
Her sexy dance partner wasn’t coming.
She’d overheard Jen telling Mrs. McCall that her brother was on his way to see some flight attendant in Houston. Shayla tried to ignore the stab of pain that had pierced her heart at the news. And still remained.
They weren’t a thing. He had no reason to show. Yet, it was weird. The first person she’d wanted to share her news with had been Kevin. Not her sister, or Jordan, or Brandi, or Kade. But Kevin. It was his handsome face that had come to mind when the instructor said the words ‘passed with honors.’ Silly. Stupid, actually. But it was the truth.
A truth she’d deal with as always. On her own. In the quiet confines of her room later that night. Right now, she’d focus on the happiness of nailing her GED.
“Here’s Mommy.”
She turned to find Connor approaching with a chortling Amelia in his arms. Jeez, the cowboy was big. Her daughter looked like a doll in his hands. It was actually really cute. “Hi, baby.”
“Mommy!” The little tornado launched at her, all smiles. “Hi, Mommy.”
Her laughter echoed with the others. “Hi, baby. Did you have fun with Uncle Connor?”
“Yes,” Amelia replied, hugging her neck and kissing her cheek. “Mommy.”
The little girl was on a roll today, hugging and kissing everyone in sight. No one was safe. And no one seemed to mind.
“We went to see the bulls,” the cowboy said, slipping an arm around Kerri, lopsided grin dimpling his cheeks. “And she got to pet one.”
Knowing the cowboy would never have put her daughter in harm’s way, Shayla squeezed the little girl and smiled. “You got to pet a bull? Did you like it?”
Amelia nodded, then wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Stinky.”
Again, her laughter mixed with the others and her mood lightened.
“You sure she’s not talking about Connor?”
Her Forever Cowboy (Harland County Series Book 4) Page 22