It was better to get this over right away than to let it drag out, no matter how much it hurt. It was as her grandfather told her as a kid. The bandage hurt less when it came off fast.
She found Jax in the kitchen—a room in which he’d spent a lot of time creating such amazing meals. Not that she had any appetite right now.
He turned to her. “Hey, sleepyhead. I wasn’t sure when you were going to wake up.” He put down the dish towel in his hands as his brows gathered. “What’s the matter?”
“I woke up and you were gone.”
He approached her. “Is that all that’s bothering you? I mean, if I did something wrong—”
“No. You were amazing.” Her stomach shivered as she continued to open herself up to him. “It’s just that when I woke up and found you gone, I thought... Well, I didn’t know what I thought.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d make you something to eat.”
“Really?”
“Honest. I thought you needed some rest. Otherwise I would have stayed and done more of this...”
He nuzzled her neck. Shivers cascaded down her arms as his lips moved over the sensitive part of her neck. Maybe she was crazy for letting down her guard with him, but she wanted so badly to believe that he was different from the others in her life.
She lifted his chin until her lips could claim his. She’d never ever tire of his kisses. She finally understood the age-old adage that the best things in life are worth fighting for. She’d known for years that Jax was special, but it wasn’t until now that she knew exactly how special.
He pulled back and looked at her. “You know if you keep this up, I’m going to burn dinner.”
“Would that be so bad?” she teased.
“Aren’t you turning into a little temptress.”
He moved to the stove and her gaze followed him, drinking in his good looks. There was just something so sexy about having a man cook for her. She noticed his off-white T-shirt and the way it clung to his muscular shoulders and broad chest. She smiled when she spied a few drops of his culinary creation dribbled down the front of his shirt. Still, he was the hottest cook she’d ever laid eyes on.
He paused from adding some spices to the pot on the stove. “See something that you like?”
“Most definitely.” And she wasn’t talking about the food.
She wanted to share her happiness with someone—she thought of her mother. She’d been so eager for Cleo to fall in love with someone from Hope Springs and now her wish would come true. Cleo reached out for the phone resting on the counter. Then paused. She clenched her fist and pulled back.
Her hand returned to her side. Even if she and her mother were speaking again, she’d never approve of this match. Not that this was anything permanent, maybe it never would be. She and Jax still had so much to figure out.
“What are you thinking about?” Jax stood next to the stove with a spoon in his hand.
“What?” It took her a moment to process what he’d said. “Oh, nothing important.”
“It sure looked like it was important. One second you’re smiling like the Cheshire cat and the next you’re frowning. What gives?”
“Is that soup?” She inhaled the gentle tomato aroma and forced her thoughts away from her mother. “I smell bacon, don’t I?”
“You’re changing the subject. If this is about us making love, I want to know.”
She shook her head, anxious to assure him that his lovemaking had rocked her world. “You definitely don’t have a thing to worry about in that department.”
“I don’t?” He put down the spoon and approached her. “Are you sure?”
She pulled on his arms, lowering his face to her level. She kissed him thoroughly just to be sure not to leave any lingering doubts in his mind.
She pulled back and flashed him a big smile. “Now do you believe me?”
He smiled back and nodded. “Now I better get back to the stove before the tortellini soup burns.”
“It smells delicious.”
He gave the pot a stir before adding the pasta. “So have you thought any more about calling your mother?”
Well, that question had certainly come out of left field. What had he been doing, reading her thoughts? She sure hoped not.
“Um...some. But I don’t know.”
“I do.” He sent her a reassuring look. “Time has passed since the funeral. I’m sure that she’s thinking much clearer now. This is your mother. You need to give her a chance. The phone’s on the counter.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll call tomorrow.”
“There isn’t always a tomorrow. I can tell you that I would do anything to hear my mother’s voice again.”
Her gaze strayed to the phone. Was he right? Should she seize the moment?
A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She jerked around to glance out the French doors leading to the veranda. The sun was setting, sending splashes of purples and pinks streaking across the sky. The breeze over the desert rushed past the palm trees, rustling the fronds. But she didn’t see anything out of place.
Figuring it was probably just a bird or something, she turned back to Jax. “I promise, I will call her.”
“Soon?”
“Yes, soon.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“You aren’t going to give up until you have an exact time, are you?”
“Maybe just the hour. It doesn’t have to include the very second,” he teased.
“Fine, tomorrow after lunch, I’ll call. But I don’t want to ruin tonight. It’s a new beginning for us.”
“Cleo, about that. We need to talk this over. We have to be realistic about things between us. Your life is in Las Vegas and mine is in New York—” His head snapped around to the French doors.
She knew where he was going with the conversation and she didn’t like it. It was inevitable that sooner or later he’d want out of this relationship. “Jax, I think we should—”
“Shh...”
