Lacy (The Doves of Primrose) (25 page)

He settled into his chair next to the set and leaned his elbow on the arm, lost in thought.

“How are you holding up?”

Kyle turned to see Emmylou’s beautiful smiling face. “I think the better question is how are you doing?” He pulled a towel from the chair next to him and motioned for her to sit.

She sighed with relief when she slid into the canvas seat. “I think I’m fine. The mud was good for my skin.” Her laugh was heavier than it should have been and was followed by a faraway look. “Kyle, there’s something you should know.” She paused and Kyle got distracted by Lauren skirting around his trailer. “Lacy loves you. She always has, Kyle?”

“Yeah?”
He twisted to see where Lauren was headed but she had disappeared. He got out of his chair, his eyes still trained on her last location.

“Did you hear what I said?”
Emmylou’s voice was baffled but he couldn’t worry about that right now.

“Yeah.
Can we talk about it later?” He started walking away and heard her annoyed answer behind him. He tried to look inconspicuous as he made a beeline to his trailer. He nodded and half-smiled at everyone he passed. When he made it to the door he saw it was wide open. He peeked around the front without spying her so he climbed the stairs. When he reached the top, a flash of whipping blonde hair caught his attention. Lauren had snapped to attention when she realized he had entered. She was clearly hiding something behind her back.

A quiver of suspicion rippled through him but he stepped fo
rward. “Lauren? What’s the matter?”

The red rising up her neck and staining her cheeks only sent his radar into overdrive
. “Hi.” Her voice was shaky. “Oh, nothing’s wrong. I just needed to get out of the heat and I didn’t think you would mind if I was in here.”

He stepped closer
, trying to get a glance at her hands still clamped behind her back. “I don’t mind. You’re welcome in here whenever you need.” In his mind he was already rethinking that offer. A gnawing pit was upsetting his empty stomach. She gave him a closed-lip smile and he narrowed his brows, reaching out his hand. “Lauren. What do you have behind your back?” He planted his feet hoping he wasn’t providing her a target for attack.

“Nothing.”
She shook her head, but failed at convincing him.

“I don’t believe you. Please let me see it.” He couldn’t stand not knowing
; he moved close enough to reach behind her back. She struggled a bit but he managed to grab her hand and pull it in front of her. He pried her hand open to find some funny white bottle. He lifted it from her palm, causing her to look away.

“What is this?” He inspected it and the words told him what was in the container.

“It’s calamine lotion.” She sounded so embarrassed and defeated.

Kyle looked at her with a sardonic smile. “Lauren, why do you need calamine lotion? Is it the mosquitoes? You know they’re attracted to black
, right?” He gestured to her black shorts and black-and-white striped long-sleeve shirt.

“No, I didn’t know that. Unlike you
, I didn’t grow up with bugs the size of Bentleys.” She grabbed the bottle back from him.

Kyle laughed and shook his head. “You don’t need to be e
mbarrassed about bug bites.”

“I don’t have bug bites, I have poison oak.
Apparently.” She looked down at her hands.

“Oh. Well, that’s a little bigger problem, but you were right to use calamine lotion on it.”

Her sea green eyes looked at him from under her eyelashes. “I was?”

A strange feeling jabbed him in the chest with the tone she was using.
“Yep. Are you getting any blisters with it?”

Lauren straightened and became
loose-limbed, making eye contact that made his stomach twitch. “Would you mind looking at it?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Sure.” He held his hand out, ready to roll up her sleeve and inspect her skin. Instead, Lauren grabbed the hem of her shirt and whipped it over her head, freeing her arms from the sleeves and tossed it on the floor. Kyle stumbled back, averting his gaze. “Whoa.” He tripped over his own feet while backing up further and seized the back of a chair
, trying to place it between the two of them. “Uh, Lauren, I think you misunderstood me.”

A cat-like smile curved her lips and she pulled her hair over one shoulder. “I don’t think so. Mo
st of the rash is on my torso.”

She advanced on him
. He stepped back again, successfully backing into the wall behind the driver’s seat and trapping himself. “Lauren, I don’t think we need to be doing this. Put your shirt back on.”

“Stop being such a baby, Kyle. How do you expect to see an
ything through my clothes?” She positioned herself sideways so he had a full view of her half-naked body.

If he could climb the wall and get out of the RV through the vent in the roof, he would do it. He was flattening himself against the wall, twisting his head, worried what she might do next.

