Love Me Tender

by Wendy Vella

“It seems kind of hard to believe though, Joe.”

  “Extremely, but I can’t think what else is motivating whoever is behind this.”

  “Small town mentality,” Jack said. “I think Rory could be in danger, Joe.”

  “Could be, and that shit, pardon the pun again, was a nasty act. Now I’m going to ask you something, and you need to play it straight with me, Jack.”

  His gut suddenly clenched, because that was something Joe used to ask him when he’d come back into his life and wrestled him back into line.

  “What?”

  “Just how much do you care about Rory Haldane?”

  “I don’t!” The words exploded out of Jack’s mouth. “No way. She’s not my type at all.”

  “That was one hell of a protest you had going on there, bro.”

  “I mean it. I’m looking out for her as a friend.”

  “Is that why you put your arm around her when you stomped through the angry mob at the lodge to her side?”

  “I didn’t stomp through anyone, and I was just showing my support.” Jack tried not to sound defensive, but it came out that way.

  “Sure, and that was very white knight of you.”

  “She’s alone, for fuck’s sake!”

  “She has Bas, and from the look of it, Mandy.”

  “If you don’t want to help her then don’t. I’m not making you,” Jack said, sounding irrational but unable to stop himself.

  “You know me better than that.” Joe’s voice was calm. “Just like I know you. I know you don’t let too many people realize just how that brain of yours works... which incidentally is way better than most people’s. I know that you hide behind that smile so you don’t get hurt—”

  “I like to smile.”

  “Sure, but mine doesn’t make women sigh. What goes on inside here,” Joe leaned over and tapped the side of Jack’s head, “is way different from what people see. The facade you’ve cultivated will have to slip one day, bud.”

  “I have no idea where the hell you’re going with this, but if by chance it circles back to Rory Haldane, you’re not thinking straight. Love and the prospect of being a daddy have made you all soft and mushy.”

  “Whatever, and you can protest all you like, but I know what I see. Oh, and by the way, Bailey agrees with me.”

  “Of course she does, she’s your wife,” Jack made himself drawl.

  “I like her.”

  “You should, she’s your wife.”

  “Ha ha. You know what I mean.”

  “Whatever, now shut up.”

  As they were pulling up at the house, Joe did just that, but it didn’t mean that Jack wasn’t left chewing over what his brother had said.

  Chapter 30

  Rory felt sick inside her stomach. She’d hated the letters and the rock, but the manure…. How could someone be so filled with hate to do that?

  “Come on, Rory, it’s freezing out here, and I need a hot chocolate.”

  Luke nudged her toward the front door of the big, inviting farmhouse she’d been in after the basketball game. She took Phil from him, as the cat looked nervous.

  “You sure you can handle him?”

  “I was a vet.”

  “Got it.”

  “I’m sleeping in the barn,” Rory said when they stepped through the door.

  “Why? We have plenty of room here, and both Jack and I are gentlemen.”

  “One night, and I’m spending it in the accommodations Jack told me were in the barn,” Rory insisted. She was adamant in this, and no one was changing her mind. Especially not Mr. Sexy Pants who’d just walked in the front door behind them looking like a thundercloud.

  “I’ll be putting my things in my car.”

  “Sure,” he said, taking Phil out of her arms and walking down a hall. “You can freeze in the barn if you want.”

  “He’s lying, he won’t let you,” Luke said, placing a hand on her shoulder and urging her to follow. “It’s his way. Reverse psychology.”

  “To be fair, he’s the smartest of us and can usually get us to do whatever the hell he wants with little effort.” Joe arrived, shrugging out of his jacket.

  “Yeah, don’t let that ugly face fool you, Rory. Jack’s a real brain box. He plays the stock market and runs all our finances... well, mine and Aunt Jess’s anyways. Bailey and Dylan take care of the others.”

  “Jack plays the stock market?” She stopped to look at the brothers behind her to make sure they weren’t messing with her. They both nodded.

