Perfect Storm

by Geri Foster

  He opened the car door and allowed her to get in before securely closing it and looking around. Once in the car, he said, “Levi may be our strongest ally.”

  “Strange, isn’t it?”

  Levi Travis sat in his overstuffed chair and sipped a glass of bourbon. The hell they’d been through this morning had him hitting the bottle before noon. Now, he sat in a stupor and he could only blame one person.

  Aaron.

  How in the world had his seed created such a stupid boy? One with no spine, no guts, and could screw up a perfect life. Only his son could do that, and he did it regularly.

  He had to do something with that kid before he screwed up so badly he couldn’t save his ass. The boy proved time and time again he was capable of such a move. And, somehow, he had to get rid of that gal and the brat. He grew sick and tired of constantly being reminded what a fool Aaron had been in his youth, never mind the fact Aaron had somehow convinced himself he actually wanted the kid after all this time. What a joke.

  If it weren’t for the fact he was still young and virile, he would have dumped his son’s ass out years ago for his mistake with the Matthews girl. But no, he needed him to fix their reputation. One good marriage and the kid would be off his hands, gaining enough money in the process to make sure his daddy was sittin’ pretty. Too bad that gal, Beatrice’s, daddy in Dallas had to find out about his son’s dalliance. It’d cost them a fortune. By now they’d both have been set up for life, living in luxury. The kid really screwed up that opportunity.

  That didn’t mean that he hadn’t been busy trying to find another future Mrs. Aaron Travis. Hell, he spent half his time in Dallas playing matchmaker. But, word spread fast, even in a big city like Dallas, and old man Rosenstein had a big mouth.

  “Speak of the devil,” he said as his son entered the room. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Out, me and the boys need to burn off a little steam.”

  Not amused with his son’s indifference, he stated in a falsely calm voice, “You should stay home and let all this settle down some. That FBI guy means business.”

  Aaron laughed. “Buddy tweaked his ass good today.”

  He dropped his glass of liquor as he jumped to his feet. “What are you talking about?”

  Aaron froze in his tracks, stiffening his spine. Oh, he was getting it now. This was no game. Tentatively, he answered, “He left a little surprise in the big shot’s car.”

  He grabbed his son by the shirt and yanked ‘till his face was within inches of his. “Are you out of your mind? You’re lucky I didn’t beat you black and blue for that stunt you pulled at the courthouse, and now you do this?”

  Aaron struggled to get loose, but he held on tight. “Let me go.” His voice wavered a little.

  “Where’s all that fire now, boy? You were quick to tell me what was what at the courthouse, but now you’re shivering like a little girl. You’re a damn fool. You ain’t smart enough to know which way the wind blows.” He shoved Aaron toward the fireplace. “Go let off a little steam,” he mocked, “and while you’re at it, knock up another gal because one isn’t enough trouble.”

  Aaron stumbled, yet managed to stay on his feet. He pointed his finger at him. “One of these days you’re going to be sorry for the way you treat me.”

  “Been there, done that. You’re the worst son a man could ever have. Shoulda left with your mama.” Tears welled up in his son’s eyes, only angering him further. “Crying like a baby,” he sneered. “Maybe one of these days you’ll stop acting like one.”

  Excitement coursed through Candi’s veins at the thought of going house hunting with Austin. First and foremost, she got to spend time with him. Second, she’d get a chance to dream about one day owning her own home.

  They arrived at the first house and she stared at the outside. “It’s doesn’t have much curb appeal, does it?”

  “Does that mean you don’t like the outside?”

  “Well, Kendall could do wonders with the yard, but the way the house is situated on the lot is kind of wonky.”

  “Wonky?”

  “It’s a corner lot but notice, the door doesn’t actually face either street. It’s kind of pointed to the curb.”

  He took out his phone and set in on his thigh. “Shall we tell Benny we’re not interested?”

  She turned and glanced at him. “Austin, it’s your house. You can’t ask me to decide where you’re going to live.”

  “But, what if we end up sharing that house? I’d hate to have a strike against me before we get started. Living in an ugly house could spoil my chances.”

  She leaned her head back and laughed. “You’re so funny. I’d never not be with you because of the house you live in.”

  “Okay, but you don’t like this one, so let’s leave.” He picked up the phone, punched in a number and said, “Next.”

  She felt horrible. It didn’t seem right for him to depend on her to make the decision of where he lived. He had to decide that on his own. She promised not to say another negative word the rest of the evening.

  When they made it to the next house she nearly gasped. The neighborhood was all wrong and the place needed a lot of fixing up on the outside. She wondered how bad the inside might be. Glancing over at him, she broke her promise to herself and said, “I think you need to have another conversation with your realtor.”

  He leaned down and looked at the structure. “You might be right. I don’t like this one at all.” He made another call.

  Thankfully, the next house really caught her eye. Built only a few years ago, she remembered watching this place as it was built. It belonged to a couple that had occupied it less than a year because the husband’s company transferred them to Waco and the drive would take forever.

  “This one looks promising,” she said. “At least it’s worth a glance inside.”

