Rough Edges (15 page)

83

Ashlynn Pearce

“I thought you might like to see some pictures of Jake when he was little,” Maria said and pulled out a large photo album. “Yes, this one is it.” She sat on the sofa next to her and laid it in her lap. When she opened it, she couldn’t help but smile.

There they were. Three dark-headed kids standing knee-deep in snow. “I’m guessing this is Amber?” Becca asked and pointed to the girl in the center.

“Yes, it is. Hard to believe she’s married now. How I miss her.”

Becca looked up into the sad smile on Maria’s face. “Jake said she lives in Virginia now. Where at exactly?”

“She moved to Highland Springs. Not far from Richmond.”

“Yes, I know where that is. I’ve lived in the Richmond area all my life.”

“You two would be good friends. When you meet her, you will see. And don’t be jealous, but she used to have a horrible crush on Jake. She was ten when Tony and Jake became friends and she was just discovering boys.” Maria smiled and shook her head.

“But he always treated her like a sister. Just as overbearing as Tony and her dad.”

Becca listened while she flipped through the album. She began to notice that he was in all the holiday pictures. “From the looks of these pictures, it seems you pretty much adopted him. Although it doesn’t surprise me all that much since he calls you mom.”

Maria’s smile disappeared. “If I could have done it legally, I would have. That boy,”

she paused and looked up at the window where the sound of dirt bikes whizzed by then leveled her eyes on Becca. “He is my second son. And he knows that. He may not express much to people, but I know what’s going on in his heart. That’s why I was so happy when I heard about you. He’s never brought a girl home, Becca. Never. Even the one other girlfriend he had, he didn’t bring home.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. Tears glistened in Maria’s eyes, just the kind of concern a mother should have.

“I don’t know what he’s told you about his life, but…he was abused. Horribly so,”

she said and took her hand. “And I know they still emotionally abuse him so I try to counteract all the harm they cause. The first time he ever spent the night, he woke up with nightmares. Not just normal nightmares. The kind that make a twelve-year-old-boy lash out at anyone who comes near him. It wasn’t long before I realized what was going on and I let him know he was welcome here as much and as long as he wanted.”

Becca swallowed hard and looked down at a picture of him on a bicycle. A barely there smile on his face. As though hesitant. She traced it with her finger and nodded.

“He’s told me. I know what they did to him.” Pushing her hair from her face she wondered if she could ask Maria the one thing she didn’t want to believe. But had a sinking feeling it was true. “Did his father make him witness—” She stopped and looked into Maria’s face. “The ‘proper’ way to treat a woman?” It was the only way she could word it, and it was how Jake had worded it to her. The word rape just made her want to gag.

84

Rough Edges

Maria had a hand over her mouth and those tears were now streaming down her face. “Yes. I can’t believe he told you. I only knew through his nightmares and he refused to say a word about it when I asked him.”

“I-I didn’t really believe him at the time. Or maybe I did, but we were only chatting online then. He was just a kid,” Becca said as the knowledge really sunk in and tightened like a lump in her chest. “You probably saved his life.”

Maria’s smile was faint. “Yes. But he was worth saving. And I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but you can give him a reason to live.”

Realizing what she was asking of her, it seemed the weight of the world just landed square on her shoulders. The only time Jake opened up was when they had sex. And although she would be the first to admit their sex was toe-curling, it took more than a great fuck to make a relationship. She might desperately want to give him that reason, but she had a feeling Jake didn’t want any emotional knots.

And that’s just how he would look at commitment…as knots.

Maria wrapped her in a hug. “I know you are that reason. I can tell by the way he looks at you.” Maria pulled back and cocked her head. “Those boys are done playing, I better get some drinks and some food.”

“But they just ate,” Becca pointed out.

Maria laughed. “Darling, boys are never full. Especially boys that play.” Then she got up and went into the kitchen.

Becca stepped outside onto the back porch and the heat slammed into her face. She didn’t know how they could ride out here in this weather. Sweat trickled down her spine as she glanced around for Jake but found Tony.

“He’s on the other side of the barn,” he said, a goofy grin on his face, water dripping from his hair. “And if you’re wondering, he lost.”

