Stardust Valley (Firefly Hollow Book 9)

by T. L. Haddix

  “I really don’t need details,” Eli hastened to say as he drew alongside Noah. “If she’s there, I’ll go in and talk to her.”

  “No. This one’s on me. I caused this, and I’ll take care of things.”

  Eli’s look was full of doubt, but he didn’t protest. When they reached the barn, the sliding door on the back was slightly ajar.

  “I’ll go in,” Noah said. “You head up to the house. I’ll call you if she’s not here.”

  “Good luck.”

  Noah nodded and eased inside. He listened to Eli’s steps as his brother went around the barn, and he let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. The front doors were open all the way, casting the stalls on either side of the wide center aisle in shadows.

  A faint sound, a slight scraping, came from overhead. Noah closed his eyes as he gripped the sides of the ladder to the hayloft. He thought about how to play things if she was still upset, and he decided to wing it. He had a couple of ideas, but he didn’t know how well they’d work.

  “Sophie?” he called. “Are you up there?”

  His heart pounded in his ears as he listened, then finally he heard her sigh.

  “Can’t you leave me alone? Please?” Her voice was quiet, subdued, but controlled.

  “No, it would appear that I can’t. Molly’s worried about you. I guess you’ve been gone too long. She probably thinks I offed you and buried your body somewhere. Are you coming down?”

  Footsteps sounded, then she was at the top of the ladder looking at him. “Are you going to go away if I say no?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t really do that. I’m sorry.” Swallowing, he prayed the path he was getting ready to choose was the right one. He hoped using her middle name, which she hated, would do the trick. “You need to suck it up and pull yourself together, Sunshine.”

  Her jaw dropped, and she stared at him, anger building in her eyes. “What did you say?”

  “You heard me. Quit being a drama queen. Come on. Molly’s waiting for you.” He used his chin to gesture toward the farmhouse.

  If she’d had access to anything she could drop on his head, Noah had no doubts whatsoever she’d have squished him flat. Fortunately, the hayloft was empty.

  “Bastard.”

  His hands tightened around the wood of the ladder. He’d always hated that insult, especially considering his parents had gotten married because his mother was pregnant with him. Sophie knew that, and he realized she’d used the only weapon she’d had on hand.

  He forced himself to shrug it off. “Nah, they were married when they had me. Come on. Time’s wasting.”

  She wasn’t happy about it, that was clear, but she turned and started down the ladder. Noah held his breath until she was on the ground, then he stood back. He’d caught her in an accidental embrace as she’d come down, and with the truth about the past and about her looming large in his mind, it took every bit of willpower he had not to wrap her in his arms and carry her to his house where he could protect her.

  “There. I’m down. You can quit lurking now,” she told him, acid in her voice.

  Noah followed her from the barn. “I’m good at lurking. Gives me a mysterious air.”

  She stopped so fast he almost ran into her. For a few breathless seconds, she glared at him, then she shook her head and stalked toward the house.

  He hated that she was so furious with him because he knew anger was a good mask for hurt, massive hurt. He’d used it as a cover enough times himself.

  As to the question of what in the world he should do to try to get Sophie’s forgiveness, to move forward? Well, he would have to think long and hard about that and hope to God he could come up with a good answer.

  Chapter Eight

  Sophie was beyond grateful to have a three-day weekend following Thanksgiving. She hoped the extra days away from the Campbell clan would give her the space she needed to reset her emotional center after her confrontation with Noah.

  They’d gotten some concerned looks when they reached the farmhouse, but thankfully no one had pressed them for details or an explanation. She’d gotten out of there as soon as she could after that.

  She didn’t know what in the world to make of what he’d said, that she’d been the one playing games, her and Erica. Out of desperation, she’d shoved that information to the back of her mind, or at least as far back as she could shove it.

  Molly had tried to get her to go out for Black Friday shopping, but she’d gently turned her down. Sophie’d not set foot outside the house all day Friday, just stayed inside and hibernated. She watched old movies and gorged on homemade cookies on the couch, curled up in a blanket. But when she woke up Saturday morning, the house was freezing, almost to the point that she could see her breath.

  “Okay, I know I’m not used to northern climes just yet, but this is ridiculous,” she said, shivering as she pulled her thick fleece robe around her after she’d gotten out of bed.

  She went to check the thermostat. When she saw it was blank, she groaned and rested her head on the wall beside it, cursing. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get the electronic display to come up. “Of course you go out on me.”

  Normally she’d have just picked up the phone and called her landlord, but the house she was renting was mostly Sydney’s. Her parents, Emma and Archer, had raised their family there before moving to a custom-built home about a year earlier. But it was the weekend and a holiday weekend to boot. She didn’t want to disturb either Sydney, her family, or whomever the hapless repairman might be.

  “Go to the big hardware box store, buy some heaters, and worry about this Monday.”

  So she trudged back upstairs and threw on some warm clothes. She didn’t even bother with makeup, something that would have appalled her mother, but she put her hair up in a messy bun and called herself finished.

  Twenty minutes later, she was perusing the electric heater aisle, trying to figure out what to get, when a low voice spoke behind her.

  “Don’t tell me you’re freezing that badly.”

