Chapter 14
It was early evening when they both heard the crunch of tires on the driveway from the shade house four days after she and Dan Duke had made love on her kitchen table.
Every time she entered that room, she saw it… them, and Leah had tried everything to remove the image from her head. She’d moved the table and rearranged the kitchen. Nothing worked.
The problem was, Dan wasn’t just a good lover, he was the only one who had ever made her feel that way.
And admitting that, even to herself, left her unsteady.
The doubts she’d tried so hard to silence were surfacing again, fed by every kind word she overheard in town.
Everywhere she turned, someone seemed ready to remind her what a good man Dan Duke had become.
It was harder and harder to reconcile that man with the enemy she’d clung to for so long.
Focus on Hudson, she reminded herself. He’s what matters. Not Dan.
“Who do you think that is?” Hudson asked.
“No idea, bud, but we should probably go and look,” Leah said, getting to her feet.
She brushed off the dirt from her knees, and together she and Hudson made their way back to the house.
Their day had been spent planting out his garden and preparing the soil ready for hers. They’d enjoyed the work with the sun on their backs, and being outside together.
Four women stood beside a large SUV. Nina, Zoe, Phoebe, and Birdie. All were dressed like they were heading out for the night.
“Ladies,” Leah said when she reached them.
Nina was a beautician in The Gnat, which was the business Zoe’s husband, JD, owned.
A one-stop shop for beautifying, with a hairdresser, masseuse, tattoos, and facials, plus someone doing manicures.
So far Leah had stayed away, even though Zoe had told her she needed a haircut, and likely would for some time, seeing as she was saving her money for more important things, like feeding her nephew and starting her business.
“I see what you mean, she really has let herself go,” Nina said, her eyes running up and down Leah.
Shortish, blonde, and beautiful, Nina was all class and could drop a man where they stood with a single cutting comment. Leah had always liked her. Like the other two women, they had grown up together.
“Lovely to see you, too, Nina,” Leah drawled, falling back on what she did best. Having an attitude.
“So, Hudson,” Birdie said. “You want to have a sleepover with Ally, Sawyer, and Ryder? They’re having a movie night and all sleeping in the living room on mattresses.”
“Birdie—”
“Really?” Hudson said, hopping from foot to foot like he used to do when he was excited, which hadn’t happened often lately.
“Really. Ally said you can choose one movie, and the other one will be something you like too. They have popcorn and chocolate,” Birdie added. “Sadie sleeps like her daddy most nights, so she shouldn’t wake up, no matter how much noise you make.”
“Can I, Aunt Leah? Will you be all right without me?” Hudson asked, turning his big brown eyes on her, filled with hope and excitement.
“Of course she will because we’re taking her out for the night,” Zoe said, entering the conversation.
“What?” Leah had no intention of going anywhere.
“You go on and get your things you want to take, Hudson. Pj’s, favorite sleeping toy, that kind of thing,” Phoebe said.
“Cool!” Hudson scampered into the house as fast as his little legs could carry him.
“He’s never slept over,” Leah said hands on her hips. “You didn’t even ask me. You just said he’s going, and—”
“Wow, settle down, girl,” Nina said.
“I’m not settling down,” Leah snapped. “He is my responsibility. I don’t like other people making decisions about what Hudson does.”
This must be what parents feel like, Leah thought as she glared at the women before her.
“He’ll have fun and be safe with Sawyer and Ally, and to say otherwise is insulting,” Zoe said, her eyes sparking with anger.
“Don’t you come at me, Zoe Duke.” Leah fumed. “You can’t just tell me what to do like you used to. This is different, I’m different, and I have a little boy to consider.”
Birdie, who had stayed silent until now, stepped closer and put her arms around Leah.
“I’m sorry. We’re worried about you because you never leave this place, and we knew if we asked, you’d say no, so we decided this was the faster way to get you to come out to girls’ night.”
“I’m all right, Birdie, and I have left this place.”
“When?” Nina demanded.
“I’ve been into town often, plus movie night at the McAllisters’.”