“He lost?” she asked. His only answer was a laugh as he walked by her and into the house. She followed his direction and passed the opening of a large building. Barn is what they called it, but it was more like an oversized garage because the only thing it housed was horses of the mechanical variety—tractors, four-wheelers and motorcycles.

She stepped around the corner and found the side of the building to be shaded, facing the wooded part of the forty acres. A slab of concrete, big enough for a car, was set against the edge of the barn. Jake was standing there holding a running water hose over his head, his eyes closed. Water streamed down his bare chest and into the waistband of his riding pants, which sat snug on his hips. She followed the rivulets with her gaze and couldn’t hold back a sigh of appreciation.

“Hot?” she asked, just barely making it a question.

He opened his eyes and smirked. “Yeah. I wasn’t in a cool house. Couldn’t stay out here with us, huh?”

85

Ashlynn Pearce

“Are you kidding? I watched from the window. The weather here is horrible. I thought it got hot in Richmond.” She tugged at her tank, the fabric already sticking to her skin. “And what did Tony mean, you lost?”

“Did that asshole say that? He’s a liar, don’t believe him. I beat him,” he scoffed.

“Beat him at what?”

“Racing. We always race on the track. And I always win, because he’s old.”

She laughed. “But he’s only two years older than you.”

“Still old though. I’m not.”

He seemed more relaxed than he had since she got here. His shoulders were at ease, his teasing more natural. When he glanced back and forth between the hose in his hand and her, a mischievous twinkle shone in his eyes. She took a step back.

“No. Stop. Don’t you even—”

She gasped as the cold water rained down on her. Laughing, she fought with him for control of the hose. Water sprayed everywhere and his low laughter joined hers. She couldn’t even begin to get a hold of the slippery hose, not to mention he was bigger than her and had no problem keeping it out of her grasp. He stopped the same time she did, their breathing heavy and that’s when she realized he had a wide smile on his face.

The first she’d ever really seen. The shadows that always lurked in his eyes were gone for the moment.

She slid her arms around his waist, looked up into his face then reached up on tiptoe to kiss his chin.

He dropped the still running water hose and framed her face with his hands.

Her breath caught at the intensity in his eyes. So much emotion right there at the surface, yet so far out of reach. His thumbs slid over her cheeks lightly, so gentle it was as though he was afraid he might hurt her. Leaning down, his mouth brushed the corner of her lips with just the lightest of touches.

He picked up strands of her wet hair and put it behind her ear. “You’re wet,” he said with a smile.

She grinned back. “Yeah. Seems this punk drowned me with a water hose.”

“I don’t know why someone would do that,” he replied, his voice softly mocking.

“Hmm. I don’t either.”

He kissed her full on the lips, hugged her then stepped back to turn off the water.

She pulled at the soaked fabric of her tank top. “And what am I supposed to do about clothes?”

He looked up, his fierce gaze leaving her hot. “Oh, I don’t know. You look good to me,” he said.

“Sure. But I can’t go into Maria and Carl’s house dripping. I didn’t bring extra clothes like you did.”

86

Rough Edges

He looked thoughtful and said, “No problem.” He grabbed her hand and led her around to a side door into the house. Stepping inside she realized it was the laundry room complete with a sink.

“Hey, Mom!” Jake said, then after a pause hollered again. “Mom!”

“I’m coming! What is all the ruckus about?” When she stepped into the small room she said, “Good grief! You’re dripping all over my floor.” She tsked, snatched a towel out of a cabinet and dropped it on the puddles.

“We got wet,” he said.

“I can see that, Jake,” Maria huffed.

Then he stepped to the side to reveal Becca and said, “She started it.”

Becca punched him playfully in the arm. “I did not! You drowned me with a hose.”

“Now kids. It doesn’t matter. Jake, run along, I know you have spare clothes. Becca, sweetie, we’ll get your clothes dried in no time.”

Jake winked at her as he took off out of the laundry room.

“Try not to drip all over my house, mister!” Maria hollered through the doorway, then looked at Becca and sighed. “I swear that boy forgets all the manners I drilled into his head.”

“Yes, ma’am.” A voice carried down the hall.

A laugh bubbled up until Becca couldn’t contain it.

