46. Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Maci
“Y ou guys are coming today right? I have to get photos of Vivi in front of the gingerbread house.”
Sammi and I are seated in The Big House living room, with Viviane playing on the floor. She stands and walks along the edge of the couch between the two of us every few minutes before finding a toy to distract herself with.
Sutton is with the ranch hands and Justin is taking the opportunity to sleep in.
“So you picked up my brother’s nickname for her,” Sammi says to me with a grin. Their faces are strikingly similar, and also completely different.
My cheeks heat. “I guess I did.”
“We’ll try to stop by. We’re supposed to drop by some friends of ours today, too.” Viviane stands again, finding her mom with a toothy grin, and Sammi brushes her dark hair from her eyes.
Andi pads in from the kitchen with coffee in hand, tucking herself onto her chair under the reading lamp.
“You want to sit with Memaw?” she coos down at Viviane.
Viviane looks up at her with a smile but goes back to banging her toys together.
My phone rings and I’m surprised to see Stephanie’s name. I wish I had a clearer idea of where things stand with us, but that hasn’t happened yet. We do need to discuss Alan, though. “Sorry, I need to take this.”
Sammi and Andi wave me off and I answer the phone as I head down the hallway to the front door. “Good morning.”
“Maci, where are you?” Stephanie’s voice is tight, but in a different way than usual. She’s not quite breathless but obviously concerned.
“I’m at Sutton’s ranch.” My tone is questioning, and I look around the acreage for a sign of something.
“It’s safe there?”
My heart immediately starts thudding faster in my chest, the volume increasing in my ears. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Do you know anything about Alan’s house?”
“Alan’s—Okay, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Now I know how she feels when I drag things out.
“The house in Dallas burned down last night,” she says flatly. “The alarm company called me because our fire alarms were going off. When I called Alan to see if he was at the house, he blamed you.”
“Me? I was here all day. There are over a dozen people who can swear to that, if it comes down to it.” This is a new level of insanity even for him. I start walking without a clear destination in mind. “Oh no, what about the things you took from Nana’s?”
“I have them with me. I brought everything when I left.”
That’s a small relief. “Where are you?”
“I’m in San Antonio. At my rental.”
“Your rental?” Stephanie was extremely vague in her conversation to let me know she was leaving Nana’s. I knew she’d be in San Antonio, but nothing more than that.
“It’s temporary.”
I purse my lips.
“Anyway, Alan threatened to point the finger at you for the fire. So just be prepared for that. That’s not the only reason I called. I spoke to Kathryn, Alan’s other wife.”
“Fabulous. Did you get names or anything? I need to put a stop to the lawsuit soon.”
“Do you have a pen?”
“No, but I can put a note in my phone.” I quickly set the audio to speakerphone and open the application on my phone to jot the details down.
She rattles off the information quickly as I continue walking toward the stables. It’s not muscle memory just yet, but thankfully the fence line provides an easy guide and my feet make quick work of the path.
“Thank you. I don’t know what will come of this, but my lawyer seems to think it will be helpful.”
“I hope so.” Stephanie’s voice is earnest. “I don’t know how else I can help you right now. I’m sorry.” Her voice seems to stick. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you were younger. That I didn’t call Alan out for who he is. He’s not all to blame for the state of our relationship. I know that.”
I stop walking and stare at my phone, not taking it off speaker.
“There’s a lot of years’ worth of shit to go through,” she continues. My head pulls back and my eyes widen. Stephanie hardly ever curses. “If you’re willing, I’d like to give it a try. It’s okay if you need time.”
I’ve never been speechless before. I stare at the phone like an idiot, my mouth opening and closing the tiniest amount but not formulating any words.
“Maci?”
“I’m here. I…” What do I even want? Sure, I want a mother who cares. She’s right that we have a lot to wade through, and I have no idea where it will get us. If the last two months have taught me anything, it’s that we have to grab life by the horns while we can, because you never know when it will be too late. “I agree, it’s not going to be easy. I’m willing to try, if you are.”
There’s a tiny sniff from the speaker. “Ok. That sounds lovely. Please keep me updated on what your lawyer says.”
“Ok. I will.”
“Thank you.”
Our phone conversations usually end abruptly. Instead, this one is dragging on in an awkward fashion. “Talk to you soon.”
“Bye.” She finally hangs up.
Veda whinnies at me from the pasture. I lean against the fence, dialing Hank. Veda heads my direction as he answers. I run through the details that Stephanie gave me.
I’m breathless by the end, though there isn’t a ton to share. “Is this enough? Is it even helpful?”
