Resting her head on Joe’s shoulder, Kate said, “Not happening. When she looks back on today, she’ll remember happiness and love. She’ll have priceless memories of eating her daddy’s barbeque, homemade ice cream and the love of her family. That’s what she needs most.”
The entire group of kids came running and screaming across the large yard and up to the back deck. Only Kylie and a little boy stayed behind, squaring off against each other.
“Shit. What do you want to bet she’s found another lizard? My hands are full. I don’t have time for another rescue.” He opened the grill’s lid and smoke wafted out. “I’ll never hear the end of it if I burn her hot dogs.”
Trent looked to Kate, busy mixing ice cream and ginger ale into a punch bowl. Her smile lit when she focused on him.
“Can you check on them? She’s been known to collect reptiles and the occasional wounded bird. There’s no telling what they’re fighting over now.”
A little girl with red hair stopped at the edge of the deck, calling out. “Uncle Joe? There’s a snake in the yard!”
“What color is it?” Joe’s responded immediately.
“Black.”
“I’ll go.” Trent might not have the first clue about little girl birthday parties, but he could handle a little black snake. He made his way across the yard to see Kylie guarding something. If the boy went right, so did she, blocking his path without a care that he was nearly twice her size.
Her eyes pinpointed him. “Twent. I need your help. Wook.” She cast a suspicious eye toward the boy then turned to point at the ground beneath the slide where a small black snake lay. “Derrick wants to smash it, but I want to wet it go. Can we take it to the cweek?”
“My mom hates snakes. I think we should kill it.” The little boy stated his case.
“My daddy says black snakes are good. They kill wats and bad snakes. But I’m not allowed to pick snakes up anymore. I don’t want to smash it. Don’t kill it, Twent. Pwease.” Enormous green eyes looked up to him, pleading.
“I won’t. Why don’t you point me to the creek?” A smile the size of Texas lit her little face. How could someone so small contain so much life and energy? He picked up the snake that was no longer than his forearm and held it carefully. With Kylie’s focus on him, somehow the common, harmless reptile suddenly took on as much importance as the rarest of endangered species.
With adoration in her eyes, she took his free hand in hers and led him across the yard. The little boy followed with wide eyes. Trent looked down to peek at the snake as excited chattering met his ears as the entire gang of children caught up and followed them.
When had he become the damn pied piper?
In a few short minutes, they’d reached a shallow creek with a steeply sloped bank at the backyard’s end.
“Can I go down, Twent? Sometimes Daddy wets me put my feet in but only if he’s watching me. Will you watch me?” Big, green, puppy dog eyes looked up to him. He looked at the other kids and they all had puppy dog eyes. He nearly heard their pants of excitement.
“Not today, munchkin. It’s your party day. How about you stay here and watch me cross to the other side. I’ll put the snake over—”
“Fwank!” she interrupted.
“Huh?”
She giggled before she answered. “I named him Fwank the snake.”
“Okay. I’ll put Frank on the other side of the creek where he’ll be safe then we can all go back to your party. I’m not sure your dad or Kate would want you get muddy today.” That was a good enough excuse wasn’t it? He prayed so. He could rescue a snake, but he wasn’t sure he was up to wrangling a herd of kids in a muddy creek bed.
“Okay.” Several voices rang out with different levels of excitement and disappointment.
He looked for the best place to climb down and jump over.
Kate watched as Trent stopped at the creek’s edge with all nine kids looking up at him in varying degrees of hero worship. Front and center stood little Kylie. The poor man had no idea he’d made a friend for life in Kylie by rescuing a scaly animal.
Long, denim-clad legs stretched as he stepped down the bank and climbed up the far side. He bent and set the snake down beside a large rock and then looked up in shock when all the kids put their arms up in the air and cheered.
A silly grin split his face, and he retraced his steps across the creek. When Kylie took his large hand in hers, and he accepted it without blinking, she melted. A man who rescued something as small as a baby snake just to make a little girl happy and held hands with her even though they’d just met was a rare thing. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t kick a dog. He’d take care of an animal without blinking and would be someone she could trust to care for her children. That was a man who was born to protect and love.