She followed his gaze to the doors. “Did you see something?”
His hands balled up and his arms tensed. “More like someone.”
A shiver raced over her skin. “Do you think it’s ape man?”
“I don’t know. But I’m not waiting around to find out. Call the police. I’m going to investigate.”
“But you can’t. It’s not safe.”
“Close the blinds. Turn off the lights. And stay inside.”
The thought of losing someone else she loved had her bottom lip quivering. She grabbed for the phone and panicked. She stared at the electronic device, willing her jumbled thoughts to settle. Her finger trembled as she punched out 911. Her heart echoed in her ears. Taking deep breaths, she forced herself to calm down long enough to answer all of the operator’s questions.
Nausea rolled through her stomach, one wave after the other. She grabbed for the crutches, fumbling and knocking one to the ground. She cursed under her breath. With jerky movements, she struggled to reach it.
Should she hide? Yes, that was a good idea. Her head swung around the kitchen, looking for a hiding spot. She moved to the living room, but it was an open floor plan. But in the entranceway was a coat closet. She’d just opened the door when she heard the distant wail of a siren. Thank God they were close by.
Minutes later, Jax returned and she was never so glad to see someone as she was him. He rushed over and held her in his strong arms.
“Everything’s okay now,” he murmured.
After a reassuring hug, she pulled back. “Was it ape man?”
Jax nodded. “I was able to give the police a description and they’re tracking him down. Hopefully this will be over s
oon.”
“I’m not holding my breath. That guy seems to slip away at every turn.”
“Everyone’s luck runs out eventually. He’s bound to make a mistake and they’ll be waiting for him.”
Her gaze met his. “I was so worried about you. You shouldn’t have gone after him.”
Jax shot her a reassuring smile that lit up his eyes. “You’re talking to a man who fought cancer and won the first round. Chasing down a thug is nothing compared to that.”
She hugged him close, knowing they still had to talk but this wasn’t the time. Right now, she just wanted to appreciate what they had at this moment. The future would be here soon enough.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE TIME HAD come to keep her promise.
The following day, Cleo sat down in the family room. The cell phone sat atop the sketch pad. She reached out but then pulled back. She was making too big a deal of this. If Jax was brave enough to chase after ape man, surely she could find the courage to call her mother. After all, what was the worst that could happen?
Her mother could simply hang up. Tell her that she didn’t love her. Tell her that—
Cleo halted her rambling thoughts. If she was going to fill her mind with doom and gloom, she might as well experience the reality. It couldn’t be as horrible as she was imagining. Right?
After all, Jax and Kurt both thought that it was for the best. They wouldn’t intentionally set her up to get hurt. But she worried that they based their opinions on wishful thinking. Drawing in a deep breath, she dialed the number. Her hands grew damp and her fingers were ice-cold. Maybe her mother wouldn’t be home. Maybe she’d be out visiting—
“Hello?” The warm, easy strains of her mother’s voice sounded the same as ever.
Suddenly the words Cleo had planned to say balled up in the back of her throat.
“Hello, is anyone there?”
Drawing together her scattered thoughts, Cleo swallowed hard. “Mom, it’s Cleo.”
She waited for the phone to be slammed down, but there was no click. In fact, there were no sounds at all. Had the connection dropped?
“Mom, are you there?”
“I’m here.” Her mother’s voice took on a weary tone. “I’ve been praying that I hadn’t run you off for good. You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to call you.”
Cleo’s chest swelled with hope. Did this mean that they could bury the past and move forward? She wanted to ask but didn’t want to jump ahead. Slow and steady wins the race, her grandfather used to say.
After a deep breath, Cleo asked, “Why didn’t you call?”
A noticeable pause ensued.
“Because I...I wasn’t sure you’d want to talk to me after what happened. I knew you were right. I’d overstepped in your life too many times. I had to give you this chance to decide if you still wanted to return to this family that isn’t always perfect.”
“I do,” Cleo choked out past the ginormous lump lodged in her throat. “I miss you.”
There was a big sigh on the other end of the phone as if her mother had been holding her breath. “You don’t know how grateful I am to hear those words. I’m so ashamed of how I’ve treated you...of how I talked to you.”
“It’s okay, Mom. I understand. I deserved your anger.”
“No, you didn’t. Don’t ever believe that. I’ve had a lot of time to think this over. I realize now that when you lived here, I tried to make all of your choices for you. I’m the reason you went so far away to school.”
Cleo couldn’t deny the truth of her mother’s words. “There were other reasons for choosing the college that I did. Like their amazing reputation. And the fact I got a partial scholarship.”
“I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but you don’t have to. I understand what happened.”
“The main thing is I miss my family and I’ve realized how important you all are to me.”
