River Road (River's End Series, #4) (16 page)

Everyone went silent, including Kate. Her eyes widened as she glanced around and realized what she screamed out by losing her temper. She dropped her head and unclenched her fists. She had a bad habit: she tended to go off half-cocked, saying anything and everything that came to her mind when she was mad. Whether it were true or false, once provoked, she spewed whatever vile thought crossed her mind. It rarely happened, which is probably why she really lost her shit that time. Her temper blew, like a dirty bomb detonating in a crowd. No one was safe. Not AJ. Not Erin. Not Jack, even if he deserved it. And worst of all, not herself. She finally revealed her connection to Jack. The one fact she preferred to conceal. She totally planned to disappear from the premises with the knowledge. Now, her head bowed under the weight of her confession.

“What?” Jack finally asked, his tone sounding as dumbfounded as she felt.

“I wasn’t snooping around to come after you; you’re my half brother. I was trying to figure out why my mother never told me about you. I thought you had some fatal flaw that would let her off the hook for doing something so horrible.”

Erin’s gaze felt hot on her. “I can’t read. Or at least, I can’t read a document like the one you tried to give me. I get particularly embarrassed about it around strangers, especially someone like you, a woman my age, who is obviously successful, and smart. My only fear was your scorn, not my husband’s wrath.”

Kate shut her eyes and her shoulders stooped down.

Jack’s hand was on Erin’s shoulder. “You thought I could actually beat my wife? That’s what you were hoping to discover?”

“No. I just saw her reacting with fear and I leapt to a conclusion. Obviously, the wrong conclusion. I’m sorry, Erin, for… putting you in such a position. I honestly had no idea. So when he butts in to help you, it’s simply because…”

“I can’t read. Yes. It’s him supporting me, not abusing me, Kate. He knows how much it embarrasses me and he’s just trying to protect me. He’s the most kind, generous, loyal, and protective man I’ve ever known. And you are not our friend. I don’t know what game you’re running by coming here. But I…”

“Aliza Tribony. That was my mother’s maiden name. She married Henry Jack Rydell. Then she walked away from the ranch when you were two years, two months and four days old. She never contacted you again. She… she was my mother too.”

Jack’s entire body stiffened and he withdrew his hand from Erin as his gaze met Kate’s and he squinted at her. “How do you know that?”

Kate’s shoulders slumped further. “I told you, she’s my mother too.”

Jack shook his head. “Why couldn’t you just have introduced yourself? Why all the shenanigans? Staying at our resort? Talking to my boys? My brothers? Cornering Erin for information? What did you hope to gain?”

“Gain? Oh, for Christ’s sake, Jack, nothing. I could buy and sell you if I chose to. Okay? This isn’t about money. I pulled in the first day and went to the house there. I didn’t even know about the resort. I ran into AJ, who unknowingly assumed I was a guest. I decided to lay low and find out what you were like. I was about fifty percent sure I wasn’t going to ever tell you who I was. So I—”

“That was you lying low? Stalking my family? Seducing my foreman? What can I do for you, Kate?”

Kate glanced to the side. AJ was as stiff and blank-faced as the rest of them. “I didn’t seduce AJ. I wasn’t stalking anyone. It had nothing to do with you actually. More specifically, I was trying to understand how the mother I knew, loved, and adored could abandon her firstborn child. I desperately wanted to find a good reason for it. Because if there were a good reason, then it meant my mom was the woman whom I loved and believed in for my entire life. But if there weren’t a good reason, as it now appears… then it means my mother was wrong. She was evil. I don’t quite know how to handle that.”

“Ask her those questions yourself. I have no desire to know her.”

Kate’s voice lowered, bereft of all heat and anger now. She stared at her fingers, and linked them together in front of her stomach. “I would love to, but she’s dead. I found out about you after she died. It was while I was examining her private things. So, you can celebrate her demise, Jack, she’s very dead.”

Silence, then Jack asked, in a tone a bit less volatile, “When? When did she die?”

“April.”

“This last April?”

“Yes.”

There was a long sigh. “I’m sorry about that, Kate. Really, I am. I understand now how that would propel you here. Both Erin and I lost our mothers. We understand the kind of grief you must be enduring, and why you might not have been yourself in handling this. Perhaps it was not how you should have done it. But understand this: she never meant anything to me. I don’t even remember her. I don’t even have a picture of us together. I hardly knew her name or the bare bones facts of her life. She means nothing to me. I don’t really want to open any doors to her. My mother was Donna Rydell. I already suffered the devastating experience of grieving for my mother after her premature death.”

