“I wouldn’t say that exactly.” His voice was gruff.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t tell them we were coming.”
Aimee turned in her seat to face him as much as she could. “Excuse me? Why in the world would you not tell them?”
He shrugged one shoulder.
“That’s not good enough, Dane. You’re not getting away with a shrug. You said this was the best plan, but now I’m beginning to think we should turn this truck around and go home.”
“No.” He gave her a stern look then turned his attention back to the road.
“I could hop out at our next stop and hitchhike back. Don’t think I won’t.” She crossed her arms and gave him a stern look right back. Yeah, that would teach him.
But he kept looking forward, not bothered one iota at her threat.
“Dane. Why wouldn’t you tell your parents we’re coming?”
He took a deep breath as if deciding whether to say anything or not.
“When I left home to go live in San Diego, it wasn’t on the greatest terms with my family, okay? I haven’t been back since, and we’ve barely talked. I’m not so sure they’re going to be thrilled to see me.”
“You’re their son. Of course they’ll want to see you.”
“It’s not that simple, Aimee. I wish it was, but it’s not.”
The defeated tone in his voice softened her demeanor. She uncrossed her arms and put a hand on his.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”
“Sure you did.”
The grin was back. That was a good sign.
“Well, maybe. But I only do it because I care.”
He nodded, his Stetson dipping and coming back up again. Man, how she loved him in that hat. It made his eyes stand out. Not that they needed any help.
“So what’s the plan? You’re just gonna drive up the driveway and say, ‘Hey Dad and Mom. I’m home. And I brought some crazy lady who needs a place to hide out.’”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Something like that.”
Aimee faced forward again and took a deep breath and a long swig of tea. She knew this trip would be an adventure of sorts, but she was in for way more than she’d bargained for.
Chapter 16
Dane maneuvered his truck through the twists and turns that led into Lake Tahoe. As they rounded the highest bend, the lake came into view. The sight took his breath away no matter how many times he’d seen it growing up.
“Oh, Dane! It’s gorgeous!” Aimee put a hand on his arm as she leaned forward to get a better look through the windshield. Her touch wasn’t lost on him. Neither was watching her enjoy the scenery for the first time.
“Yeah. It’s beautiful. It never gets old.”
“How could it? It’s amazing. My fingers are already itching to sketch.”
Dane pictured her sitting by the lake, pad and pencil in hand, scribbling away, creating beauty out of a blank page. She was talented, feisty, full of life, and for him, off limits. She needed to be. He kept telling himself that, but knew his heart wasn’t buying it. Not for a second. He was falling for Aimee. Sheesh, he was a goner the minute he laid eyes on her.
“I can’t believe you’d ever want to live anywhere but here.”
A knot formed in his gut. The reason he left and went to San Diego wasn’t a conversation he was ready to have with Aimee. Not now, and maybe not ever. But he was home and he had to face the mess he’d left behind.
Oblivious to his angst, Aimee asked, “Do your parents live right on the lake?”
“No. They have a small ranch not far from Tahoe City. Their bread and butter is Texas cattle ranching. They bought this place when Keith and I were teens, wanted us to spend those years here. But we traveled back and forth a lot.”
“Do they still have a ranch in Texas?”
“Yes, ma’am. A foreman runs it for them.”
She turned her attention back to the view. Sunlight danced across the water, the hues of blue varying from cobalt to as light as the sky.
“Wow…”
They spent the remainder of the ride in quiet. Well, relative quiet. Aimee kept ooohing and aaaahing over the scenery, something that caused Dane to grin, even though his apprehension grew with every mile they came closer to his parents’ place.
He drove slowly along the lake so Aimee could see the breathtaking views. At least he told himself that to feel better. In truth, he was delaying the inevitable. But the inevitable stared him in the face as they made their way up the road away from the lake and towards home.
A dark wooden sign stood above the road, the family brand, “4S Ranch” burned into the center wood.
“4S, huh?” Aimee asked as they drove beneath it.
