by Shannyn Leah
Everyone laughed and the sound was contagious, lighting up the kitchen more than the wall of windows overlooking the backyard.
Bowie stepped closer to introduce Hawk, but his attention fixated beyond the back window where Susan’s daughter was watering flowers in large terracotta planters.
She turned to Hawk and said a firm, “No. Absolutely not.” Her sternness drew the attention of the rest of them, but they were unaware of who or what she was referring to.
Hawk knew. Just the way his overconfident grin rose reminded her of Reed. Only months ago she’d caught her brother chugging down a morning energy drink enjoying Emerie bending over for the lower plants and stretching high for the hanging pots. At the time, she’d felt as disgusted in him as she now felt watching Hawk. Their attitude toward women, the way they used them for one-night stands and discarded them the next morning was revolting. But if she’d been given the choice of her brother now, or her brother then, she’d give anything to replace his now haunted look with his then smugness and lust for life.
Hawk whistled and everyone followed his stare.
“There will be no sleeping with my staff while in this house,” Bowie left no room for argument and yet Hawk did not take a hint.
“How many women on your staff have an ass like that?”
What a douchebag. He would’ve been great friends with her brother before his accident.
“Especially not Susan’s daughter,” Bowie added.
That statement wiped away Hawk’s smart-ass look. “Understood,” he said. “I’m sorry about that,” he whispered to Susan, looking modestly ashamed.
“Keep your hands to yourself and we’ll get along just fine. I’ve worked here for most of my life and you’re not the first Casanova I’ve run into. And by the dumbfounded way the old bastard is looking at me, I’d bet he’s a heartbreaker too.”
Slate smirked. “I won’t deny you’re a real pretty woman.”
All the testosterone in this room was suddenly more than Bowie could handle.
“Alright.” Stone stepped in. “Calm down, Romeo.”
Hawk attempted a low-five with Slate out of sight, but Stone caught them both and wedged between them.
“Don’t eat too much because I have a delicious roast in the oven for supper.”
Bowie frowned at her, battling Susan’s need to take it easy when she beamed so wide at helping in the present. But her long term health was currently more important. “Susan—”
The older woman held her hand up to silence her, make a “tsking” sound. It was all Bowie could do not to rip off the older woman’s apron and send her to rest.
“At six-o-clock sharp supper will be served in the dining room and drinks and social time in the games room.”
Bowie couldn’t keep quiet. She didn’t have to guess that not a single person in this room would want to have social time with her or her conniving brother. “That’s not necessary—”
The wrinkled hand shot up in front of her face again. “Six sharp,” she told the men before looping her arm in Bowie’s and patting her hand. “Now, where’s that brother of yours?”
“Outside getting some fresh air.” She didn’t mention his constant complaining during the drive or the fit he’d thrown when he’d realized she’d decided to house Stone and the guys during their stay in the city.
“Let’s go say hi to him.” She pulled Bowie along, waving goodbye to the guys who mumbled full mouths of “thank you.” All but Stone, who hadn’t unfolded his arms long enough to pop a single grape in his mouth. He looked ready to chase them down.
The thought made her insides flip, but only once and was doused just as quick. It wouldn’t be her he was chasing.
Outside, she squinted her eyes against the warm sun pelting across her face. The cool September weather was right around the corner. She wondered what Willow Valley looked like in the fall. Did they plant mums in all their flower pots? She could picture the leaves blowing with the breeze down the road, red, browns and oranges ringing in the next season.
Now, walking along the pebble path, arm-in-arm with Susan, toward the large gazebo overlooking the hillside to the skyscrapers of the city, she considered buying another property. She wouldn’t dare sell the house where her father had raised her and Reed, but some days it felt like a prison. She spent days, week, and sometimes months not leaving the property and even though they had a large backyard, it wasn’t the same as owning country land. A private house on the water would be a nice change during the summer. One thing at a time. Right now she had her frowning brother to worry about. He stared vacantly into the distance, even with Susan’s daughter talking to him.
Emerie Keller’s down-to-earth persona was always refreshing in a world full of facades. She was one of the few people who knew beyond what the papers printed about the Blake family. Bowie remembered the three of them running around together in diapers before the many adventures they’d taken in the halls of this house. They never put on a good face with her. They didn’t have to.
Susan let go of Bowie’s arm and crossed the gazebo. “You need to sit under the sun, boy.” She grabbed the handles of his chair and began wheeling him out of the gazebo.
“I hate this goddam chair and you people thinking you can wheel me wherever the hell you please,” Reed barked at the same time he pulled sunglasses over his eyes and slouched in the chair.
Giving in just like he’d given up.
“If you want to be in control, start pushing yourself in your exercises.” Susan wheeled him out of the gazebo and into the sun. “Soon winter will be here and if you don’t get yourself out of this chair, you’ll be stuck inside all day, every day.”
Emerie rested the water hose over the short marble fence. Her smile faded as she spoke. “He seems worse today. Maybe taking him out wasn’t a good idea.”
They’d all debated whether to take him to Willow Valley—Bowie, Emerie, and Susan—like the dysfunctional family they were, but Bowie had refused to leave her brother here alone.