Tears burned hot and achy in Kate’s eyes at hearing Jack’s softly issued confession. He was far less rude and abrasive than he had been to date. She was surprised by the positive change, and nodded her head sympathetically in response.

She replied, “I understand too.”

Spinning on her heel, before the tears fell, Kate could not bear for any of them to see her break down. The talk of her mother soon became too much for her. It was still impossible for Kate to see her mom as the villain in this scenario, but apparently, she was. She was the woman Jack couldn’t even remember. She was his mother and yet, she had cold-bloodedly abandoned him. And worse still? Kate would never know the reason
why
. How could her mom do such a thing?

AJ stepped back and headed off in the opposite direction. Her heart swelled until it hurt her chest. He’d never forgive her. She had revealed their affair, knowing how important it was to AJ that she keep it quiet. Not only that, but she also violated the stupid rules laid down by Jack. Somehow, she knew the revelation that she was Jack’s sister wouldn’t allay anything, but only make it worse.

She clutched the bag with the infamous papers around her shoulder. That’s what started it all. Erin couldn’t read? How could Kate have ever guessed that was the cause of her odd behavior? And why couldn’t she? It was so surprising. Why didn’t Jack just teach Erin to read? Or pay a tutor to teach her?

She kicked a loose rock near her foot and started down the trail towards the cabins. Entering hers with a heavy heart, she began gathering her stuff and setting it all inside her trunk. She glanced around one last time with unmasked disappointment before shutting the door, with the keys in her hand. She walked to the check-out office. Jocelyn was there as usual.

“I’m checking out.”

“How was your stay? Will you be coming back?”

“It was… informative. I doubt I’ll be back though. But the resort? Pretty amazing.”

She walked to her car, opened the driver’s door and stared off towards the river. She could see AJ’s trailer, but only as a smudge, it was so far down the way. She slammed her car door. She wasn’t running away from him. She had to talk to him. She’d say goodbye, sorry, see you in the next life… or something.

Walking down the ranch road, Kate was scanning for AJ’s broad back or the telltale white hat. Finally, she found him beside the river. They were working on a pipe that ran into the water.  She waved. He noticed her, but quickly turned away. She thought he was ignoring her until he said something to Caleb before turning and approaching her. He stopped a few feet back, putting his hands on his hips.

“I’m packed. I just thought…”

“Goodbye, Kate.”

He was so cold. Especially after all the warmth she uncovered beneath his shyness. That’s it? Her heart felt like it melted into a puddle of disappointment. That was all he had to say to her? About them?

“I hope what I said won’t jeopardize anything for you with Jack.”

His hard gaze at her was emphasized by his tight-lipped mouth and frown of disapproval. “Which part? Ignoring Jack’s rules? Or because you’re his sister?”

“A sister he wants nothing to do with. I’m sorry. How could I tell you that? I wasn’t even planning on telling him.”

“Oh? But you did tell him, didn’t you? As epically as you tell everyone anything you think. You vomit whatever is in your head in spurts and all others be damned.”

She dropped her gaze to her toes, now properly shamed. “I admit I have a bad temper…”

“From the moment I met you, you say and do anything you please. No cause for concern about anyone but yourself. Or anyone else’s beliefs or lifestyles. I bet your whole life is filled with a wake of people just like me. You plow over, through, and under them, doing whatever suits you, and then when your needs are met, you move on. Done. Forgotten. Just like Greg. Just like what you just did up there to Jack and Erin.”

Kate flinched. “I truly had no idea Erin was illiterate.”

“You practically accused Jack of beating her. There was no indication of that. I would have told you about Erin if I thought it was any of your business. Or if I suspected you’d go after her so ruthlessly. They don’t broadcast their flaws to strangers, they are discreet. But it’s not a secret. It’s about respect. However, I have a feeling there are very few things you respect in life. You’re too busy always being right.”

