Which I was. Home that is.
“I saw you smiling too, Jackie,” Clara went on.
I had spotted her smiling a lot too.
Jackie’s phone beeped then, and the girl grabbed it, reading whatever was on the screen before saying, “Ugh. I thought it was Grandpa. I texted him when we were in Durango, and he still hasn’t texted me back.”
Clara went silent, and I caught her glancing at Jackie, her expression thoughtful. Suddenly, she asked, “Do you mind if we make a quick stop before I drop you off, Aurora?”
“Not even a little bit.”
“Thanks,” she muttered, sounding worried as she turned the wheel to the right. “It’s not like my dad to not text back, and he won’t answer the home phone. My brother is supposed to be there….”
“Whatever you need to do. I wouldn’t mind seeing him either if he’s in the mood and it’s okay for me to go in,” I piped up.
Clara nodded distractedly, putting her blinker on as she drove closer into town. I knew from memory that they lived around one of the lakes. I hadn’t been there in forever, but I knew it was closer to everything than where Mr. Rhodes lived. “He’s been wanting to see you too. We’ll be real quick. We still have to go grocery shopping.”
A few minutes later, she pulled up outside of a small one-story home with two cars parked in front of it. A white minivan… and a restored Bronco. What were the chances of two pristine Brittany blue Broncos in this area with the same license plate? I wondered as Clara pulled up alongside the van.
“What’s Mr. Rhodes doing here?” Jackie confirmed what I’d processed. “Where is Uncle Carlos’s car?”
“I don’t know….” Clara trailed off with a frown.
I undid my seat belt just as my phone beeped with a message.
It was my aunt.
Aunt Carolina: Are there coyotes in the area?
I hesitated for a second. That didn’t sound like the kind of question I should answer. I didn’t need her worrying about coyotes too.
Slipping out of the car, I followed after Jackie and Clara as they headed to the front door. The house was small and older than most in town. The floor was tiled with foot-sized pieces that were either dark brown or green, and the furniture was mostly all antiques. It was just about exactly how I’d remembered it. I used to spend the night here every other weekend. I had a lot of good memories in this house.
“Dad!” Clara yelled. “Where are you?”
“In the living room!” a deep voice hollered back.
“You got pants on?”
I grinned.
“Guess!”
That made me laugh.
Clara turned sharply to the left into a small living room. The first thing I noticed was a flat screen propped on an entertainment table, thirty-something inches wide. The second thing I noticed was the man sitting on a big, comfortable recliner facing the TV. His hair was a mix of gray and white and braided down one shoulder, and on a love seat beside him was my landlord, arms crossed. A football game played on the television.
Clara and Jackie hurried over, kissing both his cheeks. “We brought Aurora, Daddy.”
The man’s dark eyes moved, then landed on me, and in the time it took me to blink, they had gone wide.
I ignored Mr. Rhodes and hurried over, ducking down and kissing Clara’s dad’s cheek. “Hi, Mr. Nez. Pants are overrated, huh?”
His big, sudden laugh caught me off guard as he leaned forward and brushed his cheek against mine, two brown hands that looked like leather, landing on my own and squeezing. He pulled back and blinked up at me with his big, dark eyes. “Aurora De La Torre. How the hell are you doing, child?”
His laugh was just the same. Face more lined, and he was much skinnier. But Mr. Nez was still the exact same in every other way that mattered. The sparkle in his eye told me so, even if the trembling in his hands tried to tell a different story.
I stayed where I was right in front of him. “I’m pretty good. How are you?”
“Damn fine.” He shook his head and aimed a smile at me that showed he was missing two teeth. He was a handsome man with his dark skin, the whites of his eyes nearly brilliant against his striking face. “Clara said you’d come back, and I couldn’t believe it.” He gestured toward the seat closest to him, which was the empty spot on the love seat between him and Mr. Rhodes. “Come here, sit down. But first.” He gestured toward Rhodes. “Aurora, Tobias. Tobias, this is Aurora. She used to live in my house every weekend and every summer.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I glanced at the man I’d just spent time with last night. I smiled at him. “I know him, Mr. Nez.”
