by Carrie Carr
She left the living room and closed the front door quietly behind her.
Chapter Fifteen
TWO DAYS LATER, Lex looked out the kitchen window and saw Shelby go into the horse barn. She placed her coffee mug in the sink and turned to her wife, who was feeding Eddie his lunch. "I'm going to the barn."
"Hossie!" Eddie kicked his feet. "Hossie!"
Amanda wiped his face. "We'll go see the hossies later," she promised.
"What's wrong?" she asked Lex.
"Shelby."
"Honey, maybe we should stay out of it."
Lex ignored her and stepped into the hall to get her hat. "I won't be long."
"Momma, hossie!" Eddie pounded his fists on his high chair tray. "Momma."
Amanda gave her the see what you did look when Lex returned to the kitchen. "You're the one who started taking him to the barn with you."
"I know. But I really want to check on Shelby." Lex kissed them each on the head. "Be good for Mommy, and we'll see the hossies later," she promised Eddie.
"Momma." He reached for her with spaghetti-covered fingers.
Amanda caught him before he could grab Lex. "Are you sure you want to get in the middle of this?"
"We're already in the middle," Lex said. "Or don't you remember Martha's house guest for the past couple of days?"
After Shelby left Martha's, Rebecca had become inconsolable. Only Martha's gentle mothering and offer of their guest room could calm her down.
"And no offense to Rebecca, but I can only handle a woman crying her eyes out for so long, before I feel the need to step in."
"She's not crying her eyes out. She's just upset. Wouldn't you be if I walked out on you?"
"I'd follow you, sweetheart. Then we'd get into a discussion in the yard, and Martha would have to hose us down."
"Sounds about right." Amanda stood and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't be out too long, okay? The wind is still chilly."
"Yes, ma'am." Lex tipped her hat, causing Eddie to giggle and clap. "Be good."
"Good." Eddie used his fingers to wipe up the spaghetti sauce. He stuck them in his mouth. "Mmm."
Lex laughed and waved before she stepped out onto the back porch. A gust of wind ruffled her long-sleeved, denim shirt. "I should have worn a jacket. Why is she always right?"
As she approached the barn, she could hear Shelby inside. Lex slowly opened the door.
"Damned mess, I tell ya," Shelby griped, as she cleared out a stall. "Was I askin' too much? Hell, no. Sometimes she still acts like a damned kid." She shoveled out more dirty straw.
Lex leaned against the opposite stall. "You're both acting like kids, if you ask me."
Shelby yelped and dropped the shovel. "You scared the shit out of me!"
"Good thing you've got a shovel, then."
"Funny." Shelby stepped out of the stall. "Amanda let you off your leash?"
The smile left Lex's face. She pushed away from the stall and got in Shelby's face. "Let me make something perfectly clear."
Her voice lowered as she leaned above the smaller woman. "You can yell at me, tease me, even cuss me out. But don't ever say anything about my wife, you got me?"
"Yeah, I got ya." Shelby picked up her shovel and started back into the stall. "You come in here to bust my balls?"
"Nope." Lex relaxed against the stall gate. "I came in here to see how you were doing."
Shelby stopped her shovel. "You think I can't do this job?"
"What?" Lex fought the urge to shake her. For someone with a lot of common sense, Shelby could certainly be stupid. "I'm talking about how you're doing since Rebecca's been at Martha's, you pig-headed idiot."
"Oh." Shelby leaned on the shovel and scratched beneath the band on her hat. "I'm okay."
Lex snorted. "Right."
"Hey, I am. I can do just fine until she comes to her senses."
"Really?"
Shelby glared at her. "Yeah, really. I took care of myself for a lot of years before she came along, you know."
"Did you wear your shirts inside out very often?" Lex asked as she tried to keep from laughing.
"What?" Shelby looked down at the gray shirt she wore. "Hell, no wonder I couldn't get the damned thing buttoned right." She peeled off her shirt just as the barn door opened.
"Lex, Martha asked me to--" Rebecca paused when she saw her partner standing in the stall, clad only in her sports bra. "What's going on in here?"
Shelby hurriedly put her shirt back on, correctly this time. "Not what you're probably thinkin', that's for damned sure."
