When they were in the pickup once more, Sky’s purchases safely in the seat behind her, she smiled. “Thanks, Dirk. It was sweet of you to help me.” When he growled, she had to turn her face to the window to hide the smile. She couldn’t wait to tell Lanie.
Sky didn’t understand why tormenting Dirk was so much fun. It wasn’t like her. Normally, she was stiff around men. Unresponsive and uninterested in their likes and dislikes, but it didn’t take long to zero in on Dirk’s pretty quickly.
He liked being a PI and though the firm discussed their cases and tossed around ideas, he liked being in charge. He was good with the dogs and cared for them. He loved his adopted family and would fight anyone, anytime, to protect them. He devoured sweets of all kinds with a child’s joy. Though shopping was definitely on his do not like list, he’d taken her shopping.
She liked him. A lot.
The thought was disconcerting.
****
Dirk fought the urge to strangle Sky. But when he thought of putting his hand around her neck, he wasn’t thinking of doing her ill. Rather, he wanted to pull her close and savor those kissable lips until she cried for mercy.
How had she managed in just a few days to twist his head in circles?
She was different from women he had known. She wasn’t flirty. Instead of trying to get closer, she did the opposite, and kept her distance. Even now, she hugged the door as if to be as far away from him as possible.
Coop, Shorty, and Matt had been his family for years. His only family. Not by blood, but by love. And Dirk loved them with everything in him. But all along, there had been something missing. He blamed it on his screwed up parents. But that wasn’t it.
There was something about Sky. Something more.
He thought about her reaction at the first sight of his missing arm; she’d hardly raised an eyebrow. He didn’t think it was because of a lack of caring, but rather an attitude of what difference does it make.
He liked that about her.
He also liked her light-brown hair and deep-brown eyes that sometimes glowed with a firmness of purpose that probably came in handy on her job, but irritated the hell out of him. She insisted on being a part of the investigation. He wasn’t too eager to let her do more than use her computer skills. It could become a serious bone of contention between them.
Despite the destruction in her apartment and the warning note, he didn’t think she realized the danger she was in.
At a stoplight he looked her way. She was scrunched against the door as if afraid he would touch her, her jaw set in determination. What was he to do with her?
The light changed and he moved onto the freeway.
He cleared his throat. “I suppose you can work from the office. In fact, we have an extra room you can use.”
“Can I bring Sully with me?”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I miss him. I’ve never seen a crowd at the office, so he should be okay.”
“At the most there would be six of us. I’m not sure. He’d have to be taken out at least twice which means someone will have to go out with you.”
“Marshall wouldn’t mind.”
They discussed Sully, and the other dogs. Before long he pulled into the drive by the bungalow.
“After I finish their lessons, we’ll take Sully onto the field and see how you do.”
“Sounds good.” She gathered her packages and got out.
He watched as she went to the door and stopped abruptly.
Dirk bounded out of the truck and was at her side in seconds. “What’s wrong?”
She pointed a trembling hand. A note was attached to the door.
He reached across his chest to pull his gun from its holster. There was no way anyone could know where Sky was staying. But what if they had seen her and followed them here? Or put a tracker on his pickup?
He pushed her to the side to open the door and the note fluttered to the ground. Sky reached to pick it up. “Don’t”
She jerked back and looked down at it. The fear on her face made his gut clench.
His heartbeat kicked up the same as it had in Afghanistan in the firefight that had cost him half an arm. If there was anyone here, he was ready. SEAL ready.
Sky laughed.
Was she hysterical? He ventured a glance her way.
She was on her knees reading the note.
“Shorty invited me to dinner. You, too.”
Dirk let out a pent-up breath and holstered his Glock.
Sky stood and handed him the note. “I had better get busy or I’ll never make it to dinner on time.”
His insides still shaking, Dirk left Sky, went back to his truck, and headed for the pens.
He must be getting old. His nerves couldn’t take this. He hadn’t been this shaken in Afghanistan.
