The Promise (Butler Ranch Book 1)

by Heather Slade

  When Jamison came home from school, Brodie helped him with his homework, and then after they ate, took him outside to shoot some hoops.

  The least she could do would be to offer to make him breakfast, after all he’d done to help her.

  Jamison’s school was only a few minutes away, so Brodie was back shortly after she took eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator. He walked in the front door without knocking, and then stopped just inside.

  “I guess that was presumptuous of me.”

  “What? Just walking in? Don’t be silly.”

  He walked over and turned her away from the counter, so she faced him. “Peyton, I think we should talk.”

  She knew he was right, but it would be so much easier to just keep pretending all this was normal. As soon as they talked, they’d have to decide what “this” was, and how they intended to proceed. Shortly after that, Brodie would leave, and her house and life would go back to being too quiet and lonely.

  “Can we have breakfast first?” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

  “Woman, sometimes I think you’re heaven sent.” He cringed. “That was probably the wrong thing to say, wasn’t it?”

  “No, Brodie. It was a sweet thing to say.”

  “This is what we need to talk about, Peyton.” Brodie put his hands on her waist and brought her close to him. She rested her head against him, and put her arms around his neck. If they could just keep pretending a little while longer, she wouldn’t have to think about letting him go so soon.

  Brodie put his finger underneath her chin, and gently covered her lips with his. Was it only two or three days ago they were in this same kitchen, him kissing her, and then carrying her into the bedroom where they’d had the best sex of her life?

  “What are you thinking about?” he murmured.

  “You, me, and you know.”

  “No, don’t know.”

  “Brodie…”

  “Oh, you mean, you, me, and your bed.”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s what I was thinking about too.”

  “But, Brodie, we can’t.”

  “I know, sugar, but we sure can think about it.”

  Peyton pushed away from him. “I’m making breakfast, not thinking about bed.” She grinned.

  “Hey, uh, would you mind if I took a quick shower?”

  “I’m so sorry, Brodie. If you want to go home I completely understand, you haven’t been home, you’ve been in the same clothes…wait you’re not.”

  “Maddox brought me a bag.”

  “I didn’t even notice.”

  “You’ve had a lot on your mind, Peyton.”

  “Brodie, I don’t—”

  “Stop, sweetheart. I’m going to shower, we’ll have breakfast, and then we’ll talk, okay?”

  “I should, too.”

  “Shower?”

  “Uh, yes. I’ll, um, wait.”

  “Honey, you’re killing me. I am the last person you need to be so nervous around.”

  “I’m just so…oh, no…” She was crying. “What is wrong with me?”

  “Come here.” Brodie took her by the hand and walked over to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her down next to him. “My ma had her hands full when we were all little, as you can imagine.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I can’t speak for my brothers and sisters, but what she did always seemed to work for me.”

  “What was that?”

  “She’d tell me to close my eyes, take five slow, deep breaths, and then open my eyes and tell her what was wrong. If I couldn’t, I’d close my eyes again, take five more deep breaths, and so on. Sometimes it took two or three rounds of deep breaths, but it almost always worked. Wanna try?”

  “Not really.”

  Brodie laughed. “Okay.”

  “But I will.” Peyton closed her eyes and took five deep breaths.

  “Can you tell me what’s bothering you?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to.”

  “Five more breaths then. We’ll keep going until you’re ready.” This time Brodie breathed in and out with her.

  “Better?”

  She closed her eyes tight as though by not looking at him when she said it would make a difference. “I don’t want this to end.”

  “Ah, I see. I go home and we go back to life as it was before Finn’s accident.”

  “I’m sorry, Brodie.”

  “Because you want to be with me? Sweetheart, that is the last thing you need to apologize for. If I could have my way, I’d never leave.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. I’m hoping you aren’t gonna kick me out.”

  “I’m just so…tired, Brodie.” She sniffled. “And I can’t stop crying.”