“Yep. Four Scotts.”
She smiled. “I like it.”
Dane did too. He’d always been proud of his family, proud of all his dad had accomplished in his life. But would they ever be proud of him again?
The road curved, leading them towards a group of tall pine trees. Nestled among them was the main house. Off to the left was the barn with a corral nearby. The crack of wood being split filled the air. Dane turned his attention towards the side of the barn as he pulled the truck up beside the house and put it in park.
A man with a light-colored cowboy hat tossed a log onto an already impressive pile and placed another in preparation to be hacked in half by the ax he wielded. He glanced towards Dane then turned back to the wood, splitting it without effort. A crack echoed once more through the crisp, mountain air.
“Um, is that….?”
Dane looked at Aimee. Her eyes were wide as she looked past him out the window.
“Yep. That’s my brother, Keith.”
***
Boy, Dane wasn’t kidding about the not-so-warm welcome from his family. If his brother was any indication of the kind of greeting that lay ahead with Dane’s parents, Aimee thought it might be best to turn tail and run.
“Man. In the photo at your place he looked big. In person he’s downright scary.”
Dane chuckled. “It would seem that way, yes.”
“Seem that way? The guy is tossing an ax like it’s a child’s toy. I’m feeling sorry for the wood.”
Dane laughed. “He’s not bad. He’s a good guy. Just…misunderstood.”
“Really? Right now, he looks pissed. And in my humble opinion, he doesn’t look to be the type you want to piss off. Ever.”
“Yeah, well. I told you my family probably wouldn’t be too thrilled about my return.”
“Dane? Dane, is that you?”
A woman’s voice pulled Aimee away from staring at Dane’s brother. Through the window of the truck she saw a petite woman in her late fifties come across the front porch and down the steps. Aimee recognized Dane’s mother from the picture at his house, but it didn’t do her justice. Her skin was flawless, only a few wrinkles around her twinkling eyes.
“Oh Dane! You’ve come home!”
Dane got out and wrapped his arms around his mother, swallowing her petite frame in his embrace.
“Hey, Mom.”
“I can’t believe you’re really here!”
Aimee got out of the truck and stood quietly, not wanting to disturb their reunion. It was certainly more welcoming than his brother’s. A crack filled the air again, and Aimee jumped.
“Oh, dear. You’ve brought someone with you.” Dane’s mom pulled away from him and stuck out her hand. “I’m Ellie Scott. Welcome to our home.”
Aimee shook her hand, speechless at the woman’s immediate acceptance of her presence.
“Mom, this is Aimee Jansenn. She’s a friend of mine who needs a safe place to stay for a bit.”
“Why of course. Any friend of yours is a friend of ours.”
Aimee looked between Ellie and Dane, trying to figure out what kind of twilight zone she’d entered. Ellie hadn’t even flinched when Dane said Aimee needed a “safe” place to stay.
Another crack filled the
air and Ellie turned toward Keith and back to them with a heavy sigh.
“Why don’t we go inside? It’s a little too…frosty out here.” She rolled her eyes at Dane. A quick movement Aimee almost missed. Almost. But his mom’s frustration with Keith was obvious. And her sarcasm made Aimee like her even more.
Dane and Aimee followed Ellie up the front steps and into the house. Outside, the home was simple, elegant, with the whole cabin-in-the-woods feel going on. That vibe flowed to the inside but on a grander scale. They stepped into the great room with vaulted ceilings made of knotty pine and a stone fireplace that went from floor to ceiling. Bookshelves flanked the fireplace with flowers, books, knick-knacks, and framed photos throughout. An enormous sofa with big, fluffy pillows sat in the center of the room, a large coffee table in front of it. An open book with reading glasses sat on top, evidence of Ellie sitting there not long ago, lost in a book.
“Where’s Dad?” Dane’s voice echoed off the wood floors.
“Oh, he’s in his office. I’ll go get him. I heard your truck pull up when I was sitting here reading. I can’t tell you how surprised and please I was to see it was you.”