Though Sky would go with him to the office every day and be where he or one of his men could keep her safe, he wasn’t satisfied.
Danger lurked.
Chapter Thirteen
An hour later, Sky waved to Dirk and Coop. Each was involved in a training session. She took Sully to the side and practiced both verbal and hand signals. He obeyed them all. The guys still weren’t finished. “We’ll walk to the homestead, Sully. We don’t have to wait for Dirk.”
Sully raised his head and seemed to agree. Sky laughed. “Do you understand?” Could dogs sense what was being said? She didn’t know. Her knowledge of dog behavior consisted of what she’d read in the magazines at the bungalow and what Sully had taught her, but something told her Sully understood.
The evening was lovely. Clear skies with the air a cool seventy degrees felt wonderful. She took a deep breath and inhaled. Spring. Today there were more bluebonnets raising their beautiful heads. The fields would be a sea of blue in a few days. She was accustomed to living in an apartment in a tall building in one of the busiest areas of a large city. Seeing small splashes of color on the roadside every spring was nothing like this. Seeing this was exhilarating.
Why hadn’t she taken the time to explore outside the concrete city and spaghetti bowl freeways to see this? Even as a child, she’d lived in a middle-income subdivision. Her dad was so busy chasing skirts and her mom too busy trying to keep him that they never went on trips. With all of Dory’s music and dance lessons there wasn’t much time for anything else. Once in a while, during summer school breaks, they might visit a museum or go to the neighborhood pool, but that was it. When she retired, she wanted to rectify that and travel for a few years.
“We’re here, Sully.” She stopped to admire the homestead. No brick, just freshly painted wood boards and dark-brown shutters that matched the roof. Flowerbeds were bursting with color, while flower boxes under the windows overflowed with purple and white petunias. She had a feeling this was the gathering place for the family.
The door opened before she could knock. “I saw you coming.” With Thor by her side and Maggie in her arms, Lanie looked so happy it made Sky’s heart ache. Maggie grinned and held out her arms. “Please, come in.”
“It was nice of Shorty to invite us. Is it all right for Sully to come in as well?”
“Thor will enjoy the company.”
Maggie was trying to jump out of her mom’s arms. Sky smiled. She had never been around babies and was pleased and surprised at the child’s reaction. When she reached for Maggie the child all but leaped at her. “You look very nice this evening, pretty baby.” She had on a tiny, blue T-shirt and matching pants. The bow in her brown hair matched as well.
“How old is she?”
“Seven months.” Lanie laughed. “She’s a people lover. It’s fine now, but when she’s thirteen, I’ll worry.”
From the kitchen, Shorty called out, “Make yourself at home.”
“If you’re all right with Maggie, I’ll help Shorty.” And Lanie was gone.
Sky looked at Maggie whose wide grin made Sky smile. “What would you like to do, young lady?”
Thor hadn’t left the baby’s sid
e. Sully hadn’t left hers. Perfect guard dogs. They went into the den. Comfortable chairs, a couple of worn sofas, and several tables made her feel at home. Maggie scooted down so Sky put her on the floor. “Okay. Now what?” Maggie looked up at her and crawled as fast as she could to a box in the corner. Thor followed. As did Sky. At the box, Maggie pulled herself up, turned to Sky again.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.
Sky went to her knees beside Maggie. Toy box. Of course. The kid was smart and she wanted to play.
The dogs lay down beside them and watched. Sky had never felt so safe in her life.
Maggie reached in, pulled out a toy four-wheeler and handed it to Sky. “What? Where are your dolls? How about a tea set?”
Sky looked in the box. Several rag dolls stared up at her, but Maggie had the four-wheeler on the floor and was having a great time pushing it back and forth with one arm.
Before she knew it, Sky was having fun as well. She pulled out a couple of dolls, sat them in a corner. Spying a toy pickup, she took it out. Sitting across from one another, Sky rolled the pickup, then the four-wheeler, in the child’s direction. Maggie would pounce on it and laugh. Thor gave a low growl of approval.
