Because You're Mine (3 page)

              “He’s in surgery now. The doctor says he has a lot of blockage.” she cried into the phone.

              “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I knew my mother was freaking out, so I was trying to stay calm, but I just wanted to break down too. My parents meant the world to me. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing either one of them.

              Once my mother told me what hospital they were at, I booked a flight. I threw what I could in a carry-on, and hauled ass to the airport. I had an hour to spare before my flight, so I took that time to call Barrett and explain what had happened. He told me to take as much time as I needed, and to let him know when I landed safely. Then I called Tabitha to fill her in as well.

              A mountain of weight pressed down heavy on my chest. My previous problems seemed trivial compared to what I was now facing. Unable to suppress my emotions any longer, I allowed the ugly tears to fall until they called my flight to board.

***

              I arrived at Memphis International just after midnight. Once I rented a car, I shot Barrett and Tabitha a quick text letting them know that I had landed safely, and then I called my mother. She informed me that my father had made it out of surgery and the doctors said all went well. He was in ICU and would remain there for the next several days. I felt a little of that weight ease up, but the fear was still there.

              My father had only been in ICU for a couple of hours when I arrived, so they would only allow my mother to see him. The doctor told us that the next twenty-four hours were critical. He would need to be monitored closely throughout the night, so visitors were limited.

Sitting with my mother in the waiting room, we cried into each other’s arms. “I was so scared, Maddie. I don’t know what I would do if I lost him.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue, and then wiped her runny nose.

              “How could he have a heart attack? He’s so young.” I sniffled.

              “Dr. Woods put him on blood pressure medicine last year, and told him he needed to exercise more and change his diet. But you know how he is. He’s so damn hard headed. I don’t think he’s been taking his medicine like he’s supposed to. I feel so guilty. I should’ve made sure he was takin’ his medicine.”

              “Mama, you shouldn’t have to baby sit a grown man.”

              “I know. But I’m his wife. It’s my job to take care of him. I just hope this opens his eyes. If Holden hadn’t of found him, Maddie,” Her body shook as she broke down again.

Pain stabbed at my chest and I found it hard to swallow. “Uh, who’s Holden?” I asked, rubbing my hand up and down her back as she cried into my shoulder.

She pulled away, wiping her nose again.

“He’s the one that found him. He saved his life.”

She informed me as if I should know this already. “Well, I’ll be sure to thank him then.”

She nodded with a small smile. “I have to pee. And I need some coffee. You need anything, sweetie?” My mother cupped my face, kissing me softly on my hairline. I found comfort and solace in her touch. I found everything I needed right there.

              I smiled into her hands. “I’m good.”

              “I’ll be right back.” she whispered, patting my cheek.

“Ok.” Tears stung the corners of my eyes.

My problems in Boston compounded with this terrifying situation were beginning to take its toll. Mentally and physically spent, I laid my head down on the chair next to me and begged for sleep to claim me. Thankfully, that didn’t take too long.

Around five o’clock, a nurse informed my mother that my father was awake, but could only have visitors for fifteen minutes at a time. My father being less than coherent due to the pain meds they had him on, I opted to go home and get some sleep before returning later that evening.

My repeated requests for my mother to join me were quickly rejected. I should’ve known better. The only way she would leave that hospital was with my father. I arranged for the rental car to be picked up, and then armed with a list of what to bring back, I drove my mother’s car home.

              A thirty minute drive south of Memphis would take you to a quiet little Mississippi town tucked away in the middle of nowhere. We lived about ten miles outside of my hometown of Hernando. I hated the reasons that brought me here, but it felt so good to be home. Forgotten were the reasons I’d always wanted to leave this sleepy little town when I turned down the gravel drive. I quickly rolled down the windows, allowing fresh air mixed with a hint of honeysuckle to flood my nose with memories.

              Once I put the car in park, Drake met me at the door. “Hey sweet boy,” I knelt down and let him lick my face while I scratched behind his ears. “You missed me, huh?” After a few more licks, I made my way toward the front of the house.

              The white two story house with its shiny copper roof and black shutters looked like something you would see in Southern Living magazine. Abundant ferns dripped from the roof of the wrap around porch, and I could see my mother’s latest novel laying on the cushioned swing. Dropping my purse and bag in the foyer, I drug my feet into the living room. Falling face first into the couch, I released a heavy breath.

Absolutely nothing had changed. It had been almost a year since the last time I’d been home, and everything was exactly the same. I breathed it all in, the familiar smell blessing me with an overwhelming sense of peace and calm. A newfound comfort that I’d never felt before had warmth settling deep inside my chest.

Nearly losing someone you love could do a lot to one’s perspective.

Stretching out contentedly, I pulled my great grandmother’s cream afghan from the back of the couch to cover myself. Snuggling beneath the soft blanket, I fisted my hands beneath my chin.

             
Home
. 

CHAPTER four

Home is where the heart is.

-Pliny the Elder

              Just as it had a million times before, the loud
Coo!
of the coo coo clock jolted me awake.

Stupid clock.

              I sure as hell didn’t miss that damn thing. At five o’clock in the morning and five o’clock in the evening, without fail, that asshole belted…

Coo Coo!

As a child, I loved it, but as I grew older I secretly plotted ways to destroy it.

              Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I stretched against the couch. I felt slightly refreshed, but I was still exhausted. Grabbing my bag from the foyer, I ran upstairs to take a quick shower. Once I retrieved the list of items for my mother, I made myself a grilled cheese.

Standing at the kitchen sink rinsing my plate, I caught movement outside the window.

