His Rebel Heart

by Amber Leigh Williams

  “Yeah,” came a gruff reply. Then, out from under the pickup, a long form rolled into sight. As James emerged, his head lifted from the creeper and he started to sit up. “Adrian.”

  “Aaaah...” As James straightened, throwing aside the wrench in his hand with a heavy, metallic clank on the concrete floor, Adrian took several steps back, the uneasy exchange with Dusty Harbuck forgotten.

  James wasn’t wearing a shirt. It was her first gander at his broad chest, the dark hair sprinkled across it, and her first view of all the ink etched into his skin. On an involuntary rush, she breathed in, unable to pry her gaze from the tentacles that wound around the ship and waves on his left arm, fanned up his shoulder and spread onto his left pec. The words on his collarbone were, indeed, Latin.

  Off balance, she stared at him in all his male glory, unable to speak. Where were her words? Where was her brain?

  “Er,” she said finally. “Never mind. You’re busy.” With that, she spun around to hoof it out of the garage.

  “Wait, wait. Adrian. Hold up.”

  Turning, she did her best not to stare as he walked to her. “What do you need?” he asked.

  She waved a hand. “You’re busy...”

  “I’m not that busy,” James admitted, gesturing to the parking lot. “I’m actually not technically open for business today. This first week brought in more customers than anticipated so I thought I’d come in this morning, do some catching up.”

  “Right,” Adrian said. She took another breath. “You’re probably going to say no and I completely understand—”

  “You look nice,” he intervened suddenly.

  She stumbled, glancing down at the deep green dress she had picked to wear to the wedding at Oak Hollow Farm. “Ah...thanks.” Searching for words again, she added, “It’s a long shot, I know, but I have an all-day wedding event I have to get to in, like...” She trailed off, looking down at her watch. “Shit. Less than half an hour, to be on the safe side for preparation. Mom and Dad were going to watch Kyle today, but there was some mix-up...”

  She was babbling and he was just watching her with something stirring behind those blue eyes. Dear God. He needed to stop looking at her like that. And she really didn’t need to know what the something was that was stirring there...

  “Long story short,” she said, holding up her hands to help make sense of the noise inside her head. She would not look at those Latin words...or the muscled pecs below them...or, for that matter, the rock-hard six-pack lurking below those—

  For Christ’s sake, there wasn’t one safe place to look, she thought with a flush as her eyes landed on his pelvis and shied away quickly. She thought of the glutes she’d glimpsed the day she shot him.

  Closing her eyes, she tried again for words. “I’d take him with me. In fact, that’s probably what I’ll wind up doing.” Doing. Yes, mmm. She’d love to be doing something else right about now.

  Get it together! Adrian cleared her throat and continued. “But Kyle had this crazy idea. I told him you have more important things to do than—”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Adrian faltered and her eyes skimmed up to his, shocked. “You...you will?”

  “Hell, yeah,” James said with a blinding smile. He then checked himself, trying to look serious. “I mean, I could use a hand around the garage. And I’m not so busy that I can’t keep an eye on him. That is, if he doesn’t mind watching me break down an engine for the better part of the day.”

  “He does it with Dad all the time,” Adrian explained. “They’ve been trying to get the old crop duster running for weeks now. And before that, it was Dad’s old Chevy...” She trailed off with a frown. “Wait. You’re not just saying yes to get on my good side, are you?”

  “Adrian, he’s my son,” James pointed out. “I’ve been meaning to ask you again if I could spend a few hours one-on-one with him. But this...a whole day...this is great.”

  “He’s seven,” she reminded him. “Do you know how to entertain a seven-year-old, James?”

  “I was seven once.” When her face fell, he chuckled. “I think I can manage it.”

  She was out of excuses. Reaching into her bag, she said, “Here. This is my card. Call the number on the back if you need anything. Questions, emergencies, anything. Don’t hesitate. He’s allergic to peanut butter and strawberries. Also, I’ll probably be back late. He has a key to the house. Take him there when you all are done here. There’s some leftovers in the fridge that’ll do fine for dinner. Don’t let him get into the gummy bears and absolutely no video games until he’s spent at least half an hour working on his book report. It’s due next Tuesday. You should probably be writing this down.”

