I Run to You (49 page)

Jordan told him, “Mama raised her strict. No
TV. No friends over. I relate to that, because they raised me that
way. You’re in a bubble. The church is your only activity, and you
cannot relate to kids your age. I won’t spoil her, because I don’t
want to buy her love and affection—but I’ll give her everything she
needs to find her place in the world.”

They watched Max reach out and take Jordan’s
hand, pulling her to his side.

They talked a couple of hours while it rained
on and off.

Eventually, Jude came out, and Coy with him.
Brook went in and joined Ruby and Madeline in the floor of the den
with the kids. They played video games, ate snacks, and since Leigh
was new to games, they smiled watching Jett help her, and the
others high five her, when she did well.

Sometime later, the men, including, G.W., and
the rest, were on the porch. They had one guitar and were singing
hymns. Brook heard a voice behind her and saw Leigh getting a
cookie off the table, the little girl was singing along. She had an
amazing voice, right on pitch. Shaking her head, Brook laughed
softly and went out, seating herself beside Jason, their feet up on
the rail.

No one could harmonize like family. She
closed her eyes, listening, hearing Jason’s bass beside her. They
were old songs, spirituals, they sang in church most every Sunday.
She found out a long time ago that though G.W. and Alvin weren’t in
the groups, they shared several of the talents. They just liked
their lives the way they were, and they enjoyed watching the
others. They also liked being “the ornery ones. “

She got up at one point, and served coffee to
them, this time she stood by the steps. It was wet, and dark out.
She was looking down the road. Earthy smells of gardens and mud,
came on the welcome rain-scented breeze. After a week of over 90
degrees, it felt good.

Coy’s tenor was clear amid the blend of
Coburn voices. He sang the songs with ease and feeling. Shortly
Brook did her hugs and good-byes, talking a bit more to Leigh
before walking down to her car, which she had tried to park out of
the mud, but water stood even on the grass. She had started it.
Frogs were croaking. Coy passed in the beam of her headlights and
came round. When she opened the window, he leaned down and kissed
her delicately

“Drive carefully.”

“You too.”

He stepped back and Brook pulled out. She had
work Monday.

~*~

Wednesday, Coy showed up about mid-way
through their practice. Max wasn’t there. He had taken Leigh to the
movies and out to eat. The usual’s sat around, listening. Since it
stopped raining, it was bright and sunny.

Brook went through their songs, which
included (The Climb) that they harmonized on. There were a lot of
rock/pop and hard driving tunes that required going over several
times, tweaking their performance.

Pencil held in her teeth, Brook focused on
the music, half-aware of everyone else, eating, talking, and going
in and out. They were bringing in some songs they had written so it
was an intense session, with many opinions that had to be listened
to. Fortunately, they all got through it without an argument.

Everyone was aware that Jordan would move on
from the band. She was working with one of the Coburn girls who
would take her place. Sometimes sitting out, observing while they
played, and giving pointers the girl ate up. She was a (Jordan)
fan. Apparently, she’d become a pal with Jordan sometime at the
picnic. She even had a bit of Jordan’s unique style, having her
hair partly shaved and cotton candy pink.

Renee called it quits around six, which came
before sighs and groans as they were kinked from being tense and
sitting so long.

They ate quick snacks and packed up
instruments. Jordan left.

Brook had dressed casual, so when she met Coy
out on the porch—obviously waiting on her—she cast him a glance
before packing her bass in the car.

“Feel like going out?”

“I’m not dressed for much.”

“A movie?”

“Yeah, okay.”

He looked at her car and snorted. “I can’t
fit in that thing. I’ll follow you home.”

He did, after she embraced Jason and did the
round of (later).

At home, she did a refresh of her makeup and
they left in his truck.

Honestly, she felt that familiar feeling of
being alone with Coy, the good times, when they dated, and went out
in his truck. In those days, she would sit close and they would
kiss at every red light. This time, she stayed on her side, but
would look at him often.

