Dawson's Stand (Welcome to Covendale Book 4) (14 page)

“I thought I was making the punch.”

“Well, now you’re doing both.”

He sighed and grabbed a potholder. “We should’ve just had hot dogs and chips. That’s a lot easier.”

“Right. Because that would make a great impression.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with hot dogs.” He slid the garlic bread into the oven, and headed back to the punch bowl. “How do you manage to get all this stuff ready at the same time, when you’re doing it yourself?”

“Oh, I just use my magic wand.” Luka smirked at him. “You know, you didn’t have to let Mark and Jonah bully you into this,” she said.

He frowned. “Didn’t I? It’s the only way to get them off my back.”

“Well, try not to worry about them scaring Kyla off. I’m pretty sure she can handle them.” Luka leaned against the counter and smiled. “She’s really something special.”

“You have no idea.” Gage sighed, turning to face his sister fully. “Luka…I’m scared.”

Her brow furrowed. “Of what?”

“Screwing this up.” He folded his arms and stared at the kitchen table. “Kyla came from a bad relationship,” he said slowly. “I can’t tell you more, because I don’t think she wants people to know about it. But it was really bad. I’m afraid I’ll do something wrong and scare her away.”

“You haven’t so far.”

“Yeah, but what if I do? I mess up all the time. And…I think I love her.” He managed to look up at last. “Actually, I know it. I love her.”

Luka smiled. “Then all you have to do is be yourself.”

A bitter laugh escaped him. “Yeah, right. That’s the last thing I should do. I suck.”

“Gage,” Luka said firmly. “I don’t know much about Kyla, but I know how she feels about you.”

“Sure,” he said. “Shop talk at the office, right?”

“Not exactly. Do you know why I apologized to you about Sunday morning?”

“Because you were rude?”

“Well, that too. But mostly because of Kyla.”

He frowned. “What about her?”

“When she came into work this morning, I confronted her. I was pretty sure you’d been at her place when I called. Turned out I didn’t even have to ask,” she said. “I mentioned I wanted to talk about you, and she said she was sorry the car was late. So I knew.”

“That was a cheap trick, Luka.”

“Yeah, I know. But listen.” She let out a long breath. “I was worried that both of you were going to get hurt. So I mentioned that you’ve never been particularly serious about anything, ever. And she went off on me.”

The statement startled a grin from him. “She did?”

“Oh, yeah. Put me right in my place.” A tiny smile played around her mouth. “She said everybody was wrong about you, including me. She even said you were wrong about you not deserving her.”

“Oh, God. She told you that?”

“She had to. Man, was she furious.” Luka straightened and met his gaze. “She’s never met your reputation. She only knows the real you, and that’s what she likes. So just…be yourself.”

Gage crossed the kitchen in four strides and caught her in a bear hug. “Thanks, Luka.”

“Ow. Okay, you’re welcome.” She laughed as he eased back. “I’m proud of you,” she said, and gave him a light shove. “Now go finish the punch.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” Gage shouted, pivoting to sprint for the living room. “Don’t you go anywhere near that door.” He knew Jonah and Mark were out there, probably waiting to ambush Kyla before he could get there.

Miraculously, they stayed on the couch. He rushed past them, grabbed the door and opened it, a smile on his face.

The expression died at the sight of Kyla looking shaken and pale, clutching a rumpled grocery bag in both arms.

“What happened?” he said. “Are you all right?”

She nodded slowly, her gaze distant and distracted. “I think I just saw my ex-husband.”

* * * *

From Gage’s reaction, Kyla guessed she wasn’t as together as she’d hoped.

“Son of a—” He glanced over his shoulder and said, “Stay there,” then stepped outside and shut the door. “Where is he?” he said, taking the bag from her gently despite the anger in his words. “Because I’ll go after him, right now.”

“No…wait.” She drew a deep breath and tried once again to get hold of herself. “I’m not really sure what I saw,” she said. “It happened so fast.”

“All right.” Gage shifted the bag to one arm. “Tell me.”

She nodded and started from the beginning, with the phone call from Ralph. She explained how she’d only seen the man for an instant, how he’d vanished almost instantly. “I wasn’t sure it was him at all,” she said. “And now that I’m saying all this out loud, it sounds crazy. I was probably just freaked out because of Ralph calling like that.”

