ONCE LEANN TOOK Brian and Russell to the station, Gary offered to drive her to meet Lydia’s plane.
Gary checked his speed and turned onto the highway. Behind him, the Sarasota Falls’ landscape disappeared completely, replaced by open spaces, distant mountains and occasional trees in varying shades of green. Next to him, still in uniform, Leann was busy on her phone as he sped toward Santa Fe to pick up Lydia Whitefeather.
A sign on the highway alerted Gary that he had thirty more miles until Santa Fe Municipal Airport. Any other day, he would have enjoyed the sight of Leann in the passenger seat beside him. He was dazzled by her kindness, impressed by her intelligence and captivated by her smile.
It amazed him that he could have these thoughts, today of all days, when he had other things on his mind. Leann had to tell only one person about Brian’s lineage, and she was doing it as a cop. Her only personal connection was her friendship with Russell.
Friendship, in this case, was a whole lot different from family. Gary needed to tell his mom, his siblings and his aunt. He’d rather tell a whole platoon that they were going from four meals a day to two than tell his family that Berto Guzman might have cheated on their mother and that there might be a half sibling, one who was facing charges at a police station, waiting for a visit from the lawyer his grandfather hired.
After arranging for Brian’s legal counsel, Russell told them he was headed to the hospital to sit with his great-granddaughter. Evidently, the paperwork had already begun in order to release her into Russell’s care.
Leann finally put away her phone and looked at him. “You okay?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
She frowned, a different frown than she usually gave him that showed he’d either annoyed or perplexed her. This time, it looked more like concern.
“I’m fine,” he insisted.
“Are you convinced that Berto is Brian’s biological father because if you are, it’s—”
“I’m not convinced of anything,” he interrupted. “I need to think this through. But, I also need to let my family know. I don’t want them to be blindsided like I was.”
She nodded.
“I’m fine,” he repeated.
A sign for the turnoff to the airport appeared at his right. As he flipped on the turn signal, he again perused Leann’s expression. The frown was gone, replaced by something else. Something he liked a lot more.
Concern had turned to compassion.
He focused back on the road and almost hit the curb, something he’d not done since he was fifteen.
Leann Bailey had her hand on his knee. If she’d just patted it a couple of times, that would be concern. But, no, her hand rested there and the half smile she gave him said I’m here for you.
This time he did hit the curb.
While Gary cruised, looking for a parking spot, Leann took her hand off his knee and got her phone out to study Lydia’s likeness. She showed him her picture. “Now that I’ve seen photos of all of Russell’s grandchildren, I’m spotting subtle differences between Brian and the other two.”
Gary grunted. He didn’t see anything of the Guzman side in Brian: not the nose, the chin, the height or the character—especially the character.
He finally parked.
“I’ve never seen Russell so driven,” Leann remarked as she opened the door to the passenger side and got out.
“It’s not every day that you find out you’ve a grandson and a great-granddaughter.” Gary joined her, walking toward the main terminal, and tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. He was genuinely happy for Russell; really, he was. Gary just wasn’t happy for himself, what he might have to tell his family, about a possible half brother.
“I wonder what would have happened,” Leann mused, “if you hadn’t been at your family’s cabin. Would Brian have simply set up camp there, cared for Trudy and eventually gone to Russell?”
“Well, we know that he likely stole from a grocery store and that he definitely stole from Russell. Not to mention what he did to the chief.”
“He must have been feeling desperate,” Leann said. “Fear and panic can cause anyone to make bad choices.”
“He should have been feeling guilty that he spent the night in jail over in Springer and left Trudy alone,” Gary countered. “He should have been thinking he needed a job, needed to make a home for her.”
“Sounds like he doesn’t know what having a home is.”
“You grow up, make a home, especially when there’s children involved. Brian has a lot to make up to that girl.”
“Yes, and it seems Trudy’s mother isn’t in the picture. If that’s the case and Brian is in jail, what will happen to her?”
“I feel for Trudy, I really do. It’s just a lot to take in right now.”
Leann nodded, took his hand and squeezed.
The quiet moment between them passed as Gary said, “Lydia has to be here already.”
They entered the airport and located the baggage claim area.
“Lydia?” Gary queried, approaching a woman who resembled the photo Leann had shown him.
“Yes.”
“I’m Gary Guzman. Did Russell tell you we’d be picking you up?”
“He did, but he said he’d be with you.” She stood, looking past Gary, focusing on Leann, and then said sharply, “Where’s my grandfather?”
