My sobs tore through the silence of the predawn.
“Kelly, Baby…wake up. Come on, it’s a dream,” Liam urged firmly, grasping me by my arms. “You’re okay, now. I’ve got you,” he assured me. As I calmed down and looked up at him, he smiled down at me. “There she is. You’re okay now, Baby. I’ve got you,” he repeated, his voice calming, seemingly tied to the beats of my heart.
I took a deep breath to clear my head as I clasped my hand over my chest, trying to regulate my heart rate.
“That must have been one hell of a nightmare,” Liam said, pulling me in to his side. I instinctively wrapped my arm around his chest, taking in his warmth as I settled back on his chest. Just his scent alone was a balm to my nerves. Another deep breath and I was almost calm.
“I hope I didn’t wake anybody else.”
We both listened for a moment, and all seemed quiet. Liam stroked my arm, lost in thought. Then he shifted, splaying his hand protectively on my abdomen. “Want to talk about it?”
I closed my eyes, the images behind my lids were too horrific to describe. I shivered at the memory.
“Just…the baby,” I whispered. “I dreamed I was falling, and had some sort of accident, and I lost…there was a lot of blood,” I murmured.
“Shh. Try to put it out of your mind. It was a dream, the baby’s okay,” he assured me, pulling me in tighter. “He’s a tough guy, just like his brother.”
I smiled at his assertion once again this baby was a boy.
“You’re so sure it’s going to be a boy,” I murmured, my mood lifting.
“Damn right. I only shoot male bullets,” he answered cockily.
“Oh sweet Jesus. Just how are you going to act when it turns out to be a girl? Will you be disappointed?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“No, of course not. But don’t worry, Ethan’s got the girls in this family covered. The boys are up to me,” he said and smiled against my lips as he took my mouth in a scorching kiss.
“Un-huh,” my reply was smothered by his lips. I loved his cocky side, almost as much as I loved his serious, responsible side.
Chapter Eighteen
S itting at my grandmother’s table, slicing pies baked by Ellen and Chelsea, I felt a contentment and belonging I’d never experienced before. My eyes filled with tears as I silently watched Ellen work away with my new Kitchen Aid mixer, whipping real butter into the boiled potatoes. It was the first time I was spending Thanksgiving with family since Aunt Deb passed away.
“Are you okay, sweet girl?” Ellen asked softly, bringing me back from my musings. She’d finished with the potatoes and placed the steaming bowl in front of me on the table.
“Oh, yes…of course. I was thinking how much I love this,” I replied, motioning to her and Chelsea. Chelsea stood at the stove, potholders in hand, ready to take the turkey from the oven. She stood with my grandmother’s roaster in her hands, pushed the oven door closed with her hip, and made her way to the table. “And Ethan says I can’t cook! I did this all by myself,” she beamed, holding the turkey proudly up in the air as Ethan walked into the kitchen.
“I can’t sing your praises about everything you do, Chels. No one would believe you are so perfect,” he joked, reaching to take the heavy roaster. She looked adorable in one of my grandmother’s flour-sack aprons, her round tummy causing it to hike up in front. After placing the turkey down, Ethan turned and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll slice this if you’ll set up the electric knife.”
“Oh no you won’t, your dad will have a fit! He considers it his job to carve the turkey,” Ellen scolded, pushing the roasting pan away from Ethan. “Go get your dad and tell him it’s show time.”
“Roger that,” Ethan saluted, popped an olive in his mouth from the relish tray I’d finished, and went in search of his dad.
“Mommy! Mommy, Maseee wants a lick,” Sammy squealed, running into the kitchen as Masen crawling, half scooting, trying to stand and then falling back to his knees as he tried to keep up with her.
“You mean YOU want a lick,” Allison said, scooping her up into her arms.
“Stay out of the whipped cream until after dinner,” Chelsea scolded, shooing Sammy’s hand away from the freshly-whipped cream sitting on the counter as Allison leaned her over to reach it.
“Part of the fun is the samples,” Ellen soothed in her grandmother voice. “Here you go,” she said, handing Sammy two rubber spatulas which she dipped into the whipped cream. “Lick away!”
