The Broken Road

by Melissa Huie

  I looked at him, surprised. “Sure. That’s fine,” I said. I made popcorn as the storm raged outside. Ten minutes later, I let out a breath when I heard the mudroom door open. I hurried to the mudroom and grabbed a towel from the basket. I handed one to him and vigorously rubbed Penny dry with another.

  “A little wet out there?” I asked. “How far did you walk?”

  “Not far. We stopped under the bus stop shelter for a while. The rain picked up more than I expected,” Shane said, drying off his face. Penny wiggled out of the towel and raced for her bed upstairs.

  “You’re soaked. Just put your things in the washer. I’ll get you some dry clothes,” I said as I turned to go back into the house.

  “Oh come here. Where’s my hug?” he teased, reaching for my arm.

  “No! You’re all wet!” I screeched as he enveloped me in his arms. My clothes were getting drenched. I could feel the cold air radiating from his body.

  “Well, well, well. Looks like you’re wet too. Let’s get you out of these clothes,” he said huskily. The fire started in the tips of my toes and quickly raged through me. I stared into his brown eyes and saw he was having the same reaction. I gave a smug sigh and we promptly forgot about the movie that was waiting for us.

  Chapter 13

  SHANE AND I FELL INTO A ROUTINE, albeit an odd routine of sorts after that first weekend. Shane often worked late and sometimes when he was home, I’d wake up in the night to the sound of his cell phone. But I didn’t care; it was enough to be with him. The rest of the time, we were together. We made plans around each other’s schedules, ate meals together, went out with our friends together. We were a couple in everyone’s eyes, although we never spoke those words to each other. I wasn’t seeing anyone else, and I was fairly certain that he wasn’t either. Being “together” was amazing, never weird, like a natural progression in our relationship. The way I felt around Shane was nothing like how I felt for Tommy. Tommy was proper and by the books, almost regimented. I felt light and comfortable with Shane. I was so grateful that Tommy and I never got married. Shane is what I had been looking for. I was falling hard for him, harder than I did before. When I thought of the future, he was it.

  I was happy. Everyone could tell. At the office, Paul’s snarky comments stopped bothering me. I was more motivated and kept the office running like a greased wheel. Even Uncle Bob noticed.

  “You’re awfully chipper this morning, Megan” he quipped, after I glided in and handed him his coffee after a particularly wonderful and sex-filled evening. I just gave him a serene smile.

  “I’m happy, Uncle Bob. I’m in a great place.”

  “Hrrumph. Does a man have anything to do with this?” he muttered.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, yes,” I replied as I walked back to my desk.

  It was nice to chat casually with Uncle Bob for a moment. He had been under a lot stress lately. Apparently the case against the cartel was wearing him down. He was crankier than ever. The newer employees walked on eggshells, but for me it was business as usual.

  I hummed quietly while I worked on a memo, until I was interrupted by my phone ringing. It was Shane. “Hey, babe.” Shane’s voice sent shivers down my spine.

  “Hi, you,” I said, lowering my voice.

  “Do we have any plans tonight?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Do we?” I replied coyly. I loved how he said “we.”

  “Well, seeing as how it’s Friday night, a bunch of the guys here are thinking about doing a bonfire. We’re going to meet up at Eric’s house around ten. Is that cool with you?” he responded with a chuckle. Eric Morrison and Shane had been best friends since high school. You’d think they were brothers, they were that close. Eric was a great guy, sweet and caring. Like Shane, he was heavily into mechanics and they worked together at Adrian’s shop.

  “That sounds like a good time,” I replied as Paul walked up to my desk. I gave him the one moment finger and turned back to my conversation. “I’ll grab dinner at Mama Lucia’s if you’re in the mood,” I said, naming my favorite Italian restaurant.

  “Oh. I’m always in the mood,” he joked.

  I laughed and my mind flitted back over the past few weeks. Shane and I were always in the mood for each other. While we enjoyed talking, cuddling, and just being together, sex with him was like nothing I’d experienced before. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I had never felt like this. I felt content, satisfied, and utterly in love. Of course, I hadn’t told him that yet.