“I wasn’t leaving him.”
“I know.” Emerie lifted her tone. “And Stone agreed to fight?”
“Yes,” Bowie breathed it out, as if saying it loudly might jinx it.
“Your brother doesn’t know how lucky he is to have you.” Emerie touched her shoulder. “Are you okay having Stone back here?”
She didn’t have an answer to that question. She felt like she was balancing on a ledge. The slightest movement, she’d tip right off. It had been years since she’d felt so out of control of her life, and frankly, she didn’t need the reminder.
“I don’t know.”
“If you need to talk, I’m never far.” Emerie’s offer was sweet, and although they’d once been inseparable, they’d drifted apart when Bowie had turned her life’s focus into her social status and Emerie to her studies. They’d never clicked back to the sisterly way they’d been as children and had lingered in something a little more than acquaintance mode, but not quite as close as besties.
Time changed people. Just a single glance at her brother, Susan, then over her shoulder to Stone said just as much.
Time changed everything.
Chapter Ten
STONE HEADED TO the dining room early, hoping to catch Bowie before anyone else arrived. Instead, he found he was among the last few to show up. Even Hawk had decided to join them for supper. The voices echoed from the dining room before he glanced in and saw everyone except either Blake siblings deep in a conversation which expelled contagious laughter and loud voices.
He lingered in the hallway, out of sight from the doorway, standing by a hall table and waited for the guest of honor. It didn’t take long. Bowie walked toward him, alone with her head hanging low, occupied by her cell phone.
Stone stepped away from the table and into the middle of the hallway. “It’s rude for the hostess to show up late to her dinner.”
Her shoulders stiffened at the sound of his voice and her steps slowed. She looked up at hi
m with a forced half smile, the small one that thinned her top lip and always made him eager to latch onto it and ease the flesh back into its original soft plumpness. He shoved the thought far down reminding himself why he’d waited for her.
“This is all Susan. I planned on having dinner sent to your rooms.” She briefly glanced into the dining room and then back to him. “I thought you and I conversing was off limits.”
He shrugged and let his own eyes move to the guests, Susan in particular. “I didn’t plan on being rude.” Which had been exactly his plan. Avoid Bowie as much as humanely possible while staying under the same roof.
Suddenly, as if she’d had enough of playing the quiet, reserved girl, she sighed and lifted her hands in the air. “Just spit it out, Patino. This isn’t a friendly encounter, you’ve made that clear and I don’t want to do the unnecessary small talk, so ask what you need to.”
This woman had always been able to read beyond his layers. Beyond the tough, cheeky and smug man he’d been and now beyond the quiet, silent man he was.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Breast cancer.”
He cursed.
“She’s going to start chemo soon. She’s staying in the guest house with Emerie and I’ve already hired her help.” She smiled up at him, the sweetest mix of humor and sadness. “Against her strict orders not to.”
Stone chuckled. “She’s always been stubborn.”
“That’s one thing that hasn’t changed.” Stone watched as she looked at the older woman and her face twisted into a pain he wanted to smooth away.
Damn it.
Absolutely not.
Stone stepped in and touched her arm, against everything telling him not to. He gave her a little squeeze. “She’s strong and will fight. She has a lot of people to fight for.”
Her eyes trailed down to where he touched her and back up, giving him a cold and distant look. “I know that. She knows that. I told you before, it’s not me that needs you, so please, don’t mistake my asking for my brother as something different. Have sympathy for him, but don’t let it steer my way.”
He watched her walk away, feeling a little flame flicker inside him. Touching her was contraband and he’d always enjoyed breaking the rules.
SUPPER WENT BY WITHOUT incident. Likely because her brother had stayed in his room and the rest of the table were a delight to be with.
It wasn’t until they were gathered in the games room that Reed decided to grace them with his presence. Slouched in his chair, whiskey bottle in one hand and half in the bag, Duke wheeled him in. Bowie walked directly to him to order Duke to wheel him right back out.
“You’re drunk, go sleep it off.”
“You should have a drink to loosen up,” he slurred.
She bent over and pressed a hand on each of the wheelchairs arms. “Reed, I don’t want a scene.”
He leaned in like he was going to whisper, but his tone was louder than necessary. “You’re the one making a scene.”
“Go to bed.”
“I want to play cards.”
“Cards? You can’t even hold up your head, how are you going to hold up cards, let alone read them?”
“Susan!” He leaned over the arm of his chair to glimpse around his sister. Luckily the arm aided him from falling over, although landing on his ass at this point would look good on him. “Come play cards with me.” He sloppily wheeled around Bowie and she considered grabbing his handles and dragging him out screaming.
“Duke, I’m sorry.” She felt terrible that he’d gone from being her bodyguard to babysitting her brother. But just like the nurses, her brother’s nasty side scared all the workers away. She had no one else who would put up with him. “I thought he’d stay in his room tonight. I’ve got him from here.”
“Are you sure?”
No, but if her brother drank the remaining whiskey he’d pass out and she wouldn’t have to deal with him until lunchtime the following day.
“Yes. I’ll be fine. Thank you for your extra work. It’s temporary, like I said. Reed will snap out of it.”