  “Honey, I wish you’d just let me take care of you.”

  “But you have your own life, and I know that, and I know you need to leave.”

  Brodie stood and pulled her up from the couch. “Come with me.”

  Peyton followed him down the hallway. When they were near her bedroom door, she stopped.

  “Trust me.”

  She followed him in, and into her bathroom, where he turned the shower on. “You’re going first. I’ll keep an ear out for Finn, and I’ll make breakfast. We’ll eat, I’ll take a shower, and then, sweetheart, one of two things is going to happen. Either you’ll come back in here and go to sleep, alone, while I hang out with Finn. Or, if you’re up to it, we’ll talk until Finn wakes up, and then we’ll both hang with him. Now scoot.” Brodie tapped her bottom, turned around, and closed the bathroom door behind him.

  Peyton let the warm water rain over her. Every part of her hurt from first sleeping in a chair at the hospital, and then falling asleep on the couch with Brodie. On top of that, she was exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The best thing would be if Brodie went home, and she got some sleep. She knew this. She wasn’t the whiny complainer that just cried on Brodie’s shoulder. She’d weathered far worse than this in the last ten years, and was a strong, independent woman in the aftermath of her divorce and Kade’s death.

  There were times, though, that it was nice to chuck the strong independence out the window and let someone else take care of her for a change. It didn’t make her weak—Kade used to tell her it made her human.

  The aroma of bacon wafted into the bathroom, and Peyton shut off the water in the shower. Now that she was clean, she was more hungry than tired.

  Finn was on the sofa, watching cartoons, and chowing down his breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs. Brodie had just tossed the chopped vegetables in the skillet for the omelet he was making to share with Peyton, when she came out of the bedroom in a white, cotton sweater and comfy-looking jeans. Her damp hair hung in long strands down her back, her face was pink from the warm water, and she smelled like spring rain.

  “Hungry?”

  “Starving. I see Finn is a happy camper. Hey, buddy, how are you this morning?” Peyton sat down on the floor next to where Finn was stretched out on the sofa.

  “Brodie made me scrambled eggs and bacon.”

  “I see that. Whatcha’ watchin’?”

  “Teen Titans.”

  Peyton sneaked a piece of bacon from Finn’s plate.

  “Hey!” He laughed. “It’s okay, Mom, you’re probably more starving than me.”

  “Sure am, but it looks like my breakfast may be ready. Need anything before I eat?”

  “No, Mom. Jeez. How long are you gonna be like this? Brodie helped me get out of bed, but I made it to the bathroom, and out here on my own.” He pointed to his crutches.

  “Okay, tough guy. You’re officially on your own.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Brodie set two plates on the kitchen island, and pulled out a stool for her. “Feel better?”

  “Immensely. Thank you for making breakfast, although I wish you would’ve let me cook for you this morning. You’ve done so much for me.”

  “Dinner.”

  “
When?”

  “Tonight.”

  “Okay.” She laughed. “Any requests?”

  Brodie looked over at Finn, who was engrossed in cartoons, so he leaned forward, kissed right under her ear, and inhaled. “God, you smell good.”

  “Brodie, we were talking about dinner tonight.” She smiled and kissed his cheek.

  “I can’t think when you’re this close, and smell this good.”

  “Okay, never mind. I’ll figure it on my own. Anything I should stay away from? Food allergies? Hate green beans? Anything like that?”

  “I’m okay with green beans, but I hate lima beans.”

  “Ew, lima beans. They’re disgusting,” Finn added.

  “When have I ever made lima beans?”

  “They have ’em at school, and when they do, everybody pukes.”

  “Finn! We’re eating.”

  “So? It’s true.”

  “Okay, so no lima beans. Anything else?”

  He wasn’t kidding when he said he couldn’t think. With Peyton this close, the only appetite he had was for her.

  “Yoo-hoo, Brodie.”

  “I don’t care. I’d even eat lima beans if you made them for me.”

