He huffed a laugh. “Get in your van, Bev. I got this.”

  Jacob hopped out of the van to watch Connor clamp the doohickeys to the thingies sticking up on the battery. “Red to this one and black to this one, understand, Jake?”

  Jake? When did my kid become Jake?

  “Okay, Bev, your turn.”

  The van started up, and he let the engine run for a few minutes to make sure it would stay that way. He turned to me as the kids scrambled back into the van. “Your battery probably needs replacing. I have to go to the parts store anyway, so I’ll pick one up for you and put it in tonight.” His eyes sparkled, and he grinned. “Call me if you need me to jump you again.”

  “You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?”

  “I doubt it.”

  “Even if I make you my world-famous deluxe pecan pie?”

  He laughed and his eyes sparkled. “Maybe.”

  Thank you, God, I have my Connor back!

  I had nothing else to say, and he didn’t either. The sound of the running engines filled the silence between us as steam poured out of both tailpipes. The snow was coming down thicker now.

  Connor disengaged the cables and started coiling them up. He wasn’t looking at me when he spoke again. “I meant to tell you, you looked beautiful New Year’s. Really beautiful. Sarah sent me a text and a picture before you left the house. Is it serious between you and that guy you were with?”

  “I don’t know yet. He seems to be interested in me, but I’m not sure I’m there yet. I’ll probably see him again when I have a free night. Probably next New Year’s, the way my life is going.” My words were light, but my heart wasn’t feeling it. “How ’bout you and Camille? You’ve been out a couple times now and already met the parents. How’s that going?”

  He shrugged as he opened the toolbox on the back of his truck and threw in the neatly bound cables. “I don’t know either. She’s nice but a little pushy sometimes.”

  That little heart stab was back. Jeez, Bev, you gotta get over yourself!

  “Okay, well, we’ll have to swap stories later, but right now we are so late. I need to get these kids… hey, where do you think all y’all are going?”

  All four kids had exited the van and were trudging back to our side.

  “Just got a text alert. School’s closed for the day. Buses are turning back, and no one is allowed on campus. Anyone already there has to leave and go home.”

  I looked back at Connor, my eyes widening and my face going slack this time. He bit his lip and tried hard to contain it. It didn’t work.

  I wondered how many calories I’d burned from laughing so hard.

  Connor put his hands in front of the wood stove to warm them up. He’d installed the square metal box in the shop for heat when he needed it. The jobsite shutdown for the day because of the snow, so he ended up spending the time with his own work. The custom bistro tables he made for the Beer Kettle had led to six more orders from similar shops. He had three dozen tables to make and two sets with matching stools. One person asked him to refinish an antique chifforobe, but that would have to be a spring job. Mid-January’s weather was too cold for varnishing.

  He pulled out a handful of mahogany scraps and chucked them on his mini-lathe. He spun down a dozen blanks and center drilled them for brass tubes. Making pens was hobby work and just something to occupy his time and brain. He and Beverly were back where they were a few months ago. At least he hoped they were. He had a long talk with his sister last week, and for once in a long time, he opened up.

  “I can’t believe I lost it, Eva. I lost my temper and yelled at a woman.”

  “From what you told me, she started it.”

  “Yeah, she was having a real bad day.”

  “So did you.”

  “That’s no excuse.”

  He heard Eva sigh. “Maybe not in your mind now, but at that time, both of you were stressed out and loaded. Both of you made a mistake, and both of you talked it out, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  He gripped the phone, trying to find the right words. “Eva, this woman is… I… Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, little sister, I liked her. I really liked her. I didna want to get involved with a woman just yet, but hell, she’s the first person I think aboot when I wake and the last one I think aboot when I sleep. I wonder about what she’s doing during the day, if she’s havin’ a good one or a bad one, and what I can do tae make it a bit better. She worries me some, because she spends so much of her time workin’ for so many others. She needs time for herself. I wanted to give that to her. Now it’s too late.”

