That One Summer: A Collection of Steamy Contemporary Romance

Chapter 3

“How come no one toldme Caleb died?” Lily shifted in the tiny back seat of Eve’s car and took a few deep breaths. Nana Ruthie had wrapped her hand in a cold compress and dish towels from the café, but pain still radiated up to her elbow. “When did he die?”

“Two weeks ago.” Eve said. “The day of the funeral Nana Ruthie sent you that email so you’d come home.”

“Why didn’t Nana Ruthie tell me that? Why all the subterfuge? Why wouldn’t she tell me about the funeral so I could attend?”

Eve slowed the car for the town’s only stop sign. “I don’t know.”

“Caleb had cancer.” Gage adjusted himself so she could rest more easily against his chest. Then he put his arm around her shoulder. And for some unexplained reason, she relented. “I came home for today’s reading of the will. Except Jacob is meeting with my brothers in my place.”

“You didn’t go to your father’s funeral?” Lily asked Gage.

“No.”

She reflected on the significance of his answer. He and Caleb had never had much of a relationship, mostly because Caleb had been a difficult, emotionally abusive man to many people. Except, for some reason, she and Caleb had always gotten along. “I knew about Caleb’s cancer. But his last email, a month ago, said he was doing better. Why would he lie to me?”

“Because,” Gage said in a hard voice, “Caleb was a liar.”

“Not to me.”

“No,” Gage’s sigh came out on a whisper. “Not to you.”

She was filled with so many emotions at the moment, she didn’t fight Gage’s physical maneuvers. She was annoyed at Nana Ruthie. Furious with Damian. Sad about Caleb’s death. And her feelings about Gage ran the gamut from wrath to weariness.

Two decades worth of bad memories left a woman exhausted and embarrassed. As well as sick to her stomach. “I feel nauseous.”

“You’re coming down off the adrenaline rush,” Gage spoke gently, as if he could tell her emotions were sparking like wayward fireworks. “You may begin to shake.”

Eve drove over the bridge and headed toward the mountain pass that would take them to Milltown, the closest town with the closest hospital. “Take even breaths. We’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

She tried Eve’s advice and spaced out her breathing. It didn’t help that she was now tucked against Gage’s hard chest, her cheek against the soft cotton T-shirt, and his bare arm was pressed against hers.

“I can’t believe Kingsmill doesn’t have an urgent care center,” Gage said. “I would’ve thought there’d be more services in town by now.”

The rise and fall of his chest as he spoke, along with his masculine scent of leather and smoke, lulled her into a safe place. It was a weird sensation since she couldn’t remember the last time she’d truly felt safe.

“When we call 911, it goes directly to Milltown.” Eve relaxed her hands on the wheel and guided the car along the narrow road that offered a fabulous view of Mosby’s Gap, one of the loveliest parts of the Shenandoah Mountains. “We have even fewer services than when you left all those years go. We also have a lot fewer people.”

Something buzzed, and Gage checked Eve’s phone. It was a text from Ryan about arrests and whatnot. “Looks like we’re in trouble.”

Eve’s laugh eased the tension in the car. “I can’t remember the last time I was in trouble. It feels great.”

“Doesn’t it, though?” Gage’s chest rumbled with laughter. “I was so good while in the Army... but now?” He gently squeezed Lily’s shoulder. “I’m glad I’ve retired and come home.”

Lily closed her eyes and let the drive lull her into a twilight sleep. With Gage’s arms around her, all the sadness of the past was laying itself to sleep.

Although she, too, was glad Gage had come home, she wondered if he was staying.

* * *

Lily lay on a hospitalbed and stared up at the blinking fluorescent lights. “Who even uses fluorescents anymore?”

Since she was alone in the room, no one answered. She’d just spent the last two hours having her hand studied and x-rayed, and now she was lying on an uncomfortable bed in Milltown’s tiny hospital waiting for some answers. At least she hadn’t had to change into a hospital gown. Small favors and all that. Except since Eve still had her purse and phone, there was nothing to do except be still with her thoughts... which were all about Gage.

How much he’d changed in twenty years, from a young man with promising muscles and only a bit of facial hair to the Greek god—a retired Army Ranger—who’d lifted her in his arms as if she weighed nothing. Then there was his long hair and enough scruff on his face to make a woman blush from erotic possibilities.

Not that she was blushing.

