Diamonds and Dust (Lonesome Point, Texas) (18 page)

Tulsi laughed softly. “Maybe. I’m not sure this is the kind of thing I can sort through in the bathroom at my best friend’s wedding. It might take some time.”

Marisol patted her leg before standing up to resume digging through her purse. “Okay, then we’ll try to take your mind off of it by making you even more beautiful than you are already. I’ve got blush, eye shadow, and mascara that will work for your coloring, but I’m going to have to use Robert’s powder. Mine is too dark.”

“Robert has powder?” Tulsi asked, giggling. “What have you done to him?”

“It’s only for right before he goes onstage,” Marisol said with a wink. “Or that’s what he makes me tell people.”

Fifteen minutes later, Tulsi was leaning closer to the mirror, shocked by the transformation Marisol had worked. She’d felt pretty this morning in her usual blush, mascara, and lip gloss, but now her blue eyes looked impossibly large, her lips fuller, and her complexion so perfect you would think she’d never spent a day in the sun, let alone years riding horses in the desert.

“You like?” Marisol asked. “Personally, I think you’re going to give all those supermodels Pike used to date a run for their money.”

Tulsi blinked her newly lengthened, thickened lashes. “You’re a miracle worker.”

Marisol laughed. “Am not. It’s just good product and a beautiful face to put it on. I’ll send you a care package with directions and one of everything we used next week. Bubba and I have four days in Los Angeles so I’ll have plenty of time to shop.”

Tulsi turned to Marisol, giving her an impulsive hug. “Thank you. This helped. I feel a hundred times better.”

“Good,” Marisol released her with a final squeeze. “Then let’s go have fun. Trouble will keep for tomorrow. Today we need to drink too much champagne and dance our butts off.”

“Agreed,” Tulsi said, following Marisol out to the party in progress.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tulsi

Tulsi spotted Pike and Clem the moment she started down the gently rolling hill toward the reception tent. They sat at a table for two in the shade near the dance floor, their heads bowed together conspiratorially over an increasingly gigantic pile of discarded wing bones. They were talking like old friends, and when Tulsi stopped beside the table, they looked up at her with matching guilty grins.

“That looks like more than ten wings apiece,” Tulsi said, lifting a critical brow.

“You look…different.” Pike’s eyes widened as he studied her face.

“Like a princess,” Clem said in a reverent tone. “I didn’t know you were that pretty, Mama.”

“Well thanks,” Tulsi said wryly. “I think.”

“Your mama’s the prettiest woman I know,” Pike said in a tone that made Tulsi feel warm all over. “With princess makeup or without it.”

“You’re sweet,” Tulsi said, knowing she was blushing. “But don’t think flattery is going to make me ignore that obscene pile of chicken bones on the table.”

“We may have had a wing eating contest,” Pike said, grimacing. “And Clementine may have won.”

“And Mr. Pike may have told me I didn’t have to wear a bib as long as I told you we just forgot about it,” Clem said, giggling when Pike shot her a betrayed look.

“You little tattle tale,” he said, laughing. “I can’t believe you ratted me out.”

“I can’t lie to Mama,” Clem said. “She’d bust my booty.”

Tulsi huffed. “And when was the last time I busted your booty, Clementine Rae? I’ve never spanked you a single time in your life, but if you’d like me to start, let me know.”

“Nope, nope, nope!” Clem stood on the seat of her chair and jumped into Tulsi’s arms, giving her a full arm and leg hug. “I missed you, Mama.”

“Me too. I’ve missed you so much, bug.” Tulsi hugged Clem tight. “Do you want to come home with me? Instead of going back to camp for the last night?”

Clem pulled back to shoot her an “are you crazy” look. “It’s just one more night. And they’re having a bonfire before lights out. We get to throw sticks in it and everything.”

Tulsi nodded sagely while Pike chuckled. “I don’t know what I was thinking. How could a boring night with Mom compare to an excitement packed evening of throwing sticks?”

Clem’s eyes narrowed as she smiled. “That’s sarcasm right there, missy.”

Tulsi grinned. “Caught me. Now give me a kiss and let’s go see if there are any wings left for me.”

