Welcome Home, Bobby Winslow

by Christyne Butler

  Leeann’s fingers trembled as she lifted the small white envelope tucked among the flowers. She pulled out the card. In a dark, masculine scrawl it read, “Love, Bobby.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “What would you say if I told you I plan to build a summer camp for kids on my remaining land?”

  “I’d say the Destiny gossip grapevine is alive and well.” Valzora Winslow smiled up at her son after she returned his welcome-home hug. “And has gone international.”

  They stood in the middle of his mother’s living room, which looked like a luggage shop that had exploded, with the variety of bags, totes and cases strewn everywhere. She had called a little while ago to say she was on her way back home from the airport in Cheyenne.

  Two days early.

  He’d put aside the contracts he’d been reviewing all afternoon, not that he was making any progress anyway. Stopping at the local florist shop for the second time today, he made it to his mother’s place just as the car service limo departed.

  His mother’s response stunned him. “You’ve been back in town, what? Twenty minutes? How did you know anything about the camp? This is supposed to be a secret, by the way.”

  “Oh, honey, nothing in this town is secret for very long.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “You know, I just love this little gadget you got me before I left for my cruise. Have you ever tried texting? Or maybe I mean tweeting? It takes some learning, but it’s amazing what a person can say in less than a hundred and forty characters.”

  Bobby couldn’t believe it.

  He barked out a laugh, feeling better than he had all day, and wrapped the petite woman in another big hug. Boy, he’d missed her.

  After being with his mother every day for four months during his recovery, they’d grown close again. Back to “the two of us against the world” kind of relationship they’d had while he was growing up.

  “Oh, you feel good and strong,” she said. “I can tell Dean’s been working you hard.”

  “He’s been a slave driver, but it was worth it. I’m cane-free and back in the driver’s seat.”

  “And the pain?”

  He didn’t bother to look away to try to hide anything from her. He never could. “It still flairs up from time to time, especially if I push myself too hard.”

  “Which you do on a regular basis, I’m sure.” She eyed the bouquet of fall flowers in his hand. “Are those for me?”

  “Yeah.” Bobby handed over the flowers, realizing he’d forgotten all about them. “Here you go.”

  “My, aren’t they pretty! Come on, I’ll get a vase for these. Do you want something to drink?” She headed for her cheery yellow kitchen. “I could use a cup of tea.”

  “Water would be great.”

  “Oh, thank heavens for my book club.” His mother filled a glass with water and added a few ice cubes. “Fresh food in my refrigerator, my plants watered—”

  “And your garden was taken care of.” Bobby lifted the glass to his mouth and took a long swallow. “Thanks to Leeann.”

  “Yes.” She sent him a quick wink. “I’m glad she had the time, seeing how busy she’s been despite her current state of unemployment.”

  He shook his head. “Let me guess? You also already know she’s been helping with the plans for the camp.”

  “Rumor is the idea for the camp was hers to start with.”

  In no time, she had the flowers artfully arranged in a vase in the middle of her table, and the kettle was heating on the stove. “So, tell me about this camp. Is it bringing back good memories from your own camp experiences?”

  Bobby shared what he, Leeann and Zip had figured out so far when it came to buildings, layout and programs. He found himself wishing he’d brought the plans with him to show her all the work they’d done over the past couple of weeks.

  “Sounds like you’re excited about this project,” his mother said when he finished.

  “I am,” he admitted, a bit surprised. “Getting my hands on that land was something I did because I finally had the means to fulfill a boisterous promise I made as a kid. I wanted to prove to this town, to Lee, that I was worthy of living there, that I had the money to build a home, even if I wasn’t sure I’d ever stay in it full-time.”

  “But I thought you had plans to bring your racing operations here.”

  “Yeah, but again, I think I was looking at that proposal because it was something I could do financially, you know? Money was no object, but was it right? Then Lee puts this crazy idea in my head, something the whole town can get behind.”

  “Can I play the mother card and pry by asking if there are any lingering sparks between you two?”

  “Between me and the girl you never approved of?”

  “That was a long time ago, sweetie. You were too young to be in such a serious relationship, both of you.” She rose and pulled her favorite tea mug from the cupboard and placed it on the counter. “Now you’ve both grown up, experienced life and, from the sounds of it, are spending quite a bit of time together. Is that a good thing?”

  Bobby had no idea how to answer her.

  Her tea mug reminded him of the one he’d seen Leeann grab off the fireplace mantel and place in the sink after she’d emerged from his guest bedroom, fully dressed, insisting she needed to get home.

  That was about all she’d said after waking up in his bed.

  He’d stayed awake, watching her sleep and finally allowed her haunting words about the attack to replay in his head. After dropping her off at home this morning, the horror of what she’d gone through dominated his thoughts.

  Zip finally returned and found him doing laps in the pool. When his buddy asked how many he was up to, Bobby couldn’t honestly give him an answer. Then he’d asked about Leeann, and Bobby only ducked beneath the water and started swimming again.

  He couldn’t stop himself from wondering how she was doing. Did she get the flowers yet? Having first planned to drop them off at her house himself, he’d left the shop and spotted her in a deep conversation with her aunt outside Ursula’s shop.

