26. Luke
26
Luke
“ I
don’t think this is a good idea.”
“ That is why I picked a day that you would be at work. You said you didn’t want to see him, and you’re not going to.”
Rachel stares at her coffee. She still looks sleepy. I take her hand in mine.
“ You’re still okay if I offer to sell the land to Uncle Charlie ?” I’ve asked her several times to be sure.
“ Yes , of course. He’s family, and if the land can stay in the family, that would be ideal.”
“ I am not sure what to do if he isn’t interested.”
She squeezes my hand. “ You know that someone will be interested. You’ll probably get a better offer than what you’ve given Charlie .”
“ Am I doing the right thing?” I shake my head. “ Dad would be so angry with me for selling off part of the ranch.”
“ Maybe , but he isn’t here. He left this ranch to us, but this isn’t your destiny, Luke . You know what? Jeanette would have been supportive of you following your dreams.”
The mention of my mother stirs up my emotions. “ Mom confided in you, didn’t she?”
Rachel takes a drink of her coffee. “ Yes . I think she knew what none of us wanted to believe. There are times I think maybe she knew your dad and I would end up together. People close to death seem to possess powerful insight.”
I slide my hands up and down my thighs. All of this has made me anxious. It’s such a big decision.
“ She was so proud of you. The first time I saw some of your photography was from her. She kept them on her phone to show off your work.”
“ I was a kid. None of my photos were any good.”
“ They were to her. She could see your potential, and if she could see what you are creating now…she’d be over the moon.”
“ You think so? I mean…even the nudes?”
Rachel smiles. “ I do. Your dad would have blown a gasket, but Jeanette understood you so much more than he did.”
“ This is all I know, what I was raised to do, but I can’t do it anymore.” It’s been difficult to admit that to myself. A part of me wanted to carry on my family’s legacy, but it’s suffocating.
“ I know, and this is the first step. You can use some of the income from the sale for traveling and investing in your work.”
That is too good to imagine right now. I can’t put the cart before the horse just yet.
“ So , I had this crazy thought—if Uncle Charlie isn’t interested…”
She stands, pouring herself some more coffee before gathering stuff for her lunch. “ What’s that?” she asks.
“ You’ll never guess who owns Shadow Thorne ?”
“ Who ?”
“ Your buddy Bridges !”
She pauses and looks at me. “ He’s not my buddy. He’s just an acquaintance.”
“ Uh -huh!” Bridges is still a sore subject between us. She hasn’t seen him again since Evan apparently forbade it, but I do know they still chat and message one another.
She turns back around. “ I guess, I shouldn’t be surprised. He owns so much land around here.”
Standing , I walk up behind her. “ I’ve been considering asking him to trade with me.”
“ Trade ?” This time when she turns around, she leans against the counter to regard me.
“ Yeah , our land for Shadow Thorne .”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “ Seriously ?”
I shrug. “ Sure ! Why not? Wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
“ Hmm . I suppose not.”
I step closer until our bodies touch. “ Maybe you could mention it to him?”
She smacks my chest. “ I am not going to mention trading land with him.”
“ Why not?”
“ Because I don’t know anything about real estate and land deals.”
I gently brush my knuckles across her cheek. “ You don’t have to. Just see if he would be interested in talking to me.”
“ That really puts me in an odd position, Luke . I don’t want him to think I need anything from him.”
“ It’s just to put the idea into his head. I’ll do all the talking.”
She shakes her head. “ No . I’m sorry, but no. If that man thinks I want something from him…” she continues to shake her head as she turns her back to me.
I slide my hands along her body.
“ That’s not fair!” She pushes my hands away and slips out from between me and the counter. “ Look !” She holds up her finger and points at me. “ I’m not going to be coerced like that by you, because I know you don’t want me to use that type of influence on Bridges .”
“ What ? No ! Hell no!”
“ But that is what you’re asking me to do,” she insists.
“ No ! Never ! I just thought since you were friends…”
“ No ! I won’t. You’re a big boy! You want to talk business with Bridges , do it yourself. Now if you’ll excuse me, It’s time for me to leave.” She steps around the refrigerator to grab her coat.
I didn’t mean it that way, but I can see what she means. “ No , you’re right. I didn’t mean to imply that, but I can see how it might come across that way to him. I’m sorry.”
Rachel smiles and comes closer to me. “ I forgive you. Just don’t put me in the middle of it.”
“ I won’t.”
“ Good ! Don’t wait too late to wake Olivia . I want her at school before your uncle arrives.”
