by Jill Sanders
“I was embarrassed.” She turned to her daughter. “Your father loved me so much that, at least back then, he didn’t care.”
“Why?” Addy asked after a moment of silence. “Why were you so mean to him, then?”
“At first it was because he was unhappy. I could tell before you were born that he’d lost all interest in me. I guess over the years I just became bitter, almost as mean as my own father. The day I got home from having lunch with your father, my father found out about it and beat me. I couldn’t stand up for almost a whole week.”
Addy reached out and laid her hand on her mother’s. “I didn’t know.”
“No, nor would anyone in this town. I knew how people talked. So your father and I came up with a story. One that everyone in town would believe. We eloped in Helena, then went shopping, and I got a new hairstyle and a new last name to go along with my story. No one in town suspected I grew up less than twenty miles from here.”
“What about your family?” Addy asked.
“Your grandfather passed away a few years back. I’m not sure about my brothers.”
“I have uncles?” Addy asked, surprised.
“Two of them. I haven’t seen them since the day I left. I received a letter telling me about my father’s death.”
“What about your mother?”
“She died giving birth to me. Maybe that’s part of it. It’s not like I had great examples.” Addy’s mother shook her head. “Either way, Richard’s death has opened my eyes. I’m so tired of being filled with hate and rage.”
“Then don’t be,” Addy said. “You still have a lot of time left. You can turn your life around.”
“I only wish I would have opened my mind before your father did . . . what he did.” More tears streamed down her face.
“We can’t change the past, but we can grow from our mistakes.” Addy embraced her. “If you need any help, I’m not going anywhere.”
After a long, silent hug, her mother leaned back. “I really like working with the animals and kids. I never thought that volunteering would be so . . . rewarding.” She tilted her head. “I didn’t do a lot of things right in my life. I’m not sure what I did to deserve you giving me another chance. But I promise you, I’ll prove to you that I’m worth it.”
“That’s all I ask.” Addy smiled.
“Now let me see that ring.” Her mother’s hand enveloped hers with gentleness for what felt like the first time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Trent reached for Addy when she sat down next to him. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, everything is . . . right.” She squeezed his hand. He could tell something had changed. She was teary, and he could see the emotions building behind her gaze. He was about to lean in for a kiss when his mother caught his eye. She was waving at him with a look on her face that said trouble.
“Something’s up,” he said. “I’ll go see what’s going on.” He got up.
“Should I . . .”
“Stay, I’ll be right back.” He moved quickly to the back of the crowd. “What’s up?” he asked his mother, who looked even more panicked now.
“Trey was helping Mr. and Mrs. Etheridge to their car when Carl showed up.”
“He’s here? I thought . . .” He furrowed his brow. “Wasn’t he living in a home?”
“No,” his mother sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you boys yet that he had improved and is pretty much back to his old self. I heard that he got kicked out of the home last week. He moved back into his trailer. Apparently he was . . . well, it doesn’t matter now. The point is he’s out front, drunk, and demanding to talk to Tyler.”
Trent glanced back at his brother and knew that he wasn’t going to let his uncle spoil this day for him or Kristen. “I’ll go help Trey.” He jogged to the front of the house.
Trey was no match for the old man, not even now after his heart attack. Even though Carl used a cane and weakness on one side of his face slurred his words, the man was still bigger than both Trey and Trent together. If he went down, they’d need all three brothers to get him back up.
Trey had his uncle’s arm, holding him back as he talked.
“Now’s not the time,” Trey was saying over and over. When he saw his brother, he relaxed slightly.
“What seems to be the problem?” Trent said, gaining his uncle’s attention.
“The problem is . . . I’ve heard what you brats are doing with my company. I won’t stand for it.” The old man’s voice rose.
“I’d be happy to discuss this further with you if you’d care to come into my office on Monday morning.”
“What? So just like last time you can yell at me until you kill me off so you can have all my stuff?”
“Uncle Carl, we haven’t taken anything from you. In fact we’ve given you plenty over the years.” Trent took his uncle’s other arm and started leading him to his old clunker of a truck.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got a right to be here. I’m family. Everyone here has a right to know what you’ve done to your own kin. Your father owed me.” Trent could see a stream of slobber falling from his uncle’s chin and wondered if the man should really be on his own.
“Uncle Carl, why don’t you come see me Monday and we can come to an agreement,” Trent suggested again.
