––––––––
A few hours later, they landed in Florida and were on their way to Barbara Madison’s home. Riley hadn’t called her to let her know he was coming.
“Should I have called her first?” he asked for what seemed like the millionth time.
Kaitlyn sighed. “Riley. You’re going to give yourself an ulcer. Stop worrying about it, okay? It’s done. We’re almost at her home.”
She watched his hands grip the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Leaning over, she placed a hand over his. “Just breathe.”
Riley glanced at her and sighed. “I know. I’m trying.” He stopped in front of a house when the GPS informed him they’d arrived at their destination. Both of them gazed at the small bungalow with flowers blooming in the yard. The house was yellow with white trim around the windows and door. It was a beautiful little home. Kaitlyn turned to face Riley.
“Are you going to stare at the house or are we going in?”
His eyes shifted quickly to her. “You’re some kind of smartass, you know that?”
“Well, you didn’t bring me along to let you sit in the truck,” Kaitlyn said smugly, and folded her arms across her chest. “I can always go relieve Diane and Brett of watching Sadie.”
He snorted. “You plan on walking back?”
Kaitlyn bit her lip to keep from grinning and reached for his hand again. “Let’s go see your mother,” she whispered.
Riley gave a terse nod, opened the truck door, and stepped out. He walked around to the passenger side and helped Kaitlyn out. Taking her hand in his, they strolled up the walk to the door. She noticed he sucked in a deep breath and exhaled before pressing the doorbell. When Kaitlyn had to punch his arm for squeezing her hand so hard, he frowned at her.
“I like my fingers, Riley,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Huh?” Glancing down to where his hand was holding hers, he let up on the pressure. “Oh, sorry.”
The door opened and an attractive woman in her mid-fifties stood before them then smiled at them. “Yes? Can I help you?”
Even as she smiled at them, Kaitlyn could see a deep sadness in her eyes. Blue eyes, not eyes the color of whiskey. When Riley didn’t speak, Kaitlyn cleared her throat and jerked on his hand. He glanced over to her, and then back to the woman in the doorway. Kaitlyn sighed.
“Yes. Hello. We’re looking for Barbara Madison,” Kaitlyn said smiling at the woman.
The woman frowned suspiciously at them. “I’m Barbara Price. My name hasn’t been Madison for a while. Do I know you?”
Her eyes traveled from Kaitlyn to Riley. Kaitlyn watched, as the blood seemed to drain from Barbara’s face when Riley removed his sunglasses. She put her hand over her mouth as she stared up at Riley. Tears filled her eyes, overflowed, and slid down her cheeks. “Riley?” she whispered.
Riley still didn’t respond. “Mrs. Price, may we come in?” Kaitlyn asked politely.
“Yes. Please do.” She moved out of the way but never took her eyes from Riley. “This way.”
Barbara led them to the living room. The little house seemed larger inside than it appeared from the street. White walls with yellow trim made the house seem bright and sunny. A large yellow and white checkered sofa sat facing a white brick fireplace. A window on each side let sunbeams filter through them. Barbara kept ringing her hands and stared at Riley.
“Please have a seat. Um...would you like some lemonade?” she asked them as her eyes kept going to Riley.
“Yes, if you don’t mind.” Kaitlyn wanted her out of the room so she could get Riley to snap out of his fear coma.
“No. I don’t mind. I’ll...I’ll be right back.” Barbara looked as if she were afraid they’d disappear if she left the room.
Kaitlyn smiled and tried to reassure her they weren’t going anywhere. “Thank you. We’ll be right here.”
After a slight hesitation, Barbara left the room. Kaitlyn punched Riley’s arm. He glanced over as if a fly had landed on him.
“Do you think you could say something?” Kaitlyn said through clenched teeth.
“I don’t...” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“I bet she was really pretty when she was younger. She’s still an attractive woman.”
“I suppose,” Riley muttered.
“Have you even looked at her?”
