River's Escape (River's End Series, #2) (22 page)

“I still can’t read.”

“Okay, I can go along with your avoidance of working with me and everything, but please, can’t I help you, Erin? I love you. If you need help reading something, why can’t I be the one that helps you?” Jack leaned towards her and took her hand in his. “Please?”

She stared in earnest at him, but finally nodded. “Okay. I guess I could quit the coffee stand.”

It sounded like all three grown men let out a huge sigh of happy. Kailynn felt it too. They waged a huge battle with Erin and won. Jack finally turned and sat down. Erin’s eyes had tears in them, and she excused herself while Jack stared hard at Ian. Kailynn had no idea where he was in all this. Jack nodded his head at Ian and said, “I see exactly what you did here… Thank you.”

Ian nodded back. “You’re welcome. Make sure you don’t screw it up. She needs to do this more than standing around half naked while horn dogs stare at her body. She’s had enough of that to last her whole life.”

“You think that’s why she won’t move in? Because it’s Lily’s house? Did she tell you that?”

Ian’s shaking head denied it. “No. She just thinks she’s not good enough to fill Lily’s shoes. She thinks she doesn’t deserve to take that spot in your life. Charlie doesn’t help with that image either.”

“Why didn’t you just mention this to me before?”

Ian flicked a pen onto the table. “I wasn’t ready to then.”

Jack leaned back. “So we’d have to hire more help, right? There must be a lot of cleaning involved and maintenance for the rooms, not to mention, food prep.”

“The cabins will have self-contained kitchens. I was thinking we could do most of the work, and there’s always AJ and Pablo if we need extra help. Maybe Ben could pitch in. And someday, if this were successful, then there would be lots of ways to expand on this.”

Jack shut his eyes as if the image pained him, but slowly nodded. “You’re thinking we could run the nine hundred acres like a corporation, and what about the other hundred? That’s strictly for us. Our kids. Everyone could have a place.”

“Yeah, everyone has a place then. And it creates some different jobs we’ve never needed before, which offers some variety. Maybe Joey or Ben or Charlie would want to do something besides handling the horses. There are a lot of details to figure out. Permits, insurance, incorporation legalities, but that was my general idea.”

“Shane, what do you think?”

Shane tapped the paper. “Fucking brilliant. When? When did you come up with this?”

“About seven years ago. The orchards can make enough, I think, to cover the start-up costs on this.”

“Seven years?” Shane shook his head. “How did you do that? Not tell us about something for seven years? Damn. Do any of us ever really know what you’re thinking, or doing, or even contemplating?”

Ian smiled a small, secret smile. “We’re grown-ass adults, and we shouldn’t live together. Seriously, what do you think?”

“You serious about letting me have my shares so I can leave if I want?”

“Yeah. You’d always have a spot here to build whatever you wanted. I mean, I don’t have to spell that out, do I? But if you really want out, and no more managing, or any other responsibility for this place, we could buy you out. Same goes for Joey. We’ll have to run this all by Joey too. After that, I’m not sure where Ben and Charlie will stand, but at least, it gives us something to start with.”

Shane tapped his fingers on the table, and finally shook his head in the negative. “Nah.”

Ian smiled. “I figured. You’re just full of shit with how much you want out of here.”

Shane’s smile was mysterious. “I think I might take off for awhile. Just to let you guys sort out the details. Not really my thing. Just leave my shop for a bit. And I vote to do that just to get Erin moved in here. She can’t keep living in that damn trailer, Jack.”

Jack grumbled, “It’s not like I want her there. Jesus, I beg her nearly every day. She’s a lot more stubborn than you could ever imagine.”

“Well, I don’t like the kinds of guys she draws at that coffee stand,” Shane added.

Kailynn’s head bounced between them. They talked as if she weren’t there, with no thought of privacy. Seeing how all three of them cared about Erin was enough to fill Kailynn’s eyes with tears.

Jack glanced at her. “Couldn’t Kailynn do something? I mean, I know being our housekeeper isn’t what you wanted to achieve in your life. There will be management and administration things that have to be handled though. It will be like some kind of hotel, right? Check-ins, credit card payments, unexpected problems… that has to be a lot to handle.”

Shane clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Ian accounted for that too, didn’t you? She’s family, so of course, she gets first crack at that job.”

Kailynn’s head whipped first toward Jack, then toward Shane. Had he just called her
family
? A few weeks ago, she’d have started blushing and stammering in big-eyed wonder to hear Shane say that about her. Instead, she turned slowly to Ian, her eyebrows raised in question. Did he already think of that?

Ian shrugged and said nonchalantly, “Sure, of course there’d be a place for her if she wants it.”

