Broken (10 page)

He fell in love with the place from a distance. Gramps was right, it looked as if it were looking down at the rest of the town from its great height on top of the hill with the water as a backdrop. The grounds were immaculate, green as far as the eye could see, until they reached the front of the house where the garden bloomed.

There was a gazebo off to the side in the back that could be barely seen as they pulled up to the gate. The sign outside had the name and number of the dealer and he pulled his phone. Gramps was all but jumping in his seat and he didn’t wait for his grandson, just opened the passenger door and hopped out.

“Yeah I’m here at the place on Bakersridge? I need you to come out here and let me in.”

“The place on the hill?”

“Yes.”

“Who’s this, Tom is this you-you asshole? I don’t have time to play games…”

“Hey, I don’t know who the fuck Tom is but I’m sitting outside the gate. I wanna see this place today.”

“Oh-oh sorry sir, so sorry. I’ll be right there give me ten minutes. What’s your name?”

“Kyle Clancy.”

‘Clancy, you any relation to old man Clancy?”

“I guess.” He hung up the phone before the man could ask him his life story.

Stepping down from the truck he joined gramps as he peered through the gate. “This would be a fine place to raise a passel of kids won’t it?” What the fuck? Could he at least land the girl first? Kyle just put his hand on his hero’s shoulder and squeezed. He’d been had good and proper. They may not have planned it the three of them. But some way somehow everything had lined up just right to land his ass in this mess.

Gramps didn’t even blink at asking him to shell out two mil on a woman he’d only just met, but he guessed that was to be expected from someone who’d married his sweetheart two weeks after meeting her and had enjoyed a full life with her. The memory of his grandma brought a touch of sadness to the day, but a soft breeze like a caress against his cheek took it right away.

They heard the drone of an engine coming up behind them minutes later and turned to see the jeep pulling in behind the Ford three thousand. He’d bought the truck his first week here thinking that he could pack up his hog and whatever necessities gramps might need when he took him home with him. He’d had it all planned out. Now it looked like his plans were gonna have to change.

“Hey there.” The sweaty over weight man came forward with his hand outstretched. “You must be Kyle; I’m Clarence Mayburn, pleasure. How you doing Mr. Clancy? It’s been a while. Sorry to hear about your wife.” He shook the other man’s hand and waited while he unlocked the gate in between his verbal back and forth with gramps.

Kyle and gramps hopped back into the truck while Clarence pulled up the rear and followed them down the drive that had to be at least a thousand feet long. The place had a calming feel about it, like it was waiting to welcome him home. He couldn’t wait to bring Kerry here.

He could see her here more so than that dump the asshole had relegated her to with his actions. It was just the kind of place a woman like her belonged.

He’d admit that his reason for wanting to see the place at first was because of the statement it would make to the rest of the town, especially the ones who’d had a hand in hurting her.

But now that he was here he felt that sweet tingle in the gut that was always there when he was moving in for the kill. The kingmaker. This was good. He could see her here. And those kids, gramps had mentioned. His gut didn’t hurt as much at the thought as it would’ve a few days ago.

If the outside was beautiful the inside was twice as. Marble floors, high ceilings and French doors that wrapped around the entire place, letting in the view and the light. You could see the whole town from the great room with the five-foot fireplace.

He kept his silence as they walked through while the other man rambled on about all the amenities and what a great structure it was. Apparently the builder had used the best of everything on the market “I’ll take it.”

“Don’t you want to see the upstairs son?”

“I don’t imagine that anyone who’d take the time to make this place such a gem would do any less upstairs. I’ll leave that to my wife.” Fuck, the word just slipped out, but the way gramps reacted you’d think he’d just won the lottery.

The word didn’t burn a hole in his gut the way he thought it would. And as he let it settle in his brain he found that it didn’t freak him out as much as it once had. Not as long as it was her, his Kerry.