“Everything is helpful. You’re going to The Jingle Bell Bash today, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let me get working on this, go have some fun, and I’ll follow up when I have more information. We’re on the right track, Maci. So far, there’s nothing in what the police department sent over that proves anything malicious or neglectful on your part. That’s likely why the detective didn’t send it to the prosecutor.”
His words have minimal effect in relieving the pressure in my chest. “Okay. I’ll try. Thank you, Hank.”
“You’re welcome, Maci. Have a good weekend.”
“You, too.” He hangs up, and I tap the phone against my mouth in silent contemplation. Who would’ve thought I’d be twenty-four years old wondering if I’m going to be arrested, or sued for everything I’m worth?
The Jingle Bell Bash is a gorgeous event. Whether it falls on a warm autumn day or an icy one, the committee has always done a good job of instilling the festive spirit of the period they’re trying to recreate.
My photo area isn’t the same as the Fall Festival. I’m stationed on the opposite direction of Town Square this time. Andi, Sutton, and I ride together, unloading Andi’s necessities first and then getting my props in place.
I’m not sure what to expect today. Santa pictures are a given at the event, but I’m not involved in that. Instead, my gingerbread house and I will be celebrating a different holiday spirit.
Despite knowing Colt won’t show up this year, Sutton refuses to leave my side. I don’t know what he’s going to do for the four hours I’m scheduled to be here, but he refused to hear reason and told me not to worry about him.
Fine. Let him stand guard if he feels better for it. He seems to need that reassurance.
The kids are jazzed up on hot chocolate and funnel cakes when they come through my line. Parents seem a little less frazzled than the Santa line, but there’s obvious expectation for cute holiday photos. I treat them all like extended family, hyping them up and hugging them when the mood feels right as they make sweet and silly faces in front of the child-sized backdrop.
The temperature is dropping quickly as we near dusk, and my hands are freezing, being exposed to the cold for so long. In between families, which have kept me unexpectedly busy, I rub my hands together for some friction. Sutton appears out of nowhere.
“Cold?” He grabs both of my hands in his.
My stupid heart flutters again. When is it going to stop that? His look is so intense that I blush in the crowd.
He presses his lips to my hands. “How does some hot chocolate sound?”
“Amazing.” Somehow I manage not to jump up and down, but he clocks my excitement. I rise up on the balls of my feet, kissing his lips.
“Firecracker,” he stage-whispers, scanning the space in a faux attempt at secrecy, “did you just kiss me in front of all of these people?”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Is that such a surprise?”
“A welcomed one. Our last event like this, things were so cut and dry. At least, for you.” He winks.
I lean up and kiss him again. “To make up for last time.” I smile against his lips before settling onto my feet again.
“I’ll be back.” He disappears into the growing crowd toward The Jim-Dandy where Melissa and I met previously. I’m so glad he knows where the best hot chocolate is.
The next family signs in at the table, which is even bigger since the last event. I’m nearly out of cards and make a mental note to order more soon. Maybe relocating here won’t be such a hit on my business after all.
“Hi, I’m Maci.”
The mom smiles. “I’m Candy—no joke.” I grin as she continues. “I’m Cody’s sister.” I don’t have a chance to consider who she’s referring to. “He works at the ranch with Sutton.”
“Yes. We love him.” My skin is on fire. I don’t know what anyone knows or how to refer to them.
Her smile doesn’t falter. “Well, he has good things to say about you. He and the other hands were talking about your work last weekend and he told me I had to come over with the kids.”
“Oh, wow. That’s so kind of him.”
Her eyes flit to her husband, managing their toddler as she continues to bounce their newborn, and back to me. “He mentioned you had an accident recently. Are you healed ok?”
My familiar perma-smile adheres to my face. “I am. Thank you. Why don’t we get you all on this bench in front of the gingerbread house?” I gesture to the backdrop. “Then we can situate the babies in the windows.”
“That sounds adorable.” She beams.
I jump into work mode, urging them to get situated to avoid discussing myself. I’m trying to push my usual “stupid small town” thought from my mind, but given the circumstances, it’s swirling back there waiting to be let in.
Cody’s family precedes the last family, and then I start closing up. The timing couldn’t be better, because we barely managed with the light we had and it’s darkening quickly.
“Look at you, playing sweet with the locals.” An evil chill races down my spine at Alan’s voice.
I whip around to find him only a few feet away. “You’ve got to be kidding. Are you stalking me? Like father, like son, I guess.” I can’t help the words as they tumble from my mouth.
“I doubt my son was stalking you. You probably lured him over with one of your slutty outfits and then killed him.”