“Hey.” Eve came into the room with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Thank goodness you’re here.” Grateful for the interruption, Lily pushed herself into a sitting position and held up her arm covered in a temporary bandage. “The pain meds have kicked in. So that’s something.”

Maybe she could blame her sexy, fevered daydreams on pain meds.

“I’m sorry your hand may be broken, but thank you for hitting Damian.” Eve sat on the edge of the bed and held Lily’s other hand. “I wish I had your courage.”

“It wasn’t courage.” She squeezed her friend’s hand. “It was my lack of impulse control kicking in.”

They both laughed, and the emotional release allowed Lily to lay back against the pillow and breathe evenly. The tension in her chest eased until she noticed Eve’s shuttered eyes. “What’s wrong? You’re not worried about Damian retaliating, are you? Or about Ryan’s threats to arrest us?”

“No. But I was thinking about what you said before you went to Paris all those years ago.” Eve’s gaze skittered toward the small window on the other side of the room. “You told me I was too trusting. Obviously, with what happened with Kane and Damian, you were right.”

“I’m sorry, Eve.” Lily swallowed and wished she had the words to make her friend feel better. “If Kane were here now, I’d hit him with my other hand—even if it meant I couldn’t return to Le Mistral until Christmas. If they’ll still take me back.”

A hesitant grin transformed Eve’s sad face back to beautiful. “We really need to work on your impulse control.”

They laughed until two women—a doctor and a nurse—came into the room. While the nurse checked the blood pressure gadget attached to Lily’s finger, the doctor read from the electronic tablet she held.

“So, Miss Dunmore.” The doctor, who never made eye contact with Lily, used a stylus on the screen. “You have three fractures in your right hand. One fractur of the fifth metacarpal and two phalangeal fractures.”

The nurse left and the doctor droned on about thumbs and forefingers and the dangers of fighting. Lily met Eve’s wide-eyed gaze. Her hand hurt, but she’d never considered three fractured bones.

“Luckily,” the doctor said in a louder voice as if aware that Lily had blanked out for a minute. “No surgery is necessary—at the moment. And there doesn’t seem to be any nerve damage. While we could splint the hand, the orthopedist I consulted recommended a cast for four to six weeks.”

“Wait.” Lily pulled off the heart-tracking thing on her finger and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She arranged the skirt of her black dress so it didn’t ride up her thighs. “I’m returning to Paris in a week, and I work as a pastry chef. I can’t have a cast.”

“A Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef,” Eve offered. “At Le Mistral, a famous restaurant. In Paris. With Michelin stars and everything.”

“Which is why there must be a different solution.” She kept her attention on the doctor who had surprisingly cold eyes and neutral facial expressions. Kind of like a robot. “A cast—“

“Is necessary,” the doctor said flatly. “Nurse Brannigan will wheel you down to orthopedics. Once you have your cast, you can make your follow-up appointments and fill your prescriptions.”

The nurse reappeared with a smile and a wheelchair.

Lily exhaled loudly and shifted into the wheelchair. “Eve, if my first lesson was never trust anyone, let this be the second lesson. Learn how to control your basest impulses.”

Because this setback would, without a doubt, affect her career. And for some strange reason, she wondered if it would affect the rest of her life.

* * *

Gage sat in a hardplastic chair in the hospital’s waiting room and played with his lighter. He’d given up smoking years ago. But that siren’s call made men weep until their tears ran dry. And, unfortunately, the contraband smokes in the pocket of his motorcycle jacket were in Eve’s car.

That was the only reason he wasn’t outside lighting up.

He hated admitting this, but Caleb had been right about everything. About the corrupt sheriff, trouble with the MC, and the town’s doom spiral. Weeks ago, Gage had reluctantly made promises to Caleb, but now he understood why Caleb had made such specific deathbed requests.

“Uncle Gage?” Jacob hurried into the hospital waiting room carrying three cups of coffee in a cardboard tray. “How is Lily?”

Gage moved a pile of magazines so Jacob could put the tray down. “I’m not sure. She’s in a private room, and Eve just left to check on her. All I know is they X-rayed her hand.”

Jacob sat in a chair across from Gage and handed him one of the coffees. “I still can’t believe she hit Damian.”

“Damian deserved it. And more.” Gage took a sip of the hot coffee. He was surprised at how good it tasted. “How did it go with my brothers? Were they annoyed?”

Jacob took a long drink of his own coffee before saying, “They were pissed and started arguing with each other. But I’m used to that.”