Sky had no idea how long they played, but during that time her worries seemed far away. She was safe in a comfortable home with people she trusted, having a good time with a seven-month-old, a couple of guard dogs by her side. She laughed aloud at the ambiguity of the situation.
“Having a good time, I see.”
By this time, Maggie had managed to pull Sky’s hair loose from its bun at the back of her head, so when she turned to see Dirk standing there with a grin on his face, her hair flew in all directions. She put a hand to her head. She must look a mess.
Did it matter?
“I am. Maggie is adorable.”
“Dinner is ready,” Lanie announced as she swept Maggie into her arms. “Let’s wash up so you can eat.” They disappeared down the hall, Thor on her heels.
“Lanie stays busy.”
“That she does. Are you ready?”
“I have to wash up as well. Point me to the powder room.”
“Down the hall to your right.”
“Back in a minute.”
Sully followed and parked by the door when she went inside. Would she ever get used to having a dog by her side all day, every day? She washed her hands, splashed water on her flushed cheeks, and looked in the mirror. With her hair down and curling around her face, she didn’t look like the bank official she was. She looked…happy. How could playing with a baby do that?
She didn’t ponder the question long. Running her fingers through her hair, she left to join the others.
Shorty came over to greet her. “I understand you and Maggie got acquainted.”
“We did.” She turned to Lanie. “If you find yourself in need of a babysitter, let me know.”
“And take my job away?” Shorty put her hands on her hips and laughed.
Sky looked around. Coop and Matt had joined them. Coop had Maggie in his arms. Dirk was making faces at her as Matt stood there smiling at them.
“Let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Shorty clapped her hands.
In seconds they were seated at the long table where a large vase of fresh-cut red roses sat. Coop put Maggie in her highchair between him and Lanie. It seemed that no one disobeyed the matriarch of this family.
They joined hands and Coop said the blessing. One bowl after another was passed around the table. Fresh vegetables, a salad, and oven-fried chicken nuggets. “This looks and smells wonderful. Did the vegetables come from your garden?” Sky asked Shorty.
“They did.”
Sky dove in. She wasn’t a big eater, especially now with so much to worry about, but she couldn’t help herself. “This is the best meal I’ve ever had.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“It’s true.” Her mom wasn’t a very good cook. Though she tried, her meals always lacked something. Even her Sunday dinners where she put most of her effort weren’t perfect. This was.
Lanie and Coop took turns feeding Maggie. Vegetables were mashed and the chicken had been pureed. Maggie was enjoying her meal the same as everyone else.
Conversation never ceased.
“I ran into an old flame of yours today,” Coop told Dirk.
Dirk looked up in surprise. “Who?”
“June Bug. She asked about you.” Coop grinned. “Actually, she had a wistful look in her eyes.”
Sky watched Dirk. His face flushed. Embarrassed? Probably.
“What you saw was relief.”
“Not so. I think all it would take is a phone call and you could get back together.”
Dirk put his fork down. “That’s enough. I have no intention of calling the lady. End of story.”
“Leave Dirk alone, Coop,” Lanie put in. “He knows what he wants.”
“What kind of name is June Bug?” Sky couldn’t help but ask.
Coop and Matt burst out laughing. “Nickname. But it fits. She’s tiny and feisty. Kinda like Shorty. We see her often at the courthouse downtown when we go to check records. She’s always busy.”
“Are we finished with this conversation?” Dirk wanted to know, a hint of anger in his voice.
Why would talking about an old flame make him angry? Interesting. But Sky felt a twinge of envy. Was she crazy? She didn’t want Dirk’s arms around her. Didn’t want him to kiss her.
She was right about him. He was a lover by nature and June Bug had paid the price when he walked away. At least June Bug had felt love for a short time. Sky never had. She was past that thirty-year mark and had never felt love, not even from her parents. Had never felt warmth and affection from the few lovers she’d had over the years.
