The Violet Hour (The Violet Hour Series) (3 page)

As we walked toward the front door, I looked around searching for Luke, but he had left without a word.  At the door, I was greeted by two very large dogs.  Wolves, I thought, remembering the howling from last night.  Behind them, my father smiled and welcomed me inside.  Kate disappeared back outside with the dogs in tow just as a large semi appeared in the driveway.

“The rest of your luggage has arrived,” my dad smiled, seeming pleased.

When I said nothing in return he offered to take me on a tour of his home, assuring me, “The boys will take care of unloading your things.”  At the word ‘boys,’ I felt an unsettling in my stomach.  What hadn’t he told me?

The setting sunlight danced off every corner of the large, open home.  The feel was rustic yet warm.  My father’s pride showed as he introduced me to every room downstairs and up.  Anywhere we went, soft music played from hidden speakers and the smell of sweet pine lingered in the air.  The same aroma I had recognized on my father. 

He opened the door to a large patio off the kitchen area as I gazed silently through the floor-to-ceiling windows.  When I sat down beside him I focused on the billowy clouds forming shapes in the sky.  I knew he was going to talk, but what he would say, I hadn’t a clue and I dreaded it.  He’d been a man of few words my entire life.

“If there’s anything I can do to make this easier, just say the word.  I know this is difficult and I haven’t been there for you like I should have been over the years, but I want you to know that I’m here for you now.”  His voice broke off at the end.  I played with pieces of fuzz on my sweatshirt to give me something to look at – a distraction.

“I know dad,” I finally said under my breath.  I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked hard enough to fend off tears.  I risked a quick glance, but no sooner did I turn my face up toward him, and the water works started again.  Without saying another word, my father immediately rose from his seat and came to my side.  I began to sob.  He lifted me out of my chair and carried me inside to the couch.  It felt like déjà vu.  Painfully like déjà vu.

After countless minutes of sobbing, then silence, then sobbing again, Kate appeared at the end of the couch with a steaming mug in her hand.  I wiped the tears from my waterlogged eyes while my dad took the mug.  They both quietly waited for me to finish getting myself together.

“I made you some green tea, Logan,” Kate said, breaking the silence as she sat down across from us.  I suddenly appreciated how compassionate she’d been to me so far and gave her a small smile.  She’d never replace my mother, but for a step-mother, I realized she wasn’t doing so badly.

My dad held the mug out to me and I carefully took it from his hands.  Just before the mug met my lips, dad and Kate gave each other a look that I couldn’t read.  I didn’t let it bother me.

“Let’s go for a walk outside,” my dad stated, not asking.  He stood up and reached to take my mug.  I put it to my lips again, deciding I wanted to carry it around with me.  A slight grin escaped the corners of my dad’s mouth and Kate scurried back toward the kitchen, leaving us alone to head back outdoors. 

The mountains looked as if they were painted underneath the cloud-filled blue sky.  Stunning.  Trees began to tower over us the further we walked away from the house and I noticed they encircled the property like a fence, or barrier.  A well beaten path formed, leading the way as if someone had walked this same route countless times.  My Louboutin heels were not made for trails and I made a mental note to buy better shoes, or even boots soon.  Thankfully my father seemed to be holding back his stride, giving me both the chance to keep up and to really see his profile for the first time in years. 

He was a handsome; an obvious choice for someone like my mother.  Navy blue eyes, sandy blonde hair and olive skin made him seem like he belonged on the beach instead of the mountains, though, he fit into his current surroundings well.  Although he hadn’t said more than a few words to me since I’d arrived, I could tell without a doubt he was content here. 

We walked out into an opening that gave a view of the small pond I’d seen from the patio.  The sun was just beginning to kiss the tips of the mountains in the direction of the only thing I’m certain wasn’t packed on the semi-trailer… my entire life.

“Do you want to talk, Logan?” my dad finally asked, stopping to look at me.  I didn’t have to think about my response. 

“No.”

When he didn’t take his eyes off of me, I knew I had to answer better than that to avoid any future conversations.

“I don’t want to talk about it tonight.  It’s been a really long week.  She’s gone and I’m here.  Those are the only two things I really know right now,” I said somberly.

“We will have more answers soon, I’m sure…,” he said, trailing off.  He didn’t know what else to say.  He rubbed the side of my shoulder lightly with his hand.