  “I’ll remember. Don’t worry.”

  “Right. Oh, and...I know it might not make much sense at this point...but I’d really like him to stay away from Dusty.”

  “Dusty?” James asked with a frown. “Why?”

  “Please, for now can you just go with me on this?”

  “All right,” James said, a little unsure. “Dusty’s done for the day, anyway.”

  “Okay. Great.” Adrian spread her hands, pleading with him now. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  “I’ve got it,” James told her, radiating confidence and barely suppressed joy. She could see the gilded light of it shining, uncontained, under the surface. “Go do what you have to do and don’t worry about a thing, okay?”

  Adrian lingered, clutching the strap of her purse. “Okay,” she agreed, feeling small.

  James walked to her. Before she could step back, he planted his hands on her shoulders and rubbed up and down her arms. “Everything’s going to be fine,” he said. “I promise.”

  Adrian nodded. Her eyes found the nautical star on his throat. Her lips tingled. They tingled more when her gaze somehow landed on his mouth. She frowned. “I’ll just...I’ll go get him.” And then she did retreat, praying her instincts were right about James and she wasn’t making a horrible mistake.

  * * *

  “SO AFTER WE remove the cylinder heads, what do we do next?” Kyle asked as he leaned over the engine of the green Ford pickup next to James.

  James grinned for what had to be the hundredth time that day. The kid was thirsty for knowledge. And soda. He’d already gnawed through half a pack of Slim Jims, too. And there was the perfect amount of engine grease smeared across his cheek. They’d stood alongside each other like this for over an hour.

  The pickup was fixed, running smoothly, but Kyle had had tons of questions about engines and how to rebuild them and James was happy to oblige. So they’d gone over the engine parts one by one, James explaining each of them and how they worked as Kyle drank it all in, never asking a question more than once. “That’s when you examine the piston tops and combustion chamber for leaks. Just like with the engine manifold. Remember?”

  “Yeah,” Kyle said with a quick nod. He peered down into the depths of the engine as James showed him how to check for oil or water leaks as well as melted parts. “They look fine.”

  “More than fine,” James said with a considering nod. “The owner of this truck takes good care of her. Can you tell me what we’re gonna do next?”

  Kyle pressed his lips inward, contemplating. “Check for cracks in the heads?”

  James beamed. “That’s right,” he said. “While we’re at it, we’ll check for cracks in the combustion chamber and the engine block, too. Remember, there are some cracks that are invisible to the naked eye. If the engine blew while reheating, it’s a good idea to get the parts magnafluxed.” When Kyle blinked, he said, “When you magnaflux, you—”

  “Is that when you magnetize it and look for patterns in the powder?” Kyle asked.

  It was James’s turn to blink. For a moment, he simply looked at the boy. The smattering of freckles across h
is nose and cheeks. The dark slash of thick hair on his head that was starting to grow over the tips of his ears and curl untidily at the nape of his neck. The wild blue eyes, searching James’s matching set for approval.

  James felt his heart stumble over itself. Pride and a love he hadn’t known he was capable of feeling so soon swelled within him until he felt the confines of his chest might rupture. He was a goner. “Yeah, kid,” he said finally, a bit choked. He lowered his head quickly, cleared his throat. “Ah...will you hand me that socket wrench?”

  Kyle reached over to the nearby rolling toolbox with a young hand, big for his age. A “bear claw,” as James’s father used to call his own. The hand selected the socket wrench without James having to differentiate between the others for him. As he handed it over matter-of-factly, James found himself coughing to clear his throat again. “So you like engines, huh, kid?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Kyle said. “Granddaddy says I’ve got the knack. Says I was born for it.”

  “Huh,” James said in reply.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Kyle asked.

  “Sure, whatever you want.”

  “Did the tattoos hurt? When you got them, I mean?”

