Page 9 of Rescued Hearts
My grip tightened around my glass. “It’s a rehabilitation program for veterans suffering from PTSD. You know, the people who risk their lives to serve our country.” I briefly thought about Emmett Hayes and wondered if he’d be participating in it.
“Speaking of PTSD,” Preston started. He had that gleam in his eyes that told me whatever he was about to say would piss me off, and it was purely intentional. “I heard the youngest Hayes was back in town. Apparently, she ran out of the grocery store last week when some guy tried to reach past her for the apples.” He shook his head with a huff of amusement.
Every muscle in my body tightened. “Don’t comment on things you don’t understand, Preston,” I warned.
“Do you know why?” Greer said, ignoring me and leaning forward. Her eyes wide with intrigue.
Preston shrugged, slung back in his chair like he was above it all. “Does it matter? Girl’s nuts.” My hand spasmed with the need to slam into Preston’s nose. I was usually the calm one. Even-keeled. The one who let everything roll off my back. But hearing my siblings gossiping about Tess pushed just about every button I had.
“You’re representing her, aren’t you, Levi? In some custody case?”
My head whipped over to my father. “How’d you find out about that?”
He gave me a look. “I know everything that happens in this town, son.” I didn’t miss the implication: he knew about ice cream earlier. And he knew just as well as I did that lawyers didnotget ice cream with their clients and their children.
At least not ones whose professionalism wasn’t hanging by an unraveling thread.
My mother smirked into her well-used martini glass. “Last I heard, she ran off after Ben Hayes died and disappeared. She must’ve found some loser to knock her up, since she showed back up with a child no one knew about.”
“That loser is threatening her life,” I growled, my chair scraping against the floor harshly as I stood.
Everyone froze. Rachel and Preston looked amused, while Greer and my parents looked disgusted that I’d somehow found a way to care about her. Someone they deemed unworthy.
I tossed my napkin on my plate and left before I said something I couldn’t take back.
Not for their sakes. For hers.
3
Tess
Even though it had been a month since I’d been home, it still felt a little overwhelming to be around everyone at once. Especially now that we were friends with the McLeods again, thanks to Claire falling for Beau. But it had been nice to reconnect with him and his siblings after all this time.
The afternoon air was hot and humid as we all hung out in Colt and his girlfriend, Brittany’s, backyard while he grilled. It was a ‘just because’ gathering, and something about that I loved. They had a cute house in town, the kind of place I wanted to get for myself and Luke one day after we survived this nightmare.
Our group of eleven was the kind of village I craved when I lived in Corpus Christi, the kind I wanted Luke to grow up in. One where we were there for each other, no matter what. Where family wasn’t defined by blood, but by love.
And there was a lot of it here.
I was chatting to Brittany when Luke came running up to me. “Mommy! Me and Henry are pwaying horses,” he panted in my face, his little cheeks rosy with exertion. He took the water out of my hands, gulping it. He and Anna’s son were the same age and had become the best of friends, which made me relieved.
“I see that!” I wiped the water off his chin. Before he could run off, I said, “Are you going to say hi to Miss Brittany?” He was a little behind developmentally with socialization, and I knew it was my fault. But we were home now, so I hoped things would be easier for him. For us.
“Hi,” he said quickly, not looking her in the eye, too eager to get back to playing.
Brittany smiled. “Hi, cutie pie. I can’t wait to get my hands on those curls!” We were getting haircuts tomorrow since Luke’s hair was out of control, and my roots were starting to show. It’d be the first time I’d have it professionally done, and I was excited.
“Come on, Luke!” Henry yelled across the yard, a stick in his hand. He gave me a sloppy kiss on my cheek and bolted back to Henry.
“I wish I had their energy,” Brittany sighed, watching as they chased one another.
“Me too.” Since I’d been home, I was sleeping better, but still not enough. But maybe that was just a mom thing to always be tired. “I’d get so much more done.”
Movement on the back deck caught my attention, but the tension in my body relaxed when I realized it was Levi. I was surprised to see him here, but he was Colt’s cousin, so I guess it made sense. I just hadn’t realized they were close like that.
Either way, I couldn’t deny that I was happy to see him.
“Get more done, so you can spend more time salivating over Levi?” Brittany giggled, leaning into my side.