Mr. Rhodes, on the other hand, grunted.
Mr. Nez frowned. “How?”
“She’s renting his garage apartment.” It was Clara who answered. “Where’s Carlos?”
The old man ignored her question, chuckled and slapped his thigh. “You don’t say. You’re the one who took Amos to the hospital?”
“That was me,” I confirmed, peeking at Mr. Rhodes who was still sitting there with his arms crossed on the love seat… watching me with a really funny expression on his face that made me feel less welcome here than even at his garage apartment.
“You look so much like your mom,” the older man said, pulling my attention back toward him. His forehead scrunched, and the surprised expression that had been on his face melted into a troubled one. “I told myself I wouldn’t bring it up the first time I saw you, but I have to say—”
I cut him off. “You don’t have to say anything.”
“No, I do,” Mr. Nez insisted, looking more and more upset by the second. “I’ve been living with this guilt for twenty years. I’m sorry we all lost touch. I’m sorry we didn’t see you again after they took you away.”
A knot magically appeared in my throat at that exact second.
“Wait, who took who away?” Jackie asked from where she’d taken a seat on the floor by the television screen. Now she was making a face too.
The lack of response to her made the room feel tense, or at least it felt that way to me.
But I didn’t want to ignore her, even if I felt Mr. Rhodes’s gaze still steady on me.
The knot stayed exactly where it was. “Me, Jackie. Remember Clara said I used to live here? And how I was friends with her? Child services took me. That was the last time I saw your aunt or your grandpa, twenty years ago.”
Chapter 9
“Okay, someone explain this,” Jackie muttered, looking confused.
But Mr. Nez ignored everyone but me as he said, “The last I heard, the state took you into a foster home while they looked for your father.”
Well, I didn’t really want to talk about this in front of everyone, but it wasn’t like I had a choice. He knew. Clara hadn’t wanted to bring it up either, but they both deserved to know what had happened, even if it was out of order. “My uncle ended up taking me in,” I explained. Trying to go into details about my dad was pointless.
“Uncle? I remember your mother saying she was an only child.”
“It was her half-brother. Older. They weren’t close, but he and his wife took custody of me. I moved to Florida to be with them. After.”
Her eyebrows inched upward with every word out of my mouth, his devastated expression going nowhere.
“I don’t know what’s happening, and I want to know,” Jackie said.
“Jackie,” Clara called out from the kitchen where she’d disappeared into. “If you be quiet, you can put it together.”
“They wouldn’t tell us what happened after child services took you; they said we weren’t family, but we were all so worried…,” the older man murmured gently. “It was such a relief when you and Clara got back in touch.”
“Mr. Rhodes, do you know what’s going on?” Jackie asked.
Mr. Nez sighed and eyed his granddaughter for a second before focusing back on me. “Would you mind if I explained?”
“No,” I told him honestly.
“Aurora and her mom used to live here in Pagosa, you know that already?”
The teenage girl nodded, glancing in my direction. “And something happened and your uncle and aunt took you in, Ora?”
I nodded. “When I was thirteen, my mom went for a hike and never came back.”
It was then Mr. Rhodes happened to lean forward, finally deciding to speak. “Now I know why your last name was familiar. De La Torre. Azalia De La Torre. She went missing.”
He knew?
There was more to the story. More to my mom and the mystery, but those were the basics of it. I didn’t have the heart to bring up the other parts of it. The parts that some people had whispered about but had never really been confirmed.
How for so long, they had thought that she had abandoned me instead of getting hurt and never making it back out.
How she had struggled with depression and maybe whatever had happened to her hadn’t been an accident.
How I was supposed to have gone with her but hadn’t, and maybe if I had, she would still be around.