Disgust wages war inside, but what comes out of me is villainous. “Ah, yes. The black widow. She eats the male after they fuck, right?”
His eyes bulge, and he steps forward hastily.
I hold up a finger in his face as he closes in, wagging it back and forth. “Ah-ah. Do you remember what happened last time you came at me?”
Though he pauses, he doesn’t look any calmer.
I smirk. “Little secret? I found out that knife I stuck you with was my father’s. How ironic that you can’t manage to parent any child you’ve known, and mine managed to save me even though he was never around.”
“‘Save’ is quite the exaggeration. Still have a feel for theatrics, I see.”
This time, I step forward. “Did you not put your fucking hands on me when I was a teenager, and did I not stop you?”
A street light flickers to life behind me. The area I’m stationed in has all but cleared out. Ice sculpting is scheduled to start in minutes, and it draws the largest crowd each year. Anyone in this area is lost in happy chatter as they hurry by. “Don’t test me.”
“Do you think I’m afraid of a slut?” He practically spits his anger on me. “My son wasn’t all there, according to his mother. I doubt he could’ve defended himself well.”
He shifts his weight as if to step closer again. I slip the same knife from my back pocket and flick it open. Alan’s eyes widen when I press the tip to his stomach, but suspiciously he doesn’t move.
“Your son stabbed me.” My voice is a lethal whisper. “I’ve watched enough crime dramas to know it’s pseudo penetration. So, I’m pretty certain he wanted to screw me again, but we both knew he couldn’t get me off by that point.”
“Are you saying you want to fuck me?” He seems proud of the comment.
I grin. “No, thanks. Colt’s premeditated plan to gut me isn’t exactly the same as me defending myself with a pocketknife. Again. But nice try.”
I press harder into his gut. “Besides. Did you know that cock size is hereditary? So are kinks. So I think that you also have only a moderate dick, and probably suck in bed.”
His jaw clenches so hard, I’m surprised I can’t hear his teeth grinding.
“Sucks for my mother.” I let out a sarcastic laugh. “I could never. Because, I’m a slut. Right?” He doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t need to. “Well, guess what? I’m a slut who doesn’t fuck around anymore. So if you decide to fuck around, you’re going to find out what your son did, and that’s that I don’t bluff.” I press firmer with the knife to drive the point home. Thanks to his lightweight jacket, I doubt my small knife is inciting any pain. But I’m fully prepared to shove with all my might if necessary.
He swallows and backs up. “You’re ruined. The prosecutor may not want to go after you, but a judge is going to see right through you in civil court. Especially after I tell them you burned my house down. You’re mine.”
“I hope you have all your ducks in a row, Alan, because police reports show that Colt was a ticking time bomb and a stalker. And I have no idea what fire you’re talking about, but it will be a cold day in hell before you can prove something that didn’t happen.”
He gives me a sharp look before turning and walking off angrily into the dark.
I’m still standing with the knife in hand when Sutton comes back with hot chocolate. “Maci?”
I don’t respond at first as he approaches from behind. He rounds to my front and his eyes widen as he takes in the blade. “What the fuck? Maci?”
“Take it,” I say, waving the blade in a small motion. I open the other for a hot chocolate and he makes the exchange quickly, before handing me the second drink. He shoves the closed knife into a pocket.
“What the hell is going on?” He ducks his head to get closer to me, gripping my face gently in his hands and studying my glazed look.
“Alan.”
His eyes dart around, and I blink.
“No, he’s gone. He was here.” I extend one arm and he takes the hot chocolate absently.
“Did he come at you?”
“Sort of.” I sip my drink in an attempt to warm myself from the inside out. “Yes.”
“I’m going to fucking kill him.” Sutton’s words almost hiss out of his mouth and jar me from my thoughts. “He’s going to be the first animal we go after on our new guided hunts. Archery, not rifle. And then, I’m going to hang him by his fucking feet and let him bleed out like any other animal, before I gut him and feed him to the fucking pigs.”
“No, you’re not.” I can’t decide how serious I think he is, but like an idiot I smile softly anyway. With my free hand, I reach inside his jacket, wrapping my arm around his middle and pulling us tightly together. “We’re going to get through this the right way. I cannot have you in jail.”
His stormy blue eyes take me in, a new kind of intensity brewing within them, as I set my chin on his chest and look up at him. His lips are warm on my forehead.
“Maci, I need you to understand how serious I am. I made a promise, and I keep them.”
“I know how serious you are, and I love you for it. But he’s gone. I’ll call Detective Porter and let him know what happened.” I don’t give voice to my inner question: how long is he gone? Are we both going to be facing murder charges soon?