River's End (River's End Series, #1) (12 page)

He looked past her, towards the river, beyond where the mountains rose, one step at a time, until the top ridge seemed to scrape the sky and fill the entire horizon. Frowning, he seemed as if he’d never seen the place before.

“Don’t you ever come here?” she asked finally.

“Sure when it’s a hundred degrees out to swim. But not with quite the appreciation you seem to have.”

She processed the image. Jack swimming? Jack relaxing on a beach? Jack without his signature frayed jeans and worn cowboy boots? His concession to warm weather seemed to be a t-shirt. She couldn’t imagine him relaxing, or worse, in a pair of shorts.

She finally shrugged. “You grew up here. You probably don’t know what a gift this place is.”

His gaze narrowed on her and he said quietly, “I know what this place is. I just didn’t expect someone like you would.”

Someone like her? What was it about her that so set Jack off? What made him think she was some kind of crack whore who was always jonesing for more drugs?

She turned away and looked at the river. “So why did you come to find me? Do you want me to leave tomorrow?”

“I talked to Charlie and he told me what happened. What
really
happened. You don’t really think I’m so gullible I believed Charlie, do you? Oh wait, judging by your reaction, I think you must have.”

“So tomorrow,” she said, her voice sounding determined and her face stoically placid. She would not look at him. She would not cry. She would not beg him to let her stay there. Or keep her safe. Or let her be there another day.

“I haven’t fired Chance yet. So unless you feel like leaving, I have no intention of evicting you.”

She let out a breath and looked up at him sharply. “You’re not kicking me out?”

“No.”

“Not yet,” she clarified.

He frowned. “Okay, not yet.”

She nodded. Good. She needed to keep it real. She had to keep the reality in her brain that was quickly going soft whenever she pretended she could stay there. As if her world could ever be that stable or secure.

“Charlie’s punishment is apologizing to you. Why don’t you come up to the house for dinner tonight?”

She stepped back and almost fell into the sand. Jack Rydell had just invited her to his house? She looked up at him, and her eyes narrowed. He was making his son apologize to
her
. She couldn’t believe it.

“Ms. Poletti, did you hear me?”

She nodded. Finally, she found her voice. “Yes. Are you sure?”

“About what? That Charlie can’t lie and yell because he feels like it? Yeah, I’m sure.”

“I mean about me coming to dinner?”

“Yeah. Why? Is that a problem?”

“No. Not at all. I just didn’t expect it. He really doesn’t have to apologize. He was upset, and it wasn’t about me. I just happened to be there. I get that.”

“He’ll apologize.”

Jack looked at her for a moment, then turned and left the beach. Erin collapsed into the cool sand.
Holy shit.
She wasn’t homeless yet. And she was going to dinner. With Jack.

Jack looked up when he heard the soft knocking on the door. It was so loud in the living room, with his brothers and Ben watching a movie, that he almost didn’t hear the timid, little tapping of Erin’s knuckles. Getting up to open the door, he felt a strange hitching in his gut, somewhere in the center of his chest.

Erin stood there, nearly as small as Charlie. Her head didn’t even hit him mid-chest. Her hair spiraled around her face before it was collected at the back of her neck. Her eyes looked big and deep under the porch light. She wore a skirt. One of those annoying, flouncy skirts that brushed over her legs. He hadn’t seen one of those since her first few days here. He thought she wore the ridiculous get-ups to attract his and his brothers’ attention. Now he was starting to think she really had nothing better to wear.

He was staring at her. Jack realized it, but only after a prolonged moment of his eyes studying her from her head to her toes. He stepped aside and let her in. She walked through, sliding her arms out of Joey’s jacket as she passed. He stared again. It was one of those shirts. A scooped-neck thing that dipped as she took the coat off. She quickly adjusted the neckline so it was higher up, but not before he glimpsed a peek of her magenta-colored, lace bra.

He shut the door to get his eyes off her smooth, white skin that filled the magenta lace. It was unfortunate that Chance Poletti had a sister who was not only so young, but also unusually pretty. Almost any woman would have been attractive there at the ranch, if only due to the lack of them in the neighborhood. But to have one show up like Erin Poletti. Was it any wonder Joey was all over her? If it hadn’t been Joey, it would have been one of them, Jack included, he realized with a start. He would have too. If Joey hadn’t seen her first, or wasn’t staring at her and nearly drooling, Jack would have noticed her, and wanted her.

It was much easier to dislike her and want nothing to do with her before he began to see beyond what he had her pegged as. Now, as she looked around the testosterone-filled living room, and twisted her hands together, the nerves, and her visible shyness came as a shock to him, considering how she was when she first showed up there.

Joey hadn’t turned from the TV until he heard Jack shutting the door. He stood up. “What are you doing here?” Joey asked her as he glanced up at the wall clock. “It’s a little early, isn’t it?”