That seemed to get his uncle’s attention. “You’re the second boy, right?”
Trent was a little taken aback that the man who’d known him his whole life was now looking at him like he couldn’t remember who he was. He wondered if perhaps his uncle hadn’t recovered fully.
“I’m Trent, yes sir.” He nodded.
His uncle’s eyes narrowed. “That one takes after Thurston.” He glared at Trey. “You and your brother looked like that slut of a woman my brother married.”
Trent’s hand tightened on his uncle’s arm. “I’d be careful what you say about our mother,” he warned. He didn’t care if the man wasn’t back to his old self, no one talked about their mother like that.
“Why? You going to hit me like your old man did every time I called that bitch out?”
Trent and Trey dropped the man’s arms at the same time, almost causing the man to fall forward.
“From where I’m standing, you’re trespassing,” Trent said with a calm he did not feel. “I have every right to call the police and have them haul you in.”
“Go right ahead.” The old man actually moved closer and Trent wondered if most of the slurred speech had been because of the booze instead of the heart attack. “I’ve been pushed around by you and your family for long enough. Your father stole something from me, and I won’t rest until I get what I deserve.”
“Our father didn’t steal anything from you, old man,” Trey countered. “I’m getting Mike from the party.” He started to head toward the back, but Trent stopped him by putting his hand on his brother’s arm.
“Go on,” Carl urged. “I’m done here anyway.” He turned and marched with his cane toward his truck. “I’ll get mine. You wait and see.”
“Make sure he’s gone before we let any guests up here,” Trent said to Trey. “Make sure Mom didn’t hear any of that either,” he whispered just before Trey jogged back down the pathway.
He jumped into his brother’s truck and followed his uncle back into town. His uncle parked at one of the local strip clubs and went in.
Something clicked in his mind. If his uncle was working with Darla, the recent attacks would make more sense. But he knew he was probably being missed at the party—he and his brothers would have to follow up later.
Trent turned the truck around and drove back to the party. When he joined Addy again, he was still in a sour mood. Most of the wedding party had died down, but Kristen and Tyler were still dancing slowly as the lights twinkled overhead.
“Trey told me that your uncle was here,” Addy asked, looking worried. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, he was. Everything will be better if you dance with me.” Trent took
her hand and pulled her to the dance floor. Thoughts of what he’d seen kept trying to creep into his mind, but he pushed them away and held on to the current moment.
Embracing her, he felt all the tension leave his body. “I followed him into town to make sure he got where he was going okay.”
Addy sighed and looked up at him. “He’s still family.”
“Yeah, but the kicker is he thinks he’s due everything my father worked hard for. The man has always been a drunk. I never remember him working a full day in his life, yet he thinks he should get everything.”
“You’re a good brother, keeping that from Tyler and Kristen today.”
He smiled as Tyler looked around and, with his arm linked with Kristen’s, started toward the door.
“They’re trying to sneak out,” he whispered.
“Oh?” She glanced over. “We have to throw the rice.”
“Hang on, Trey and I were up here early setting up something . . .” Trent motioned to his brother, who was already in position.
When Tyler and Kristen reached the front path, Trent nodded to Trey, who pulled a string.
Tyler and Kristen were bombarded with more than six full bags of rice from above.
Everyone turned, laughing, as Kristen let out a squeal and Tyler yelled.
“How did you do that?” Addy asked.
“It was a lot harder than you think. First, we had to set up the boards, then use pulleys . . . needless to say, I’m very thankful it worked,” Trent said.
“Okay, since we can’t sneak away, we’ll say good night and thank you to everyone left,” Tyler said, spitting rice out of his mouth and brushing it from his hair. He turned to Trent. “You’re in charge until I get back. Don’t screw it up, little brother.”
Trent saluted him. Then the guests followed the couple and waved at them as they drove away.
Later that night, Addy sat with Gail and Trisha on the back patio. Gail had turned on a small propane fire pit that warmed them as they watched the night stars above.
Trent and Trey had changed into their normal clothes and had taken Happy on a walk down to see Snow and Charming.
“What a wonderful day,” Trisha said, leaning back in the patio chair while sipping wine. Gone were her high heels, replaced with warm, fuzzy socks.
“It was perfect,” Gail said, matching Trisha’s relaxation. “I guess that makes us officially a family now.” Trisha held up her wine glass and Gail tapped it with her own.