  “I’ll be home around six thirty. See you then,” I said, and hung up the phone. Sighing, I turned to Paul. “And what can I help you with?”

  Paul looked irritated that I had kept him waiting. “Bob and I are expecting some people from the DA’s office. They should be here any moment. You need to make sure there is coffee and water in the conference room,” he demanded.

  The pre-Shane Megan would have huffed and said something snide about Paul’s attitude, like a threat to put Metamucil in his coffee or something. But I didn’t let him get to me, which, in reality, must have bothered him even more. I went ahead and made the coffee, and set out the nice cups and sugars, smiling the whole time.

  The DA rarely came to us for a meeting, so this was a big deal. I made a call to the bakery down the street and placed an express order for my uncle’s favorite shortbread cookies. They promised me a delivery within ten minutes. I straightened up my desk and made sure the front area looked presentable. If Paul and Uncle Bob were stressed before, the wide-eyed stares and frantic pace of the office only made it more obvious.

  We didn’t have to wait long. Right after the shortbread cookies arrived, so did three men and a woman dressed in suits. Eager beaver brown-noser Paul had been waiting at the door for their arrival. I was surprised he didn’t pee on the floor; he was that nervous.

  “Gentlemen, Madam, this way please,” he said, and led them into the conference room. After they shut the doors, I couldn’t hear anything more from the group. The fanfare had the interns and new paralegals curious, but I was oblivious. I went ahead with my work and was packing up my files at five thirty when the doors finally opened. Uncle Bob trailed after the group looking positively drained.

  “Well, is everything okay?” I asked as I logged off my computer.

  “Yes, it is. Of course, I can’t talk about it, but there are some bad people out there. Just do me a favor and be safe. Be careful who you associate with. Everyone should,” he said absentmindedly. He came over and kissed me on my forehead. “Love you, kiddo. Have a great weekend.”

  It was late April and the weather had been getting warmer, but I knew it would be chilly at the bonfire. I put on my white cardigan, picked up my messenger bag, and headed out the door.

  * * *

  I drove the short distance to Mama Lucia’s with the windows down and Aerosmith blaring on the stereo. I was pulling into the driveway with our dinner at six fifteen when my cell phone rang. Flutters abounded when I saw Shane’s number.

  “Hey baby. I’m just pulling into the driveway now. Are you on your way home?” I said, as I struggled with getting everything out of the car.

  “Hey. Yeah. Something has come up. I can’t get out of here anytime soon. Can we meet later at Eric’s?” Shane’s normally controlled voice sounded strained and distant.

  “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” I questioned. It was normal for him to change plans because of part delays or problems at the shop, but his tone sounded different to me. It had me worried.

  “Nothing’s wrong. Something has come up at the shop with a client’s bike. I’ll meet you at Eric’s house at ten,” he rushed. He was trying to get off the phone quickly.

  “Um. Okay. I guess I’ll see you later then,” I said quietly. I don’t like this. I don’t like this uneasy, queasy feeling in my stomach.

  “Hey. Everything’s fine. Don’t worry. I’m just in the middle of something. Would you mind picking up some beer? I have a feeling I’m going to nee
d it tonight.” Shane’s voice regained some normalcy, which smoothed my nerves slightly.

  “Sure. No problem. Do you want your dinner?” I asked, remembering the heavy shopping bag full of pasta and garlic bread.

  “Nah, I’ll grab it later.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you there then,” I replied, disconcerted. Something didn’t feel right. I headed into the kitchen, pushing aside Penny as she tried to get at the food bags. I filled her bowl with kibble, but she was determined to get into the dinner bags. I gave her a breadstick to calm her down and put Shane’s food in the fridge for later. Knowing him, he would want to eat at four in the morning. I clicked on the evening news and started to eat my dinner.

  “And in local news, a rookie Anne Arundel County Police Officer was shot today during a drug deal gone wrong. Here’s Amanda Cunningham with the latest.”

  Any story about a rookie police officer always piqued my interest. I constantly worried about Kyle on the job. A perky blond came on the screen standing in front of the Edgewater Police Station.

