Bigger Than the Sky (Serenity Point) (7 page)

We stay like this, looking at each other, for a few seconds when he finally speaks saying quietly, “C’mon in, Mill.”

And that’s when I finally lose it. “You did this on purpose!” I shout and the tears start falling again. “How could you, Kade? How…” I gulp in air because it feels like I can’t breathe.

He frowns, putting his hands on his hips. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Oh. My. God.

“Are you
serious
? You
know
this was
my
place!” I throw my hand out toward it. “
My
house! I loved this house! But
you
didn’t want it! The
one
thing I wanted and you said no! And now… now you have it!” I’m sobbing uncontrollably now. And I’m so angry. So goddamned angry. “I know I left you and I know it was wrong how I did it! But I was so scared! So lonely! You were never there and I didn’t know if you’d ever be home for good… or if you’d get hurt on a mission… or… or… killed…” I gasp in air as I admit this and see his eyes are still narrowed as he watches me. “But this house…” I shake my head. “This was the one thing that would’ve made me happy while you were gone. Would’ve given me something to keep me busy instead of missing you all the time. Would’ve shown me that you wanted something for me since you wouldn’t be here. Would’ve made me… would’ve made me… stay. But you… you said… no…” I drop my head into my hands as I continue crying, my shoulders jerking with each sob that comes out. How could he be so spiteful?

The next thing I know, he puts an arm under my knees and one behind my back, picking me up and carrying me up the back porch steps, which elicits another sob from me.

“I… can’t… Kade… hurts too… much,” I cry.

But he takes me inside anyway, and when he turns on a light in what I know is the mudroom, I duck my head against his chest, my fingers digging into his shirt, pulling it to cover my face, refusing to look at anything. I don’t want to know what it looks like, what he’s done with it, because what’s left of my heart will crumble.

He walks through the kitchen then into the living room (see? I
know
this house) and flips on another light, but I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to be completely shattered at what I see. Then he carries me up the stairs, down to the end of the hallway into what I know is the master bedroom, and sets me gently on a bed.

I know I’m probably being ridiculous, but at the moment, I don’t care as I turn on the bed and grab a pillow crying into it while turning on my side away from him and curling up into a ball. He lies on the bed behind me, stretching his long body out against me, throwing a muscular arm around my waist and sliding the other underneath me, as he pulls me close to him, holding me as I continue crying.

“Shhhh. Babe… it’s okay…” I hear him whisper into my ear.

But it’s not okay. I thought I’d felt hurt with everything over the last five years, but now I know I was wrong.
This
hurts. So bad, down to the very core of my soul. And I know it’s just another loss I’ve taken over the years. Just one more hit. One more added to the list of things that have destroyed me. First my dad and then my mom. Then Kade. His family. Papaw and Meemaw. Aidan. And now this.

And no matter what, I know I’ll have to jump right back up and act like nothing’s wrong because that’s the kind of person I am. God forbid I ever let anything get me down. I’ll plaster that stupid smile on my face as if everything’s just wonderful in my world, making my way through life but not trusting anyone.

The irony of it all? I doubt I’ll ever truly allow myself the luxury of fully committing to anyone because I’m afraid they’ll leave. Yeah, I, of all people, am afraid of being abandoned. Go figure.

