After the Rain (The Callahans) (14 page)

“Shayna was in the guesthouse. I saw her this morning. You know who she is, right?”

So that was it. “Yes, I know who she is.”

“You spent the night with him, didn’t you?”

“I don’t think I want to talk about this right now.”

“I don’t want to see either of you get hurt, Kylie. Don’t you think you’re rushing things a little?”

Kylie frowned, now annoyed. “Rushing things? I am twenty-five years old, Faye. Twenty-five! This morning was the first time I’ve had consensual sex with a man. I don’t think that’s rushing things.”

Faye swore. “You two hardly know each other.”

“Excuse me? Not two days ago, you were trying to push us together. What happened to that?”

Faye seemed to calm down a little, as though realizing Kylie was right. “Shayna wasn’t here then. And you weren’t sleeping with him.”

“And you didn’t think I would, is that it? You figured he’d be just like Paul.”

“I don’t know what I thought. I just know I’m worried about both of you.”

“I’m a big girl, Faye. I can take care of myself.”

“Can you?”

Kylie frowned, setting her coffee cup down. “I’m not going to listen to any more of this. You sound like my mother, Faye. I came here to get away from that.”

“She’s only concerned about you, Kylie. And so am I.”

“I know, I know. You don’t want to see me get hurt. So why are you hurting me now?”

“I’m not trying to. I know what you’ve been through and I want you to be happy.”

“I am happy. I’m having fun, Faye. For the first time in my life, I am going to throw caution to the wind and just have a little fun. I’m sorry if you think I’m making a mistake.”

Faye was quiet for a long time. “I don’t mean to baby you, Kylie. I just love you, that’s all. I’ve seen you hurt through your worst times. It’s hard for me to let that go.”

“I love you too,” Kylie said, smiling halfway. “I’m a big girl now, Faye. I need to learn how to live life. That’s what you’re always telling me.”

Faye smiled after a moment. “Trey is pretty hot.”

Kylie couldn’t argue with that. “I like him…..A lot.”

“I can see that. He obviously likes you too.”

“You said Shayna was in the guesthouse. Have you seen her lately?”

Faye frowned. “Not more than a glimpse. She and her kids piled into Trey’s rig and headed for the reservation.”

So she was gone. That made Kylie feel better.

“Her husband messed her up good.”

“So Trey said.”

“I’d like to mess her up good too.”

“Do you really think he’s over her?” Kylie didn’t want to ask the question but she knew Faye knew Trey better than she did. This was something she needed to know.

“I know he’s over her. I don’t think he was into her for the last year of their marriage. He’s honorable though, Kyle. He takes his badge and the law very seriously. He’d never turn someone down that needed help.”

“I’m glad she’s gone,” was all Kylie could say.

“Yeah, me too. I want you to come into town with me this morning. I have a surprise for you.”

“What kind of surprise?” Kylie narrowed her gaze. “No more parties.”

“Not a party. You’ll see.” Faye headed for the door, leaving Kylie no choice but to follow.

Trey sat at his desk going through some paperwork. This was the first chance he’d had all day to get anything done. He’d ended up staying at the reservation with Shayna for a couple of hours that morning. As he had anticipated, her parents were less than thrilled to see her. But after a while, they had opened their arms and their home. She was now staying with them and he was off the hook. At least for now.

He knew she was fighting for a way back into his life though. Shayna wore her emotions on her sleeve. It was plain as day that she wanted him back.

What was also plain as day to him, was that he
didn’t
want her back. Seeing her in the pathetic shape she was in had only made him feel sorry for her. He would help her on a legal standpoint as much as he could, but that was it.

Kylie was another story. From the moment he’d seen her, he’d been attracted to her. Then when they’d spent time together, he had grown to like her on another level—a dangerous level. Keeping it sex was fine. But they had started the other way. The talking and the listening had lured him in and now the sex was just another part of her he craved.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. He wasn’t the marrying type. Not again. So what did he have to offer her? Not only that, she had a life in another state. There was no way he was moving—not even for her. So why had he suggested they just have fun and see where it was going to go? There was nowhere for it to go.