I closed my eyes and decided that maybe this was just what I needed.  All I really had to do was get through the next twelve months.  It seemed easy.  I’d graduate from high school, turn eighteen and then return to California.  Go back to my life.

We had another round of silence while we walked back toward the house.  Kate was standing in the tall windows watching as we approached.  I yawned as we walked through the door and Kate asked if I needed anything. 

“Not really,” I replied.  “I still feel a bit worn-out and think I might head to bed early.”

I took the last sip of tea while dad shifted his weight to look behind him.  The front door opened and I heard Luke’s voice along with two others in the hallway making their way into the house.  I peeked around my dad to watch them appear.  When Luke finally entered the long open room down by the kitchen, he seemed to take a moment, drinking in the scene and the people in it as if trying to assess what had occurred while he was gone.  His focus finally locked on us.  The other two voices I’d heard entered the room loudly behind Luke and wasted no time shoving past him as they hurtled into the kitchen.

“Are you guys’ hungry?” Kate asked.

One of the boys answered while the other punched him in the arm.  Dad listened attentively to them banter while steadily rubbing my shoulder, sensing my tension.  I leaned out of arms reach and set my empty mug down with a sharp clack on the table in front of us.  When I stepped back, he was staring at me with worried, questioning eyes.  I mustered up a smile in an attempt to reassure my father, but his facial expression didn’t change.  I was done avoiding this subject.

“So, are they my step-brothers?” I asked, “Or half-brothers?”

The room went silent. 

Everyone was staring at me, right along with my father.  Finally, they broke into a deep roar of laughter.  I could feel my cheeks getting hotter with every second that passed.  I tried to play it cool by forcing a grin, though I didn’t get the joke. 

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry,” he said letting his laughter escape out of him again with his words.  “They aren’t your step-brothers,” he stated through laughter.  A flash of heat jolted through me as I waited, horrified, to hear the truth. 

“They’re my half-brothers?” I finally pressed when no one else finished.

“No!” my dad answered with a now firm grip on his voice.  “Jack, Luke and Jesse are not related to you in any way.  They just live here,” he asserted.  Everyone else quickly sobered at the end of his statement.  Kate flanked the three boys as she herded them toward us into the living room. 

Dad faced me and continued, “Their parents, Wyatt and Emily Callahan, were close friends of ours. They passed away last year so we took the boys in and have been taking care of them ever since.”

Just as he finished his sentence, I was startled by the slamming of a door.

Kate quickly chimed in, “This is Jack, who’s nineteen, Jesse who is seventeen and you’ve met Luke.  Luke is eighteen,” she finished, pointing out the two boys that remained in the room.

My face felt like it was on fire and I knew my embarrassment still showed, but the anxiousness from earlier also returned.  Luke’s brothers both greeted me with a wave, before stepping outside to retrieve their brother.  My father stood, keeping his eyes locked with Kate’s, but quickly sat back down just as the door opened again and all three boys reappeared.  I watched Luke quietly apologize to Kate before heading our direction.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled. 

He was a vision – more than I’d realized when I first met him.  He moved with a clear purpose that his voice and eyes kept secret.  He didn’t seem angry but I could tell he wasn’t happy.  I swallowed a short, quick breath as he ran his hand through his now dry, messy hair and let a slight smile escape the corners of his lips pointed in my direction.

“The boys got the trailer unpacked, dear,” my Dad said, interrupting my stare. “Luke can show you where everything is in your room and the spare bedroom so you can work on getting settled,” he added.

The four of us headed toward the front door where a large, log stair case spiraled up to the second floor.  As we made our way upstairs, Jack and Jesse parted ways with us, letting out loud bursts of laughter as they headed outside.  Awkward as I felt heading to my bedroom alone with Luke, I was intrigued enough to keep moving my feet forward.

My bedroom wasn’t the large bedroom I was used to, but still a good size.  The best part of the entire space was the large window seat centered on the opposite wall.  Plush with pillows, blankets and a cushioned bench; I was certain I’d be spending a lot of my time there.  It made the entire room feel comfortable and inviting.  Nestled in the corner was a full-size bed covered with a large quilt – probably handmade and older than I could ever guess.  The walls were neutral, as if painted to compliment the quilt. 