Riley shook his head. “If I did, nothing registered. Maybe this was a bad idea.”
Just then, Barbara entered the room carrying a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and glasses on it. Kaitlyn stood to take it since Barbara’s hands were shaking so badly. She smiled at Kaitlyn, and then took a seat in the chair across from the couch.
Pouring them each a glass, Kaitlyn handed Barbara hers. She took it, her hand still shaking. Kaitlyn gave her a smile and handed Riley his. He looked down at it then to Kaitlyn. “Lemonade, Riley.” She pressed the glass into his hand then looked to Barbara. “I’m Kaitlyn Parker, by the way.”
Riley took a sip and handed it back to her. She sighed, and drank from the same glass then elbowed Riley—hard.
He let out a grunt and glared at her. She tightened her lips and shifted her eyes toward his mother. Kaitlyn watched as he swallowed hard then faced his mother.
“Why did you leave me?” he blurted out. Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. Men.
“I didn’t want to...” Barbara began.
“But you did,” Riley said, his voice tense, and Kaitlyn noted how a muscled ticked in his cheek. Kaitlyn put her hand on his arm and he turned to face her.
“This isn’t the way to do this, Riley.”
“Really? Then what is a good way, Katie?” He glared at her, his nostrils flaring as he bit back his anger.
“It’s all right. I can understand his anger,” Barbara said.
Riley stood in one fluid motion. “Can you?”
“Riley, sit down.” Kaitlyn grabbed the hem of his T-shirt.
“No. I’m done,” he hissed, shaking his head.
Kaitlyn stood. “No. You are not done. Sit down and we’ll talk about this.” She watched as he took deep breaths, and then the fight seemed to go out of him as he sat back down.
“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to snap,” Riley muttered as he stared at his mother. “Tell me why.”
Barbara cleared her throat several times before beginning, looking down at her hands. “I had an affair before Roscoe and I married.” Still wringing her hands, she hesitated then lifted her gaze to Riley. “Roscoe isn’t your father.”
“What?” Riley roared as he stood again but Kaitlyn grasped his hand, and tugged on it. He sat back down.
“Roscoe thought he was, until he found your birth certificate. I had it hidden but had to get it out so you could go to school.” Barbara dabbed at her eyes. “He found it and went crazy. He told me to get out, only without my bastard son. He said since I’d stolen his son from him, he was keeping you from me.” She gave Riley an apologetic look. “Roscoe said if I didn’t leave, he would kill us both. I wasn’t sure what he’d do and I couldn’t take a chance that he’d do what he said. I didn’t care about me, but I didn’t want him doing anything to you. He was a mad man once he found out you weren’t his son. It was his way of torturing me, I suppose.”
“Do you know how he tortured me? He beat me on a regular basis.”
Barbara went so white, Kaitlyn thought the woman was going to pass out.
“No...” she whispered.
“Yes,” Riley hissed. “Almost every fucking day, he beat me...until I finally got big enough to hit back. I have no idea why I put up with his shit for as long as I did. I guess a part of me thought somewhere deep down he loved me and that if we worked the ranch together, he’d come to at least, respect me.” Riley shook his head. “I stayed there until I was twenty-three and what good did it do me? The bastard hated me and it wasn’t even my fault, and for all the hate he heaped on me, all he left me was a rundown worthless ranch.”
“Left you?” Barbara asked him.
“Yes. He’s dead, and I hope he’s rotting in hell.” Riley flew to his feet and stormed out.
****
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Price. He’s upset right now.” Kaitlyn tried to placate the woman.
Barbara turned tear-filled eyes towards her. “I never knew...” She started sobbing.
Kaitlyn moved to sit on the arm of the woman’s chair and put her arm around Barbara. “How could you know? Roscoe wasn’t like that before, was he?”