  When they finished breakfast, Peyton insisted she clean up while he showered. She asked him again if he’d be more comfortable going home, but dropped it when he raised one eyebrow.

  He went out to Naughton’s Suburban and grabbed his bag. After he showered, he’d call Naught and make sure he didn’t need his vehicle any time soon. If he did, he’d see if Peyton and Finn wanted to go to the ranch with him, to get out of the house for a bit. That wasn’t the real reason he wanted them to go with him. Like he told her, if he could be with her every minute from now on, he wouldn’t complain.

  Peyton washed the breakfast dishes and started a load of laundry. While Brodie showered, she called to check in with Alex. They talked yesterday when Alex called to see how Finn was, and then again when Peyton called on their way home from the hospital.

  “Good morning.” Alex yawned.

  “Am I calling too early?” Peyton looked over at the clock. It was after ten. “You weren’t seriously still sleeping.”

  “No, miss morning glory, I wasn’t, but I haven’t been awake all that long.”

  “Was it busy yesterday afternoon?”

  “Heck, no. I closed at five.”

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  “And why were you still asleep at ten in the morning?”

  “It’s really none of your beeswax, but if you must know, I’m not home.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Hanging out on Adelaida Trail, where I happen to know Brodie is not hanging out.”

  “No, he’s still here. In the shower at the moment. What’s the deal with you and Maddox? And seriously, why don’t I know anything about it? I’m a little hurt, honestly.”

  “Don’t be. There was nothing to know for a really, really long time. We talked a few times after all the weirdness with you and Brodie, and then when he came to Stave Friday night things just sorta, you know, happened. And here I am. Although whenever this has happened in the past, after about a week we’re ready to scratch each other’s eyes out. I figure I’ve got three or four days of amazing sex left, and then we’ll hate each other again.”

  “I feel as though I keep repeating myself, but Alex, how do I not know any of this?”

  “I don’t know. It’s too…can’t think of the word. Raw, maybe?”

  “I actually get it. I’m feeling that way right now about Brodie.”

  “I can’t believe you let him spend the night with the boys there. That’s not like you.”

  “I keep looking in the mirror to make sure I’m still me. That’s how much I’m not like me right now.”

  “That’s great. I’m gonna steal it. I keep looking in the mirror to make sure I’m still me. Classic Peyton.”

  “Oh, before I forget, did you cancel with Peter yesterday?”

  “I did. Didn’t he call you?”

  “I don’t think so, but I’ll check after we hang up. Why would he have?”

  “He wanted to talk to you about a little somethin’ somethin’ would be my guess.”

  “Oh, Alex. This isn’t good. I wish you hadn’t encouraged him. It’s going to be so awkward at the wine dinner.”

  “Just call him and tell him you’re not interested.”

  “Let me check something. Hold on.” Peyton set the phone on the kitchen counter, counted to five, and then picked it back up. “Just checked, I am still me, which means I’m not you. You make those kinds of phone calls, I just avoid people until they get the message.”

  “Handle it your way, sista. Only my way is far more effective. Gotta go. I think the Mad-man might’ve just come back to ravage me again.”

  “Talk to you later, Alex.”

  “Buh-bye.”

  Peyton saw there was one voicemail from a number she didn’t recognize. She put it on speaker to listen.

  “Hi, Peyton. Uh, this is Peter Wells calling. I’m, um, sorry to hear about your son. So, I was wondering if you’d like to reschedule. I could come up next Monday, and then maybe after we finalize the menu, we could have dinner somewhere. Give me a call when you get this message, and we can figure it out. I’m, uh, looking forward to seeing you, Peyton.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  “Brodie! God, you startled me. How long have you been standing behind me?”

  “Only long enough to hear the tail-end of that message.”

  “It isn’t polite to eavesdrop,” Finn shouted from the couch.

  “Who’s eavesdropping?” Peyton shouted back. “This doesn’t concern you, Finn, any more than my message concerns you, Brodie.”