She hugged Dane again. Aimee stepped away, feeling the need to give them some space and privacy. And feeling a tad out of place.
A deep voice broke through the quiet. “Hey, Babe. I thought I heard voices.”
Aimee turned to see Dane’s father coming down the hall and into the great room. He stopped when his eyes found Dane and Ellie hugging.
“Well I’ll be…”
Aimee tensed at the lack of expression on the man’s face. Would he embrace Dane like Ellie did or head out to whack at some wood with Keith and frown about Dane’s return?
His face broke into a smile, and Aimee released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“Welcome home, Son.” In three, long strides he reached Dane and Ellie and turned the reunion into a group hug. Aimee wasn’t too sure if Dane had been talking about the same people when he said his family wouldn’t be thrilled he was home. She sank back, more uncomfortable than before. As the thought entered her mind to head back to the truck and consider going back to San Diego, Dane’s father said, “Now who is this beautiful young lady you’ve brought with you, Dane?”
“I’m sorry, Dad. This is Aimee. Aimee, this is my father, Colt.”
Colt reached out and shook Aimee’s hand. “Nice to meet you, darlin’. Welcome to the 4S Ranch.”
As he shook her hand, he gently pulled her into a hug. Built almost exactly like Dane, his embrace was friendly and warm. Definitely not how Dane had described his folks.
“Thank you.” Her voice worked. Thank God.
As Colt stepped back Dane moved beside her and put an arm around her waist. “Aimee needs a safe place to stay for a bit. I thought this would be best.”
Colt looked Dane in the eye, an unspoken thought passing between them, and said, “Of course.” He then looked at Aimee, his eyes soft again. “You are welcome to stay here for as long as you need.”
“Thank you.”
Sheesh. She sounded like an idiot. These people were gracious and kind and the only thing she could squeak out twice was “Thank you.”
“Why don’t you get your stuff from the car, Dane. I’ll make sure you have all you need in your room and the guest room for Aimee.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
She patted Dane’s arm and went down the hall.
“Let me help you with the bags,” Colt offered.
The men brought the bags inside and Dane showed Aimee to the guest room. Warm, cozy, and inviting, like the rest of the house, it held a queen-size bed with a big, wooden headboard, and a cloud-like comforter that begged to be snuggled under. A dresser, a nightstand, and a rocking chair in the corner adorned the rest of the room, and Aimee instantly felt at home. She had a feeling that had more to do with the people inhabiting the home, though, than the structure or furnishings.
“You okay?” Dane set her bags on the bed and stepped back, his hands dug into the pocket of his jeans.
She nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. “Your parents are lovely, Dane. Although I’m a tad curious as to how many strays you bring home.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Strays?”
“Well, when you introduced me to both your mom and dad you said I needed a safe place to stay. Neither one of them flinched. It made me wonder how many random girls you’ve brought home over the years for “safekeeping.” She put the last phrase in air quotes.
Aware now she was teasing, he chuckled. “Ah, I see. Strays. Well, you’d be the first, Miss Aimee. That’s for sure.”
“Okay, then. Why did they not see it odd that you said I wasn’t safe?”
Dane took a deep breath and let it out. He leaned back against the wall and crossed one boot-clad foot over the other. One hand still in his jeans pocket, he ran the other through his thick, dark waves. Man, she loved when he did that. She’d like to run her hands through his hair herself…
His answer snapped her out of her daydream. “My dad was a cop for a few years before he settled into ranching. They know my world isn’t safe. They understand.”
“But they don’t even know my story. I could be bringing some heinous situation with me.”
The seriousness of his gaze on her brought her to full attention. “I said you’d be safe here, Aimee. I meant it.”
“Okay. That’s cryptic, but par for the course with you. And I believe you. I feel safe here.”
“I’m glad.”