“Oh I wasn’t aware there was a missus, she here too? You’d be wanting her to see the place?” Clarence’s shoulders slumped just a little as if he saw a sure thing slipping through his fingers. “Nope, just have the papers drawn up. One thing though, I’ll give you two point four for it cash, no mortgage take it or leave it.”

“Well I’ll have to talk to the owner…”

“Do that.” He headed for the door with his grandpa hot on his heels. “Boy that’s a whole one hundred thousand less than asking price.”

“Nothing is ever worth the asking price gramps. I expect him to counter, but I won’t budge.”

Now gramps was the one looking like something had slipped through his fingers. Kyle clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry gramps it’s ours.”

Chapter 7

***

H
e wanted to go get her and bring her back there to see the house, but it was already getting late and he was sure she hadn’t eaten anything since he’d left her. So he nixed that idea in favor of picking up something to eat. Tonight he would begin his campaign to win her over completely. He liked being the one on this side for a change, and had no doubt that he would have her heart in the palm of his hand before long.

After today’s little experiment he figured he was gonna have to work on her some more to get her over her fear of facing the town again though. She had nothing to be ashamed of and he was gonna do everything in his power to prove that to her. But first, he had to completely take her over, that was more important. And maybe he could work on not wanting to commit murder every time the thought of her ex arose.

It galled the fuck out of him that the other man was there first, but that was his shit to deal with, he couldn’t hold that against her. That would be an asshole move of monumental proportions. But he’d be fucked if he wasn’t gonna wipe the fucker completely from her mind.

“Gramps I’m gonna pick something up for Kerry for dinner, you still going over to Lucille’s?”

“Why don’t you two get dressed up and go out somewhere?”

“Gramps I’m not seventeen anymore I know how to woo my woman.”

“Suit yourself but I think you young people could do with a good course in how to act. That girl’s been hiding away in that apartment forever, it’s time she got out and about.”

“She will gramps, I have some things to take care of first. By the way don’t expect me home tonight.”

“Oh?” he saw the look of uncertainty in the other man’s eyes and rushed to reassure him. “Nothing like that gramps, I just don’t like leaving her in that place by herself at night.” His grandfather’s shoulders relaxed but he still wasn’t at ease.

“Don’t rush her into anything son, her heart’s probably still sore. Promise me you’ll take your time…” He seemed genuinely worried for her and Kyle realized it was the most interest the old man had shown in anything since his wife’s death. He also realized that the girl, who thought she had no one, had two of the town’s best citizens as far as he was concerned, rooting for her.

“Relax gramps I know what I’m doing.” Funnily enough he no longer felt the mad rush to fuck her. No that’s a lie. He wanted in her yesterday, but right at this moment he had more of a hankering to heal her heart than jump between her thighs and slate the lust she’d unleashed inside him.

He could be patient if need be, and only time will tell if she was worth it. For now he believed she was and that was enough for him. For now.

***

Gramps had found a new purpose in life. After his Ethel had passed, bless her beloved soul, he was sure he wouldn’t be too far behind. A body wasn’t meant to endure such pain and misery without the other half of their heart. After his family had come out for the funeral and gone back to their homes, he’d made up his mind to let himself go.

He hadn’t given much thought to ending it, not until about the third day after all the hoopla had died down. But then his favorite grandbaby had shown up on his doorstep the next day as if he knew, as if he’d somehow sensed what his old grandpa was up to.

He couldn’t have put the gun to his head and end it, not with his boy in a room down the hall. So he’d decided to bide his time. Only the boy hung around longer than expected. Every day away from his Ethel was like a day in hell, but the boy was so darn stubborn that no matter how much he told him to head on back home, that he was fine, the child wouldn’t budge.

He knows he was a sorry mess. Moping around the house lost and alone, though Kyle had done everything to bring him out of his misery. But nothing moved him until the day he was looking out his window early in the morning as his grandson left to get on that death trap of his to head into town.