“ So that’s a no on inviting him over for Christmas ?”
She sighs. “ No . I’ll leave that up to you. If he wants to apologize for how he treated you and be civil, he can come over on Christmas Day . But I’m still not okay with letting him park his trailer outback and staying for a while. Not yet. Okay ?”
“ Yeah , okay.” I pull her into my arms, and she embraces me. “ He would have to apologize before I would offer anyway. I still haven’t forgiven him for kicking the shit out of me. Nothing we did was worth that reaction.”
“ Agreed .”
She squeezes me, but I don’t let her slip away. “ Do I get to kiss you goodbye today?”
Her expression turns serious. “ This is difficult, knowing he’s going to be here in a few hours.”
Taking her face in my hands, I tenderly kiss her forehead. “ It’s okay, babe.”
Her fingers grip my biceps and squeeze. “ Thank you.” She takes a step back as I let my arms fall away from her. “ Let me know how it goes. I’ll be worried.”
“ I’m not going to let him hurt me again. I’m not ashamed of my feelings for you and Evan . I don’t need his approval either.”
“ It will be easier since we’re not sleeping together. I know he will ask, and you can be honest about that. Maybe that will make a difference,” she tells me, but I have no plans to tell him shit about Rachel and me.
Not that we don’t want to, but we’ve not crossed that bridge again. Lately , we’ve danced around it…skirted the edge, but she’s right, we haven’t had sex. When Uncle Charlie found the three of us, his reaction changed everything. We are so on guard, and untrusting, that it has kept us apart for years.
The immediate emotion I feel when Uncle Charlie gets out of his truck is anger. It all comes back to me, as if it were yesterday, even a ghost of pain in my stomach. I wait in the doorway of the barn as he makes his way through the snow. He takes his time, looking up toward the house, and out over the fields. He’s assessing everything like a cocky son of a bitch. With my arms crossed over my chest, I probably don’t look very welcoming, but as hard as I try to remind myself, he is family, it doesn’t erase what he did to me.
He comes to a stop several feet away from me, and mirrors my stance, crossing his arms.
“ Uncle Charlie ,” I state flatly.
He smirks. “ Never thought I would hear from you again.”
“ Never thought you would either.”
He looks around him. “ We going to stand out here in the cold, or go up to the house?”
“ Here is fine.” I’m willing to take him into the barn, but something in me doesn’t want him to know about my apartment. I don’t trust him.
Chuckling he moves his hands to his hips. “ Guess you grew a backbone since I last saw you.”
“ Didn’t have a choice.”
“ So is there a reason you wanted to see me?”
“ There is, but first, and foremost, don’t you think you should apologize for attacking me.” I decided before I even called him, that if he didn’t apologize, I wouldn’t mention the land sale.
“ You still fucking boys…maybe you’ve moved on to livestock?”
I take a deep breath to calm myself. “ You can go then.” I turn to leave, but he catches up with me.
“ Wait ! Wait ! I was joking.”
“ No , you weren’t.” I turn back to face him. “ I won’t tolerate your attitude. We can either be civil and remain family, or you can go, and I won’t ever contact you again.”
He lifts his cowboy hat up and scratches his head. “ I didn’t come here to argue. I don’t want to argue. We are family no matter what.”
“ Then you can apologize.”
“ So were you fucking both of them? Rachel , I don’t fault you on that one. Stepmother or not, she’s one fine piece of…”
“ Don’t you dare finish that thought,” I warn him through gritted teeth. “ My sex life is none of your business, and frankly, has no bearing on whether or not you can show me some respect.”
“ Fine ! But I deserve some answers.”
“ Such as?” I’m curious about what answers he feels he’s owed.
“ When did you and Rachel start messing around? Was it before your daddy died?”
I stare at him, trying to decide if I should answer him or not. It really is none of his business, but we didn’t do anything wrong.
“ No . Neither of us would have ever done something like that to Dad .”
“ So you’re together?”
“ No .”
“ Heard she had a kid. Is it yours or Wyatt’s ?”
“ Olivia is my sister and your niece. Rachel was around two months pregnant when Dad died.”
“ And the boy that was with the both of you?”
“ I answered your questions about Rachel . That is all you get.”
He assesses me carefully, looking for weakness, or maybe trying to discern if I’m lying.
“ You would have reacted the same way if it had been me in bed with Rachel .”
I shiver at the thought of that. “ I’ve never hit anyone in my life. Regardless , kicking a man when he is on the ground isn’t a fair fight.”
