Games of the Heart

by Kristen Ashley

  “And your brief?” she prompted.

  “More fun for you, you give me your phone,” Mike replied and her head tipped to the side.

  “Sorry?”

  “Give me your phone, Angel,” Mike said quietly.

  She studied him then reached to her back pocket and pulled out her phone. She handed it to him; Mike touched the screen, went to contacts and found Debbie.

  Then he hit go and put it to his ear.

  “I have not one thing to say to you, bitch,” was Debbie’s charming greeting.

  “You don’t have Dusty, you got Mike,” Mike informed her.

  There was a moment of silence before she recovered and mostly repeated, “Well, I have not one thing to say to you, either.”

  “Good, ‘cause I don’t wanna listen to you. But I got somethin’ to say that you’ll wanna know. Bernie McGrath is married. I don’t know if you’re lettin’ him bang you for the fun of it or if you see rings in your future. If you do, you got another game to play, scrapin’ his wife off. Word is, she’s a good Christian woman and she lets everyone know it. Don’t know her, don’t know how much of a challenge she’ll be for you. Do know Bernie’s pretty tied to Indiana so if your hopes are high and you pull that shit off, it’s you who’ll be packin’ boxes. And one more thing,” Mike added. “That check McGrath gave Rhonda will be burned tonight. He can try again and maybe he’ll succeed. We’ll see. Every member of your family threw down against her tonight and I’ve been gettin’ to know Rhonda pretty well. No way she’ll bear up against that pressure. By some miracle she does, she’s out on her ass and even her boys agree with that. Congratulations, you’ve brought a grieving widow low and ripped a family apart. But if you’re thinkin’ she’s your ace, you need a re-deal. McGrath’s phone call tonight tipped your hand, we all know the cards you got and you don’t got dick.”

  He took the phone from his hear still hearing her hissed, “Fuck you, Mike,” but that was all he heard before he disconnected. Then he flipped the switch on the side to turn the ringer off and shoved it in his back pocket.

  Then he looked at his woman to see she was grinning.

  And seeing her grin, the clutch he hadn’t really noticed with all this shit going down that had a hold on his chest released.

  “Wish you’d have let me do that,” she said through her grin.

  Mike grinned back. “Sorry, sweetheart. That was selfish of me.”

  Her grin got bigger. Mike gave himself a second to take it in then his faded and he cut his eyes to Rivera.

  “I’m guessin’ in Texas they teach you how to do a search,” he noted.

  “Yup,” Rivera replied.

  “We got a check to find,” Mike pointed out.

  “Yup,” Rivera agreed.

  “You know how to pick a lock?” Mike asked.

  “Nope, but I know how to bust a door open and, you do that, it makes it harder to lock again,” Rivera returned.

  Dusty emitted a low chuckle.

  Mike looked at her. “Take that as permission?”

  She threw her arm out behind her, inviting, “Have at it. I’ll take care of Moonshine and be in to help.”

  “You want us to save the door bustin’ for you?” Rivera offered and Dusty emitted a much heartier chuckle.

  “Uh…no,” she declined. “I’ll leave that to those with more experience. But give me ten minutes, I wanna watch.”

  “You got it,” Rivera muttered then moved to walk from the barn.

  Mike kept his eyes on his woman and said quietly, “Come here, honey, and kiss me. Fast. I got work to do.”

  She led her horse to him, put her hand on his chest, tipped her head back and went up on her toes. He dipped his down and brushed his mouth against hers.

  When he lifted up an inch, he held her eyes and his face was serious.

  “I’m gonna make this okay,” he promised and her body leaned deeper into his.

  “Mike –”

  “I don’t give a shit what I gotta do, Angel, I’m gonna make this okay.”

  She pressed her lips together. Then she ducked her head and planted her face in his chest beside her hand for a second. Then she tipped it back again, caught his eyes and nodded.