He’d been feeling poorly because all the boy’s efforts were wasted. He hadn’t been able to open up and talk about what was resting so heavily on his heart. But as he stood at that window and watched history repeat itself, he felt a soft breeze against his cheek. It was as if something inside him came alive.

He’d watched the two of them dance around each other, even saw the way the two of them looked back at each other, and a seed was planted. He felt a spark of life for the first time in weeks. He also felt his love’s presence as strong as if she’d been standing there. He’d watched the girl head over to Lucille’s. Lucille was a good friend. They’d lived across from each other for damn near a half century and never had a harsh word for each other. In fact his wife and Lucille had been thick as thieves.

As he watched her take the young lady into the house his mind started working. He’d waited until the coast was clear and headed on over there. He guessed some folks might call it meddling, but as far as he was concerned he was doing the boy a service. These young people today overthink everything to death. Besides, he couldn’t get that little scene out of his head, or the memories it invoked. He’d met his Ethel darn near the same way sixty some odd years earlier.

He remembered it was a day pretty much like that one. The sun was bright and the birds were singing. In those days the world wasn’t in such an all fired hurry to get to hell in that hand basket. Folks put stock in things that mattered, and a body knew to take time to smell the roses.

When he’d laid out his plan to Lucille she’d been only too happy to jump on the bandwagon. That’s when he’d heard the story about the divorce and the hell the poor girl had been through. It had been quite some time since he’d paid much attention to anything that was going on around him. Since his wife had fallen ill he’d spent pretty much his every waking moment taking care of her.

He’d known Kerryanne since she was a little girl of course, having lived here all his life practically, and her being a native. He’d known her grandparents too, and knew like everybody else in the small town that she had been orphaned as a babe only to lose her only living relatives as a young woman.

When Lucille had laid it all out for him he’d been fit to be tied. If Kerry’s ex had been standing there he just might have flattened him where he stood. But his anger was soothed by the thoughts that had been going through his head. Kyle had been harping on him for the last few weeks about moving back to the city with him to be around family.

He’d ignored every word, choosing instead to live in his head as he was. Hanging onto the memories of the life he’d led. Happy memories of children born in this house. A love beyond reason

that he’d shared with the girl of his heart, and the joys and tears of sons and daughters. This very boy bouncing on his knee on many a summer day. He couldn’t have moved for anything.

He knew enough to know the boy was as stubborn as he, and wouldn’t move an inch, from his position. But the thought of leaving his home, the only one he’d shared with his beloved, made him sick to his soul. Now it looked like he may not have to and there just might be something worth living for after all. His Ethel had been a true romantic at heart. She’d be the first to push him headlong in the direction he was heading.

There was nothing stopping Kyle from moving here. It’s not like the boy had any real ties to the city. He lived in a condo for heaven sake, not a real home. There was no wife and kids to uproot. And from their once weekly conversations he knew the boy could work from anywhere. Gotta love technology.

So he and his old friend had put their heads together and while Lucille whipped up a pan of her famous Lasagna they’d decided on the best course of action for the two young people that they had decided fate had thrown together. Now things were moving along faster than even he could’ve expected. That boy was all him through and through. He wasn’t one to let grass grow under his feet either.

***

She was tired, tired but happy. Her writing was coming along better than she’d hoped and her mind was no longer trapped between the four walls she’d called home for the last little while. She stretched and looked with half interest at the hours- cold coffee in the cup next to her. Outside the light was beginning to wane and her first thought was of Kyle.

She wondered where he was and what kind of mood he was in. He sure was an unpredictable one, kind of like the man she’d just spent the last few hours inventing. Life sure was a funny thing. What were the odds that she would meet him just at the time that she was venturing into this new phase of her life? He and his persona fit perfectly. Like food for fodder on the pages of her make believe world.