“Oh God, no...he’d never laid a hand on Riley or me. He hit me the day he found out, but I never thought...my poor baby. If Roscoe wasn’t dead, I’d kill him myself.” She gazed up at Kaitlyn. “Are you his wife?”
“No. We’re...friends.”
Barbara nodded. “Friends. You must be a very good friend to do this with him.”
“He asked me to, so...” Kaitlyn didn’t elaborate. “I’ll be right back. I want to check on him.” She stood when Barbara nodded.
Kaitlyn headed out to the truck. Riley sat in it with his head back against the seat, his sunglasses covering his eyes. She couldn’t begin to wonder what was going through his mind. Opening the door, she climbed in and sat quietly. Waiting. He sighed and turned his head toward her.
“I’m sorry I stormed out,” Riley murmured.
“It’s not me you need to apologize to. Her heart is breaking because of the way he treated you. She had no idea, Riley. Roscoe never laid a hand on either of you until he found out you weren’t his son.” Kaitlyn sighed. “She’s blaming herself. It’s not her fault, Riley. She said if Roscoe wasn’t already dead, she’d kill him.” Kaitlyn turned to face him. “Remember the letters. She wanted you back but he refused to let her come get you.”
“There were times I thought he was going to kill me.” Riley clenched his jaw. “I hated him so much and felt guilty about it. I’m so glad he wasn’t my father. I’d never want to be like him, and I always feared...” He suddenly pushed the truck door open and stepped out.
“Are you ready to go back inside now?”
Nodding, he glanced at her. “I want to know who my real father is.”
Without warning, he marched up the walk.
“Aw hell,” Kaitlyn muttered then got out, and ran after him. She caught him just as Barbara opened the door to him. His mother must have been watching for them to return.
Riley strode into the room then spun around to face her. “Who is my father?”
Barbara stopped mid-stride. “I don’t think...”
“I don’t care what you think. Who is he?” Riley demanded. “Does he even know about me?”
“He...no, he doesn’t know,” Barbara whispered.
“Why not?”
“He was married at the time.”
“Where is he?” Riley asked.
“I–I...” Barbara stuttered.
“Babs? I’m home, hon,” a male voice called from the back of the house.
Kaitlyn watched as a tall man entered the living room. He smiled at them, and Kaitlyn threw her hand over her mouth to cover her gasp when she saw his eyes. Whiskey colored eyes. Glancing to Riley, she saw him run his eyes over the man then shift his gaze to Barbara.
“You’re married to him now but you still haven’t told him?” Riley growled. Kaitlyn had to admit that was strange as she stared at Barbara.
“Who is this, Babs?” the man asked coming to stand protectively near his wife.
“This is Kaitlyn Parker...” Barbara spoke barely above a whisper. “This is my husband, Jordon Price.”
Jordon nodded then shifted his gaze to Riley. The smile left his face as he stared into eyes the same color as his own. He quickly turned to his wife.
“Barbara? What is this?”
“This is your son,” Riley hissed.
Jordon took a few steps back. “What?”
“Jordon...I never told you...” Barbara burst into tears.
“You never told me I had a son? A son with you?” He turned to Riley. “Where have you been?”
“Living in hell.” Riley turned toward the door to leave, but Kaitlyn stepped in front of him. He glared at her, and she glared back. Yes, she could be as stubborn as Sam was any day.
“We are not leaving here until all of this is straightened out.”
“It’s already straightened out. My mother slept with a married man who had no idea he had knocked her up, and then she married a man who liked to use me as a punching bag. Then she married the man who knocked her up, but she still didn’t tell him about me.” He threw his hands up in the air. “What the hell else needs straightening out?” Riley started to move around her but she didn’t budge.
“No! You came all this way. We are going to sit down and talk this out because if you leave, Riley, you’ll regret it.”
“Riley? Your name is Riley?” Jordon turned to Barbara with a questioning expression. “You gave him my middle name?”
Barbara nodded with tears rolling down her face. “It was the only way I could keep you a part of me.”