Sammy’s eyes sparkled as Allison placed her on the floor. She ran over to Masen who sat patiently watching her.
“Here go, Masee!” she said excitedly, handing him the spatula. He mimicked her, placing the spatula in his mouth and licking the cream.
“Where’s mine?” Liam startled Masen, picking him up off the floor. Masen held the utensil out, smacking Liam on the nose, smearing cream all over his upper lip and left cheek.
I fought the moisture gathering in my eyes. I had physically ached in the past when I’d watched families interact. I’d distanced myself from others, refusing to go home with Tana or Sunni at holidays. It always hurt too much to see what I’d never be a part of.
And here I was. In the middle of the most perfect, loving family. My family. And in my grandmother’s house surrounded by my own memories I thought had been lost forever. Liam glanced at me over Masen’s head, his nose still covered in cream. I choked on a laugh as I tried to regain my composure.
“What’s wrong?” he mouthed, his concern darkening his brow.
I shook my head and smiled at him. “Nothing. Everything is perfect,” I whispered, cradling my abdomen.
Liam smirked as he placed a kiss on Masen’s head and nodded at me. The ringing of the doorbell drew everyone’s attention from the kids.
“Who could that be?” I asked, rising.
“Tex is here,” Ethan called out from the living room. I heard the front door open, and male voices drifted in from the foyer as Ellen and Allison excitedly made their way to greet him. Before I realized what I’d done, I let my shoulders sink, betraying my feelings at Liam’s grandfather’s arrival.
“Sorry, Baby. I didn’t know she’d invited him to eat with us,” Liam murmured, pulling me up from the chair with his free hand and placing a kiss in my hair.
“It’s okay, he’s family,” I reassured him. I reached up with my dishtowel and wiped the cream from his nose.
“If he’s not nice to you, I’ll kick him out,” Liam stated.
I wasn’t convinced. Oh, I knew Liam would call him out if he said anything to me, but I knew Tex. Anything he did, he would do without anyone else present. It would be subtle, but he would always let me know where I stood.
“Come on, let’s go greet him,” I said, taking Masen from his arms and tugging him along with me. I tried to convince him and myself the beautiful feelings I’d had in the kitchen didn’t just disintegrate. When we reached the living room, Tex was seated on my new sofa, Allison tucked close to his side. Just for a moment I glimpsed a loving grandfather. As I took them in, his gaze moved from Davis to Liam and me. Liam had his arms around me, one of his palms resting on my breastbone, possessively tucking me into his chest. He raised his chin at his grandfather.
“Tex,” he greeted.
“Liam,” Tex returned, as his eyes narrowed on me.
“It’s good to see you again, Mr. Whelan,” I greeted.
He raised his chin in response. “Call me Tex, everyone does.”
“Tex,” I corrected.
“Papaw, isn’t Kelly’s farmhouse neat? You should come see the barn. I’ve been exploring, like when I’m out at your ranch!” she said excitedly.
Tex rose at her urging, his eyes still on mine. “Liam’s farmhouse,” he grunted as he passed. “I’m pretty sure my money bought this place,” he stated.
“No Tex, you’re wrong. I bought this place with my money from my investments, and I gave it to Kelly for her birthday. It was technically hers all a
long, anyway. You know, Tex, sometimes people give things to the people they love without any strings attached. The farm is Kelly’s, to do with as she wishes.”
“Liam, please,” Ellen cautioned, trying to keep the peace.
“And some people wouldn’t have anything without their inheritance,” Tex challenged, ignoring his daughter.
“Please, daddy, let’s don’t do this today. This is a celebration of family, memories, and Thanksgiving.”
Tex looked back at me. Once again, as at the wedding, I was struck by the beautiful depth of color in his eyes and his handsome face. But it was lifeless. His eyes were soulless. It seemed the only glimpse of humanity I’d seen in the “moldy bastard” as Tana had called him, was the glimpse of softness when he’d looked at his granddaughter. Allison tugged on his hand, her expression apologetic as she looked to me. “Come on, Papaw. I want to show you the loft before we eat.”
