Wyne and Song (14 page)

“Excuse me, bro,” Mason said. “Slow song is calling. Any opportunity I can get to hold Jill in my arms in public without getting arrested, I’m taking. You may want to grab Phoebe. When the two of you dance, man, I swear anyone in the general vicinity can get lucky.”

And with that, his brother strode straight to his fiancée and swept her close. Ethan stood watching his siblings and their women, Gwen and Tanner, even Keiffer and Evie all dancing, then a shock of surprise trickled through him to note one of the slow moving couples was his dad and Phoebe’s mother.

He wasn’t going to contemplate the complications that coupling could create. Nor was he going to try to say that out loud. Then he heard a distant crackling, followed by a loud boom before the sky lit up in a colorful display over the lake.

Fireworks.

He’d forgotten about them. Idiot. His mind was shot. He’d been the one to hire the company to put on the twenty minute show.

The music stopped, and everyone spilled out onto the grass to get a better view of the sky.

“Dad,” Tyler called…tugging Phoebe with him.

D
amn
.

He had a hard enough time resisting the urge to be with the woman without his son trying to play matchmaker.

“Pick me up.”

Sighing inwardly, he hauled his son into the air, tickling him in the ribs as punishment before setting him on his shoulders. “How’s that?”

“Perfect.”

For nineteen minutes, he stood with Tyler on his shoulders and Phoebe brushing into his side as they watched the display. She jumped with the percussions, and
oo’d
and
ah’d
, her gaze alight with a wonder that stole his breath.

So, he took Kade’s advice and allowed himself to be happy for a few stolen minutes. He had his son on his shoulders, which was probably the last year he’d be able to enjoy that part of their relationship. Bugger was growing like a weed. And he allowed himself to enjoy the feel of Phoebe’s soft curves brushing against him with each boom.

At one point, he couldn’t help it, leaned close and asked, “First time seeing them over a lake?”

“First time seeing fireworks in person ever. I never realized they were so big.”

And he never realized how much he enjoyed watching her. The wonder rounding her eyes while her mouth fell open hit him in the solar plexus.

“Amazing…” she breathed.

He couldn’t agree more, and his gaze never once strayed from her beautiful face. Tyler was leaving tomorrow. She’d be gone in a month. This was how he wanted to remember their time together. No pressures. No expectations. Just a selfless, shared joy.

T
he next morning, Ethan carried his son’s suitcase into the kitchen, telling himself the break was going to do him good. Without practices and games to run to, or s’mores to make at night, he’d have a lot of extra time to…sleep. That was what he planned to do with the time. The break would do Tyler good, too. The boy was getting way too dependent on having Phoebe around this weekend.

Thank goodness it was Sunday and the wedding duties were over. That meant no gorgeous actress nearby to tempt his resolve. Ben and Lea had headed into the city to catch a flight out of JFK International to honeymoon in Paris and explore history, as the lovebirds had put it.

And in less than thirty minutes, his sister and Kade would be leaving with his son.

This was good for him.

For both of them.

“Stop fussing over Tyler’s things and come eat,” Brandi said with a grin. “If he forgets something we’ll take care of it. I promise.”

“Yeah, Dad. Come on, have some of Aunt Jill’s chocolate chip pancakes before Uncle Mason eats them all.” Tyler cackled, receiving a knuckle ball to his head from his uncle.

Pushing his sadness aside, Ethan took the chair across from a quiet Keiffer, glad to have two breakfasts in a row with his youngest brother in attendance. No doubt Tyler and Brandi were the reason for the second appearance, and again, he was grateful for his brother’s efforts.

“Here you go, Ethan.” Jill smiled, placing a plate with a short stack in front of him.

He wasn’t hungry, but he dug in anyway, listening to the friendly banter, noting how it had changed over the past year. Some good, some bad changes, like the absence of Keiffer’s enthusiasm. His lust for life. It had died with his friend back in March. It pained him to look up and see a ghost of his brother sitting across from him. Gaze dull and lifeless, face gaunt, shoulders slouched. Hell, even his chin was neglected and hair was getting unruly now that his brother left the National Guard.