Tapping his fingers against the desk he thought about how he’d felt this morning when she’d told him she trusted him—that she hadn’t trusted another man as much ever. Those were strong words. They held pressure in them. He’d momentarily considered the idea that he had made a mistake taking things this far. He didn’t want to hurt her. She’d been to hell and back in her life already.

But she was the one who would be leaving—going back to her life in Montana. It wasn’t as though he was the one who would be doing the walking away. If she was okay with no strings attached then why shouldn’t he be?

Kylie took a long sip of iced tea and struggled to come to terms with the headache pounding inside her skull—the headache that had infested itself soon after she had walked into the restaurant and found her “surprise” as Faye called it. Her mother had been seated at a table waiting for her, lecture and all. And she hadn’t come alone. For the love of God, she’d brought Paul with her. The really funny part about it was that Faye had invited her.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Felice Rhodes asked, her blue eyes perturbed as they stared at her daughter.

“Because you’ve been talking the entire time,” Kylie answered, sitting up straight. She continued to avoid Paul’s intrusive stare. It had been bad enough when he’d hauled her up into his arms and planted a kiss on her mouth as though they were engaged to be married or something. She wasn’t about to engage him in any unnecessary conversation. She’d already told him it was over. Apparently, he wasn’t getting the message.

“I don’t like your tone. We’ve flown a long way to be with you. The least you can do is show some respect.”

“Mother, I am on vacation. There was no reason for you to fly down here.”

“We were concerned,” Felice said, frowning. “And for good reason. You just disappeared.”

“I didn’t disappear. I told you I was going.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Paul said, motioning to Dusty for another beer. Dusty wasn’t smiling. Kylie couldn’t blame him. He obviously didn’t care for Paul any more than she did.

“I didn’t need to tell you. You broke up with me. Or are you forgetting that?”

“You’re being rude,” her mother told her. “Paul has flown a long way to take you back with him.”

Kylie narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going back, Mother. Not until I’m ready to. And when I do go back it won’t be with him.”

“We can work this out, Ky. I’ve thought things over and I realize you were right. I was being hasty when I broke things off.”

Kylie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Now he thought he was being hasty. Never mind the fact that he’d slept with other women. Never mind the fact that he’d dumped her not a month earlier.

“I think you are obligated to hear him out, young lady. You’ve had your vacation. Now it’s time to go back to real life.”

“Mother—” Kylie began. Faye walked up to the table and cut her off.

“Felice, when I talked to you, I didn’t realize you would react this way. I want Kylie to stay for my wedding.”

“We can all fly back for that,” Felice said matter-of-factly. “Kylie’s father would love to be here too. I’ll make sure he clears his schedule.”

“I’m not going home, Mother.”

“I think you and I should talk,” Paul said, as though he hadn’t heard a word of the entire conversation.

“I’m not interested in talking to you.” Kylie stood up, annoyed. “I want you both to get on a plane and go back home. I don’t want you here.”

Felice’s normally iron clad composure seemed to falter suddenly. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yes, I do.” Kylie said quietly, but firmly. “I am staying until at least after the wedding.”

“But that’s several weeks,” Felice argued.

“I can’t stay here that long,” Paul said.

“I don’t expect you to. In fact, I didn’t expect you to come here at all.”

“I told you on the phone that I wanted to talk this out. You wouldn’t talk to me on the phone. I didn’t have a choice but to come here.”

“You broke up with me!” she snapped, annoyed that he was being so dense about this whole situation. “You don’t love me. You never did.”

“That’s not true!” he argued back.

“You’re being rude,” Felice said again.

Kylie glared at her. “I am not being rude. I want him to leave.”

“He has a right to be here. You two have a future together.”

Kylie shook her head as she looked at Faye for help.

“Look, maybe you all should go check into your motel and freshen up. That will give everyone some time to calm down and think a little more clearly.”

“I could use a little freshening up,” Felice relented.

Kylie turned and walked up to the bar, ignoring Paul’s protests. “Hit me,” was all she said to Joey, who grinned. He poured her a shot of tequila and she downed it, grimacing at the burn as it went down.

“I like your mother. She’s a fire cracker.”

