“Well, it wasn’t because of pomegranate seeds, that’s for sure.” She clutched the broom tightly.
He took it from her hand. He didn’t care about the damned broom. He let it clatter to the floor.
Hands reached. He wasn’t sure who moved first. Then she was in his arms. Right where she belonged.
“I WASN’T GOING TO LEAVE you tonight. I told you that.” She meant it. Her stomach tightened with nerves. Everything was going to change tonight. They both knew it. And there was no going back “Nate?”
And then he grabbed her by the waistband of the far too big sweatpants and used the cotton to lift her right off of her feet. “Did you mean what we were doing before?”
Perci didn’t answer, just nodded.
“Then I say screw this window. The mess. I say we finish what we started, before we both forget how we feel right now. Take a chance for once.”
“I’ve never hated you, Nate. I want you to be clear on that.” Perci slipped her arms around his broad shoulders. He still had his hand on her rear, holding her off the ground. He was a full twelve inches taller than she was, and more than one hundred and fifty pounds heavier. Never had she felt the differences between them more. “I’m still trying to figure out exactly what it is that I feel for you. But I don’t despise you. Not anymore.”
“Good. Because I’ve burned for you from the very moment we met.”
Months. That was more than eighteen months ago. “Nate?”
“My brothers knew. Hell, half the people at the hospital knew. You were the only one who didn’t.”
Perci was quiet for a moment as he carried her up the stairs. Eighteen months ago, she was in no position to even think about a relationship with a man like Nate Masterson. He had terrified her from the very first meeting. Then the fire and flames had started between them, and that was all she had focused on.
He had scared her on a seriously deep level. So she had run. Figuratively. Run and fought and snarled and done anything she could do to keep him away.
It hadn’t worked.
She had fought this man from the moment they’d met until the night his brother had dragged a drunken Phoenix home. Within hours, Nate had been camped on her couch. Watching over her sister.
She’d been terrified that night, too. She’d known how concussions could be, known what a risk Phoebe had taken because they couldn’t pay the hospital bill. Having Nate right there had made some of that fear more manageable.
But the flames between them had gotten so much worse after that.
Until tonight. It was time to stop trying to extinguish those flames, and just see what happened when the fire ran its course.
And being in his arms felt absolutely right. She slipped her legs around his waist and tightened her arms on his neck. “Do you have a bed here?”
“You’d better believe I do.”
Perci leaned down and kissed him. She wasn’t going anywhere else tonight. She pulled back and looked at him. “Then take me there. I think we’ve waited long enough.”
36.
RHEA KNEW SOMETHING had finally happened between Nate and Perci the instant they walked in the front door. The sun was already up, and Perci had that just-loved-look. Nate could barely take his eyes—or his hands—off the girl.
Rhea bit back a secret smile. She was a mother, and she didn’t like to even think about her sons’ love lives in that way, but she was damned glad Nate had finally done something about that girl. Slower than pond scum in a light breeze that boy was.
Anyone with two eyes could see that they belonged together. “Good morning. Did you get the place cleaned up?”
She would just pretend they’d been over there cleaning all night. The way any innocent mother her age would.
“I’ll get new windows installed today. After I head in to work for a while.” Nate watched the girl as she disappeared down the hall toward the guest room. There was such intensity in his eyes.
Such...love.
Rhea missed her husband more than she had in a long time right then and there. Having her man look at her the way her son was looking at Perci was something she would always miss.
She missed Daniel so much.
Sometimes it hurt to look at the sons they’d created together. Rhea masked her pain from her most perceptive child by hugging him quickly. “I’m glad no one was hurt. Did your brother say who it was yet?”
“Most likely some dumb kid shooting at cans on the outskirts of our property. He found fresh cans out that way. Or drunk and being a little shit. Just got out of hand and took off when they realized what they’d done.”
Rhea nodded. It wouldn’t have been the first time.
The Mastersons had long owned parts of the county that were extremely remote. Even her own sons had done such stupid stuff when they’d all been teens. Levi especially had given them fits. Daniel had thought that boy would never outgrow it. Then at nineteen Levi had gotten a job at a neighboring ranch, saved his money up, and bought five acres near where they were now. To raise beef cattle. After that, Daniel had taken their youngest son on as a full partner in the Masterson ranch holdings. Said Levi was going to put his brain to work for Mastersons and no one else. Which was exactly what Levi had always wanted. Without a single protest from his older brothers. Her boys had always known their ways in life. And gone after them. “I’m just thankful you and Perci are safe.”
His gaze immediately went toward the hallway. Like a magnet.
Rhea smiled to herself. Once her son finally made up his mind what he wanted to do about that girl that was when things would finally settle. Would finally be the way they were supposed to. In the meantime, she had some friends at CPS to talk with.
If Nate didn’t do something about that child needing a home, Rhea would take care of it herself. That little one was meant to be her granddaughter, and Rhea wasn’t about to let Ivy go, either.
Things were going to work out for Nate, Perci, and Ivy exactly the way they were supposed to. Rhea was going to make certain of it.
37.
