“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
It was only then that she realized her face was damp. “We’re a mess,” she said with a small chuckle. “Just look at the two of us, leaking all over the place.”
Her humor earned her a small smile from her son. “When I get bigger, I’ll make Grandpa stop yelling at both of us.”
“Hopefully he will have learned his lesson by then,” she said, although she doubted Aaron would ever change.
There was a sharp knock on the driver’s side window. Katie turned and saw Jack standing next to her Explorer. She bit back a groan. As if the day couldn’t get any worse, she thought glumly. Of all the people to stumble across them right now. She shifted in her seat and pushed the button to lower the window.
“Hi,” she said brightly, hoping he didn’t notice her or Shane’s tears. “What’s going on?”
He frowned. “That’s my question. I saw you parked here. Is everything all right?”
Katie didn’t know how to answer that. She’d just run away from her father’s ranch. She had her son, her keys and about ten dollars in her pocket. Not much with which to make a fresh start.
But she didn’t want to say any of that to Jack. He had flat-out said he regretted their kiss and wasn’t interested in being friends. She wasn’t going to confide her current problems to him.
She opened her mouth to tell him they were fine when Shane beat her to the punch.
“Hi, Jack,” he said, leaning over her and smiling at his hero. “We’re running away from Grandpa’s ranch. Grandpa was yelling at me about letting you teach me to ride and then Mom came in the room and stood up to him. Then she sent me to my room and they were fighting. He was yelling and telling her that—”
The boy hesitated. Katie remembered the horrible things her father had said about Shane and cringed when she realized her son had heard them.
“Anyway,” Shane continued, “she came and got me and now we’re running away. Mom says we don’t ever have to go back. Except when I’m bigger I’m gonna go beat up Grandpa so he never yells at my mom again.”
Jack looked from Shane to her. Katie didn’t know what to say. Her son’s bare recital of the facts hadn’t left anything to the imagination. She knew that eventually she was going to have to explain to Shane that beating up Aaron wouldn’t accomplish anything, but this wasn’t the time.
“It’s such a beautiful day,” Katie said by way of a fairly pitiful distraction. “Spring has always been my favorite time of year. I thought we might head into town and get some ice cream. Maybe see a movie.”
Jack frowned. “You’re not going back there.” He made a statement rather than asking a question.
She rubbed her hand up and down Shane’s back, then shook her head. “No. We can’t. I’ve been trying to figure out if Aaron changed or if it’s me. Either way, he’s made the situation intolerable. I thought we’d stay at a hotel in town.”
Jack leaned his forearm against the window frame. “Shane would be miserable in some small room, and so would you. Your house is going to be ready in a couple of months, right?”
She knew what he was going to say—to offer. She didn’t want to hear the words. Right now she was feeling so broken inside, she didn’t think she would have the strength to say no. “You’re not to worry about us,” she instructed. “We’ll be fine. We’ve always done well together, right, Shane?”
Her son nodded. Obviously he hadn’t figured out what Jack was going to say.
Jack’s dark gaze settled on her face. “Come to the ranch,” he told her. “There’s plenty of room. Hattie lives alone in the house, and she hates that. She likes both you and Shane. You’d be safe there, Katie. If nothing else, you’ll save a ton of money. Unless you make a whole lot more than I think you do, you won’t be able to afford a hotel for the next two months.”
She hated that he was right. Worse, her son now understood what Jack was offering.
She felt Shane vibrate with excitement. “We could stay on your ranch, Jack?” he asked, his voice a squeak. “Really? Oh, Mom, could we? Could we? Maybe Misty could sleep inside at night. You know, on my bed. And I could ride every day and it would be so great.”
She avoiding looking at Shane. She didn’t want to see the happiness lighting his face because then she wouldn’t have a choice. Instead she focused her attention on Jack. “I wouldn’t want to presume on our acquaintance.”
She knew she sounded like a character in a Jane Austen novel, but she didn’t know how else to explain herself without going into more detail than she wanted Shane to hear.
Jack got it right away. He raised his eyebrows. “Is that your way of paying me back for what I said before?”
“Mom, can we? Please?”
She ignored Shane and spoke to Jack. “I wouldn’t punish you for speaking the truth. You told me what you were feeling. I respect that.”
He placed both hands on the door and leaned close. “Don’t be stubborn, Katie. I want you to come to the ranch. I want to know you’re safe.” He paused. “I’m sorry for what I said. I would like us to be friends.”
She wanted to believe him for two reasons. First—she didn’t have many friends and right now she desperately needed one. Second—she missed Jack. Being home had reopened a wound she’d long thought healed.
“It’s not going to work,” she said as much to herself as to him. “What about Nora? She’ll hate the idea of me living there. What about my father and everyone in town? What about what people will say and think?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Shane told her. He tugged on her sleeve until she was forced to look at him. The bright happiness in his eyes nearly blinded her. “Can we?”
“At the risk of being accused of playing dirty,” Jack said, “what other people think doesn’t matter. What about Shane?”
He had her there, Katie thought. But then maybe she’d secretly wanted to say yes from the beginning.
