by Abby Gaines
Gabe’s dismay was palpable.
Did she plan to get undressed right now?
“I have a better idea. You can sleep in my room with me,” Jane said. Who knew what Daisy might walk in on in the morning?
Cat shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
“I should get going,” Gabe said. “I have an early start tomorrow.”
“Do you still like to run in the mornings?” Cat asked. “I might go with you.” She did not look like someone dedicated to the wholesome pursuit of exercise.
“I have church,” Gabe said.
“You go to church?” Cat said, incredulous.
Jane realized Gabe hadn’t told her sister he was the pastor. How long ago had Cat arrived?
“I’m the pastor,” Gabe explained, flushed beneath his tan.
Cat laughed—then stopped when it was clear no one else thought it a joke. “No way.”
“I’m not the guy you knew back in school, Cat.”
“No? That’s a shame,” she said, so suggestively that Gabe’s color deepened. “Maybe I’ll come to church tomorrow. Is that okay?”
“Of course,” Gabe said, and he seemed to mean it. “You’d be most welcome. Jane can bring you.” He winked at Jane—he’d been trying to coax her into going to church for a few weeks. “You can pay forward my babysitting services, Jane.” He sounded more like his usual, relaxed self.
“Not likely,” Jane said. “Cat, time we went to bed,” More than anything, she wanted to get Cat out of here. Away from Kyle, away from Daisy. Jane had a sense of impending trouble that she imagined was something like what the rest of Pinyon Ridge felt when they encountered a Slater.
She hated feeling like that.
Deal with it. It wasn’t like she didn’t know her family’s hot button. She would find out how much money her sister wanted, hand it over and Cat would be gone by lunchtime tomorrow.
* * *
UPSTAIRS IN THE GUEST ROOM, Jane closed the door. Cat dumped her backpack in the middle of the floor.
“What do you want?” Jane demanded.
“Like I said, to see you. Not to see Gabe, like I also said. Dad told me you were here.”
Jane groaned. “What’s his cut in this?”
Cat rolled her eyes. “There’s no this, no cut. I visited Dad yesterday. When he said you were here, I thought I should take the opportunity to see you.”
“You just happened to visit Dad right after I did,” Jane said sarcastically.
“You just happened to show up right before my monthly visit,” Cat said.
Jane scoffed. “You come from Vegas to Bentwood every month?”
“Pretty much.” Cat eyed the area of carpet next to the bed. “Should I sleep down here?”
Jane wanted to say yes. “You can bunk in with me. No kicking.” The warning slipped out, the same one she’d given Cat when they were kids, when they’d shared a bed much smaller than this for a couple of years. Cat grinned, and for half a second Jane was taken back to the time, when she used to help her sister with her English homework.
Next moment, Cat peeled off her tank to reveal a red lace bra a size too small for her generous boobs.
“I hope you have pajamas,” Jane said.
Cat unhooked the bra, pulled a T-shirt from her backpack and slipped into it. Its threadbare state made it marginal for decency, but at least it covered her. “Good enough?”
Jane nodded. “You probably heard from Gabe that I’m helping out with Daisy, Lissa’s daughter. You’ll need to keep your words clean around her.”
“No problem, not these days,” Cat said. “And before you mention it, I do have a longer skirt. I find this thing—” she patted her butt-skimming mini “—more effective when I’m hitchhiking.” She slipped the skirt off and stuffed it in the top of her backpack.
“You hitchhiked from Vegas?” Jane’s mind filled with gruesome scenarios.
“It takes two or three days,” Cat admitted, as if that was the only problem. “But the truck drivers like to look at some thigh as they drive and you can trust them. Mostly.” The last word came out with an air of regretful reminiscence Jane didn’t want to investigate right now.
Jane undid the tie of her wrap dress. Kyle had liked the way it showed glimpses of her legs. “Since when have you been a regular visitor to Dad?”
“I made a few changes over the past year,” Cat said. “I wanted a life more...normal, I guess. And normal people keep in touch with family.”
“Surely that depends on the family,” Jane said.
“Dad might not be much of a father,” Cat said, “but thanks to the Colorado Corrections Department you always know where he is, which is more than I can say for the rest of you.”
“You know I’m based in Denver,” Jane said skeptically, stepping out of her dress. “You could find my number on the internet anytime you wanted.”
“Dad needed the connection more,” Cat said. “I’m also trying to be more generous in the way I live.”
Jane recognized a leading remark when she heard it. She crossed to the closet and hung up her dress. “How much do you need?” Not that she could afford much—she never had been able to.
Cat didn’t pretend not to understand. “I’m not here for money. I’m talking about emotional generosity. I’m here to mend fences. With you.”
Jane snorted.
“You have reason to disbelieve that,” Cat agreed. “But here’s the thing. Last September, I hit rock-bottom and it wasn’t pretty. I met a couple—the Boyds, Dee and Andy—who let me stay with them, helped me get back on my feet. Watching how they lived—setting goals and then achieving them through hard work, putting each other first, thinking about the greater good of their church and community—it affected me.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I guess it’s like the experience you had with Lissa’s family, which I never understood back then.”