“I had a nice chat with your mother today,” Gail said to Addy.
“So did I.” Addy smiled.
“Things seemed different,” Gail added.
“Yes, they are.”
“How does she feel about you getting married?” Trisha asked.
“We actually had a fairly productive chat—she loved my ring.” Addy angled her hand back and forth in the firelight. She’d been looking at it all night herself.
“It is beautiful.” Gail smiled. “My boys can sure pick good women.”
Addy laughed. “Well, you raised some good men.”
“That we did.” Her smile fell away slightly.
“Did I see you dancing with Tony?” Addy asked. “I think he has his eyes on you.”
Trisha snorted. “He wants more than just his eyes on her.”
Gail giggled. “He can want until his heart bursts. I’m not that easy. Did I ever tell you what Thurston had to do to convince me to marry him?”
“No.” Trisha sat forward slightly. “What?”
Gail giggled as she took another sip of wine. “Let’s just say he had to convince me that he was going to be the man for me. Flowers, chocolates, and dancing.” She sighed. “Oh, that man could dance.” She closed her eyes, and Addy saw a tear slide down her cheek.
“You miss him.” Trisha reached over and took Gail’s hand.
“It’s like I skip every other heartbeat.” Gail snuggled back into her chair. “I know I can never truly be happy like that again, but . . .”
Addy started thinking about her mother as the three of them lapsed into silence. What if her mother found someone else to spend her time with? How would Addy feel about that? She figured she would deal with that if the time ever came.
Trey and Trent returned a few minutes later.
“Ready to head home?” Trent said. “This little guy is exhausted.”
“You or the dog?” Trey joked.
“Oh, which reminds me, I talked to Dr. Shultz, and he is going to hold Happy’s two brothers and a sister for you guys. Now all you need to figure out is who gets the girl.”
“Tyler and Kristen already said they wanted Bashful.”
“Which is?” Addy laughed.
“The girl,” Gail said. “I’m going to see which one looks like a Doc. Then Trey can have . . .”
“Dopey.” Trey smiled. “If his brothers are anything like him, there’s bound to be a Dopey in the pack.”
“We’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Trent said, helping Addy up. She bent down and picked up the small dog, who had trotted over and laid down at her feet.
“I think he’s gotten bigger already,” she said. Trent reached over and took the dog from her after Happy had covered her chin in kisses.
“Night,” everyone said as Addy and Trent made their way through the house toward her Jeep.
Happy curled up in the back seat as Trent drove toward their place.
“When does the house get here?” she asked.
“Fifteen days.” He groaned. “Not soon enough.” He smiled over at her. “Not that living in a one-hundred-square-foot place with you is a burden, it’s just . . . it will be nice to be able to stand up in a shower again.”
She laughed. “Yes, I’ve missed taking long, hot bubble baths.”
“Did I mention there will be three bathtubs?”
She shook her head.
“I have the house plans if you want to look them over?” He paused as he waited for her answer.
“I’d love that,” she said. “Maybe . . .” She bit her bottom lip. “I want a garden.”
“Good, so do I.” He smiled as he parked. “I was thinking just along there.” He pointed to the darkness, but in her mind she knew exactly where he meant. “We can have a small orchard of fruit trees back behind it.” He leaned over the steering wheel. “The barn for the horses, over there.” He pointed in the opposite direction. “A corral.” His finger moved over the dash, and she could imagine everything as if it were full daylight. “There’s even enough room for a chicken coop.”
“You’ve thought of everything. Where will the playground go?” she asked. She’d always wanted kids but worried that it might be better if she didn’t have them, given her family history. Now, however, seeing the changes in her own mother, she believed that there was no way she would end up like her and felt like she could dream again.
“There.” He gestured to where the backyard would be after the house was placed. “There are five bedrooms, think we can fill them all up?”
“We can try.” She felt her heart flutter and knew that it was because she was finally where she belonged.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Sanders is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many romance novels, including the Pride Series, Secret Series, West Series, Grayton Series, Lucky Series, Silver Cove, Entangled Paranormal Romance Series, and Haven, Montana Series. Her sweet and sexy stories—available in print and audio in every English-speaking country—continue to lure new readers and are currently being translated into different languages.
Jill is an identical twin, born to a large family in the Pacific Northwest. She relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. Now she makes her home along the Emerald Coast in Florida, where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and, of course, writing. Visit her at http://jillsanders.com.
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