It wasn’t her fairytale she was worried about now though. Now that she’d come up for air, her mind was filled with the memory of his kisses, and the way he’d held her hand. Even the way he’d stood up to Sarah in her defense. It was like balm to her soul. A soul that had been in the dark for way too long.

Getting up from the chair that was too hard and really not fit for sitting for any length of time, she headed into the kitchen for something to eat. She thought she remembered him saying something about dinner and later, but maybe he’d found something better to do. She tried to convince herself that she didn’t care one way or the other, that his presence, or absence didn’t mean anything to her at all.

But it wasn’t long before she realized that wasn’t exactly true. She missed him, missed that antagonistic edge he had. Most of all she missed the way she’d started feeling around him. Like she was coming back to life.

She missed the spark that she was beginning to feel whenever he was around. The way he made her heart race and that newly awakened something that she’d always felt just lurking beneath the surface.

Alone with her thoughts she could let her guard down. She could admit to a certain interest in the tough character that was so far removed from anything she’d ever known before. He was the complete opposite of…She stopped herself short. Maybe she should practice not making those comparisons when she was alone so she didn’t always get into trouble when they were together.

She realized then that he was right, and she understood his anger. She hadn’t been aware of doing it, not consciously anyway. But she guessed it was hard not to. It was going to be a while before she stopped comparing everything that happened now to what once was.

And since Paul and the life they’d shared had been such a major part of who she was, it only made sense that she’d measure everything against that. But Kyle was right, it wasn’t fair to him and there really was no comparison.

She knew that, well outwardly anyway. But some part of her couldn’t seem to help looking for any little detail, for that ‘aha’ moment when she

caught something that proved all men are pigs and she should keep her distance.

From what she’d seen of him thus far though, she wasn’t sure that would work with him. He seemed to dance to the beat of a different drum, and she hardly knew the tune.

Brushing aside her thoughts, she scoured her cupboards going through for the first time, the groceries he’d brought over. He’d thought of everything it seemed, but as she looked at one thing after another she found that she had no taste for anything there.

For the first time in too long to think, she had something more than Ramen noodles to choose from and she couldn’t drum up the interest. Settling for a reheated cup of coffee she went to look at her new phone just in the off chance the ringer was off. No such luck.

“Why are you pining after this guy Kerryanne? Don’t you have enough trouble as it is?” She walked the floor drinking her coffee and moping and peeping out the windows for a look of him. Was she one of those women who couldn’t be without a man in her life? Is that why she was becoming so quickly attached to someone she’d only just met?

She was finding out a lot of things about herself lately and a lot of it was not so good. She would never have believed that she was the kind of woman who’d crumble the way she had after Paul’s betrayal. She’d always seen herself as strong,

independent. She’d been the one to go out and work to take care of their home while he’d gone to school.

She was the one who’d pushed him to succeed on those dark days when he wanted to throw in the towel. She had very strong convictions and was known to stick to her guns. Was that why Paul had fallen out of love with her?  Had she been too opinionated?

She’d believed as her grandma had taught her, that her high moral values and her pure heart would keep her protected from life’s vagaries. People like her, kind, giving, honest they were not supposed to be stomped on. If you did the right thing, life would be rewarding. She wondered now how much of that the old woman had actually believed.

At least looking back at her life no longer made her feel completely hopeless. There was finally light at the end of the tunnel. A quick flash of Kyle’s face came into her head and stayed for longer than was safe for her state of mind. She was afraid she admitted. Afraid to feel, what she was beginning to feel.

She wasn’t cut out for a fling no matter how attracted she may be. Besides, he was way too much man for her. Not to mention the fact that he couldn’t seem to make up his mind whether he liked her or not. No, it was better to end this thing before it went any farther and she lost what little of herself she had been able to salvage.

On that thought there was a knock at the door and everything she’d just told herself flew out the window as she rushed to answer it. She released the breath she hadn’t even been aware of holding. “Hi.” She couldn’t hold back the smile that spread across her face. She was happy to see him