  Even from across the street, he could see she was upset so he decided to have the flowers delivered instead. Decided? More like chickened out. And unable to come up with the right words, as if there were any, he’d just scrawled his name on the card.

  A piercing whistle broke into his thoughts.

  “Sweetheart, what is it?” His mother grabbed the kettle and filled her mug with the steamy liquid. “You got lost in your own thoughts there for a moment. What’s bothering you?”

  Glossing over the details, Bobby told her about last night’s dinner and what Leeann had shared with him about her past, knowing his mother would keep what he was saying in confidence.

  Her sharp intake of breath and teary eyes conveyed her sorrow. “Oh, that poor girl, but I’m not surprised she’s handled it the way she has. She was always strong, in body and spirit.”

  Bobby nodded in silent agreement, still amazed at all Leeann had done in the past few years to turn her life around. He’d heard enough stories about women who’d suffered like she had to know that some of them never found a way to recover.

  “But finding out that someone hurt her,” his mother continued in a soft voice. “That must be difficult to deal with.”

  Impossible. “I’m figuring it out as I go.”

  “Have you gotten to that punching bag yet?”

  He looked at his mother in confusion. “What?”

  “I was there every day when your decorators were putting your home together. Including the workout area.” Val stood and went to the sink to rinse out her cup. “Perhaps you need to work out your…response to what Leeann went through, before you make any decisions. About her or the camp.”

  His mother was right. Talking helped, but at the moment he wanted to hit something and hit it hard. Wanted to hunt down the bastard that hurt Leeann. Wanted to roar at the injustice she’d suffered.

  Val walked back to him, placing a gentle touc
h to his shoulder. “Take time to make sure you want the same things Leeann does. For both your sakes.”

  “Well, I think that can be arranged, because I’ve got news for you that no one else knows about yet.”

  “Hmm, intriguing.” His mother sat again. “What is it?”

  “I’m going back to North Carolina.”

  Her smile disappeared. “What?”

  “No, this is a good thing. I got a phone call this morning from the doctors back there. The specialist I saw yesterday in Cheyenne forwarded my test results and they want to see me right away.” He grabbed her hand and gave a gentle squeeze. “They’re going to evaluate my chances to get back in my race car.”

  “Are you going back to racing?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, finally speaking the truth for the first time. “That was always the plan. From the moment I opened my eyes in the hospital, but now? I can’t make any decisions until I know if I’m medically cleared. If I am, then I need to decide if I’m even going to try to get behind the wheel again.”

  His mother nodded. “I take it Dean is going with you?”

  “He’s getting the camper packed and ready as we speak. We’re heading out tonight,” Bobby said. “I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.”

  He waited, watching her closely. He could almost see the wheels turning inside her head, knowing she had something more to say.

  “Please let me know how everything works out, okay? I like us being close again.”

  “I like it, too.”

  This time it was she who gave a gentle squeeze to their clasped hands. “Since you haven’t asked for my opinion in all this, I’m going to keep them to myself, but if I may be allowed to say one thing?”

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Does Leeann know you’re leaving town?”

  The knock at her front door surprised her.

  Leeann pushed the mute button on the television, noting it was after nine o’clock. Dropping the remote to the sofa, she left the oversize bowl of popcorn on her seat and headed across the room.

  Checking through the peephole, she was shocked to see Bobby standing in the glow from her automated porch light. She quickly undid the dead bolt and opened the door. “Hey.”

  He stared at her through the screen. His hair was messy, as if he’d been running his fingers through it. “Hey, yourself.”

  The night air was cool and she wore only her pajamas, an outfit that was nothing more than a loose-fitting tank top and a pair of hip-hugging cotton pants. She crossed her arms over her chest, a shiver running through her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m sorry it’s so late.” Bobby pushed back his jacket sleeve to glance at his watch, winced, then shoved his fist into his jeans pocket. “I saw you called a couple of times.”

  She tried to ignore his reaction when he looked at his watch, but she automatically tucked her hair behind one ear. “I wasn’t sure if we were getting together—you know, like usual, to talk about the camp. When I couldn’t reach you, I thought…”

  “I tried to call you back.”

  His statement caused a warm rush of pleasure. “Really? I had my self-defense class at the Youth Center this afternoon. Then I grabbed a shower and fell asleep. I guess I was more tired—”

  “Lee, can I come inside for a minute?” Bobby cut her off, gesturing with his head over one shoulder. “I don’t have long, Zip’s waiting on me.”

  It was then she noticed the idling motor home parked by the curb. He was leaving? Bobby was leaving town?

  Her finger fumbled with the screen-door latch. “Oh, of course. Come on in.”

  He slipped inside and closed the door behind him. Leeann backed up a few steps and bumped into her small dining-room table. The vase sitting in the center wobbled. She spun around, righting it before the beautiful blossoms spilled.

  “I see you got the flowers.”

  Bobby’s voice was low, confirming what she already knew. He still stood right by the door. She turned and before she allowed herself to second-guess the gesture, she walked back to him, laid a hand on his arm for balance and rose to her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

  He tilted his head, his gaze locked with hers. “What was that for?”