  “He did a degree in business and finance online,” Luke added.

  Rory shouldn’t be shocked but she was. She knew Jack was smart, just not how smart.

  She started walking as a hand nudged her through the door.

  A large tree had taken up residence in one corner of the kitchen-dining area since she was last here, and holly boughs hung from the ceiling. The Trainers’ aunt was once again bustling about in the kitchen.

  “Are you sure I can’t convince you to marry me, Jess?”

  Chief Blake was seated at the table with a large piece of cake and mug of coffee before him.

  “You work fast,” Luke said, moving to kiss his aunt, then get his own piece of cake.

  “And you have a wife and children already. Besides, Uncle Chief Blake just doesn’t have a good ring to it.”

  Jack snickered. Rory watched him lower Phil to the floor. Buzz, who’d just arrived, came up to inspect. The two animals faced off, then Phil wandered over to the food bowl and Buzz followed.

  “They remember each other. The cat knew it was the dog that found him,” Luke said, taking a seat with his brothers. “That’s why there’s no growling or hissing from either party.”

  “Sit, for pity’s sake,” Jack said, motioning Rory to a seat. She hesitated, quite happy hovering in the doorway.

  “What?” Aunt Jess turned and saw her. “You boys have no manners!” she snapped, coming to hug Rory, who couldn’t help but stiffen up. “Sit down, dear, and I’ll fix you a coffee.”

  “I could fix it?”

  “She doesn’t like people messing with things in her kitchen,” Luke said. “My advice is to take a seat.”

  Rory sat next to Jack, as it was the only space available.

  “Is that a pineapple upside down cake?” Rory’s mouth watered as she looked at the plate that had been placed on the table.

  “Best in town,” Joe said, flashing her a smile.

  “Why are you all here and not up at the lodge watching reruns of basketball?”

  “That’s my fault,” Rory said to Aunt Jess.

  “I thought it may be, seeing as Chief Blake is here too. But I doubt the fault is yours, just the reason.”

  Jack explained what had been happening.

  “I’m sorry about that, Rory. No way should it still be riling people up to that degree so many years on, especially as the money was repaid.”

  Chief Blake began to question her. He started with the letter and went on from there, then he doubled back to the original crime.

  “I’ve heard about what happened, and I’m sorry it forced you and your family out of Ryker Falls. Can’t have been an easy time for anyone.”

  “My father believed he was innocent and didn’t change his story once. His last words to me were the same as the first ones he uttered about that time. ‘I’m innocent, Rory, someone set me up.’”

  She didn’t know why she’d said those words again, for the second time that day, but maybe she just wanted to see what kind of reaction they’d get—or maybe Jack’s words had started her thinking. Because if her father was innocent and someone was coming after her out of fear, then their lives had been turned upside down for nothing. It was almost more than she could handle.

  “Rory?” A large hand touched her shoulder. “You doing okay?”

  She nodded, but didn’t look at Jack, because suddenly she felt vulnerable, and now was not the time for that. Now, she needed to be strong.

  “I—ah, I
need to go to the stables and put my things away.” Rory got out of her seat quickly.

  “Rory, sit down.” She shrugged off the hand Jack put on her arm. “Your things are in the spare room here.”

  “No! Thanks,” she made herself say. “I want the stable.”

  “And yet you’ll stay here.”

  She backed away from the table, her eyes going from Jack to Joe, then to his aunt and Chief Blake, who were all watching her calmly.

  “I’ll be here one night, and that will be spent in the barn. I will leave now, Chief Blake, if you’re finished with me, and organize someone to clean the house.”

  “I have some more questions, Rory, so maybe you could call by the station tomorrow?”

  “Will you just sit down!” Jack got to his feet looking frustrated. “Seriously, you’re not alone now. We can help.”

  Rory shook her head as she backed toward the door.

  “I don’t want you caught up in whatever this is. This is my problem, and as I don’t have to live here permanently, I’ll deal with it. You guys don’t need this crap coming down on your heads.”

