Finally Again

by Zoe Dawson

  “Where have you been?” James said, frowning. Even angry, he looked dapper and distinguished in a tan linen suit. He was just a tad shorter than my six one, with a lean frame, tanned complexion, and a full head of dark blond hair like mine, but his was a bit longer and swept back off his face. No fat around the middle for the Sutton patriarch. He worked hard at the family’s pecan business.

  Amy still looked good, cool, elegant, with alabaster skin and eyes the color of peridot, a pale light green. What outward beauty God had given her, plastic surgery was preserving well. Only a hint of lines beside her eyes, none near the soft mouth painted a rich, dark coral. Her well-cared for body was slender and toned, and she wore an off-the-shoulder summer dress in pristine white.

  “Out,” I responded to his demand as neutrally as I could. This wasn’t a good time for them to find out I was dating Evie Outlaw. It wasn’t that I was ducking James’s disapproval…and I agreed with Evie, he would disapprove. I just didn’t want to add to what was already a tense situation. “What’s going on?”

  “River is gone. She didn’t sleep here last night and left her cell phone here. We don’t know where she is.”

  “I’m sure she’s fine, Daddy,” Jake said, pacing to the French doors and leaning against the frame.

  “Do you know anything about this, Jake?” James asked, his gaze flicking to Jake and holding hard and fast on him, dissatisfaction beaming from him like sonic waves.

  Jake’s mouth tightened and he looked at me, then out the French door. “No,” he snapped, but it was quite obvious to me that he did know where she had gone, and why.

  The silence was broken by Earl. “She’s with an Outlaw.”

  Jake straightened from the window, every muscle tensed. That boy had some powerful anger brewing. Mix that with his protective instincts for his sister, and Earl had better watch his step. “You slimy snitch! Shut your mouth.”

  “Jake!” Amy said, clutching her throat, her voice hushed and shocked.

  James stiffened his face contorting, his voice booming. “Outlaw! Which one?”

  Win watched Earl go to the sideboard to prepare himself a drink. There was no tension in him whatsoever. In fact, it looked to me like he was enjoying himself. He selected ice cubes from the sterling ice bucket using the sterling ice tongs, and dropped them into a chunky crystal glass. “Why the only one left, Uncle James. Braxton.” The only emotion in his voice was disdain.

  My sister-in-law’s perfectly painted mouth pressed into a tight line, and she looked at her husband. “That rogue womanizer?” Anxiety made her voice a bit shrill.

  I watched Earl splash gin over the ice and dilute it with tonic water. He offered the glass to Amy, who took it and sipped, closing her eyes.

  He repeated the process and offered the second glass to my brother, who accepted it and took a gulp. When he fixed up a third glass and held it out to me, I shook my head. The aroma of the liquor, cool and piney, drifted to my nostrils. He shrugged, cool and smooth and dry, like the gin, Earl settled back on the settee with his drink, reclining as if he was at a social tea and the tension in the room wasn’t as tight as one of our ancestors’ corsets. “That would be the one,” he agreed, managing to sound casual and cutting at the same time. “The one who runs that bar at the edge of town.”

  “Earl,” Jake threatened. “You don’t know anything about Brax, so shut up.”

  “Jake,” James said, a clear warning for Jake to keep his comments to himself.

  Earl smirked, his unblinking eyes settling on me, and uneasiness drifted through me. He threw back the rest of his drink, set the glass down on a coaster, rose, and sauntered out of the room. Jake followed.

  “James, I feel the need to point out that River Pearl is a grown woman. She should be allowed to make her own choices. If you interfere in her life and push her, you’re running the risk that she will cut you out, just as Chase has. Let her be.”

  “Leave Chase out of this,” James snapped, and mixed in with the anger I could see his hurt and disillusion over Chase’s abrupt actions, even though his son left more than a year ago. “He made the wrong decision.”

  I shook my head. “James, sometimes I’m ashamed of you.” He stiffened and hugged Amy tighter.