And Trent was the kind of man she could easily fall in love with.
He returned with his motley posse of little people.
“Daddy! Where’s my soccer ball? Trent said he’d pway wiff me, but we have to teach him fiwst. He doesn’t know how.”
“It’s in the garage.” Joe answered from the grill where he piled hamburgers on a platter. “You’ve got about fifteen minutes to play while I cook your hot dogs, okay, pickle?”
“Okay! I’ll get it!” In a blur of dark pigtails, Kylie was off.
There was something different in the way Joe looked at Trent. Maybe a grudging acceptance? She could only hope. She hated that two of the most important men in her life barely tolerated each other.
Kylie returned in a rapid-fire clatter of boot steps. She grabbed Trent’s hand and pulled him in to the yard then proceeded to show him how to play soccer. At least the way she played soccer. Somewhere along the way, she’d added a few extra rules Kate had never heard of.
Joe pulled the pork from the smoker, and she took it inside to prep for sandwiches. She set the pan on the counter in front of the window so she could see the kids.
And Trent.
When Trent stumbled to avoid bumping into Derrick, the kids decided it was a fine time to knock him to the ground and wrestle with him. All nine of them pounced and he disappeared beneath a wriggling pile of little arms and legs.
Pain seared her hand as something burned her, and she looked down to see that she’d grabbed a corner of the pan without a pot holder. She set it down, shook her hand, and turned from the window. She needed to pay attention before she really hurt herself. She ran cool water over her fingers. Silly. She had work to do. There were at least twelve adults and a mess of kids to feed and she was mooning over Trent.
“Are you okay?”
She jumped.
She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard the door open or Trent come in. The heat of him wrapped around her as he moved in close and tucked her back against his chest.
“I didn’t hear the door when you came in.”
“You left it open.”
“Oh.” She probably had since she’d been carrying the hot pan. It was shameful what a man built like Trent in snug denim could do to a woman’s concentration.
Or, more accurately, what Trent did to her concentration.
“Let me see.” He pulled her hand from the water and looked it over. He took his time. “I don’t think it’s too awful bad.” Low and husky, the sound of his voice melted her.
“It’s not. I’ll be fine.” She couldn’t get more than a whisper out as he turned her, capturing her with his stormy gray gaze. He took the finger that bore the biggest brunt of the burn and sucked it into his mouth. He drew on the digit with a slow, languid suction that she felt all the way to her toes and everywhere in between.
She released a shaky breath and gripped his shoulder with her other hand. He stepped back only to ask a question, but his eyes never left hers. “How much longer?”
She blinked and gathered her thoughts. How much longer? Forever. He could do that to her forever and then some.
He smiled a deliciously wicked half-grin that said he knew exactly
where he’d taken her thoughts.
“Kate. How much longer?” He spoke slowly, making fun of her. She tried to shake off the haze of lust he’d conjured.
“Until the party’s over?”
His wicked grin promised he had more in store for her at the first opportunity. “Yeah. How long do I have to wait?”
“A while yet, we still have to do presents and cake. Are the kids getting to you?” She tucked her hair behind her ear and took a deep breath to settle her racing heart.
“Not at all. I just want to know how long I have to wait until I can strip you bare and sink back into that sexy little body of yours. I want you, sweet Katie Marie.” His volume was low, dark and all the more erotic for it as he whispered into her ear and then nipped the soft lobe.
“Pwesents! Huwwy, Katie. Daddy says we have to eat befwoe I open my pwesents.” She looked around the wall of Trent’s shoulders to see Kylie and the kids standing at the open doorway. They were all but shaking with excitement. “I want a hot dog and a bawbeque and fries. Did you make fwench fwies the way I like them?”
“I did. Exactly the way you like them.”
“Yay!” Kylie split the crowd of kids behind her and ran back to her father. “Daddy! Katie made my fwies! Let’s eat!”
“Dear God. Will she actually eat all that? She’s so little.” Trent’s amazement made her smile. Clearly he hadn’t been around growing, ravenous children very often.
