Devious (13 page)

“Dara’s
at home.  Listen, some things have changed since yesterday.”

“You
told her everything, didn’t you?” Ms. Golding asked, an alarmed expression
settling on her face.

“No,
I didn’t tell her.”

“Good,”
she said, obviously relieved.

“But
I do have some bad news.”

Ms.
Golding’s vibrant green eyes locked with mine.  “What is it?”

“Granny
had a heart attack yesterday.  They pronounced her dead shortly after she
arrived at the hospital.”

She
covered her mouth with her slender hand.  “Oh, no.”  She closed her eyes and
slowly opened them.  “How’s Dara taking it?”

“She’s
devastated.  That’s why I’m here.  I think you need to call her.”

Ms.
Golding gasped.  “I can’t call her yet.  I need to explain everything to her in
person.”

“Why
don’t you just call her and tell her that your phone was cut off and you just
now got another one?”

“I
don’t have a phone.”

I
stood up and pulled the prepaid phone from my pocket.  “I bought one for you. 
It’s nothing fancy, but it’s loaded with minutes.  You can call Dara and let
her know your new number.  I’ve already loaded her number in the phone.  Mine, too,
just in case you need it.”

“You
bought me a phone?” she asked in disbelief. 

“I
did it for Dara’s sake.  She’s feeling pretty lonely right now.  I think it’d
do her good to hear from you.  You don’t have to explain everything to her just
yet, but at least call her and let her know that you haven’t abandoned her.”

“What
if she doesn’t want to talk to me?” she asked.

“Trust
me.  She needs her mother.  Call her.”

Ms.
Golding stood and hugged me.  “Thank you.”

“You’re
welcome.”  I paused, wondering how Dara was holding up today.  “Well, I’ve
gotta run.  It’s a long ride back to Quail Mountain, and I promised Dara I’d be
there tonight.”

She
waved the phone at me.  “I’ll call her.  Thanks for the phone.  I promise that
I’ll pay you back.”

I
nodded.  I wasn’t expecting anything back.  I just wanted to help ease Dara’s
pain.  “I’ll see you soon.”

She
smiled.  “Thanks, Stone.”

I
waved to her and left the room, rushing back to my bike, so I could begin the
long trek home.

When
I pulled into the garage at my house, I was exhausted.  As much as I loved my
bike, my body was protesting against being in one position for such a long
time.  When I entered the house, I could smell my mom’s chicken casserole, and
my mouth watered in response.

I
found her in the kitchen, wrapping the casserole dish in a thermal carrying
case.  A coconut pie sat on the counter beside it, and she placed it in a
plastic carrying case and set it on top of the casserole.  “There you go.”

I
wrapped my arms around her shoulders and squeezed her.  “Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re
welcome.”

“Give
me a few minutes to rest and get ready, and I’ll take it to them.”

I
walked to my bedroom and collapsed on my bed, folding my arms beneath my head. 
It felt good to stretch out, and my mind worked furiously to figure out how I
could bring some happiness into Dara’s life.  I’d given her mother all the
tools necessary to call her.  Now, I had to sit back and see if she would
follow through with her explanation.  If she didn’t, then I had to decide at what
point I would tell Dara myself.

I
picked up
Frankenstein
and read a few pages while I relaxed my stiff
muscles.  Once I’d rested a few minutes, I took a hot shower, brushed my teeth,
dressed, and sprayed on a generous amount of cologne.

I
found my mother sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a
magazine.

“Hey,
Mom, I’m gonna borrow the car.”

“Okay,
I have no plans to go anywhere, and Dad should be back in a little while,
anyway.  The keys are on the counter.”  She pointed to the end of the granite
countertop. 

I
picked up the food containers, grabbed the keys, and headed toward the front
door.  Remembering my mother’s words earlier, I paused and turned toward the
kitchen.  “Mom, don’t worry if I’m not home before you go to bed.  I’m not sure
when I’ll be back.”

“Okay,
Stone.  Be careful, and tell Dara to let us know if she needs anything.”

“Will
do.”

I
loaded the dishes in the trunk of my mother’s car and drove to Dara’s house. 
She and Mr. Milton were sitting in the rockers on the front porch when I arrived. 
Popping the trunk, I got out and grabbed the food.