AJ turned and darted away. Kate opened her mouth to yell after him, but let her words wither in her chest. There was no use. Not if the set of his shoulders were any indication. She stepped back. Shocked at mild-mannered AJ’s verbal attack on her, she bit her lip. She went too far. Heat and shame filled her, remembering how doggedly she’d gone after Erin, and accused Jack, and now… what? She lost any chance of being welcome here. Even if she no longer knew if she wanted that.

She was done. She would leave River’s End and go back to Seattle where she freaking belonged. The strange thing was, her heart felt so heavy that it seemed to sink further in her chest than before. She had a hard time recalling her condo. Or even remembering what living there was like. She would go to work, dressed so much more appropriately and stylish than her pink boots and the jean shorts she wore this week. She would not have had sex with a man who lived in a trailer and ate baloney sandwiches for all his daily calories. Or prayed for his soul after she defiled it.

River’s End sounded awful.

And it was. Worst of all? Leaving AJ so disgusted by her actions. She would be the girl he regretted for the rest of his life. The one who used and abused him, coaxing him to abandon his morality and clean living by breaking his celibacy. Perhaps, if she hadn’t ruined it, he might have concluded it wasn’t such a terrible thing. But after she so thoroughly corrupted that memory, he would always hate her.

She almost couldn’t stand the stab of regret and sharp pain she suffered at that knowledge.

Turning slowly, she trudged back to her car. She got in, started the ignition and watched the resort fade into a blur in her rearview mirror.

KATE SQUINTED HER EYES and set her foot on the brake. The damn gate was shut! The main gate to the resort road was shut and chained with a padlock. Incredulously, she got out of her car and stomped towards it, jerking on the chain. No shit. They locked it. What the hell? Why? They must have thought she’d already left and wanted to lock her out. Bit excessive, wasn’t it? It had to be some kind of fire hazard to lock in their other guests. Sighing, she dropped the lock and glanced around. Then, she spotted a figure walking, except it was more like jogging, from the main ranch house.

Erin
. Erin was sprinting towards her. Kate crossed her arms over chest, waiting.

“You locked me in, or perhaps you intended to lock me out?” she called as Erin got closer.

Erin finally slowed up, brushing her hair back from her face. “Hey, Kate. I locked you in.” Erin removed a key from her pocket and undid the padlock, releasing the chain and swinging the gate open.

Kate’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “You really locked me in?”

“I figured you probably went off to talk to AJ before storming out of here. I wanted to make sure I caught you. Otherwise…” She shrugged.

Kate squinted skeptically at Erin. “That mild-mannered thing you do isn’t real, is it? I thought this place was all under Jack’s control, but you’re the one in the driver’s seat, aren’t you?”

Erin smiled as she finished latching the gate to a hook in the ground. “Kate, withdraw the claws. I apologize for how I reacted earlier. You caught me in a moment. I was embarrassed by my inability to read the proposal, and everything else became secondary to my need to hide that from you. So I missed your whole intention. You weren’t trying to bully me, but you must’ve guessed I had a secret, one that I was protecting; the wrong secret, yes, but a secret all the same, and you were just trying to help me. You didn’t turn your back on me and ignore it, or chalk it up to being
our business
, when you sensed I could be in a violent situation. Thinking more rationally about it later, I realized yeah, it wasn’t that far of a stretch. And I also admire the guts it took to go up against us when you believed you were doing so for my safety. Unfortunately for you, I go ballistic when strangers get the faintest inkling that I can’t read.”

Erin’s hands were now on her waist. She was a small woman, and several inches shorter than Kate. Her hair ruffled in the afternoon breeze.

“How come you can’t read?”

“I’m dyslexic. Shane’s wife, Allison, is a school teacher and now she’s a certified dyslexic specialist. She tutors me. I’ve actually started to learn to read, but there is no way I could have read the stuff you handed me. I’m usually just dealing with the guests here, and the horses, of course, and I’m mostly outside, so it rarely ever comes up. Both times when it happened with you surprised me. Again, I lose my mind while trying to conceal it. Jack knows that and he just wants to protect me.”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

A small smile lifted Erin’s lips. “Most people don’t. I lived here for months before Jack figured it out. Speaking of my reception here… Well, I think you need to come into the house and have a civilized talk with us. If you’re Jack’s sister, you can’t leave, not with things the way they are.”

“So you’re the one who locked me in?”

She grinned. “I did. I figured you were doing damage control with AJ.”

“He’s pretty mad.”

“He’s not the only one.”