  “Shit, Connor, you got it bad if your Irish is showing that much. Why is it too late?”

  “She’s got a new man.”

  “So? You mentioned you’ve met this Camille woman. If you’re seeing someone, and she’s seeing someone, what’s the problem?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I bet I do, big brother. You still like her, don’t you? You have a stronger connection with her than this Camille, and that’s tearing you up. That’s why it hurt so damn much when you two argued.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you love her?”

  Connor stayed silent for a moment. Did he love Beverly? God help him, he did, but he couldn’t say it out loud. That would make it real, and his heart already ached with the lost chance of being with her. “It doesn’t matter now, Eva.”

  “It might. I think you ought to man up and tell her how you feel. She may feel the same way and you don’t know it.”

  Connor shook his head and chuffed. “Christ, you’re a stubborn woman.”

  He could imagine her smiling on the other end of the call. “That’s right, mo rún. When it comes to my favorite brother, I want him to be as happy as I am. I’ve heard you talk proudly about the kids and about the talented, hard-working, smart Beverly until I want to puke. You need to cut Camille loose and go after the woman you really want.”

  “What if you’re wrong, Eva?”

  He finished gluing the tubes in the blanks. Snow was still falling softly outside, and he could see the lights in Beverly’s side of the house glowing. He pictured her in her favorite school hoodie and yoga pants, playing a board game with the kids or doing some chore around the kitchen. Could he admit to her he had feelings? Was that the right way to go, or should he just live with it and count this as the one that got away?

  Pecan pie, he thought as he put away his tools. There was more work he could do, but his mind wasn’t on it. He closed the shop and went to his side. He had beer and food in the fridge and a subscription to Netflix. Binge-watching something and getting away from life for a few hours sounded like a good idea.

  Fourteen

  I jerked awake when my phone rang, and I glanced at my clock. No one called me at eleven o’clock at night unless there was a problem. The last time I got a call this late, it was Melanie who was dealing with the joys of a kidney stone and needed to go to the hospital, the pain was so bad. Before that, I’d had to take Doug to the emergency room late one night during our initial separation. He had chest pains that turned out to be bad indigestion. It seemed whenever there was a crisis, my number was on speed dial.

  I flipped open my phone. The number was local, but I didn’t recognize it.

  “Who is this, and what’s wrong?”

  “Mom?”

  I wasn’t expecting my daughter to answer. Loud head-banging music blared in the background, and kids’ voices were yelling, laughing, and having a good time. School had been closed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, which meant all five of us ended up housebound for three days. When Abby asked to go to a sleepover at Phoebe’s place, I jumped at the chance to get at least one of them out for a while. From the sounds I heard on the phone, she was somewhere else.

  “Please don’t be mad.” Her wavering voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

  “I make no promises for later. What’s wrong?”

  “I… Ashton… um… we….”

  My stomach plummeted at the boy’s name. “Abigail Marie Archer, where are you?”

  “I’m at Ashton’s house. There’s a party and… and it’s getting… um… kinda wild.”

  I was up and grabbed the closest pants-like clothing near me, a pair of stretchy leggings. “Wild how?”

  “Well, there was a lot of beer at first. You know? From Ashton’s dad’s work? He owns the craft beer place on Third and Main? Anyway, he got a keg of something, and that’s gone now.”

  An entire keg of beer? Visions of the drunken parties in every 80s teen movie ever made danced in my head. I balanced the phone on my shoulder as I tried to wrestle the Disney princess leggings over one thigh. Damn! These were Sarah’s. I jerked them off and snagged another pair. That time I got my housework yoga pants with the big rip in the side. Good enough.

  “When the beer ran out, they started drinking out of the liquor cabinet. Ashton broke the door off ’cause his dad keeps it locked.”

  I pulled the phone away from my head long enough to jerk on a T-shirt that read ‘singers have great pipes’ across the top of it along with my faded school hoodie. I put it back to my ear and caught the words “… lots of people just showed up.”