HER SISTER’S COPPERY red-blond hair shown in the sun when Pan climbed out of Levi’s truck. Perci stayed where she was, keeping the swing in slow rhythm. Ivy had missed her last night. The toddler hadn’t wanted to let go of Perci once she’d walked in the door. Perci had barely been able to change out of her borrowed clothes.
Now Ivy snuggled close and slept the limp sleep of the innocent.
Pan paused just on the first step. “Well. You’re still here. Did the devil give you pomegranates or something?”
“Something like that.” The original myth said Hades had fed Persephone fruit to trick her into staying with him. Perci was starting to suspect it had been something much more binding than fruit. Her arms tightened around the child. She suspected the devil had given that long ago namesake heat...and love.
That was the reason the original Persephone had stayed.
Even if it was just in a myth.
Now that Pan was back it was almost time to turn Ivy over.
If Pan and Levi were willing.
A child was a huge responsibility.
It wasn’t quite fair of them to ask Pan to take responsibility for another child when her sister had spent the last two years worrying about finding the money to feed three others.
But that was just another excuse.
Perci didn’t want to let Ivy go just yet. Even to her own sister.
“Let me see her. Phoebe emailed me and said she’s absolutely adorable, Mama Perci.” There was a look in Pan’s eyes that had Perci mentally squirming. They’d talk later, she had no doubt about it.
Perci had some questions of her own. Was Pan prepared to take on responsibility for Ivy right now? Pan had just gotten married, just experienced a horrible ordeal, and was only twenty-two—though Pan would be twenty-three soon—and a child was a big commitment. A lifetime one.
But if not Pan, then what would happen to Ivy? Joel and Phoebe, perhaps? Phoebe would make an exce
llent mother.
As would Pip. Her twin would be a mother in a little less than seven months. Was it fair to ask Pip to take on a traumatized almost three-year-old, as well?
She wished. But there was no way Perci would ever get approved as a placement for Ivy. It was going to have to be Pan or Phoebe. She’d just become Ivy’s favorite aunt, or something. She’d be there to help whichever sister became Ivy’s mother, however she could.
It would work out the way it was supposed to. She had to have faith in that.
But the thought of not being with Ivy every single day, of not making sure she was safe and healthy and loved—even though the rational part of her knew her sister would do just fine—hurt her.
Pan and Levi carried their luggage inside. Perci continued to rock the porch swing gently.
Until a big shadow passed in front of her. She paused.
Nate settled himself on the swing next to her. “Coming inside soon? I don’t want you to get cold out here.”
“We’re fine.” She was going to hold Ivy as long as she could. Stupid of her, maybe, but Perci knew the time would come when she’d have to stop being Mama Perci and let someone else be Ivy’s mother for real. The little girl deserved it.
But that didn’t make Perci feel any better equipped to let the child go. Just not yet.
She wasn’t supposed to fall for the child as quickly as she had. It was always supposed to be temporary.
Just like falling for Nate hadn’t been in the plan, either.
But she could no longer deny the devil. He had become her world just as fast as Ivy had.
“Are you?” His arm slipped around her shoulder and he scooted her closer. Perci let her head rest against his broad chest. He smelled perfect, all man and spice and outside.
It was so much nicer when they weren’t fighting against each other so badly. “I honestly don’t know.”
“Because of last night?”
She smiled. So the Great Nate had his doubts? She never would have guessed it. “No. Not because of last night. Because of Ivy. Is it fair to ask Pan to take on a traumatized toddler? She’s already had to do so much for our family. She gave up her dreams of going away to college for the rest of us. Now, I don’t know that asking her to take on a child is right. Shouldn’t she just be free to enjoy Levi for a little while without all the worry that goes with a kid?”
“Maybe. But things rarely happen in a fair way. We both know that.” He reached over her with his free hand and adjusted the blanket covering Ivy’s shoulder. His touch lingered on the little girl’s mussed blond hair. Perci loved watching the two of them together. “We have to think about what’s best for Ivy.”
“And if Pan and Levi don’t take her, chances are good she’ll be sent someplace else in the state.” And they would never see her again. Perci knew it in her gut. “And she’ll just be gone. Like she was never here.”
“Yes.”
“I...”
“I’ll speak to my brothers. Levi first, since she’s already here with him, technically. If he and Pan can’t, I have two more brothers, and you have two more sisters. They’ll all make damned good parents; we’ll make sure we don’t lose her, honey. I can promise you that. Hopefully between my brothers and my mother, we have enough pull in the community to finally do some good. I won’t give up.”
Perci closed her eyes. In that moment, she believed him.
Trusted him to do just that.
They rocked until she drifted off to sleep with him holding her and her holding Ivy. Just like that was exactly where they all belonged.
38.
RHEA DIDN’T MEAN TO be intimidating with her new daughters-in-law. She didn’t think a one of them were pushovers. They couldn’t be and have captured her boys’ attention. This youngest one was a shrewd little bright-eyed cookie. Sharp as a tack, she’d heard. Very, very pretty, too.