“Christ. It just keeps getting better,” Riley muttered. Kaitlyn elbowed him and in response, he raised an eyebrow at her. “What?”
“I think we all need to sit down. All of us have had quite a shock today,” Jordon suggested.
Riley glared at Jordon. “I found out what I needed to know. I’m leaving.”
“Son–” Jordon started.
Riley spun around, his fist clenched. “I am in no way your son, other than biologically.”
Kaitlyn put her hand on Riley’s arm and he stared down at her, his chest heaving. “Stop this. Now. You’re acting like you’re the only one hurt in all of this. In case you haven’t noticed, there are two other people here and they’re hurting too. You need to talk to them.” She gazed up at him. “Please. Just sit down and listen. I’ll be right here with you.”
Huffing out a breath, Riley hung his head. When he raised it up to look at her, she could see the pain in his eyes. Placing her hand gently on his cheek, she smiled up at him. He gave an abrupt nod and Kaitlyn knew she would never love the man more than right now. Taking his hand, she led him back to the sofa while Barbara and Jordon sat in the two chairs facing them.
“I suppose I should start at the beginning.” Barbara volunteered. “I met and fell in love with Jordon when I was only twenty. He was married, and I worked with his wife. He’s six years older than I am. Well, one day, he came into the office and as soon as we looked at each other, we knew. We just knew.” She shook her head. “I knew it was wrong but I was in love. I was also already engaged to Roscoe. I broke it off with Jordon because he wouldn’t leave his wife, Celeste. She had cancer. I married Roscoe out of desperation because I discovered I was pregnant with you, and I needed a father for you.” She stopped when Riley snorted. “I’m sorry for everything that happened, for not standing up to him, and for not taking you with me, Riley.” She turned to Jordon. “And for not telling you about Riley, it just never seemed the right time. I can’t go back and change any of it, although I wish I could. For years, I wrote letter after letter to Roscoe begging him at the very least, to let me see you. He never wrote back. I even went to Clifton once hoping to see you. Roscoe told me you were staying at a friend’s house, and then he threatened me with a gun if I ever came back.”
“Why didn’t you go to the authorities?” Kaitlyn asked.
“The one time I called him about seeing Riley, I told him I’d get a lawyer. He told me if I did, he’d make Riley disappear. I believed him since he said he hated Riley and that he no longer meant anything to him. Thinking back, I wonder if he really would have harmed you that way.”
“He tried more than enough times to kill me,” Riley mumbled.
Barbara put her hands over her face. “Oh God, I can’t say enough how sorry I am. I should have stood up to that bastard. If I had, you wouldn’t have gone through what you did.”
“How long have you two been married?” Kaitlyn asked Barbara.
“We’ve only been married two years. We ran into each other here when I came for a vacation,” Barbara explained. “We were in the same restaurant and couldn’t believe it when we saw each other after all these years.” She looked to her husband. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Riley, but you still wouldn’t have left Celeste, and I never thought I’d see Riley again. Roscoe would never answer my letters.”
Jordon reached over and took her hand in his. “We’ll get through this, Babs.”
Kaitlyn saw Riley glance away from them—his parents. She blinked back tears thinking of the pain he went through as a child and all because a man blamed him for his wife’s secret. Taking his hand in hers, she caressed it. When he turned toward her, she saw tears glistening in his beautiful eyes. One slipped down his cheek so Kaitlyn reached out and caught it with her fingertip.
“I should have come back for you, Riley. I’m so very sorry,” Barbara told him again.
“If I’d known about you, I would’ve come after you myself. I’m sorry he abused you. I’d like to kill the bastard.” Jordon’s jaw clenched and Kaitlyn could see Riley in him.
“He’s dead,” Barbara told her husband.
“Good riddance,” Jordon stated.
“Then your years with Roscoe weren’t bad?” Riley asked.