He holds up his hands in surrender. “ Fine . What I saw, shocked the hell out of me. I overreacted. I was still a bit hungover from the night before, and all I could think about was howyou had betrayed your father.”
“ Well , now you know that neither of us betrayed Dad . Grief changes people, and you of all people should know, that I’ve been put through the wringer on that account. You have no right to judge.”
He nods and hangs his head. “ You have.” When he looks back at me, I finally see him let his defenses down. “ You’re right about that. Not like I’ve made the best decisions when it comes to women. Hell , I got a girl pregnant.”
My eyes widen with shock.
He chuckles. “ You believe that? I’m going to be a dad!”
“ Seriously ?” Because that is impossible to imagine.
“ Yeah . Fuck , she’s only nineteen. She told me she was twenty-three at the time, so that’s not my fault.”
“ Where is she?” I ask.
“ With the trailer in Jackson .”
I honestly don’t know what to say. She’s young, but then so was I . Compared to Rachel , I still am. Although , the age gap between us seems far less extreme now.
“ Obviously , I’ve fucked up enough in my life, more than you. So , I apologize.”
“ You mean that?”
His arms drop, and he steps closer. “ Yeah , don’t seem right not to have you in my life. While I think what you did was a betrayal to Wyatt , I can understand. Women are the devil.”
“ Rachel is not the devil. Say what you want about me, but don’t you dare speak one ill word about her. She’s raising Olivia on her own while still working a full-time job. You don’t know what she’s been through.”
He sighs. “ Yeah , I guess you’re right.”
“ Now we can start over.”
His eyebrows rise. “ I didn’t bring Nicole because I wasn’t sure how this would go down.”
“ Are you going to marry her?”
He laughs at that. “ Shit , son! Can you imagine me married?”
I smile and relax a little. “ No , never.”
“ I don’t know. Never thought I’d knock someone up. For now, I’m taking care of her. Her parents don’t want her. I do want to know my kid.”
“ Well , they will have a wonderful first cousin who would love to grow up with them in her life.”
“ I’d like that,” he says with sincerity.
Flakes start to fall around us. I look up to a sky that is growing grayer. “ I’m selling some of the land.”
His mouth drops open. “ What ?”
“ Ranching isn’t my life. I’ve tried like hell to hold this place together, but it’s not the future I want. So I am offering you the option to buy it before I open it up to other offers. I think Dad would have wanted it to stay in the family. I’ll give you a good deal, but you have to pay upfront. I’m not a bank and won’t offer a payment plan. You’re either buying it, or not. It’s totally up to you.”
After the initial shock wears off, he asks how much of the land I’m selling. I explain the acreage, and what section of the ranch it will be, as well as my asking price.
“ I get it,” he says. “ Having a ranch wasn’t my dream either. You know how I am about putting down roots.”
“ I do, so it’s fine if you’re not interested. No pressure, I just wanted to offer it to you first. Maybe roots are what you need for your own family.”
“ Can I think about it?”
“ Of course, but I’d like to know by the end of the year,” I tell him.
“ That’s fair.”
“ Take the time to consider it. In the meantime, would you and Nicole like to join us on Christmas Day ? Would be nice to have the family together.”
At first, I don’t think he’ll even consider it, but he doesn’t give me a no right away.
“ You can meet Olivia and apologize to Rachel .”
“ I got to apologize again?” he whines.
“ Yeah , you’ve been very disrespectful to her, not just me.”
“ I’ll ask Nicole . If she’s willing, then yeah we can stop by on Christmas Day .”
“ You still have my number?” I ask. He nods. “ Then just let me know a few days in advance, either way.”
“ I should get going. She wanted me to bring something for dinner. Girl eats like she’s starving,” he tells me.
I clap my hand to his shoulder. “ Then you need to feed her and that baby of yours.”
Turning we make our way up the incline and to his truck. When he steps away from me, he smiles. “ I’ll be in touch.”
“ Sounds good.”
Without any further words, he gets in the truck, and drives away, leaving me with a mix of emotions. I want to feel all is set right between us, but I am not sure I’ll ever completely let my guard down with him.
RACHEL
“ The cookies are delicious!” I tell Luke as I bite into what might be the fifth cookie I’ve had today.
“ Little Miss O seemed to like them too.”
“ As did Santa from what I understand!” We laugh remembering how excited Olivia was this morning when she found the plate of cookies she had left out empty, except for a few crumbs. “ I still can’t believe you managed to get her to take a nap.”