"I believe my wife is calling me." Lex tipped her head to Rebecca as she left the barn.
Rebecca stared at her lover until Shelby couldn't stand it anymore. "What?"
"I've missed you," Rebecca admitted softly.
Shelby noticed the tears in her eyes and moved quickly across the barn. She stopped in front of Rebecca. "You've ignored my calls."
"What? No, I haven't. My phone's been silent for two days." Rebecca crossed her arms. "I've kept it with me this entire time."
"Where is it?"
Rebecca dug it out of her back pocket. "Right here. See?"
When Shelby held out her hand, she passed the phone to her.
"Rebecca," Shelby asked gently, looking at the display. "When was the last time you charged your phone?"
"Just the other--" Rebecca stopped. "It's dead, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Shelby handed it back to her. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that."
Rebecca frowned as she tucked the phone back into her pocket. "Did Lex tell you to say that?"
"No, she did not." Shelby removed her work gloves and tossed them on the floor. "I know the wonderful Lex Walters is fuckin' perfect, but I can make up my own mind on things without her help!"
"Hey, no. I didn't mean it like that." Rebecca held out her hands and smiled when Shelby accepted them. "And I don't think she's perfect."
Shelby snorted. "Yeah, right."
"She's too tall, for starters. I'd get a crick in my neck if I had to be around her all the time. I feel sorry for Amanda." She pulled Shelby closer.
"Uh-huh."
Rebecca let go of Shelby's hands so she could grab her hips. "And her eyes? They're so dark blue you can't tell what she's thinking. Spooky. I like my women more my height, with simmering brown eyes."
Shelby laughed at that. "Simmering? Have you been reading your mother's books again?"
"Good God, no." Rebecca ran her hands up Shelby's sides until they were locked behind her neck. "Are we okay?"
"Yeah, we're good." Shelby closed the distance between them and kissed her. "Wanna go check out the hay barn?"
Rebecca giggled. "Sure, as long as you don't think your boss will catch us."
"Nah. I have a feelin' we won't be seeing her for a while." Shelby took her hand and led her through the back door of the barn.
LEX HUNG HER hat by the back door and peeked into the kitchen, which was empty. She stood quietly for a moment and listened. The sound of laughter from upstairs told her where her wife and son were, so she followed the sounds.
She found them in the master bathroom, both soaking in a tub full of bubbles. "Well, what do we have here?"
Amanda waved as Eddie squealed and splashed. "I gave up trying to get us both clean with a washcloth."
"Momma!"
"I see." Lex rested against the sink and smiled fondly. "I guess that explains the spaghetti in your hair, then."
"What?" Amanda reached for her head until Lex started laughing. "You are such a brat."
"Bwat," Eddie parroted.
Lex laughed and moved to kneel beside the tub. "You think so, little guy?" She flinched as she was splashed. "Oh, yeah?" Using only her fingers, she splashed him back, causing a fit of giggles from the toddler.
"You proved my point." Amanda leaned back and relaxed as Lex bathed Eddie. "How did things go in the barn?"
"Before or after I threatened to kick her ass?" L
ex asked quietly. "Good grief, Eddie. How did you get sauce on the back of your neck?"
Her sneaky grin was hidden from Amanda. "Or maybe after Rebecca came in and saw Shelby topless?"
Eddie fought the washcloth. "No!"
"Wait a minute, what?" Amanda grabbed Lex's hand. "Shelby was topless?"
"Well, yeah. That's what usually happens when someone takes off their shirt." Amanda's splash hit Lex in the face. "Thanks."
"Serves you right. Would you mind taking him? I don't want him to get pruny." She wiped the water from Lex's face. "And don't think this gets you out of explaining yourself."
"Yes, dear." Lex lifted Eddie and wrapped him in a towel. "Let's get a diaper on you before you give me another surprise."
"Momma, go!"
Lex held him close and kissed his forehead. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."
"I'll be out in a minute," Amanda called after them.
"Take your time," Lex answered as she carried him through their room and across the hall. "It's more fun to make your mommy squirm, right?"
