Page 103 of Tumbleweed Temptation
He didn’t drive over to the house, but instead walked up the path to it, through the gate that separated the long low limestone house from the working part of the ranch. He seemed to recall that a few years ago it had sported an actual lawn, like one would see in a town not located in West Texas, but now it was xeriscaped, with pretty flowering drought-resistant plants in cream colored soil and rocks.
He walked up the stone steps and stood on the long porch, with its variety of chairs and tables, several ceiling fans on the roof to keep the area cool. He wondered if anyone in the family ever took the time to sit out here.
He knocked on the door and waited a long time before he heard shuffling on the other side of the glass-fronted door, and then Mrs. McKay opened the door.
He wasn’t sure how well he schooled his surprise at the sight of her. He didn’t remember exactly what she’d looked like when he’d been in school, but she certainly hadn’t been so overweight. He would have remembered that. Her hair had grayed and her face was blotchy with dry patches, and she had to weigh about four hundred pounds. Her breathing was labored, and he wondered how far she’d come to open the door.
Grief, was the first thought that came to his mind. That was what had changed her. He needed to get her into his office and treated, too. He wondered why Mr. McKay hadn’t insisted on that, since he’d been willing to come in. He had to see his wife’s health was in danger, too.
“Mrs. McKay, hi, I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Austin Driscoll.”
The woman’s blue eyes shuttered. “I know who you are.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you at home. I need to speak to your husband?”
Her expression didn’t grow friendlier. “What is this about?”
“About some equipment I need for my office?”
“You drove out here to bother him at home for something like that?” Her sharp voice didn’t match her soft appearance.
“Yes, ma’am, and again, I’m sorry, but it’s of a somewhat urgent nature. I wouldn’t have come out here otherwise.”
“I’ll get him.” She closed the door in his face.
Great. He understood she missed her daughter, but he’d lost someone in that accident, too. But he couldn’t let his pain stop him from doing his job. Mr. McKay needed all the support he could get the next few months. If his family wanted to be pissed at Austin, fine. He could handle whatever they threw at him.
He took a seat on one of the wooden chairs on the porch. He figured it would take a while for Mrs. McKay to get to her husband, longer for her to convince him to come talk to Austin. He may as well get comfortable.
And, hell, here came Con, up the path.
“What’s going on?” Con asked when he saw Austin sitting.
“Just waiting for your dad. Your mom went to go get him.”
“And left you sitting out here?”
“Yeah, well, her first words to me were ‘I know who you are,’ so I guess that explains that.”
“Yeah. Ah.” Con sat on the top step even though there were plenty of other chairs to choose from. “Losing Claudia destroyed my mother. That woman you see now is a shadow of the one who raised me.”
Austin shifted forward in the chair. “Did she see anyone? Get any treatment for depression?”
Con’s jaw tightened as he looked across the land. “I guess you don’t understand what it was like to grow up in this house. That word—that idea was not mentioned. You toughed it out or your name wasn’t McKay.”
“And your mom? How did she do with toughing it out?” Austin already knew the answer. Didn’t get out of bed. Ate to fill the emptiness. Her skin, her weight, his own experience told the story.
“She didn’t, and we saw it, but we thought she’d come out of it.”
“Man, it’s been twelve years. She didn’t.”
“And now it’s too late.” Con ran a hand over his head.
Austin shook his head. “No, she can still get help. She needs help, and from the looks of things, she won’t take it from me. And really, right now I’m here to see your dad.”
Con’s expression closed. “Right. To get more money for more equipment for your office. To hell with my mom and what she’s going through.”
“That’s not fair,” Austin said. She’d been suffering for twelve years and now he was responsible? But he couldn’t voice the real reason he was here, not until he talked to Mr. McKay.
