A new kind of hurt nibbled at her gut. This was why she didn’t want to become involved. Involvement brought pain. She studied Travis, her brows furrowed, and bit her lip.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He gathered her hands in his.
Need nearly pushed the hurt away. Instead, as the two mingled, it made things a hundred times worse. She should’ve pulled her hands away, but longed for all the contact he could give her, afraid each touch would be the last.
Knowing full well he wouldn’t believe her, she simply replied, “It’s nothing. I wish things could be easy. For everyone. I think I’m ready to go home now.”
Travis didn’t say anything. Just nodded, gave her hands a squeeze, and summoned the waitress for the bill.
Frigid air, thick with moisture, hung outside the mall. Snow was sure to come soon, and she wanted to be home before it started to fall.
She didn’t speak while they walked to the car. Holding Travis’s hand, Rio desperately clung to these last moments of companionship. Their relationship would have to be put aside, at least for now. For his and Jessa’s sake. They needed to sort things out between themselves as well as with Laura and her mother.
They rode in silence until they left the city and traveled on the quieter roads. Darkness began to steal the day, leaving gloom that matched the heaviness inside her.
“Please don’t let Laura scare you.” Travis’s voice cut through the silence.
Rio continued to stare out the window at the unending gray landscape. Easier said than done. People like Laura would always be able to slice through her confidence—her fragile new happiness—and put her in her place.
She lifted her chin and finally answered him. “I’ve met far worse over the years.”
She felt Travis glance at her. “I’m sure you have.” He caught hold of her hand again. “Don’t let this affect how we feel about each other. She’s a bitch and she’ll do whatever she can to hurt people she doesn’t care for—and a few she does care about. I’ll be damned if she’ll ruin our lives.”
Rio appreciated the warmth of his palm against hers, the strength of his fingers. But she couldn’t shake the feeling she hovered on the brink of something disastrous. And the last thing she wanted was to cause Travis and Jessa any heartache.
“Do you think she’ll fight you for custody?”
Travis was silent for a moment. “Yes, I think she will. Or her mother.”
Rio sighed and pulled her hand away from his, pressing it into her lap. “Then we should probably cool things off between us. At least for now, until you iron out your issues with your ex and her mother. And I get my issues straight.”
“Rio—”
“No, don’t. Admit I’m right.” Rio pulled in a deep breath and released it slowly. Why did it seem like her heart was breaking? She silently cursed herself. This was exactly the reason why she didn’t want to fall in love. Love didn’t work for people like her. She should’ve seen heartache coming like a freight train right at her.
“I love you. You know that, right?” Travis’s voice was low and caressing. He knew how to use it to soothe her frayed nerves. This time it ripped at her heart more.
Rio didn’t reply right away. But she knew. She could tell with every look he gave her, every touch, every kiss, which made it so much harder to step away.
“I love you too,” she whispered, longing to take his hand again, longing for any contact with him at all.
“Then let’s give ourselves this last weekend. Please, sweetheart, there’s nothing Laura or her mother can do to us over the next twenty-four hours.”
“We’ll hold off on us until we’ve dealt with our other problems?”
“Yes. And if there’s anything I can do to help you with your brother, ask.”
A knot of another kind formed in her belly and Rio pressed at it to keep it from climbing up toward her throat. Storm presented a whole entire set of new problems, sending her heart and head reeling. This was another situation that couldn’t be put off. “A ride to the bus station in Keene.”
“I’ll do you one better. I’ll drive you down to Springfield.”
His offer eased some of the trepidation radiating through her. Having him with her would make this a world easier, though it was still her battle to fight, a battle so intensely personal she didn’t think she wanted anyone else involved.
“You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I do. I’m not going to put you on a bus and send you off to God knows what, Rio. You’ll need moral support. You have no idea what you’re walking into.”
Rio laughed uneasily. “I really don’t think Storm would hurt me.”
“Probably not, but why risk it? You haven’t seen him since he was ten. Look what he’s been through. You don’t know him at all.”
He was right even though she didn’t think her brother would harm her. Yet how could she be certain? “Fine. But I have to meet him alone. You are somewhat intimidating, Mr. Lithgow.”
“Me? I promise not to wear my uniform.”
Rio chuckled. “Actually you’re incredibly sexy in the uniform.”
Travis brought her hand up and pressed a kiss to it. “Good thing we’re almost home,” he said, his voice low and enticing.
Chapter 19
Jessa and Sadie returned from Maine in time for a nasty ice storm to hit the northeast. Sometime during their first night back, the combination of high winds and ice-laden branches knocked electricity out for most of southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Despite the fact the barn was run on a generator for these occasions, Rio moved her stuff over to the farmhouse to conserve power.
The storm had left behind a disaster of broken trees and power lines spread over a large portion of the state. Restoring electricity would be a major event involving power companies and tree services from as far north as Canada and south toward Maryland. It also left behind a world cast in crystal ice, as beautiful as it was destructive.
