Chapter 26
Kenzie
Men.
A laugh immediately bubbled to the surface and for some crazy reason, I stifled the sound. Maybe because my brother had interfered with some of the best sex I’d ever had. Well, at least the afterglow. I sat down in the chair, thumping forward so my head was in my hands.
Why were discussions so difficult with Axe? Yes, he’d always been the loner type. So much so that with his ‘bad guy’ image, there were teachers who’d called him a remake of James Dean. I’d been forced to search the internet to find out who the hell they were talking about.
Short of the cigarettes and slicked-back hair, the depiction was close.
Only those around him didn’t know the sensitive side of him, the one he’d only shown me. Not in ways of reading poetry to me or singing lyrics to some crushing love song, but in the way he’d looked at me, his expression soulful and haunted.
That was perhaps the very reason I’d… fallen in love with him all those years ago. Why had it taken me so long to admit? I was madly in love with the man and had been for years. And I’d acted like some little girl.
Oh, I was so frustrated. Maybe my sudden loss for words, which wasn’t usually like me, had everything to do with Wade just dropping by. That wasn’t usual for him. My brother just wanted to snoop. Undoubtedly, my father had mentioned our terse conversations.
“Oh, what are you doing?” I flopped back against the chair, staring up at the ceiling. I honestly had no idea if I had a plan. At least regarding the sexy man.
Why were images of Axe’s naked body flashing through my mind at rollercoaster speed? Another laugh was strangled and I pounded my feet on the floor. When I opened my eyes again, I stared at the laptop. At least I could try to put that great plan together tonight.
Just before I stood, resigned to spend the night alone, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. What was that? I crept closer, crouching down. Oh, no. It had to be Axe’s wallet. While standing, I opened it to make sure it didn’t belong to one of the ranchers.
There was his driver’s license.
Unable to help myself, I flipped through the contents, shocked when I found an old picture neatly tucked away in a plastic sleeve.
The photograph had been taken years before. One of my senior high school yearbook photos. I’d be damned if I wasn’t standing in front of the same tree where I’d shared the kiss with Axe.
Oh, God. Why had he kept it?
Shit. He’d need his wallet.
I grabbed my shoes, fighting into them as I stumbled forward.
Laughing, I scampered down the stairs, rushing outside.
Twilight had settled in, the bright moon and series of twinkling stars providing a perfect backdrop to the last vestiges of golden sunlight.
Suddenly, I realized I had no idea where he’d parked.
It certainly wasn’t close to the barn and if he’d parked at the house, he would have garnered Wade’s full wrath.
I didn’t need to worry about which direction to go. Within seconds of leaving the corral, I heard loud voices.
Wait a minute. Please tell me there isn’t a fight ensuing.
The sound wasn’t that far away. I flew down the path, trying to intercept, making it to within feet of where they were standing just as Wade hauled off and punched Axe in the face.
“You motherfucking son of a bitch. You’re fucking my sister now? Mandy wasn’t good enough for you. You had to take my sister too?”
“It’s up to her, buddy,” Axe threw out. “She gets to choose who she wants to spend time with.”
“Bullshit. You’re no good for her. Just like…”
“Just like what?” Axe threw out.
Axe was bigger and stronger than my brother and when he jumped to his feet, I was worried he’d cause some serious damage.
He lunged toward Wade, throwing an undercut to his jaw.
The two were prepared to go at it when I yelled, “Stop it!”
My appearance caught them off guard enough so I could close the distance.
“What the hell are you two doing?” I moved between them, throwing out my hands.
“Let me handle this, Kenzie.” Wade was insistent.
I threw him a look, hoping in the shadows he could still see how angry I was. “Not a chance in hell. This is not going to continue.”
“Like hell it’s not. He stole my girlfriend. And he’s not supposed to touch you.”
“How old are you?” I snapped, fed up with both already. When Wade tried to jump around me, I shoved him with everything I had.
Wade tripped, falling on his ass.
“Serves you right.” I couldn’t remember being this furious. “This is crazy. You don’t know what happened.”
“Don’t worry about it, Kenzie,” Axe snarled. “We’re no longer friends and that’s fine with me.” When he started to walk away, I grabbed his arm, tugging him back.
“Oh, no, you don’t. You’re both going to listen to me. And you’re going to act like adults.”