The rest of the brothers turned. Erin looked down as a delicate blush started in her neck and flushed through her cheeks. Jack stopped in the process of hanging up her coat. She was blushing because of what Joey just said. She didn’t like Joey’s comment. Or that everyone knew what Joey was talking about. Jack frowned when he realized just how much he didn’t like it either.

“Jack invited me to dinner.”

Joey glanced at Jack. So did Ian, Shane and Ben. Charlie merely scooted deeper into the couch. Jack stood up straighter. “Actually, Charlie did. He has something he’d like to say, don’t you, son?”

All the gazes switched to Charlie, who stared at his feet. “Charlie?”

“Maybe we should talk in private,” Erin suggested suddenly.

Charlie’s head came up and he nodded vigorously. Jack considered that. He supposed Charlie might be embarrassed. Yeah, that wasn’t such a bad idea. Jack nodded, and threw Erin her coat. “Charlie, why don’t you join us on the porch?”

Charlie got up, but his shoulders slumped. Jack opened the door and let Erin pass, then Charlie. He was glad when she zipped her coat; there were less distractions that way.

Erin leaned against the porch railing and Charlie stared at his feet. Jack nudged his son’s shoulder. “Okay, Charlie, you can quit acting like I’m about to whip you. I think everyone gets the idea how traumatized you are with my punishment.”

Charlie’s face lifted and he finally smiled. Erin’s gaze landed on Jack, who caught her eye over Charlie’s head. What surprised her? That he had a sense of humor?

“I’m sorry, Ms. Poletti, for shouting at you. And saying that stuff. I was upset and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

Erin smiled and Jack blinked. She looked different smiling at Charlie. She looked kind, and soft. It had been a long time since there’d been such softness at the ranch, much less, in his life. Once again, he worried about the detriment to his sons by not having a single feminine influence in their daily lives.

“It’s okay, Charlie, and you can call me Erin.”

Charlie glanced at him for permission. “It’s fine, since she said you can.”

Charlie grinned. “Thanks, Erin.”

Jack put a hand on Charlie’s bony shoulder. “Next time I catch you lying, Charlie, it won’t be a simple apology.”

“I know, sir. I won’t do it again.” Charlie turned and hugged him. “Can I go inside now? We were watching
a movie.”

Jack nodded and watched Charlie scamper back inside. He turned and found Erin watching them. The sun had set, and the sky behind her was orange, making the trees and barns appear black. The twilight glowed around her. Their eyes met and stared. The silence went on too long and she shifted the weight on her feet.

“You’re really good with him.”

“Who? Charlie?” he asked, surprised. “He’s my son. Why shouldn’t I be?”

She shrugged. “I mean you’re… just different with him and Ben than you are with the others.”

He had no idea what she was talking about and looked at her strangely. She tried again. “You’re just kind to them. And supportive without being a jerk about it. I guess I was a little surprised at how much so.”

He smirked. “You mean because of how I am towards you?”

She looked away. “Maybe I should go. I don’t have to stay for dinner.”

Jack looked past her, feeling uncomfortable as to why he kept staring at her. He shrugged. “Ian cooked dinner. So it’ll be pretty decent if you want to stay.”

“Ian cooks?”

“We all cook. I just suck at it. On the weekends, we each take turns, except for Charlie. We always look forward to Ian’s night. He’s the only one who’s pretty decent at it.”

“I don’t think Joey wants me here.”

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. At the mention of his brother’s name, his teeth gnashed. “Aren’t you… here often for Joey?”

She looked away and stared at the chairs haplessly arranged over the long porch. “Joey doesn’t have me here with you all. Besides, I don’t think I should be here anymore… like that, I mean.”

Jack stared at her downturned face. God, she was beautiful. “I see.”

Her eyes shot up to his. “It’s not like I’ll break his heart or anything. We were just…”

“I know.”

She nodded. “So I should go.”

She should. She should go. And he should let her. Except, as she turned to take a step, he asked, “What do you do in that thing?”

She faltered and stopped as she looked up at him. He nodded towards the trailer.

“What? The trailer? I just stay. Chance is never there. He must have a girl in town or something. And a bar, of course. He rarely gets home before two or three.”

“There’s nothing to do in there. No TV, no internet, nothing. You read a lot?”

“No. I don’t read a lot. I go to bed early mostly. Then I can get up earlier to enjoy the sun longer. At home, it’s never sunny this many days in a row.”

He squinted at her. “What is it you plan on doing? I mean, are you staying on this side of the mountains? Getting a job here? What?”

“Yes, I’d like to stay over here. I like it. And yes, I am looking for a job. I’m not as lazy as you think I am.”

“I never said you were lazy.”

“You did. You don’t know the things you say without actually saying them to me.”