“I can’t fight you both,” she said, forcing lightness into her voice. “Thank you, Jack. You’re very gracious to invite us.”
Shane gave a whoop of excitement. Jack stepped back from the Explorer. “I was just heading back to the ranch,” he said. “You can follow me there.”
Katie had entered the Darby ranch house dozens of times in the past few weeks, but suddenly she felt awkward as she climbed the stairs to the front door.
“You need to talk to your mom,” she said. “I’ll wait out here. Don’t worry about telling me that she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Shane and I can still go stay at a hotel.”
Jack shook his head. “She’s not going to send you away. You should know Hattie better by now. I wasn’t kidding. She’s going to be thrilled to have company. Now come inside.”
She followed him over the threshold, but paused in the living room. “I’ll stay here,” she said, refusing to budge any farther.
“You’re incredibly stubborn,” Jack complained.
“I’m sure it’s genetic.”
She watched him walk across the hardwood floors. His long stride ate up the distance. He was tall and strong. Just being close to him made her want to throw herself into his arms and beg him to hold her until she got herself together. Her insides felt bruised and her emotions were battered. Nothing was working out the way she’d planned.
She turned to look out a front window. Shane and Misty raced together by the barn. The sound of her son’s laughter drifted into the house, easing some of the tension around her heart. If nothing else, being here would allow Shane to feel safe. That was all that mattered.
Jack walked into the living room. “Come on. Hattie wants to talk to you.” He gave her a quick smile, one that made her bones melt. “Don’t look so worried. This is my mom we’re talking about. She adores you.”
Katie thought they got along well, but adoring was something different. Still, she squared her shoulders and walked into the converted library.
Hattie lay on her hospital bed. When she saw Katie she stretched
out both her arms, capturing Katie’s hands and squeezing her fingers.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Hattie told her. “Of course you’re welcome for as long as you’d like. We have dozens of empty bedrooms.” She chuckled. “All right, not dozens, but at least five. You and Shane must take whichever you like.”
Katie studied her face. “Are you sure? Nora isn’t going to be very happy about this.”
Hattie wrinkled her nose. “Nora needs to wake up and smell the coffee. What happened between her and your brother David isn’t your fault. Nor is it Shane’s.” Hattie released her hands and sighed. “Families are difficult but worth the trouble. I hope that in time you and your father can come to an understanding.”
“Me, too,” Katie said, although she had her doubts.
“In the meantime, I can pretend I have a wonderful grandson.” She gave Jack a meaningful look. “What with my children refusing to provide me with any.”
“Okay,” he said, stepping away from the door. “Come on, Katie, I’ll take you upstairs and you can pick out a couple of bedrooms.”
“Go on,” Hattie encouraged. “You’ll feel better when you’re settled.”
“Thanks.”
Katie gave her a quick smile, then followed Jack into the hallway. They climbed the stairs in silence. When they reached the landing, he turned to face her.
“Don’t worry about Nora. I’ll call her and explain things. She’ll understand.”
Despite Katie’s concern and the lingering tension from all that had happened in the past couple of hours, she couldn’t help laughing. “Oh, yeah, Nora always was incredibly understanding about anything to do with the Fitzgeralds. She’ll probably want to offer us rooms at her place.”
The corners of Jack’s mouth twitched. “I doubt if she’ll go that far, but I’ll make sure she doesn’t upset things even more.”
“Then you have a whole lot more control over her than my brothers have over me.”
“Hey, I’m entitled to a little wishful thinking. Indulge me.”
She knew how he meant the phrase, but she had several other more interesting ways to indulge Jack. Then she reminded herself he wasn’t interested in her in that way. He’d made his feelings on the subject very plain.
She looked down the long hallway. “Which bedrooms do you recommend? I would like Shane and I to be next to each other. Adjoining rooms would be even better.”
But instead of making a suggestion, Jack moved closer. He tucked a curl behind her ear, then brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “About what happened between us. There were a lot of ways to tell you what I was thinking, and I picked the worst and most hurtful. I can’t even tell you why.”
She was tired and confused about nearly everything in her life. She didn’t want to have to talk about this, too. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, it does. You were always a good friend to me.” He gazed at her steadily. “I was growing up without a father, trying to learn how to run this place. Sometimes I lashed out or wanted to run away. You were always there for me. You listened and believed in me. I never told you this before, but I wouldn’t have made it without you. So if you’re still interested in being friends, I’d like that.”
She didn’t know what to say. His words touched her in places that had been numb for so long, she’d forgotten they existed. Once again tears burned in her eyes, but this time she was determined not to give in. She managed a shaky smile.
“I’d like that, too,” she whispered, then cleared her throat. “And if you’re real nice to me, I’ll even cook something fresh for dinner.”
“Deal,” he said, starting down the hall toward the bedrooms. “Nora’s great in the kitchen, but I’m getting tired of heating all my meals in the oven.”
He opened a door on the right. It was bright and airy, with large windows and a queen-size bed. The blue and yellow bedspread pattern was repeated in the border print high on the walls. Complementing fabric hung on either side of the window. There was a desk, a small wing chair with a reading lamp and a double dresser.