  “Take care of your horse,” he ordered. “I’ll see you inside.”

  “All right, honey.”

  Mike lifted both his hands, cupped her jaws, brought her up to him and kissed her forehead.

  Then he went inside to corral Dean, Fin, No, Rees and Kirby to find a check.

  * * * * *

  “Mike?”

  He heard it from behind him but just barely. He was standing in the kitchen doorway watching the game of Junior Trivial Pursuit being played in teams at the kitchen table. He opted to be odd man out, a fortunate occurrence that everyone was too focused on setting up the game and getting their favorite colored pie for anyone to dispute.

  He looked over his shoulder and saw Rhonda there.

  The last time he saw her, she’d been curled up on her bed while Dean and Rivera searched her room. They’d found the check in her nightstand. Clearly she’d not made much of an effort to hide it.

  Dean burned it himself, throwing the ashes into the fireplace in the living room.

  “Can we talk?” she asked, shifting and motioning behind her to the living room.

  Mike didn’t want to talk to Rhonda. He was pissed at her because of what she’d done to her family. Obviously Dusty in particular but watching Fin and Kirb struggle through emotions they should not be having three months after their forty-four year old father died in the snow was something he would not forget. And he was pissed because they wouldn’t either.

  But he jerked up his chin, pushed away from the jamb and followed her down the hall.

  She didn’t close the doors and she didn’t delay.

  Her head tipped back, her eyes sought his and she asked straight out, “You got two kids, do you think I’m doin’ wrong?”

  “Absolutely,” Mike replied immediately and watched her flinch.

  She recovered and told him, “I’m tryin’ to do right.”

  “You’re failing,” he returned and got another flinch.

  She pulled it together and started, “If Darrin were here, he’d –”

  But Mike interrupted her. “He’s not here, Rhonda.”

  That got him another flinch.

  She struggled that time and Mike gave her the time to pull her shit together but that was all he was giving her. He knew he was being a dick but she was a grown woman and she’d hurt people he cared about. This had gone on too long, it started ugly and got uglier and she was part of the reason for that. It was time for her to step the fuck up.

  Then she said softly, “I got you and Dusty together.”

  She wanted to score points and he’d long suspected that was the reason behind her visit with the diaries months ago. Dusty had told him Darrin wanted them together and Rhonda had taken that in.

  “Actually, we were already together and what you did nearly drove us apart,” Mike shared and she blinked.

  “What?” she whispered.

  “It was me who listened to you, read those diaries you left and acted like a dick who did it. That’s on me, I take responsibility for that. You might have had good intentions, like I see you believe you have with what’s goin’ down with this farm, but in the end, you betrayed her. You shared a secret that wasn’t yours to share. I acted on that knowledge for reasons of my own and I’m fuckin’ lucky she accepted my apology and gave me another shot or I would not have what I have now. You might have thought you were doin’ right but I’m seein’ a pattern here of you thinkin’ that and doin’ wrong. Darrin may have been your go-to guy to help you assess the decisions you made or he may have just made them for you. Whatever way that went, it isn’t there anymore. Day to day shit, Rhonda, you’re a big girl. You gotta take care of yourself and your boys. But the big shit, you can’t deal, you find someone to help and you be smart about that. Dusty was being h
arsh for reasons that were understandable and even deserved considering she’s gone way beyond the call of duty to take your back. But she was right. Debbie does not like you. She talks trash about you. And now she’s usin’ you. In this house you got three people who you can go to for advice. No, I’ll amend that and say four since Fin’s got a good head on his shoulders. Use them. They’d be happy to oblige.”

  “Debbie talks trash about me?” she asked softly, her expression both surprised and pained.

  “Debbie’s a bitch, Rhonda. She’s bitter. She’s twisted. And she’s usin’ you to hurt Dusty. It cannot have escaped your notice they don’t get along and I know this because you mentioned that exact thing to me. But Debbie has always been just that…Debbie. You picked the wrong advisor to guide you through this tough time in your life. It’s time to make a different choice.”