“ She needs one. She was so happy today, but absolutely bouncing off the walls! I swear I’d forgotten what it’s like to be a kid excited for Christmas ,” he says. She has been so ecstatic, she hardly slept last night.
“ This year has been amazing. She’s so animated and full of ideas.”
“ She’s not a baby anymore.”
I sigh, a little sad that she’s growing up so fast, but today has been perfect so far. It’s the type of Christmas I wanted for her. Which is one reason I really wish Charlie and his girlfriend weren’t coming for dinner. I really would have loved it if today had been about her with Luke and I spending our time together and soaking in Olivia’s wonderment and joy. Ever since Luke told me he had invited his uncle for Christmas , I’ve been nervous. It feels like a bomb is going to go off again because of him, and I don’t like it one bit.
Again , I find Luke staring out of the window while holding the icing knife over the cake he baked this morning.
“ Is Evan coming over?”
“ Huh ?” He goes back to spreading icing over the cake and then shrugs. “ Said he might, but it’s Christmas day, so I’m not getting my hopes up.”
I smile to myself because it’s obvious that he already does. The boiled eggs have cooled so I start the painstaking task of peeling them.
“ I thought he would have come over before now. He’s been here since Saturday , right?”
“ Yeah , but they’ve been busy. Sunday , they spent the day in Jackson as a family. His mom insisted he and his dad put more lights on that big evergreen outside their house.”
“ It’s a little late, don’t you think?”
“ He said she likes to leave it lit up through New Year’s , and someone from church had mentioned they couldn’t see it from the road this year.”
I roll my eyes thinking she’s just trying to keep Evan busy, and home. “ And you think he’s going to manage to get away today ?” I ask.
When Luke doesn’t answer, I glance at him. He’s smiling ear to ear as he leans over the sink closer to the window. It’s then I notice the sound of a motor.
“ Looks like he did,” Luke says before pushing away from the counter, grabbing his hat, and pulling on his coat. Without a word, he simply walks out the back door, meets Evan as he gets out of his truck, and the two of them disappear into the barn.
I move closer to the sink so I can look outside the window while I make the deviled eggs. I didn’t even really get a good look at Evan , not like I wanted to.
I try to concentrate on what I’m doing, but I’m beginning to feel keyed up and anxious. I turn on some Christmas music on my phone but keep the volume low so I don’t wake Olivia .
My mind keeps wandering to Luke’s loft, imagining the two of them there. I know they’re together. Of course, they’re together.
Ugh ! Stop it! I can’t let my thoughts go there, but I feel so isolated and alone. This has been my choice, though; hearth and home, being a mom over being with them.
I continue peeling the eggs as if they’ve done something to offend me. They should be keeping my mind occupied, but instead, it feels like a task I have to do as punishment. I’m the one who pushed them both away. They deserve to be together and happy. But the truth is that I miss them so damn much. Never mind that I haven’t had sex in years. Just knowing they are across the yard and up a flight of steps is almost too much to bear.
Putting the half-peeled egg down, I look toward the barn. My blood heats and desire stirs in my core.
I can’t stand it a second longer. Call me weak, but I swear I feel something tugging me toward them.
I cover the peeled eggs and quickly check on Olivia , who is sleeping soundly. Grabbing my coat off the hook, I slide into my boots and quietly leave the house. I don’t know what I will do if Evan sees me. Everything continues to be so heated between us. But I’m on automatic pilot, driven by a need that is quickly overwhelming me. The yearning to see them together, has me stealthily slipping up the stairs. The door isn’t even closed all the way. The first sound I hear is Luke grunting, and it has me pausing on the steps and holding steady as a strong wave of desire washes over me.
Closing my eyes, I listen to the sounds of their kissing, moans, and lovemaking filter down from the open doorway. Moving carefully, I ascend the stairs and stand at the door, peeking in through the crack. What I see has my heart racing and arousal gathering between my thighs. They’re naked. Luke is sitting in the middle of the bed with his arms wrapped around Evan who is riding Luke’s cock. Their foreheads are together as they tenderly kiss. Their kiss, and the way they’re touching one another, is so intimate. Evan’s fingers grip Luke’s blond curls. Both of them are breathing heavily as they rock their bodies in unison.
I slide my hand over my mouth, attempting to stifle my labored breaths. I’ve dreamed of seeing them together…wanted to be with them and witness this, but I had no idea their lovemaking would affect me so profoundly. The love between them is a visible entity, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Luke’s hands slide down to Evan’s hips.