  Brodie sat down at the counter next to her.

  “What?”

  “It does concern me, Peyton.”

  “It doesn’t. That was a private message from a guest chef who we have a wine dinner planned with.”

  Brodie shook his head. “That message had nothing to do with your wine dinner, Peyton. You’re definitely not having dinner with him.”

  “Brodie!”

  “What, Peyton? It’s time for us to talk.” He looked over at Finn. “Let’s go outside.”

  Finn got up and steadied himself on his crutches. “I’m going to my room now, parental units. I’ll be putting my headphones on in order to refrain from eavesdropping.”

  Peyton laughed as he passed them by, but would need to discuss his “parental units,” remark with him later.

  “Let it go.”

  “Let what go?”

  “Parental units. The less attention you draw to it, the less often he’ll do it.”

  Peyton took a deep breath. Did he really just tell her how to handle her son? First he tells her she’s not having dinner with someone, and then he tells her to let something go with her own son.

  “I had a lot I wanted to say to you, Brodie, but I’ve forgotten all of it, so I’ll just say this. Don’t think for one minute that you know one iota more about my little boy than I do. You may think you’ve got me all figured out, but you don’t. And you sure as hell don’t know my son better than I do.”

  Peyton stood and opened the front door. “It’s time for you to leave, Brodie. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my family in the last few days. As I said, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

  “Peyton, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “But you did, and that’s the problem. You’ve known Finn for what? Three days? I’m 2,931 days ahead of you.”

  “I’m sorry. I won’t ever make that mistake again. Believe me, I absolutely do not think I know your son better than you do. It was a stupid thing to say.”

  “Tell you what. When you can give me that speech, and actually mean it, give me a call and maybe we’ll talk. Bye, Brodie.”

  “Peyton—”

  “I saw a side of you
in the last few minutes that I’m not crazy about. You eavesdropped on a private message and then called me out on it. You actually told me that I wasn’t having dinner with someone. Wasn’t. Then you told me how to handle a situation with my son, when I did not ask for your advice. I let you take charge of certain things in the past couple of days because I was exhausted, and I trusted you. Don’t abuse my trust, Brodie, by thinking you can waltz in here and take over everything, especially my relationship with my boys.”

  “That isn’t what I was doing.”

  “No?” Peyton walked back over to the counter. “There’s this thing I do with my boys, kind of like the thing your mom did with you. When I know they aren’t being honest with me or with themselves, I make them take a time out. I tell them that when they’re ready to take an honest look at the situation, I’ll be happy to discuss it with them. Until then, I’m not interested. So Brodie, right now, I’m not interested.”

  Brodie stood and went down the hall. He went into the guest bathroom and grabbed his bag, and then stopped at the door to Finn’s room and waved.

  “Hey, Brodie, wait!” she heard Finn call out.

  “I gotta go, but I’ll see you soon, okay? Take it easy on that leg.”

  Brodie stopped in front of her, and for a minute Peyton thought he was going to continue arguing with her, but he didn’t.

  “I’ll see ya, Peyton.”

  She probably should’ve stopped him before he walked out, thanked him again for all he did to help her and the boys, but hadn’t she already thanked him a hundred times? Instead, she sent a text to Alex.

  Call me when you’re done on the trail, she wrote. Need to talk. I think I might’ve just f’d things up, she added later.

  “Hey, brother. You’re back.”

  Brodie handed Naughton the key fob to the Suburban. “Not for long. I’m takin’ off again this afternoon.”

  “Goin’ back to Peyton’s?”

  “Nope.” Brodie walked away. He didn’t know where he was going, he just knew he needed to go somewhere far away from here.

  He walked back to the house, packed a bigger bag, and threw it into the back of the Porsche. On his way out, he stopped at the house to see his ma.

  “Come sit with me, Brodie.”

  “I can’t, Ma, I just wanted to see how you were feeling.”