“And he just agreed with you? Didn’t mention Lynn at all?”
“The rest of the guys starting hooting and cheering him, you know like he was some great hero or something. Yeah, he wasn’t going to argue at that moment. Just took their adoration and trampled me underfoot.”
“So you lost your reputation to save hers.”
“Yeah.” Fear hovered, and she fought it down. She had to trust him. “This is why you can’t tell anyone the truth. I know Lynn is safely away, but I don’t ever want this discussed in front of her. I don’t want him connected with her in any way.”
He was nodding but still staring into the fire. “Something doesn’t make sense. Eric knew you’d lied, and being the kind of ass that he is, why didn’t he try holding this over your head? He knows it was Lynn…”
Vicki paused. “Well, first he kept quiet because he was in the hospital with a concussion and a broken arm.”
It was clear Joel wasn’t too choked up about Eric getting hurt. “That part is true? Damn, you really did beat him up.”
She wished she had. It would have been more satisfying than the truth. “He was standing on a wet floor, clutching a towel around his waist. When I went to kick him in the nuts he slipped and did it to himself. Of course, rumours twisted fast enough into me attacking him out of the blue.”
Anger flared in Joel’s eyes. “Needs to have his balls removed.”
“I’ve had many a pleasant daydream about that.” She swallowed. “The other reason he’s never said anything is I have two birth certificates.”
Confusion was written all over him.
Vicki dove back into her explanation. “With all the places my mom lived before hauling us to Rocky, she was constantly losing things. I was born somewhere in rural Saskatchewan, but when she got here and had to register me for school, she applied for a new copy. Only what she got wasn’t a copy, it’s a different version. Maybe she messed with my age to get me into some free childcare program, or someone in the system might have made a typo, I don’t know for sure. But I found both copies, so I have two.”
“How does that keep Eric from telling about Lynn?”
Vicki slowed. “All the guys heard him acknowledge he slept with me. Once I had that, I had him trapped. I showed him my birth certificate, the second one that I keep hidden. It says I’m three years younger than he expected, which would have meant he slept with a minor. It doesn’t matter if me being that much younger is believable or not, it’s a legal document and would be enough to get him a record, if not jail time, even now.”
She had him floored. Joel blinked hard and shook his head. “Whoa. Okay, remind me never to piss you off.”
“It wasn’t about me. The deal I offered was he leaves Lynn alone. No comments, no
nothing
about her, and I keep my mouth shut. He goes after her in any way, I go after him.” Vicki stared into the fire, clutching her legs as she waded through to the end. “For years he’s pushed the limits. I take the cracks about myself, and Sarah and Mom. Hell, they made their bed, they can lie in it. But Lynn is off limits.”
“He’s a bastard through and through for even starting this war between you. Was Lynn okay?” He radiated fury, and something about his anger helped defuse hers. Like she finally had someone to share the load with. He rested a hand on her arm and she caught his fingers.
“She is now. I contacted social services and got them to listen. Lynn got accepted into a group home, and she’s safe. No chance of Sarah’s leftovers strolling down the hall and making a move on us.”
His fingers tightened around hers to the point of pain as he reacted to that one. “No. Fucking. Way.”
“Why do you think I moved out when I did? Lynn was gone, so I left as well. I was sick and tired of waking up with strange men hovering, wondering if they dared take a try.” Vicki twisted her back to the sidewall so she could look at him. This sharing was killing her, but now that she’d started she couldn’t seem to stop. “I had to drop out of school. Moving out meant getting a place of my own, and paying rent became a priority. A job and going to school don’t mix very easily. Not when you’re sixteen and earning minimum wage.”
“Plus getting set upon by small-town bigots and even your own family.” Joel took a deep breath, and damn if he didn’t wipe his eyes.
God, she really was going to lose it now.
He took her to bed and cuddled her. His tenderness was what she needed. Nothing more to explain, nothing to admit or confess. Just the honest truth out there.
She lay nestled against him with her head resting on his chest for the longest time. Joel ran his fingers through her hair as she relaxed off the adrenaline high.
He spoke softly as he continued to care for her. “I’m so sorry you’ve been alone and dealing with this. You are incredible. I hope you know that. No matter what uncaring words people have tossed your way over the years, the truth is you were real family to Lynn, and she’s lucky to have you.”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
A couple more minutes passed and he laughed. “Okay, this might sound stupid, but how old are you?”
“I’m pretty sure the older birth certificate is right, Joel. The other one is only good as a threat over Eric. At thirteen I could have consensual sex with a fifteen year old, but he was eighteen. It’s enough.”
Joel shook his head. “I’ll say it again, you’re amazing.”
She didn’t feel amazing, she felt exhausted. “Sharing that took a lot out of me. I’ve never told anyone before.”
“I’m glad you told me.” Joel rolled her to vertical and kissed her cheek briefly. “Come on, let’s crash for the night. We can do more talking in the morning.”
Vicki fought the yawn that wanted to overwhelm her. “And other things?”
“Maybe…” Joel tapped her on the butt toward the bathroom. “Hey, when is your birthday for real?”
“April fourteenth. You can give me a pony ride,” she joked.
Joel grinned. Vicki turned away, her load lighter than she’d carried for a long, long time.
Chapter Twenty-One
Things had changed a lot.
It was about two weeks since Joel had promised to truly be there for her, and she’d felt a difference. Not only the situations around her, but inside. She was still worried about getting too attached, but planting a label on their relationship of being
good friends
made it easier. Some people had been good friends for years and years, right?
Joel had taken to doing a ton of little things that made her squirm at times, but she couldn’t deny the pleasure his attention brought. He stopped in with a coffee and doughnuts, and visited during her break time. He texted her off and on through the day. Short but sweet notes.