  “You never did understand,” he growled. I didn’t want to be at odds with my brother, but his attitude and obsessive need to constantly polish the Sutton name was getting much too tiresome for me.

  “No, I guess I don’t, and I never will. Your children should matter.”

  As I left the parlor, I heard a scuffle in the hall. Jake had Earl up against the wall.

  “You are such a son of a bitch. I want you out of here. You don’t belong in this house. What River does is her business.”

  Earl still didn’t look fazed, even in the face of Jake’s angry threats and demands. “You tried to stop her,” he said, his voice a study in calm. “You tried to stop that piece-of-shit Outlaw. Nothing came of it.” Jake stiffened at the mocking in his voice. “He really needs to be taught a lesson.”

  “Mind your own damn business,” Jake said.

  “Jake,” I touched his shoulder. “Let him go.”

  He shoved away from Earl, who slunk away.

  “He’s not worth it.” There was something off about Earl. There was a kind of madness that ran through my family, and Earl’s past had been filled with tragedy. My cousin Sam, Earl’s daddy had been lost to his own unbalanced ideas, and I had to wonder if some of it had touched his son.

  “I know that.”

  “Jake.” He covered his face, and I grabbed the back of his neck. “What’s troubling you?”

  “Secrets, Uncle Win. Some you have to keep, others you have bury. I’m sick of them all.”

  I tightened my hand on the back of his neck and dragged his forehead to mine. “I’m here if you need me. I know I’ve been gone for a good portion of your life, but I care about this family.”

  He nodded. “I know you do. Thank you for all the times you’ve called me. It helped.”

  “Your sister. Is she in trouble?”

  “From Braxton? Hell if I know. She had the courage to do what I never could. Take what she wants. But Earl is right. I did try to stop her. She’s with Braxton. He was here in the house in her room.”

  “When?”

  “Yesterday morning. He’s a bold fucker.”

  “Jake, watch your language in the house.”

  “Yes, sir. Sorry. I followed him and beat his ass.”

  “Why?”

  He glanced toward the parlor, his eyes bleak. “You don’t understand. Daddy will do anything to protect our name. Anything. He won’t tolerate this, and certainly will never accept an Outlaw into this family. Which means we’ll lose her, because I think she’s a goner. I’ve seen the way he looks at her and the way she looks at him. I'm afraid of what Daddy will do.”

  “To your sister?”

  “No, Uncle Win. To Braxton.” He rubbed at his face. “I care about Brax. I care about what happens to him. He and I…we…were friends. Best friends. And Daddy made us—Chase and me—stop hanging out with him, Booker, and Boone. They aren’t like everyone thinks they are. They’re decent, honorable and brave.” He looked away, his voice breaking. “Loyal till the end.”

  “He’s going to tear this family apart.”

  “That’s not all,” he whispered. “River Pearl is giving the Founder’s Day speech. She’s researching Duel Outlaw, Uncle Win. I think she’s going to incorporate stuff about the Colonel and Duel in her speech. Daddy’s going to bust a gasket.”

  “What? Duel Outlaw? Holy hell.”

  “I tried to talk her out of it, but you know River.”

  “Yeah I know. She’s like a pit bull.”

  Jake nodded. “Don’t say anything to anyone. Just lay low.” He nodded again. I saw it was time to change and shower. What a complete mess this was.

  As I got ready for the fund-raiser later on, I was torn between telling Evie what was going on and keep
ing it from her until I could sort it out. River Pearl was headstrong and stubborn, and I knew she wouldn’t go down without a fight. I would have to try to find her first and warn her. It was possible this thing with Braxton wasn’t serious, since River had told me when we went fishing she planned to return to New York. I was certain she wouldn’t like being told what to do, regardless. And, if this was serious with Braxton, well, she would fight tooth and nail against James’s control.

  If Jake was right, James would tear this family apart.

  I stood in front of the mirror and worked my bow tie. As I slipped into my jacket, I still hadn’t come close to figuring out what the hell I was going to do.