This crushing sense of guilt that I’d thought I’d moved on from weighed my chest down—my very soul down, honestly. I knew my mom would never abandon me. She had loved me. Adored me. She had wanted me.
And something had happened and she hadn’t come back.
My mom hadn’t been perfect, but she hadn’t done the things that they had accused her of.
“That’s so sad,” Jackie murmured. “They never found her body?”
“Jesus Christ, Jackie,” Clara yelled from the kitchen. “Could you ask that any worse?”
“I’m sorry!” the teenager cried. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know,” I assured her. I’d heard the same question stated about a dozen different ways that were genuinely more hurtful. And it was fine. She was curious.
“What made you want to come back here?” Mr. Nez asked, his face thoughtful.
Wasn’t that the million-dollar question? I shrugged. “I’m just starting over. It felt right to do it here.”
I didn’t need to glance at Mr. Rhodes to know he was staring at me intently.
“Well, we’re glad you’re home. You’ve got a family with us now, Aurora,” Mr. Nez said gently.
And that was just about the nicest thing I’d heard in a really long time.
* * *
I had just gotten out of my car when I heard the crunching of tires on the gravel driveway, and I sighed again, preparing myself for whatever might be potentially on its way.
I knew I hadn’t gotten away with anything; I wasn’t trying to get away with anything. I had felt the heat of Mr. Rhodes’s eyeballs the entire time I’d been at Mr. Nez’s house. He hadn’t said much after confirming he knew about my mother’s case, but I had felt his stare. I’d pretty much been able to hear the gears in his head going as he processed the conversation I’d had with the older man.
I hadn’t figured out how exactly he knew Mr. Nez, and I hadn’t wanted to just outright ask Clara about it, at least not in front of Jackie. I didn’t trust she wouldn’t repeat it to Amos and then he’d say something, and the next thing I knew, Mr. Rhodes thought I was stalking him.
What I was, was… curious
I had so many questions. And way too much time.
Anyway, I didn’t try and run into the garage apartment as I spotted the Bronco pulling up to the house. I took my time, ducking into the passenger seat to pull out my purse and a small shopping bag I’d gotten from a candy and treat store in Ouray, and had just slammed the door shut with my hip when I heard Mr. Rhodes’s “Hey.”
I blew out a breath and turned toward the voice, already ready to smile up at him. “Hi, Mr. Rhodes.”
My landlord stopped just a few feet away, hands going to his hips. But looking at his face, I noticed he didn’t seem irritated or mad that we’d both somehow ended up at the same place. That was a good thing, wasn’t it? I still had some time left here.
Part of me was just expecting him to be annoyed that we’d accidentally met up. He hadn’t said more than five words to me after Mr. Nez had brought up my mom and he’d asked about where I’d been. I’d skimmed Nashville and settled on my years in Florida lightly, until Clara had come out of the kitchen and asked if I was ready to go.
Now though, Mr. Rhodes’s mouth twisted to one side and he pierced me with that gray, nearly purple gaze.
What was he thinking about?
“Did you find somewhere else to stay yet?” he finally asked in his gruff, serious voice.
“Not yet.”
Those eyes kept on burning a hole into me before he finally blew out a breath so harsh I wasn’t sure if whatever he’d been thinking about was a good thing. Then he surprised me again. Shocked me, really. “If you want it, the garage apartment is yours.”
I didn’t mean to gasp, but I did. “Really?”
He didn’t comment on my excitement, but his hands went to that narrow waist hidden beneath the T-shirt and jeans he had on, and Mr. Rhodes dipped his chin. “Rent is half of what you paid. No visitors. You’ve got to be fine with Amos playing his guitar in the garage.”
Yes!
“I won’t let him play late, but he likes to go in there after school until the evening,” my landlord went on. His face was so no-nonsense I knew that he meant every word and was fully aware that he really hadn’t intended to let me stay but he was going against his gut and extending the invitation… for whatever reason.
I knew exactly what it was like when a decision cost you a lot. It wasn’t easy.