He made her a playlist of his favourite songs and asked her what she liked to listen to.
Good
friends
. She clung to it with both hands and tried to ignore all the warning signs she felt anything more than friendship.
Walking into the barn without a qualm proved another area where she’d made progress, and this one she had no reservations about whatsoever. May might be far off, but in terms of moving forward, she had come a long way.
She spotted Joel working with a pitchfork and hurried to his side.
The very real smile he gave her made her warm. Not sexually, but deep inside where she’d never had someone to count on before.
“Hey, darling. You’re a little early.” Joel opened his arms, and she scooted against him, breathing in the scent of working male. Musky but not too overpowering. He kissed her quickly then pointed in front of him. “I need to finish dealing with this before we can do anything.”
“No problem. I unloaded an emergency shipment over lunch, so Mr. Orson let me go early. I can help with chores, if you’d like.” Vicki bounced on her toes, so full of energy she was ready to burst.
Joel looked her over. “You’re damn chipper today.”
“I had a good breakfast,” she deadpanned.
He grinned. “Told you that made a difference. No, you don’t have to help. I’m nearly done. Hang out or, if you’re feeling brave, go explore the barn. There’s a surprise I plan to show you.”
Surprises were good. “You got the entire herd tucked out of sight with noise makers, waiting to leap out at me, right?”
“Damn, you figured it out.” Joel returned to his task. “Nope, only full-grown horse in here is Sable.”
Vicki watched him work for a bit, the slow motions he used mesmerizing. It wasn’t him being lazy, but the kind of conservation of energy she’d witnessed all the Colemans employ while they toiled.
She glanced at her boots and deliberately walked away with steady steps, even-paced. A lot different than the mad sprint she usually used to get places.
It might be a little silly, but after walking the length of the entrance a few times, she figured she had it down. A country song playing in her head, she wandered around the corner, still working on this cowboy ramble, or whatever it was she’d discovered. It was fun to walk like this, and it took a moment to realize she’d strolled into the row where Sable’s stall was.
She paused, waiting for Sable to do the usual and stick her nose out.
Nothing.
Vicki listened harder, but the only sounds were from the front corner where Joel worked.
Wait. There. A rustle gave the horse away. Sable wasn’t going to freak her out today. In fact…
Vicki felt as bold as she’d ever been. Sable was behind the gate, she couldn’t get out. Maybe going and leaning on the wall opposite her stall would be good practice.
She took a couple steps and stopped. Oops, that wasn’t the cowboy ramble, that was the Vicki
my ass is on fire
two-step. She deliberately slowed and, focusing on the bales opposite Sable’s stall, sauntered forward.
Vicki kept her back to the front of the stall, her heart fluttering nervously. Except for when she’d been forced past the day Jaxi went into labour, this was the closest she’d voluntarily gotten to a horse in forever.
She pivoted and stared across the distance, only to discover Sable had no interest in her whatsoever. Nope, after all that worry, the damn horse was busy nudging something on the ground.
Oh. My. God.
Vicki’s tongue went numb, and she couldn’t have talked if she wanted to. There was a tiny horse on the straw-strewn floor, a little black spot on its forehead.
Sable had her baby. A quick glance ensured this wasn’t a recent development, unless horses had their babies with a lot less fuss than humans. The place looked too spotless clean for the baby to have just been born.
Vicki took one step closer. Then another, expecting Sable to leap at the gate to protect her newborn.
Sable did look up, but she only made this horse sound that was very content and not scary at all. Either that or it was the noise they made to lure in unsuspecting humans. But Sable didn’t seem into her.
Which, Vicki couldn’t blame her. “You got your baby, didn’t you? Wow. She’s pretty. Or he. I’m not being rude, just, it’s not that easy to tell.”
Vicki paused. She was three feet away from the stall, and she was talking to a horse. It was a bloody miracle and fucking weird at the same time. She shifted uncomfortably, not ready to go any farther, but kind of amazed she was where she was.
Silence warned her Joel was done. She turned toward where she expected him because getting scared by his approach and screaming would undo the positive vibes stealing over her.
His grin when he spotted her was a huge reward. “Well, look at you. You found the surprise.”
She nodded, moving in slow motion as if she’d been stuck in a deep freeze for a while. “I’m not freaking out.”
Joel joined her, his smooth stride eating up the space between them. “You’re not, and that’s super.”
He wrapped her in his arms and squeezed her tight in a hug, and Vicki sighed with happiness.
When he let her go, it was to grab her hand. “You want to be properly introduced?”
“Go inside there?” With Sable?
Ummm
.
“No.” Joel tucked her under his arm. “We’ll give Sable a break and keep the visiting to a distance. But if you peek through, you can whisper a hello to Comet.”
“You’ve named him…her…already?” Vicki leaned against Joel’s side as she looked the baby over.
“Dad did. Something to do with bloodlines. His sire was Shooting Star.”
“Cool.” Yeah, this wasn’t bad. Vicki smiled up at Joel. “This is a nice surprise.”
“Nice seeing you so close to the stall without me having to entice you there.”
“Oh.” Vicki smiled wider. “Enticement? You mean I went and blew a chance to win a prize?”
Joel wiggled his brows, and Vicki laughed, lowering her voice because, you know, there was a baby right there in front of them.
Sable made that strange sound again, and Joel let Vicki loose. “Just a minute, Sable’s feeling neglected.”
He reached in and stroked the horse’s nose, patting her on the side and cooing over her as if she were the baby. Sable shook her head as she leaned into Joel’s touch.
Yeah, Vicki understood that sentiment. The man had magic hands, and if she were the one being petted right now, she’d be pressing closer and looking for more attention as well.