Long Time Gone (Rough Riders #16.5)(19)
Author: Lorelei James

“Nope. Gigi here is my only girl.”

“Okay. I’ll stay. But you’ll take me to the bus station tomorrow?”

“As soon as I finish chores I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

“Thanks.”

“Sit tight. I’ll grab the bottle.”

“The whole bottle?”

Cal smoothed a wayward curl behind her ear. “Somehow I don’t think a single shot is gonna be enough for you.”

Kimi played with the puppy until Gigi tired of fetch and settled in the grass. She crossed the yard and looked around.

In the last year Cal had added a roof over the cement slab, turning the area into a shaded patio. He even had two lounge chairs. He set two shot glasses on the stump that served as a table. Then he filled the glasses halfway before he sat next to her.

She picked up her purse, pulling out her cigarettes and matches. “Mind if I smoke?”

“Go ahead.”

Cal passed over her shot.

It went down so smoothly she decided to have another.

After a bit, he said, “I know I told you I wouldn’t pester you to talk, but I have to ask if you knew your mother was so sick?”

Kimi exhaled a stream of smoke and waggled her empty shot glass at him. “Can I answer that after I’ve had a few more of these?”

“It’s your liver. But I’ll warn ya. Have too many and you’re on your own. I’m not the kinda guy who holds your hair back as you puke.”

“I don’t plan on puking.”

His raised dark eyebrow was a blatant we’ll see.

Following Kimi’s second cigarette and third shot, Cal reached for her hand and threaded their fingers together. “Time to pay the piper and tell me what’s goin’ on.”

That provided the push she needed to tell him everything. She didn’t leave anything out, including what’d happened after she’d left his house last year.

“Hell, darlin’. That is some seriously fucked-up stuff.”

“I know.” She looked at him. “Carolyn didn’t tell you any of this?”

He shook his head. “Carson only mentioned he’d known your mom was on death’s door when he came over to tell me she’d died. And I ain’t gonna lie. I gave him what-for about Carolyn keepin’ you in the dark.”

“Is that why you were so eager to help me?”

“Partially. And knowin’ what happened after you left here that night explains a lot as to why I hadn’t heard from you at all.”

“I figured it was a one-night thing.”

“Wrong. And you damn well know that’s wrong.”

Kimi stubbed out her cigarette, wondering how far she should go in this truth telling. “You’re right. I’m sorry I didn’t write you a letter or anything. I had some stuff to work out.” As soon as she’d returned to Montana last year, she’d started making plans.

“It wasn’t like I could ask Carolyn how you were doin’. Not even why you didn’t come back for Christmas.”

“She didn’t know why I’d cut out all contact with Mom and Dad.” She felt Cal studying her.

“So the last time you spoke to your folks…?”

“Was the night we had the big blow-up. So I’ve got a ton of guilt over that. But now I’m pissed that Carolyn didn’t say shit to me about what was really goin’ on with Mom. Neither did Aunt Hulda. So then I get here and find out every one of my siblings knew she was dying except for me.” She firmed her wobbling chin. “How is that fair? The one child who needed to make amends didn’t get the chance.” That’s when her voice broke and the tears started.

Cal picked her up and tucked her against his side. He whispered, “Hey. It’s okay. Let it out, darlin’. I got you.”

She blubbered in his arms until calmness and too many shots of Jack turned the lights out.

Chapter Six

Kimi slept like the dead.

Not that Cal would say that to her, beings she’d buried her mother today.

Gigi woke up wanting to play and brought the ball over. With Kimi sacked out almost on top of him, Cal kept one hand on her back and used his other hand to play fetch.

When the day began to dim, his stomach growled. He carefully shifted to standing and carried Kimi into the house, the puppy on his heels.

Cal paused in the living room, debating on whether to lay her on the couch. But if he wanted to watch TV, the noise would wake her, so he headed down the hallway to his bedroom. He started to lower her onto the bed when she stirred. Glancing into her face, a surge of tenderness overwhelmed him.

“So sleepy,” she slurred.