  Sophie cursed under her breath then turned with a smile. “Eli.” The smile faded when she saw Noah behind him. “What are you guys doing here?”

  “Twiddling our thumbs until it’s time to meet everyone for breakfast. The ladies are out getting some last-minute deals. Seriously, you’re not freezing, are you? I mean, I know you’re used to Texas weather, but damn, Soph. It’s only been in the low forties at night.”

  Oh, she hated to tell him about the thermostat. She really did because she knew he’d either try to fix whatever was wrong or call Sydney. But she refused to lie. “My furnace isn’t working. I figured I’d come in and get a space heater or two, then call someone Monday.”

  “Sophie.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Don’t. I’m a grown woman and perfectly capable of taking care of myself. If you want to make yourself useful, help me choose a heater.”

  “You’re perfectly stubborn is what you are,” he muttered. “Noah, what do you think?”

  “I have this one in the shop for emergencies. It’s reliable and works well,” he said quietly, avoiding her eyes as he stepped forward and tapped one of the boxed heaters. When his phone rang and he got it out, he glanced at her. “It’s Syd.”

  Sophie sighed and closed her eyes. “I don’t want to ruin anyone’s weekend. Not hers and not the service guy’s.”

  “Hey, hang on a second,” Noah said as he answered. He laid the phone against his shoulder. “If she finds out you went all weekend without heat, she’ll be more upset. You’ll get lectured.”

  Eli grimaced. “She’s a good lecturer, gets it from Aunt Emma. I think you should tell her, or she might end up with retroactive worry.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air. “Fine. Tell her.”
<
br />   Noah did. “No, she’s here with us. Hang on.” He handed Sophie the phone.

  She took it with some reluctance, her fingers brushing his. “Hello?”

  Sydney tsked her. “Why didn’t you call me? Tell me what’s going on.”

  So Sophie did. “It’s really not a big deal. I’ll be perfectly fine with the space heaters until next week.”

  “Sophie, I’m going to strangle you. Let me call Daddy and ask who he uses. If it’s who I’m thinking of, he’s surrounded by women and probably would be grateful for the chance to get away from them by this point. Now, are you going to meet us for breakfast?”

  “Um, I… I don’t know.” She cringed as she remembered her decision not to put on makeup. “Breakfast?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?” Sophie asked.

  Sydney paused. “Is it because of Noah?”

  “Maybe.”

  “If I promise to beat him up for you if he gets out of line, will you say yes?”

  Sophie laughed, eyeing all of the six-feet-plus of lanky muscle that was Noah. Sydney was maybe five four if she stretched. “I’d pay to see that. Okay, if you’re sure it’s all right.”

  “Absolutely. See you in a bit.”

  “Guess I’m going to breakfast,” she said as she handed the phone back to Noah. She looked at Eli. “Where exactly did I just agree to eat?”

  “Remember the little diner across from the old hospital? The one that had the really good spaghetti?”

  Noah grunted. “That’s a stretch.”

  Eli grinned and leaned toward her. “He’s a pasta snob, but we don’t hold that against him.”

  Sophie hoped her smile covered up her dismay. That diner was one of the places she and Noah had gone to regularly when they were teens as the food had been cheap but good.

  “I’m going to go ahead and get this,” she said, sliding out the heater box so she could get a good grip on it. “Just in case.”

  Before she could lift it, Noah stepped in. “Give it.”

  More than happy to let him carry the dusty box, she let go.

  “So have you been hitting all the stores and the sales?” Eli asked as they made their way to the checkout.

  “No, I crawled into my PJs Thursday afternoon and was lazy until this morning when I woke up freezing.” She glanced at him. “You?”

  He shrugged. “I may have done a little shopping.”

  Noah grinned over his shoulder. “Yeah, right. He’s been all over town getting things for Haley. The SUV could hardly hold them all. We’ll have to get a U-Haul to take everything to Lexington for Christmas at Ben and Ainsley’s.”

  “Shut up,” Eli muttered, his face turning red as Sophie laughed.

  She bumped him with her shoulder. “Eli’s in lo-ove.”

  “Yeah, so? Geez, guys.” But he was grinning, and he was so pleased with himself it was clear he didn’t really mind the teasing.

  Sophie followed them to the diner, which was only a few minutes away from the shopping center where they’d gotten the heater.

  When they walked in, Sawyer flagged them down. “We’ve got the corner back here.” He and Sydney, Haley, and Molly were already seated at the long table, looking at menus.

  “Everyone else went to Rachel’s. She lives just across the road,” Sydney said as the newcomers sat. “And Ernie, the HVAC repair guy? He’ll be at the house at one or so if that’s okay.”

  “That’s fine,” Sophie said, reluctantly taking the last available seat, which was next to Noah. “Thank you.”

  Sydney gave her a chastising look. “You should have called me. I don’t remember you being so stubborn.”

  They’d gone to school together, though Sydney had been a couple of years behind Sophie. They’d always been friendly, but they’d not been that close.

  “Blame it on old age,” Sophie said. She tried to ignore the heat coming off Noah, the subtle scent of his cologne that teased her nostrils. “They’ve not changed their menu much, have they?”