“You need a break,” Zoe said.
“Look, things are just different for me now. I have Hudson,” Leah said.
“We know that,” Phoebe said. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun, Leah. You know the boys will look after him, and he loves Ally.”
“I know,” Leah said, the anger leaving her body as fast as it came.
“And drinks are on us,” Birdie added.
“I can buy my own damn drinks,” Leah said, her hackles rising again. She hated pity, or charity, or anything that reminded her of her childhood.
“You need to stop that,” Nina said, jabbing a finger at her. “I get why you did it when you were young, but you’re not now, and we’re your friends.”
“What?” Leah asked.
“Getting pissed off when someone offers to do something for you or buy you something.”
“I don’t,” Leah argued, only just managing not to squirm and shuffle her feet at the looks her friends were throwing her.
“You got anything other than cutoffs or clothes you wear around here?” Nina asked.
“Maybe.” Leah wasn’t ready to concede.
“I’m going to look in her wardrobe,” Zoe said, walking past her and into the house.
“I can dress myself!” Leah ran after her.
They all trooped upstairs, and Birdie stopped in Hudson’s room. The curtains looked good, as did the stuff Leah’d picked up online or in thrift stores. It looked like a little boy’s room, and her nephew certainly seemed happy with it.
“I love your room, Hudson. Those curtains are so cool,” Birdie said.
A hand tugged Leah to her bedroom.
“You don’t have to pull me into my own damn room, Nina.”
“Well, hustle it along, girl. We haven’t got all night. Happy hour starts soon.”
She crossed to the closet, where Zoe was already rummaging. Leah had always liked to look nice, but with little money to spare, she’d learned to hunt for bargains and make the most of what she had.
“I have jeans in there, and a top, and that will do,” she said, trying to push Zoe to one side, but like her brothers, she was immovable.
“What kind of top?” Zoe asked. She wore a short black skirt and a pink one-shouldered top paired with black heels. Even in school, she’d been able to throw on anything and look good.
“I’ll do your makeup.” Nina’s voice reached them from the bathroom.
“I can do my own goddamned makeup,” Leah muttered, refusing to acknowledge the small flutter of excitement at the prospect of a night out with her friends, where she could laugh and drink and for a few hours not worry about raising a kid when she had no credentials to do so.
“Why do you have to be so touchy?” Nina asked, appearing in the doorway to her room. “We’re here to help.”
“Because she was raised that way,” Phoebe said, now going through the jewelry in the small box on the chest of drawers.
Leah didn’t add anything to those words because they were the truth. She’d had no good role models.
“I remember her attitude in school, but it always impressed me,” Nina said. “But now it’s annoying because she’s not a kid anymore but grown-up and in control of herself.”
“Right here,” Leah gritted out. “And I’ve got shit going on, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“We know you do,” Zoe said. “But a lot of people have shit going on, so let’s put it to one side and have some fun too.”
Fun? When was the last time she’d had that?
Twenty minutes later, she was dressed in jeans and a silk camisole in deep blue. On her feet were wedges. Her makeup was done, and her hair had been brushed until her eyes watered.
“I don’t brush my hair because it goes frizzy,” Leah said, looking in the mirror.
“I twisted the sides and pinned them back. You look good, so stop moaning,” Nina said.
“My face itches,” Leah muttered as they left the room.
“You’re just out of practice,” Phoebe added.
They found Birdie on the floor, playing with Hudson and his Legos.
“You ready to go, Hudson?” Leah asked, checking the bag on his bed to make sure he had everything. “I’ll grab your toothbrush.”
Soon they were in the SUV and heading to Birdie and Sawyer’s house. Locals called it Duke Drive because originally it was where they all lived. Now Ryder and his girl, Libby, lived in town, and Zoe lived with her man, JD, on some land just outside of Lyntacky.
Sheriff Dans’s house came first, and then the original family home, which was where Dan and his mother lived. It was a big rambling farmhouse she’d spent time in as a kid.