  “I agree,” he said, unfastening his seatbelt. “I like the location. It’s less than a mile from your place.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “No, I don’t want to be on the other side of town.”

  Together, they walked up the sidewalk leading to the front door. “There are a lot of houses there. You might be closing yourself off to a winner.”

  He reached out and pulled her close. “I’ve already got a winner.”

  Benny ran up, key in hand. “I think you might like this place. It has a pool.”

  As the realtor leaned down to undo the latch, Austin looked over at her with his brows raised in question. She’d never considered a pool. Tyler loved to swim, but the idea of him accidentally falling in always scared her. Now, with him being older, that didn’t seem to bother her so much.

  She smiled back.

  He nodded and they stepped inside. She instantly took a strong liking to the place. It was spacious, clean, freshly painted, and had a large kitchen. She loved the idea of him having a laundry room, and the master suite had a bathroom larger than her apartment.

  While Benny checked the water heater in the garage, Austin slipped his arm around her and asked, “You like it?”

  She gave the interior a final inspection. “I love this house. It’s perfect for you. A little big, but I think you’ll adjust to that.”

  “Is it too big for….,” his eyes flew up to the ceiling, as he tapped his finger on his bottom lip. “Say, three people?” He dropped his gaze to her face. “Or maybe four?”

  Her heart nearly beat out of her chest. “You can’t be serious. Another child?”

  “Why not, we’re young.”

  She stomped her feet. “Stop it. You sound like it’s already been settled that we’re going to get married.”

  He acted all innocent as he clasped his hands behind his back and grinned. “Just making small talk.”

  “You’re evil, Austin Crawley.” She shook her finger at him. “And that’s a lousy way to propose to a woman.”

  He feigned shock. “How so?”

  She wave
d her arm in the air. “By going around being outrageously flirtatious. Making innuendos about us getting married when we’ve only just gotten reacquainted. That doesn’t quite do it for me.”

  “Really?” he asked. “What would?”

  She didn’t understand. “What would what?”

  “What would it take for you to seriously consider marrying me?”

  The question sucked her breath away and left her shaken. Yes, they’d been kidding around and had made some cute remarks, but everything in his mysterious green eyes appeared serious. And he mentioned other children. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She’d never thought about having more kids.

  In reality, she’d never thought of marrying either, not in a serious way. Unlike so many single women, she knew a man wasn’t the solution to every problem out there. Often, they became the cause for more frustration, instead.

  While she nibbled on her bottom lip, he folded his arms and gently tapped his toe. “I’m waiting.”

  She slapped at his forearm. “Stop kidding around. I said very clearly neither of us knows the other well enough to consider marriage. What if we did jump the gun and it all fell apart? Poor Tyler would be broken-hearted. I can’t do that to him.”

  “I agree with you completely. However, do you want to date endless years before we finally tie the knot?” He allowed his hands to drop down along each side of him. “Because I’ve done that and it’s boring as hell.”

  “But, what if we’re not meant for each other? Maybe this is all a big mistake.”

  “Maybe it’s a second chance?”

  Chapter 16

  Austin and Candi looked at two other houses before finally calling it a night. On the way back to her apartment, they both kept bringing up the first one they entered. The price seemed right and he liked the neighborhood.

  He didn’t have to stretch his imagination too far for a picture of him, Candi and Tyler all sharing the house as a family to appear. The minute they’d entered the house, he knew instinctively this could be their home. He wanted Candi to be his wife and the mother of their children.

  Now he had to convince her and she hadn’t exactly jumped at the idea. Of course, she had to be more cautious than he. She had Tyler to think about. He thought about the boy, too. About how great it would be to have a son, to fish together, play ball, and love just like his own.

  All this came as a pretty big surprise to him, considering he’d never given the prospect of having children a second thought before. He’d known he didn’t want them and knew they could be a pain. More to the point, fatherhood had always scared him because of the way his father had scarred him at a young age.

  Had he moved past that ugly part of his life? Right now, as they drove back toward Candi’s place, his monster of a dad entertained a young boy he clearly loved. Did people really have it in them to change so much?

  To be fair, at first, he had resented the affection his father spilled on Tyler. He’d wished that, perhaps, he’d have gotten his fair share of that attention when he was younger. But, now, after being around his dad and seeing how much he cared for the little guy, he didn’t feel that way anymore. He was just happy Tyler got to experience that kind of love.

  “What are you so deep in thought about?” Candi asked. “Or do I want to know?”

  He laughed. “I really have you afraid, don’t I?”

  She lifted her chin. “I wouldn’t say that exactly, but you sure have me thinking hard.”

  He reached over, took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Good, I want to keep you on your toes.”

  She yanked away. “That’s a rude thing to say.”

  “I know, but I can’t help myself.”

  She laughed. “Yes, you can. You just aren’t trying.” She shook her finger at him. “And don’t make those moon eyes at me. It gives me shivers.”

  That was great to know. “Really?”

  “Yes, so stop it now.”

  “I have no idea what moon eyes are, but I’m going to find out and do it constantly.”

  “You know, you do it all the time. That pleading look that promises all kinds of things.”