Her mother’s voice grew soft as though she was crying. “The day you were arguing with your father, it was because you didn’t want to come home because I would be here.” Her mother’s sob ripped through the scar on Cleo’s heart. “I’m the reason the family was torn apart. It was me! Not you.”
“Mom, that’s not true. It was me, too. I needed a chance to find out what makes me happy.”
Her mother sniffled. “And did you? Find out what makes you happy?”
“I’m working on it.”
“Cleo, I know that I don’t have any right to ask this but could you forgive me for the way I treated you at the funeral and afterward? I can’t even believe the things that came out of my mouth. I’m so ashamed that I spoke to one of my children in that manner. I’m a terrible mother.”
“No, you’re not. Everyone makes mistakes. Especially me. This whole nightmare is of my making. If I hadn’t been so stubborn when Dad called—so certain I knew everything—”
“The accident was not your fault. And I’m so sorry that I said it was. I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for turning my pain and anguish on you like I did.” Her voice cracked and Cleo knew that her mother was crying, which brought tears to her own eyes. “I don’t have any excuses except that I was out of my mind with grief. I had to be to speak to you like that.”
“Mom, I love you. And I understand. A friend of mine explained it to me.”
“Tell your friend that I’m deeply indebted to them.”
That touched upon another sensitive subject—Jax. Maybe it would be best to wait—to put it off until things were more stable between them. But if this was to be a new beginning for them, she wanted to get things out in the open. There was no way that she could go back to pretending to be the complacent daughter.
“Mom, the friend who talked me into calling you, it was... It was Jax.”
“No. Not him.”
The palpable disapproval in her mother’s voice caused dread to churn in Cleo’s stomach. She recognized her mother’s tone and whatever followed was never good news.
“Mom, he’s changed—”
“Cleo, are you trying to tell me that you’re involved with that man?”
Anger warmed her blood. Jax deserved a lot more respect than being call “that man.” She may not have stood up for him back in Hope Springs, but she wasn’t about to let him down now.
“His name is Jax. And...and yes, we’re involved.”
“But, Cleo, you could do so much better for yourself. The Riley boy is just down the lane. He’s still single and he’s taking over his father’s ranch—”
“Mom, I thought you just got done saying that you regretted trying to make my decisions for me. Listen to me. I’m interested in Jax. I’ve been crazy about him since I was a kid.”
“I know.” Her mother groaned. “The whole world knew.”
A smile pulled at Cleo’s face, easing some of the tension. “I wasn’t very good at hiding my feelings, was I?”
“Not at all. But why you had to choose him over the other boys in Hope Springs is beyond me.”
Cleo accepted that her mother would never approve of her choices. There was nothing she could do to change her mother’s attitude, but Cleo promised that she’d stay true to herself. Going forward, her choices would be made based on what was best for herself and not just to please someone else.
“But I don’t understand,” her mother continued, pulling Cleo from her thoughts. “When Jax left Hope Springs all those years ago, no one knew where he went. How did you find him?”
Obviously Kurt excelled at keeping secrets. It seemed she wasn’t the only one not to know of his ongoing friendship with Jax. Instead of being upset with her brother, she was grateful to him for being such a good friend to Jax.
“It was fate, Mom. He walked into my life one day and we’ve been playing catch-up
ever since.”
Her mother let out an unimpressed “hmprf” sound.
“Mom, he’s changed—”
“People don’t change that much. Look where he came from. The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
“You’re wrong about Jax. He’s nothing like his father. He takes after his mother. He’s kind and thoughtful. I wish you’d give him a chance.”
“To watch him break your heart? I don’t think so.”
“He won’t do that.”
Her mother rushed the conversation on to other subjects and since they hadn’t talked in close to two years, a lot had happened in and around Hope Springs. In the end, Cleo grew quiet and listened. She wasn’t going to convince her mother that Jax was a good guy and the knowledge ate at her.
Was it possible to reconcile with her mother when she was so outspoken in her objection to Jax?
“How did the conversation go?”
Cleo jerked around to see Jax entering the room. “Where did you come from?”
“I was out talking with the security guys. Now that we know that the thug is in the area, I’ve hired extra protection. I want him caught and I want this over.”
“But will it ever be over? If you stop him, won’t someone else fill his place?”
“It isn’t likely. Remember the court case isn’t far off now. Soon I’ll be stepping on a plane to testify. Once that’s done there won’t be a reason for them to try to intimidate me or anyone I care about.”
She looked him in the eyes. “You really believe that?”
“I do.”
She relaxed. “Then let’s hope he’s caught soon.”
“And now back to my question. How did the conversation with your mother go?”
“Not like I’d hoped.” Cleo slouched against the couch and crossed her arms.
“You didn’t expect miracles, did you?”
“She said that she’d made a mistake by trying to make my decisions for me. And then she turned around and tried to do the exact same thing. It was like she hadn’t really heard me.”
The Return of the Rebel Page 13