Long Way Home

by Vaughn, Ann

  “You’re up early,” she said.

  “I’m going to help Tessa and her mom set up for a wedding at the church.”

  Susie sat her mug down. “I really wish you wouldn’t,” she said, though without much conviction.

  “I’ll probably be gone most of the day. Gotta help with take down, too.”

  She drew a deep breath and released it slowly. “Honey, just...keep in mind that you’re going to be going off to college soon.”

  “I know that,” he said, grabbing an apple from the fridge. “Gotta go.”

  He left before she could protest further. Her words hadn’t been completely lost on him, however. He understood that it was probably foolish on his part to start a relationship with Tessa right now. He was going to be four hours away in Austin.

  Pulling up to the church he pushed the thought of school aside for now. He’d had a good time last night and he intended to enjoy today.

  “Well, he’s on time at least,” Mary said to Tessa as she pulled her van up to the church.

  “Yes, he is,” Tessa agreed. And, she added to herself, he was looking particularly gorgeous and adorable in his faded jeans, Texas Rangers T-Shirt and scarred work boots.

  “Good morning, ladies,” he greeted them when they got out.

  “Good morning,” Mary echoed. “Ready to get to work?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a smile and a wink.

  “Good. You can start by bringing in the pieces to the arch and then I’ll show you how to put it together.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he repeated, going to the back of the van.

  Tessa met him at the rear doors while her mother went to make sure the church was open.

  “Good morning,” she said, standing on her toes to give him a quick kiss. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too,” he replied, sneaking another quick kiss.

  She watched him gather the first two pieces of the white arch, test their weight, then gathered the rest of the pieces. What normally took her and her mother two trips each, he easily handled all in one trip.

  “You sure you got that?” she asked, watching his muscles bunch.

  “Yeah, I’m good. Take this to the sanctuary?”

  “Um, yeah, up on the stage.”

  She watched him go up the steps to the front doors that her mother had propped open, admiring his butt as he went. Giving herself a mental shake, she set about collecting pew bows and flowers.

  “With Shane helping we may finish ahead of schedule,” Mary stated when she came back outside. “He’s already got the arch in and started putting it together.”

  “Wouldn’t that be...”

  “Looks like you lost your police escort,” Harrison Kelly said from behind them.

  Tessa and Mary both jumped, startled. Neither had even heard him approach.

  “You go on now,” Tessa said to him. Her mother might be afraid of him but she wasn’t. “The Restraining Order says you can’t come near us.”

  Harrison backhanded her, sending her sprawling without even sparing her a glance.

  “Stop it, Harrison!” Mary screamed. “Tessa, go call 911,” she ordered even as Harrison grabbed her.

  “You think some piece of paper is going to keep me from you? I own you! Both of you! And you’re going to pay!”

  He drew back his hand to strike Mary but before he could he was violently tackled, his head cracking against the concrete and a fist landed against his nose. Shane landed two more blows to the lowlife’s face before Harrison finally managed to get his bearings and clocked Shane on the jaw. To Tessa’s amazement, the shot barely shook Shane and after they both landed a few more blows, Shane, being younger and faster managed to flip Harrison face down on the pavement, and in a move reflective of a veteran cop, pinned Harrison’s arms behind his back, holding his wrists down with a knee.

  “Get me something to tie his wrists,” he said to Tessa.

  “Get off me! I’ll kill you!!”

  “You’re welcome to try,” Shane bit out.

  Tessa brought a roll of floral tape. Shane wasn’t crazy about it but figured it would hold until his dad or his deputies got there. After he was satisfied the tape was secure, he looked over at Tessa and her mother. Mary looked shaken, but fine. Tessa had a darkening bruise forming on her cheek and right eye. Apparently, Kelly had gotten at least one blow in before Shane made it outside.

  “You OK?” he asked Tessa.

  “Yes. Are you?”

  “Yeah,” he said, looking toward the street when he heard siren’s approaching. His dad’s truck screeched to a halt just behind Mary’s van where Shane still held Kelly pinned to the ground.