Wade laughed and I hissed in his direction. “Fine,” he muttered as he stood. “Just say it and get it over with.”
“First of all, Mandy wasn’t interested in a long-term thing with you, Wade. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but she wasn’t. You were pushy. Just like you’ve always been. Including with me.” I allowed my accusation to finally settle in his big, fat brain.
“I was not.” His retort was laughable. Like a child throwing a temper tantrum.
“Do you hear yourself? You’re acting like you’re still in school, fighting over the popular girl.
I’m fed up with both of you. Wade, you’re an overbearing oaf.
And Axe, you hold way too many grudges. So Mandy wasn’t interested in a relationship.
With either one of you. So what? Just so you know, when Axe learned how into her you were, he was ready to break it off altogether, and no, they weren’t intimate.
She jumped the gun, falling in love with some other guy and left town with him.
If you ask me, I’d say she did you both a favor. ”
“He’s just like his father, a two-timing piece of shit.”
Huffing, I dropped my arms, backing away. My God. I was fed up with the shit. I slammed Axe’s wallet into his hand.
“The two of you are such hardheaded assholes that you wouldn’t talk to each other.
My God. You’re grown men. Act like it instead of spoiled brats.
” I started to leave, taking long strides.
Then I stopped short, spinning around. “And another thing. In case either one of you haven’t figured it out, I’m an adult as well.
That means I get to choose who I want to spend time with whether as family, friends, or as a lover.
And right now?” I shook my head, fuming to the point my vision was foggy.
“And right now, I want nothing to do with either of you.”
* * *
Anger was a fickle emotion. For me, it usually didn’t last very long. Maybe because I’d always tried to see the better in people. Even if I faked it, I could find something to be bright and sunny about.
Not today.
After a sleepless night, I’d given up and put a decent plan together for the charity event.
I’d developed a timeline, a list of contacts, a detailed roster for the event itself, and had even sketched out a few marketing pieces.
I’d also made a list of the rescue sites I’d had discussions with.
That part was easy, so many were interested. Why wouldn’t they be?
At this point, I should be exhausted, but I remained wired.
And angry.
My gut told me there was something corrupt going on, but as of yet, I couldn’t determine the players.
Although I had found out that it appeared a dummy corporation had purchased the old mill almost a year before.
And I’d confirmed that the corporation had tried to go around the historical society to no avail.
What I hadn’t learned yet, although I had called in a favor from an old buddy of mine in public record in Billings, were the names behind the corporation.
But I had certain suspicions.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t flush them out by pretending that I knew. I’d made a few phone calls, but without contacts in town, I’d been given the cold shoulder. I’d even tried speaking with the attorney my father had recently fired. After I introduced myself, he’d hung up on me.
I was sitting on a bench outside the council chambers, waiting as patiently as possible when I sensed a presence.
Without uttering a word, Axe slipped onto the seat next to me. I crossed my legs, my nerves about meeting with the council a distant second to the anger I felt at this point. I had to admit the man could clean up well. He was wearing a dark suit, which shocked the hell out of me.
He was far too handsome, but I wasn’t ready to stop being angry with him.
After maybe a minute, he reached into his jacket, pulling out a jump drive.
“The names and contact information I mentioned. Plus, I know a few people that could help you with arrangements, including concessions. I also know a couple photographers, and a band who would be happy to donate their time to the charities. A few other suggestions.”
Exhaling, I waited a few seconds before taking it from his hand. There was no way of not touching him. As soon as our fingers collided, the same jolts of electricity shot through me, but I bit back a single strangled sound, which was stuck in my throat. “Thank you. That’s really helpful.”
Tick. Tock.
“I know you’re angry with me.”
“Yep. I am.”
“Can I explain?”
“There’s nothing to explain.” I glanced in his direction, fighting so many urges that had no place being felt. “You hate each other. Nothing will change, including your behavior.”
He shifted on the seat. “Yeah, I need to say a few things. I’m sorry about Wade. That man just… pisses me off.”
“Are you friends again? Did you kiss and make up?”
His snort was my answer.
“I don’t know if that’s possible, Kenz.”
“Like I said, you’re both hardheaded. What pisses me off more than your testosterone is all this alluding to you being like your father. Why? Your father is a good man as far as I can tell.”
His sigh was heavy. “There’s a reason.”