  “Rory, we already drew sides at the lodge.”

  “No, Jack. Un-draw them,” she said. “Sorry, I have to go.” She ran out the door and jumped in her car. Without looking back, Rory sped out of the driveway.

  She’d intended driving out of Ryker for a while. Just a few hours until she had her head back on straight. Instead she found herself down by the boardwalk. Parking, Rory got out and took the steps down to the dock. The day was cold, icy in fact, and she dug around in her pocket, but realized her hat was back in the car. Sitting, she pulled up the hood of her coat and stuffed her hands in her pockets. Knowing how her luck was falling, she figured it would snow soon, but right at that moment she didn’t care.

  She should just leave town; it would make things way simpler. What was stopping her? Someone would care for Phil, probably the Trainers. Those people had so much now, when once they’d had so little. For Rory it was the opposite. She’d had everything, living here, and lost it when she’d left.

  She thought about that as the wind slowly turned her head to an ice sculpture. Thought about her dad’s suffering and what her family had been through since leaving Ryker Falls.

  “Did you do it, Dad?” She threw the words into the air, but no answer came back. She wanted her brothers right then, or at least one of them... anyone would do. Just a family member that she loved.

  “Hey, you doing okay there?”

  Rory looked up to find a couple staring at her. They were dressed in bright colors, their clothes telling her they were from across the water in the commune. That place had intrigued her as a child; she’d only managed to get over there once when they had a fair, but she knew it was a teenage rite of passage to head there at some stage.

  “Sure, thanks.”

  “It’s pretty cold out here. You want to come over? We’re having a communal meal tonight and we have mulled wine. You look like you could do with something to warm you up,” the man said, holding out his hand. “Name’s Beau, and this is Iris.”

  She had long flowing gold hair that reminded Rory of the fairies she’d liked to draw as a child. His was brown and pulled back in a braid. They both looked happy and calm. She could do with some happy and calm about now.

  “I have to clean my house out, it has manure in it.”

  “That’s got to annoy you,” Beau said, as if having this kind of odd conversation was a regular thing for him

  “And then some. It really smells.”

  “It’s probably going to smell the same tomorrow, or later, so why not come over and warm up before you have to clean it?”

  “You don’t understand, someone threw manure in there.”

  Shut up, Rory! Maybe the cold was making her stupid?

  “A lot of angry, poisonous people in the world. Come with us and forget for a while. We’ll help you clean up tomorrow.”

  “No, it’s okay, I can do that.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Rory.”

  “Well then, Rory, you come on with us.”

  The girl held out a hand to her, and Rory found herself taking it and letting them pull her to her feet. Minutes later she was in a boat being rowed across the water.

  “The fire will be roaring, so you’ll warm up soon. You like lentil burgers, Rory?”

  Not if they were the only food left on earth.

  “Of course, who doesn’t?”

  “You’re not a very good liar. But I think you’ll like these.”

  She let herself be tugged from the boat and walked the worn path between little huts, all painted in different colors, that were grouped together like books on a shelf until they reached an open area. Above were sails, and beneath were people all dressed like Beau and Iris, sitting around on various pieces of furniture. An open fire roared, and Rory realized just how cold she was as she approached.

  “We have a guest for our meal. This is Rory. Rory, everyone,” Beau said, waving a hand about.

  She was handed a mug and nudged into a seat beside a man who smiled at her.

  “I’m Grey,” he said.

  “Hi.”

  “Tell me, Rory, what do you think about this disposable culture we are facing today?”

  “Ah, it’s not good?”

  “Correct, but more importantly, how do we educate people about kicking the plastic habit?”

  Rory took the plate of food she was handed and bit into the brownie. It was oozing with chocolate but had an earthy taste which wasn’t unpleasant, just odd.

  “Education would be my guess,” she said before taking another bite.