  I still wasn’t sure by the time I arrived at Evie’s place. I knocked, and when she opened the door, every thought I had just drained out of my head. Evie stood there in a little black number that left me speechless, all lace and straps and smooth, dusky skin. Her hair was a mass of curls over her shoulders, falling over her full breasts. I could only stare.

  It was then that I made the decision not to tell her. Decided I would wait it out and discuss this with River before I got Brax’s mother involved in this. It was at this point a family matter, and I could deal with it without jeopardizing my fledgling relationship with this lovely woman.

  “Geezus, Evie. You take my breath away.” I handed her a bouquet of roses and she flushed with affection.

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure if it was too much or…” she looked down at herself “…too little and the flowers, just beautiful.”

  “From where I’m standing, it’s just right, sugar.”

  “Give me a minute to set them in water.” She dashed off and when she returned, I offered her my arm. The way she took it warmed my heart. “I was thinking, Evie. River told me about some of the dishes your son features in his restaurant, and I would really like to sample them, maybe write a review.”

  “Really? We could go there tomorrow night for dinner.”

  “That would be great.” I didn’t have to tell her I had an ulterior motive. I suspected wherever Brax was, River would be.

  #

  Evie

  Win in street clothes was knee-weakening, but in that tux, he was devastating. He seemed distracted tonight. I hoped it was partly because of my dress, but there was something else. I’d asked him in the car, but he only smiled and said he was trying to keep his thoughts pure.

  I debated over whether or not to tell him about River Pearl, but I didn’t want to stick my nose into Brax’s business. To say I was worried about my son was an understatement. River Pearl had promised not to hurt him, but I was under no illusion about the way he felt about her.

  He was in love with her. I was sure of it. It explained plenty. I also knew I couldn’t tell him what to do, and I wouldn’t. He was a grown man, had made his own decisions for a long time. All my sons had gone after impossible relationships, and look at Booker and Boone, everything had worked out for them. But James Sutton was a formidable monkey wrench.

  I glanced at Win and bit my lip. He found my hand in the darkened car as we pulled up to a very swanky hotel. The Serendipity served very high-class, very rich people.

  Suddenly I was nervous.

  “Hey,” he said, as if sensing it. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Of course I will. I’ll be with the most handsome man on the planet.”

  “Wow. On the planet?”

  He slipped his hand to the bare nape of my neck, beneath the mass of curls. “Just so you know. I think you look beautiful.”

  For the first time in my life, I felt truly cherished, and thought maybe, just maybe, Win was the kind of man I could lean on and still feel like myself. “Thank you.”

  He walked around, opening my door for me. I wasn’t used to such charming treatment, and when he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm again, my heart melted into a quivering puddle at his feet.

  We crossed the lobby and followed a stream of people into the bright, decorative ballroom. The walls were covered with adorable art which had clearly been done by children.

  A lot of the paintings already had sold signs on them.

  A sweet-faced lady with a cloud of white hair, and well into her eighties, tottered towards us.

  “Winchester, my dear boy, how good to see you.” She reached out her hand and he kissed it. “You didn’t bring that niece of yours? I tried to get ahold of her, but there was no answer.”

  “She’s kind of out of touch right now.”

  “Young people.” She turned to Evie. “Well, introduce me to this stunning creature.”

  I smiled, instantly won over.

  “Maizy, may I present Evangeline? Evie, this is Mrs. Maizy White.”

  “And what do you do, my dear Evangeline?”

  “Oh, please call me, Evie. One of my sons gifted me with a year-long vacation, so I’ve spent it indulging my first love, which is scrounging for old furniture and other items and refurbishing them. I’ve been thinking I would do something along those lines.”

  Her face lit up and she clapped her hands. “Oh, how delightful. A garbage picker. I simply adore antiques and the clever people who recycle and repurpose treasures. I have scads of stuff in my attic. Some of it even predates the War of Northern Aggression. I would love for you to come by and take a look. A lot of the items have gathered so much dust, they surely are in dire need of loving care.”