“Jack doesn’t know you stopped me?”

“Not yet.” She grinned wider.

“You’re not afraid of him at all?”

Erin burst out laughing. “No, not hardly.” She tilted her head. “You know, his temper is a bit like yours. When he goes off, look out. But otherwise, he’s generally rational and wonderful. Anyway, what do you say? You’re here. It would be completely stupid for you to leave now, not like this. Your secret was revealed at the wrong time and in the wrong way; so now, let’s all be adults about it and work out what we should do next.”

Kate nodded. “I could probably be a whole lot more adult.”

“Good. Pull your car over and park, and come back with me.”

Kate followed Erin until they entered the main yard of the ranch and she saw Jack walking out from the barn. He was frowning as he wiped his hands on a rag. “What’s going on?” His tone was calmer than before, and his statement was directed at Erin.

“Let’s meet your sister. She’s agreed to be adult about the subject, so we’re going inside to discuss it and see if we can figure it out.”

Jack threw the rag behind him on a fence post. “All right. I suppose we should.”

Kate didn’t meet Jack’s gaze. Her cheeks burned just from listening to them. Realizing that Erin had more control than Jack in their relationship, there was no doubt how wrong she was. She glanced down at the little woman before her. Interesting. She was as petite as a child, yet seemed to rule the whole place with an iron fist.

Meanwhile, Jack was her brother. The knowledge made her completely uncomfortable. She wasn’t sure she wanted a brother. She’d always been an only child. This pursuit answered part of her question, but now she had to deal with her mother’s inexcusable actions.

She followed them to the porch of the main house. Entering, she looked around and was visibly impressed. The fireplace was two stories tall and the stairs had a balcony that overlooked the entire first floor. It was huge and elegantly furnished.

“Go ahead and sit down, Kate. Can I get you another lemonade? Shall we try this again?” Erin offered.

Kate nodded, sitting at the kitchen table and resting her arms before her. She nervously linked and unlinked her fingers as she stared at them. Jack sat across from her in a chair. Erin came back with the ice-cold drinks, and Kate gripped hers as if it were the Holy Grail. She cleared her throat and reached into her messenger bag where she had crammed all her paperwork while vacating the cabin, and extracted the proof of who she was. She slid the folder to Jack, saying, “My birth certificate, and my mother’s, along with her marriage license.”

Jack took it. His demeanor wasn’t half as confident or macho as it had been earlier. He didn’t meet her gaze and she twitched and hesitated, but he finally opened the folder and perused it. Minutes ticked by before his hand lay flat on the paperwork and he softly sighed, lifting his eyes to hers.

“So you
are
my sister.”

Kate pressed her lips together. “Seems so.”

He stared at her forehead and his eyes descended, pausing briefly on her face. He was looking for any resemblance. Kate knew instantly. She’d done the same thing to Jack when he wasn’t aware of it.

“I wondered why you kept staring at me over the last few weeks. I thought perhaps you were…” He trailed off and nearly shuddered, clearing his throat. “I thought you might be interested, but you were actually looking for any signs of a family resemblance.”

“Yes. I was. I was also trying to determine if getting to know you was even worth my time.”

“And?”

“And I think you are. Or at least, I like the woman you married and that reflects well on you.”

Jack’s smile was swift. He grabbed Erin’s hand and held it. “I do have good taste.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “So… Kate, you were saying, all this turmoil came about because you are really a consulting executive?”

Kate nodded, her tone and demeanor now more subtle and subdued, like Jack was. She described her job, along with her living circumstances in Seattle. Jack nodded at her bag. “Do you still have those suggestions with you?”

Kate slipped them out and set them before him. Jack scanned them briefly and asked, “Do you mind if I take few days to review them?”

“No, you can keep them.”

They started conversing, although it was slow and awkward. It didn’t flow immediately or take off, but at least, it remained calm and they did learn a few facts about each other. Jack cleared his throat. “So you’ve met my boys?”

“Yes, Ben is engaged to his high school sweetheart and Charlie is nagging AJ to become a bull rider. He’s very shy with me. But Ben is very polite. He looks so much like you.”

Jack’s smile was genuine and it grew wider as he replied, “Yes. So does that make you their aunt?”

“I guess so. I’ve never been an aunt before.”