“So, Keiffer,” Brandi said, dropping an arm around the quiet man as she sat in the chair next to him. “How’d you like to come with us to Texas?”

“What? Now?” Gaze not quite as vacant blinked at their sister.

She nodded. “Yes, now. A change of scenery might do you good.”

“Yeah, that would be cool,” Tyler grinned. “Come one, Uncle Keiffer. I’ll share my bunk.”

For a moment, Ethan thought his brother was going to say yes, he even laughed at his son’s offer.

“You won’t have to share. We have plenty of room,” Kade stated.

But then, it appeared as if Keiffer suddenly realized something, and it doused that spark of interest. “No, thanks anyway, you two.”

“The offer’s always open.” Kade held Keiffer’s gaze. “If you change your mind down the road, drop in.”

His brother nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come now, Uncle Keiffer? Cody’s going to teach me to rope. You can learn, too.”

“Thanks, buddy, but no. You just go and have a great time.”

“Okay,” his son responded, head bobbing enthusiastically. “I’ll teach you what I learned when I get back.”

Keiffer half-nodded, sending those red flags waving in Ethan’s head. Since he wanted to keep the sendoff breakfast mood happy, he didn’t prod, just shoved more pancakes into his mouth.

Twenty-eight minutes later, Ethan stood on the tarmac talking with Brandi and Kade while his son, Mason, and Jill met the arriving Gwen and Tanner in the parking lot.

Ethan wrapped his arms around his sister and squeezed tight. “You gave it a good try, sis. He almost said yes. I felt it.” She hiccupped with a nod. He pulled back and brushed away a tear.

“I knew you told me he was bad, but I just didn’t expect…” Brandi’s voice trailed off and she shook her head and closed her eyes. “God, Ethan. I barely recognized him.”

Kade slipped an arm around her and pulled her into him. “He needs time.”

“I know, but why can’t he take that time with us?”

“Only he can answer that, sweetheart,” her husband said, kissing her head.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Everyone’s here, Dad. Now we can go!” Tyler raced over, face alight with excitement.

He smiled and lifted his son in the air. “Okay, remember what I told you.”

“Listen to Aunt Brandi and Uncle Kade. Don’t wander off. Never play with snakes. Watch the skies.”

“And?” he prompted, ignoring the corral of smiles as the others listened in. He didn’t take his son’s safety lightly. Ever.

“And don’t pet a cow with horns.”

That got a loud chuckle from the two cowboys and a giggle from their women. And after hugging his son a few seconds longer than necessary, he shook the cowboys’ hands, kissed the women’s cheeks, then stepped back and put on his brave face as he watched the jet carrying his son disappear into the sky…he had the feeling the hole in his gut was going to get bigger…

F
or a whole week, Phoebe ignored her gut, ignored the invisible pull to visit the resort. To visit Ethan. She knew he was lonely. His son was his life, so he probably had no idea what to do with his free time.

Me
, her body eagerly volunteered.

But she wasn’t the answer. She was more likely the problem. 

She had time after her shows and before her shows, and a few days off in between. Lots of free time…too much for her liking.

It would’ve been great if her mother could’ve stayed longer than one night, but Niles was out of town on business and her mom needed to hold down the fort. Judging by the perpetual grin and rosy glow on the woman’s face when she’d met her for brunch at the resort the day after the wedding, Phoebe would hazard a guess her mother wouldn’t have minded an extra night or two in town. Specifically with Ethan’s dad. Phoebe recognized the utterly satisfied, every-bone-in-her-body relaxed thing her mom had going on. Hell, she’d seen it in the mirror after each of Ethan’s visits.

But, that was in the past. Her mom was back in the city. She was alone. And bored.

What harm would there be to drop in at the resort for lunch? None. Didn’t mean she was going to knock on his door. No. Just a casual, innocent meet, just to show herself he was fine.

Day after day, she went through the same inner battle. And still she remained strong. Kept her distance. Stayed home. Ate at the diner, or the pizza shop. Volunteered at the theater to host tours for local youth groups of children interested in musical theater, enjoying that role, perhaps just as much as her leading one.