“Are
y’all hungry?  My mom sent over a chicken casserole and a coconut pie.”

“Maybe
a little,” Dara replied, her voice devoid of emotion.

“I
could use a bite to eat,” Mr. Milton said, rising from his chair and opening
the front door for me.

Walking
through the living room and entering the kitchen, I set the food on the counter
and took three plates from the cabinet.  I spooned a serving of chicken
casserole onto each plate and set them on the table.  Then, I passed out
silverware. 

I
poured three glasses of sweet tea and handed them out.  Mr. Milton and Dara sat
down while I passed out paper towels.  Then, I took the seat by Dara and leaned
over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Did
y’all get everything taken care of?” I asked as we all began to eat.

“We
did,” Mr. Milton answered.  “Visitation will begin tomorrow and the funeral
will be on Tuesday.”

“Mr.
Milton let me pick out the casket,” Dara said softly, her voice quivering.  “I
found a pretty pink one that Granny would love.”

I
rubbed Dara’s shoulder, knowing how hard this was for her, and I could remember
all too well when my parents had picked out Luke’s casket.

“Granny’s
sister, Shirley, will be here in the morning.  Her daughter, Vickie, and granddaughter,
Felicia, will be with her, too.  Do you remember them?” she asked.

I
nodded.  I’d seen them at Granny’s wedding shower a few months back.

“Shirley
and Vickie will be staying in the guest bedroom.  Felicia can stay in my room
with me.” 

“I’m
glad that they’ll be here for you,” I said, and Mr. Milton agreed.

I
wondered how Mr. Milton was holding up.  He was quiet, his pensive mood
apparent.

After
we finished with the casserole, I cut a piece of pie for Mr. Milton and
myself.  “You want one?” I asked Dara, motioning toward the pie.

“No,
thanks.”

“Are
you sure?  My mom’s coconut pies are addictive.”

“Maybe
later.”

“It
is really good,” Mr. Milton agreed as he balanced a forkful near his mouth. 
“These would sell like hotcakes in my store.”

“Maybe
that could be my parents’ next business venture,” I joked.

“It
would definitely be a success,” Mr. Milton said.

When
everyone finished eating, I loaded the dishwasher and ran it. 

“I
need to go check on things at the store,” Mr. Milton said, excusing himself from
the table.  “Tell your mother that we appreciate her sending food and that her
coconut pie was wonderful.”

“I
will.  She’ll be thrilled that you enjoyed it.”

“Be
careful, Mr. Milton,” Dara said.

“I
always am.”  He smiled. 

He
waved to us and headed out of the kitchen.  A minute later, I heard the front
door open and close, and I turned to Dara.  She hadn’t said anything about her
mother, and I could only assume that she hadn’t heard from her yet.  What the
hell?  How much easier could I have made it?

“So
how’re you really doing?” I asked, cupping her chin and forcing her to look
into my eyes.

“I’m
okay.”

“What
do you want to do?” I asked, releasing her chin.  Her hand rested on the table
between us, and I covered it with my own, needing to touch her.

“I
don’t know.  I kinda feel like a zombie.  I don’t know what to do, what to
think, what to say.  I guess I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed, ya know?”

“Yeah,
baby, I know.”

“I’m
just so tired,” she whispered.

“You
want to lay in bed and watch TV?”

She
nodded.

“Come
on.”  I stood and held my hand out to her.  She took it, and we walked to her
bedroom.  She closed the door behind us.  “Could we just talk for a while?” she
asked.

“We
can do whatever you want to do.”  I kicked my shoes off and lay on the bed,
motioning for her to join me.  After she took her shoes off, she crawled in
beside me, snuggling against my chest.

“What
do you want to talk about?” I asked.  “Anything in particular?”

“Do
you love me?”

“Of
course I love you.”  I squeezed her against my side for emphasis.

I
detected a hint of laughter, and her arm reached around my stomach and squeezed
me in return.  “Granny loved you.  Did you know that?”

“Most
girls do.”

She
smacked me in the ribs.  “I’m being serious.”

“So
am I.”

I
was rewarded with another smack in the ribs.

“What? 
I can’t help it if I’m a sexy beast.  You’ve said so yourself, ya know.”

“Feeding
that ego was my first mistake.”