“Now come on and take a look.”

Had he imagined Lauren’s advances? He darted a look at her to find her standing with her side to him, shoulder turned, waiting for him to look at her rash. Now he just felt like an idiot. All she had wanted was some help and he thought she was stripping down, trying to seduce him. He relaxed and blinked several times.

“Okay. Sorry about that.” He stretched his fingers out to touch her, but couldn’t actually make contact with her skin. He felt like he was cheating on Lacy by doing this. He didn’t know why that would matter, they weren’t together. Her opinion about his actions were irrelevant. But still, it was awkward having Lauren finally calling him Kyle instead of Mr. McClintock and taking her shirt off in front of him. Going from zero to sixty was unsettling.

He looked at the bumpy rash without touching her. “How long have you had it?”

“Two days.” She turned further to make it easier for him to see it.

“It looks fine to me. I think if you keep putting the lotion on it will be better in a few days. And you may want to take a bath in
oatmeal, my mom always had my dad do that when he broke out in a rash like this.” He straightened and glanced at the open door, praying no one would come in here and see him with his shirtless assistant.

“Can you put some lotion on my back
, please?” She held the bottle out to him. “It’s hard for me to get my back.”

His mind was screaming no, but his upbringing made him comply with the lady’s request. He poured the pink liquid in his palm, rubbed it on both hands and applied it to her back in quick
, almost slapping strokes. “There ya go.” He hoped that would get her to redress. Instead she turned and faced him. There was fire in the depths of her eyes. He was so screwed. Kyle didn’t know how to get out of this situation gracefully. She was a great assistant and he hated to lose her, but he wasn’t interested in what he thought she was offering.

“Thank you,” her normally sober voice purred.
She ran a finger up his chest, pressing closer to him. He wished to hell that he could disappear into the wall keeping him trapped. He snatched her traveling hand in his own and opened his mouth to explain that this was all flattering but impossible.

A gasp from behind him snapped his attention.

Chapter 23

After talking with Emmylou about her situation, Lacy remembered the talk with Candy yesterday during lunch. Candy had mentioned speaking with Brice just a few days ago and had hinted at wanting the two of them to patch things up. Of course, Lacy hadn’t bought into anything that the woman had said. Candy’s greatest thrill was tormenting Lacy.

Lacy wanted to talk to Kyle about it. She knew he wasn’t g
oing to be receptive after how he had treated her all day, but she had to explain it to him and hopefully get his input. He was always so good at seeing the underlying motives of people and analyzing the big picture. She was sure he would have some insight as to what was going on. And this gave her a good reason to be near him. Maybe it would soften him up a bit.

She closed her eyes, chiding herself. That wasn’t going to happen, but a girl could dream. She looked around the set for him but didn’t have any luck spotting him so she started for his trailer
, hoping he would be in there or she would meet him on the way. She kept her eyes open on the walk over but there was no sign of him.

The
trailer door was open and she went right up the stairs and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She had just interrupted a very intimate moment. She tried to keep her composure but inside everything was splintering apart. She glanced from a shocked Kyle to a grimacing Lauren.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Lacy turned and almost stumbled out of the RV. Tears were already blinding her
; she charged through the grass, past tables and people she only partially saw. She heard a voice calling behind her, but she couldn’t stop. She picked up her pace as soon as she was to the trees and by the time she reached the path she was sprinting all the way back to her home. She ran into the barn and back to the room she used as her bedroom, slamming and latching the door closed.

She let out a devastated scream before falling back against the door and sliding to the floor. She didn’t know what to think
; her mind was flashing through so many possibilities it made her dizzy. Tears were streaking down her face in a hot river of anguish, her chest heaved with tormenting breaths as she sat on the floor and bawled. She didn’t know what hurt worse, the fact that he had moved on so soon or that he chose Lauren. She played back every second of the scene with Kyle and Lauren, deliberately punishing herself with them.

She knew this was all her fault
. She had held back and succeeded in pushing Kyle away. She hadn’t been able to give him her heart and he wouldn’t accept any less. She had her chance and she blew it. When was she ever going to learn?