Shane stood up. “Okay, my mind’s melting. I’m going to get a drink. Jack needs to get his girl and explain to her, yet again, how much she deserves to do that. Want to come, Ian?”

Ian was staring at Kailynn and didn’t even glance up at Shane. “No.”

Shane just shrugged and sauntered over to grab his coat. Didn’t anyone notice? Or that Ian never really answered the why of any questions? Jack had already gone down the hall to his room to join Erin, and be alone. Kailynn spun around and began to start the laundry. When she turned back, Ian was right behind her. His arm snuck around her waist and he pulled her against him. She was still not used to him touching her, or holding her, as if it were something he seemed to take for granted. He rested his chin on top of her head.

“Why did you do that now?”

“Are you’re asking if I did that so I can have sex with you without my brothers hearing us? No, I didn’t. As I said before, I started thinking about doing that after I left college. It takes more than two weeks to get architectural plans drawn up. But, yes, I’d really like to have sex in my own private house.”

She shook her head. “Seven years? Who does that? Who keeps things inside like that? No one knows you, do they? You share nothing. You’re actually kind of a brilliant manipulator, aren’t you?”

“No, I guess not many know me. Jack probably knows me the best. I just never needed to share my thoughts with anyone.”

“I can’t imagine the things you could be planning while no one ever guessed or figured it out. I mean, I don’t know you at all. A resort? Houses? I can’t even get my head around all that.”

He buried his face in her hair and rubbed her neck muscles. “You’re right, not many really know me.”

“Including me,” she scoffed.

“I want you to though.”

He was an enigma. She had seen him almost every day for the last four years, and didn’t know two things about him. She had no idea he was so talented, or could multi-task. She had no idea he ran the orchard, or spent the time to draw up the plans he just proposed. She had no idea about him… period.

She definitely had no idea what was happening between them.

“What this could do for Erin kind of makes you wonderful.”

He laughed. “I’m tired of seeing Jack moping around here. He can’t get her to move. Or to quit that job. But most upsetting, he can’t get her to budge on learning how to read. At least, that would get her out of that stupid job and maybe let her start a life here, one she believed would not eventually disappear.”

“You all really care about her, don’t you?”

“Far as I’m concerned, she’s already one of us. Even if they broke up tomorrow, I’d never let anything happen to her if I could help it. Just like we feel about you. You know that, right? You heard Shane in there. That’s far beyond what we started doing. That’s just plain fact.”

She didn’t realize they felt that way. She heard footsteps coming toward the kitchen, so she ducked under Ian’s arms and quickly returned to the laundry. He sighed and mumbled. “Building my own house looks better and better.” He walked out the back door and down towards the barns. She had absolutely no idea what he intended to do. She was just starting to realize that Jack and Shane couldn’t possibly know either; because no one knew what Ian ever was doing or why.

KAILYNN CARRIED THE PLATTER with four full meals and drinks, setting it on an empty table near her destination. She smiled and started to serve the family. They were not locals and claimed to just be passing through. Since they were dressed nicely, she hoped they were also good tippers. Her entire face froze and she nearly dropped the plate of bacon and eggs when she glanced across at the next booth. There sat Odette Mason, her kids… and Ian.

“Miss? Can we get a side of fruit?”

“What?” She glanced down at the man speaking to her. “Oh, yes. Of course. I’ll be right back with it.”

She scurried away, carrying her empty platter, and went behind the counter, pressing her hand over her chest. Was he for real? She could not believe Ian would come there with Odette. Was this some kind of sick joke? Was their entire thing some kind of joke?

Rhonda called, “Table six’s waiting, Lynnie.”

Kailynn tried to stuff her emotions back into her chest and straightened her uniform before steeling her nerves. She dropped the bowl of fruit off for the family, and then approached Ian’s table. Ian saw her and sat up straighter, taking his arm off the back of the booth. She avoided glancing his way.

Odette smiled graciously, seemingly unaware that Kailynn had quite recently slept with her sex buddy. “Hello, Lynnie, how are you these days? I haven’t seen you at church in a few weeks.”

Kailynn gritted her teeth and restrained a snarl at Odette. How dare she question Kailynn not being in church? How holy was Odette to be sleeping with Ian? “Hi, Mrs. Mason, I’ve just been busy. I’ll get back there soon. What can I get you guys?”

She had always called Odette “Mrs. Mason,” since Odette was her Sunday School teacher. How could she call her Odette? She scowled at Ian. Oh, weren’t they just a happy family? When it was Ian’s turn to order, Kailynn kept her gaze fixed on the tabletop. She took his order while trying not to melt into the floor, she was that riled up and hot with anger.