I
chuckled, rising up on my elbow and moving my palm to rest on her chest.  “I
see you still respond to me.  Your heart’s beating like the wings of a
hummingbird.”

Her
smile drifted away as her face grew serious.  “Stone, I’m in love with you,
even when I don’t want to be.”

I
closed the distance between us, my lips hovering closer and closer to hers
until we breathed the same air.  “Are you saying that your heart belongs to
me?”

“Yes,”
she whispered, her fingertip tracing my jawline.

I
touched my lips to hers, and they were warm and supple and waiting for me.  My
tongue caressed her bottom lip until she opened her mouth, allowing me
entrance.  My hand skimmed beneath her shirt, feeling her softness, and it rose
higher, tracing her ribs. 

I
pulled back, drinking in her beauty and her hooded eyes as she stared at my
lips.

“I’m
scared of being alone,” she whispered so quietly that I had to strain to hear
her.

“I
love you, Dara.  And no matter what happens between us, I will always be here
for you.  I promise that you’ll never be alone.”

She
nodded.

“You
need to rest,” I whispered.

I
rolled onto my back and pulled her on top of me, her chest pressed against my
abdomen, the lower part of her body between my legs.

I
pressed her cheek against my chest.  “Just lay down,” I whispered, stroking her
hair. 

She
obeyed, and it wasn’t long before I heard her even breathing.  The emotional
toll had left her exhausted.  I reveled at the feel of her in my arms, feelings
that I’d never experienced before eddying in the pit of my stomach. 

My
hands rested on her back, pressing her securely against my body.  I didn’t know
how the hell I was lucky enough to have a girl like Dara in my arms, but I knew
that I never wanted to let go.

With
feelings of contentment, I drifted to sleep.

Chapter
12

Dara

I
awoke to an amazing feeling of peace.  It took a moment to realize that I was
lying on top of Stone, my ear pressed to his muscular chest as his heart beat
steadily, reassuringly.  I could feel the weight of his hands on my back, his
fingers threaded together, keeping me securely in his embrace.

I
lay still, afraid that if I woke him, the magic of the moment would be lost
forever, and I wouldn’t be able to get back the security that seeped into my
soul and chased away the frightening feelings of loneliness.

Heat
radiated from his hands, his warmth spreading across my back.  I closed my eyes
and listened to his breathing, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with his
inhalations and exhalations. 

I
wished that I could make the outside world go away.  The intense pain of losing
Granny crippled me, and I hated it.  Until now, I had been able to handle most
of the bad things that life had dealt me because I always had Granny in my
corner.  But now, the one person who knew me better than anyone, the one person
who truly loved me unconditionally, the one person who had always been there
was gone.  Poof.

Obviously,
life hadn’t finished throwing curveballs at me.  I guess I’d always known this
day would come, but I had hoped that it would be much later.

Crimson
and Scarlet had been more than willing to come over when I’d notified them of
the news, but I’d pushed them away.  The only person who could offer me the
comfort that I craved right now was Stone.  And it scared me.

With
every passing day, I depended on him more and more.  And now that Granny was
gone, I feared that I’d need him even more than I already did.

I
didn’t know what to do about it or if I should do anything, if I should just
let my heart be my guide.

He
stirred then, his hands rubbing my back.  “How long have you been awake?” he
asked.

“How
did you know I was awake?”  I hadn’t spoken and had remained very still.

“Because
I know you, Dara Golding.  Sometimes I think I know you better than I know
myself.”

“I
wish I knew you that well.”

His
chest rumbled with laughter.  “No, you don’t.”

“Why
not?” I asked, placing my arms on the bed on each side of him and pushing
myself up until I could see his face.

“Because
if you knew me that well, that pretty little face of yours would turn three
shades of red,” he said as he lowered his hands and cupped by butt.  In one
quick move, I was lying beneath him on the bed, the weight of his body pressing
me into the mattress.

“Stone!”
I shrieked.

He
nuzzled my neck, planting tiny kisses along the way and sending jolts of desire
through my body.

His
hips pressed hard against mine, and I pulled him to me, feeling the ripple of
his muscles through his thin tee shirt.

“I’m
on fire for you,” he whispered in my ear.