“No. Believe it or not, he was a good husband and a good father to you, until he saw your birth certificate. I should’ve put him down as your father and then none of this would’ve happened. I loved Jordon so much though that when the time came, I put his name down on your birth certificate, never thinking for a minute Roscoe might see it. I told him it didn’t require his signature. He believed me.” Barbara shook her head. “I kept it hidden in a safe deposit box at the bank, in my name only, but I had to get it out to enroll you in school. I ran upstairs to get dressed and left it lying on the kitchen table with the registration forms. Roscoe was out in the west pasture, branding cattle, and I assumed he’d be out there all day. Well, he came in early, and saw it. I’ve never seen a man so angry. I tried to explain what had happened, but he wouldn’t listen to me. He hit me then dragged me out of the house and pushed me into my car. He told me to leave and never come back or he’d make sure I’d never see my son again.” She laughed bitterly. “Of course, I never saw you again anyway.”
****
Riley sighed and ran his hand over his face. Jesus! What a fucking mess. When he glanced at Kaitlyn, she was gazing compassionately at him. It hit him like a ton of bricks that he was completely in love with her. Glancing over to Barbara and Jordon Price, he saw the hopeful looks they cast at him. What was he to do now? Hating them was wrong. None of it was their faults. Jordon hadn’t known he had a son at all, and was willing to forgive the woman who kept it from him...because he loved her. Riley’s eyes met his mother’s eyes. Roscoe had abused them both over the years. He’d played mind games with Barbara by threatening her with hurting her son. Roscoe had beaten Riley because he was another man’s son. Riley had believed his mother hadn’t wanted him, but he believed now that if his mother had known Roscoe was abusing him, she would’ve come back and taken him away somehow...because she loved him.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone what you were going through, Riley?” Jordon asked in a quiet voice.
Riley shook his head. “Too ashamed, I suppose, and Roscoe had always told me that no one would ever believe me. He’d never hit me where bruises would show. I suffered the most during the summer when I couldn’t go swimming or wear shorts because of the bruises under my clothes. He scared me into silence by telling me they’d take me away and it would be even worse for me.” His voice faded off. “Only my closest friends knew the truth as I grew older.”
Barbara started crying again. Jordon moved to her, pulled her into his arms, and held her as she cried. “It’s all my fault. I never should’ve married Roscoe in the first place. If I hadn’t, you would’ve never been abused Riley. I’m so sorry.”
“Hush, hon. It’s done and in the past. We can’t change anything, but if Riley’s willing to forgive us maybe we can get to know each other now.” Jordon gazed at Riley over her head.
Jordon surprised Riley by putting himself in the wrong along with his wife when he never knew anything about his son. So Riley decided that if Jordon could forgive then he could too. Being a man like his real father was something he could strive for, he hoped. He rose from the sofa and moved to where the two people who were his parents sat. Squatting down in front of them, he reached for Barbara’s hand, and she raised her tear streaked face to look at him.
“Jordon is right. It’s in the past and we can’t change it. I’d...I’d like to stay in touch and get to know you both.” Riley knew he had tears in his eyes but he didn’t care. Somehow, they wouldn’t think him weak. He gazed at both of them and when they both smiled at him, he smiled too. For the first time ever in his life, he knew there was hope that everything might be all right, if only he could get past the pain that Roscoe had inflicted all those years.
Glancing over to Kaitlyn, he saw tears rolling down her face. Straightening, he moved to stand in front of her, she looked up at him, and when he put his hand out to her, she took it and came into his arms. Riley held her tight wishing he was stronger because he knew that no matter how much he loved her and Sadie, he still couldn’t stay in Clifton.
****
That evening, when Riley pulled the truck into the parking lot of the apartment complex, Kaitlyn blinked tears from her eyes, and climbed out quickly so he wouldn’t notice. After he took care of getting Sadie, who was asleep, out of her car seat, Kaitlyn removed the seat from the truck, and carried it and the diaper bag. She’d reinstall it in her car tomorrow. They walked silently inside her apartment. Once inside, Riley headed straight for Sadie’s bedroom with Kaitlyn following, after a slight hesitation. She wasn’t looking forward to what was coming, but knew she had to do it.