  She held his eyes, swallowed then whispered, “Did this farm kill my husband?”

  “No,” Mike answered instantly.

  “Debbie says –”

  “Debbie lied.”

  “But –”

  “Your husband was tremendously fit other than the fact that he had a near undetectable heart condition that he’s had since birth. That killed him. This farm did not.”

  She licked her lips then rubbed them together before telling him, “I want my boys to be happy.”

  “Then wake up and look around. Their Aunt Dusty is back, she’s stayin’ and they both come alive around her. Fin’s got a girl he cares about a great deal. They like family and they got family all around. This is a tough time for them, losin’ their Dad but other shit’s goin’ down and there are a lotta people bustin’ their asses to cushion them from that. The only one they got close who isn’t doin’ that is the one who should be bustin’ her ass the most. And that’s you.”

  She did the lip rubbing thing again and Mike watched, seeking patience and wondering how the fuck Darrin put up with this shit for twenty years. Then again, he put up with a different kind of shit from Audrey for fifteen so he was in no position to judge.

  Then she asked, “What they…all they said earlier…what…do you…do you think Darrin would –?”

  “Absolutely,” Mike cut her off to reply.

  Tears filled her eyes and she whispered, “Really?”

  “Darrin Holliday loved three things best in this world, you, his boys and this land. You hurt those boys and put this farm in danger. So yeah, he’d be pissed as all hell at you. He knew you. He loved you because of who you are. This is true. But he would not understand this, he wouldn’t like it and he’d do somethin’ about it and I don’t think you’d like what he’d do.”

  She looked away, face pale, tears brimming and murmured, “Maybe I should call Debbie and –”

  Mike interrupted again.

  “No.”

  Her eyes came back to him.

  “My advice?” he asked and she nodded. “Do not talk to Debbie at all. Do not talk to Bernie McGrath. Do not talk to anyone who works for McGrath. Help Dusty with her horses. Help her with her pottery. Help Della with this house. Do what you can to help get that crop in the ground. Stop watching TV. Stop sulking in your fuckin’ bedroom. Take an interest in your boys’ lives before you lose them both to maturity as well as emotionally. And do everything in your power to keep this farm in the family.”

  She studied him a moment before she nodded, thank Christ.

  “We done?” he asked.

  “We’re done,” she answered then added, “Thanks, Mike.”

  “It’ll be me thankin’ you if you start contributing to this family.”

  She took in a breath.

  Then she nodded again.

  Mike nodded back and turned to leave but, Rhonda calling his name, he turned back.

  The tears were in her eyes again as she whispered, “I miss him.”

  “A lotta people do. But you aren’t honoring his memory by falling apart.”

  She swallowed again then nodded.

  Mike studied her for a moment then he thought, fuck it, and finished laying it out.

  “Way I see your relationship with your husband, it was a lot of Darrin givin’ and a lot of you takin’. He was cool with that so I pass no judgment. But he gave you so much, Rhonda, there’s some tank inside you that’s gotta be filled. Find it, tap into it and use it. Darrin left that to you. You want to honor his memory, take all he gave to you, use it and move on.”

  A tear slid out of her eye and down her cheek.

  She again nodded.

  Mike was pissed at her, he didn’t get her but in that moment, she looked so fucking lost, he felt sorry for her.

  He didn’t let this thought move him.

  He simply nodded back and walked away.

  * * * * *

  Mike stared at the dark pillow.

  Ten minutes ago, Dusty had carefully slid away from him, rummaged through the room quietly and she, with Layla’s dog tags following her, went out to the balcony closing the door on the cool air coming in.

  It was the middle of the night. She was troubled. He had been giving her time.

  Now he was done giving her time.

  He threw the covers back, angled out of bed and pawed through the shadowed clothes on the floor until he found a sweater. Then he tugged it on and moved to the balcony.