Lacy used the hem of her shirt to dry her face and rose from the floor to sit on her cot. She opened the nightstand drawer in search of some tissues to blow her nose. She moved the junk around and hit something that poked her finger.
She moved her head closer and discovered a pair of shiny sewing scissors she had never seen before. That was strange. Searching further she came up with a piece of purple fabric with jagged edges. She pulled it from the drawer, recognizing the silk. It was a chunk of her shirt that had been destroyed.

A knock on her door made her jump and
shove the material back in the drawer, slamming it closed. Her stomach felt as though she had eaten a porcupine and her body was shaking. She was scared Kyle was at the door. She wanted it to be him as much as she didn’t. She cleared her throat and swallowed. “Who is it?”

“It’s Emmylou. Honey, I know you probably don’t want to see anyone, but can I come in please?”

“Sure.” Lacy plodded to the door and opened it.

Emmylou
gave her a sorrowful half-smile and sighed. Lacy turned and went back to her cot with Emmylou right behind her. “I want to tell you that Kyle sent me to check on you.”

Lacy sta
red at her friend in disbelief. “Why?”

Emmylou
tilted her head. “Well, that’s what I wanted to ask you. Kyle was pretty insistent that I rush right over here and see how you were doing. He didn’t tell me why. He looked like he had just come from a Hitchcock movie. It was actually disturbing.” Emmylou shivered and pulled a face before placing her hand on Lacy’s arm. “So what had him looking like the fox on a fox hunt?”

Lacy stared at her lap
, feeling the tears welling in her eyes again. She sniffed and tossed her head back to keep them from falling. “I, uh, caught him in his trailer with Lauren.” She felt her friend rear back.

“With Lauren?
You mean
with
, with her?”

Lacy’s lips quivered. She frowned
and she shook her head. “Not in bed or anything. But she had her shirt off and he had his hands on her.”

Emmylou
gaped at her. “Are you sure?” She scratched her forehead. “What am I saying, of course you’re sure.” She slapped her hands against her legs before embracing Lacy’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. Do you want me to go kick his ass?” Lacy let out a watery giggle. The thought of her beating up Kyle was priceless. “I could do it. Or better yet, I can get someone to do it.” Emmylou stroked her arm.

That’s why Lacy loved Emmylou so much
; she was good at turning things around and making her laugh.

The two friends left the barn together to get supper ready. With Scarlett on orders to keep off her injured knee,
Emmylou offered to help fix and serve the meal, but Lacy sent her home to get some much needed sleep. She called Widow Walters to come and help instead. She didn’t know how she was going to get through seeing Kyle, having to bring him his food. Would he be sitting with Lauren? Maybe they were too busy enjoying each other to even make it to supper. She ripped that stomach-churning thought from her mind. She was going to have to survive the coming weeks of the film crew being here, of seeing the two of them together.

Lacy deserved
having to endure that. She had chased Kyle off twice and he had every right to pursue someone else. She had only shown him restraint and given him doubts about her true feelings for him so now she was paying the price. How was she to know that it was too high?

Brice came strolling through the back door while Lacy was
elbow-deep in flour. He had a gigantic bouquet of roses in his arms and was sporting the wide grin that she used to like so much. Her heart sank.

“Hey.” His deep voice was turned onto sweet mode.

“Hey, yourself.” She eyed him skeptically.

Brice held out the flowers and Lacy rolled her eyes
, holding up her flour-covered hands. He smiled and it almost reached his eyes. Had Lacy not been paying attention she would have thought it was genuine.

“Do you have something to put them in?” he asked.

Lacy jerked her head in the direction of the sink. “Sure. That cupboard beside the sink should have a big enough vase.”

He narrowed his brow at her tone. “Okay. I’ll get them in w
ater.”

Lacy tracked him to the sink
and picked up a towel to dust off her hands. Mrs. Walters came through the swinging kitchen door and dropped the plate she was carrying, drawing everyone’s attention when it shattered on the floor.

“What are
you
doing here?” The woman’s mouth pressed into a fine line.

“Thought you’d never see me again,
Mrs. Walters?” Brice moved the vase full of water to the island next to Lacy and tucked the flowers inside.

“Hoped would be a better term. Somebody die?” She glared at the flowers first
, then Brice, making them all understand she wished it was him.

“No, no. I’m home now.” He slid his arm around Lacy’s waist and tugged her close to his side.
“For good.”

Mrs.
Walters looked like a skunk had just sprayed her in the face. “Lacy, honey, are you all right?”