  I gripped the phone so tight my knuckles turned white.

  “They’re not from our school. I think they might be from the college. I don’t know any of them. They brought a lot of… um… well… there’s a lot of w-w-weed. I can’t find Ashton anywhere, and I l-lost my ph-phone.”

  I could tell the meltdown was imminent.

  “Abby, what is Ashton’s address? Are you in a safe place? Can you meet me outside?”

  “I’m… I’m… I’m hiding in his parents’ bedroom. I have the door locked, and I’m on the house phone. There was this guy who was looking at me… like a lot. Just staring.”

  I jammed my feet into my nasty yard sneakers without bothering to put on socks.

  “Abby, address?”

  “Momma, I’m scared!”

  “I’m on my way. Can you get outside?”

  “I can’t! That creeper might be waiting for me in the hallway.”

  “Abby, I still need the address.”

  “I can’t text it from a house phone.”

  Another stress wrinkle formed between my eyebrows.

  “You can tell it to me with words.”

  “I don’t remember all of it. Only the street name.”

  “I’m sure I can figure it out. Probably the one with a lot of cars and a loud party happening.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  As she rattled off the street name, I recognized a rather affluent area of the city. The same one where Doug lived now. “It’s gonna take me at least twenty minutes or more to get there. Call me back at that time.”

  “Okay, Momma. Please hurry.”

  I knew she wasn’t just scared, she was terrified. She hadn’t called me “Momma” in years. I tried to call Doug’s cell twice to see if he could get to our daughter faster. Both times it went to voice mail. I hated to leave my other kids alone, but it couldn’t be helped. I woke up a groggy Jacob and told him I had to go get Abby. He nodded and flopped back asleep, probably not comprehending much. I thought about calling Joe, but this would not be the way I’d want him to officially meet the kids. We had our New Year’s Eve date, his daily texts, and several phone calls but so far hadn’t been able to plan another get-together. I tried Doug again and was so caught up in getting to my van that I didn’t see Connor on the porch until I ran into him. Literally.

  I landed on my ass in a big pile of snow that Mattie had tried to turn into a snowman yesterday. My phone flew from my hand, still stating for me to leave a message.

  “Jesus, are you okay?”

  I looked up at him and wished I could melt through the cracks in the cement. He was dressed up in his nice khaki pants, a collared dress shirt, and a brown leather bomber jacket. Damn, he looked hot. Clearly, Connor had been out somewhere and had just come home. Camille stood next to him, appearing in her finest as well. Here I was sprawled out on the ground in the sloppiest of my sloppy clothes. I hadn’t even bothered to comb my hair in my haste to get to my daughter. Could this night get any worse?

  “Um… yeah, I’m good. Sorry for running into you like that. I’m kinda in a hurry.”

  He glanced at his watch. “It’s after eleven. What’s wrong?”

  He reached a hand down to help me up as he parroted my earlier words.

  “Abby’s at a party, and I need to go get her.”

  His eyebrows went north far enough to reach the pole.

  “Abby’s what?”

  “At a party. She’s supposed to be at her friend’s for a sleepover but apparently decided to go to this party instead. She says the place is getting out of hand. She’s in over her head, and I need to get to her.”

  He jerked his chin to my closed door. “What about the other kids?”

  “I woke Jacob and let him know I’m leaving for a bit. The door’s locked. They should be fine, but I really need to go.”

  Connor turned to his date. “Would you mind staying with the kids until Bev and I get back?”

  She blinked at him. The dirty looks she gave me said she was not happy about this turn of events.

  I shook out the snow that had gotten to my skin through the big tear in my pants. “Thanks, Connor, but you don’t need to come with me. I can get Abby just fine. I don’t want to spoil your evening.”

  “Is Abby in trouble?”

  “Oh, yes, Abby is definitely in trouble. Trouble enough that she’s grounded for the rest of high school. I need to go, Connor.”

  My joking tone didn’t help lighten the tense mood.

