by Gayle Eden
Love Came Home (4 Oaks)
Eden, Gayle
Gayle Eden (2013)
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Love Came Home
(A 4-Oaks Novel)
By
Gayle Eden
Gayle Eden © 2013
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Copyright © 2013 Gayle Eden
First publication 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
The right of Gayle Eden to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.
First Edition.
All characters in this publication are purely fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental
Chapter One
Skye Cassel stood at the back of a long line in Adeline Hunt’s flower shop, located on Main Street. For once, she was pleased people had something to whisper and about besides herself and her brother Rayne. (The Croft Brothers from 4 Oaks ranch, being all under one roof for the first time—and currently in the flower shop, ordering flowers for their Grandfather JC’s funeral, being their interest today.)
She and Rayne had been the scandal of the town for as long as Skye could remember. Thanks to her mother being the (fallen) beauty queen, who got busted for drugs when Skye was five—grand larceny when she was 10—and was now doing hard time for dealing— getting caught up in a huge drug sweep a few years ago. Her Mom, Chloe, was the daughter of a couple with founding-father ties to the community, wealthy and well respected. They were now deceased.
The Cassel’s had taken Skye and Rayne in when Chloe was finally put away for good. However, until the day they died they had no love for either Skye or Rayne, and let everyone know what an embarrassment and shame they were.
Cassel was not Skye’s father’s name. She had no clue who he was. Since she had fox red hair and indigo eyes and was an average five foot five, and her brother Rayne had black hair and violet/gray eyes, and stood six foot tall. It was rumored he was fathered by the well-respected rancher/lawyer, Brice Salinas. No one but her Mother could tell her who fathered her—if Chloe herself knew that. And they were not communicating.
Rayne now had the (Bad Boy) of Maple Grove label, with his tats and long hair and Harley—his job as a bartender and bouncer. Her running a popular theme wedding business certainly rubbed those with long memories the wrong way. Given their druthers, they would just as soon both of them had stayed away when they’d taken off right after the elder Cassel’s died.
Sighing and looking around, she mentally calculated how many black carnations she needed for the Halloween Wedding. Her partner in the business, Jesse, and Jess’s brother, Juda Vaughn, were at the moment painting tombstones, hanging ghouls from the rafters of the massive converted barn she’d bought on the Vaughn land, and trying to get the sound effects timed right. That being, The witches of Endor.
Skye observed that many in her generation were non-traditionalist, when it came to weddings. When she’d been taking night classes while away, doing side jobs—everything from a tiki hula dancer at beach clubs, to a vamp at haunted houses—she discovered there was a niche there.
Momentarily lost in her must-do-today list, she was absently aware of hearing Kane Croft’s deep rumbled voice. Kane had been the one to stick at the ranch. Everyone knew him when he came to town. He was long and tall, muscled; broad shouldered, and had a rugged face— most of the time scruffy from indifferent shaving, and leafy green eyes.
The last time Skye had seen Carter, the oldest, had been when he was a young boy, around ten. He had blacked Tommy Taylor’s eye on the school grounds for mocking her. Skye carried a hero image of him in her mind for years. Back then, he had been tall, tanned, and strong from ranch work. He’d had deep brown hair—whereas Kane’s was sun lightened to a burnt honey. Carter’s eyes were the color of limes.
No one in her life but Rayne had ever defended her before that. Rayne blacked Tommy’s other eye. Skye had been five at the time.
That was twenty-two years ago.
God— how time just slipped away.
Carter left with his mother after their father had been killed in a car wreck. The mother was now remarried. He had apparently brought a stepsister from that union home with him—Kelly Harris, from South Carolina...
It was said, that the parents were divorcing when John died, and that the third brother, Rio’s mother, was the cause. Obviously true, since Rio was the half-Mexican son of Maria Sanchez, and bastard of John Croft. She had given him the Croft name. Everyone knew too, that Maria went from man to man—most of who didn’t like Rio hanging around. She finally lit out with one for good one day. No one, not even Rio, knew where she was.
Old JC Croft had claimed Rio. Not that Rio lived in the ranch house until recently. Reo had lived all over the place growing up, and on and off with a divorced woman, Delany Smith, when he was fourteen. He had scandalously fathered her daughter, Willow, who was half his age now. (That was a new scandal, since it had been the girl who had the DNA test done)
In time, old Croft got him to move into a camper on the 4 oaks ranch. He worked with local authorities, transitioning rescued animals, and had (the gift) by all accounts. Dark skin, pitch-black hair, and the croft green eyes—light with jade flecks, he was tall, lean muscled and turned heads no matter where he went. Her friend Jesse Vaughn had been crazy for Rio, for as long as Skye could recall. Jesse and Kane being neighbors, good friends, running cattle and riding together. It was painful beyond words that Rio never seemed to be anything but polite and distant to Jesse.
Truth was, like her brother Rayne, Rio was a loner. She understood, being born a scandal, growing up as fodder for gossip... You never lost that outcast feeling.
When Skye had entered the flower shop, two women were whispering that Kane (let him) move into the ranch house. She doubted that was the case. Kane didn’t appear to have any problem with Rio. Carter? She didn’t know.