Lacy wasn’t sure how to take that question. It sounded as though the woman was questioning her sanity instead of her health. “I’m not sure.”

Mrs. Walters looked from Brice to Lacy and back, then puckered her mouth and nodded, understanding exactly what Lacy meant. “Uh-huh. We’ll see about that.”

“
Mrs. Walters, would you excuse us for a moment?”

“You bet. I can handle things in here, but I may need your help in the dining room soon.” She raised her eyebrows and Lacy smiled
, knowing that she would basically be watching them from the kitchen window until Lacy returned. Country code, being able to interpret silent communication in one look; what would they ever do without it?

Lacy dug her fingernails into Brice’s hand while prying it from her waist and pushing him out the door. “We’ll be back in two shakes.” She shoved Brice further out the door and down the steps onto the lawn.

An astonished chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Lacy, what are you doing?”

“Finding out what in the hell is going on.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared him down when he attempted to reach for her. “No. You tell me what you’re doing here and try the truth this time. Because I know you aren’t here for me. What do you want, Brice?”

His mouth hitched into a half-smile. “I told you I’m home for good. I want you back.”

She looked him up and down. “Is it money? I talked to your mother the other day. Did she tell you about this movie produ
ction and you thought you’d cash in? Well, I’m going to tell you that you won’t see one red cent from it. Abandonment is a stiff charge and one that judges don’t take lightly in divorce proceedings.” She was quoting Emmylou.

“Abandonment?
Honey, I left to make a better life for us and now I’m back.” He spread his arms like she should just come charging into them, forgiving his transgressions. “I don’t need your money. I have my own.” He stepped back with the look that she shot him. “Okay, yes, my mother may have mentioned that you had Kyle McClintock and his crew here shooting a movie, but I was already on my way home.”

Lacy didn’t like the way he had said Kyle’s name. “I don’t b
elieve you.”

The torment in his beautiful eyes and drooped shoulders nea
rly convinced her, though. “What’s it gonna take, Lace? I’m sorry. I’m an asshole. I’ve never been good to you, but I’m here and I want to do better.”

A breath escaped her parted lips and her chest tightened. She hadn’t seen that confession coming. She stood frozen as he stepped closer and slowly wrapped his arms around her. She studied his face
, searching for the lie she knew had to be there. She could always tell when he was lying. She swallowed, finding nothing. He tilted his head, glancing at her mouth and raised his green eyes back to hers with the question she didn’t instantly discourage. Her head was spinning, grasping and coming up empty.

He leaned in
, testing the kiss and slightly pulled back before connecting again, more deeply
,
searching. He nipped at her bottom lip and before she knew what was happening they were kissing. She had no control over it. He held her tightly to his strong frame and moved his mouth over hers. She tentatively returned it. Kissing Brice didn’t bring her the same combustion that kissing Kyle did. The second that Kyle entered her mind she broke free of Brice’s kiss, staring hard at him.

“See, baby?
We still have it.”

If that were true then why didn’t she feel it in her core? And why was she allowing this to happen? She pushed at his chest. “No, Brice
, we don’t.”

“How can you say that?” He crushed her against him, trapping her arms.

“Let me go, Brice.” Her voice was flat, no panic, no feeling. He had tried this tactic in the past after an argument; she had let him get away with it back then because it smoothed things over and she could get on about her business. But this time was different. He didn’t have any hold on her, no claim to her faithfulness. She had freed herself of him during their separation and there was no going back. She had outgrown the desire of hiding behind their marriage, of using it as an excuse for failure.

She had entertained the thought of having to go back to Brice since she understood that Kyle was no longer an option for her, but standing here knowing that she was different, that she didn’t need either one of them
, brought a surge of empowerment. She had The Dove House and her friends. She was going to be just fine.

She broke free of Brice
, to his astonishment. “All right, Brice, since you won’t tell me what you really want this is how things are going to go. You’re going to sign those divorce papers and I’m going to go and have them filed at the courthouse, and then you are going to go away and never speak to me again. Accept the fact that we should never have gotten married. We aren’t meant for each other and I know that you know that. The reason we got married isn’t valid anymore and hasn’t been for a really long time.”

He crossed his arms and hitched his weight to one leg. “The reason we got married was because you were pregnant with Kyle McClintock’s baby and he took off on you so you needed some other guy to pin it on.” He raised his brows and jutted his chin out.