Another man appeared in the doorway. Similar height to Jacob with short brown hair and built like a tank. Except where Jacob wore a clean button-down shirt and jeans, this man didn’t seem to notice his stained T-shirt or grimy denim and boots. And when he ran his hand through his brown hair, it stood up on his head—either from styling gel or not having been washed in weeks.

“Ben.” Jacob waved over his brother and handed him the third coffee cup. “I’m glad you made it on your day off.”

Ben nodded and sat next to Jacob. “Hey, Uncle Gage. Good to see you.”

Gage tilted his head at the younger man. “Ben, are you hungover?”

Ben glanced at Jacob before studying the linoleum floor as if it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. “A bit. I’m off work today.” Ben’s voice had an unapologetic, almost defensive tone to it. Very unlike the boy Gage had once known.

Jacob elbowed his brother. “Long night with Maura?”

“Maybe.” Ben cleared his throat and finally raised his bloodshot gaze to Gage. “I didn’t even know Lily was home. How is she?”

Once Gage filled in Ben on what happened with Damian—which resulted in Ben’s hearty laugh—he asked his nephews, “So. Tell me. What the hell happened to Kingsmill since I’ve been gone?”

Ben shrugged. “Once you left, Caleb lost his shit.”

“I left twenty years ago.” Gage played with his lighter, flicking it on and off, which was probably against hospital rules. “Besides, it wasn’t just my leaving that set Caleb off. It was when my mother left not long after I was born.”

“Probably true,” Jacob said. “Dad said Caleb never got over your mother taking off.”

Gage nodded in silent agreement. That wound still bled, and it didn’t help that his brothers still blamed him for something that happened when he was a toddler.

“So.” Ben nudged Jacob. “What happened at the reading of Caleb’s will.”

“Most of the properties were left to our dad and his brothers. There were a bunch of caveats and addendums that gave things to other people that Uncle Isaiah objected to, but that was to be expected.”

Gage nodded. Isaiah had always been the most entitled.

“And Mosby House?” Ben asked. “Did Caleb leave it to Uncle Isaiah? He is the eldest, and Mosby House is the largest.”

“Technically, the ranch is the largest and most valuable of Caleb’s properties.” Now it was Jacob’s turn to stare at the floor. “I’m not sure who got the ranch—that was in one of the addendums—but Isaiah did not receive Mosby House. He ended up with some winery not far from Charlottesville.”

“That winery belonged to my momma’s family. Your grandmother.” Gage took another long drink of coffee. A headache was brewing, probably from dehydration, and he needed the caffeine. “Thanks for stepping up for me, Jacob. I appreciate it.”

“Wait.” Ben finished his coffee and tossed it into a nearby trashcan. “Who got Mosby House? The Monstrosity on the Hill?”

Jacob continued to study the floor. “I’m still not sure how all the properties are being doled out. Isaiah almost attacked the lawyer once he learned he didn’t get Mosby House. But Mosby House was left to me.”

“Good for Caleb.” Gage clapped his nephew on the shoulder. “I’m glad he left it to you.”

“You sure you don’t mind, Uncle Gage?” Jacob’s voice was lined with both uncertainty and hope. “I mean, Caleb was your father—”

Gage held up his hand. “I have no connection to that house. And I just spent the last two hours with Eve filling me on a lot of what’s been going on in Kingsmill. Not the hows or whys—which I want from you two—just the current status quo. She avoided her relationships with Kane and Damian, but she did say that Harry may retire and sell the coffee shop, the VFW Hall needs a new roof, Ben is a cop here in Milltown, and you run a successful contracting construction company.”

“Jacob is the best historic home restorer in Virginia.” Ben stood and stretched. Then he added a yawn. “That’s probably why Caleb left that crumbling Victorian mansion to you, bro.” His phone buzzed, and he dug it out of his back pocket. “Shit. I gotta go in to the station. Something’s up.”

Jacob waved a hand over Ben’s less-than-pristine appearance. “Can you show up like that?”

“I keep a clean uniform in the locker room and will shower there.” Ben gripped Gage’s shoulder. “I’m so glad you came home, Uncle Gage. It’ll be good to have some family around.”

Once Ben left, Gage leaned forward with his knees pressed into his thighs. “I’m concerned about Ben. You said he left the MC—”

“Years ago,” Jacob said. “He even went to college and is looking at law school. He comes across as a sketchy former biker, but he’s figuring it all out. He seems to be happy as a cop.”