“ You feel so good inside of me, baby,” Evan mumbles.
Luke takes him in a deep, needy kiss as he moves Evan’s hips around in a small circle. Evan groans and lets his head drop back. Luke takes advantage of the free access to his neck and begins sucking the flesh just above Evan’s shoulder. Now that Evan is leaning back, I can see his erection pressed against Luke and leaking precum.
The persistent throbbing in my body is strengthening. I think I might come just from watching the two men I love most, make love to one another. I have to lean against the doorframe to hold myself upright. I’m too hot, and so aroused my legs are shaking.
“ Join us, little peach.” Luke’s deep timbre rolls over me like crushed velvet.
When I open my eyes, he’s watching me. Like a moth to a flame, I push through the door and float across the floor. Evan’s eyes follow me as he continues to grind his hips. Suddenly , Luke pulls me down to his lips and kisses me hungrily. I moan when I feel their hands on me. I grasp onto each of their shoulders to keep from falling.
“ She’s trembling,” Evan states.
Luke’s lips move from my lips around my cheek to that soft spot under my ear. “ She needs us. Don’t you, babe?”
Evan’s lips brush my ear. “ Need you too, Siren .”
I’m lost in their touches, their closeness. It must be a dream. Evan is nibbling my neck, heightening the adrenaline pumping through my system.
I’m shocked back to reality when Luke sucks my nipple into his mouth. Somehow , he’s managed to unbutton my blouse and push aside the lace of my bra cup. My mind goes into overdrive.
We couldn’t just come together again after all these years, as if nothing has changed, as if we haven’t changed. Can we?
“ I can’t…dinner… Olivia’s asleep. In the house.” I say as I struggle for breath.
Luke growls in frustration. His mouth leaves me as Evan ignores me and continues to lick and suck my neck.
“ Evan ,” he says softly. “ Evan , stop. She can’t stay.”
Evan pulls away reluctantly, and when our gazes meet, I forget my name. Luke turns my chin, forcing me to look at him. “ Do you want this?” he asks.
I nod, and his eyes fall closed as if he is suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. In a swift move, their hands leave my body, and Luke pushes Evan against the bed. He thrusts hard as he watches me intently.
“ Fuck !” Evan says as Luke braces himself over him.
Luke drives into him hard and fast. I’m captivated, watching his cock disappear inside of Evan again and again. Reaching between them, I slide my hand down Evan’s muscled chest and over his rigid cock. He’s so hard and warm, and everything I remember about touching him comes flooding back. I begin stroking him, and when I give his cock a good hard tug, he grasps my wrist roughly.
“ I’m gonna…” he starts. His words morph into a groan as his cock pulses and hot cum shoots over his chest and my hand.
“ Fuck !” Luke roars and the entire bed shakes as he empties himself into Evan . They are so gorgeous together, raw and powerful.
Evan slides his hand over mine that's slick with his cum. Luke leans toward me and presses his lips to mine.
It’s too much! Before the emotion can knock me off my feet, I let Evan go and flee the apartment. I rush down the steps in a lust-filled haze. I’m not even fully aware until I’m locked in my bathroom and leaning against the door. In the mirror, I see myself, flush and panting for breath. My blouse is still open, revealing my bra.
Taking a few moments, I close my eyes and lean all my weight against the door. Unbidden tears stream down my face as every type of emotion overwhelms me. I regret being apart from them for so long. I regret running away just now. I regret not apologizing and begging Evan for forgiveness. Maybe if I had I would have been with them just now. The desire I feel for them has expanded to this massive force that pushes me to my knees. I want and miss, them so much that my heart feels like it will explode.
LUKE
Evan jumps up from the bed, but I grab his arm. “ Don’t .”
“ But shouldn’t we go after her?”
“ She’s right, we can’t. At least not right now. We don’t like leaving Olivia alone in the house, even if she is sleeping.”
He sits next to me on the bed and runs his hands through his hair. “ You felt that though? That thing between the three of us?”
I smile at the fact that it still shocks him. “ What ? Did you think that just magically disappeared?”
He truly looks shocked. “ Suddenly none of it mattered. The way we parted or what we argued about the last time I saw her.”
I slide my hand up his naked thigh. “ I keep trying to tell you, we belong together. It’s just hard as hell to get the both of you on board at the same time.” Leaning closer, I bite and lick his neck.
“ Fuck , Luke !” he mumbles. “ You know I can’t stay. I’m supposed to be picking up milk before the convenience store closes.” Despite his words, his fingers slide into my hair, and he extends his neck for me.