Since Travis needed to be on duty so much with the extra work the storm and its cleanup created, he had Jessa move over to Cobble Creek as well. School had been cancelled indefinitely and he didn’t want Jessa home alone.
To her credit, Jessa put in as much work down at the barn as Rio did, exercising the horses in the indoor ring since putting them in their paddocks wasn’t an option until the dozen or so downed trees and fence line could be cleaned up and repaired.
Despite the conditions and the extra work, Rio had the time of her life. She and Jessa unpacked the Christmas decorations when, on a rare evening he didn’t have to work, Travis brought home a gorgeous Christmas tree. Like a happy family, the four of them decorated it. Then Sadie retreated into the kitchen to make up hot chocolate.
The joy Rio felt was unparalleled. This family had embraced her. Made her one of their own.
“You need this?”
Rio glanced up. She hadn’t heard Jessa approach. The girl held out a tissue.
“Oh man,” Rio mumbled. She didn’t want anyone to see her losing it. “Thanks.”
“It’s okay,” the girl said with a crooked smile. “I guess you’re not used to this family stuff. I forgot how much I missed it too.”
“I’m sad I never had this before. I can’t be any more grateful for it now.”
Jessa smiled and Rio recognized genuine fondness on her expressive face. “And my dad? It’s cool, the two of you.”
Rio’s jaw dropped.
“Like I couldn’t tell, with the way you guys stare at each other when you think I’m not paying attention. Like I said, it’s cool.”
Without waiting for a reply, Jessa walked away to join Sadie, who’d delivered four mugs of hot chocolate and started playing “Jingle Bells” on the piano.
Preferring to be alone right then, Rio picked up a
metallic green ball and hung it on a bare branch, studying Jessa as she put her arms around her aunt’s neck and started singing along. Travis stood next to the piano too and sang, but his gaze remained firmly on her, a smile on his lips the entire time.
The effects of the ice storm dragged on for another ten days in some spots. Although the weather warmed enough to melt the beautiful crystal-like ice from the branches of the trees, the damage had been severe enough to keep some people out of power for nearly two weeks.
Cobble Creek and Shadow Oak regained power five days into the ordeal, but Travis still put in masses of overtime until every branch had been cleaned up, and his town was restored to order. By then Christmas was only a week and a half away.
As soon as they had electricity, Sadie had Rio and Jessa in the ring for their daily training routines. She also decided to increase the height of the jumps from two feet to two and a half and then three feet. At the sight of the obstacles in the ring, Rio bit her lip. Three feet sure didn’t seem so high when she was standing on the ground. When she approached the fence on Fleur, cantering toward it, the fence appeared a heck of a lot taller.
Luckily the mare knew what to do, and Sadie’s training and constant instruction had Rio over the fence in a breeze.
“Addicting, isn’t it?” Sadie laughed from the center of the ring. “These are about half a foot shorter than what you’ll face at the show in Connecticut. We’ll get you used to the setup and then we’ll add a few more fences so you can work your way up to the actual fence heights.”
Rio grinned and nodded. Bring it on, she thought triumphantly. Nothing gave her a better rush than jumping over the fence.
Well, except for a night in Travis’s arms, which she’d given up for the time being.
Now the ice storm was history, and Travis returned to his regular schedule. He and Jessa made a habit of having dinner with Sadie, and inevitably Rio would be invited as well. She adored the way they accepted her, as if she was one of them. Like they were a family. There’d been no talk of Jessa flying out to visit her mother for the holidays since meeting Laura in the restaurant at the mall, although Rio could see the concern on Travis’s face whenever Christmas was mentioned.
“Jessa’s been talking with her mom more often now,” he confided in Rio one evening. “They seem to be on better terms.”
From the frown on his face, Rio could tell he didn’t like it one bit.
“She could’ve changed. Let me play devil’s advocate here, Travis. Maybe Laura is sorry she’s missed out on having her daughter in her life and genuinely wants to reestablish some kind of connection.”
Travis shrugged and turned his attention to Jessa, who was busy playing checkers with Sadie. “Possibly. Stranger things have happened. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Heard anything from Daphne?”
He shook his head. “My lawyer has done all he can do for the moment. The ball is in their court.”
“I can’t believe a judge would say she’s better suited to raise Jessa than you. You’re a wonderful father who had to step up to the plate in difficult circumstances. I was the wrench in the works. I’m out of the picture now. They can’t hold me against you.”
Travis pulled her into the kitchen where they wouldn’t be seen by his aunt and daughter. His arms slid around her in the first embrace since their weekend alone. “You are definitely not out of the picture,” he murmured and kissed her hair.
She longed to sink into his strength and warmth. He was too good to be true and she never wanted him to let her go. “It’s not like we can parade our feelings around for the world to see.”
His lips moved their way down her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “Not yet,” he whispered against her skin. “We will. Soon. I love you and that won’t change.”