“He couldn’t come.” Gary started to say more, but instead, he introduced Leann.
A busy airport terminal probably wasn’t the place to find out about a new half brother, but Lydia took it stoically. At least, she had until finding out about Trudy. Then, she sat, hands folded in her lap, nodding. “Grandfather will save the Blackgoat clan, one errant relative at a time.”
“I’m sure he’s eager to see you,” Leann said. “Let’s go ahead and start the drive back. I’ve a few more questions. We can talk in Gary’s truck.”
Gary grabbed the luggage, following the two women and listening as Leann made small talk, asking about the flight and about Lydia’s husband and children.
“I should have visited more often,” Lydia bemoaned as they left the airport. She sat by the passenger window. Leann was in the middle. Her shoulder was pressed against Gary’s arm and the intimate contact kept him so distracted, yet aware of curbs, that he didn’t add to the conversation at all.
Right now, Gary didn’t want to think about visiting family. Not his father’s connection to Angela Blackgoat or how he was going to tell his family, especially his mother, about the situation.
He’d come to Sarasota Falls to be alone. Instead, he’d managed to become part of Leann’s family as well as Russell’s.
Gary glanced at Lydia and thought back to Leann’s earlier comment on the subtle differences between Brian and his half siblings. She was right.
Gary frowned.
“So,” she said, “Brian might possibly be related to you, Mr. Guzman?”
“Call me Gary. It’s what he claims.”
“What does your mother have to say?”
“I haven’t had a chance to call her. I’ll talk to my aunt first. She’s lived in Sarasota Falls all her life. She’ll know more.”
“She ever mention anything between your father and my mother?”
“She said Berto and Angela were friends.”
Leann shifted in her seat, inching closer to Gary. He wished he could just put his arm around her. Why couldn’t things just be simple?
“Brian told us the man she married didn’t want him. At least, that’s what the woman who raised him claimed,” he said, trying to get back on track.
Lydia snorted. “He didn’t want us either. As long as he could afford a nanny to raise us, it was fine. Best thing that happened to Jace and I was when we came to live with grandfather.”
“And something drove Jace away,” Leann remarked.
“Won’t be for much longer. Grandfather needs him. Jace will be here tomorrow.”
“You’re kidding,” Gary said.
Lydia looked at them, her eyes watering a bit. “I—I don’t think Brian’s existence surprised my brother. I think—I think it scared him.”
The last few miles to Sarasota Falls were uncomfortable. Leann, Gary could tell, itched to ask questions. Lydia, however, stared out the window, her lips pressed together and her hands busily clasping and unclasping.
Leann finally said, “So, you have three children? I have two boys.”
“How long have you been together?” Lydia asked softly.
“Well, my oldest is—”
“She means us,” Gary interrupted Leann.
“We’re not together,” Leann protested.
But they were, Gary admitted to himself. The last week they’d been together enough to work as one to get things done and...
He thought about the feel of her hand, the warmth of her next to him here in the truck, the kiss they’d shared in Russell’s backyard. It had been a mistake, of course. One that haunted him because he wanted to make the same mistake over and over.
But he couldn’t give her what she wanted. He was better alone, no chance of letting anyone down. Plus, he’d go crazy every time she went on duty.
He swallowed, amazed by the rush of emotion that thought evoked, and forced himself to banish the image of Leann and him together because in the midst of everything, her sons’ father would be returning home today.
Yup, Gary admitted, once again his and Leann’s relationship would change.
Not that they had a relationship.
Except for that kiss.
IT WAS AFTER six when Leann made it to her in-laws to pick up Tim and Aaron. She’d dreaded turning the corner to their house. Last time Ryan had returned to Sarasota Falls, he’d been in a Hummer, and the boys had talked for hours about the great drive he’d taken them on.
Her in-laws’ street looked exactly as it did every day. Not a single strange vehicle was parked anywhere or in the Baileys’ driveway.
Maybe her ex-husband, Ryan, didn’t have a vehicle yet.
She parked and slowly meandered up the walkway to their door. It had been a long day, she was exhausted and she wanted nothing more than to get her boys home, cook them dinner, check homework and maybe play a mindless game of UNO. Before she could do that, she’d have to make small talk with Ryan and his parents, pretend everything was all right and avoid topics that were meant for the lawyers.
She knocked and then opened the door, calling, “Tim, Aaron!”
They barely greeted her, then gathered their belongings as they charged through the room—Peaches at their heels—and out the door to scramble into the car.