Clem gave her a loud peck on the cheek, and Tulsi set her back on her feet before turning to see Pike watching her with a light in his eyes she knew she didn’t deserve. But maybe one day she would. Maybe one day she would have put enough love and truth into their relationship to make up for the secret she kept. Until then, she was going to keep reminding herself that all the good that was going to come of their fresh start was worth the growing pains of learning to live with a lie between them.

“You aren’t mad, are you?” Pike asked softly as they followed Clem to the buffet line. “She was so cute when she was begging for more wings, I couldn’t resist.”

Tulsi shook her head. “No, I’m not mad. But you’re going to have to learn to resist the cuteness sooner or later or she’ll rule you like a tyrant.”

Pike wrapped his arm around her waist. “I’ll try, but it’s hard. She’s diabolically sweet.”

Tulsi grinned up at him. “She likes you, too. But I’m going to wait to tell her about you-know-what until the next time you come to visit. Since you’re leaving the day after she gets back from camp, I don’t think she’d have time to wrap her head around us dating and intending-to-get-married right now.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about that,” Pike said. “Leaving is a dumb idea. I don’t want to be away from you again until I absolutely have to. I’m staying here until I’m either fit to play or you and Clem are ready to come visit the ranch.”

“Really?” Tulsi asked, excitement flushing through her. “You don’t have to go?”

“I don’t,” Pike said, hugging her closer. “But I can get a room at the hotel if you think me sleeping at your place would confuse Clementine. I can stay at Mia’s while she’s on her honeymoon, but after I’m sure I—”

“Don’t be crazy,” Tulsi said, waving a hand through the air. “You’re staying with me. I’ll explain it to Clementine when she gets home tomorrow. She’ll be excited. I know she will.”

“Excited about what?” Clem asked, turning around as she stopped at the end of the buffet line. “I have big ears, you know.”

Tulsi nodded. “I know you do, but we’ll talk about it later.”

“What is it?” Clem asked. “Are we getting a puppy?”

“Oh man, I want a puppy,” Pike said. “Why doesn’t this little girl have a puppy?”

“Don’t you two gang up on me,” Tulsi said with a laugh. “No more animals until Clem and I have a place of our own. I can barely afford horse feed as it is.”

“That reminds me,” Pike said as Tulsi filled a plate. “We should open a joint account in town. That way, anything you need, you’ll be covered.”

Tulsi opened her mouth to protest, but Pike cut her off.

“Don’t try to argue. What’s mine will be yours soon enough anyway, and I want to make sure my girls are taken care of.”

The sweet words were both wonderful and painful, but Tulsi decided to focus on the wonderful. Today was a day for happiness and celebration and she wasn’t going to waste another minute feeling guilty.

After Tulsi had her snack, she, Pike, and Clementine hit the dance floor, spinning in wild circles to the bluegrass band until they were hot and breathless and it was time to cut the cake. As soon as Mia and Sawyer were finished feeding each other the ceremonial first bite, Mia cut Clem a big slice. Clementine had just enough time to eat the entire thing and lick the icing off of her fingers before Tulsi’s father showed up in his pickup truck.

Dale had been invited to the wedding, but he’d begged off, citing the heat and that his wife was out of town as reasons he’d rather be in charge of picking Clem up at camp and dropping her back off. As Tulsi buckled Clem into her booster in the passenger seat, while receiving a lecture on the reasons she shouldn’t drink too much, including a reminder of the time she’d vomited in the bushes at her aunt’s third wedding, she was relieved she hadn’t had to put up with Dad for the entire wedding. So far, no one but Marisol seemed to think anything of Pike and Tulsi being joined at the hip, but Dale certainly would have noticed that Tulsi was spending all her time with a notorious womanizer.

Tulsi kissed Clem goodbye, promised Dad she’d be safe, and stood waving as the truck pulled down the drive. As soon as the truck was out of sight, she turned and hurried back to the party, but she didn’t make it past the corner of the house before Pike grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes.

They were still making out like they were kids again when Tulsi heard the sirens coming from the direction of town, but she didn’t think anything of them. She was focused on wonderful things and the bliss she found in Pike’s arms. It wasn’t until she heard Mia calling her name in a terrified voice that Tulsi’s skin went cold and the sound of the sirens filling the air took on a chilling meaning.

“Clementine,” Tulsi muttered, pulling out of Pike’s arms and dashing from the bushes, heading for the sound of Mia’s voice. She found her best friend running up the rise away from the tent, her cell phone clutched in her hand and tears streaming down her pale face.