“Yes. She probably will, plus some cake and ice cream. Where do you think she gets all that energy?” He watched the crowd of kids chase after her and shook his head. “Will you carry this out and put it with the burgers and hot dogs? I’ll grab the fries and ketchup. Everything else is out there and ready.”
He held out his hands and walked away shaking his head.
“I wanna sit wiff Twent!”
“Kylie, we’re going to put the kids at one table that way you can all eat together.” Joe handed his daughter a plate but carried her drink to a space near the end of the kids’ table.
“But he’s my new fwiend, and it’s my birthday.”
“Honey, I don’t think there’s enough room. Maybe next time.” Kate tried to placate Kylie.
“But he’s my fwiend.” The child’s tone turned plaintive.
“How about I move the tables closer together? I’ll sit at the end of this table and you sit at the end of yours then we’ll be close. Will that work?” Trent offered the most reasonable solution. Kylie made puppy dog eyes at him and nodded her agreement.
Everyone sat to eat. Just as Joe put his second bite to his mouth, a phone rang at his waist. She watched him close his eyes in frustration and put his food down with a frown. His expression only got worse when he looked at the caller ID.
“Daddy, you’re not going to work on my pawty day awe you?” For once, sadly, Kylie’s little voice wasn’t filled with bright energy and spunk.
“No. I’m not going anywhere. It’s your special day. I’ll be right back. You eat like a good girl, so I can watch you open presents.” He pushed away from the table and walked into the middle of the yard.
She assumed Joe’s call was work related, as they usually were. The county was short staffed, and they always called on him to fill in. Of course, he usually went when they called. When his face turned thunderously dark and snapped to focus on Trent, she stopped breathing.
He said a few terse words into his phone and stalked over. At the edge of the deck, he paused as if getting his anger under control and closed his eyes tightly. Then he focused on Kylie. “Are you ready for presents?”
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, but her usual exuberance dimmed at her father’s dark mood.
“Let’s go, pickle. Everyone can eat while they watch.”
“Okay.” She took his hand, and he led her to the gift table and chair.
He picked a random present and handed it over. She tore into it and squealed. “Wace car Wegos! Who’s it fwom?”
“The card says they’re from Kate and …they’re from Kate.” The gift was from her, but she’d also added Trent’s name to the card. Ominous dread set in, killing her appetite.
“Tank you, Katie! I want Twent to hep me build it.”
“No.” Joe’s response was deadly sharp. Then he softened. “Not today, pickle. It’s party day. I’ll help you later.” What had the phone call been about? No, they hadn’t become best friends, but she’d seen Joe soften toward Trent after he’d helped Kylie with the snake.
Kylie plowed through the mountain of gifts, thanking everyone with her bright happiness. Kate couldn’t help but love the way every gift was her favorite. Soon enough, she was telling guests goodbye as Kate cleaned.
“Tank you for my cowboy hat!” Kate turned to see Kylie and Mr. Peterman, her great uncle, at the front door. He stooped down for their customary goodbye hug.
“You’re welcome. Every pretty girl needs a cowboy hat. Thank you for inviting me to your party, sweetheart. I had a lot of fun.” Kate could see by the brightness in his eyes that he meant every word. After Kylie’s mother’s death, he didn’t have a lot of family left, which made the remaining members all the more important.
“It was the best fun ever.” Kylie’s smile was bright, but her spunk dimmed as after-party exhaustion crept in. Mr. Peterman patted her on the head and nodded to Kate in farewell.
“Hi, Twent.”
Kate turned to see he’d come inside from cleanup duty on the back patio.
“Munchkin,” he answered, placing one hand on the child’s head.
“That your truck with the Bourbon County plate out there, Dawson?” Mr. Peterman looked out the open front door to the driveway.
“It is.”
“Hm. What are the odds of that?” He continued to stare at Trent’s truck as if he was working a puzzle. “How long you had that dent in the back fender?”
“A year or so. The truck wasn’t six months old when one of the stable-hand’s sons came out to bring his dad lunch and backed into it.”
“You never made’m fix it?”