“ Thought you already got the milk?”
“ I did…” he mumbles lazily.
“ Don’t go. Need you one more time, baby.”
Our lips touch tenderly before we begin to slowly kiss. My hand finds his cock that’s hard again. Still kissing, we lie back as Evan wraps his leg over my hip.
“ Wish she were here,” he says against my mouth.
“ Me too.”
Suddenly , I hear a car door slam, and then another. I sit upright, listening carefully. “ Shit !”
“ What’s wrong?” he asks.
Grabbing my shirt off the floor, I cover my junk as I walk to the window to look outside. The window doesn’t face the house, so I can’t see it or even the area where we park, but it looks like there is another set of tire tracks in the snow. I grab my phone off the bedside table.
UNCLE CHARLIE: We’re coming now. Nicole said she’s too hungry to wait.
“ Luke ? Who’s here?”
Damn it! I did not want him to know about Uncle Charlie’s visit. “ Come on. Let’s shower so you can go home.”
He follows me into the bathroom but grasps my shoulder before I can step into the stall. “ Who’s here? Were you expecting someone?”
I blow out a breath and hang my head. “ Yeah . It’s Uncle Charlie and his girlfriend.”
Evan takes a step back. “ What ? Are you kidding because that’s not funny?”
When I look up, I can see the anger in his expression. “ I’m not kidding. I told you I decided to sell a good portion of the ranch. I felt he deserved to have the opportunity to buy it, to keep it in the family.”
Evan pushes my shoulders, causing me to stumble back into the shower. “ How could you? He beat the shit out of you.”
“ I know, but he apologized. If he hadn’t, I wasn’t even going to give him the offer to buy.”
“ You think he honestly apologized after all the shit he said to you?”
Reaching for the faucet, I turn on the water and pull Evan under the spray with me. “ Calm down, Evan . I know it makes you angry, but he’s family. I at least wanted to see if we could talk.”
“ And ?”
“ And I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him, but we settled things.” I soap up Evan’s chest and kiss his jaw. What I wouldn’t give for more time with him today.
“ I don’t like it.” He’s still fuming. “ How does Rachel feel about it?”
“ She’s probably just as pissed as you are right now. More so because I invited them to dinner tonight.”
Evan roughly grabs the soap out of my hand and takes over. “ Are you out of your fucking mind? What the hell are we doing taking a damn shower when Charlie is in there with her and Olivia !”
He’s right, but I just wanted to stretch out our time together. “ He won’t do anything with Olivia and his girlfriend there. Oh , and by the way, his girlfriend is nineteen, and pregnant.”
Evan comes to a halt and whips his head up to look at me. “ Fucking hell!”
I smirk. “ Right ? I don’t think he has a problem with the age gap thing anymore.”
“ Oh , but he’s okay with the stepmom, stepson thing?”
I frown. “ I told him we aren’t together, and we aren’t.”
Evan shakes his head, grabs my hand, and slaps the bar of soap in my palm. “ After what just happened, I’m not sure you can say that anymore. I can’t fucking believe you right now!” He rinses the soap from his body and steps out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, he quickly dries himself off. “ I’m going over there. She shouldn’t be alone with him. I don’t care who he has with him.”
Seeing he is intent on going right at this moment, I rush to finish my shower before he leaves without me. That barely happens. My skin is still damp while I get dressed. He’s out of my door before I can get my jeans buttoned. After I pull on my boots, I grab my hat, leaving my coat behind. I have to rush down the steps and run to catch up to him as he climbs the porch steps.
“ Evan !” I call out, but he whips open the back door and steps inside.
When I follow him inside, Rachel is pushing Uncle Charle away so forcefully that he backs right into Evan . She is livid and looks like she’s about to punch him in the face.
“ Get the hell out of my house!” Rachel yells.
Evan pushes my uncle toward a girl standing in the hallway with her mouth hanging open. Thankfully , I don’t see Olivia .
Uncle Charlie stumbles across the room and starts laughing. “ I was just offering to help her out, discussing our future since we’re about to be neighbors.”
“ He said he was the only man that could fill Wyatt’s shoes, and that Wyatt would want him to ‘take over’.”
Evan looks as if he’s about to lose it. I can’t say I blame him as my blood begins to boil.
“ Ah now, I thought maybe we could come to an arrangement. I know you need a husband, nurse Rachel , someone to help you raise Wyatt’s baby.”