Pleasure
at his words unfurled within my body.  He was doing what he was so very good at
doing—making me glad that I was female.

I
pulled him to me for a kiss, and he responded eagerly, devouring me with his
mouth.

He
pressed his forehead to mine.  “I want you so bad,” he whispered, his hands
pushing their way under my shirt. 

A
strange combination of fear and excitement shot through my veins like hot
lava.  In that moment, I thought perhaps that I’d give him anything.

My
phone rang loudly from the nightstand.  I tried to ignore it, but when the caller
hung up and dialed back, I finally wiggled out from under Stone and snatched it
up.  I wondered if Crimson or Scarlet would’ve called if they’d known I was in
the middle of a serious make-out session. 

I
was a little surprised when I didn’t recognize the number.  Reality settled in
when I realized that it was probably someone calling about Granny’s
arrangements. 

“Hello.”

“Hey,
Dara.”

“Mom? 
Is that you?”  Stone released me and helped me sit up, so that I could talk
more comfortably.

“Yeah,
it’s me.”

“Where
have you been?  You missed my party.”  I hung my legs over the side of the bed.

“I
know, Dara, and I’m sorry.  I’ll make it up to you.  I promise.  I can’t go
into all the details right now, but I’ll come see you soon, and I’ll explain
everything then.”

“Are
you using again?” I asked, wondering how else she’d be able to explain the fact
that she’d been missing in action for so long now.

“Oh,
no, no, no.  I’m still walking the straight and narrow.  I just, um…my phone
tore up and I just got this new number today.  I heard about Granny and I
wanted to talk to you.”

“How’d
you know about Granny?”

“I,
um…I heard about it from an old friend, but anyway, I want to come and see you,
but I can’t just yet.”  She paused.  “Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I
hadn’t heard from you, and I was afraid that….”

“I
know.  But I’m not.  I’m doing good, and I’m gonna come and see you real soon,
okay?”

“Okay.”

“I
won’t be able to make it for your granny’s funeral, but I’ll be thinking about
you.”

“What’s
going on, Mom?”

“I’ve
got to go, Dara.  I want to explain everything to you in person.  I promise
that I’m going to come and see you just as soon as I can.  I love you.”

“I
love you, too, Mom.”

“I’ll
talk to you soon, Dara.”

“Okay.”

“Bye,
sweetie.”

“Bye,
Mom.”

I
hung up the phone, confused by the entire conversation.  What was going on with
her?  I knew her life was still a little screwed up compared to most people’s
lives, but that whole interaction was really bizarre.

Stone
rubbed tiny circles at the small of my back. 

“That
was my mom,” I said, a little amazed that I’d just had a conversation with her.

“What
did she say?”

“Not
a whole heckuva lot.  Basically, she told me that she wanted to come and see me
in person to explain everything, but she didn’t know when she’d be able to do
it.  Oh, and she said her phone tore up and she just got a new number today.  She
claims she’s not using, but I don’t know…it seems more likely that she is.”

“Wait
and hear her out before you start jumping to conclusions.”

Stone
sat up beside me, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his feet resting
on the hardwood floor.

“I
didn’t think I’d ever hear from her again,” I whispered, relieved that she had
called me.

He
kissed my temple.  “See, babe, you’re not alone.”

His
words settled in my brain, and I realized that he was right.  Maybe I still had
my mom, after all.  I hugged him, glad that he was here with me.  “I think I’d
like a piece of your mom’s coconut pie.”

He
laughed.  “You got a call from your mom and now you want pie?”

“I’m
relieved, I guess.  I didn’t think she wanted anything to do with me…and I’m
hungry.”

“Then
let’s go have pie,” he said as he helped me to my feet.  The house was dark,
and he flipped the living room light on as we made our way to the kitchen.

I
sat at the table while he placed a slice of pie on a plate and set it in front
of me with a fork and a paper towel. 

“Milk
or tea?” he asked.

“Milk.”

He
poured me a glass of milk and sat in the chair beside me with his own glass of
sweet tea. 

“Don’t
you want a piece?” I asked.

A
mischievous grin crossed his face.  “Oh, yeah, I want a piece, but I’ll wait
until a more appropriate time.”

“What?”
I asked, and then the meaning of his words dawned on me.

“Stone!”