Jane nodded. “What was this couple’s motive?” she asked. “Were they trying to convert you?”
“No, but I did start to think they might be on to something with their church stuff. They—” Cat shrugged “—they had a lot of peace and contentment. I realized life’s more enjoyable when you’re not always moving around to avoid the people you’ve conned.”
“I could have told you that,” Jane said. “I did tell you that.”
Cat spread her hands in apology. “Would it help if I said that now that I’ve seen the light, I want to get closer to you?”
Jane stiffened. She didn’t trust anyone in her family—she’d learned that from bitter experience. “No, thanks, I’d rather not hand over any money to someone who’ll spend it on booze and setting up elaborate cons,” she said. “Such as your imminent religious conversion.”
“That’s not a con, Jane. If it happens it’ll be for real. And I’m not here for money.” Cat lifted the duvet and climbed into bed.
“Other side,” Jane ordered. She hated that something about Cat’s story tugged at her heartstrings. She hated how much she wanted to believe it. I should know better. I do know better.
Cat obediently moved across the bed.
“You’ll need to leave in the morning,” Jane said. “I’ll buy you a bus ticket back to Vegas, but that’s the only money you’re getting.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
WHEN CAT WAS GONE from the bed on Sunday morning, and her backpack nowhere in sight, Jane hoped her sister had gotten the message and left town. It would be worth finding her wallet c
leared out just to be free of the potential trouble Cat could cause.
Jane needed to resume the conversation with Kyle that her sister’s arrival had interrupted. It seemed they’d agreed Jane would stay in Pinyon Ridge a couple more weeks. But that wasn’t a heck of a lot of time to figure out where she might fit in Daisy’s life...and Kyle’s, too. If there were any chance of a relationship, she needed to make like Micki—do whatever she could to show Kyle that it could work. Starting now. Without her sister around to mess things up.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t taken into account Cat’s considerable powers of persuasion.
Turned out her sister had risen early to talk Kyle into letting her stay a little longer. When he’d heard she had experience as a laborer on a construction site, he’d hired her to help with the finishing of his new house.
Jane heard all this when she went to the house to pick up Daisy, who’d been to church with Kyle in the morning.
“You gave Cat a job?” she asked, aghast.
“I thought you’d be pleased.” Kyle set down the paintbrush he’d been using to stain the decking. “You’re the one who said no one in Pinyon Ridge would give you a chance at a job because you were a Slater.”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t give Cat a job.” Jane was aware of the irony of that, but the fact was, Cat couldn’t be trusted, and Jane didn’t need her sister screwing up her best chance to be a part of Daisy’s life. She glanced around. “Where is she, anyway?”
“I sent her to the store for more undercoat—she’s painting Daisy’s room.”
“You gave her money? And a car? For Pete’s sake, Kyle, you might as well phone 9-1-1 right now.”
Kyle ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, you didn’t say anything last night to make me think you didn’t trust her.”
“I didn’t want to say it in public in front of her—surely you noticed I was cool toward her.”
He grinned. “I thought that was because she’d stymied our plans for—”
“It wasn’t,” she said quickly. “Cat only ever shows up when she needs money.”
“All the more reason to give her a job. Cat told me she’s turned over a new leaf. My first reaction was doubt, but I decided that was the kind of narrow-mindedness you’ve called my family on before.” Kyle walked to the edge of the deck and inspected the sky where gray clouds were rolling in. “I might have to call it a day out here. Look, I watched Cat for half an hour this morning before I left for church—she’s not built like a typical construction worker, but she’s strong and she knows what she’s doing.”
“When are you expecting her back?” Jane would talk to Cat herself, see if she could convince her to leave.
He checked his watch. “Nearly an hour ago,” he said, surprised.
Jane groaned. “I hope you weren’t too attached to that truck, because—”
Before she could finish her sentence, the truck pulled into the driveway, Cat at the wheel. She made no effort to park, just stopped in the middle of the pavement. She sprang down from the cab, slamming the door behind her. Having hoisted two large paint cans from the truck bed, she stomped up the steps.
At the sound of another car pulling into the driveway, she stopped.
“It’s Gabe,” Kyle said, when he saw the red Ford Focus. “Why is he here?”
“Because he has no freakin’ sense of humor,” Cat snapped. She tossed the truck keys to Kyle, then planted her hands on her hips and waited for Gabe to get out of his car.
“Don’t start,” she yelled, before he took so much as a step in their direction.
“You think I should let you get away with what you just did?” Unlike Cat, Gabe didn’t sound mad...more a controlled kind of angry.
“I didn’t say anything she didn’t deserve,” Cat called.
Jane traded glances with Kyle. What the heck had Cat done?
“You don’t think it was unacceptable, calling my secretary an old prune?” Gabe demanded.
“If you knew what I really wanted to call her,” Cat snapped, “you’d admire my restraint.”