  “Some of them,” James nodded, rubbing his tatted forearm over his perspiring brow. “It really depends on where you get them.”

  “Did the big bird on your back hurt?”

  “It’s a phoenix,” James told him, diligently ratcheting something into place. “A firebird.”

  “Cool,” Kyle breathed. “Did that one hurt?”

  James thought about the red phoenix spread across his shoulder blades and halfway down his spine. It had been his first tattoo, one he’d gotten mere weeks after leaving Fairhope. He thought about what the phoenix represented. “It hurt like hellfire,” he said in a rough voice. “Can you hand me the pliers?”

  “Sure.” Kyle selected the pliers, handed them over. Wiping the back of his hand over his face, he smudged more engine grease across the side of his nose. Adrian’s nose. It was the only thing on his face that screamed Adrian. “So...where’d you learn about cars and stuff?”

  James paused, then realized there was no reason to. “My dad taught me.”

  “Oh. That’s neat.”

  After several beats of silence, Kyle peered at James. In a quiet and, again, very matter-of-fact voice, he said, “I know you’re my dad.”

  The pliers dropped down into the engine as James’s head sailed up, narrowly missing the hood above him. “What?”

  Kyle looked sheepish for a split second before he frowned and added, “You are my dad. Aren’t you?”

  Ah, crap. How did he handle this? Honesty seemed the best course. And not because it was what James wanted. He just couldn’t lie to that face. Not if his life depended on it. Praying Adrian would forgive him, he said, “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

  “Mom didn’t tell me,” Kyle explained.

  James narrowed his eyes. “Then how did you know?”

  “Well, I might have overheard you and Mom talking about it,” Kyle admitted a bit sheepishly. “But I could have figured it out for myself. We have the same eyes and the same hair. I don’t have any on my face or chest yet, though.”

  James fought not to let his lips twitch in mirth. “Give it time.”

  “Griffin Thomas already has a mustache,” Kyle pointed out, wide-eyed. “His mom calls them whiskers, but it’s a dark line of hair right here on his lip. He’s twelve, way older than me, but still...it’s weird.”

  “Don’t be too hard on Griffin. You’ll be suffering the same before long.”

  A long pause followed this odd new twist in the conversation. Then Kyle looked around at the old muscle cars in the parking lot. “Maybe I could drive one of the cars,” he suggested, lingering for a moment longingly on the Shelby Mustang. “Would you let me?”

  James smirked. “Pretty sure your mother would peel the skin from my body, then slap it on the burner for breakfast.” At Kyle’s wrinkled nose, James said, “Maybe some other time. With her permission.”

  “Your dad never let you drive when you were my age? Behind your mom’s back?”

  James chuckled. “Maybe a little.”

  “So? Will you let me? Granddaddy’s taught me the basics, but he never lets me turn the key.”

  James considered the face next to his, the smudges on it, the desperate plea in those eyes that blazed trust and sincerity. And he made a decision. “I’ll do you one better. You ever fly this crop duster you and your Granddaddy have been tinkering with?”

  “It won’t even start.” Kyle caught on. His face split into a wide grin. “You have a plane, too? A real, working plane?”

  James looked around the garage at the work to be done, then stood and shut the hood of the pickup. He threw the cloth hooked through his belt at Kyle. “Wash your face, kid. We’re going for a drive.”

  * * *

  WHEN ADRIAN RETURNED to the cottage just after dark she was bone tired. The wedding had gone smoothly, but the cleanup with Roxie had been a major undertaking.

  Carrying her shoes in along with an armful of peonies, she followed the lights and voices into the living room to find James and Kyle on the couch in front of the television, battling it out via Xbox’s LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. For a moment, she simply stood inside the door watching them play and listening to Kyle’s victorious shouts as his LEGO Thor pounded on James’s LEGO Loki.

  Kyle emitted a high-pitched, “Die, Loki, die!” Pitying James’s battered Loki, Adrian chose that moment to clear her voice and announce her presence.