Someone was leaning under the hood of my old jeep parked on the side of the house. I’d told my father to get rid of that old thing several times over the years, but he never would. Maybe he’d changed his mind. I had to admit, I would be very sad if he got rid of it now. 

              Without another moment’s hesitation, I marched myself outside. The screen door closed with a loud thwack behind me as I closed the distance between the house and my jeep.

When he twisted his head at the sound of the slamming door, my determined boots skidded to an abrupt halt, causing loose gravel to crunch heavily beneath my feet. Paralyzing blue eyes held me in place, stunning me with their raw beauty. I had no idea what to compare them to, but they were unlike any color I’d ever seen before. Far more beautiful than any sky or ocean.

             
Whoa.

              It was sticky hot outside today. The humidity in the air had beads of sweat tickling my upper lip, but there was no denying the chill bumps that pebbled across my skin as those striking blue eyes roamed my body. Standing to face me properly, his tan arms flexed impressively as he wiped his filthy hands with a grease rag.

The sight of a man doing that should absolutely
not
be a turn on.

              But God help me…
it was
.

              Well-worn jeans rested low on his lean hips, forcing my lips to part on a sigh. I was drinking in as much of him as I could.

So why was I still so damn thirsty?

His dirty ball cap was pulled down low on his brow, but not low enough to conceal those gorgeous blues. They were big and bright, and they shined back at me like a beacon in a storm. I licked my parched lips in appreciation at the beautiful man standing before me. His perfect lips turned up at the corners, and I knew it right then.

             
I was in deep shit.

              That smile could
definitely
be defined as a panty dropper. I’d never had an urge such as this. I felt so drawn to this stranger, and for reasons I could not even begin to comprehend, I wanted to reach out and touch him. My hands flexed at my sides. I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than just touch him. Thankfully, my mind finally sent warning signals to the rest of my body. I was standing there, gawking at him, like a lust crazed fool.
“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, irritation scratching the surface of my desire.

              “You must be Maddie.” he stated with a lazy smile.

             
Oh God, that smile was incredible.

              His deep voice dripping with sex was laced thick with a strong southern accent.

              “And you are?” I fixed my hands on my hips, narrowing my eyes. I would not smile back at him-damn it. 

              “I’m Holden,” My irritation quickly deflated and realization took its place. His hand reached for mine

              “You saved my father’s life.” Before I could take his offered hand, he pulled it away, nodding towards the jeep. 

              “Nah, I just called 911. The paramedics saved his life.” He wiped at his hands again.

             
Damn, I wish he’d stop doing that.

              All I could think about were those hands on me. “Well, thank you. My father means the world to me, and I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if…” The knot in my throat stunted my bubbling emotions. 

              Holden cleared his throat, shoving that useles rag into his back pocket. “I think you’re good to go here. I topped ‘er off with a few quarts of oil, aired up the tires and replaced all the spark plugs. She should get you ‘round with no problems at all.” he said proudly, slamming the hood of the jeep.

Standing only an arm’s length away, the scent of his cologne slammed into my nose like a Mack truck. How could someone look that dirty smell so good?

              “I’ll be by tomorrow to check on things. Nice to meet cha, Maddie.” That remarkable smile when he said my name caused a tingle to race across my skin and my breath to stall.

              “Check on things?” I shoved out, following him to the shiny black Ford sitting in the driveway.

              “Mrs. Waters said they wouldn’t be home from the hospital for few days. They asked me to look in on the place. Finish up in the fields.” Opening the door to his pickup, he turned to face me through the rolled down window.

              “That won’t be necessary,” I huffed. “I know how to drive a tractor, and I’ve baled those fields hundreds of times with daddy.” He chuckled and those damn blue eyes of his sparkled with amusement.

              Did he doubt me?

              Aw, hell naw
.

              I found my own cocky smile. “I take it you’ve never met a woman that could handle heavy equipment?” I asked, raising one eyebrow.

He stepped away from the door, a playful grin hanging back on his relaxed face. “Oh, I’ve met a few. Just none quite like you.”

Blood pounded my ears while furious heat raced through my veins. My face only inches from his; I pressed my finger right into the center of his firm chest. The tiny contact was like a current sending sparkling heat to pool hot between my legs.

Intense desire began a fierce battle with my boiling anger. “Let’s get a few things straight. My name is Madison…not
Maddie
. And I’ve been driving a tractor since I was ten years old. I can do anything a man can do except piss standing up. But let me assure you, it wasn’t from lack of tryin’. Now, I don’t know who in the hell you think you are, but you damn sure don’t know me. So you can take your assumptions and shove ‘em up your ass.” I finished my rant with one final poke to his chest.

That fantastic smile stretched his perfectly shaped lips, and all I could think about was how on earth could a stupid ass smile make my thighs clench? How could his laugh, his scent, and his entire fucking existence set me on fire like this? Anger and desire were dueling hard and fast. My body wanted what my mind refused to have. If I stood here any longer, desire was going to fuck me over.

             
Big time.

              Turning away from him, I didn’t chance a look back, but I didn’t fail to hear two words fall from his mouth as I walked away.

             
“Fuck me.”

***

             
My father was the strongest man I’d ever known. Seeing him lying there in bed, so weak and helpless, was a hard pill to swallow. My eyes filled with tears as I leaned down with caution to give him a hug. “I’m so glad you’re ok, Daddy.” I whispered in his ear.

“Me too.” he grunted.

              Dragging a chair from the corner, I sat down next to his bed. Regret pinched at my heart. “I’m so sorry for not coming home at Christmas, Daddy.” I looked up from our connected hands. Tears pooled at the rims of his clear blue eyes and my chest burned from the guilt.