  “Yes, Mary. The spokesperson for the Town of Edgewater’s police department says that a rookie police officer was shot today while trying to disrupt a drug deal that was taking place underneath the South River Bridge. The name of the officer has not yet been released, however we have been told the officer has been taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center for treatment. Stay tuned for updates. Reporting from Edgewater, this is Amanda Cunningham.”

  I froze. My heart dropped to my stomach and I reached for the phone. “Please don’t be Kyle. Please don’t be Kyle,” I muttered, though I knew somewhere inside me that he’d been hurt. I quickly dialed Mom’s phone number. Busy. I dialed Kyle’s number and it just rang and rang. I hung up the phone and sat there for a minute. Panicked thoughts swirled in my head. I was about to leave and drive over to Mom’s house when my cell rang.

  “Mom? Kyle?” I blurted out, not bothering to check the caller ID.

  “It’s Mom. The phone has been ringing off the hook. Did you see the news?” she asked nonchalantly. Hearing her so calm brought my pulse down a bit. If she’s this calm, it can’t be serious.

  “Yes, I just heard. Is Kyle okay? Was he the one shot?” I pressed, knowing that she would give me the truth.

  “Yes. He was shot. But he will be okay. The bullet went into his shoulder and came out clean. He has already had surgery and will be coming home tomorrow. I’m here now with him,” she said, her motherly tone already soothing my worries.

  “Whew! I’m glad. I’ll change and come right up there,” I said as I moved to put my uneaten dinner in the fridge.

  “No. Stay there. He’s drugged up and won’t even know that you’re here. I talked to Sarah. She is already on her way down. She took her finals early and was coming home to surprise your brother,” she said casually. Like it wasn’t a big deal that her baby boy had gotten shot and had to go into surgery. I knew she was worried and scared.

  “Mom. Are you okay?” I asked gently. A sob escaped her throat and she quickly cleared her voice.

  “I am okay. I just wish that he would have chosen a different career path. But no, he had to be like your father,” she said, her voice wavering.

  “Dad’s watching out for him. I fully believe that. Are you sure you don’t want me to come to the hospital?” I asked. I didn’t care about canceling my plans. Shane would understand.

  “No, Megs. Don’t worry about it. He’s going to be fine,” Mom reassured me. “Why don’t you and Shane come over for dinner tomorrow night? We can talk wedding stuff with Sarah.” Nothing makes my mother happier than planning for an event. Especially weddings.

  “Okay. We’ll be there around five thirty.”

  “Good. I love you. Be safe.”

  I hung up with Mom and chewed on my lower lip. Even though I was deeply worried about my brother, Mom was right. He chose this career path. He knew what he was getting into.

  Chapter 14

  I LEFT THE HOUSE AROUND TEN so I’d have enough time to stop for Shane’s beer and some s’more fixings. The drive to Eric’s house was quick. Four years ago, Eric’s grandfather left Eric an old ranch-style home. It was set on the South River, back from the main hustle and bustle of Annapolis. Luckily for Eric, there weren’t any neighbors close by, so the house parties were always held there. I made it to Eric’s by ten fifteen and already the driveway was lined with cars. Granted, I knew most of the people that Shane and Eric worked with. Most of them grew up in the area. But I felt awkward; it was clearly a boys’ night. Luckily, Shane was standing next to his truck when I pulled up.

  “There you are,” he said as I got out of my car. He wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my neck. “You don’t know how good it is to see you,” he murmured, his lips grazing my collarbone. I shivered, but not from the cold.

  “I know. I needed to see you too,” I replied quietly. Shane looked up, curious. “Kyle got shot today.” Concern filled his face, so I quickly filled him in. “He’s fine. He’ll be okay. It was a clean shot. He’s coming home tomorrow. In fact, Mom wants us over for dinner tomorrow,” I said. Relief washed over Shane’s face.

  “Whew! I’m glad he’s okay. Are you okay?” he asked, as he cupped my face in his hands.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I was worried for a while, I heard about it on the news, but I’m better now,” I answered. I tugged him closer and raised my lips to meet his. Catcalls were instantaneous from Adrian and Eric, who were standing on the front porch.

  Shane broke off the kiss with a growl. “I should throw them into the river,” he muttered.