“ What the hell?” I ask as I get right in his face. Evan grips my biceps, attempting to hold me back.
“ How dare you even imply that Wyatt would tolerate your filthy hands on me, much less take care of our daughter!”
Evan yanks me away from my uncle, and I end up right next to Rachel who looks so angry she’s about to hit him herself.
“ What about me?” The girl asks Charlie . “ You said you’d marry me.”
He ignores her and looks between Evan and me. “ What’s the matter? Thought we were keeping everything in the family? Besides , if you two can share her, why can’t I ?”
Evan pulls his fist back and punches him square in the jaw, causing him to fall back against the table. One of the chairs falls over and dishes crash to the floor. Suddenly a scream comes from down the hallway. Evan bends over my uncle and throws another punch to his face.
“ You motherfucker!” he yells.
Rachel flees from the room because it’s Olivia who is screaming.
“ How does it feel, Charlie ? You like getting a taste of your own medicine?” Evan spits out.
“ Who the fuck are you? You got no business here!” Uncle Charlie asks.
I attempt to pull Evan off him, but he just throws me off, causing me to stumble backward. Some of the food that had been on the table is now on the floor. Charlie rolls back on the upturned, hot bowl of baked apples and howls. Charlie’s girlfriend is yelling at him in a high-pitched tone of voice.
I’m attempting to pull Evan back again when he stands and kicks the toe of his boot into my uncle’s stomach.
“ Stop !” I shout, and the whole room goes quiet, except for the crying coming from down the hall which only increases in intensity. Banding my arm around his shoulders, I jerk Evan back against my chest. “ Get the fuck out of our house!” I bark at Charlie .
Either he can’t get up, or he’s stupid and refusing to leave.
I look to his girlfriend. “ Get him out of here.”
“ Why should I ? Son of a bitch doesn’t want me!”
I clench my teeth. “ Because if you don’t, I’m going to let Evan have at him again, and you may not have a baby daddy by the time he’s through.”
She scowls at me and crosses her arms.
“ Look ! I don’t care if you drag him out to the side of the damn road, the both of you have to get the hell out of here. Now !” I yell.
Nicole jumps at my demand. Mumbling , she shoulders her way around us and holds out her hand. “ Come on!” she snaps. He slaps her hand away and struggles getting to his feet on his own.
Evan is fighting to get me to release him, but I keep my hold tight.
“ Damnit !” Charlie curses as he attempts to wipe the food from his clothes.
“ Go !” I yell at them both again.
He glares at me for a second. “ You can call me when you’re ready to sell.”
I laugh and lean down to look him square in the eye. “ You are out of your damn mind if you think I’d even consider selling my father’s land to you now. You wanted me out of your life? Well , now I want you out of mine!”
He scowls at me and glances at Evan . “ I knew you were a faggot!”
Evan breaks free of my hold, grabs his collar, and drags him out of the house. I’m hot on his heels, but when Evan tosses him down the porch steps and into the snow, I halt. Nicole , his girlfriend walks past us and Charlie and gets in his pickup.
“ Don’t you ever speak to Luke or Rachel like that again you motherfucking piece of shit!” Evan tells him.
Finally , Charlie gets to his feet and they leave. Evan is pacing the porch like a caged animal.
I jerk my hat off my head. “ I need to check on Rachel and Olivia .” I leave him outside to cool off and head through the house to Olivia’s room.
Rachel is holding Olivia in her lap and rocking her. Olivia’s not crying, but I’m surprised Rachel is letting her suck her thumb. Crouching down, I place a hand on each of their heads.
“ My girls okay?”
“ Don’t you dare let that man near this house again,” Rachel says adamantly.
“ I won’t. Never ever! I promise.”
Rachel’s gaze shifts behind me. Evan is standing in the doorway. Olivia sits up and holds her unoccupied hand out to me. I take her in my arms, and she immediately wraps herself tightly around me. “ It’s okay, baby girl.”
“ The loud commotion scared her,” Rachel explains. She stands and walks to Evan .
“ Are you alright?” he asks.
“ Yeah , he’s just a dirty old man. When they got here, his girlfriend immediately went to the living room and turned on the television. She never even offered to help while I was trying to get dinner on the table. With her out of the room, Charlie started talking about buying the land and all these plans he has for it, building a house for them, and how our kids can play together. I was adding butter to the peas when I felt him come up behind me. Then he crowded me against the counter and put his hands on my hips. He whispered in my ear that he’d be happy to marry me instead, that he could quote, ‘take real good care of me’.” She pauses and looks at me and then Olivia . “ I could feel him against me,” she grits out and shivers.