She clutched her chest. What had she missed?
Her mom had tried. Those Sunday dinners proved that. But it didn’t work. Dory was so full of herself she demanded all the attention. Still, Sky had pretended they were a normal family. They weren’t. Not like here. She looked around the table. Everyone truly loved one another. She was sure they had bad times as well as good ones, but they shared them with love.
Something she very much envied.
****
Dirk’s heart pounded an angry hole in his chest. How could Coop bring up an old flame now? It was beyond embarrassing. His gaze went to Sky. Her face was impassive. Most likely it didn’t matter to her. Why would it? Still, Coop should have kept his mouth shut.
Suddenly, he wasn’t hungry. He couldn’t shove his plate back as Shorty would be upset. So he finished eating, smiled, joked. But something had changed. For the first time he questioned his past actions. He liked women. Liked the look of them, their sweet smell. Yet he could never commit. For a while, before he went to Afghanistan, he’d thought June might change his mind. She reminded him of Shorty, was pleasant, and pretty as a picture.
When he faced the enemy, he faced the truth. June wasn’t for him and never would be. He sent her a sad letter; apologizing, doing his best to explain that she could do better. He never heard from her again.
He knew the reason he couldn’t make a commitment. It was obvious. His mom and dad had abandoned him. That doesn’t go away. Hadn’t gone away. He took a ragged breath and watched his family. Coop had found the perfect mate. Someday, Matt would as well. Unless Dirk could get over his phobia, he doubted he ever would.
His glance stole once more to Sky. When he’d walked in earlier and she turned to look at him, his breath had caught in his throat. She was lovely. Her dark hair flying around her face when she turned and saw him took his breath away. Her smile made his heartbeat pick up. Now her lips were parted in a smile at something Coop said to Maggie. Lips made for kissing.
He dare not.
An affair with Sky would end up the same as others. He cared for her too much to do that to her.
Looking at Coop as he fed little Maggie, Dirk realized he wanted that. Wanted a wife who loved him despi
te the fact he’d lost part of an arm. Loved him no matter what.
Maybe it was time to face his past and get over it.
Lanie whisked plates off the table. “Anyone ready for dessert?” She looked pointedly at Dirk.
Though not in the mood for anything at the moment, he couldn’t disappoint her. “Bring it on.”
Sky gasped when Lanie put a plate of strawberry shortcake, piled high with whipped cream, in front of each of them. “This looks wonderful.”
“Lanie bakes like a goddess,” Shorty said with a smile.
Dirk took a big bite and sighed. “Ambrosia.”
Lanie laughed.
“How do you do it, Lanie? You exercise and work with the dogs, take care of a baby, and cook? It sounds impossible.”
“It’s not. I prioritize. Family first, dogs second, baking last. Some days I don’t make the last one.”
“There are always leftovers.” Coop reminded her.
Dirk finished eating. “I’m going to bust a gut one of these days.” Right now, he wanted to leave. Be alone. Maybe look up that box his mom had left him when she took off and never came back. “I don’t want to eat and run, but I have things I need to do tonight. Sky? Do you want a ride?”
From the look on her face, the answer was no.
“I’ll drive her back,” Lanie said. “Coop can put Maggie to bed.”
Coop grinned.
“Then I’ll see ya’ll later.”
He was out the door before his brothers could question him.
Stepping outside, he took a deep breath.
It was time to face his past and find out, once and for all, what was in that box, let it go, and discover whether he could see himself with the future he wanted.
Chapter Fourteen
Where had Shorty put it?
Dirk remembered moving day. Hectic. Exciting. His own place; something he wasn’t sure he’d ever have. Shorty had brought the box in. “Where do you want this?”
He’d barely given the taped shoebox a glance. “Throw it away.”
“Never mind. I’ll find a spot.”
The wound in his heart opened then, and if it weren’t for his brothers and their constant questions and teasing comments, he didn’t know what he would have done.
Wounded at Home Page 11