All of her daughters-in-law—and her future daughter-in-law, once Nate got on the ball—were beyond beautiful girls. Beautiful, smart, loyal, and just wonderful. Rhea couldn’t have found a better crop of girls for her sons if she’d tried.
Which technically she had, at least with Nate. Which had no doubt precipitated it all.
Pandora stood at the window, watching her sister.
“They are really doing a fine job, taking care of that baby the way they have,” Rhea said. She knew what the plan was for Ivy. This girl, instead of the other. Rhea was fine with that, but any fool could see that Perci was the best mother for Ivy. Her sisters would just be second-best. Rhea stepped up next to her youngest daughter-in-law and put a hand on the shorter woman’s shoulder. “They don’t even realize how they look.”
“Oh?” There was a wariness in the girl’s blue eyes. One Rhea didn’t understand until she recalled what Joel had told her had happened to these girls.
Damn that old rat Clive Gunderson for daring to torture those children the way he had. If she had any influence in this town at all, she’d make it clear that he wasn’t to go near her girls again. It would take some doing and some thinking and calling in a few favors, but Rhea would manage that while her boys did what they had to in order for their wives to feel safe in Masterson County again.
“How beautiful. They both really love that little girl. I’m glad they were there to help her.”
Pan nodded. “Perci will help anyone who needs it. No matter what. It’s why she became a nurse.”
Rhea nodded. She’d suspected as much. There was a gentleness underneath the fire. She’d noticed that right off.
Had Nate?
“Can I ask you a question?” Pan asked. “How long has she and Nate been like that?”
Rhea looked through the glass. All she could see was the side of her son on the swing. The front porch was a wraparound, and the swing was at a corner angle. But she knew what Pan meant. They looked like they’d been wrapped up in each other’s arms forever.
She knew something had happened between them last night. A mother wasn’t stupid, no matter that they claimed they’d been up all night cleaning broken glass out of Nate’s floor. “They’ve been circling each other for a few days, but they came home this morning like that. Eyes only for each other. And Ivy.”
Pan’s expression tightened. “Perci loves that little girl.”
“Very much so.”
“What’s going to happen to Ivy?”
“For now, Nate’s officially the foster parent on record. But the social workers could move her at any time if they find a different home for her. I’ve made a few calls. She should be secure here, but...at her age, they’ll want to get her into a permanent home as quickly as possible.” She suspected what was going to happen, of course, but how did this girl feel about almost instant mommyhood? “Levi’s also a registered foster parent. But to keep her here, you’d have to do the training as well.”
Her eyes widened, then she looked at her sister. There was a world of emotions in those blue eyes. Determination, love, hope. Resolution. Her shoulders stiffened. “If that’s what it takes, then of course.”
Rhea already had a pretty high opinion of her daughters-in-law, but felt it get higher for this one in that moment. Tylers took family very seriously. She smiled. “You are very much like your mother, aren’t you?”
“You knew her?”
“Sweetie, I delivered you and your sisters. Not your brothers, but each one of you girls. Perci and Pip were the most difficult. I also babysat your mother and aunt when they were girls. I loved them both quite a bit.”
“I didn’t know that. My aunt...she left with her husband almost fifteen years ago, when she was my age. We haven’t seen or heard from her since. We don’t even know if she knows about my mother.”
The pain was there, in the blue eyes, of a child missing a parent. It was a pain Rhea knew. It was a pain her sons all knew. And her daughters-in-law.
“I’m sorry. I’m sure Robin had her reasons.” She’d grown into a wild girl who looked very much like the one curled up with N
ate on the swing, but Robin had had a good heart. “Maybe she’ll come back some day. Come, you and I will have a talk.”
“About?”
“What we can do for those three out there on the porch. I think you and I may have similar ideas about just what needs to happen for Ivy.”
Pan’s smile was practically blinding. “You really are just like your son, aren’t you?”
Rhea shot her a mild smile of her own. “Which one are you referring to? Nate is very much like his father, stubborn old goat.”
She had her suspicions. Her Levi was just as much a planner and schemer as his mother.
Pan just laughed. “You know exactly who I mean.”
“I most certainly do.” Levi’s pretty little wife knew exactly what her youngest son was like.
Yes, she couldn’t have picked a better love for Levi, even if she’d had the chance. Fate, or God above, however someone wanted to think about it, had done right by her youngest boy.
Now it was time for Rhea to see that it did right by her third son, too.
39.
JUDE KNEW IT WAS A mistake the instant she looked at Pandora Masterson. Not that the woman was off-putting and or a bad risk.
It was just that Pandora was not Perci. Nate and Perci were the best fit for little Ivy.
Jude and Rhea Masterson had both agreed on that when Rhea had stopped by her office and made a lunch date with Jude’s boss. But Levi and his wife were definitely more than a good choice for second-best. Ivy wouldn’t have to leave the house she’d become accustomed to. Or the routine she was learning. Phoebe Masterson would still watch her during the day. She’d still have frequent access to Perci, the woman she obviously adored.
Even Nate Masterson would be a regular fixture in the little girl’s life. The little girl wouldn’t have to make any major changes at all. She couldn’t ask for a better relocation plan.
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