“Hey,
you asked.”

I
kept quiet while I ate the remaining pie.  As soon as I finished, he scooped up
our dishes and set them in the sink.

I’d
never seen this side of him until the last couple of days.  He was really sweet
and caring, and he made me feel loved.  Despite his sometimes hard exterior,
this was a guy who could really take care of a woman.  I was pretty sure that
if Scarlet saw this side of Stone, even she’d grow fond of him.

“Thank
you,” I whispered as I stood and faced him.  “For being here for me.”

“That’s
what love’s all about, Dara.  One of these days, you’re going to understand
just how much I love you.”

I
grinned.  “Oh, I am?”

He
held my eyes with his own, his expression serious.  “You are.”

In
that moment, he renewed my faith in him and in his love for me.  He looked at
me so intensely that it was as if he were baring his soul to me through those
clear blue eyes.  Not only had I forgiven him, but I had fallen even more in
love with him.

I
would have been rocked to my core with fear and uncertainty if it hadn’t felt
so right.

“It’s
getting late.  Shouldn’t Mr. Milton be back by now?” he asked.

I
shrugged.  “The store doesn’t close for another half hour.  Sometimes he stays
and works in the office after it closes.  He hasn’t said much to me, but Granny’s
death has hit him hard, too.  I think he tries to stay strong for me.  Knowing
him, he’ll pour himself back into work now.  I guess it keeps him occupied. 
There’s nothing worse than an idle mind to make one drown in his own sorrows.”

“Maybe
we should call and check on him,” Stone suggested.

I
dialed his number, and he answered immediately.  My suspicions had been
correct.  He did plan to work a while, and he warned me not to wait up for him
because he couldn’t sleep, anyway.  I knew how he felt.  Adjusting to life
without Granny was going to be difficult, and the next two days were going to
be pure torture.  How could Mr. Milton and I say goodbye to someone we loved so
dearly?

“Maybe
it’s better if he does work.  His night shift manager isn’t married, and he usually
stays and works with Mr. Milton.  They’re friends, so maybe he’s helping Mr.
Milton, you know, the way you’re helping me.”

Stone
smiled.  “I hope so.”

He
reached out and took me by the hands.  “You want to sit out on the porch?”

“Sure.”

I
followed him outside, and he sat in one of the rockers.  I walked past him and
sat in the one beside him.

“I
don’t want you over there,” he said.  “Come here and sit in my lap.”

It
wasn’t a request, and I complied.

He
pulled me onto his thighs, my legs dangling over the arm of the chair, his
hands warm on my bare legs.

“Are
you ready for tomorrow?” Stone asked, his fingertips caressing my knee.  His
eyes were cast downward, his brow slightly furrowed, and I wondered what he was
thinking about.

“I
don’t know,” I answered truthfully.  Could anyone ever really be ready?

“If
you need me to lay out of school, I will.”

Part
of me wanted him to, but I knew how important his attendance was to his dad. 
Besides, I could handle it.  What choice did I have?  Death was a part of life,
and I needed to dig deep and find the courage to deal with Granny’s passing.

“No,
that’s okay.”

“Are
you sure?”

I
nodded.  “Yeah.  Besides, Mr. Milton will be with me, and maybe it will be good
for the two of us to have some time alone.  Maybe he needs me.”

“That’s
what I love about you.”  His lifted his eyes to my face.

“What?”
I asked, having no idea what he was talking about.

“You’re
always thinking about other people.”

“I
guess I have Granny to thank for that because that’s the example that she set
for me.”

He
rocked us slowly, his feet remaining on the porch as his legs did the work.  I
thought about Granny who was so short that when she pushed off the porch, her
feet would become airborne before coming back down to tap the porch again.

“What’s
your favorite memory of her?” Stone asked.

I
smiled.  “I have so many wonderful memories of her that it would be difficult
to choose.  For my sixth birthday, she asked me what kind of birthday cake I
wanted.  I told her that I wanted chocolate and white and strawberry, but not
all mixed up.  So she baked me three different cakes, and every one of them had
its own set of six birthday candles.  I got to make three different wishes and
blow the candles out three times.”

“And
what did you wish for?”

“One
wish was pretty ordinary for a little girl.  I wanted to be a princess.”

“And
the other two?”