“They’re sure in a hurry,” Leann said to Tamara. “Did Ryan...?”
“Delayed,” Tamara said tersely. “I told the boys he’d be here tomorrow. They’re a little disappointed.”
“Everything okay?” Leann asked.
Tamara gave a brief nod. “Fine. Will the boys be here tomorrow morning before school?”
“No, I’ll be able to take them. Oscar’s due back in a few hours, so things will ease up a little.”
Funny, she’d resented his getting the promotion over her. But, now, looking at her boys sitting in the car, their expressions gloomy, she knew she had something more important to deal with.
“Any news on Chief Riley?” Tamara asked.
“Good news. He’s healing slowly, but the doctors feel confident he should make a full recovery.” She’d had two phone calls, one from Lucas and the other from Chief Riley’s wife.
Tamara smiled. “We needed some good news today.
Leann agreed but thought that Tamara didn’t know the half of it.
“He was supposed to be here,” Aaron grumped when Leann slid behind the wheel.
“Did your grandmother say what kept him?”
“He’s in California. She said he—”
In the rearview mirror, Leann watched as Tim roughly nudged Aaron. Something was up. She knew her oldest boy, and he was more than bothered right now.
“He’s in California,” Aaron repeated. “Something came up, so he couldn’t come here today.”
“That’s okay,” Leann said as she started the car and pulled out onto the road. But it wasn’t okay, not a bit. She looked in the rearview mirror again and studied not her youngest, who was doing the talking, but her oldest, who looked as tense as his grandmother had. Tim remembered his father more than Aaron did. Leann wasn’t sure if he recalled all the arguments or the nights Ryan hadn’t come home, but she knew he understood that Ryan hadn’t really been a part of their lives: then or now. Still, her oldest had battled hopefulness with skepticism when told that his father was coming to Sarasota Falls for good. She hated that at just twelve, he already mistrusted the words of his father.
“He’ll be here tomorrow,” Aaron continued. “Grandma said she’d have Grandpa talk to him.”
“I’m sure we’ll find out something soon.”
“Yeah, maybe after school.” Aaron wasn’t a skeptic, yet, and very much associated his father with good times. His disappointment at Ryan’s delay was of the “you made me wait” and not the “you’ve let me down again” variety.
“Tomorrow will be here before you know it,” Leann promised because she’d promise only things that “would” happen.
“Hey, there’s Gary!” Aaron sat up, his father forgotten and a grin spreading across his face.
The small parking lot of Bianca’s Bed-and-Breakfast was empty except for Gary’s truck. Gary opened his truck door, stepped out and then moved aside for Goober, Wilma and Peeve to mass exit.
Peaches barked.
“Can we stop?” Aaron asked eagerly.
Any other day, any other time, Leann would have said no. But, Tim had looked Gary’s way and Leann knew that the dogs would be just the type of distraction he’d need. Gary, however, might not welcome them. Tim’s needs won out over Gary’s.
She pulled in next to him and smiled weakly.
He returned the same but managed to act a bit more excited when Aaron tackled him around the knees. “Hey, bud.”
“I hear you might need a couple of dog walkers?” Leann suggested.
“I don’t—”
Please, she mouthed.
“I don’t know when I’ve needed dog walkers more.” It took Gary only a minute to hook leashes to collars. Tim somewhat unwillingly took Wilma, the problem child, while Aaron, although younger, took Peaches, Goober and Peeve.
“Mom,” Tim whined. “I really don’t want to walk the dog. Please.”
Wilma, however, very much wanted to be walked, and started moving, pulling Tim until he was two houses away and forcing Aaron to hurry to catch up. Goober was thrilled to have people to herd. Peaches followed Peeve, clearly in love. Peeve took it in stride.
“What’s going on?” Gary said.
“Their father didn’t show. He’s delayed in California. Aaron saw you and got all excited. I’m not too worried about him, but Tim’s taken the news hard.”
“Will Ryan be here tomorrow?”
Leann shrugged. “According to his mother, he will be. How’s Russell?”
“He’s okay. Brian apparently is cooperating. Jace will definitely be arriving soon, and Lydia has taken over. They should be bringing Trudy to Russell’s place tomorrow. Lydia’s already bought clothes and food and even some sort of tablet for Trudy. I ran Lydia to the store and then took her to the cabin. I also made sure Russell’s old truck started. I grabbed the dogs and headed here.”
“I take it you haven’t told...”
