The Mind Keepers (The Mind Readers) (18 page)

“Happy family time.” He winked
at me as he hugged Cameron. “Evening, Sweetheart.”

“Maddox.” Cameron grinned,
hugging him back. “Every time I see you I’m surprised the kids haven’t run you
off.”

“Run me off?” He frowned. “You
joking? Hell, I’m going to start my own football team.”

“No way,” I interrupted, “singing
group.”

Truth was, Maddox had come from
a large family, and when he’d left S.P.I., he’d lost touch with them. He craved
the chaos and adored the kids.

“Singing group?” Looking
horrified, he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “Don’t even
think it.”

Hiding her smile, Cameron made a
quick exit toward the living room and Lewis. Yep, I’d changed. I didn’t even
pull away when Maddox leaned down and kissed me in front of the entire room, a
blatant public display of affection that before would have made me completely
uneasy.

“Ewww!” A group of boys
complained as they rushed past us on their way toward the living room,
practically knocking us over in their haste to escape our romantic cocoon.
 

“Slow down!” Maddox growled.

Ignoring his command, they
surrounded Lewis and Cameron, telling them news of the week, each fighting for
their attention. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Lewis and Cameron came to the
island to help teach. Mondays and Wednesdays Maddox and I took over. Deborah
also helped as much as she could, when she wasn’t on a date with a local
fisherman she’d met two months ago, if you could believe that. Even Sierra had moved
to the mainland to be with Cameron and Lewis. She’d become the kindly grandma
the kids needed and the trusted adult that we deserved.
 
 

As we moved into the living
room, Maddox headed toward Lewis and the kids, each man stoically staying on his
own side of the fireplace. They had an unspoken rule not to kill each other. But
they were warming up, I could sense it. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.

“Any word?” Cameron asked as she
and I settled on the sofa.

Every visit she asked me the
same thing. Maddox and Lewis had pulled a pile of board games from the shelf
and were helping the kids set up for game night. Pizza was in the oven, sending
the warm scent of baking dough through the house. Perfection.

I shook my head. For six months
now Aunt Lyndsey had been gone, although she sent the occasional postcard. Her
last had been to tell us that she’d be returning soon. I had no idea why she
left and imagined it was just because she wasn’t one for settling down. To be
honest, her disappearance had hurt, although I’d tried not to take it
personally.

“Someone’s here,” Colin cried
out, jumping up from the pile of cards he’d managed to spill all over the
carpet while trying to do a magic trick to thrill Caroline, who was looking
anything but impressed.

Confused, Cameron glanced at me.

“Expecting anyone?” she asked.

I shook my head. Wary, we met
Lewis and Maddox at the windows. A light snow was falling, the wind bitterly
cold as it whipped the flurries through the yard in a white whirlwind. The
black SUV that emerged from the storm reminded me only too much of the
government vehicles used in Washington. Cameron glanced at me, the surprise no
doubt mirrored in my own eyes. We didn’t get visitors…ever. But this was no
government official. I knew who it was even before she stepped outside; I could
feel her familiar energy.

Startled, Cameron grabbed my
hand. “Aunt Lyndsey is back.”

I watched our aunt step from the
car. Surprise, confusion, and a little bit of excitement rushed through me all
at once…until I spotted the man in the passenger seat. “She’s not alone.”

Cameron moved closer to the
window. The car door opened, and the man stepped outside. He was tall and lean,
his golden hair shockingly familiar. He paused for a moment, as if to get his
bearings as he stared up at the house. Cameron’s gasp of surprise only
confirmed his identity.

Aaron had returned.

Her grip grew tight around my
hand, her gaze pinned to the window as if she didn’t dare look away for fear
he’d disappear. I wanted to reach out and comfort her somehow, but I didn’t
know what to say, what to do.

I was more than relieved when Lewis
rested his hand on her back. “Do you want me to tell him to leave?”

She released my hand and leaned
back against Lewis for support. “No. It’s his house, right?”