The line moved up. Several people clustered up to the small desk, so Skye occupied herself looking at fall decorations for sale.
She was wasting time, standing by the door, when the Croft men passed her.
Skye nearly jumped out of her skin as a smooth drawl sounded behind her.
“Skye?”
She turned her head first, looking over her shoulder at a tall, handsome man, regarding her with lime green eyes and an easy grin. Pivoting on the heel of her knee-high suede boots, she resisted the urge to gape, to blink.
“Carter.”
He flashed white teeth between semi full lips, nodding, and drawing her glance up for a second to his layered brown hair. God, she thought, trying not to gawk, that boy on the playground was now six feet four—and an incredibly handsome man.
“I didn’t know you still lived around here,” his drawl was less Tennessee native and more the Carolinas.
“Rayne and I left—well, long story. But we moved back two years ago. I bought that big barn old man Vaughn used to work on tractors, and converted it. I live there.” She smiled. “Run a wedding theme business with Jesse.”
Since the Vaughn place was down the same dirt road—an off lane, actually, as 4 oaks, he had likely spied the sign when he arrived.
Shock was dissipating with absorbing. Skye noted he had on stylish jeans, work boots, a long sleeved green T-shirt with a deer logo. Yeah, that he was
ripped. The shirt hugged every smooth muscle too. What had been a “cute” boy, was certainly a gorgeous man.
“I’m sorry about your Grandfather.”
His smiled faded some. Shadows passed in his eyes. “Thank you. Me too.” He was looking her over, taking in changes—likely the grown up Skye vs the five year old he had last seen. He said softly, “I should have come home. He begged me to, every time he called.”
“You’ve been in the Carolinas?”
“Yes. I stayed there after mother moved to Florida with Charles. I’d been doing sales—Demos, at outdoor sports events. Bass Pro, Cabalas, that kind of thing. I had contracts…” He fell silent.
She felt tension.
Something made her glance out the glass doors to see Kane and Rio waiting by an unfamiliar grass green and yellow custom truck. Since it had a deer in a canoe wearing sunglasses on the door, she assumed it was Carters.
Rio drove a black one with a rack on it, and Kane had a mid-sized car and a red pickup.
Flickering her gaze back, she sensed everyone in the shop was staring at them. Flushing, she murmured, “It’s good to see you. Again, my condolences. It would please your grandfather to know all of his grandsons are together.”
It wasn’t just that he was good looking— a Croft, or whatever. Skye figured eventually, he would find out her life had gone from bad to worse—that her mother was still doing time. People would warn him to avoid her—particularly those who thought she should pay for the circumstances she was born in.
His eyes holding hers said he was perfectly aware of stares and didn’t give a shit. Carter mused aloud, “A wedding business. I recall seeing the sign now. I’m glad you did well for yourself, Skye.”
Flushing darker, though she had always thought she was too cynical to do things like that, she mumbled, “Thank you. I’m glad Jesse sold me that barn and went into business with me. Considering all I had was a notebook of crazy ideas…”
His gaze flickered over her chin length side parted hair, then the fall hued blouse she wore, with snug fitting black pants. When they lingered on her throat, moving up to her lips, she felt heat of another kind spreading over her. A new kind of sparking tension between them.
Skye rushed to say, “Well, I have black carnations to order. I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend the wake and funeral. I have a wedding to do.”
He nodded and half turned, since she was rushing to let him move on and get herself up to the desk—
His hand caught her wrist.
Skye felt those strong fingers like an electric current. Chin tilted, to look at him, she arched her brow.
Carter leaned down, smelling like nice cologne, crisp fall, and man. He said low, “You know what I think about the town and their opinions? About the same as I did Tommy Taylor’s back in the day. You grew up really fine, Skye. Real fine.”
She was still blushing when he winked and released her before sauntering out the door.
“Skye?”
“Oh—
She realized that Adeline had been calling her name, and was ready to wait on her. They had a business arrangement that worked to Adeline’s benefit too. Not that Adeline had ever judged Skye, or shunned her. The woman was full figured, short brown hair, quiet spoken, and went to church. She handled gossip with a grain of salt.
“Black carnations. About 6 dozen.” Skye grimaced.
The woman laughed. “Not a problem.”
Skye sighed, relieved. “You wouldn’t believe my list. Spice and orange candles, gauze, for mummies, fake blood—bones and fangs…”
After laughing with her and arranging for Jesse to pick up the flowers first thing in the morning, Adeline made sure there was no one in the shop but a couple of male farmers not paying them any mind—likely there to order flowers for JC’s funeral. She murmured, “Carter sure grew up attractive. Didn’t he?”
“Yeah. Very.” Skye bit her lip on a grin.
The woman’s blue eyes moved over her. “You didn’t see him looking at you before he spoke your name, but I swear… he came to a dead stop. Kane ran into him. He was still staring.”
“Been…twenty some years. I’m surprised he recognized me.”
“That hair of yours,” Adeline teased. “Those big pretty eyes.”
“Okay. I’m blushing. And leaving. Got stuff to do.”
“See you.”