“They’ve had only Allison for the last year. So…”

Erin leaned back in her chair. She was much more at ease than either Jack or Kate. “Look, Kate, why don’t you stay for a while? Now that we know who and what you are to us, it could be a totally different experience. We have this huge house, sitting here all empty. You can stay here as long as you want. There is a home office with all the equipment you could possibly need. You mentioned you were catching up on some work from here, so why not continue to? Stay as long as you like. I don’t see how we’ll ever get to know each other otherwise. You’ll go home and I don’t foresee you ever coming back. Not based on this one conversation. It’s nice we all aren’t yelling anymore or trying to second guess each other. Now that I’m not being beaten by my husband, and Kate isn’t after Jack, what does it mean? Nothing yet.”

Kate jolted straight up, never having expected the invitation. She glanced at Jack for his reaction and their gazes collided. Jack shrugged, clearing his throat. “It’s true, the house is empty. You wouldn’t have to put up with anyone else and you’d have a lot more space than you do in the cabin.” He eyed her up and down. “And it’s true, I don’t foresee us coming to Seattle, not with my boys and Erin and all… but you’re already here. If you leave now, nothing will come of this event.”

Kate stared at her fingernails, clicking the ends together nervously. “Do you want it to? I mean, do I want something to come from this?”

His mouth opened and then closed, and he shook his head. “I’ve known the truth for about two hours. I can’t answer that yet, Kate. I don’t know what I want. But I guess the whole sister thing is big. And I don’t know what it means, but maybe it means something.”

Something.
What did he mean? To her life? To theirs? It reminded her of AJ. She remembered what he was searching for in his life and from the people in it. Her heart squeezed, and she rose with renewed optimism. Maybe she could ask him to forgive her. Or at least, not hate her. And not remember her with a bad taste in his mouth. Even if she already felt that way about herself.

“I could stay for a few weeks. Why else be the boss, right?”

“Right.” Jack smiled, and so did Erin.

So that was it. She was now an officially invited guest of her brother. She didn’t expect that to be the result of the day that went so wrong, so fast, and was mostly doomed because of her own doing. But now? She had a brother and a sister-in-law and a nice place to stay.

Erin sipped her drink before setting it down with a sigh. “When I showed up at this ranch, I was searching for my brother after my mother killed herself. I was very sad and feeling lost. Strangely, you came here for the same reasons. I think there must be something to that.” She shook her head, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her face. “Of course, you’re a successful business woman. I was a homeless illiterate without a cent or any prospects to my name. I got stranded here whereas you came here as a guest, and are now
our
guest. My point is, I understand the pain of losing a mother. And your brother is a lot nicer than the one I came here looking for. I hope you give Jack a chance, Kate. As well as this place. There is something special about it. I wasn’t born and raised here, but it is the only place that I ever felt like I belonged.”

Erin rolled her eyes and wiped them, laughing softly in obvious embarrassment at making such a tender speech. Jack nodded. “Her brother was horrible. He stole all her money, along with her luggage and car, leaving her all alone here with nothing to her name. I can’t be that bad, comparatively speaking.” He shrugged, and a little smile curled his lips.

Kate glanced at their linked hands. “I’m afraid I could be. Are you sure you want me to stay?”

“Well, we won’t know unless we try, will we? And if Erin approves, then she knows better than me. I don’t read people as clearly as she does.”

Kate sat back, letting out a sigh, and finally relaxing. “You won’t punish AJ for my involvement with him, will you?”

Jack shuddered. “I don’t need to know anything more about it. I have no comment.”

Erin glanced at Jack. “Yes, I was going to have a little discussion about that. Did you forbid the ranch hands from associating with the guests?”

Jack shifted his butt around, and ducked his head down. “Well, no, not like that. I didn’t want a bunch of complaints from any heartbroken single women, or men whose wives were cheating, or young daughters being taken advantage of, or whatever the word is. We have a good-looking crew of men, and I just wanted to avoid any drama or lawsuits. Or fist fights. It’s not like they aren’t good enough. Crap! I like them far better than anyone staying here,” he added, shifting his glance to Kate. “No offense. But I just thought it would be better to have a ‘no sex with guests’ as our unwritten policy.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know about that rule. Yeah, Jack, we can’t be limiting people’s interactions or controlling their personal lives.” She nodded towards Kate. “No, Jack will tell AJ himself that it isn’t any of our business, is it?”