“ Fuck !” Evan swears.
“ Evan !” I scold.
“ Sorry ,” he says to Olivia .
Olivia doesn’t seem to care, her face is buried under my hair so deep, I’m not sure how she can breathe. I cover her ear with my palm in case anything else slips out.
“ I was trying to push him off of me when you came into the house,” she finishes.
Evan uncrosses his arms, but his fists are balled at his sides. His gaze is locked on Rachel , and hers on him. The looks on their faces say everything. They love each other, and Evan is fighting the urge to act on his feelings. I see Rachel lick her lips, and Evan steps forward, hooks his arm around her waist, pulls her against his body, and takes her in a kiss that I am pretty sure is too hot for Olivia to witness, so I take her into the living room. The television is still on, so I switch it to an appropriate channel and snuggle up with her in my arms.
“ Who was here?” she finally asks.
“ My uncle. His name is Charlie .”
“ Why was he so loud?” She plucks at a lock of my hair and twists it around her fingers.
“ I’m sorry he was so loud. He won’t ever come here again.”
“ Why not?”
Always with the hard questions. “ Because it turns out, he’s not a very nice man.”
Her head pops up, and she takes her thumb out of her mouth. “ Did he hurt you?”
“ No , but he wasn’t nice to Mommy . Said some bad things to her so Uncle Evan stopped him, and we made him leave.”
She looks over my face, studying my features thoughtfully. Stretching up, she kisses my cheek. “ I love you.”
“ I love you too, Little Miss O .”
“ Uncle Evan loves Mommy , doesn’t he?”
I smile and stroke her hair. “ Yeah , he loves her a lot.”
“ I think Mommy loves him too.”
My smile grows. “ I think so too.”
“ What about you?”
“ Yeah , I love Uncle Evan a lot.”
She smiles sweetly. “ Then I love him too.”
“ That’s good because I love you back,” Evan says.
Olivia jumps off my lap and runs to him. He crouches down and lets her hug him tightly. “ I promise I’ll take care of your Mommy always,” he tells her.
She smacks a kiss on his cheek that makes him blush. Olivia pokes one of his dimples. “ You have holes in your cheek like me and Mommy .”
He chuckles. “ Yeah , I guess I do.”
Rachel appears behind him and places her hands on his shoulders and squeezes.
“ I have to go.”
“ But you just got here!” Olivia whines.
I get up and take her in my arms, rescuing him so he can leave.
“ We know,” Rachel says sadly.
He looks at us both. “ What are we going to do?”
Neither of us says anything because I certainly don’t have an answer for that question.
“ Can you come back, before you leave?” I ask.
He takes Rachel in his arms and slides his thumb along the frame of her face as if he’s seeing her for the first time. He truly adores her just as much as I do. “ I don’t know. I have to leave tomorrow.”
“ So soon?” she asks.
“ I have to go back to work.”
She squeezes him close and lays her head on his chest, over his heart. “ I love you,” she tells him.
Lifting her chin, he tells her the same and kisses her lips. Letting her go, he looks at me. “ Love you too.”
He turns to leave, but I reach out for him. “ Wait .”
I look at Rachel , and she nods so I lean in and kiss him tenderly on the mouth. He kisses me back, but I can tell he’s flustered. I slide my palm over his jaw. “ We don’t hide our love from Olivia ,” I explain.
Evan looks at Olivia . “ You have the best family, sweet girl. You know that?”
Olivia smiles. “ And the best uncle!”
He smiles, but his expression is sad. “ I don’t want to go.”
I squeeze his hand and let it drop. “ It’s okay. We’re here whenever you can come be with us.”
He reaches out and caresses Rachel’s cheek one last time before he walks away.
As his truck engine starts up, Rachel slips into my arms. Olivia leans down and kisses her mom on the cheek.
“ Can we have more Christmas now?”
Rachel and I laugh. “ Yeah , little bug. We can have more Christmas , but first I need to clean up the kitchen.”
“ I’ll take care of it,” I tell her, handing Olivia to her. “ Sit and spend some time with her. I will let you know when it’s time to eat.”
“ Thank you,” she says. I know it’s for more than just cleaning up the kitchen. It isn’t me who deserves thanks this time, it’s Evan , our fierce protector when the shit hits the fan. I swear, I think my love for him tripled in the last half hour. I have no idea what we’re going to do, but we have to figure something out and soon.