I refocused on the car,
frowning. So that’s what Aunt Lyndsey had been doing: forcing Cameron’s dad to
return and be a father. It was a little too late for that. Everything had been
going well. Cameron and I were actually close. Maddox was here. The kids were
thriving. I sighed and turned away, pacing toward the fireplace. The children,
sensing our unease, had gone silent and still. Sierra caught my eye and smiled comfortingly
at me. But I wasn’t the one who needed reassurance.
  

“Don’t worry,” I said as Maddox paused
near me. “He won’t even think about throwing you out once I’ve told him all
you’ve done for us. Aaron will understand why you did what you did.”

At least, I hoped.

“Hell,” Maddox muttered. “I
don’t give a shit about Aaron. I’m worried about you. Frankly, I don’t care if
this is his house, if you want him gone…”

I shook my head. “He’s Cameron’s
father; this is her decision.”
 

Aaron had gone away in order to
freaking “find himself” or some such crap. Why was he back now, ruining
everything? I glanced at Cameron, who still stood frozen by the windows with
Lewis. I realized a part of me was afraid she’d leave, that he would influence
her in some way, and I’d lose her for good. Yeah, our family was odd, but it
was still a family.
My
family.

The front door opened, and the
children looked toward the foyer, curious. We could hear the soft murmur of my
aunt in the hallway as she talked to Aaron, probably reassuring him that we
wouldn’t kill him. When they appeared in the doorway it was like a shock to the
system. My aunt, who I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again. And Aaron—Cameron’s
father—who was still the same man, yet somehow seemed different.

“Hey,” my aunt said, shrugging
off her coat. She smiled easily, as if everything was normal, when it was far,
far from normal.

Aaron glanced at me, then
Cameron, where his gaze remained. He’d lost weight, and the scruff along his
jaw and overly long hair only added to the differences. Instead of the wealthy
businessman we knew, he looked like some scruffy-chic, debonair European
traveler. I knew my mom’s death had affected him, but I hadn’t realized how
much until now. Heck, even his energy felt different.
 

Sierra rose from her chair and
moved toward Aaron and Lyndsey. “So lovely to see you both.” She gave each of
them a sincere hug and moved into the foyer, basically proclaiming that this
was a family matter, and she wouldn’t intervene.

“So,” I said. “You’re back.”

He glanced my way. “If you’ll
have me.”

Maddox’s hand was warm and comforting
on my lower back. I shrugged. “Your house.”

“I won’t impose.”

Cameron looked away, staring out
the window.

You okay?
I mentally asked.

Yeah.

Want me to tell him to get the hell out?

The corners of her mouth lifted
briefly.
We knew this day would come,
didn’t we?

I was sort of hoping he’d forget about us. Forget about his million
dollar mansion.

Okay, so yeah, silly dream.

“I’ve rented a cottage on the
mainland,” he said. “This is your home now. I won’t impose. And I won’t interfere
with the school, either. From what I’ve heard, you’re doing a much better job than
I could ever do with the children.”

Very true. Still, Cameron didn’t
look impressed with his speech. She was hurting. I could practically feel her
pain. Frustrated, I couldn’t take it anymore. “What do you want?”

“I want to be in your lives.” He
wore jeans and a sweatshirt. I’d never seen him dressed so casually. Maybe he
had changed. His gaze looked sincere. Heck, I wanted to give him the benefit of
the doubt, but I needed something more than a pretty speech and a change in
style.

“Not just Cameron, but you,
Nora. I loved your mother, and you are a part of her. You both remind me so
much of Kat.”

Anger, frustration, hurt, need…it
all boiled from Cameron in a heated wave, making one thing clear: This man
might be nothing to me, but he was Cameron’s dad. I didn’t have the right to
say anything. I could only support my sister and whatever she decided. Knowing
Cameron, I had a feeling I knew exactly what she would eventually decide. A
year ago, her forgiving nature would have annoyed me. Now, hell, I was just
grateful she was in my life, and if she wanted Aaron in her life as well, so be
it.

“It’s time you had a responsible
adult to rely on. Let me and your aunt be here for you.”

I wanted to laugh, to tell him
that we didn’t need anyone to take care of us. We weren’t kids anymore. For
Cameron’s sake I remained quiet. She didn’t respond, just continued to stare out
the window, Lewis’ arm resting comfortingly around her waist. Lewis, on the
other hand, looked ready to kill Aaron.

