Long Time Gone (Rough Riders) (3 page)

“What’s that mean?”

“Look, we both know Dad won’t show up at the wedding. He’s already left the house and gone to Harland’s.”

Their oldest brother and their dad were best buds, which is why she didn’t get along with Harland. “That’s not a surprise. So?”

Worry clouded his eyes. “So Carolyn is really okay with me giving her away?”

“Yes. I know she’s grateful that one of her brothers is happy for her.”

“I am.” He jammed his hand through his hair. “I hate this shit, Kimi. I really do. It eats at all of us.”

She didn’t say,
it eating at you hasn’t affected any of your appetites
.

“Anyway, what’s the plan for getting everyone to the church?”

“I’ll drive Carolyn early so she can get ready. I assumed Aunt Hulda would drive Mom there and then back here afterward. And you, Stuart and Marshall would ride together. Why?”

“Just wondered how long this would last.”

Her brothers rarely went to church. “It’s a typical Catholic ceremony without mass. So probably forty-five minutes. Since there’s so few people invited to the wedding I doubt the reception will last long.” She smirked. “I’m sure the bride and groom are anxious to get to the honeymoon portion of the day.”

Thomas returned her smirk. “I imagine they are. What are your plans for after the ceremony?”

She shrugged. “I’m playing it by ear.”

“Let me offer you some advice, little sis. Stay away from here until later tonight.”

Not what she’d expected. “Why?”

“Dad will come home from Harland’s drunk. I suspect it’ll be worse than usual due to Carolyn’s marriage. He’ll rant and rave at anyone who’s around until he passes out. I plan to be elsewhere, as do Stuart and Marshall.”

“Thanks for the warning.” She pushed away from the counter. “I should get myself ready and see how the bride is doin’.”

When she stood in the entryway to the sun porch, seeing Carolyn’s suitcase packed and waiting by the door, it finally hit her that this was it. Last night was the last time they’d share the same space as they talked of their hopes for the future and their favorite moments from their past.

Carolyn looked over at her. “What’s wrong?”

Emotion overwhelmed her and her tears fell. “You are beautiful. Carson might faint dead away when he gets a look at you.”

Her sister blushed. Then she lifted her chin. “I appreciate the flattery, Kimi, but what’s really going on? You’re not usually a crier.”

Yesterday they’d moved all of Carolyn’s things into Carson’s trailer. She’d fussed and cleaned. Rearranged and added decorative touches, turning the place from his space into their space. Kimi had watched her sister flitting around, feeling a mixture of envy and repulsion. Envy because Carolyn had found a man who loved her for her. Repulsion because it seemed like her sister was settling down too soon. Carolyn wouldn’t get to do interesting things or travel to fascinating places. She worried her sister’s life would be just as mundane living in Carson’s house as it had been living in their parent’s house.

Aren’t you projecting your goals onto her? Has Carolyn ever told you that she wants to travel?

No.

But now it wasn’t an option for her. And that was a little sad.

“Kimi?” Carolyn prompted.

Her gaze snapped to her sister. “Sorry. It’s a lot to take in. It’s weird seeing all your stuff packed up.”

“More room for you to spread out when you come home.” Carolyn added another coat of mascara on her already ridiculously long eyelashes. “I pushed the beds back together for you.”

“Thanks. Since no one is in the bathroom, I’ll grab my stuff and get ready.”

Kimi planned to wear her hair up. Since she couldn’t find any bobby pins, she’d borrow some from her mother. She stopped outside her mom’s bedroom door when she heard her name uttered angrily.

“Kimi doesn’t want to return to school, Hulda. You heard her.”

“She was joking, Clara, and it proves that you don’t really listen to her. Besides, I wouldn’t
let
her drop out.”

“That is
not
for you to decide,” her mother snapped. “Kimi is
not
your daughter.”

What a nasty thing for her mom to say.