  I laughed. “Don’t get mad. They’re just jealous,” I called over my shoulder. Adrian and Eric good-naturedly booed. Shane flung his arm over my shoulder and kissed my cheek with a loud smooch.

  “We’ll finish this later,” he whispered. He took the beer, I grabbed the shopping bag, and we headed up to the front porch. Eric took my bag and gave me a kiss on the cheek and a big hug. I hadn’t seen Eric in a while. Shane told me that he had been really busy with the shop and was putting in a lot of overtime. Adrian took the beer from Shane and led everyone out through the house to the large fire pit circled by rocks in the massive backyard. The night was beautiful and clear. The moon was high and reflected off the river. I could see Brian, Eric’s brother, setting up the grill. Rachel, Eric’s sister, was setting food on the picnic tables.

  “Hi, Rachel,” I said, walking over to her. Rachel was two years older than I was. We were good friends, although we hadn’t talked much lately.

  “Hey, Megan!” She reached over and gave me a hug. “I’m glad you’re here. I haven’t talked to you in forever!” Rachel led me over to the fire pit and sat down on a chaise lawn chair. I chose the one next to her, and for the next twenty minutes we caught up on life until we were joined by Adrian and Shane. Adrian straddled a chair and leaned back, pulling his girlfriend of three years close. Adrian was huge, the type of man you would not want to come across in a dark alley. With Indian and African descent, he was the color of chocolate and extremely muscular. A devout weightlifter, he even competed.

  Amid the inside jokes and playful insults, I passed out the s’mores and Adrian went to find some sticks. We moved closer to the fire. Shane leaned back in his chair and I sat between his legs. It was as romantic as it could get with twenty guys milling around and drinking. I leaned back and sighed.

  “Having fun?” Shane whispered, his lips tickling my ear. Electric currents shocked my body at his slightest touch. I tilted my head back and met his lips with mine. The kiss deepened until a commotion behind us interrupted it.

  “Fuck Shane. I don’t care what he said!” I heard Eric shout. Curses and rude comments quickly followed. I turned to look at Shane to ask him what that was all about, but the expression of anger and annoyance on his face stopped me. I raised my eyebrow questioningly.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said quickly and got up before I could say a word. I watched as Shane grabbed Eric by th
e arm and pulled him into the house. Adrian quickly followed. I could hear muffled shouting from inside, but couldn’t decipher what they were saying. I glanced quickly at Rachel; I could tell that she was clueless as well.

  A large roar came from the house and Eric and Shane stumbled out, swinging at each other. Rachel and I got to our feet just as Adrian ran over to intervene.

  “Hey! Knock it off! Or both of your asses are going into the river!” Adrian shouted. Brothers Ryan and Ben, two friends of ours, ran to hold Eric back. Eric strained against the brothers, trying to get to Shane, who was rubbing his jaw.

  “You’re like a brother to me! I can’t believe you did that! You’re such a fucking coward, Shane. You’re a motherfucking coward,” Eric shouted.

  I ran over to Shane and grabbed his arm. “Dammit, Eric! You know I wouldn’t do something like that. You know I wouldn’t. You don’t want to do this. Don’t listen to Reggie,” Shane shouted back, rage filling his voice.

  “Get the hell out of here, Shane. I am going to kick your ass if you don’t,” Eric yelled, his eyes wide. I pulled on Shane’s arm.

  “Let’s go,” I said quietly. Shane shook his head in disgust and followed me out. I led him out to his truck. He was fuming; his body was coiled tightly like a snake ready to strike.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked gently. Shane didn’t respond, just shook his head. His fists were balled up and I could tell that the slightest thing would set him off. “Let’s go home.”

  “No. I left something at the shop. I’ll meet you back at the house,” Shane said roughly. I wasn’t sure if he needed time alone, or if he was going to go back and beat the snot out of Eric.

  “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No. I’m good. Don’t worry. I just need to chill out.” He pulled me in for a tight squeeze. “I’ll be home later.” Shane kissed me, then got into his truck and pulled out of the driveway.

  I wanted to follow him, make sure he was okay, but I decided against it and forced myself to leave him alone. I headed home.