“I don’t give a f— A hoot.” Now Gabe looked mad. At himself.
“He hasn’t even come close to cursing in years,” Kyle murmured to Jane.
Gabe continued more calmly, “I know Alicia isn’t the easiest woman to get along with....”
“She asked if I’ve changed my thieving ways or if she should lock up the collection plate!”
Jane snorted, earning a glare from her sister.
“We don’t even have a collection plate, it was a joke. Her sense of humor can be inappropriate.” Gabe sounded more himself. “That’s got her into trouble before, as anyone in town can tell you. I gave her a job as part of a plan to improve her people skills.”
“It’s not working!” Cat stormed. “You shouldn’t hire someone out of pity if they’re not up to the job.”
“Kyle hired you,” Gabe said.
Jane sucked in a breath, and was pretty sure Kyle did the same. Cat turned scarlet. She opened her mouth, ready to vaporize Gabe.
“Cat’s good at her job,” Kyle said. “The fact that she’s a pity case is secondary.”
Amazingly, though Cat glared, she didn’t explode. “I’m going to get that undercoat on those walls,” she muttered, then disappeared into the house.
Gabe watched her go with an enigmatic look on his face.
“Is it true you used to date Cat?” Jane asked.
He jolted. “Uh, yeah. In senior year.”
“You took me to the prom. Were you two-timing me with my own sister?”
Kyle took a step toward his brother, as if he might be prepared to land a punch if Gabe had been that much of a jerk. A warm, cozy feeling spread through Jane’s chest. He’d do that for me. Just like he hired my con-artist sister for me.
“Of course not.” Gabe didn’t look entirely comfortable. “You and I didn’t date after the prom—”
“Because I wouldn’t sleep with you.”
He winced. “A few weeks later, Cat and I...got together.” The dull red beneath his tan told her exactly what “got together” meant.
“She was a sophomore!” Jane said.
“We were both underage,” Gabe admitted. “What we did was wrong, but Jane, it’s not for you to judge. I’ve put my past sins behind me.” He met her gaze steadily, his meaning clear: she, of all people, should be willing to do the same. “Now, I have a few more words to say to your stubborn sister.”
Well, huh. Despite that unspoken homily to Jane, he looked anything but forgiving as he walked after Cat.
“Did he make you feel guilty or was it just me?” Kyle asked.
Jane turned to him in relief. “How does he do that without saying anything?”
“I don’t know. All I know is, we sinners need to stick together.” He took her into his arms.
Jane turned her face up to his.
The kiss was different from last night’s. Slower, more tender, exploratory. It put a curious ache in her chest.
The purr of a powerful engine broke them apart.
Kyle swore. “What is this, Grand Central Station?”
Charles Everson had just arrived. And seen them in the clinch, going by the frown on his face.
Just let him say something, Jane thought. Micki had given her a blow-by-blow account this morning of their night out in Frisco, so he was hardly one to comment on whether or not she was a suitable recipient of Kyle’s kisses.
“What do you want, Dad?” Kyle asked shortly.
Charles barely seemed to notice his son’s bordering-on-rude manner. “I thought— I don’t know, just a chat. But you’re busy.” He glanced from Kyle to Jane.
Cat marched back out onto the deck.
“Tell your brother to stop harassing me or I’ll quit,” she told Kyle.
“Or you could just quit anyway,” Jane suggested.
Cat narrowed her eyes.
“Dad, this is Jane’s sister, Cat.” Kyle performed the introduction.
“Hello, Cat,” Charles said, his greeting neither warm nor cold. An improvement on the welcome he’d extended to Jane a month ago. “Short for Catherine, if I remember rightly?”
“Short for hellcat,” Cat corrected him.
Charles pursed his mouth, but didn’t say anything.
Jane’s eyes met Kyle’s...and found him stifling a laugh, just as she was.
“Families,” he murmured. “Can’t live with them...”
“And they won’t let you live without them,” she finished.
He grinned, that open, unstinting smile he was getting good at, the one that had such a powerful effect on her heart.
I could fall in love with this man.
What the heck? Jane froze. No, she could not fall in love with Kyle Everson. Not without an ironclad guarantee that he would never hurt her, and that wasn’t going to happen. She could love Daisy—or rather, she couldn’t not love Daisy—but when it came to Kyle, she had a choice.
She could like him, flirt with him, kiss him, maybe even sleep with him. She didn’t have to fall in love with him. She wouldn’t.
* * *
“DID YOU RESOLVE your spat with Gabe?” Jane asked as Cat helped unload the dishwasher that evening. Kyle had eaten dinner with them and set Daisy up at the coffee table in the living room with her crayons and coloring book before going back to work at the new house. He’d refused Cat’s offer of assistance.
Jane was glad to see him go. She didn’t want to think about the feelings he’d stirred up today. She also wanted to establish some kind of truce with Cat, one that would involve Cat promising not to make trouble, in exchange for being allowed to stay a bit longer.