  Luke took in his son’s battered face and the fact that he had secured the SOB responsible, then looked to Mary and her daughter.

  “Did your father hit you, Tessa?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Before Shane came outside.”

  “Are you all right?” She nodded again. Luke shifted his gaze to his son, his eyes again roaming over his son’s facial injuries. “Good job, son,” he said, laying a hand on Shane’s shoulder and giving him a squeeze. “Let me have him now, OK?”

  “You can have him, but you gotta help me up. I busted my knee pretty hard when I took him down. I don’t think I can stand on it.”

  Tessa gasped when she shifted her gaze to his knee as Luke helped him to stand. His jeans were soaked with blood and even she could see that it had begun to swell.

  “Let me cut the jeans away from his knee,” Mary said, reaching in her van for a pair of scissors. Luke helped Shane to sit on the back of the van while Mary split his pant leg up to his knee. “This is bad, Luke. He needs to go to the hospital.”

  In the background, Harrison was spitting out insults as Scott and another deputy arrived to take him into custody. Tessa barely spared him a glance, her concern on Shane. Her cheek was throbbing now that the adrenaline was wearing off. She could only imagine how he was feeling.

  Luke walked over to speak to his deputies while they loaded Harrison into their squad car, then came back to Shane.

  “We need to have them both checked out, just to be safe,” he said to Mary. “You can both ride with us,” he said as he scooped Shane into his arms to carry him to his truck.

  Tessa didn’t wait for her mother to respond. She climbed into the backseat once Luke settled Shane back there, so her mother followed wordlessly. On the short drive from the church to Doctor Curtis’ office, Luke radioed for dispatch to call his wife and let her know what happened, that he was taking Shane to be checked out and to bring Shane a change of clothes.

  Tessa watched Shane’s profile as he turned to look out the window. She knew he was worried about his mother’s reaction since she hadn’t wanted him associating with Tessa in the first place, because of her father. At this point, Tessa couldn’t blame her. Shane had been hurt because of her.

  At the clinic, she winced when Shane groaned as his dad helped him from the truck. His knee was swollen to nearly twice its normal size and there were bits of gravel embedded in his skin, making her feel even worse. If his knee was messed up he wouldn’t be able to play baseball, which she knew he loved.

  They were taken immediately to an examination room. Nurses took their vitals. Concussion was ruled out for both of them. Tessa was given an ice pack for her face while Dr. Curtis and the nurses got to work on Shane. A cut under his eye required stitches and his nose was broken but the knee was of the most concern.

  “Ladies, we need you to wait in the lobby, now. His jeans have to come off,” Dr. Curtis told them.

  Tessa caught Shane’s eye briefly before she left; knew he was in pain. A lump sat tight in her throat, robbing her of breath. As soon as they were safely out of the room, she let her tears fall free.

  “Oh, baby,” Mary cried, embracing her. “I’m so sorry.”

  “He was hurt because of me,” she whispered.

  “Don’t think about it, sweetie.”

  “
His knee...”

  “What about his knee?” Susie McCanton asked, her harsh voice interrupting them.

  “He’s in room four,” Mary told her. “Dr. Curtis was just beginning to look at it.”

  Susie puffed up as if she was about to say something but thought better of it and rushed past them. Tessa held her breath until Susie was out of sight then released it slowly, wiping tears from her cheeks.

  “What are we going to do about the wedding?” she asked her mother, in an effort to take her mind off of Shane.

  “I’m going to call Linda and see if she will come get me and help me finish and see if Lauren will take you home.”

  Tessa shook her head. “No, I’m fine and four of us will get done faster.”

  Shane looked up when his mother came in, bracing himself for her reaction. Thankfully, though there were tears in her eyes, she merely kissed his brow and stepped back to let Dr. Curtis continue cleansing his knees. He knew she had to have passed Tessa and her mother on the way in, he just hoped she hadn’t said anything to them.