“I love her and Carolyn like they
are
mine,” her aunt said proudly. “I’ll never apologize for that. I’ll never apologize for giving them options.”

Kimi closed her eyes, but she couldn’t force herself to walk away.

“I know you love them. I just didn’t expect you’d take them from me,” her mother said on a sob. “I wanted you to help them, not turn them into strangers and turn them against me.”

“Oh, quit sniveling. I haven’t done any such thing and you know it. You stopped being a mother to them when you sent them away, even when you did it for their own good. Kimi’s been on her own longer than Carolyn. She comes home and doesn’t understand why all the work burden falls on Carolyn’s shoulders or hers, knowing when they aren’t here, their brothers manage just fine. So no, I don’t care what that husband of yours says—Kimi is
not
staying here as a fill-in servant. I need Kimi at the shop. Plus, she’s already missing two days of the summer session and she’ll have plenty of homework to catch up on when we return.”

“Elijah is her father. He has a say in what happens to his youngest daughter.”

No he doesn’t.

“We’ll discuss this later.” The chair creaked, indicating her aunt had gotten up.

Kimi recognized Aunt Hulda’s stalling technique, so she retreated to the bathroom, bobby pins forgotten.

As she fixed her hair she wondered why her mother was pushing so hard to keep her here, when just Friday afternoon she’d pointed out that Kimi had no choice but to stay in school since her aunt was paying for it. Was it just a control thing? Letting her sister and her daughter know she could upend both their lives any time she chose?

Like hell that’d ever happen. She’d run away first.

Three sharp knocks sounded on the door. “Kimi? You about ready?” Carolyn asked.

“Give me two more minutes and then we’ll go.”

Kimi pressed a hand to her stomach. She had butterflies, which didn’t make sense since she wasn’t the one getting married.

But it was her job to get the bride to the church on time.

Chapter Three

The wedding was short and sweet—except for the passionate kiss Carson laid on Carolyn as soon as the priest pronounced them husband and wife.

Kimi’s eyes had met Cal’s across the altar and they grinned at each other.

That’d been the only time during the ceremony Kimi had allowed her eyes to stray to the too-handsome cowboy, looking fine in a navy-colored western-cut suit. She’d known if she didn’t pay attention to the priest, she’d get lost in Cal’s eyes and remember nothing of the ceremony.

While Mr. and Mrs. McKay greeted their guests downstairs at the reception, Kimi and Cal signed the marriage license in the priest’s office. Cal acted circumspect while the priest was around, but the minute the holy man left…holy crap did Cal’s eyes roam over every inch of her.

At least twice.

He murmured, “Lookin’ good, little sister,” in her ear and gooseflesh broke out across her arms.

By unspoken agreement they didn’t acknowledge one another during the reception. He stayed with the McKay guests; she stayed with the West guests.

Then Cal snagged her attention and they met in the middle of the room, where she swore she felt all eyes on them. “I need to get Carolyn’s stuff transferred into Carson’s truck. You wanna give me your car keys?”

“You afraid tongues will wag if we head outside together?”

“No, darlin’, I’m afraid fists will fly.”

He had a point. “The suitcase is in the trunk. I didn’t lock the car since the lock always sticks.”

“I’ll still need the keys.”

She fished them out of her purse and handed them over.

“I’ll be movin’ Carson’s truck out front so maybe it’s time to gather everyone out there for the sendoff.”

Kimi approached her family. Four of her bothers had attended: Darren, Marshall, Stuart, Thomas. Harland hadn’t shown up, but his wife Sonia had, as well as Darren’s wife, Tracy.

Darren spoke first. “What’d that other McKay want?”

“To know where to find Carolyn’s things before we send the newlyweds off.” She looked at her aunt. “It’s about time to throw rice. Maybe you’d better get Mom into position outside.”

“Where will you be?” her mother demanded.

“Fulfilling my maid of honor duties,” she said evenly.