He nodded. “I know, Bowie. I’m here no matter what you need and no questions asked. You know that.”
She did and she also knew he’d be eager to return to his home after watching and protecting them for five days in a row.
“I’ll stop in tomorrow for this week’s schedule.”
“Thank you.” Hoping for the best—or half the best—and expecting the worst, she turned to find Reed had roped both Susan and Emerie away from their round of darts to sit at the poker table.
Hawk casually carried his beer over. “What are we playing?”
“I’m in whatever it is.” Slate slid a chair out and sat down, placing his beer on the felt table. He pulled the chair out beside him. “Come on, son. Play a round of cards with your old man.”
Stone looked as apprehensive as Bowie felt, but they both walked to the round table and sat across from each other.
The strong smell of booze wafted from her brother sitting next to her and she took the cards after his pathetic attempt to shuffle and did the job herself.
She smiled at everyone. “Alright, what are we playing? Texas hold’em, seven-card stud? Name your poison.”
“Texas hold’em, doll.” Bowie smiled at Slate’s use of the word “doll” knowing that had always been Stone’s special name for her. “And what shall we be betting tonight?”
“Whether you stay or go,” Reed muttered.
Slate made an amused sound. “Boy, if you’re trying to get rid of us, I’m thinking you betting on us leaving in your state is going to leave you sorely disappointed.”
“Don’t boy me. I’m not your boy.”
Slate raised his hands as a peace offering.
“Texas hold’em it is.” Bowie began to deal out the cards. “And let’s try to keep it civilized.”
What could a couple rounds of poker hurt?
“SON OF A BITCH.” SLATE tossed his cards in the center of the table.
“He’s surpassed my poker abilities.” Susan’s cards were next to hit the table.
“There is no way one man can win this many hands of poker and in your condition. Are you cheating?” Emerie moved Reed’s hands and glanced at his lap. “Nothing.” She sat back. “Nothing.”
“Except the winning title.” Reed’s impressed smirk ran ear to ear, the biggest Bowie had seen in weeks. “Which means you three” —he pointed his middle three fingers at Stone, Slate and Hawk—“are out of here come first daybreak.”
Bowie snatched the cards and the drink he lifted to his lips from his hand. “You’ve had enough and they’re not leaving.”
“A bet’s a bet and I won.”
“You won’t even remember winning in the morning.” They’d all be lucky if he remembered where the washroom was.
“If it means ridding my house of unwanted rodents, I won’t forget.” He reached for his whiskey.
Bowie shook her head. “No, you’ve had enough.”
“I didn’t ask you.” He lost interest in the bottle. “I’d say it was a pleasure gentleman, but I’d be lying.”
“Trust me, I’m sure they feel the same about you.” She swatted his hand when he reached for Emerie’s beer.
“And you—” Reed’s glossy eyes couldn’t hold hers. “They feel the same way about you.”
She didn’t doubt it. “You’re drunk and I’m tired. I’m not fighting with you.”
“I think we should call it a night.” Susan began gathering the cards. “I will make a note for the new chef to have a suitable breakfast ready before your training,” she said to Stone. “As well as something for the two of you.” She smiled at Hawk and Slate. Bowie couldn’t be more grateful to have her step in.
“He’s not training,” Reed said. “He’s leaving.”
“I’m not leaving.” Stone hadn’t said much through the game and now, his voice rumbled across the table.
“A bet’s a bet.”
&n
bsp; “The only person betting was you.” Stone scratched the side of his throat and the way the light hit him, she saw a scar just under his jaw. One she’d never seen before and wondered if it had been from Walker. If so, how many more scars blemished his skin? And did he see them every day he looked in the mirror? A reminder of Walker, of the fight ... of her.
“The rest of us were playing a fun game of cards.”
“Screw you, Patino.”
“Grow a pair, Reed. I’m fighting Walker, deal with it and stop wasting all our time fighting it like the spoiled brat you’ve always been.”
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll beat and bruise you like he did ten years ago?”
“No.”
“Maybe I’ll hire a few more thugs to track you down and beat you in the alleyway like I paid Walker to do that night.”
The room turned deadly silent—not a whisper, not a movement, not a single sound. In one lone sentence, she watched her brother take away the only chance he had to live and she watched the man she loved break a little more at her brother’s confession. Everything she’d work to protect vanished in an instant, leaving her empty inside—hopeless.
Stone didn’t move, didn’t speak. If she didn’t know him better, she’d think he hadn’t heard. But the latter was impossible since everyone around the table had heard. A tick in his jaw formed, realization fired in his eyes. All her secrets were on this table and she couldn’t pay enough money to make them go away.
Stone’s slowly moved in her direction. His indicative eyes fell on her. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Of course she knew.” Was her brother too drunk to not know when to shut up or just plain stupid?
“Bowie?” Stone’s gruff voice pushed out her small, “Yes.”
“You’re not good enough for—” Reed hiccupped. “—my sister. You weren’t good ‘nuff then ... and lookatha mess ya are now.” Her brother’s garbled words barely formed a recognizable sentence. Unfortunately “barely” was the key word and she knew they were all piecing his words together, but Stone was the only one who mattered.