“Maybe,” Gage said with a frown. “But I don’t think you should assume that’s what happened. What if it really was him?”

 Fresh shivers went through her. “I guess I just don’t see how,” she said. “I mean, he doesn’t even know this town exists. It wouldn’t be easy to find me.”

“Still, we should at least call the sheriff. Tell him to watch out for this guy.”

“They already are. Ralph called them.”

He shook his head. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I,” she admitted. “But maybe we could forget about him for now, and eat? I’m starving.”

“A woman after my own heart,” he said with a grin. “Come on in.”

He opened the door, and she followed him inside. Almost immediately, an unfamiliar male voice said, “What was that about, Gage? You backing out already?”

Gage made an irritated sound. “Jonah, make him shut up.”

“Oh, come on. That was tame.”

“You two are hopeless.” That voice, she recognized as Jonah. “Be nice. We have company.”

Gage muttered something under his breath and moved away, giving Kyla her first look at things. There was a spacious living room with a big-screen TV and a nice furniture set, and two men with black hair and green eyes standing by the couch. Mark—obviously the one who wasn’t Jonah—matched the oldest Dawson in height, but not quite in breadth. He was still powerfully built. It seemed like muscles ran in the family, too.

Stopping just behind the others, Gage sent a quick glare in their general direction. “Kyla, this is Mark,” he said, jerking a thumb at the brother in question. “You met Jonah the other day.”

“I remember,” she said with a smile. “Hello, Mark.”

Mark nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same here,” she said. “Hi, Jonah.”

“Kyla.”

“All right. Enough with the introductions,” Gage said. “Come on, let’s take this in the kitchen.”

“Sure.”

She followed him out of the room, stifling a laugh. It really was adorable the way he got so jealous of his brothers. She’d have to remember to tell him later that he had nothing to worry about—because he was the only Dawson she wanted.

When they reached the kitchen, she was ambushed by a warm hug. “Hey, girl,” Luka said. “I’m so glad you could come. Most of the time, there’s way too much testosterone around here.”

“Well, I’m glad to be invited,” she said, returning the hug. “You really live here with all these guys?” she said.

“Not for much longer. Once I’m married, I’m out.” She laughed as she headed for the stove. “They’ll probably starve to death when I’m gone.”

“Nah. We’ll just make Mark do all the cooking.” Gage grinned and set the bag on the table. “What’s in here, anyway?”

“Dessert,” Kyla said. “At least, I hope so.”

“You hope?”

“I kind of dropped the bag.”

“Oh.” Gage gave her an understanding look. “Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he said. “Let’s have a look.”

He started pulling things out. The peanut butter cookies were intact, and a few of the chocolate chip ones looked cracked. The cake on the bottom had fared the worst, but it wasn’t completely destroyed. Just a few slices popped out of place, like a buckled sidewalk.

“Still totally edible,” Gage pronounced.

“Everything’s edible to you,” Luka said as she slid a giant pan of lasagna from the oven. “Okay. Dinner’s ready,” she said. “Gage, take this out there and tell the other two idiots to make sure the table’s set. The right way.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Gage winked at Kyla, and headed for the stove.

“Can I help with something?” Kyla said as Gage went by with the lasagna.

“No way.” Luka smiled and went back for a tray of garlic bread. “You’re a guest. All you have to do is relax and eat.”

“Luka!” Gage shouted from another room. “Jonah can’t find the napkins.”

She rolled her eyes. “Boys,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

As she hurried from the kitchen, Kyla shrugged and sat at the small table. A moment later, she heard Luka say, “They’re right here. In the linen closet where they always are.”

A flurry of voices followed.

“Why do we have a closet just for linens? That’s stupid.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I put your circular saw in there last weekend.”

“There’s grease all over this white…thing.”

“It’s a tablecloth, you moron.”

“Well, they work for sheets too.”

“You’d better not have my tablecloth on your bed!”

Kyla put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. This was going to be really fun.

* * * *

Dinner was a blast.