A quick pit stop in the kitchen assured Kimi that the ladies’ auxiliary had packaged up the leftover German chocolate butter cake Aunt Hulda had made. Kimi grabbed the coffee can filled with rice, passing off the duty of handing out rice to her sister-in-law, Sonia.

The priest was chatting with the newlyweds. Carson looked anxious—but so did Carolyn. Cal caught Kimi’s eye and smiled before interrupting the priest.

“Carse, your truck is parked at the curb and loaded with your wife’s things, so you’re all set.”

Carson kissed Carolyn’s forehead. “Let’s go home.”

After exchanging a hug with her sister and new brother-in-law, Kimi opened the doors. Carson and Carolyn raced through a hail of rice. That bone-deep sadness reared its ugly head again. She knew being jealous was stupid, because she was happy for her sister, but the one person who tied her to this family…would now have a family of her own. It’d always been her and Carolyn facing the world. The West sisters standing up for each other, protecting one another, inside the family and outside.

She’d never felt so alone.

No one noticed Kimi sneaking back into the church. Around the corner in the sanctuary, she pressed her back against the brick wall and let the tears come full force—but in silence.

Not long after she disappeared, a shadow fell over her. “Aw, hell, sweet darlin’. Those tears are killin’ me. C’mere.” Cal’s strong arm slipped around her waist. A solid chest cushioned her cheek and muffled her sobs. A gentle hand skated up and down her back.

She accepted his comfort without question.

He said nothing, he just held her until she calmed down.

“I didn’t mean to lose it,” she whispered.

“You didn’t. Not like you could have—throwin’ shit, screamin’ obscenities and swigging from a bottle of whiskey.”

“There’s plenty of day left for that.”

“And ain’t I the lucky one, for getting to spend the rest of it with you.”

She managed a hiccupping laugh. “You sure you still want to do that?”

“Yep. More than anything in the world, actually.”

Kimi finally looked up at him. Butterflies took wing in her stomach again. This man was…all man.

Cal curled his hand around her cheek. “You are a little whip of a thing.”

“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder about that, so watch it. I’m small but mighty.”

His lips twitched. “Thanks for the warning. So I thought you could come over to my place.”

His place? Like it was no big deal if she was alone, with a man, at his house? She’d never imagined that’s where they’d end up on this “date”. Since they were in a church, she felt the need to confess the truth. “I’m not a wild girl, Cal.”

He lifted both eyebrows. “You’re tellin’ me this…why?”

“I’ve been told I flirt too much, so I might’ve given you the wrong impression.” She tried to squirm away but he held tight.

His blue eyes were hard as steel. “Seems you’ve been listening to your family run down the McKays. You assume I’m the type of man who’d take advantage of you?”

Kimi didn’t back down. “That’s the thing—I don’t know
what
kind of man you are. I’m just letting you know what kind of girl I’m
not
. So if you want to change your mind…”

“I don’t.” He touched her cheek. “I ain’t gonna lie, Kimi. There’s a pull between us. But acknowledging it and actin’ on it are two different things. I just want to get to know you.”

“So this isn’t really a date?”

He shrugged. “Call it whatever makes you comfortable. But I promise I won’t try and talk you into my bed.”

“Okay. Thank you for bein’…”

“For bein’ what, sweet darlin’?”

A sudden burst of shyness had her dropping her gaze. “For bein’ cool about the fact I’m not cool. That I’m just a dorky teenage girl who has no idea what I’ve gotten myself into with you.”

Cal chuckled. “You’re makin’ me feel old.”

She looked up at him. “Will you take offense if I say you seem older than twenty-four?”

“Not if you don’t take offense if I say you seem older than sixteen.”

She smiled.

His returning grin was decidedly boyish.

She liked his charming side. She really liked that he knew when to use it and when to rein it in.

“We’ll wait until everyone leaves and then you can follow me. It’s about an hour drive. So if you’re hungry we should stop and eat first.”