They went to a multiplex and saw a
fantasy/action flick, and then dropped by Rafael’s, for a light
dinner. He held her hand on the way to the truck, kissed her, at
the door of her house. He called her when he got home.

That began their (dating.) Although, August—
with Levi out of school and the Old Mill booked up, they were on
the phone more than out.

When they could, they hooked up after the
band’s Saturday night gigs. He came by the Tavern. They talked a
bit, before she drove home. They kissed—a lot—because there was
little time for more than that, and the desire for each other was
always simmering just under the surface.

Rafe saw them out, and at his Restaurant.
Brook was a little amused at the way the two joked and kidded
around. Rafe was obviously deep into his relationship with Ashley.
She was half of his conversation.

A few times, she went to Coy’s house, hung
out with him and Levi—which included everything from taking the
boat on the lake and fishing, to hanging round on the back deck,
while Levi played games.

Levi left on his trip with his Grandparents,
and Coy had more free time.

Brook refused to answer any of the family’s
looks when word spread they were seen here or there together, or
when she went to his house. She was too inward thinking about the
relationship—too serious—about identifying her own emotions.

There was never a doubt that Coy had the
Coburn charm and wit. He could be impulsive and crazy funny. He was
sexy hot. He liked to read in the evenings, if he had time. He was
a man’s man in every way. It was seeing him as Levi’s dad, as the
grown working man, all of that, which Brook knew she needed.

The second week Levi was gone, she drove to
Coy’s on his request that she come, “hang out.” Brook could use an
easy day, considering—and found herself looking forward to it.

He was grilling chicken on the back deck when
she arrived. Brook had worn a short summery dress and sandals. She
got chilled salads out of the fridge. They ate while he talked
about Levi coming home, school shopping, and the last few shows at
the Mill.

Afterwards, lazing on the lounger, their
shoes off, making out was on both of their agendas. He lay slightly
on his side. The kissing was slow, erotic. Although it was an hour
before sunset, he eased his hand under her dress while she laved
and bit his neck, him delicately stroking her inner thigh. Aroused,
Brook lifted her hips for him to take her undies off. He had
already undone buttons at the top of the dress and parted it.

She could feel the tension and restrained
cravings in him, even when he took his time sweetly abrading the
right spot between sensually caressing her inside, sensitizing the
walls of her sex.

Stroking his muscled arms and chest, she soon
had his jeans unbuttoned. Brook lay back at one point, so he could
kiss her neck and breasts, his thigh over her leg. They continued
the foreplay.

Breathing jaggedly, she stroked his hair.

He lifted his head. His tawny eyes were
taking in her flushed face.

“Will this thing break with us?” she asked
about the teak lounger.

“I don’t think so.” He grinned tense.

She stood and then leaned, to peel off his
jeans—turned on by his exposed body, and the full thrust of his
cock. The dress half opened, she sat astride his lap, his hands
going under the skirt of it.

She lowered herself onto him. Trembling when
he was fully inside. It took a fraction to catch their breaths.

Brook began to move, sensually, undulating.
Coy moved with her, whispering in those deep husks, words that made
her intoxicated. He came—holding her down, tightly to him— his head
back, watching her through half closed lids.

After refreshing, Coy took her to his bed. He
stroked, kissed, and tongue bathed her body. Somewhere in the midst
of her orgasm, Coy pleasuring her with his mouth, Brook lost it and
cried out softly, “Coy, you take me apart, so good. This is so damn
Good.”

They held each other afterwards, nude, still
tangled. At times their palms touched, fingers twined, and Brook
would feel her heart shake from the depth of her feelings for
him.

The last bout of lovemaking, before she went
home, was fiery and intense. Coy behind her, driving into her,
driving her crazy. They had built up need. It was almost impossible
to sate it. Emotions were there too, under the sexy words, explicit
stuff they whispered. Things felt, not said, that had always been
between them.

She drove home still feeling him inside her,
her ears still hearing the sounds of his breathing, of both their
throaty words.