  Both man and boy startled and looked around. Kyle beamed and leaped up to hug her. “Mom! You’re back!”

  “I am,” she said, eyeing James over Kyle’s head as the man stood to face her. “Video games?” she mouthed.

  James lifted his shoulders but didn’t look remorseful.

  Adrian studied Kyle’s face as he pulled away. “What’s that on your nose?”

  “Oh,” Kyle said, lifting his fingers to wipe it. “I guess I didn’t get all the engine grease off.”

  “You smell like an airplane hangar,” she noted.

  James coughed into his hand. “Ah, hey, kid. Why don’t you go fix your mother a plate of those leftovers? She looks like she could use it.”

  “Sure,” Kyle piped. He shot into the kitchen with the lightning sounds of Thor behind him. Adrian tossed her shoes on the floor and folded her arms over the peonies. “Please tell me he ate, at least.”

  “We both did,” James asserted with a nod. “And he finished that book report.”

  Her mouth fell open. “He finished it?”

  “Yeah. Is that a bad thing?”

  “No, it’s just...he hates doing book reports.”

  “It took a bit of coercing,” James admitted. “But I bribed him with playing the LEGO video game and he complied.”

  Adrian watched James lift his shoulders in a modest stance and shook her head. “Well...good. Thank you...for that.”

  “It’s the least I can do.” He took the flowers from her arms. “How was the wedding?”

  “Long,” she said as they walked into the kitchen. “But it was a success. That’s all you can ask for.” She stopped short when she saw that not only had the table been cleared, they had also done the dishes, and the kitchen looked spotless. “Oh.”

  “Have a seat,” James said, nudging a hand gently against the small of her back. “You want me to put these in water?”

  “Just put them in the sink for now,” she said. “I’ll break them up into arrangements later. Thank you, baby,” she said when Kyle set a steaming plate in front of her. She wasn’t used to having two men wait on her—it was as disconcerting as it was flattering. “So,” she said when Kyle sat down across from her. “What did you do today?
”

  A ready tumble of excited words spilled forth. Kyle’s prediction had turned into fact. He had a blast at the garage. James showed him how to break down a blown engine, giving him tons of tips for Granddaddy. As Adrian ate, she got lost in the lowdown on carburetors and busted radiator caps. After a few minutes of Kyle’s wide-eyed explanation, Adrian simply propped her chin in her hand and watched his animated face as he told her more about what he’d learned under James’s tutelage. Once, she ventured a glance over his shoulder to find James leaning against the kitchen block, smiling to himself. He met her eyes. She felt the direct gaze like a punch to the gut. Sighing a little, she straightened as Kyle’s words finally wound down. “I’m glad you had a good time,” she told him.

  “We both did,” Kyle said, looking back at his new hero. “Didn’t we, James?”

  “You got that right,” James said, beaming at his son.

  The ache in Adrian’s chest turned sharp. Taking her plate to the sink, she told Kyle, “All right. Bath and then bed.”

  “Aw, Mom. Can’t I stay up and play more LEGO video games with James?”

  “It’s late enough as it is. Go. Let me know when you’re done in the bathroom.”

  “All right,” Kyle said, resigned, as he skulked off.

  Before Adrian could do more than reach for the flower stems in the sink, she felt a hand on her arm. James tugged her around and she found herself staring into a second set of enthusiastic blue eyes. She made a noise that was quickly smothered by James’s mouth as it descended in a surprise kiss. His hand rose to the nape of her neck as his head tilted over hers and his tongue did a quick, devastating dive into her mouth. Against his, her body quivered like a bow in reaction and she made another noise, this one not the least bit disagreeable.

  When he broke away seconds later, she gasped for breath. “Wha... Wha...”

  James answered by taking her face in his hands and grinning even more widely. “He’s amazing. Our son is amazing.”

  “Y-yes,” she said, gripping his wrists, holding on. This close to him, her equilibrium was off. And she didn’t like the way her tummy fluttered warmly when he referred to Kyle as “our son.”