He uncrossed his arms. “All right, you got me. Can you blame me? Chance is your brother. Not like that’s a good reference. You very well could have turned out just like him.”

“So you don’t think I am? Like him, I mean?”

Why did her big-eyed look seem so hopeful? For what? His approval? Did his opinion matter so much to her? He shook his head. “No, you don’t appear to be a lying, stealing, shiftless piece of shit like your brother is.”

She laughed.

“That doesn’t offend you?”

“About Chance? No. I understand exactly how you feel about him.”

“Then, I ask again, why did you come to him?”

She looked away and crossed her arms to hug her middle. “My mom died. I lost my job. My stepfather wanted me out; and I guess I hoped to find something better than what I had.”

“When did your mom die?”

“A few months back.”

“I’m sorry. I know how hard it is.”

She glanced at him. “I guess you do. Anyway, I should go. Let you guys get back to… well, whatever it is men do together.”

He stepped forward. “Why don’t you come inside?”

She eyed him skeptically, but finally, nodded. “Okay. If it’s okay with you.”

****

Jack watched his brothers’ eyes following her. There was no way they couldn’t. How often did anything small and feminine appear in their midst? And she smelled good. And had pretty skin and big eyes.

Ian didn’t say much to her, but he didn’t say much to anyone. However, his gaze followed her as much as Shane’s unconcealed interest. Shane had no problems engaging Erin in small talk. He flirted with her outrageously. If Joey hadn’t gotten to her first, Shane would have most definitely been the bedroom Erin was coming in and out of. At least, Shane wouldn’t send her out in the middle of the night alone. Ben, too, had a raging crush on her. Each time she talked to him, he blushed and stammered. He followed her around like a puppy, and seemed just as eager to please her.

She appeared overwhelmed with all of them in one room. Jack noticed it now, when he hadn’t before. She was shy, almost timid. And nice. Way nicer than he expected her to be. He could tell she was nervous by the way she waited before speaking or acting, as if to see how those around her did first. She tried to follow what everyone else did.

What most distracted him about her was her top. It never quit dipping down to her breasts, where she constantly tried to reset it. He wasn’t the only one who noticed. Dinner was usually a quick meal. They ate, cleared the dishes, cleaned up, and they were done. Tonight, however, was different. They lingered because Erin ate such small, polite bites. She chewed with her mouth closed and her napkin in her lap; and cut her meat and potatoes into small mouthfuls. So they all slowed down, cut their food smaller, and half-closed their mouths while chewing too. After dinner, she jumped up to help, but Jack waved her off. It would have been too easy to let her. It would have seemed too nice. How long had it been since there was a woman around the house? Kailynn was there most days, but usually not when any of them were in the house. It must have been years since they had a woman there. So many years, Jack temporarily forgot how it felt.

When he looked up at the sound of soft murmurs, he paused with a dripping plate in his hand. Drops of water slid off his hand to the floor. Erin sat at the table with Charlie next to her and their heads were bent over a notebook. They were talking quietly. Finally, she took the spiral notebook and pencil and started sketching. How long since he last saw a woman sitting so closely with his son? Over five years. Longer than five years since Lily sat at that very table
with Ben
. For Lily never sat at the table and helped Charlie with his homework. She was dead long before he entered school.

Jack shook himself and turned away, jamming the plate into the dishwasher. He stared out at the now darkened yard.

“Dad, come look at his.”

Taking a breath, he turned around. His déjà vu feelings were quickly stowed back inside his heart, which was where they mostly resided now.

“Yeah, Charlie?”

“Look at what Erin did.”

He walked closer to the table and she looked uncomfortable at his approach. Charlie slid the spiral notebook towards him. On it was a drawing, which he found kind of offensive: it depicted him, Ian, Shane, and Joey. All of them were drawn in full caricature, with exaggerated representations of their more apparent personality traits. Jack towered, big and tall, over the entire drawing. His cheeks were puffed, and his arms crossed. Ian was smaller and looked solemn; Shane’s grin dominated his face with flirtation, and Joey was so pretty, she drew a sparkle at the top of his head. Jack stared at it, totally surprised. It was amazing. It looked like something professional. Yet, she managed to draw it in the few minutes he spent washing dishes. He glanced at her. Her face was close, and just to the left of him. She looked back and her eyes got big, while her pink tongue darted out and licked her lips. His gaze narrowed in on that. She quickly dropped her head.

Grabbing the tablet, she explained, “I was fooling around. Charlie has to draw his family for school, and we were just kidding around.”

Now they had attracted the others’ attention, who all walked over. They started laughing. The depiction was right on.

“Jesus, can you draw. You take classes to do that?”

She laughed. “Classes? To scribble a cartoon? No. Of course not. It’s just a joke. For Charlie.”

Ben laughed. “Dad, she’s got you down perfect. Instead of lord of the dance, it’s lord of the ranch.”