“What is it? What is it?” Tulsi asked, gripping Mia’s shoulders and holding on tight, not knowing if she was supporting Mia or the other way around.

“My uncle just called,” Mia said, pain and fear mixing in her eyes. “There’s been an accident. Two kids were drag racing on the highway. One of them hit your dad’s truck head on and Clementine’s air bag exploded.”

“But she’s okay.” Tulsi gripped Mia tighter, her heart slamming in her chest. “Clem’s okay!”

“I don’t know,” Mia sobbed. “They said she was hit with shrapnel from the air bag and maybe the other car. She’s bleeding really bad so they’re taking her straight to the hospital. Sawyer’s getting the truck; we can go right now.”

“No,” Tulsi moaned, rage and terror rocketing through her, making it feel like the ground was tilting beneath her feet. “She’s going to be okay. She has to be okay. She has to!”

“I’ve got you.” Pike appeared behind her, propping her up as her knees buckled. “Come on. We can all fit in the truck. She’s going to be fine. Let’s get there as fast as we can and let her know she’s not alone. She’s going to need her mama.”

Tulsi fought to catch her breath and firm up her legs. Pike was right. Clem needed her. She couldn’t fall apart. She had to get to the hospital and get Clem’s hand in hers and then everything was going to be okay. She couldn’t let herself imagine any other outcome or fathom a world without her baby girl in it. Clem was everything, the best part of her and the biggest piece of her heart.

There was nothing she wouldn’t do to keep her child alive.

When they arrived at the hospital, the Emergency Room nurse met them in the waiting room to explain that Clem was in surgery to remove the shrapnel that had pierced her chest, but that the tiny Lonesome Point hospital was low on blood.

“We’re asking any family members who are a match to donate right away,” the woman with the tired eyes and black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail explained. “Just in case Clementine needs a transfusion. Do you know if you or the father are O positive?”

“I’m A negative,” Tulsi said, not hesitating for a second to do what she had to do. “But Pike is Clementine’s father and he’s O positive. Her Aunt Mia might be too, but I don’t know for sure.”

She felt shock ripple through the people behind her and Mia made a sound like she’d taken a sucker punch to the gut, but Tulsi didn’t waste time trying to explain.

“Can I go to her?” Tulsi asked the nurse. “Maybe if she just saw me in the room, or outside the window, it would help.”

“I’m sorry,” the nurse said sympathetically. “They put her under and no one but the operating team is allowed in the room. They’re taking it slow to make sure they keep her stable while they get all the shrapnel and debris out of her body.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s going to be at least another two hours until she’s out of surgery and then we’ll have to monitor her in recovery to see how she’s responding to coming out of the anesthesia. But as soon as she’s awake and stable, we’ll make sure you’re the first person she sees. The best thing we can do now is get a blood donation from Dad and anyone else who’s a match and go from there.”

Tulsi turned, flinching as she met Pike’s stunned gaze.

“Go with her please,” Tulsi whispered, motioning toward the nurse. “Help our daughter and I swear I’ll explain why I kept it a secret. Just…help her.” Tulsi fought to keep her face from crumpling. “Please, help her.”

With a final dazed shake of his head, Pike pushed past her, following the nurse through the swinging doors.

“Wait,” Mia said, releasing Sawyer’s hand. “I’m O positive. I’ll donate, too.”

Mia hurried after Pike, not sparing Tulsi a glance. But as she passed by, Tulsi caught a glimpse of the hurt and betrayal tightening her best friend’s features. Things were never going to be the same between them. They might not be civil on the other side of this, let alone friends, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was Clem getting through the surgery and staying alive.

Tulsi crossed her arms tight at her chest, refusing to cry when Sawyer laid a gentle hand on her back.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said. “She’s a fighter and she’s strong. She’s going to be okay.”

Tulsi nodded hard and sniffed. “She will. She has to be.”

“Can I get you anything?” Sawyer asked kindly. “Water or a coffee? Find you a chair?”

“No, thank you,” Tulsi said, taking a step away, knowing she didn’t deserve comfort. “I should check on my dad and call my mom in Destin to let her know what’s happening. She’ll want to start looking for a plane flight.”

The ladies at the check-in desk let her know that her father had suffered a concussion and some serious bruising, but was in stable condition and being moved to a room upstairs.