  “Nope. Why mess with it if isn’t broke?” Sawyer said.

  Once they’d placed their orders, conversation turned to Molly’s plans for after school. She’d be graduating in December with a nurse practitioner’s degree.

  “Are you going to stay at John and Zanny’s,” Sydney asked, “or get your own place?”

  “Oh, definitely my own place. Maybe with a roommate or something. Sophie, how’s that sound? That’s an awfully big house for one person.”

  Sophie grinned. “We could create all kinds of mayhem, couldn’t we?”

  “Yes, we could! I swear, I love my parents, but Daddy wants to put me in the ‘little girl’ box and keep me there. I had some of my nice lingerie hanging over the bar in the tub this morning, and he had to come upstairs for some toilet paper. I thought he was going to freak out when he saw it. God knows what would happen if he saw my birth control pills.”

  “Your what?” Noah and Eli almost chorused.

  Their reactions of horror were nearly identical, sending the women at the table into a laughing fit, with the exception Molly.

  “Oh, hell no,” Noah said, shaking his head. “No, no, no. You are not old enough to be having… no.”

  “I don’t care if she’s old enough or not,” Eli countered with a scowl. “I want to know what kind of man thinks he can put his hands on my baby sister.”

  Molly, who was twenty-two, rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “And here we go. They never stop to think that maybe I’m the instigator. It’s a good thing I went to school two hours away, or I’d still be a virgin.”

  Noah actually came up out of his chair a couple of inches, hovering before he sat back down. “You… Molly.” The dismay in his voice was very real.

  “What? It’s just sex.”

  Eli shook his head. “It is not just sex, dammit. Or it shouldn’t be.”

  Molly leaned on the table. “Do you really think I’m out sleeping with any and every guy who catches my fancy?” She winked at him then stuck her tongue out at Noah. “You two are so easy to turn upside down.”

  “Molly Burke Campbell, you are grounded,” Noah told her sternly as everyone laughed. He glanced at Sophie. “Think you can keep her in line? If so, we’ll move her in with you today.”

  Sophie propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “It actually wouldn’t be a bad idea if you’re serious,” she told Molly, ignoring Noah’s question. “It is a big house.”

  Molly tilted her head and searched Sophie’s eyes, then she smiled somewhat shyly for a girl who’d just casually referred to her sex life in front of her brothers. “You mean that?”

  Sophie nodded. “It might be fun.”

  “Can I let you know?”

  “Sure. No rush.” Sophie grimaced and looked at Sydney. “That is as long as it’s okay with you. I should have asked.”

  Sydney chuckled. “I just wish I’d thought of it. I think it’s a grand idea.”

  Sawyer touched her arm. “Is this what we have to look forward to in eighteen years?”

  She rested her hand on her barely discernable baby bump.

  “If that one’s anything like Syd, yeah. God help you.” Eli grinned to temper his words.

  Sydney laughed. “This is true. I heard two things consistently growing up: ‘Thank God she’s not twins,’ and ‘I hope you have one just like you someday.’ And it was usually said in that desperate tone parents use when they’re at their wits’ end.”

  “From what Grandpa and Grandma say, you were the perfect ‘revenge’ on Aunt Emma,” Noah told her with a smile. “And with a handful of exceptions, I don’t think she and Archer would have had it any other way.”

  “Ye
ah, one of those exceptions being stealing the car,” Sawyer said.

  Haley asked, “Wait, you really stole a car? I thought they were making that up.”

  There was no shortage of volunteers rushing to tell her about Sydney’s most notable escapade, when she was fifteen and took Archer’s vintage muscle car all the way to Virginia. From there, the stories rolled on and on, a good-natured race to see who could tell the most outrageous tale from their childhood.

  But all the fun came to a screeching halt when a slightly balding man Sophie could only describe as a “beefcake” walked into the room, which was on the route to the diner’s restrooms, and spotted them.

  “Well, I’ll be,” he said, stopping beside the table. He held his hand out to Eli, who hesitated a moment then shook it. “Eli Campbell. Son of a… what are you doing back in town?”

  Recognition hit then, and she realized the man was one of their classmates from high school. Groaning silently, Sophie wished she could sink under the table. If the way Noah had tensed beside her was any indication, he was as displeased to see the man as she was.

  “Jeff Whitaker. Long time, no see,” Eli responded quietly. They’d been teammates in high school, and Jeff had been one of the most vocal about teasing Sophie after Noah left.

  “How long have you been back in town? Are you just here for the holidays?” Jeff asked, glancing around. When he saw Sophie, his eyes widened, and his smile took on a slightly predatory feel. “Sophie.”

  “Jeff.”

  “Never thought I’d see you back in town and sure as hell not in the same room as him.” He nodded toward a stony-faced Noah. “I thought you two hated the sight of each other. You still talking to dead people, Noah?”

  Noah didn’t answer, just stared at Jeff as though he were bored by the conversation. But all along her side, his muscles were tightly bunched, and Sophie knew the taunt bothered him deeply.

  “You always were a little off,” Jeff continued then dismissed Noah and turned to Eli. “We should get together while you’re here, hang out some.”