“Do you need to change her first?” Riley whispered.
“Yes. Please put her on the changing table.” Kaitlyn instructed then gazed up at him. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
Riley raised an eyebrow at her, but left the room. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and changed Sadie without waking her. After putting Sadie in her bed, Kaitlyn took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, although it didn’t help, closed the door behind her, and headed toward the living room. Riley stood in front of the cold fireplace, staring into it. Kaitlyn cleared her throat. When he spun around, she bit back a groan.
“It’s been a hell of a day, hasn’t it?” He smiled at her.
Kaitlyn sat in the chair. “Yes. I’m so glad you’re willing to get to know them. They were very happy when we left.” Small talk. She hated small talk.
Riley stared at her and then sat on the couch, placing his forearms on his thighs. He stared over at her. “What is it, Katie?”
It was so hard to look at him when she knew this was going to be the last time she saw him. She forced her eyes to meet his. “I don’t think we should see each other...”
Riley jumped to his feet. “Stop right there.” He held his hand up. “I had a feeling this is where you were going. We’re good together, Kaitlyn. Why mess it up?”
Kaitlyn shot to her feet. “Why mess it up? Are you serious? You’re leaving, Riley. You’ve been leaving since the day you got here, only now you’re leaving and taking our hearts with you.”
Closing the distance between them, he cupped her face in his hands, and she wished she had the willpower to move. “Then come with me.”
“No.” Kaitlyn pulled away from him because he was asking the impossible.
“No? Just like that?”
“Just like that.” She moved away from him because if she stayed too close, she’d throw herself into his arms.
“Katie...I’m in love with you,” he whispered.
Kaitlyn shook her head. “No. Don’t tell me that, please.”
Striding to her, he pulled her into his arms. “Yes. I love you, and I love Sadie. I want us to be a family. Come with me, sweetheart.”
Pushing at his chest, she broke away from him. “No. You don’t get it. I won’t leave here. I love you too, Riley, but this is my home and at one time, it was yours too.”
Riley stood in front of her staring into her eyes but unable to focus on him, she rapidly blinked her eyes. When she turned away from him, he grasped her arm and pulled her back around to face him.
“Come with me, Kaitlyn,” he said softly.
Again, she shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” Those two words were more than a question, they were a plea, and it tore at her heart.
“My business is here, Riley. Sam is here, my friends. My life is here. I can’t leave.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Riley growled.
Kaitlyn jerked away from him. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not leaving.”
Moving closer to her again, once more, he pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Kaitlyn. You and Sadie mean the world to me. I want you both with me.” He lightly shook her when she didn’t say anything. “Did you lie then?”
“About what?” She frowned.
“About loving me.”
Kaitlyn gasped. “No, of course not...I do love you. I’ll always love you.” Her heart ached so that she was beginning to think the pain would kill her.
“Then why can’t you come with me to Texas?”
“Because my life is here,” her voice rose.
“So, I’m not your life? Because you’re mine, Kaitlyn—you and Sadie.”
“That’s not what I meant, Riley. I’ve lived here my entire life and everything I’ve worked for is here. I happen to love Clifton and before you say it, yes, I love you too, but I have a business here, which I love. This town is my family.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t know how to start over in Texas. I’d be alone, and I’d hate it.”
“And me.” Riley swore. “You’d end up hating me too.”
Kaitlyn touched his face. “I could never hate you. I love you so much.” Her voice was ragged. “I don’t understand why you can’t stay here.”
“Christ, you know why,” Riley shouted then lowered his voice. “I’m not sure I can—”
“Let it go, Riley. He’s dead and buried. He carried his hatred to the grave. Be the bigger man. Don’t end up like him. He hated everyone, and you don’t. You’re so different than he was, Riley. I know you are. Don’t take your hatred to the grave like he did. He had problems.”