For the most part Kyla just sat there, eating the best lasagna she’d ever had and listening to the mile-a-minute banter. They seemed to have it down to a science. Sometimes there were two or three conversations going at once, and eventually one person would take over with some story that everyone else listened to, and then added to, until the discussion splintered again. A few times things got a little heated, but a word from Jonah or a look from Luka changed the mood.

It was everything she’d dreamed a family would be like, and more.

There was nothing wrong with Mark, but she could see why he and Gage didn’t get along sometimes. They were polar opposites. Mark took almost everything seriously, but he had a quick, dry sense of humor. Gage was willing to laugh at anything, but if something was important to him, he’d defend it with single-minded passion. Including and especially his family.

By the end of dessert, she loved them all.

She insisted on helping with the cleanup. Soon after everything was done, Luka said goodbye and headed out to spend the rest of the night with Reese. Jonah left a few minutes later. He didn’t say where he was going, and no one asked. She wondered briefly about that, but decided it wasn’t really her business.

Her, Mark and Gage were sitting at the kitchen table with coffees when she suddenly realized it was almost eleven, and they all had to work in the morning.

“Oh, wow,” she said. “It’s so late! I really should get home.”

Gage glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. “Huh. I guess it is,” he said. “You don’t have to leave, though.”

“Thank you. But I need to get some sleep. I have to work in the morning.”

“So do you, Gage,” Mark said.

“Quit being sensible for once, will you?” He glowered at Mark for a second, and then turned to Kyla. “Are you sure?” he said. “I mean…”

She knew he was thinking about her possible ex-husband sighting. But she couldn’t let just the idea of him scare her, or she’d end up living her whole life in fear. “I’m sure,” she said. “Everything’s fine.”

“All right. I’ll walk you out, then.”

They all stood at the same time. “Thank you for having me over,” she said to Mark. “I had a great time, and I’m happy I got to meet you all.”

He looked surprised for an instant, and then he smiled. “Same here,” he said. “And you’re welcome to come over any time.”

“I’d like that.”

They exchanged goodbyes, and Gage walked with her out the front door. “I’m impressed,” he said when they got outside. “You already have Mark’s seal of approval.”

“He’s not so bad, really,” she said. “Just very serious.”

“That’s an understatement.”

As they headed slowly to the curb where Kyla had parked, Gage looked up briefly at the sky. “Not a star in sight,” he said. “It’s going to storm tonight.”

“Really?” Even as she said it, she felt the first few sprinkles of warm rain on her arms. “Oh. I guess maybe it is.”

“We’re due for it.” They reached the truck, and Gage gave her a serious look. “I’m worried about you,” he said. “What if you really did see this guy, and he’s looking for you?”

She sighed. “Honestly, I’m a little concerned, too.”

“Stay, then,” he said. “Or let me go with you.”

“No. I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m through letting him dictate my life.” She spoke a little more forcefully than she’d meant, and made herself dial it down. “I can’t spend forever looking over my shoulder, wondering if maybe he’s there. That’s not living. It’s hiding, and I’ve been doing that for the past year.” She let out a breath. “I’m done hiding from him.”

“It’s not hiding if you have an actual reason to worry,” he said. “It’s being smart. And safe.”

“Gage, please,” she said. “Try to understand. If I don’t do this, I’m never going to be free. That’s all I want—my freedom.”

“So you’d rather be alone,” he said. “I thought I was the stubborn one.”

She knew her sudden anger was unreasonable, and not about Gage. But she couldn’t help directing some of it at him anyway. “Maybe I am stubborn,” she said. “But I think I’ve earned the right to be. I am going home, by myself, and that’s that.”

As she turned away and headed for the driver’s side, Gage said, “Kyla, wait.”

“It’s late,” she said, not stopping. “I’m leaving.”

“Please…at least call me when you get home. So I know you’re safe.”

She froze with a hand on the door handle. “Fine,” she said without looking at him. “But only to tell you I’m home. Then I’m going to bed.”

“That’s fine. As long as I know you’re okay.”

The pain in his voice almost broke her resolve. But if she gave in now, she’d never go through with this. She had to stop the cycle. So she got in the truck without another word, and drove away.

She managed not to cry until Gage was out of sight.

Chapter 15