  Excited almost beyond words, I said, “I would love to see everything in your attic. Thank you for the invitation.”

  “You may bring this fabulous man with you. He’s a keeper.”

  I looked at Win. “Yes, I’ve already figured that out.”

  “Oh, Winchester, she’s a very smart girl,” Maizy grinned, and I grinned back. “Tell me. Are you here for a long visit, or short?”

  “I’m settling back here, Maizy.”

  “Oh, you’ve made me so happy. I will expect to see you very often, then.” She cocked her head toward the door. “Oh, more guests arriving. Thank you for attending…and buy something,” she said, nudging Win. “Excuse me.”

  We danced, ate the scrumptious dinner, and laughed for the rest of the night. When we walked up my path, his hand on the small of my back, I felt very cosseted and treasured. We stopped outside my front door.

  “Do you want to come in?”

  “No. I’m going to err on the side of caution and say good night now.”

  At my sigh, he rubbed his hands up my arms. “It’s better if we wait, Evie. I don’t want us falling into something too fast. But I have every intention of kissing you before I leave.”

  My body heated and responded to his, unexpected and very tantalizing. I remembered what it was like to be a woman, not just a mother of three growing boys. He took another step closer, and my breath suddenly felt trapped in my chest.

  “You’re a very beautiful woman, Evie,” he whispered, smiling all the way into those gorgeous blue eyes, slipping his finger under my chin and tipping my head back. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

  My skin tingled as if his words caressed me.

  “So unexpected,” he said, his voice nothing more than a rough whisper.

  “I’m still reeling,” I murmured right back. His smile broadened as his mouth lowered slowly toward mine.

  I reached up and cupped the back of his neck to hurry him. That made him laugh, and the rich sound of it turned me inside out. His kiss was electric, and seduced me as I knew it would, and my entire body responded to the knowledge that he would be even better in bed.

  That thought shocked me at first, even as I brought his sexy mouth to mine. I curled my fingers in his hair and groaned, because I couldn’t help myself.

  He pressed me back against the door with his hips, growling just a little as I tugged on his hair. I pushed back, cradling the hard bulge pressing there and I clutched at his head to keep his mouth on mine.

  He twisted his tongue around mine, controlling the kis
s with his thumbs along my jawline, before skimming his open hand down my neck to my collarbone. The warmth of his touch heated more than my body. It fulfilled the ravenous need in me for male contact. This male’s contact.

  He broke the kiss, his chest heaving, his eyes glazed.

  “Win—”

  “Shh,” he said, taking my mouth again, only it was as gentle as the one on the couch…and seduced me all over again.

  I was powerless against this, against him. It was so good and sweet and hot all rolled into one ball of yummy. It was beyond my strength to push him away. Especially when I didn’t want this to end.

  “Come inside,” I whispered.

  He nodded. “Only for a minute.”

  Hours later, Win and I lay panting in each other’s arms, the big white fan overhead working to cool our overheated bodies. We’d moved from the couch to the upstairs, where he promised he would leave me after we’d necked just a minute or two more. But I couldn’t let him go. I pulled him down to the mattress.

  But he was adamant about not going to the next level, and we fell asleep in each other’s arms. When I woke up, I was disoriented. I hadn’t had a man sleeping next to me for such a long time.

  I turned to my side and lifted up on my elbow. A man was meant to look like this. Broad shoulders and lean hips. Taut muscle and graceful limbs. Totally relaxed in sleep, wholly and beautifully male.

  I dipped my head and brushed my mouth over his, and he stirred. His sexy blue eyes opened slowly, sleepily. He pulled me against the length of his taut body. “Yeah, and hi, there,” he said, a big grin spreading across his face. “You enticed me up here. I was supposed to leave, but I’m not sorry.”

  “I bet you aren’t,” I said, tickling his ribs. He jerked and grabbed my hand.