"Mommy," he sang, rocking in her arms. He laughed when he was put on the dressing table. "Ha! Momma, go!"
Rolling her eyes, Lex quickly diapered him and dressed him in a white shirt and green overalls. "I need to talk to your Aunt Jeannie about color choices, don't I?"
"Pbbbbsstt. Go, Momma."
"Almost done." The socks she added wouldn't last long, but Lex knew better than to not put them on him. "All right, buddy. Ready to
check on Mommy?"
"Go!"
"I thought so."
When they entered the bedroom, they met Amanda, clad only in a towel. Lex playfully covered Eddie's eyes. "Oops. Howdy."
Amanda allowed the towel to drop to the floor. "Howdy? That's the best you can do?"
"If we didn't have little eyes and ears nearby, I'd do a heck of a lot better." Lex let Eddie down carefully.
He made a beeline for Amanda. "Mommy." Eddie wrapped his arms around her bare leg. "Uck!" He patted her damp skin.
Lex took mercy on her and carried him to the bed. She stretched out beside Eddie and used her fingers to comb his fluffy, dark hair. "How about you help me take a nap?"
"No!"
Soon Amanda was dressed and on the other side of Eddie. "Okay, I think I've been pretty patient with you, Lexington."
"You usually are," Lex agreed, being purposely dense.
"Lex."
Laughing, Lex rolled onto her side and faced Amanda. "What do you want to know?"
Amanda mirrored her posture and lightly rubbed Eddie's stomach, causing his eyes to close. "You said you and Shelby got into a fight?"
"No, not exactly a fight. She just said something that pis..., ah, made me mad." Lex lowered her voice when she realized their son was lightly dozing. "But everything's okay now."
"How did she lose her shirt?"
Lex kept her face neutral. "She took it off."
Amanda looked toward the ceiling and growled. "And why did she take it off?"
"Cause it was inside out."
Carefully reaching across Eddie, Amanda grabbed her wife's ear. "Spill it, woman."
"Ow. Okay, okay." Once her ear was released, Lex continued. "She told me she could take care of herself just fine, and I asked if she was used to wearing her shirt wrong." She tapped Amanda on the nose. "That's why she took her shirt off. Unfortunately, Rebecca came in right after that."
"Oops."
"Yeah, oops. I'm just glad there wasn't a pitchfork nearby, or I might have gotten my butt kicked."
Amanda giggled. "I would have loved to have seen your face."
"I'm sure it was hilarious. Anyway, when I left, they were at least speaking to one another."
"You're such a chicken!"
"No, I'm not."
Amanda laughed at her. "Yes, you are." She lifted herself above Eddie and kissed Lex. "But that's okay. You're my chicken."
"Geez." Lex rolled off the bed and picked up Eddie. "Just for that, he's going to nap in his room, so we can nap in here."
"Oooh."
AMANDA CLOSED THE door on her SUV and watched the girls race for the back door. She gave up a long time ago asking them not to run. Instead, she followed at a more sedate pace. She heard Freckles' welcoming bark before the door closed behind her children. As she reached the porch, she met Rebecca and Shelby coming up the walk.
Rebecca released Shelby's hand and embraced Amanda. "Thanks for everything," she whispered in her ear. She stepped back and added, "Do your girls ever slow down?"
"Not often. Lorrie promised to show Mel something on the computer, so I'm sure they're already upstairs in her room." Amanda turned to Shelby. "How are you doing?"
"A lot better, thanks." Shelby put her arm around Rebecca. "Sorry for any problems I might have caused."
Holding the door open, Amanda gestured for them to precede her. "As long as you two are okay, we're okay." She stepped into the kitchen, surprised to see Lex at the table alone. "Where's Eddie?"
Lex looked up from the newspaper in her hands. "Isn't he with you?"
Amanda dropped her keys on the table. "No. He was here playing with his truck, when I left."
"Are you sure?" Lex folded the newspaper and set it on the table. "I don't remember that."
Before her wife could totally fall apart, she tugged her onto her lap. "Calm down, sweetheart. I was just messing with you. Charlie showed up right after you left and stole him." She grunted as she was elbowed in the stomach. "Ow."