  “The left one needs stitching and I want to get an x-ray and an MRI to make sure nothing is fractured. Give me just a minute to get everything set up.”

  “Thanks, Doc,” Luke said, shaking his hand.

  “All-in-all, I’d say Shane’s an extremely lucky young man, considering.”

  When they were alone, Luke again squeezed Shane’s shoulder.

  “I’m proud of you, boy,” Luke told him.

  “Thanks,” Shane murmured, but he didn’t feel proud. He was angry...and ashamed, because he kept seeing that bastard hit Tessa and he wanted to kill him.

  “Are you hurting?” Susie asked, lightly stroking his hair.

  “The doc gave me a shot of...something. I’m not feeling much right now.”

  “Doc said it would make him groggy,” Luke told her.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “I was inside the church and they were getting supplies from the van. I’d just finished putting the arch together so I went out to see what they wanted me to do next. I was in the vestibule when he hit Tessa. He had hold of Mary and was about to punch her when I tackled him. We fought for a few minutes and then I subdued him, taped his wrists. Bet that hurt like he...heck to get off,” he chuckled.

  “You probably saved their lives, son,” Luke told him.

  Shane closed his eyes knowing his dad was likely right but still not happy about all that happened.

  “This is exactly why I didn’t want him associating with that girl,” Susie said to Luke, thinking he was asleep.

  “Now, Susie, they couldn’t have known that Harrison would violate the restraining order, but beyond that, what Shane did today is exactly what he will do when he becomes a cop. You know this...and he’s damn good at it already.”

  “But he isn’t a cop yet, Luke. He’s just a boy.”

  “He is eighteen, Susie. The US Government says he is old enough to vote and go to war. He is an adult now.”

  “He’s my child!” she cried.

  “I’m right here, Mom,” Shane said sleepily.

  She wiped tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, honey.”

  Dr. Curtis came back in with a nurse and they wheeled him down to an x-ray room. He was asleep before they got there but not before he caught a glimpse of Tessa and her mother in the hallway.

  Thirty minutes after they took Shane in to be x-rayed, his dad came out to talk to them.

  “Dr. Curtis wants to transport Shane to the hospital. He says his knee is going to need surgery. He apparently twisted it at some point, tore the cartilage pretty good.”

  “Oh, no!” Tessa gasped. “Baseball?”

  Luke shook his head. “He’s likely done for the season.”

  “I’m so sorry, Sheriff McCanton,” Tessa cried.

  “Hey, it’s all right,” he said, hugging her. “Shane’s going to be fine. There is nothing for you to apologize for. I’m just glad he was there to stand up for both of you.”

  “He saved our lives, Luke. I have no doubt about that,” Mary said.

  “Harrison has a concussion,” he told her, “and he’s lost a few teeth.”

  Tessa managed a smile through her tears. “Shane got him pretty good. It was kinda satisfying to see him get a taste of his own medicine.”

  “Yes, it was,” Mary agreed. “Linda is coming to get us. We have to get the church finished; but will you page me and let me know his room number? We’d like to come see him.”

  “Of course. And I would appreciate it if, after you finish the church, you stop by the station and give Scott your statements.”

  “Certainly,” Mary agreed.

  “Will you tell Shane I’ll be there as soon as I can?” Tessa asked.

  “I sure will...and put that ice pack back on your cheek. You’re swelling again.”

  When Shane woke up he was disoriented and in more pain than he’d ever been in his life. He glanced to his right and saw a pretty nurse sitting near the foot of his bed. She got up and moved closer to him when she saw he was awake.

  “Hey, there, cutie,” she smiled at him.

  He turned to watch her check an IV bag then realized it was attached to his arm.

  “Where am I?” he asked, puzzled by the hoarseness of his voice.

  She took his wrist to check his pulse. “You’re at Sinclair County Hospital. Dr. Curtis referred you to Dr. Kinsley. He operated on your knee to repair a tear in your cartilage.”

  “Surgery?”