Gary shook his head. “Figured I should do it in person. I’m telling Aunt Bianca first before I tell my mom or siblings. You, uh, haven’t told Oscar yet, have you?”
“No. Lucas said he’d let you do it.”
“Right. I’m hoping Bianca might know something she can add to the story.”
“I’ll go walk the dogs with the boys.”
“No, come in with me. You can add any information I might miss. Or—” he paused “—you might be a bit more comforting than I am. I just want to yell at someone.”
She put a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. He smiled, bent down and kissed her forehead. From anyone else, it would have seemed brotherly. It wasn’t. The warmth and the gentleness of his lips made her almost miss a step as they started up the steps. It wasn’t until he let go of her hand, to open the door, that she realized he’d entwined his fingers with hers.
“I saw you give the boys dog duty,” Bianca said. “Come in, sit down. I’ll pour us some coffee.”
Leann shook her head, but Gary took a cup.
“News around town says Russell’s had some excitement.” Bianca placed what looked like a plate of her award-winning banana bread in the center of the table and sat down, looking at them expectantly. They promptly sat down, too.
Gary leaned forward. “Aunt Bianca, you said that Berto and Angela were friends when they were young.”
Bianca nodded.
“Any chance they were something more?”
Bianca laughed before saying, “She was out of his league and way more mature.”
“I’ve seen pictures of my dad when he was a teenager,” Gary said. “He wasn’t bad-looking.”
“You look just like him, so I guess I’m going to have to agree. She came to him when she needed Russell’s truck to start or if she wanted to make some other boy jealous.”
Gary ran a hand through his hair, looking miserable. “Aunt Bianca, there must have been more to it than that. Brian Blackgoat says his father’s name is Roberto Guzman.”
Bianca didn’t even pause before saying, “Not possible.”
“Angela was pregnant when she left Sarasota Falls.”
“That proves Brian doesn’t belong to Berto. Your father would have fought to stay in the baby’s life. To do the right thing.”
“Not true,” Gary said. “He let go of Oscar, me, Hector and Anna.”
Bianca set her coffee cup down so suddenly that brown liquid splashed over the side, staining the white tablecloth. “I told you he wouldn’t have deserted his family.” She turned her attention to Leann. “I imagine a DNA swab has already been taken?”
“If not, I’m sure in the morning.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Gary. “Don’t you dare tell your mother anything until we find out for sure. Make sure Oscar doesn’t either. You hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am. Loud and clear.”
Bianca pushed back her chair and left the room.
“That went well,” Gary said.
Leann rubbed his shoulder, wondering where this sudden need to touch him had come from. She quickly picked up the coffee cups and busied herself with the tablecloth, taking it to the counter, where she spread it and squirted dish soap on the stain before dabbing at it with a wet washcloth.
Outside came shouts, “Wilma’s loose! Wilma’s loose.” Then came the sound of running feet.
“I’ll take care of this,” Gary said. “I’ve got my German down now.”
Leann nodded as Gary left the kitchen. Aaron, all excited, busied himself with the three dogs he’d been in charge of, but soon joined her, diving for the banana bread.
Leann started rinsing the few dishes. Gary and Tim came into the backyard, leading Wilma, who now acted as if she were the most obedient dog in the world. In the silence of the evening, she could hear their words.
“A cat ran from a bush just as we passed it,” Tim explained, his voice high and excited. “I couldn’t hold on, and then she didn’t come when I called her so I chased her.”
“You did the right thing,” Gary said.
“She ran in the street. I’m so glad there were no cars. I told Aaron not to chase her but go get you. I’m glad you came.”
“I’ll always come if you need me,” Gary said easily.
What? Leann slowly set down the glass she’d been rinsing. Always?
“Will you come if Mom needs you?” Tim asked.
What?
“Yes,” Gary promised. “I can do that.”
“Tim’s worried.” Aaron had quietly, very quietly, come to stand beside her, gazing out the window at Tim and Gary.
“Why is he worried?” Leann whispered.
“I’m not supposed to tell. Tim said not to.”
Leann merely raised an eyebrow. Aaron always told. He couldn’t keep a secret, ever.
Aaron said in a small voice, “We overheard Grandma telling Grandpa that the reason Dad didn’t come today is because yesterday, in California, he got married.”
Leann looked out at Gary helping Tim remove Willa’s leash. Life was about to get even more complicated, and it wasn’t just her ex getting remarried. It was also Leann wondering if she was capable of believing that Gary would always come when they, she, needed him.