I fall asleep to Kade’s hand sliding gently through my hair and his soft whispers of, “It’ll be okay… I promise…”

~~~

I wake slowly, drifting to the surface of consciousness, and feel happy and warm and safe, better than I’ve felt in a long time, and I’m not sure why. I flutter my eyes open and take in a deep, contented breath until I realize where I am and my heart seizes for a second.

Shit!

Kade’s holding me against his big, warm, hard body, his arm draped over me possessively, and I lie there wondering if that’s why I felt so good upon waking. Probably. But then I remember last night, well, a few hours ago, and the hurt burrows itself into my heart once again and I know I need to get out of here.

I turn slowly and face him taking in his handsome face that’s now so relaxed in his sleep. When he’s awake, he’s usually on alert at all times prepared for anything, which I guess comes from his SEAL training, but he was always a little uptight, a little high-strung. I think it’s because he’s the oldest child and his inherent Type-A personality makes him that way—responsible, a perfectionist,
bossy
.

And then I remember I’m mad at him. He’s hurt me so badly with the house that my stomach roils a little just thinking about it. I slide out from under his arm and off the bed, standing and turning to look at him, which, honest to God, takes my breath away. My lord, he’s beautiful. The perfect bone structure in his face that cuts such rugged lines, his thick, dark hair, broad chest and long, powerful legs all make him the epitome of how a real man should be built. But he’s no longer mine, and now since he’s gone out of his way to hurt me by buying the house, I know he never will be. I’d had a tiny glimmer of hope after he’d kissed me, thinking maybe… maybe we might be able to fix things, start again. But the house is basically a big “Fuck you” at me, and the finality of it all leaves my heart hollow. It’s like a death and nothing can be done to assuage the hurt.

I’m still dressed, my coat and shoes are on so I leave his room, trying not to pay any attention to the house because I know it’ll just add to my pain. But as I walk down the stairs, running my hand over the beautiful, polished, dark oak banister, I can’t help but notice the ornate pattern carved into the balusters or the gorgeous caps at each landing. I know he’s done this because they weren’t there five years ago. And it’s just another knife to my heart.

Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I hurry through the living room and kitchen then out to the mudroom keeping my eyes averted as much as possible before pulling my cell phone out.

“Can you come get me at Kade’s?” I ask when my call’s answered.

~~~

“Thanks,” I say as I get into the car.

“No problem. Just tell me why your eyes are practically swollen shut. He better not have hit you!” Cassie says.

I snort out a laugh. “He’d never do that. You know he wouldn’t. It’s just…” Oh, God, I’m going to cry again. I sniff as another damned tear finds its way down my cheek. “This was
my
house.”

We take off down the long drive and I see I have my proof now. The trees
are
gorgeous in the early morning light just as I knew they would be, just as they were years ago, and I tear up even more.

“I know, sweetie. I about shit a brick when he bought it a few months ago.” She looks over at me in understanding as she hands me a tissue from her purse.

“Months? And you never told me?”

She looks at me sheepishly. “I didn’t want to hurt you…”

I nod. That makes sense because she’s a good friend. I dab at my eyes and cheeks. “Well, speaking of bricks. Someone threw one through the store window last night. That’s why I was with Kade. He wouldn’t let me stay at the garage,” I explain wiping my eyes.

“What? No they didn’t!”

“Yep. It was two thirty-one this morning, you know me and numbers,” I glance at her and roll my eyes, “but I was sound asleep when a huge crash woke me. Got up, went downstairs and there was a brick with a note rubber-banded to it.”

“What’d it say?”

“‘
Your not wanted here. You need to leave town while you still can bitch!
’
Y-o-u-r
. No comma after ‘can.’”

She snorts. “Must’ve been a Serenity Point grad then.”

“Exactly. Wanted to talk to you and Lacey about where my education tax dollars are going. Certainly not towards grammar,” I say with a chuckle.

“Believe me, we’re doing our damndest,” she says chuckling right back.

“When I find out who did it, that brick’s gonna be introduced to the side of their head,” I answer.

She looks at me for a second before looking back at the road. “I know it was hard for you to go to the house last night. You gonna be okay?”

I sigh and look out my window. “I was so pissed, Cass. I mean, seriously livid. And so hurt. How could he do this to me?” I look back at her.

She too lets out a sigh then shrugs and shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

“You know how I felt about that house. What it meant to me.”

She nods. Out of all my friends, she was the only one who truly understood why I ran. She’d watched me with her brother over the years. She knew I loved him but she got me, understood the loneliness I’d felt. She’d taken some grief from her family for standing up for me, and I loved her even more for that. “I know, honey. Hey, wanna get breakfast at Mags’?” she asks as we drive through town.

“Yeah. Her Denver omelet sounds good. But can you drop me at the station first? I know I look horrible. Need to grab a shower.”

“Same. Okay, I’ll meet you there in an hour?”

“’Kay.”

She drops me off and thank God I’ve got more than one key to get in since Mike has the other. There’s a huge slab of plywood covering the window and I know Papaw would’ve thrown a fit had he seen it.