“Problems? He beat the hell out of me. If he hated me so much then he should’ve let me go with my mother instead of keep me around to use for a punching bag,” Riley shouted.
Kaitlyn put her hand on his arm but he jerked away from her. “Riley. I’m not saying he wasn’t wrong in what he did. He took his hatred out on you, and that was wrong. Roscoe turned into a bitter old man because he found out the woman and son he loved belonged to another man. You were a constant reminder of what he’d lost.”
“So he beat me because I wasn’t his son? Sadie isn’t my daughter, but I love her. I would never allow me, or anyone, not even you to harm her. It doesn’t matter to me what his reasons were,” Riley said through clenched teeth. “I just don’t understand why, if he hated me so much, why keep me from my mother?”
“To punish you both for not belonging to him even though it wasn’t your fault in any way,” Kaitlyn softly told him. “You’re never going to get past this pain if you don’t let it go. You have eleven hundred beautiful acres where you’re building a beautiful home. It could be for us and you won’t even think about it because you’re still pissed off at a dead man,” Kaitlyn’s voice rose.
Riley shook his head. “I love you. Isn’t that enough? I can build us a beautiful home in Texas.”
“I am not going to Texas,” Kaitlyn shouted.
Riley stepped back from her. “Then I guess we have nothing more to discuss.” He turned to leave then stopped, and glanced back. “Goodbye, Kaitlyn.”
Before she could say another word, he strode out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
Falling to her knees on the floor, she sobbed. The love of her life just walked out the door and took her heart with him. Dear God, she loved him but she wasn’t brave enough to go with him. Her heart and soul had gone into her shop, and giving it up just wasn’t going to happen. The very thought of living in Texas, where she knew no one but Riley, terrified her. She didn’t want to be alone. She’d gone through that with Kevin.
Kaitlyn didn’t know how long she sat on the floor but she finally pulled herself up on her feet, exhausted from crying and headed to bed, knowing she wasn’t going to sleep.
The next day, she called Madilyn and told her she wouldn’t be in to work. She just couldn’t face anyone right now so she let her think she was too tired from the trip the day before. When someone knocked at her door, she half-hoped it was Riley. She pushed herself up from the sofa, ran for the door, and pulled it open. Sam stood there. He swore when he saw her red-rimmed eyes.
“Where is he?” Sam growled.
“He’s gone,” Kaitlyn’s voice caught as she gazed up at her brother. “He’s gone.”
“Come here, Katie-bug.” Sam wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head while she sobbed her heart out. “Katie, you’re going to make yourself sick. Please stop.”
Kaitlyn nodded but kept crying. Sam moved her to the couch and sat down with her. He held her until all she had left in her were sniffles.
“I knew damn well this was going to happen. Son of a bitch. I’ll kill him,” Sam muttered.
“No, Sam. Let it go. It’s as much my fault as his. He asked me to go with him but I just can’t.”
“He could stay here, Kaitlyn. There’s no reason he can’t. Yes, I know he says it’s because of the bad memories. I understand what the old man put him through, but there were good times too. People in this town are family and Riley’s part of that family. His bastard of a father never was.” Sam stood.
“Are you leaving?” Kaitlyn stared up at Sam.
“For now. I’ll check back on you later. Right now...” He moved toward the door. “I’m going to look for Riley.”
Kaitlyn jumped up. “No.” She grabbed his arm. “Please, Sam. Let it alone.”
“No. I won’t leave it alone. He needs to see what’s right in front of him.” Sam sneered. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill him.” He opened the door. “Not yet.”
Kaitlyn stared at the closed door. Should she call Riley and warn him? No. She couldn’t call him, couldn’t bear to hear his voice. Sam wouldn’t really hurt him. At least, she hoped not. The tears started streaming again.