“It’s very nice,” she said, suddenly conscious of the fact that she and Shane didn’t have any luggage. She’d left without packing.
“There’s a Jack and Jill bathroom,” he said, crossing the room and pushing open a door on the left. It led to a single sink in a vanity. Beyond that was another room with a tub, shower and toilet, then a third room with a vanity and sink.
He walked into a second bedroom, this one a little smaller and decorated in more masculine colors of navy and forest green. The bed was a twin. There were stacks of kids’ books, sports equipment and a race car track set up on the floor.
Katie frowned. “Is this Wyatt’s room?” she asked, naming Jack’s youngest brother, who was in his first year of college.
“No. His is across the hall. This has been sort of a dumping ground for boys’ toys. Hattie keeps everything in hopes of having grandkids come to stay. You said you’d like to be close to Shane and these are the only two adjoining rooms.”
“It’s perfect,” she said glancing around at the sports posters on the walls. “He’s going to love it.”
Jack pointed to the closet. “There’s plenty of room for his stuff. I’ll clear the desk off for his computer.” He hesitated. “You didn’t have any luggage in the car. Do you want me to go get it for you?”
She winced at the thought of the explosion that would occur if Jack Darby dared to darken the Fitzgerald door. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Neither is you going back by yourself.”
“He won’t hurt me,” Katie said, and believed the statement to be true. “He may disown me and yell, but that will be the worst of it.”
His gaze narrowed. “I don’t like the idea of you going there by yourself.”
She glanced at her watch. “Suzanne will be back from the grocery store by now. She’s always been a great buffer for us kids. I’ll be fine.” She hesitated. “Would you mind distracting Shane while I’m gone? I don’t want him to worry.”
“No problem. I’ll give him his next riding lesson.”
She shifted awkwardly, not sure how to thank him. Just saying the words didn’t seem enough, but what else could she do? “You’re being very good to me. I appreciate that.”
“That’s what neighbors are for.”
He crossed the room and pulled her close. She stepped into his hug and had a sense of belonging. He was strong and offered a haven. That it was only temporary didn’t matter.
She felt his mouth brush across the top of her head, much the way she’d kissed Shane earlier. It wasn’t the romantic embrace they’d shared a few days ago, but she didn’t care. Right now comfort was as important as passion.
“If you’re not back in an hour, I’m coming after you,” he said.
“I’ll be back,” she promised. Because her son was waiting. And maybe, a little voice in her head whispered, because of Jack.
Katie closed the last suitcase and carried it out to her car. She’d managed to load Shane’s computer and most of their clothes without being caught by anyone. She prayed her luck would hold.
She’d returned home half expecting the locks to be changed. But the back door had been open and the house apparently empty. If Aaron wasn’t waiting around to confront her, she wasn’t going to complain.
She closed the rear door of her Explorer and reached in her front jeans pocket for her keys. Then she paused. As much as she wanted to be on her way, she also wanted some closure with her father. Maybe if she tried to explain, he would understand.
Even as she called herself ten kinds of fool, she walked into the house and headed toward her father’s study. If Aaron was lurking anywhere inside, it would be there.
She turned the corner and started down the long hallway. The door at the end stood open. It was only when she was halfway there that she realized there were voices coming from the room. Katie slowed her step a
s she recognized her stepmother’s voice.
“What’s wrong with you?” Suzanne demanded, her normally calm tone filled with frustration and anger. “I’ve lived with you for seventeen years and I still don’t understand you. You’re willing to risk your relationship with Katie because of what?”
“I told you,” Aaron said forcefully. “That bastard Darby is teaching Shane to ride a horse.”
“So?” Suzanne asked, sounding honestly confused. “Aaron, it’s time to let the feud die. It’s been over a hundred years, and no one cares except you. Stop living in the past.”
“This isn’t about you. There are things you don’t understand.”
“Because I’m not a real Fitzgerald,” Suzanne said, sounding tired. “You’ve pointed that out many times.”
Katie told herself to walk away, but she couldn’t. It was as if someone had nailed her feet to the floor. She winced as she thought about all the times her father had closed Suzanne out of discussions, claiming that she wasn’t a part of the family but had just married in late. As if her opinion and feelings didn’t count.
Aaron sighed. “All right. I’ll tell you why I can’t forgive the Darbys. It’s not about the feud, although that’s a part of it. The Darbys are responsible for Gloria’s death.”
Katie bit her lip to keep from crying out her protest. They were not responsible for anything, she thought grimly. Least of all her mother’s death. It had been an accident.
“What happened?” Suzanne asked.
“Hattie Darby was in labor with her youngest. It was spring and there were lots of rainstorms. The doc couldn’t get through because the roads were washed out. So Gloria went over and helped Hattie deliver her brat. On the way home she got caught in a flash flood. Drowned. She never had a chance.”
There was a long moment of silence. Katie leaned on the wall and closed her eyes against the memories of that time. She’d been all of twelve and the oldest daughter. She’d mourned her mother with all the grief possible. Yet she’d never once thought it was the Darbys’ fault.
“I wish that bastard brat had never been born,” Aaron said harshly.
The Rancher Next Door Page 9