“Nah. The poor kid was terrified I’d fire his dad. I sent him on and never told Carl. He came to me the next day and apologized. Said his kid told him everything. It wasn’t a big deal.” Trent’s tone remained easy, but when he met Mr. Peterman’s eye, something serious lurked in the undercurrent. “Can I ask why you’re asking?”
“You remember that day you were at the market with Miss Kate and you helped me and Bobby with that old TV?”
“Yeah, I do.” From Trent’s tone, he’d picked up on the weight of the question, too.
“Well, right before Bobby and I came inside, there was a guy diggin’ around in a truck that looked exactly like yours. It even had Bourbon County plates and a dent in the same spot. You didn’t have anyone with you other than Katie Marie, did you? A brother, or someone?”
“No. No, I didn’t.”
“Hewe! Katie made you a plate to take home so you don’t have to cook tonight.” Kylie held a foil covered plate up to the old man.
“That’s great. Thanks, sweet pea. I should be going.” He tipped his head and left, leaving Kate wondering if what he said could be true.
Trent’s eyes met hers and then looked down to Kylie, who was nearly swaying on her feet. She got his message. They’d talk later.
“Tank you for my cake, Katie. Did you get a picture so I can keep it?” Her cousin leaned into her hip as if she needed the extra help to stay upright.
“I did. I took a lot of pictures. So did Gramma. Maybe we can make you a memory book.” She ran a hand over her cousin’s soft hair.
“Okay.” Her little face drooped and she yawned. “Can I have another piece? Daddy went to his office and shut the door. He’s got his work face on.”
“Sure, but how about I fix you a hot dog first? It can be your dinner since your daddy’s busy.”
“Okay.”
Kate fixed Kylie a plate and set her a place at the kitchen bar. She looked up when Joe walke
d through to the front door without looking at either of them. Had she seen a hint of guilt on his face?
He opened the door as if he expected someone, but she hadn’t heard anyone knock. Most family just came right on in, simply announcing their presence as they came through the door. Curious and maybe even a little scared, she went to the living room and peeked out the curtain. In the early evening light, two police cruisers sat at the yard’s edge. Both had Bourbon County painted on the side. Her belly cramped, twisting violently.
Trent lived in Bourbon County, but so had she and Preston.
“What’s Daddy doing?”
“I don’t know, honey. Eat so you can have your cake, okay?”
Only silence greeted her as Kylie came to the window and gripped her hand. Trent, who’d been in the backyard folding tables, came to her other side.
“Damn. Listen to me.”
She heard him but couldn’t break the haze of anxiety holding her immobile. Joe and three uniformed officers crossed the front yard, coming toward the front door. “Kate, look at me. We don’t have much time.” His callous-roughened palm cupped her cheek, and he gently turned her to face him. Grave eyes met hers.
“I need you to remember two things. It’s important, no matter what. Number one, I need you to call Rick as soon as I’m gone. Call him and explain. He’ll take care of everything. Promise me.”
She shook herself and some of the haze faded, but it only left more anxiety and grief in its place. Why, she didn’t know. Maybe she’d drunk a huge glass of denial, but all the same, the grief tightened her throat.
Why did it feel like she was on borrowed time? Sand in their hourglass fell faster and faster until there were only a few grains left.
“Kate? What’s the first thing you’re going to do after I’m gone?”
“I…I’m going to call Rick.”
“Good. His number is in your phone. I made sure of it a couple of days ago when the detectives showed and asked me about my weapons. Remember?”
“Yes.” She blinked fast, fighting inexplicable tears.
“Good girl. Here’s the second thing I need you to do for me. I know you didn’t want to bring this around…” He looked down to Kylie, whose gaze was transfixed by the cars out front. “No matter what happens here or what your feelings are, you do not leave this house until Rick comes to get you, okay? You make that call, and you stay here with Joe until you see Rick. You stay glued to Rick and do everything he says until I get out, okay?” He tangled his hand in the hair at her nape and tugged her close. He laid his mouth to hers and set the world on fire. Hard, hot and filled with ten years’ worth of emotion, he burned her with his intensity.
Protecting Kate: Dark Horse, Inc: Book 1 Page 18