  “Still in the dark here.”

  “Okay, I give up.”

  “Do you want me to make an offer on the house we liked? I will if you want me to.”

  “That’s your decision. I can’t decide for you. I said that earlier.”

  They pulled up in front of his dad’s house, but before letting her go, he pulled her close and kissed her until he nearly embarrassed himself. When he finally did release her, they were both breathless and hadn’t quite managed to recover by the time they entered his dad’s house.

  Inside, Tyler sat on the arm of Russ’ chair, with his dad holding on to the child securely. Not a chance in hell that kid would fall.

  Seeing them in the doorway, his dad turned down the TV. “So, how did it go?”

  “Good, I think I’m going to make an offer on one of them.”

  “That’s great,” his dad said. “Where is it located?”

  “About half a mile from here. You can practically walk it.”

  “That’s real convenient.” His dad glanced at Candi. “Did you like it?”

  “It’s lovely.”

  Getting comfortable, he sat in a chair, while Candi chose the couch. “She’s staying noncommittal about the whole house deal.”

  “Then why’d you take her? I thought you wanted a woman’s point of view?”

  “I did, but she decided to keep her opinions to herself for fear I’d ask her to share it with me.”

  His father sat up. “What? You asked her to do that?”

  “Well, I intend to marry her first, but she doesn’t think we’ve spent enough time together.”

  His dad looked between the two of them, completely dumbfounded. He shook his head. “I don’t know about you young folks anymore. You do everything different than we used to in my day.”

  “So, too soon for you too, Dad?”

  He rubbed his chin. “I don’t know. I guess it depends on how much you love each other.”

  He glanced at Candi, her cheeks scarlet. “That’s certainly important.”

  She stood. “I think it’s time for Tyler to get ready for bed.” Her son climbed down and took her hand. “Thank Russ for looking after you.”

  “I looked after him too,” Tyler declared. Seeing the stubborn set of his mother’s jaw, he must’ve decided it best if he did as instructed, because he offered up, “Thanks, Russ. I’ll see you tomorrow after school.”

  “Right on, buddy. I’ll be right here.”

  Austin stood and straightened his pants. “I’m walking them home then I’ll be back.”

  “That’s okay, I’m just across the street.”

  “Don’t even go there. I’m walking you to your door. It’s dark outside.”

  With Tyler between them, one of his hands in each of theirs, they crossed the street. He noticed the pickup parked down the street and guessed it belonged to Aaron. Candi had been right. He never listened.

  He kissed her tenderly at the door but before he walked away, he said. “I’m sorry if I put you on the spot.”

  “You did, you know. Your poor dad didn’t know what to think. Well, other than we’re crazy.”

  “Maybe, but I’d like to talk with you about some things. Really talk about where we’re at, no jokes. Can you get a sitter for Tyler overnight?”

  Her brow wrinkled and she tilted her head. “Maybe, why?”

  “Because this might be a long conversation or, if you’re on the same page and am feeling the way I am, it might be a long night.”

  Her eyes widened. “You mean—”

  “Yeah, I do.” He put his hands in his pockets, smiling bashfully. “I just want to spend more time together.”

  She stuck her head out the door and whispered. “Just so we’re clear, you’re talking about us having sex?”

  He chuckled. “Well, that’s not why I want to talk with you, but
yeah, I think it’s on the table.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah. I care about you. Really care about you. And there’s more to it than that, but that’s why I want us to have a chance to talk—uninterrupted.”

  “But, what if I’m not ready?”

  He shrugged. “Then we wait until you are.”

  “That might be years.”

  Taking in the worry in her eyes, he nodded, thinking he understood where this was coming from. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he rubbed them up and down soothingly. “Listen, just because something happened the first time, doesn’t mean it will again. I’d never get you pregnant by mistake. I’m not that careless. And, not to sound like a jerk, but I know what I’m doing. I can’t imagine it was all that great for you last time, it being your first time, and in a car, with a guy who is completely selfish.” She blushed a little and he lifted a hand to brush the hair back from her face. Bending to look right into her eyes, he asked, “Trust me?”

  She let out a small breath and the tension left her body. Smiling, she nodded, “Yes, Austin, I do.”

  Aaron watched as the FBI guy walked Candi and the kid across the street. He wanted to kill the guy for that alone, but couldn’t do anything accept watch, and that didn’t sit well with him. He wanted that man hurt, and he intended to do it.

  He couldn’t see her door from his vantage point, but he had a pretty good idea what might be taking place. He wondered if Candi had put out yet. She might have been tight kneed when they were going out, but she was a woman now. Maybe she really was the whore he made her out to be. He took a sip of his beer and shook his head. Squeezing the bridge of his nose, he took that thought back.

  Ever since he’d known her, she’d been a decent, caring person. A lot more considerate than he or his daddy was. Grimacing, just the thought of Levi Travis turned his stomach. His daddy definitely wasn’t winning any awards for fatherhood but, still, how could a son hate his own father so much? It must run in his blood because he didn’t suspect his old man loved anyone. Didn’t even love his mother. If he did, he’d sure never shown it.