Rio couldn’t help smiling as his mouth touched hers in a soft yet demanding kiss. It had seemed like an eternity since he kissed her like this and she wanted to make the most of it, running her hands up into his hair and pressing him closer to her. Her tongue danced with his briefly before she eased back.
“We’re going to get caught,” she whispered and stepped away from him.
“At the moment I don’t care,” he replied roughly.
Rio sighed regretfully as she returned to watching Jessa and Sadie. “Any more run-ins with the Bartlett kid?”
Travis draped his arm over her shoulder. She didn’t think anyone would notice. “I had a few words the other day. He came to the house for her. She was at Sadie’s. He took off like a bat out of hell when he saw me. I happened to be on duty at the time and he gave me a reason to pull him over. He admitted he hadn’t seen her in weeks. I’m inclined to believe him. I warned him away from our property again.”
“Well, if Jessa isn’t showing any more interest in him, then hopefully he’ll take the hint and find some other girl to charm.”
“I can dream.” Travis kissed the top of Rio’s head. “Just curious, are you thinking of contacting your brother again?”
Rio chuckled. “Speaking of juvenile delinquents, right?”
“Honey, not at all.” He squeezed her shoulders in a hug. “I wanted to let you know the offer is still open for me to drive you down there. If you can make it on a Sunday, all the better.”
“I’ll work on it.”
An iciness filled her when she thought of making that phone call. She wanted to see Storm more than almost anything, but what if he’d changed? What if he’d ended up more like her mother than Rio would be comfortable with? Approaching him could be very much like walking into a minefield. Yet how could she not meet him? There was no excuse, unless he didn’t want to have anything to do with her.
She made the call after leaving. As the phone rang, she sucked in a deep breath, trying to quell the butterflies careening through her belly at the mere thought of hearing her mother’s voice again.
Thankfully, this time her brother answered.
“Storm, it’s me, Rio.” She kept her voice low, as if her mother could overhear her.
Storm grunted a response she couldn’t make out.
“Can we meet? I can get a ride to Springfield. I want to see you again. Just you.”
There was a pause and Rio wondered if he’d reply. Finally, he did.
“I guess. To see if you’re real.”
“God, I am real. I don’t know where you got the idea I was dead. I’m very much alive. I want to see you again. This Sunday?”
“Where?”
“There’s a diner called Mr. K’s. You know where it is?”
“Yeah, I know it,” Storm replied. His voice still held a cautious note.
“We can meet there. I’ll buy you lunch or something. I need to see you, make sure you’re okay.”
There was a long pause, broken only by her brother taking in a deep breath before releasing it.
“Fine. I’ll be there at twelve-thirty.”
Rio’s heart pounded hard in her chest. She fisted a hand against it to slow it down. Suddenly she felt more scared than she had in years. “Okay, thank you. I’ll be there. Bye, Storm.”
He mumbled his goodbyes and then hung up. Rio set the phone slowly in its cradle. There. It was done. Now she had to tell Travis so he could drive her down.
Rio glanced out the window again. Travis’s truck remained in the parking lot, out of sight. He wouldn’t go far, and although she wanted him close by, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him near enough to witness her reunion with Storm.
She took a seat at a table in the front corner of the diner by the window. Travis could keep an eye on her, but with enough privacy from other people in the room.
After fifteen minutes she wondered if Storm had stood her up. Every young man who walked in seemed not to notice her. She didn’t know what he would look like an
yway, after all these years.
As a boy his hair had been too long and unkempt and black like hers. Instead of green eyes, his had been a dark brown, almost black.
She was nearly ready to call it quits, almost relieved he wasn’t going to show, when a lanky young man came through the door, his hands shoved into an old blue and red ski jacket. He wore his hair in a crew cut. A silver earring glittered in one ear. Even before he looked at her, Rio knew it was him. She didn’t have to see those dark eyes to be certain.
Rio’s heart leapt against her chest in a mixture of joy and fear. Nothing of the boy she remembered remained. There was a twist to his mouth, an expression of boredom and indifference. When his gaze fell on her, he bit his bottom lip and drew his brows together like he used to do when he was a child.
A warm rush of tears cascaded down her cheeks and blindly, Rio grabbed a napkin to swipe them away, then pushed herself to her feet as he slowly made his way toward her.
“Storm,” she said, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Damn, he’d gotten so tall. And thin. When his arms slid around her waist, she could feel sinewy muscles under his old jacket.
He was quick to let her go, and although she didn’t want to break the contact, she backed away. His dark eyes studied her warily, as if he were ready to run at the slightest urge.
“Sit down.” Rio motioned for him to take the chair across from hers. Slowly, her attention glued onto him, she lowered herself to her own seat. Storm ran a hand through his short hair and eyed the chair. Blood ran cold through her veins.
Maybe he didn’t want to sit. He might regret coming. Trouble lurked inside him, in the way his lips tightened into a thin, pale line. Indecision bristled from him. After a long moment, he pulled the chair out and sat.
The Staying Kind Page 21