  She drank a mug of mulled wine... but just one, as she wasn’t someone who could hold her alcohol, and ate the brownies she was handed, and listened as Grey talked. He was an intriguing man, as were the others she talked to. She found herself laughing, debating, and relaxing for the first time in many, many months. In fact, Rory was fairly sure she couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt this happy... and hungry, she was really hungry.

  Chapter 31

  Jack had discussed what he thought with Chief Blake after Rory left in a hurry. He’d got to the door as she jumped into her car then sped off down the driveway. He’d let her go; after all, he had her clothes and her cat. She’d come back when she was done doing whatever she thought she needed to do.

  “That’s a hell of a leap, Jack. I mean, that case was pretty clear-cut from what I gather. I looked into what records I could access after Rory arrived. The money was found in an account that was tracked back to Haldane, and there was a record of it getting there via his computer. Not sure how he could be anything but guilty.”

  “Why would he leave a trail back to him? It doesn’t make sense when you think about it. The man lived in this town, surely he realized people were going to notice the money was missing sooner or later. Plus, everyone says the guy was a sharp one. Why would he make that kind of mistake?”

  “It seemed pretty clear-cut to the judge, Jack.”

  “People are clever,” Aunt Jess said. “You can manipulate most things if you know how.”

  “Dylan, does your dad know who the lawyer was on the Haldane case?” Jack asked his brother-in-law when he wandered in with Pip and Grace.

  “I can ask. Why do you want to know?”

  Jack didn’t hide things from the people he cared about. So he told them about what he and Joe had been tossing around.

  “Oh God, I can’t even begin to comprehend how bad everyone would feel if they got it wrong and Mr. Haldane was innocent,” Pip said.

  “That’s not likely to happen,” Chief Blake cautioned.

  Jack let them talk while he thought about Rory and her family. He then left and headed out to the barn to work. He thought about going to track Rory down, but decided on calling her instead. She never picked up. She was emotional, and had plenty of reason to be, so he left her alone—for now.

  Returning t
o the house two hours later, however, he found she still hadn’t arrived.

  “She hasn’t come back and left again?” he asked his aunt.

  “No sign of her. Phil’s settled in well though.”

  The big cat was lying by the wood-burner with Buzz, happy with his new buddy.

  “I’ll go find her.”

  She wasn’t at her house, or anywhere he could see in town. He asked at Tea Total and A.S. and a few other shops.

  Getting back in his car, he started driving around and found her car down at the boardwalk.

  He checked the shops, but still no sign of Rory.

  “Where the hell are you, woman?” Leaning on the railing, he looked across the water to the small settlement the Trainer brothers called the green belt. Alternative lifestylers, Bailey called them. Jack had spent a bit of time over there in his youth.

  Could Rory be over there? He wasn’t sure why she would be, but he had no other place to look.

  Jack headed down the steps and climbed into one of the rowboats. If she wasn’t there, he’d just head back again. The wind was icy, and the going slow, but soon he was across. Mooring the boat, he headed down the path that lead to the small settlement. Music and laughter greeted him.

  “Hey, Jack.”

  “Syd.” He shook the man’s hand.

  “What brings you over here? You come for the gathering?”

  “No, I’m looking for a friend. Rory Haldane?”

  Syd smiled. “She’s here. Beau and Iris found her on the pier. She looked lonely and cold, so they brought her back here.”

  The thought of her cold and lonely wasn’t a happy one.

  “She’s having a great time, especially after a few of Nigel’s brownies.” He winked, and Jack felt his stomach drop.

  Nigel’s brownies were usually filled with something to make you happy. Jack also had firsthand knowledge of this, and of puking his guts out after eating several.

  “She’s through there.” Syd waved to his left.

  Jack was almost running by the time he found the group. Someone was playing the guitar and people were singing around the fire. He located Rory. She was laughing, her hair a halo around her head while she waved her hands about. She looked young and happy, unlike earlier today. He had to admit it added a whole new level of sexy to her.