"I swear, one of these days." Amanda didn't finish, since both Shelby and Rebecca were standing in the doorway, laughing. "Come in and make yourselves comfortable."
Rebecca sat across from them, but her partner remained standing. Shelby removed her hat and held it in her hands. "Lex, can I have a word with you?" She tipped her head toward the door. "Outside?"
"Sure." Once Amanda was in her own chair, Lex stood. "This gonna take long?"
Shelby shrugged. "Most likely not." She led the way out of the kitchen.
Once they left, Amanda asked Rebecca, "What's going on?"
"Did Lex tell you what happened today?"
"Yes. She told me that Shelby had said something to make her mad, but they worked it out. Why? Is Shelby still angry?" She started out of her chair, but Rebecca stopped her. "If she asked her outside so they could fight, I'll--"
"No, I don't think so. Shelby's not a fighter. Although I know she'll probably think twice before making Lex mad again." Rebecca released her grip on Amanda's arm. "She's a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. Lex could probably take her out with one swing."
"Lex has mellowed a lot during the years. But she's just now getting past that bout of pneumonia and isn't at full strength. Maybe I should go out there and make sure they're okay."
"We could always peek out the window."
LEX FOLLOWED SHELBY to the swing set and leaned against the slide. "I think we're far enough from the house. What's up?"
"You know, I didn't much appreciate the way you talked to me in the barn today." Shelby kicked a pebble away from the swing. "And I sure as hell didn't like how you threatened me."
"Yeah?" Lex put her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. "Trust me, it wasn't a threat."
Shelby stared at her for a moment then burst into laughter. "You're a tough son-of-a-bitch, you know that?"
"So I've been told. Look, you hit a nerve when you mentioned Amanda. I probably shouldn't have snapped like that."
"Nah, I don't blame you a bit." Shelby walked forward and held out her hand. "I was an asshole. It's a bad habit I have. Truce?"
"Hell, that makes two of us." Lex shook her head and slapped her on the back. "Truce. Now let's get back in the house so our better halves can step away from the window."
Shelby laughed. "Nosey, ain't they?"
"Yep." Lex walked beside her toward the house. "We could always get into a wrestling match to freak them out."
"Damn, you're evil. I like that."
Chapter Sixteen
THE SMALL, WOODEN table was covered with several days' worth of newspapers. Rebecca circled another ad with her marker and wrote the information on the notepad beside her coffee cup. She had searched for a job for two weeks with little luck. Since her only experiences were retail and horses, it was hard to get into any other field.
Shelby came into the kitchen. Her dark hair was wet and combed against her skull. She passed Rebecca and poured herself a travel mug of coffee. "Mornin', darlin'."
"Good morning." Rebecca pushed the newspaper aside.
"Still can't find anything?" Shelby took her usual place at the table, the chair to the left of her partner.
"Most of the jobs out there want experience, and I can't get the experience without the job. It's driving me nuts."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. When I'd be healin' up from the rodeo, I'd try to find a job until I could go back. I'd usually end up digging post holes or washin' dishes. Not a whole lotta stuff out there for someone like me."
"At least you have a good job, now." Rebecca moved away from the table and opened the refrigerator. "Do you want me to fix you some breakfast?"
"Nah. I'm sure either Martha or Helen will have something ready." Shelby cringed when her lover slammed the door closed. "Is that call from your Dad last night still botherin' you?"
Rebecca spun around and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. "He practically called me lazy! Then he ranted about me not going to college, and how he was sure I'd be past this fling by now." She just barely restrained from stomping her foot. "I told him that after all this time, he needed to get over it. I'm in this relationship with you for as long as you'll have me." She looked at the floor. "I thought I was doing the right thing by giving my hours to someone who needed them more."
"Well, things are a mite rough everywhere, right now. He's just worried about you." Shelby stood and stretched. "We'll get through this." She moved closer to Rebecca and put her hands on the younger woman's hips. "Besides, I kinda like being the major breadwinner right now. It's my turn to take care of you."
Resting her forehead on Shelby's shoulder, Rebecca sighed. "I don't want to be taken care of. I like being equal partners." She put her arms around Shelby's neck. "I love you."