“No, not the same way,” I said honestly. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
I read into his half-smile that he didn’t entirely believe me. But he reached into the basket to pull something else out. Out came a palm-sized strawberry tart, my favorite. Delight filled me. I hadn’t had one of these in ages. “Your mother?”
He nodded, and I took the proffered dessert from his hand with relish. I bit into it like a woman possessed. It tasted like heaven. And I might have moaned out loud, because Turner laughed.
“There are more,” he teased.
I slapped at his arm playfully, careful not to drop the last bit of tart. “These are the absolute best.”
It was true. The woman was gifted with baked goods. They were French bakery worthy according to my tongue despite the fact the strawberries weren’t fresh but from preserves.
Somewhere in the middle of lunch, we found that casualness between us. It was easy to be friends again, transported to a time and place when we had no cares about our future.
For the second day in a row, I sat close to a man I would always love. The question was if I was still in love with him. As much as I wanted to be, how easy it would make my life, Kalen snuck in my head like a stealer of my heart. I needed those feelings to go away, and fast. The way Turner looked at me, he would be asking the question about the idea of us far sooner than I would be ready to answer.
There was a moment when I thought Turner might kiss me, but footfalls had us both looking up.
“Why am I not surprised to find you here?”
Again, I felt like I was twelve as I always did around my father.
“I asked her here, sir,” Turner said, standing up for me.
“Yet she knows better,” Father chastised.
Turner went to speak, but I held up a hand to stop him. My future in the community was certain. I would never be accepted back, not that I wanted to be. Turner, on the other hand, still had a choice.
“Thank you for lunch, Turner. But Father is right. I should go.”
I got to my feet and ignored Turner’s questioning stare. He didn’t want me to leave and had gone as far as to reach for me, but I moved just far enough so he couldn’t touch me.
“I’m sure they are looking for you,” Father said to Turner.
You could take the girl out of the simple life, but you couldn’t take the simple life out of the girl. Before I could think, I said, “I’ll clean this up.”
Turner glared at me. “I can do it,” he said, slicing the air with his statement.
I straightened, feeling caught in two worlds, but this ground belonged to one.
“Let’s go, girl,” Father commanded.
And like a soldier in my father’s army, I followed.
Once we were out of the trees and back into the clearing of farmland, he pressed me with a glower that would stop a raging bull. Immediately, any thoughts of what I might say in my own defense halted.
“Tonight is the monthly council meeting,” he said. “As long as you are here, you might as well be an asset to this community. Use that fancy degree we paid for and prepare the books for an accounting at sundown.”
It would have been easy to mention that scholarships and grants had funded most of my college. And I could have asked why the current bookkeeper hadn’t prepared for this meeting, as she surely was fully aware of the schedule and duties in my stead. In fact, I’d only taken over for her after she apprenticed me. Once I left, the duty fell back on her as she served double duty as school mistress and bookkeeper.
However, none of that mattered. My father had spoken. There was no choice for me other than to comply. I didn’t resent it because I’d come here and knew what my responsibilities would be. I was eating the community’s food and would be using other supplies. It was everyone’s responsibility to contribute however they could. So I nodded, and my father stalked off toward the center of town.
I stood for only another minute in time to see Turner come through the brush. So much hadn’t been said. When our eyes met, there were questions in his gaze I ignored. Instead, I found myself twisting the ring on my finger before I turned from him and headed in the direction of the schoolhouse. As I walked, the damnable Kalen crept back into my thoughts.
Ten
Kalen
Griffin had just finished giving me the news.
“The community is in the middle of nowhere for the most part,” he said.
“But is she safe?”
“As safe as anyone.” His brow rose. “I’m beginning to think this one means more to you than you’ve admitted.”
“I’ve caused her problems,” I snapped, glaring at him.
“You haven’t received any threats. This may not have anything to do with you. Besides, she’s out of New York. You should be relieved.”
“I’m not. We don’t know for sure who’s targeting her and why.”
“Are you in love with her?” he asked pointedly, taking me aback.
“In love with whom?”
Both Griffin and I looked up and watched as Connor strode in as the question left his tongue.
“Who let you in?” I asked, annoyed by the interruption, though Griffin’s question was also to blame.
“You gave me a key,” he said, holding the black card up that would give him access to the private elevator to my apartment.
“What brings you by?”
“Dad sent me to make sure you don’t back out tonight.”
I leaned back in my desk chair and steepled my fingers. So much had happened today, I’d forgotten.
“You forgot?” he asked, pulling the words from my head.
“I’ve been busy.”
“With your new assistant.” His added smirk was irritating.
“She’s not new. She was temporary. But how would you know that? You don’t even work there.”
Connor did spend an awful lot of time in the company offices for someone who reportedly didn’t want anything to do with the business.
“I have my spies,” he said.