“I can’t believe you invited her here,” Kylie said to Faye, once she’d joined them at the bar. Felice and Paul had finally been lured away by Dusty, to check into their motel.

“Kylie, I didn’t realize what she had in mind when she mentioned flying down. I had no idea she was going to bring Paul with her.” Faye frowned. “He’s an ass by the way. What the hell were you thinking with that?”

“He is an ass,” Joey agreed and poured Kylie another shot.

“We are broken up.”

“I know, I heard you say that several times,” Joey said, grinning. “I don’t think lover boy got it though.”

“I don’t know how much clearer I can get.” Kylie chugged the shot and sat down on a barstool. “I don’t know what would possess him to come here.”

“Your mother seems to adore him,” Faye said, wiping down the bar. “Doesn’t she know he cheated on you, among other things?”

“She knows.” Felice had told her in more than one way that she felt Kylie’s inability to allow intimacy had torn their relationship apart. Therefore, it made their failing relationship her fault, not Paul’s.

“She’s got blinders on then. He’s a jerk.”

“I don’t want Trey to know they’re here.”

“I don’t see how you can avoid it,” Faye said.

Joey snickered at that. “Trust me, cupcake. He already knows. If there is one thing my big brother is good at, it is keeping track of the people who come in and out of this town. And I hate to point out the obvious, but I have a feeling that he and Paul aren’t going to be buds.”

She had the same feeling. “Hit me,” she said again.

16

After calming down—or rather three shots of tequila, Kylie decided she needed to confront her mother before she came back to confront her. That would only lead to problems all the way around. She had to get Paul on a plane back to Montana—and soon. Hopefully, before he ended up crossing paths with any more Callahans—one Callahan in particular.

Kylie knocked on the door to her mother’s room. After what seemed like an eternity, Felice finally answered, a towel wrapped around her head.

“Oh, it’s you. I thought maybe it was the maid bringing more towels. This place is rather…” her voice broke off and she just sighed.

“Mother, we need to talk.” Kylie shut the door behind her as she entered. She had to admit the motel was far beneath any standards Felice Rhodes would have had. The room was done all in browns. Not attractive browns either. Dirty browns. The place smelled of stale smoke—another peeve of Felice’s.

“I agree. Would you like a soda? I grabbed some from the lobby.”

“No, thanks.” Kylie sat down in one of the small chairs near the window. “I don’t know why you brought Paul here but he needs to go back home.”

Felice poured herself a glass of soda. “He’s here because he loves you, Kylie Marie. He’s sorry for how he has behaved.”

“Never once has he said he’s sorry,” Kylie pointed out. “Besides, that’s not the point. We aren’t in love with each other, Mother.”

Felice sipped her cola daintily for a moment. “Kylie, marriage isn’t all romance. Sometimes couples have to work at the relationship to make it successful. God knows your father and I do.”

“He cheated on me, Mom. Do you not remember that?”

“Yes, I do. I also remember the fact that you were unable to commit to him intimately. And I understand your reasons for that. However, I also understand that he was frustrated with the situation. He had a momentary fall from grace. I chalk it up to temporary insanity, if you will.”

“He cheated more than once. And if I took him back, he would cheat again.” Kylie sighed, irritated. Why couldn’t her mother see Paul for what he really was?

“You don’t know that. People change. He is committed to this relationship now. You have to spend some time with him and then you will see that.”

“I don’t want to spend time with him. I want him to go home. I am spending time here with my friends, Mom. If you want to stay, I would welcome it. But not Paul. He has to go.”

Felice frowned. “You don’t think it’s a little unfair that you won’t even hear him out?”

“I’ve heard him out before. And I have realized over time that I never really loved him in the first place. I think that was part of the reason I wasn’t able to take our relationship any further.” Kylie could see her mother was contemplating everything she was hearing. At least she was trying to understand.

“Well,” Felice finally said, sighing. “I suppose if you’re sure that’s the way you feel I can understand you wanting him to leave.”

“I’m sorry. I know you really liked him.”

“I’m concerned for you, Kylie. As much as I would love to see you and Paul married, I don’t want you to be unhappy.”