“Yeah. Week after next, we do the cowboy wedding.” Skye called as she was leaving, “I’ll need cactus!”
Outside in the parking lot, she half noticed the busy town streets and the colorful maple trees dressing it out beautifully. Halloween décor graced shop windows. The scent of pretzels and coffee wafted up from the nearest bakery/café.
Skye climbed into Jesse’s jeep, having a motorcycle she rode most of the time. She finished her lists. Her mind was on Carter Croft. He was the oldest Croft brother, at thirty-five. The tallest by a few inches. Aside from the croft green eyes, he had a more bulk to the muscle. Still, he and Kane favored.
“Mercy.” She rolled the window down, it being a fifty-degree day but her body still tingling. Her blood pumped too hard. She had watched her step since starting her business, and making it a success, thanks to the new to town and younger generation, who did not seem to let the scandals or the fact that Bad Boy Rayne was her brother, bother them.
Skye was a little mortified, reflecting on why Tommy had been teasing her that day. Home, in those days, was wherever her mom parked whatever car she was driving. She and Rayne didn’t get to bathe or wash their hair sometimes. Their clothing was always wrinkled, and worn for days at a time. When Chloe was shacked up with someone, they usually didn’t want them around. Some beat on Rayne. He took it to protect her. Addicts and dealers were often mean, violent, had guns, and were predators. They were more or less homeless. And most of the time hungry…
Skye muttered and shook her head. She dealt with the bitterness. The stares were part of life. She knew that when she moved back.
Passing O’Malley’s bar and grill on the way out of town, she often ate there despite having a bad (dating) experience with one of the waiters. She was not a coward. She had grown up. She was used to taking care of herself.
She went through the intersection. About fifteen miles up, Skye turned off the dirt road leading to 4 Oaks. Three miles in, she turned right to a lane, where the Vaughn place was—smiling—as she did every time she saw the big colorful sign that read (S and J Theme weddings. You dream it; We’ll make it come true.) As the soaring massive barn came into view, Juda Vaughn’s house sat up on a rise from it. Skye felt a sense of home and pride.
It was home.
The only home she had ever known.
Chapter 2
It was a crisp fall morning at 4 oaks ranch, the place was cradled in the palm of a wide valley and surrounded by brilliantly hued rolling mountains. The fresh cut hayfields were golden and sparkling with dew. The pastures beyond were still deep green. A rambling stone and timber house was bathed in a lingering wisp of fog. Smoke puffed from the chimney to the great room fireplace, carrying that acrid aroma of wood, mingling with earthy scents in the air.
The driveway leading up to the house sported four 200-year-old oaks that sprinkled leaves down, mingling them with the red, orange, and yellows from others that had wafted to the lawn and drive. Aside the shallow steps, leading to a long cement and stone porch, were hay bales, fodder shocks, pumpkins, and Indian corn decorations that Kane fixed every year during Halloween, harvest, and thanksgiving.
Carter Croft stepped out onto the porch with a steaming mug of coffee, his light eyes sweeping the landscape as he sipped and walked to the west side, to lean against the half stone porch brace.
Propping a shoulder there, he watched the black crows already gathering in the field, observed horses in the distant pasture, and heard dogs barking as the cattle were gathering round the grain troughs. He breathed in the essence of the place that he had carried with him, no matter where he went. Like the old
man they had buried yesterday, it was in his blood, in his soul.
His mind drifted through the wake and funeral, people coming and going, many of them merely curious to see the younger Crofts standing side by side. Coming by to see three Croft brothers inside the ranch house for the first time.
Kane had always lived on the place with their Grandfather. Carter had been the oldest, and left with their mother, Caroline—who was in the process of divorcing their father when he had been killed. Rio—a half-brother, was a long story in itself.
This morning, Rio had looked rough, having spent most of the night before with one of the “rescued” animals the county authorities often brought to 4 Oaks. Sooty hair in disarray and his denim shirt flapped back from his dark and lean muscled torso. Built tall, broad shouldered, Rio’s half-Mexican heritage gave him darker skin and pitch-black hair. He had the Croft green eyes but his own unique hue. Kane was as tall, muscled as himself, but rough edged from ranch work.
At six four, Cater was still the tallest, but not by much. They were brothers. Half or whole, didn’t matter.
They had buried their Grandfather. JC. Croft—the only thread that tied them all together, aside from 4 Oaks. Carter and Kane’s adult lives had been lived apart. Rio wasn’t ever a part of the past family unit when Carter had left. His mother being the reason Carter’s mother had been in the process of divorce when John JR died. Though Caroline had moved on, married again, lived contently in a Florida retirement community now; it was salt in an already sore wound. Carter had been dealing with the grief of losing his father. Kane doubtless felt abandoned by their mother. Both brothers were older before they learned Rio was their half-brother.
Their Grandfather Croft had started bringing Rio to the ranch to work with the horses and cattle. Having the gift, as it were, Rio had already been working with the Animal rescue and adoption system. He had been locally known for his abilities with creatures of all sorts. Everyone, from the vet, and K9 units had utilized his skills. According to Kane, in past years, Rio wouldn’t live in the house. He’d put a camper down by the river and lived in that until recently.