She exited the cozy little scene as soon as she could. Despite hating herself for it, she kept glaring across the expanse of the café and watching them. Ian was leaning forward and playing tic-tac-toe with the boy. He looked up with a little half smile and nodded at something Odette said. How dare he give her that look? That look was reserved exclusively for Kailynn, and the
only
one she wanted directed at her by him. How dare he sit there and give it to Odette right in front of her? Then he leaned back to continue their discussion. His eyes didn’t even try to seek her out. He apparently wasn’t interested in keeping track of her. When she plopped down their drinks, nearly splashing him deliberately, he simply crossed his arms over his chest and fell silent. As soon as she backed away, they went right back to talking. She was almost ready to spit in his bowl of chili he ordered when he leaned across the table and touched Odette’s hand.

When their order was up, she dumped the loaded food tray onto the front counter, and grappled around in the condiments until she found the hot sauce. With a happy, but devious smile, she took the jar and upended it into his chili. There. Better than spit, which he wouldn’t see or know about.

Returning to their table, this time, she smiled and stared right into his eyes. She leaned in extra close, and her blouse revealed her chest just enough to let him look down it. She didn’t usually resort to such juvenile theatrics, but wasn’t above it this time. His eyes moved from her face, down the front of her, and back up and his eyebrows shot up. Was he trying to comprehend her sudden mood shift? With polite precision, she slid Odette’s meal, along with those of her kids, across the table. She decided it wasn’t their fault that Ian was a douche bag, or an asshole that took advantage of virgins.

He deserved whatever he got for coming to
her
café, and place of employment, knowing damn well she’d be there. He was flaunting his too old, too frumpy, freaking fuck-buddy right in front of her. She hoped the hot sauce would burn up his tonsils and leave only charcoal. She hurried away without bothering to turn around and watch the train wreck happen. She heard shuffling before Ian coughed, choked, and cursed. Her smile of satisfaction almost compensated for how much his presence there hurt her. She never thought it could hurt so damn much.

“Ian? What’s wrong? Is it the food?” Odette’s concerned voice rose in alarm.

Kailynn resisted the urge to turn around until she was at the counter. She couldn’t see his reaction, but she knew when he got to his feet. She hoofed it as fast as she could and disappeared into the kitchen. Her heart was beating erratically. The door swung open and Ian strode in as if he were a health inspector, ready to close it down. She ducked behind the big island the cook was working at. The cook frowned at her while trying to figure out why she was crouched down below the counter. She put her fingers to her lips to keep him quiet. Ian took about a minute to find her, since it wasn’t a big place. Duh. She squeaked in surprise when he swooped down on her and nearly dragged her out from her hiding place.

“What the hell, man?” the cook exclaimed, jumping out of Ian’s way. Ian was half dragging, half pushing Kailynn toward the back door.

“We’re just kidding around,” Ian mumbled as he kicked open the door. He let her go so she was up against the back of the restaurant wall. It was quiet back there, facing the river, and from this angle, no one on the street could see them.

Naturally, after his outbreak of anger, he just stood there, glaring at her. Finally, his voice filled the awful silence. “Do you have something to say to me, Kailynn?”

She turned her body, but was only half facing him. “Oh, go back to your little faux-family.”

He leaned closer to her, resting his hand on the cinder block just above her head. His other hand encircled her waist. He pulled her to him, but she pushed away. He won. He was too strong and stubborn, making her stay against him. “I told her we were done. I came in to see you, and she asked to sit down. What was I supposed to say? ‘Sorry, my new girl is about to serve me and won’t like that’? You don’t want anyone to know about us. So there I was.”

“Oh, so you were sitting there for me?” she spat out at him. She tried to extricate herself, but he simply held her arms tighter. She hated when he didn’t rise to her sarcasm. He waited a long moment before she finally lifted her gaze to see what he was doing. He was grinning down at her.
What the hell?
She was hoping to piss him off, not amuse him.

She stiffened in his arms, and he leaned toward her, saying softly into her ear, “You’re jealous.”

She tried to get away from him. “I am not.”

“Then what exactly would you call it? Do you try to poison all your patrons?”

“You were just doing that thing that I can’t stand.”

“What thing?”

“You don’t react to me. I just don’t know how you can do it
so
well.”

His smile dimmed. “I do it so well because I don’t want you to go after who you really want. I’m not stupid, Kailynn. I know you never wanted me. You never even liked me. You want this—us, kept a secret. I’m not going to be the one to ruin that. So yeah, I can do that really well.”

She froze and her heart started to pound harder before she relaxed in his arms. She appeared completely shocked, and he held her gaze, still waiting. She licked her lips. “I don’t know what you mean.”

His eyes grew chilling and he gave her a look she’d never seen before. “Don’t play dumb.”

Shane’s name remained unspoken between them, but it was like Ian said it out loud. “I don’t know what you think you know, but I’m not the one with another lover, obviously.”