“Uh huh.” Gage sat back and for a few minutes they discussed Jacob’s other brothers and cousins. But as they talked, he realized Caleb had been right about this as well. Many of his nephews were living dissolute lives.

A weight pressed upon him, making it hard to breathe. These weren’t his sons, obviously, but he’d always felt a kinship with them. Probably because he was closer to their age than to his next oldest brother.

“You know what’s funny, Uncle Gage?” Jacob’s chuckle helped lighten Gage’s mood. “Caleb only had four female grandkids, and unlike most of the men in the family, they’re doing great.”

“I warned you a long time ago never to underestimate women. Most of the time they’re better at recognizing the consequences of their actions before they act.”

They both laughed, and Gage was relieved when the conversation returned to the will reading. “What did Caleb leave my other brothers?”

“Properties all around Virginia, mostly hunting cabins and farmland.” Jacob’s phone rang, and he checked it before adding, “Tonight Isaiah is driving to Georgetown to meet with the head of the law firm that managed Caleb’s estate stuff. He’s not happy with the allocation of the properties. Uncle William and Uncle Danny are leaving tonight as well, but they’re returning to their homes.”

Gage nodded. All of his brothers had been very successful in their businesses of choice and had stayed in Virginia—just not anywhere near Kingsmill.

“Uncle Gage, are you okay not seeing your brothers?” Jacob tossed his empty cup into the trash. “You missed the funeral, and they seemed pretty upset about that. But they’re not staying in town to see you tonight.”

“I haven’t had much of a relationship with my brothers in decades. Not since I left for the Army when I was seventeen.” Being blamed, by everyone, for his mother’s choice to leave the family had left him feeling unloved and unwanted. “But missing the funeral was my fault. I took off on my bike after my retirement party and was out of communication for weeks. Once I learned about Caleb’s death a few days ago, I headed home.”

That wasn’t the entire truth, but it was all he was going to give his nephew.

Jacob nodded, as if considering the emotional trauma of the older Mosby generation and finding it both tragic and unfortunate. “There’s something else.” He cleared his throat before meeting Gage’s gaze. “Caleb had stipulations and strange requests in his will—”

Gage stood and stretched out his tight arm muscles. He wasn’t used to sitting for hours and began to pace off his restlessness. “Because he was a controlling bastard.”

“But one stipulation was unusual. It’s one of the reasons your brother Isaiah is driving all the way to Washington D.C. to meet with the Georgetown lawyers.” Jacob leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “Caleb left your momma’s house on Spring Street to Lily Dunmore, and no one knows why. Although, you should know—”

“Ryan Bourne is the current renter.” Gage stopped pacing and stared at his nephew. “Caleb adored Lily like a daughter, probably because they were both bossy, competitive, and had bonded one summer over Lily’s wounded horse.”

The same horse that had sired Caleb’s beloved stallion, Midnight.

“But why would Caleb leave the house to Lily?”

He knew the truth but kept it to himself. “Too bad we can’t ask Caleb. But I’d like to be the one to tell Lily about the house.”

“Okay.” Jacob’s eyes filled with questions. “But—” He turned when Eve appeared in the doorway.

A nurse also showed up, pushing Lily in the wheelchair. Her arm was in a cast, and her pupils were constricted, probably due to the pain meds.

“Lils?” Gage went over to the women. “You actually broke your hand?”

“Fractured fingers.” She held up her cast and frowned. “In three places.”

“Whoa.” Jacob’s voice was filled with laughter and awe. “You’re a badass.”

Gage met Lily’s brown gaze and said softly, “Something I always knew to be true.”

She didn’t look away, but a light flush worked its way up her neck and filled her cheeks.

“I aspire to be a badass.” Eve pulled her car keys out of her purse and handed them to Gage. “Lily still needs to pick up her prescriptions, but I have to get back to Kingsmill for a meeting. Would it be okay, Jacob, if I returned with you? Gage can take Lily home in my car.”

“Of course,” Jacob said.

“And Jacob,” Gage nodded toward the women, “try to get Eve back into town without Ryan arresting her.”

“I’ll do my best.” Jacob laughed and clapped Gage on the shoulder.

Once Jacob and Eve left, he pushed Lily toward the pharmacy. He just hoped Caleb hadn’t been wrong about this plan, and that he could save everyone he loved.