Once they’d left through the back door, Ellen turned to us. Liam still held me in his arms. It seemed he wasn’t going to give his grandfather the chance to belittle me today, and I loved him for it. I patted his hands, still clasped across my chest. Turning in his arms, I kissed him softly. “Would you put Masen in his high chair and help me move the food to the sideboard in the dining room?”
“Sure, Baby,” he murmured against my lips.
Our meal passed without incident. Liam and Ethan fell into their usual brotherly banter, and for once, Allison joined in good-naturedly. The looks Ellen and Davis exchanged said they were as surprised and pleased as I was. I felt as though I was seeing the Allison they’d grown up with, not the surly teenager she’d become. It seemed everyone had forgotten Tex’s presence but me. I watched him warily as he silently ate his meal, never pausing to look up unless his daughter or granddaughter inserted banter into the conversation.
Liam grinned at me over a fork full of noodles. “You were right, Hellcat. These German noodles are the best thing on the table. I never would have tried them if you hadn’t made such a fuss over them.”
“Never thought I’d see the day you’d make googly eyes over noodles,” Allison teased, elbowing Liam.
“The way to a man’s heart,” Chelsea chimed in, smiling at Ethan.
“Among other things,” he countered, winking at her.
“I swear I didn’t think I’d survive raising two teenage boys. Two boys who thought they’d been born to be God’s gift to the female population of Texas,” Ellen finished, raising a brow at Davis.
“Just chips off the old block,” he replied, pushing back from the table and rubbing his chest.
“Yeah. I called Liam’s girls the ‘revolving door’ club,” Allison said with a giggle. “And then, like with Ethan and Chels, it all came to a halt when he met Kelly. Some powerful force slammed into them both and changed them into lovesick saps.”
Liam hooked an arm around Allison’s neck and pulled her into his chest as he licked his finger and stuck it in her ear.
“Eww, gross…stop it, jockstrap,” she squealed, struggling to get out of his grasp.
He released her, chuckling. “Can’t wait for it to happen to you, squirt. Then ‘know, you will,’ the true meaning of the force,” he teased, using a disturbingly real imitation of Yoda.
“You’re such a dork,” she groaned.
“Yes, we can wait. It’s not going to happen to her,” Tex growled from the end of the table. He stood abruptly, pushing his chair back and throwing his napkin on his empty plate. “Is there anything to drink in this dump?”
Ellen gasped, horrified at her father’s rude comment about the farmhouse.
“Yeah, Tex, we’ve got whiskey,” Davis answered, rising to follow his father-in-law. For a few moments, you could have heard a pin drop in the awkward silence.
“I’m sorry, Kelly. Daddy doesn’t do change. He’s still adjusting to the changes in the family, and the fact we aren’t having the holiday at the ranch. He’s not usually like this,” Ellen tried to cover.
“Yeah he is, Momma,” Ethan challenged back, his eyes on me. Chelsea fidgeted beside him.
“No he isn’t, Ethan. You and Liam defy him every chance you get,” Allison fired back, seemingly upset her brother would think Tex was anything but wonderful.
Ethan studied Allison for a moment, his shoulders slumped. “Yeah, squirt. You think that, because he doesn’t act that way with you and Momma. You aren’t old enough to be burdened with politics and Tex’s views of the world. Tex doesn’t like Covington men, and only tolerates us when he can control us,” he finished.
“Ethan!” Ellen scolded.
“I’ve said too much. Gonna take the kids out front to enjoy the sunshine,” he growled, patting his brother on the back as he passed us.
“I’ll join you,” Liam murmured. He leaned over and kissed my forehead and bent to pull Masen from his highchair beside me.
I sighed, the magic family moment had passed. I’d seen the family dynamic in its full dysfunction, and it saddened me. The family had to deal with Tex, not only because he held the money, but because Ellen loved her father. The Covington men dealt with him the best they could, because they loved their mother. The push and pull of love and loyalty was overwhelming, and I realized how much Liam risked by loving me. And I realized how much Davis and Ellen risked by supporting that love.