  Layla was already at the door waiting for him and therefore Dusty’s neck was twisted, her eyes turned to him as he stepped out.

  He bent and sifted his fingers through the fur on his dog’s ruff as he walked the short distance to her. Then he slid his arms around her stomach and fitted his front to her back, resting his jaw against the side of her head when she turned it to face forward again.

  “What’s eatin’ you?” he asked on a whisper.

  “Do you think Rhonda listened to you?” she asked back also on a whisper.

  He’d given her a blow-by-blow of the conversation.

  “I think she listened to Fin then to Kirb and what I said cemented what they said. So, yeah. I think tonight, even though it was shit, one thing on your plate got sorted because the boys broke through.”

  She nodded and eased some of her weight into him.

  He took it.

  “That all?” he asked when she said no more and kept her eyes on the farm without moving.

  “No,” she answered.

  “Give it to me,” he ordered, squeezing her with his arms.

  She hesitated then said quietly, “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

  “How ‘bout you let me be the judge of that.”

  He felt her draw in breath.

  Then she whispered, “Something’s coming, Mike.”

  His body went solid.

  She twisted her neck and her head slid across his chest as she tipped it back to look at him and he did the same but looking down on her.

  “I feel it. Cold in my bones. Deep down. I’ve never felt anything like it. But I can’t deny I feel it. Something’s coming. Something bad.”

  Jesus, fuck, Mike felt the same goddamned thing.

  He didn’t share that.

  Instead he said, “We’ll be okay.”

  “I’m not a worrier, Mike and I’m not worried. I’m beyond that. Honest to God, I’m scared.”

  Jesus, fuck.

  “We’ll be okay.”

  “How can you know that?” she asked.

  “Because I’m gonna make it so.”

  She stared at him then he watched in the moonlight as her face got soft.

  Then she gave him a precious gift. Better than her mouth wrapped around his dick. Better than the music she sang that night. Better than any of her smiles.

  “I believe you.”

  Those three words burned the second hole of that day through his heart but that hole immediately filled up with something far better than the muscle that had been there before.

  And to communicate his appreciation, Mike dropped his head and took her mouth. She turned in his arms then wound hers around his shoulde
rs. He held the kiss as he bent and lifted her in his arms.

  Then he took her to his bed.

  Then he took her in his bed.

  Then he fell asleep tangled up in Dusty.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Bakin’ Cakes

  Wednesday Morning…

  Mike turned off the shower, opened the door, grabbed a towel and saw Dusty standing at her sink brushing her teeth.

  He stepped out and started to rub his body down, his eyes on hers in the mirror watching them watch his hands move the towel over his body.

  He felt his lips curve.

  “Darlin’, not twenty minutes ago you memorized every inch with your mouth,” he reminded her and her eyes jerked to his smiling ones in the mirror.

  Then she grinned a toothpaste grin, turning off then pulling the electric brush out of mouth and saying through foam, “Not every inch.”

  “The right ones,” he muttered and saw her shoulders shake and her eyes twinkle as she shoved the brush back into her mouth and switched it back on.

  He wrapped the towel around his waist, secured it and went to his sink.

  “What’s on for today again?” he asked, opening the mirror and reaching for his shave gel and razor.

  She bent, spit, rinsed, wiped with a towel and was rinsing her brush when she answered, “Pottery, morning. Hunter says he’s got something on with you this afternoon. He’s taking the rental. I’m taking Rhonda’s car and Jerra, me and the kids are going to the mall to get No’s birthday presents. Back in time to dress up and go out to dinner. We’re all meeting here.”

  “Right,” he murmured, squirting the gel in his hand then rubbing it onto his face.

  “Tell me, exactly,” she started, “how on earth you can be hot rubbing shave gel on your face.”

  His eyes slid to the side seeing her leaning with a hip to the counter, his lips curved again and he answered, “God likes me.”