I’ll find out who did this and they’ll pay. I’ll make sure of that.

~~~

“Mags!” I say as I hug Maggie, proprietor of the best restaurant at which I’ve ever eaten. I’d eaten here at least once a week since I came to live with my grandparents because Papaw’s ritual was taking Meemaw and me for breakfast every Sunday morning.

“Amelia,” she says, pulling back from our hug and holding my forearms, smiling sweetly at me, her lovely blue eyes sparkling. She’s a rather heavy-set, tall woman who, deceptive to her size, moves with the grace of a ballerina. Matter of fact, she danced with the New York City Ballet at one time but quit when she fell in love with her now husband of over thirty years, Frank, who’s the sole veterinarian in town. They met on a blind date, both were smitten, and she followed him back to Serenity Point, opened her restaurant, another dream she says she always had, and never looked back.

“Just as beautiful as ever,” she continues. “It’s so good to see both of you again.” She smiles at Cassie then points to a booth and tells us, “Have a seat, girls. Sandra will be by to take your orders in a sec.”

Cass and I slide into our booth and I watch Mags as she interacts with the other customers. I’m thankful that she didn’t say anything about my leaving town five years ago, but that’s just her way. I’m sure she hears tons of gossip but I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard her passing any of it along. She’s just nice like that.

Sandra, our waitress, comes to the table, sets down a coffee carafe and while we pour our coffees, takes our orders then hurries off.

“I think I know who threw the brick,” I inform Cass when Sandra leaves.

“Who?” She gives me a raised eyebrow waiting for me to proceed.

“Peyton.”

Her eyes get big and she lets out a sarcastic, “Noooo.”

I roll my eyes. “You already figured. But who else hates me enough around here to do that, well, other than your family.”

“They don’t hate you, Mill. They understand what you did. But her, yeah, I can see her hating you.” She chuckles.

I look at her mischievously. “I have a plan.”

“Knew you would,” she says with a huge grin as she does little baby claps with her hands. “It’ll be just like the good old days!” I grin back at her knowing we did plenty of sneaking around when we were in school getting into all kinds of trouble.

But that’s what I love about Cass. She doesn’t even know what I’m going to do, yet she’s in. For all she knows, I could be preparing to blow Peyton’s house sky high, but if I know Cass as well as I think I do, I’m willing to bet she’d be begging me to let her detonate shit. Such a great best friend.

“I need to know where she lives and what you know about her habits or patterns. Her M.O. as they say,” I state, looking around to make sure no one’s listening in. Man, I’ve got this down. I
so
should’ve been a private investigator.

“She lives in a little house over on Arnold Boulevard that her
daddy
bought for her.” She makes a face. “She’s at Jen’s pretty much every night hanging all over Kade, or if he’s not there, any guy who’s willing to pay for her drinks. I know she’ll be there tonight because Kade’s band is playing. We’re doing this tonight, right? Tell me we are!”

“Wait. She’s there every night? What about her kids?” I ask with a frown. And she hangs all over Kade? Ew. And his band’s playing tonight? Well, think I’ll have to make a little detour from my plans of espionage and go to Jen’s for a bit to watch his sexy ass sing and play guitar. Even though I’m still upset at him about the house, he’s an amazing singer and guitarist and, hey, a little eye candy never hurt anyone, right?

“Oh, please. She doesn’t have time for her kids. She’s too busy trying to find their next daddy. Far as I know, they spend every night at her parents’ while she goes catting around.”

“Really… wow.”

“Yeah, Lacey has Sadie in her second grade class. Says that every time she has her students write something about home, Sadie either writes about her dad or one of her grandparents, never anything about Peyton,” Cass informs me then shakes her head sadly. “Good thing is Lacey says Sadie seems to be well-adjusted and is a happy little girl.”

“Well, that’s good. Sad, but good.” I look around again, making sure we’re not being eavesdropped on before moving forward with our plans. “Okay, tonight at midnight we’re going to her house. Wait. Don’t you have school tomorrow?”

“Fall break.” She grins.

“Yay!” I squeal quietly. “Okay, we’ll break into her house. The note was torn at the top, so we have to look for a pad of paper with the top half still on it.”

“Then what?”