* * * * *

Jake was outside unloading his bike when he asked if she would go in and order pizza—four larges. Seemed there was a NASCAR race on tonight and Tony was coming over to watch. After ordering the pizza, she pulled out some paper plates she found in the kitchen when it hit her that she hadn’t told him about the article yet. Putting a hand to her head she leaned back against the counter. When was she going to tell him? She went home tomorrow and Tony was going to be here in an hour. She had to tell him now.

Walking into the garage she said, “Jake, I need to talk to you—” Her cell phone rang and she looked at it seeing Summer’s number. “Hell, I have to take this.”

“Sure,” he said.

Walking back into the house she flipped it open. “Hey.”

“Girl, you were supposed to call me, remember?”

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ve just been busy.”

“Everything okay then? Did you tell him? And how is Tony?”

She smiled at the rapid fire of questions that was always Summer’s way. “Yes. Not yet. And he’s fine.”

87

Ashlynn Pearce

“Don’t you think you should? Oooh and Tony is fine isn’t he? Mmm-hmm. And your Jake’s no slacker either.”

“I was just getting ready to tell him when you called. And no, Jake’s no slacker.”

“Good. You might want to know that Nick has been going by your apartment. Then he showed up at my apartment. That jerk demanded to know who you were with. I told him to go to hell—but Bec, he knows you flew to Oklahoma.”

Shocked, Becca almost dropped the phone. “How did he know that? And Summer, stay away from him. Call the cops if you have to. Don’t underestimate him.”

“I think he’s been stalking you. I really don’t want to tell you this, but I think he’s the one who saw you with Jake at Virginia Beach. Not a coworker. He knew every move you made, girl. That man has a few screws loose.”

She sat, unable to stand. “If he approaches you again, call the cops. Promise me.”

God, if something happened to Summer because of her, she would be sick. “Please.

Refuse to talk to him.”

“Yeah. Yeah. You know me. I got me some good pepper spray. He’s not worth my time. Look, I have to go. Kiss Tony for me and I’ll be there to pick you up at the airport.

Kiss-kiss!”

Jake stared at Becca’s pale face. He normally didn’t eavesdrop, but the worry in her voice had caught his attention. “What’s going on?” he asked and leaned against the wall.

Her little jump when she glanced up concerned him.

“Nick. I guess he knew I took a flight out here and was quizzing Summer about who I was with and I guess he saw us together at Virginia Beach and not a coworker like he’d said.”

“What are you talking about? He saw us at the beach?”

Releasing a sigh, she said, “The Monday after I saw you, I received two dozen roses from Nick with a note saying I was his and that a coworker saw us at Rockfish Bar and Grill at the beach. Then I got notes and phone calls from him all last week—”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Jake asked, frustration and anger pumping in his veins.

“What could you do? I called the cops and let them know.”

“But you still should have told me. He’s stalking you, Bec. The fucker needs a head adjustment.”

“I fully agree with that, but I didn’t want to worry you, I can handle it,” she said and looked him square in the eye.

It was one of the things he liked about her. She didn’t back down from him, even when he was mad, like he was now. He hated not being able to fix this for her. “Why haven’t the cops stopped him?”

88

Rough Edges

She sank back against the cushion of his couch. “There’s a restraining order but he doesn’t care. I’ve been keeping the cops informed and they said that there’s a warrant for his arrest. But evidently they haven’t caught him, or he hasn’t been a priority.”

“When you get home, you need to stay with Summer or a relative. You can’t be there alone.”

“I’m not running,” she said while lifting her chin. “Or hiding anymore. I did that for too many years and I won’t do it again.”

“Dammit, Bec. This isn’t running, this is keeping yourself safe.”

“I’ll be safe. I have a metal bat that Summer gave me.”

“Are you kidding me? More than likely he’ll take it away from you and use it on you.” Just the thought had him pacing. How was he going to let her fly back home knowing she was the target for this maniac? She was so tiny. One good swing would kill her.

His heart stopped.

Holy hell. Just the thought of never seeing her smile again staggered him. He blinked and stalked from her. How had this happened? Opening his fridge, he realized he needed more than just a beer. He needed a whiskey. Straight. Pulling open a cabinet door, he selected Jack Daniel’s from one of the many bottles and poured himself a shot.