“Except for maybe your brother. What’s his story? Did you torture him when you were kids or something and he can’t seem to forgive you?” She hopped off the bed and started unpacking. She pulled a top from her bag and hung it in the closet on one of the hangers conveniently provided. Stealing a glance his way before digging in her bag again, she saw her attempt to lighten the mood had worked. He smiled. Not a full-on, dimples-showing, holy-cow-my-knees-just-buckled smile, but one she’d take all the same. Of course, the man was gorgeous frowning too but…
Her train of thought was broken again by his chuckle. Good Lord, she needed to get her head together around him.
“You’ve seen Keith. He’s older and quite a bit bigger than me. Believe me when I say if there was any torturing done as children, it wasn’t by me.”
“So then, why is he pissed at you when, clearly, your parents are not?”
Another deep breath in and out by Dane. “Keith and I grew up with the same values. I…wandered from them, I guess you could say. I made mistakes. Choices I shouldn’t have. He doesn’t seem as willing to forgive me for that as my parents are.”
Aimee stopped unpacking and looked at him. “You’re a grown man. Why would he judge your life like that?”
Dane shook his head. “It’s not that black-and-white, Aimee. Most things aren’t. And I don’t blame Keith. I judge myself for what happened.”
“What did happen?”
He pushed off the wall, his demeanor shifting, stating he was clearly done with this conversation.
“Do you always push like this?”
“With people I care about, yes.”
He shook his head again and stepped towards the door. “I’ll let you settle in. Feel free to roam wherever you’d like. Mom said dinner will be ready in about an hour. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need.”
And with that, he was gone.
Chapter 17
Dane went outside for a much needed breath of fresh air. Aimee got to him on so many levels, all of them good. Except for one. She wanted to know about his past. But telling her about Beth would change how she saw him, and he didn’t know if his heart could take it.
He saw the way Keith looked at him, and he understood. It was the same way he saw himself. Broken, with no one to blame but himself. And no reason to put the pieces back together. Until now. Until Aimee. She made him want to be whole again. But could he be?
He wandered over towards the barn.
Keith was nowhere in sight, the ax dug deep into the log he was using to split wood. Dane took off his hat and set it on the fence. He wrapped his hands around the handle of the ax and pulled, freeing it from the log. Placing a large piece of wood atop the log, he swung the ax over his head and back down, soaking in the feel of the weight bearing down and how the handle rubbed his hands. Hands that used to be calloused from work like this. He continued the same pattern over and over and over again. His body syncing back into the rhythm so familiar, he didn’t hear when Keith approached.
“That wood’s never done anything to you.”
Startled for a moment, Dane recovered. He’d be damned if he ever let Keith know he’d snuck up on him. He’d taken his shirt off not long after starting and had tucked it into the back of his jeans. He grabbed it and wiped his brow, then put it back again.
“You’re one to talk.”
Keith didn’t answer. He leaned against the side of the barn and crossed his arms over his massive chest. His light-colored Stetson shaded his eyes.
Dane resumed splitting wood. Working in silence next to his brother was nothing new. He’d done it his whole life. Keith wasn’t much of a talker and for right now, that was fine by him.
“Who’s the girl?”
Dane refused to let Keith get to him. He eyed another piece of wood.
Crack!
“Her name is Aimee. She’s a friend who needs a place to stay for a bit.”
“Friend, huh?” Keith snorted.
“Yep.” Dane set up another piece of wood and swung.
Crack!
“And you decided to bring her here.”
It wasn’t a question.
“It’s the safest place for her.”
Like his parents, Keith didn’t flinch.
“In some kind of trouble, is she?”
“It’s not what you think, Keith.” Dane leaned on the ax handle and looked at his brother. Apparently now was when he’d have to do this with him. Maybe it was better to just get it over with.
“And what do I think, Dane?” Keith lifted his head enough for Dane to see his eyes, a piercing blue that could slice through you. The same blue as their mother. But where hers twinkled, inviting you in, Keith’s bore into whoever was on the receiving end of his stare.
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