Leah remembered those days and knowing instantly as she walked in the front door that this was what a home should feel and smell like. The sound of laughing and scents of baking. She’d loved it when she was there because for that brief moment, Leah could imagine it was where she lived.
“Dan on duty tonight?” Birdie asked.
“Not sure. He usually comes by to check in on Girls’ Night at some stage, if not to taxi everyone home,” Zoe said.
Leah could handle that. He was just someone in her life now, and she needed to remember that. What happened between them was over and done with, even if she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Next on the drive was Brody, Phoebe, Ally, and Leo’s house, a single-story with a natural stone-and-wood exterior, and last on the road was Birdie and Sawyer’s place.
“Wow,” Hudson said from beside her, eyes wide as he took in all the trees, the glimmer of water, and lastly the house. Two containers were side by side on the ground and the third one placed the other way on top.
“Ally calls it the hashtag house,” Birdie said. “It’s a wonderful place to live. Wait until you see inside.”
They all got out, and Leah grabbed Hudson’s bag. He put his hand in hers, which was a sign he was nervous. She wouldn’t leave him here if he didn’t want to stay.
The house was bigger inside than she’d thought, and because the sun was sinking in the sky, the view through the wall of windows leading out onto a deck overlooking the water below was spectacular.
“This is amazing,” Leah said.
Their two dogs, Ted and Sylvie, greeted everyone like they hadn’t just seen some of them an hour ago. Hudson loved them, and that reinforced her need to get a dog. Plus, it would be good for security. An early warning barking system if anyone called at the Reynolds house.
Ally wandered in, all long legs and smiling. “Hey, Hudson. You coming for a sleepover?”
Leah really liked this kid, and to her way of thinking, Ally was yet more proof that Robyn Duke had raised her children right, and now they were raising their kids that way.
Okay, the Dukes had been rebels. They’d had their fair share of trouble, but all had come home to be good adults.
People who were a little rough around the edges, but good-hearted, and there if anyone needed them.
Leah didn’t need people, but it was still good to know they were there if ever she did for Hudson.
“We have popcorn and other snacks, plus Uncle Ryder made us donuts today,” Ally said. “I brought all my Legos over, Hudson. Do you want to play with them? We could build something cool.”
He nodded, his eyes going wide as he saw an older boy walk in from the deck.
“Bobby, this is Hudson,” Ally said. “He’s my friend.”
“Hey, Hudson.” The kid raised his hand and then dropped to the floor beside what looked to be a crate of Legos.
“Come on.” Ally waved Hudson over, and he released Leah’s hand and joined her and Bobby.
“I’m not sure how he’ll go,” she said to Ryder, who was lounging on a sofa with his niece Sadie on his chest.
“No sweat. We’ll just call you if we have any problems,” he said. “I’m sleeping out here with them.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Birdie said, kissing her baby, then her husband, who had walked in with a plate of hotdogs. Ally was next.
“You all behave yourselves, and I don’t want to bail anyone out of a cell in the middle of the night,” Sawyer said.
“That’s happened?” Leah asked.
“Not for a few years,” Brody said. “But go easy on the shots, seeing as you’re all lightweights now and can’t drink much.”
“I protest,” Zoe said.
“We’re not lightweights,” Nina agreed.
“Okay, so the moms are the lightweights,” Brody amended.
“We’ll show him,” Phoebe muttered. “I just met my deadline, and that was with very little sleep. I deserve shots.”
Phoebe was a writer, and Leah loved her books. So far, she hadn’t told her that, but maybe tonight was the night.
“So, Brody or Sawyer will call me if you need me, okay, Hudson?” Leah said, dropping down beside her nephew.
“Okay. See you tomorrow, Aunt Leah,” he said.
“They’ll call, and I’ll—”
“He’s got the idea,” Nina said, hauling Leah to her feet with surprising strength for a small person. “Let’s go, Aunt Leah.”
She brushed a kiss on the top of Hudson’s head and let her friends drag her out of the house and back into the car, where she felt that little simmer of excitement grow. For a few hours, she would enjoy this time out with friends before she got back into real life.