A quick glance at Griffin and I didn’t have to say more. I trusted my brother, but I couldn’t ignore that he could potentially be the person behind an orchestrated attempt at my downfall.
“Besides, she’s making noise with Human Resources about you letting her go. Though everyone including God knows you wouldn’t have to resort to sexual harassment to get a woman in bed.”
I blew out a breath. “I guess it’s a good thing I engaged the recorder when she came into my office.”
Connor might have responded if not for my son who ran into my home office.
“Uncle Connor,” he yelled and wrapped himself around my brother’s leg. Connor scooped him up. “Are you eating with us?”
Connor looked at me and I said, “If he wants to.”
“What are we having?” he asked Gabe.
Gabe rattled off the menu.
“Absolutely,” Connor said to my son before setting him back on his feet.
When he smiled at my brother, I felt the familial bonds tug at me, something I didn’t have growing up.
Gabe ran over to me and climbed in my lap.
“Are we making deals?” Gabe asked me.
Griffin laughed. “Like father, like son.”
“We’re making dollars,” Gabe said proudly before glancing back at me. “Or is it pounds?”
I smiled. This boy was my entire world. “Both. All money is good.”
“But Scottish money is best,” my son announced.
“Aye.”
“Aye, aye,” Griffin agreed.
That might not technically be true, but I wanted my son to be proud of his heritage.
Connor chimed in, “You do know your da is American, right?”
Gabe looked at me for confirmation. “I told you I was born here,” I said.
“But Grandma is Scottish, right?” I nodded. “And you’re Scottish?” he asked Griffin.
“Born and bred,” Griffin answered.
“Yes, but my mom is Irish.”
“Irish?” Gabe asked, his nose wrinkling. “We’re better at football, right, Da?”
Elspeth, my son’s nanny, came in. “Dinner is ready. Come, Gabe, and wash yer hands.”
Gabe scooted off my lap and followed Elspeth out.
A few seconds later, Connor spoke up. “Did I ever mention how hot she is?”
“Leave her be, Connor. She’s had enough trouble in her life without having to deal with the likes of you.”
Connor acted pained. “I would never.”
“Those three words have never been true out of your mouth.”
Griffin laughed. “Leave the lass alone.”
Connor shrugged. “Back to why I’m here. Dad is expecting you. With everything going on, he expects you to be there.”
My time in the shadows had come to an end. It had been decided for me to make a very public appearance. My father had even chosen my date for the evening. I was never more grateful that Bailey was home. A place that didn’t have TVs and such. Maybe she wouldn’t find out about my night out before I had a chance to explain.
Eleven
My stomach continued its warpath as I made my way to the square after working on the books that afternoon. It was potluck night on council meeting nights. On these occasions the food would be plentiful. Every family brought at least one dish. There would be more than enough to choose from. Dinner would be served in the town hall.
Spotting my father, I headed in his direction with a folder of the information he needed to start the elders’ meeting. The sun was just visible on the horizon. Thankfully, I wasn’t late. When he spotted me, it was the first time since I arrived back home I saw approval on his face.
Before I could reach him, I was stopped by Turner stepping into my path. He didn’t know that I needed to get this information into my father’s hands before I could breathe again. The need to please Father was like a pressing weight I didn’t think I’d ever overcome.
“We need to talk,” Turner insisted. He didn’t give me time to answer. “Because it feels like you’re going to run again.”
“No,” I said softly, closing my eyes to the emotion that hit me every time I was near him. “I just have to get these numbers to my father.” I raised the folder as proof.
He ran a hand through his brown hair and nodded before he stepped out of my way. I gave Turner a smile before I found a scowl on my father’s face. I sighed, because I was starting to wonder if a hotel would have been a better hiding place than coming home.
“Here,” I said to my father, handing him the ledger.
“Remember, everything you do, doesn’t just reflect on you, but the whole family.”
“I know, but Father—”
He halted like he’d been ready to bolt.
“I need to use the computer.”
The computer was locked away in the offices on the second floor of the community center.
His eyes narrowed on me.
“I need to check on word from my job in case they need something from me.”
The real reason was I wondered if official word had come through about my future as an employee.
He reached into his pocket and handed me the keys. With that, he marched off like he couldn’t stand to be in my presence. I sighed, feeling trapped between two worlds.
I headed there straightaway. After logging in to my email, I found I had two. The first was the formal letter from Human Resources placing me on leave. The second was from Kalen. There were two lines.
Where are you, lass? We need to talk.
My reply was simple and consisted of three words. No, we don’t.
Thankfully, I didn’t have time to be rattled. I was pulled into a yawn worthy elders’ meeting to give a verbal accounting of the books as soon as I exited the small computer room. There were a lot of nods and several questions. Luckily, I’d spent the night before going through the ledgers and could answer most of their questions. That had been a stroke of luck. After I had been sent away, my father gave me strict instructions to help the other women in the food line, dishing out plates after I returned the keys.