  She smiled again. “It’s OK. It will all come back to you in a bit. The anesthesia makes you a little foggy right at first. Are you cold?”

  “Um...yeah, a little.”

  “OK, I’ll bring you a warm blanket, then I’ll go get your folks, all right?”

  He nodded and scrubbed a weary hand over his face. Surgery? He knew his knee hurt but he hadn’t realized he’d messed it up that bad.

  “Here ya go,” she said, tucking a warm blanket around him. It felt really good, he thought as he drifted back to sleep. The next time he opened his eyes, both his parents were beside him.

  “There you are,” his mother said, brushing her hand gently through his hair. “How do you feel?”

  “Whole body hurts,” he replied, more awake now than he’d been earlier.

  “Can he have anything for pain?” he heard his dad ask someone.

  “Shane?” the pretty nurse called out. “On a scale of one to ten with ten being the worst pain you’ve ever felt in your life, tell me how you feel.”

  “Ten,” he said without hesitation, “definitely a ten.”

  “All over, just the knee, what?”

  “All over. Head is throbbing. Face hurts. Knee is throbbing. Other knee is burning. Throat hurts.”

  “Throat?” Susie asked, alarmed.

  “From the tube,” the nurse explained, “we weren’t sure if he had food on his stomach or not. Just hang tight, Shane. Let me get Dr. Kinsley in here.”

  He closed his eyes with a scowl. “What’s the deal with my knee?” he asked when the nurse left.

  “You must have twisted it in the fight,” Luke said. “Do you remember?”

  “I didn’t feel anything at the time. Adrenaline. How is Tessa?” “She’s fine. She will be here as soon as she can. They had to get the church done for that wedding.”

  “How long is this gonna bench me?”

  “Most likely for the season, son, I’m sorry.”

  He met his dad’s direct gaze, knowing he wouldn’t lie to him.

  “Will this keep me from DPS?”

  “Doctor says you’ll be good as new so long as you don’t push your recovery too soon.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I asked. I knew you would want to know.”

  “What about Harrison Kelly? He violated the restraining order. Will he be put away now?”

  “For at least five years. I’m going to try to press for more. He’s a threat to Mary and Tessa. That’ll carry som
e weight.”

  Dr. Kinsley came in, examined him and approved more pain medication for him. The next time he awoke, he was in a different room and Tessa was sitting next to him.

  “Hey, Tess,” he said, making her smile.

  “Look who’s awake! How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got the crap kicked outta me.”

  She hugged her arms closer to herself as if fighting off a sudden chill.

  “I’m so sorry about all of this, Shane.”

  He shook his head. “Not your fault and if you apologize to me one more time you’ll piss me off.”

  She giggled in spite of being upset. “All right, no apologies. But I will say thank you. I’m glad you were there today. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t been.”

  He reached for her hand and brought her fingers to his lips.

  “Dad says he’ll go away for at least five years. More if Dad has his way.”

  She nodded. “Yes. That would be a good thing.”

  “He’ll never hurt you again, Tess, I promise.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Shane. He hurts me all the time. He’s my father.”

  “Don’t let him. He’s not a father. He’s nothing more than a sperm donor. Don’t let him mess you up.”

  “He already has, but you’re right. It’s time I put him behind me.”

  “There you go. Don’t let him break you.”

  Chapter Four

  Shane’s words stayed with Tessa. She was determined to stick to them; she would not allow Harrison Kelly to break her spirit. She enrolled in self-defense classes. She spent a lot of time at the Sheriff’s office, volunteering to do filing and whatever paperwork Sheriff McCanton and the dispatcher, Kim, thought she could handle. She and Shane continued dating and while they remained close friends, she held back from him, not allowing herself to become too close.

  Shane knew she held back. He could feel it in her kisses; they weren’t quite as passionate as those first few had been. Any time he tried to advance things between them, she held him off. He told himself she was just being smart, preparing for when he left for college, but in the back of his mind he knew it was something else.