“I don’t have anyone else. I told you I ended it. We were never in a relationship. So it’s not like a bitter breakup. She saw me and that’s how it’s always gone for us.”

“You were playing with her kids. It’s obvious you’ve been around them before.”

“And you blush whenever my brother bothers to speak to you. I knew her kids, sure. What do you want me to do? Be mean to them? God,” he let her go and pushed his hands through his hair in visible frustration.

“I don’t blush over anyone.”

His gaze nearly penetrated her. “You wanted me to be my brother with you that day at the lake.”

“If you think that, then why did you pursue anything?”

“Honestly? I still don’t know why. I only remember how much you regretted it.”

“I didn’t regret it!” Her voice was a loud, shrill exclamation. She snapped her lips together. Someone would surely hear her. She spoke quieter, “How long have you…”

“Known? Well, let’s see how long have you thought you were in love with Shane? How long
has
it been? Four years? Going on five?”

She stared hard at her feet, and he turned from her and kicked at a pebble on the pavement. It bounced off the building with a little skip. “If you… suspected that for so long, why did you kiss me in the first place?”

“Because I wanted you. What other reason do you think I’m doing all this for? I doubt if I can compete with my own brother.” He kept his body ramrod still, waiting for her answer.

“Does he know?” she asked, still staring down at her toes.

His anger nearly came off him like radiant heat. “That’s all you want to know? How Shane fucking feels? I don’t know. I’ve never had a conversation about you with him.” He suddenly moved towards her and nearly backed her right into the wall before glowering down at her. “If you still want him, make up your mind right now. If he finds out about us, he’ll never touch you. We aren’t like Jack and Joey. And you’re no Erin. If he thinks there’s anything going on between you and me, he won’t ever give you a chance. You want your chance? I won’t tell him. But this is it, Kailynn. We’re either done, here and now, and you can go on with your long distance gawking for a man who doesn’t know the first thing about you, or else you’re with me. You need secrecy? Fine. You can have all the secrecy you want. You need time and space to figure out what to do with a dick? Fine. Take a goddam year. I don’t care. But this hesitation is over. Decide now. Me or Shane?”

She leaned towards him and saw he was so angry, his blue eyes had gone nearly gray. His jaw was clenched so she reached up and touched his cheek. His eyelashes blinked at her touch in obvious surprise.

“You can’t have us both. I hope you get that. This is between us, and no one else, or it’s over forever.”

A weird feeling rippled through her chest. He had never been so intent, or so sure. She wondered if he were as cut and dried as he sounded. He intimidated her a little bit and she wondered if she ever screwed up, would he give her an ultimatum? She had no idea he was so black and white.

“Even Odette?”

His eyebrows rose. “As if you have any reason to be jealous. I’ve been chasing you for three years, and you never once knew it. To think I might have, at least, gotten your attention, do you really think I’d fuck that up?”

She rubbed her hands over his lips. He was still very tense and very focused. He sounded kind of mean in making his decisions so final. It was also kind of a turn-on. She wasn’t sure how to answer, or what she felt. She was still shocked to be doing this with him. It was hard for her to get used to. After considering her words carefully, she finally settled for a simple statement. “I don’t want to fuck it up either.”

His back relaxed and he eased his stance slightly. “I didn’t expect you to say that.”

She felt sure now, in that moment, that Shane was no longer an issue between them. She was eager to confess her sudden epiphany. “Shane’s not who I want. Not anymore, that is.”

Ian’s entire demeanor softened as he leaned down towards her and tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear. “That’s good.”

She sucked in a breath for courage. “You called me ‘your girl.’”

He half smiled, and her half-smile came back. “I did.”

“Am I your girlfriend then?”

“My
secret
girlfriend, you mean? I hope.”

She laid her hand flat on his chest and played with the fold of his pocket. She kept her gaze pinned there. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before.”

“I’d never had a virgin before. First time for everything.”

She smacked his arm and he laughed as she finally released a smile.

“Now, apologize for trying to burn my tongue off.”

“I’m not totally sorry for that,” she mumbled. She was still a tad annoyed that he sat there with Odette like they were some kind of family.

“Ah, but sweetheart, if my tongue is permanently damaged, just think of all the things I can’t do with it. You don’t want that now, do you?” He grinned wider and cupped her face in his hand before planting a big, loud kiss on her mouth. “The blushing virginal thing? Kinda hot, I have to tell you.”

“I don’t mean to be,” she responded grumpily. Eventually, however, she said, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “I had no idea you’d be the jealous type. I’ll be more careful.”

“I didn’t know either. But that’s not what I’m sorry about—” she hesitated. How did she tell Ian she was sorry she thought she wanted his brother and never considered wanting him? She took in a breath for courage. “I’m sorry I ever thought I wanted Shane.”