The chattering women were more than happy to put me to work.
My mother smiled and commented, “You look a little thin,” while others looked curious.
The only response I offered was to hold up the plate I was adding a side dish to. With a waiting line, no one had time to comment more or ask about my reappearance in town.
My feet felt like weighted blocks were attached to them by the time everyone had been served. Finally, I was able to make my own plate and head to the table where my older sister Violet sat with an unfamiliar man.
Seated at the end of a long table, they were curiously left with plenty of seats in between them and another group who sat at the other end. She was all but isolated with only the man who I assumed was her husband.
Violet and I had always been close. She was a free spirit much as I had been. When I suggested she should go off to college with me, she’d only rolled her eyes and told me that the only thing she’d ever be good at was mothering. So it had been a surprise when it was Mary who had given birth first. In fact, Mary was also the first of us to get married.
“Vi.” I quickly set my plate down and then hugged her.
“Bails,” she cried out with genuine excitement.
After returning from the elders’ meeting, there hadn’t been time for me to greet her before I was put to work. She’d had a plate and had been talking to various people.
The man sitting across from her turned and I got the full impact of him. He had the kind of face that belonged on magazines. And for a second, I tried to place him.
“Bails, this is Steven, my husband. Steven, this is my younger sister, Bailey.”
He reached out a hand, revealing hints of tattoos just above his tunic neckline and peeking around his wrist. His long, dirty blond hair was tied back. His beard was slightly unruly but in that appealing way most women found attractive.
“Bailey, I like. It’s a pretty cool name.”
If I hadn’t known everyone in town, I certainly would have guessed from the casual way he spoke, he was an outsider.
“Thanks.”
Violet chimed in. “We’re all named after flowers,” she said and began to name us off like her husband hadn’t met them. “There’s me, then Bailey, which is a flower name, Mary, but her name is actually Marigold, Rose, and Poppy.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I hadn’t really thought about it when I met them.”
I found it extremely odd it had never come up in conversation with a man she’d married, but kept that to myself.
Even odder was that strangers weren’t welcomed easily as residents in our community. Our leaders were cautious of those who might place themselves among our ranks to get insider information to write or publish stories to confirm the outside world’s beliefs that we were some sort of cult or to exploit us in articles or postings on social media.
You had to prove yourself to be allowed to join our clan. He’d obviously passed my father’s test since he’d been allowed to marry my sister. So I gave him a measure of trust.
“It’s nice to meet you, Steven.”
“It’s probably cramped at your parents’ house. You’re welcome to stay with us,” he offered.
I glanced at Vi, who smiled like the world shined on her.
“I’m supposed to stay at Mary’s. Speaking of, I’m not sure when they go to bed for the night. With a new baby, I don’t want to intrude on their schedule. It would be best if I head on over after helping clean up. I don’t want to arrive late and wake them.”
Violet brightened. “Don’t stay with her. You’re welcome to stay with us.”
“We have more than enough room at our place,” Steven added, with a hearty smile.
I liked him. There was something easygoing about him. Didn’t mean I wasn’t curious abo
ut how he ended up here.
“Okay… I’ll stay with you tonight. I should go find Mary and let her know.”
I hugged Vi one more time and waved to her husband. Before I could leave, my younger sisters, whom I had only glanced at while they slept, found me. They hugged both Violet and me as if they’d seen neither of us in a very long time.
Two of my brothers, however, hadn’t bothered to greet me except to say “Hi” in the food line as if it hadn’t been years since I’d seen them. Jacob, the older at seventeen, carried himself like my father, regal and sure of himself. John, the younger at fourteen, seemed in awe of his big brother but was more reserved and shy.
He’d given me a winning smile. I was sure he would have happily hugged me if not for Jacob at his side. So when my sisters walked away, I sought out not only Mary, but my brothers too. I found the boys first.
“John,” I said, enveloping him in a hug. “I missed you.”
He squeezed me back. When he spoke, his voice lacked the baritone that came with age and, in fact, cracked a little. “Bails.” A shyness that screamed embarrassment crossed his face. I wanted to tell him he wouldn’t be the squeaky boy for long. Yet, I held my tongue.
When Jacob walked over, trying to be cool and lightly punched me on my shoulder, I took him by surprise in my embrace. “Hey, Jake,” I teased. He was Jake and Father was Jacob. It had always been that way to keep them separate since they shared a name.
“Bails,” he hesitantly said, patting my back awkwardly before pulling away. “Yeah, since you’re so happy to see us, maybe you could do us a favor.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
“There’s a dance Friday. Father won’t let us go unless we have an escort.” He rolled his eyes like it was nonsense.
An arm at my shoulder acknowledged the presence of Turner at my side. “She’ll come because she’s my date.”
Queen of Men: King Maker series Page 5