After cleaning the kitchen up and covering the leftovers, I followed Chelsea and Ellen into the foyer. Ellen laughed and threw the front door open to join her family in the front yard. Liam and Ethan chuckled as they took turns pushing Sammy and Masen in an ancient wheelbarrow while Allison ran around them, dodging the wheelbarrow as the brothers acted as if they were trying to run her down. Masen’s deep baby giggles were infectious, even causing a brooding Davis to chuckle. Tex sat in one of the rockers on the front porch, watching. At the sound of the door opening, he pushed to his feet, standing to the right of us as he rolled a cigar between his teeth. His glare toward me was chilling. I glanced around, but no one witnessed it but me. Everyone had moved down the porch steps to join the game in the yard.
“You seem quite content, my daughter and grandchildren flocking to you like some treasured relation,” he whispered. “We’ve been quite lucky so far. The damage to my family’s reputation has been minimal. And I’ve underestimated you.”
I watched him warily, my arms folded across my chest. My gaze shifted to Liam, who was still happily oblivious to what was happening a few steps away on the porch.
Tex continued, his eyes narrowing. “There is too much at stake, now. The gloves come off. You’ve been warned, but you seem to think whatever is thrown at you, the two of you can spin. But you’re wrong. You can’t win, but Liam can without you. Leave him now and you walk away, set up to live the rest of your life to raise that bastard son by yourself,” he spat, nodding toward Masen. “And you’re going to give custody of this baby you carry to him. If you don’t leave, there are things in motion not even I can stop. Liam will be ruined right along with you, and my daughter won’t be able to hold her head up in public. The next warning,” he paused, his breath on my neck, “will sicken us all.”
My head swirled, the stink of the whiskey on his breath nauseating me as much as his threats. Before I could move my weak legs to make it to one of the rockers on the porch, he was in his sleek, black town car, pulling down the road.
Chapter Nineteen
T here was a feeling of unease which fell over me after Tex’s departure. I couldn’t shake it. The hint of another threat had me jumping every time I heard the front door or my cell chime. I was glad for the distraction a shopping day with Ellen, Chelsea and Allison provided.
“All ready,” Allie chirped, Masen blathering his baby jargon while riding on her hip. It seemed, not only did Allie like antiques, she also adored her niece and nephew, and after her grandfather left the afternoon before, she’d constantly had one or both in her lap. She’d even cuddled Sammy to sleep on the sofa, and Chelsea had left her there to sleep the night.
“I’m a big gurl, I went night-night wif Awy,” Sammy said, scurrying into the living room. “And I dwessed mysewf.”
“I can see that, Baby girl,” Allie said, giggling. Sammy had an adorable ruffled lace, cotton and corduroy jumper on, with long red shorts and little pink suede and fur boots. She was a mismatch of fabrics and colors.
“Why don’t we change the shorts to these tights,” Chelsea suggested, hiding her laughter. “You dressed so pretty all by yourself, and I think these cream tights will make your dress beautiful.”
“Otay,” she agreed, flopping back on the sofa to allow her mother to wrestle the shorts down her legs.
After Sammy’s clothes were righted, we took off.
We ambled through shops and boutiques, Chelsea and Ellen making purchases in some of the shops Liam and I had scoured the day before. It was late morning when Allison and I found ourselves alone a couple of stores down from where Chelsea and Ellen shopped for bedroom accessories to update Sammy’s room.
I watched Allison as she fingered some soft, flowing linen blouses and lace camisoles. They were so different than what I’d seen her hiding in.
“Why don’t you try those on? I bet they’d look great on you, you’re model thin,” I commented. At my urging, she tensed, seeming to put a wall up.
“Your outfit is really there, kind of edgy,” I went on, commenting on her biker grunge. “I think it’s cool. But you’d be a knockout in something feminine to change it up.”
“I don’t think so,” she said, abandoning the display.
I followed her, pulling out a lace mini-skirt. “What about this one? It would be cute with your boots,” I motioned to her footwear. She shrugged and went back to the rack she’d been studying. “I don’t wear anything but jeans,” she said.
I’d noticed she rarely showed any skin. Although she wore a biker jacket, the style that usually accompanied the chic look like torn shorts or tank tops was absent. She wore oversized t-shirts and blue jeans, totally losing her figure in the clothes. And unlike the first time I’d met her, now she never wore any makeup, and only black nail polish and black liner.
Texas Girl Grit Page 17