“I wasn’t sure about these couple of boxes.  Where would you like them?” Luke asked as he stepped gracefully into the room. 

My heartbeat picked up when he spoke. 

“You can put them on the bed,” I mumbled.  I couldn’t help but stare at his arm muscles and chiseled face as he carried the boxes to my bed and set them down effortlessly.  He hesitated in front of the window gazing for a moment into the near darkness. Then he pulled the curtains shut without bothering to ask me if I wanted them that way.  I gasped as my fingers began to tingle due to lack of oxygen.  I looked away quickly while I shook my hands back to life.  What was I getting myself into, I thought.  I felt spellbound but also on edge.  

“How was the trip getting here?” he asked trying to strike up conversation while I simply watched his lips move.  I wondered in that moment what his mouth might taste like and if his breath was as cool and sweet as I was imagining it to be. 

“It was good,” was all I could muster, trying not to stare. 

“Well, that’s good,” he offered in return.

He was making his way across the room toward the door when he stopped short of the hallway, abruptly turning to face me.  My heart came to a screeching halt.  I wasn’t sure if it was because I wanted him to leave… or stay.  A wild, devilish grin smeared across his face creating slight dimples in the corners of each cheek.  He fidgeted for something in his pocket and I noticed he was wearing a ring on his thumb.  He took a deep awkward breath and seemed to be debating whether to speak whatever seemed to trouble his mind.

“So, you thought I was your brother?” he asked.  My face flushed again.

“Sorry about that, no one told me any differently.”

“It’s okay.  I won’t hold it against you,” he laughed. 

The sudden warmth in his voice forced me to look at him.  His eyes reminded me of the calm blue of the ocean.  This time of the year, as autumn approached, I loved sitting outside in a lounge chair to watch the soothing waves.  His eyes had the same calming effect on me.

“Well…” he said, pausing as if he knew he was interrupting my thoughts, “I’ll let you unpack.”

With the threat of him leaving, I finally came to.  Trying to pull it back together, I quickly scrambled for something more to say in an effort to keep him in my room longer.

“Thanks for bringing all my stuff up here.”

“You’re welcome.  If you need any more help tomorrow, let me know.” 

“I’ll do that.  Thanks,” I said, realizing a second too late that I just agreed to his departure.  He put his hand to the door and started to leave.

“I like that ring on your thumb,” I said, stupidly.  I could hardly see it from across the room.

“Oh… thanks,” he replied.

That didn’t work. 

All I could do was stare at him in desperation, as his ocean blue eyes shifted away from me.  When the door clicked shut, I sighed and walked toward the bed just in time to hear him say, ‘Goodnight, Logan’ softly through the door. 

Andrea Wells – The Violet Hour

Chapter 4

The air was sharp, making it hard to breath.  I sat down and knelt to take off my shoe, but another hand reached in to help instead.  Startled, I slowly looked up to see Luke kneeling in front of me.  He carefully slid his hand over my ankle, grazing the tips of my fingers and sending electricity through my entire body as he took the tattered shoe off for me.  I let out a short breath and closed my eyes, committing the image of his face to memory. 

I slowly reopened my eyes and he was gone.  The dim ring of light not revealing where he’d disappeared to.  I heard movement all around me, but couldn’t find my voice to speak.  From the corner of my eye, I saw my mother standing beside me.

I stood up quickly.

As if I’d scared her, she disappeared.  I didn’t know whether I’d actually seen her or only hoped I’d seen her standing there.  In the blink of an eye, Luke reappeared.  He put his hand out toward me, inviting me into the grass.  The blades were damp and cool against my toes, sending undeniable chills across my body until they met the warmth of Luke’s touch.

Shoes in one hand and my hand in the other, Luke lead us toward a gate on the other side of the grassy yard.  Stepping out of the light and into the darkness, I suddenly felt we were being watched.  Looking up at Luke, his eyes were locked on something in front of us, like he could see through the night.  Before I could follow his line of vision, he squeezed my hand so hard I came to an abrupt halt.   

Howls filled the air.  They got louder, closer than the last time I’d heard the calls echo around me from my bedroom porch.  Frantically, I searched out in front of me, listening to the sounds getting more piercing as they drew nearer. 

Suddenly, three pairs of glowing eyes appeared in the night.

I took a deep breath.