She didn’t need me to protect
her. The tension I’d felt evaporated. But she did need this…the forgiveness. To
believe in someone, to believe in a parent. Cameron was compassion itself, and
she’d taught me to forgive.

Come on,
I sent the mental message.
He’s practically crying. Give the man a break.

Cameron swallowed hard.
I can’t.
She shifted her gaze to me.
Can I?

Okay, so she needed a little push
and support.
How about I give him the
chance? That way you don’t have to decide just yet.

She gave me a grateful smile,
then taking Lewis’ hand, she turned and used the side door to flee the room. Aaron
actually looked crestfallen. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

“Stay for dinner?” I asked.

My aunt winked at me. She knew I
was trying, at least.

Aaron actually sighed in relief,
giving me a grateful nod. “I really meant what I said, Nora. I swear I’ve
changed.”

I gave him a tight smile in
return. I might forgive, but I didn’t forget. Maybe he had changed, but he’d
have to prove it. “Kids, show Aunt Lyndsey and Uncle Aaron to the dining room,
will you?”

The children dropped their game
pieces and quietly led the way out of the living room. A few of the older ones remembered
Aaron, and they didn’t exactly look happy to see him. I’d have to reassure them
tonight that they weren’t going anywhere near their former basement residence.
Maddox, Lewis, Cameron and I were in charge now and always would be.

“You okay?” Maddox asked as the
last child left the room.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I turned
toward the fireplace, letting the warmth of the flames comfort me. “Just need a
moment.” He stood quietly beside me, both of us lost in thought. I think I
appreciated that most of all about Maddox, that we could be silent in each
other’s company. There was no awkwardness. Never had been. I could be myself
with Maddox, utterly and completely.

He was staring moodily into the
flames, those thick lashes making shadows on his sharp cheekbones. Aaron had
tortured Maddox, and for that alone, it was hard for me to even look at him. But
he had also been in my life for as long as I could remember. He had loved my
mom, in his own screwed up way. “I can’t believe he’s actually here. Are you
okay?”

Maddox gave me that familiar
grin. “It’s in the past.”

I slid my arms around his waist
and rested my head on his shoulder. Maddox never took anything personally. He
understood that people changed, and he didn’t hold grudges, not even against
the man who had tortured him. “Wish we could just stay here, but I suppose we
should head to dinner.”

After a few minutes, I forced
myself to release him. But Maddox apparently wasn’t ready to let go and reached
for my hand. “Wait.”

I paused, confused. “I don’t
think Cameron wants to be alone with…”

He shook his head, dropping my
hand. “No, it’s just that.” Frowning, he paced toward the sofa. “Hell, it
wasn’t supposed to be…I was going to…”

Confused, I crossed my arms over
my chest, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure if I should be
concerned or not. I’d never seen Maddox flustered. Charming, arrogant, sexy…yes,
but never unsure. A sinking feeling of dread washed over me.

“Just tell me,” I blurted out. “What’s
wrong?”

He spun around and lunged for
me, grabbing my hand. “Come on. I want privacy.”

“But, we…”

I didn’t have time to explain
that we were already alone. Maddox shoved open the French doors and pulled me
out into the cold night. Immediately my lungs burned and my face stung, but I
was too curious to complain about the chill weather. Was he bored here? Sick of
being a teacher? A million explanations raced through my mind, and none were
good.

Winter had made everything quiet
and secluded. It was beautiful, really, but we could have enjoyed it from the
windows, inside the warm house. Maddox released my hand and closed the doors. Silence
fell between us. For a long moment he just stood there, staring down at me as
the snow swirled, whispering secrets across the slate patio. The warm light
from the windows highlighted his body, making him practically glow, but I
couldn’t see his features, and I so badly wanted to know what was bothering him.

I swallowed hard, worried and
chilled. “Maddox, what is it?”

Slowly, he moved toward me, snow
crunching under his heavy boots. “You know I love you.”

I nodded, my worry growing. No
guy started a sentence like that without something terrible coming afterward. “Yeah,
I love you, too.”