  She inhaled a quick breath. The cool night air clung to him, mixing with the leather of his jacket and natural woodsy scent that was all Bobby. “A thank-you. I love the flowers. They’re beautiful, but I’m afraid the town’s gossips are having a field day with them.”

  “Meaning?”

  “They were delivered to me at my aunt’s very crowded shop.”

  Bobby closed his eyes for a moment and dropped his head back. “Sorry about that. I didn’t think about making sure they came directly to your place.”

  “It’s okay.” She released him and put her slippered feet back to the floor. “It seems we’ve been fodder for Destiny’s busybodies for the last couple of weeks anyway.”

  “So I’ve learned. And that chatter’s not going to go away once word gets out that I’ve left town.”

  Leeann forced what she hoped was an easy smile. “Time for a ‘guys only’ road trip?”

  “I’m going back to North Carolina.”

  As silly as the saying was, Leeann was sure her heart did freeze in her chest. Still breathing, still standing, still smiling at him, but for a moment everything inside her turned to ice. She hugged her arms even closer to her and prayed her voice would be there when she opened her mouth. “So—so you’re leaving now?”

  Bobby nodded, his hands fisted inside his jacket pockets. “Yeah, the traffic’s lighter at night.”

  “Well, I hope Dean’s driving.” When his mouth pressed into a hard line, she realized what she’d said. “Only because you look so tired. Did you get any sleep last night?”

  “Some.”

  “I didn’t mean to steal your bed.”

  That got her a hint of a smile. “That’s okay. I wasn’t anxious to get back to dreamland anyway.”

  An emotion flashed in his eyes. Pity? That was all she needed tonight. Turning away, she headed across the room, needing something to hold on to. “I’m sorry about that, too.” She gripped the cushioned back of the sofa. “I have a feeling if I hadn’t told you about my past, you would’ve slept easily through the night.”

  “The nightmare wasn’t your fault.”

  Bobby’s words fell over her bare shoulders before a cloak of warmth enveloped her. She grabbed at the bulky, patchwork quilt Bobby had taken from a nearby chair to wrap around her. “Thanks, I was a bit chilly.”

  “Believe me, it was more for my benefit than yours.”

  She faced him. “I don’t understand.”

  “Lee, those flimsy pants you’re wearing are so see-through I can read the words KISS THIS across your backside.”

  Her initial confusion quickly morphed into understanding. Heat flooded her face. “Oh! I didn’t realize. I mean, if I’d known you were stopping by, I wouldn’t have put them on.”

  He groaned low in his throat. “Damn, girl, you really are a heartbreaker.”

  Before she could ask him what he meant by that, Bobby held out a set of keys and a folded piece of paper. “Here, these are to my place and instructions to use the security pass code. So you can keep working on the plans while we’re gone.”

  She palmed the items. The key ring still warm from his touch. “I wasn’t dreaming. You really decided to go through with it?”

  Bobby nodded, a genuine smile on his handsome face. “Yes, we’re going to build a summer camp for kids.”

  Elation filled her and Leeann fought against doing a happy dance right then and there. She hadn’t been a hundred percent sure she’d heard him correctly last night, but now Bobby was stating aloud his commitment to the project they’d worked tirelessly on for the past few weeks.

  She’d hoped the enthusiasm they shared over everything from the number of needed shower stalls to a camp slogan—something they still hadn’t agreed on—would h
elp him realize this was the perfect solution for those acres of beautiful forest.

  Then she remembered the reason for his visit tonight. “But you’re going back to North Carolina?”

  His smile slipped a bit. “I have business obligations there that need my attention.”

  She’d almost forgotten how Bobby had made his fortune. Between his endorsement work and his race team, he must have many commitments down south. “How long will you be gone?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “But you’re coming back, right?” She captured her bottom lip with teeth for a moment, her fists clenching the quilt close to her chest. “I mean, we still have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of things…unfinished.”

  “Unfinished with the camp? Yeah, you could say that.” He took a couple of steps backward toward the door. “We don’t even have a name for the place yet. But right now I really need to head out.”

  She jerked her head in a quick nod and followed him, watching as he opened the door. Gripping the handle, she swiped her tongue over her suddenly dry lips and tried to keep her words light and breezy. “Things are still unfinished between us, too, right?”

  Bobby turned and stared at her for a long moment. When he reached up to caress her cheek with his fingers, she couldn’t stop herself from leaning into his touch. He dipped his head ever so slightly and she was sure he was going to kiss her.

  When he didn’t move to close the gap between them, she forced herself to follow his lead. She settled for whispering, “Be safe.”

  “You, too.” Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After almost two weeks that included only three quick phone calls, mostly late at night and surprisingly filled with long silences and awkward conversation, Bobby was finally heading back to Destiny today.

  At least that was what his text message promised, which she’d received this morning. The problem was he was already back in town.

  The only reason Leeann knew that was because she’d overheard the pretty redhead Dean had taken out a few times chatting at her aunt’s hair salon that afternoon. She’d mentioned Dean calling and asking her for a date that evening.