But today, she was meeting Jill for an early lunch, because she had a late afternoon matinee, and when her friend suggested the resort, Phoebe readily agreed.

Bad Phoebe.

She parked her car and rushed inside, eager to spend a few extra minutes in the hall that led to the restaurant, because it also connected to the hall that led to the Wynes’ private residence. But, she’d wasted her time, and laughed at herself. Pathetic.

He doesn’t want you
, her inner voice sneered.
You’re not enough. You don’t mean enough for him to put aside his fears and give you a chance.

She knew that was harsh, he had good reasons for feeling like that, but it hurt just the same.

She was an idiot.

“Ms. Weston?
Ohmygod
it is you! Can we have your autograph?” A cute middle-schooler wearing a T-shirt advertising the play blushed as she headed close with her grinning friend.

She smiled. “Sure. Did you see the show?” She signed the back of their shirts with a marker they’d produced.

“Six time, and we’re going again this afternoon.”

“Yeah, we want to be like you when we grow up.”

Their enthusiasm lit a dark corner of her heart. She happily posed for photos with them, and remembered being that young and hopeful.

“Make sure you come see me after the show, and I’ll give you a tour backstage.”

Their ear-splitting squeals echoed off the walls startling a few patrons heading outside. Phoebe was still smiling when her friend appeared.

“Hey, Phoebe, sorry I’m late.” Jill rushed down the hall toward her.

She smiled. “No worries. I think I was a little early.”

A lot early.

They entered Timbers and followed the hostess to a table, pleased to have a booth in the corner so she could see the whole restaurant. After giving the server her order, and an autograph, Phoebe scanned the patrons but none of them were tall, dark, and broad shouldered with eyes the color of coffee that melted her—

“Earth to,
Phebes
.” Jill snapped her fingers in front of her face.

She blinked. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked if your mother was going to come back for a visit soon.” Jill grinned. “She seemed to hit it off well with Mason’s dad.”

She nodded, but kept her mother’s secret to herself. “I had the feeling they might.” Which was true. The minute she’d first met the major with Tyler, she knew, something about the strong, silent man made her think her mom would like him. And according to that morning-after glow, she hadn’t been wrong. “I’m not sure when she’ll be back. She hasn’t said anything. At least, not yet.”

Jill grinned and sipped her soda. “Lea and Ben got back from their honeymoon last night. Have you seen them yet?”

“No, but she did text me an hour ago saying she didn’t plan to let Ben out of bed until morning, since that’s when she has to go back to the city.”

“Lucky stiff.” Her friend sighed. “I didn’t want to let Mason out of bed either this morning, but we had to go to work.”

“I didn’t want to let myself out of bed this morning, so I didn’t. I slept in.”

A rolled up paper straw wrapper hit her on the nose.

“Braggart,” Jill teased.

“Me? You’re the one with a hot guy in your bed, not me.”

“Why don’t you invite Ethan over?”

Her heart rocked in her chest. Time to halt the conversation. It was taking a turn she wasn’t prepared to visit.

“He just sits around after work watching
Doctor Who
on TV.”

Now her heart clutched. Hard.

Dammit
.
I don’t want to know that.

Thankfully, the server arrived with their food, and she steered the conversation toward Jill’s latest chocolate contract and the fact her bars were now available nationwide. It was an amazing accomplishment, and they toasted with their soda and water. Too often life threw curveballs, so it was nice when life delivered something truly wonderful like her friend’s success.

By the time they finished eating and paid their bills, Phoebe was ready to leave the resort. She had a show in four hours and wanted to warm up her voice. Which was best done in private so no one would mistake her odd notes for having a seizure.

With a quick hug, she left Jill at the candy shop and headed to her car. It was a sunny, hot summer day, and the humidity hit her full force when she exited the air-conditioned lobby. Humidity in the Poconos near the woods smelled a lot different than humidity in the city.

For one thing, she didn’t want to gag. For another, she could actually breathe…without wanting to gag.

Phoebe was smiling at her own jokes again when, out of habit, her gaze skimmed over the vehicles near her Lexus, and she stilled. In the front row, by the sidewalk, a guy was shoving two large duffle bags into the trunk of his car.