And that’s why I was going to tell myself that I took a step forward and threw my arms around him. Around the top of the elbows that were cocked at his sides, locking his arms against his ribs because I’d surprised him and hadn’t given him a chance to brace himself, my palms meeting somewhere on his back. I hugged him. I hugged this man who could barely stand me and said, “Thank you so much. I’d love to stay. I’ll pay you every month and not invite anyone over. My only friends here so far are Clara and Mr. Nez anyway.”
The whole long length of his body stiffened under my arms.
That was my cue. I instantly jumped back and fist pumped the air twice. “Thank you, Mr. Rhodes!” Yes! “You won’t regret it!”
I don’t think I was imagining how wide his eyes had gone at some point, but I definitely wasn’t imagining how stiff his voice was as he just about stuttered, “You’re… welcome?”
“What would you prefer? Check? Cash? Cashier’s check?”
His alarmed face didn’t go anywhere. Neither did his crisp tone. “Either.”
“Thank you so much. I’ll pay you the day before this rental period ends and keep paying you the same day.” Wait. “How long can I stay for?”
His curly, thick lashes dropped over his eyes. He hadn’t talked himself this far into our situation, and I could tell he was thinking. “Until this arrangement stops working out or you break the rules,” he seemed to decide.
That wasn’t a concrete answer, but I could live with it.
Sure, I’d just hugged him, but I thrust my hand out between us. His eyes bounced from me to my hand and back to my face before he took it. His hold was firm and jerky, his hands dry.
And big.
“Thank you,” I told him again, relief pulsing through me.
He dipped that bristled chin of his. “The rent is going to be for Amos.”
The idea that I’d had when Amos and I had been in my car on the way to the hospital popped back up, and I hesitated for a second, debating whether or not to make the offer, but doing it anyway because it felt like the right thing to do. “Look, I can probably get him a discount on his guitar depending on who he decides he wants it through. I can’t promise, but I can try. Let me know.”
His eyebrows crept closer together, and his mouth did that twist again, but he nodded. “Thank you for the offer.” He exhaled, a much smaller and normal one this time, and I eyed his full mouth. “I’m still mad at him for
going behind my back, and he’s going to stay grounded for a few months, but if you’re around after that….” He tipped his head to the side.
I grinned. “He told me what he wants. I’ll help you, just let me know.”
His expression went leery, but he dipped his chin.
I smiled. “Best day ever. Thank you so much for letting me stay, Mr. Rhodes.”
He opened his mouth and then closed it again before nodding, then looking away.
Okay. I took a step back. “I’ll see you later. Thank you again.”
“I heard you the first time,” he muttered.
Lord, this guy was grumpy. It made me laugh. “I really mean it. Goodnight.”
He turned around to walk away, calling out over his shoulder in what I was pretty sure was a huff, “’Night.”
I couldn’t even put into words how relieved I was. I was staying. Maybe things were starting to turn around for me.
Maybe just maybe.
* * *
They weren’t.
My eyes popped open in the middle of the night like my bat senses were going off.
Holding my breath, I stared up at the ceiling and waited, listened. Watched. I had convinced myself it had escaped, so I wouldn’t worry about it all day.
I heard it. My eyes adjusted just as it started swooping, and I shoved part of the blanket into my mouth.
I wasn’t going to scream. I wasn’t going to scream….
Maybe it really had left. I’d looked all over the apartment for it that morning and after Mr. Rhodes had extended my stay. And there’d been nothing. Maybe it had—
It swooped right by my face—maybe it wasn’t right by my face, but it seemed like it—and I squealed.
No way. Pulling the blanket over my face, I rolled off the bed with it and started crawling. Luckily, I’d left my keys in the same place all the time, and my eyes had adjusted enough so that I could see the kitchen counter. I reached up just enough to grab them.
Then I kept on crawling toward the staircase. For the second night in a row. I could never tell my aunt about this. She’d start researching rabies vaccinations.
All Rhodes Lead Here Page 14