Brook was falling again, and scared. She was
needing him again, all of him, the heart of him. She was terrified
of that.

Chapter 22

January

It was cold, snowy, and miserable out, when
Brook went shopping for a dress to wear to Max and Jordan’s
wedding. They were holding it at his house, although he wanted to
fly everyone to Kentucky— and have an elaborate one at the
estate.

Jordan wanted it simple.

She had gone to the estate with him, and they
had taken Leigh there. Jordan found it breathtaking, and though she
met most of Max’s friends, she retained her unique humor about “Ivy
League boys.”

She was comfortable in her skin now. Since
she had a chance to work on her own album, she was growing—with
Max’s help, into a savvy musician and businessperson.

Having met people in the industry, they now
had an eclectic mix of friends. Artsy and intellectual, sports
stars, Max kept up with. In time, Jordan got used to his having
money and he got used to her insisting on living modestly.

Brook knew Max gave to abuse shelters,
retreats, and foundations that supported single mothers and
children. He was so affected by what his wife-to-be had suffered on
her own; it made him (aware), in a personal way. He had already
been so, because of Madeline’s struggles. However, he felt if
Jordan had more options as a teen, she wouldn’t have had to give up
everything and be cast out. She should have had a place to turn
to.

Her brother was also busy having his photos
put into a book, and freelancing. Jordan was busy, too. They
supported each other the way people in love did. They were becoming
very good friends.

Simple for the wedding was good. Because
Brook went to the Mall. She did not have time to go out of state,
or somewhere else. Besides that, Renee told her Jordan was adamant
people not feel they had to (go all formal.)

Carrying her coat and purse, Brook finally
found a long purple skirt and blouse to wear, and after buying lace
stockings, boots, she went to the food court for hot fries and
something to ease her chilled bones.

She made calls while she ate.

Before she left, Coy rang her. He and Levi
had been down with the flu, and before that, Coy had to leave for a
week—doing something for one of the radio stations. He had been
doing spots this winter, broadcasting the basketball games at the
local schools.

“I’ve sworn off chicken soup,” he told
her.

Brook chuckled. The family had brought so
much over, he drowned in it while sick.

“The family loves you.”

“Yeah.”

“How’s Levi?”

“Restless, full of spit. I took him out
sleigh riding earlier. But he’s still chattering and twitchy.”

“You sound like a grumpy. Dad.”

“I sound like a, missing his girlfriend,
could use some adult company— Dad. I think Levi is sick of me too.
He’s actually looking forward to going back to school.”

“I’m in the parking lot at the Mall now. Hang
on while I get in the car.”

He did. She started the heater, after stowing
the bags, waiting for it to get somewhere near warm.

“I’m here. “ Her teeth chattered.

“Buying something to wear to the
wedding?”

“Yep. I ordered the gift.”

“What did you get them?”

He sounded like he just needed to talk to a
grown up. Brook sat back and relaxed. “I got them these cool and
funky handmade quilts. Retro sixties fabrics—and peace signs.”

He laughed.

“Well, Jordan doesn’t want crystal. There’s
that at the estate. And every time I go over there they’re bundled
under quilts.”

“I could do that with you all winter.”

“Um. It’s a cold one.”

Coy murmured, “The necklace I bought you for
Christmas was nice, but I’d bought something else. I didn’t know
how you’d take it.”

She watched the window defrost. “Yeah?”

“I’d like to give it to you this spring?”

“I look forward to spring,” she said.

She could tell he was moving around, pacing,
or walking. There was a click and the background cartoons faded, so
she knew he was likely in his bedroom.

“So—you probably already know it’s an
engagement ring.” He sounded a little nervous. “The rest is your
call. I am yours, Brook. Completely. You know that by now.”

Brook said, “Does Levi know about the
ring?”

“Yeah. He was with me when I got it. And he
called me a chicken when I didn’t give it to you at Christmas.”

Brook snorted amused.

“I’ll see you at the wedding this
weekend.”