  “Please, Camille. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Even though he said please, I could hear the underlying order. Even if Connor and I had cooled our friendship, I knew he cared about my kids, and if she wanted any kind of chance with him, she would need to help out now.

  “Of course. I hope everything is okay.”

  I wondered how much that gritted smile cost her.

  Connor unlocked my door, and Camille raised her eyebrow that he had a key to my place but didn’t say anything. He ushered me to his truck, and we both got in.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Briar Cliff Road in the Forrest area development. Ashton Fordham’s place. I don’t know the number, but I’m betting the party noise will give it away.”

  Connor looked over at me. “That’s William Fordham’s son.”

  “Yup. That’s him. How did you know?”

  He started the truck. “I did some work for him recently at his store, the Beer Kettle. He mentioned he’d be out of town this week on business and wanted me to start a new project in his home basement. I’ve met Ashton.”

  The tone of his voice and the tightening of his hand on the steering wheel told me he wasn’t too impressed with the teenager.

  When we got to the address, it looked exactly like the party scene from the movie Sixteen Candles. Cars were jammed in anywhere they could fit on the slushy lawn and in the circular driveway. The house blazed with lights while loud music blared away. A few people wandered around outside with red plastic cups or glass beer bottles. Most of the partygoers were stuffed in the building and visible through the windows. I recognized several of my students. Abby had not called me back yet, and I was gearing up to storm the beaches when Connor put his hand on my arm.

  “Stay here.”

  “Connor, you don’t—”

  “Beverly, there are a hundred or more drunk people in there, and some of them aren’t teenagers. I’m betting they’re bigger and meaner when a mom shows up to a private party to rescue her daughter. I don’t need to worry about your safety too. You stay here and I’ll get her.”

  I could argue, but the faster Abby got out of there, the faster I could hug her close. I could yell at her faster too. “She’s hiding in the master bedroom.”

  I watched as Connor entered the house like he was on his way through the gates of hell. I bit at my thumbnail as I sat in his truck, feeling the winter air start to leak in. I looked at my phone: 11:36 p.m. My imagination started running amok. A lot could have happened in the twenty minutes since I spoke to my daughter. I stared at the door Connor had entered just a minute ago. It seemed like a year. My phone read 11:40 p.m. when he emerged with Abby wrapped in his jacket. Those were the longest four minutes of my life.

  My nose tingled with a potential crying jag, and I pulled my stern mom face to keep it at bay. Abby got in the vehicle’s extended back seat, and I turned to lay into her. The sight of her tearstained face had me rethinking the stern-mom thing and going back to relieved mom.

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  “Yeah.”

  That was it. One syllable. Dead, numb voice.

  Connor got in the truck and started it. Heat poured through the vents, and I absently put my hands up to the warm air. He swiped open his phone.

  “Bill? Connor MacAteer here. I hate waking you up like this, but you need to know what’s going on at your house right now. I’m in your driveway, looking at what’s left of your lawn and watching a bunch of kids tear up the rest of your house. Big party going on… Real big… Ashton? Yeah, he’s in there… No, I’m not going back in… I have two women in the car with me and I’d rather not say… Yeah, there’s damage… A lot… Okay… Okay… Talk to you next week, and good luck.”

  He hung up and backed out of the driveway.

  I took another look at my eldest daughter and was barely able to recognize my girl. Her face, though streaked, had artful makeup applied, and she looked much older than her fifteen years. There was such a shattered and zombie look to her, panic rose in my throat. My God! Did someone touch my little girl?

  Connor’s free hand came across to grasp mine as if he was reading my mind. “She’s fine, Bev. Just shaken up. She got an eyeful of stuff she shouldn’t be seeing at her age. Let her process tonight and deal tomorrow, yeah?”

  I forced down the boulder choking me and nodded. The rest of the ride was silent. We reached our house right after midnight and Camille stood in the doorway as we exited the truck. As we entered the house, I glanced up the stairs to check if the other kids had been disturbed at all. Thankfully, nothing moved.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25