MARCUS WAS DEFINITELY surprised to find Addie on his front step. A shiver of frustration shot through her when she heard Ryan’s and Dex’s voices behind him.
“I hope this isn’t a bad time.” She didn’t step forward and give him a kiss, like she longed to do.
“The boys are having a game night.” He pulled the door wider. “And yes, I made sure they had their homework done first.” He grinned at her. “What are you doing here?”
“I was talking with my brother Wyatt, and I remembered the box of scrap wood from my dad. I want to show everyone the wand and see if there’s anything else out there.”
“Of course. Come on in.” He led the way toward the back door.
“I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
“Nothing stupendous. Just grading papers. Almost done.”
Addie followed him out the back door. The yard looked better than when she’d been here last. The roses were leafing out with several buds threatening to open.
Mom always intended to go out and trim them off, so that a few could be rich and beautiful blooms. She’d never do it, though, loving the bunches of pretty, colorful roses more.
Addie glanced at the honeysuckle vine her mother had loved. Its blooms were full and beautiful, as well. “Mom would have loved that bush this year.” She leaned into the leafy vines and inhaled. “Heaven.”
The vines that covered the side of the garage were thick. She could barely see the window in the south wall. Dad used to trim them away so he’d have some natural light to work by.
She liked being here. It was like coming home. Shaking her head, she realized Marcus had asked her a question. “What? I’m sorry.” She stopped and looked at him instead of the yard.
He smiled. He knew how she felt. They’d talked about it when she’d come by before. “I asked if you wanted me to bring the box into the house, or if out here’s okay.”
“Out here is fine.” The new picnic table he’d put on the patio looked inviting.
“Have a seat, I’ll get it.”
“I can—” She shut her mouth, mentally reminding herself that she didn’t live here anymore. “Thanks.” She sat on the bench and leaned her elbows on the tabletop.
Marcus looked right at home here, and she couldn’t help but watch as he headed to the garage. Sunlight fell through the trees and landed on his thick, dark hair and broad shoulders. He wore his usual button-down shirt with jeans. The light blue color looked good on him. She laughed at herself. Whom was she kidding? Everything looked good on him.
“Here it is.” He came out of the garage with the cardboard box. She knew it was heavy. She’d tried to move it the other day, finding it wouldn’t budge. He carried it easily, but did let it thump down hard on his table.
Addie stood, peering over the edge, hoping she’d find something, afraid she wouldn’t. She pulled out wood pieces, examining them, then setting them on the picnic table. Most were just scraps. She’d nearly given up when she reached the last layer of items. She paused.
“Did you find anything?” Marcus asked as he peered into the box, as well.
“I don’t know.” She pulled out the rough piece of wood. Turning it over, she gasped. A horse. It was undeniably a horse’s head. The mane had been carved to follow the grain of the wood. She held it up to him. “It’s beautiful.”
Marcus nodded and smiled. “Anything else?”
“I hope so.” The next piece wasn’t finished, but she could tell it was a toy gun. Other pieces emerged, all of them clearly gifts for her siblings. A set of wooden spoons, certainly for Tara. She laughed when she pulled out the shape that resembled a book. Obviously for Jason.
She frowned, not sure what her dad had thought would fit Mandy. She pulled out a box. There were two pieces, not yet hooked together, but she could see where they would fit perfectly. A jewelry box? A treasure box? Either would fit Mandy.
Addie stared at the pieces scattered across the table. “He made something for each of us.” She ran a hand over the horse’s mane. “He didn’t finish them, but he made them.” She met Marcus’s gaze. “The only one he had time to finish was mine. The wand.”
Her eyes clouded, and she dashed the tears away. Dad wouldn’t have liked her crying, not even happy tears. He was a man who, despite having daughters and a couple of sisters, hadn’t ever been good at dealing with tears.
“He was very talented.” Marcus picked up the box, taking it apart and putting it together, like puzzle pieces it fit so well.
“He loved to be in his workshop. We kids always wanted to go inside, but he said he didn’t want us to get hurt.” She smiled at the memory. “I think he just wanted peace and quiet.”
Marcus nodded, picking up the toy gun. “For DJ, I assume.”
“When he was little he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a cowboy or a soldier...they both had guns.”
“I think this is more a soldier’s gun than a six-shooter.”
“Yeah. Dad had his opinions, too.” She stared at the pieces. “They’re going to love these.”
“When are you going to tell them?”
She looked at him. “It should be something special. But Christmas is too far off, and their birthdays are too scattered.”
“Does it have to be a holiday? Why not just make a normal day special?”
“I guess it doesn’t have to be a holiday. I’m going out for Sunday dinner this weekend. That’s what made me think of coming here tonight. Guess I’ll take them with me.”
The silence of the evening stretched out around them, and she savored the distant crickets singing in the bushes and the breeze in the tree branches overhead.
Another thought occurred to her. Should she tell him about Dex, and her conversation with Lindy. But that would ruin it all. She didn’t want to, but he’d already been concerned about their relationship affecting her job. “Apparently, Ryan shared some of what’s happened between us with Dex.”
“What?” Marcus froze, looking at her with a frown.
“Don’t get upset with Ryan. He needs to have a friend to talk to.” She moved around the table, putting her hand on his arm. “But Dex—” She took a breath. “Has told pretty much everyone at school that you and I are, uh, involved.”
Marcus cursed. “I’m sorry, Addie. I never meant to cause you any trouble.”
“So far, it’s not a problem.” She didn’t move her hand away from his. “I’m getting some interesting looks from my coworkers, though.” Even now, she blushed.
“I’m so—”
She put her finger over his lips to stop his next sentence. “I’m not worried about it. It’s more—” Mortification wasn’t the right word, but she couldn’t put another name to her discomfort. She felt her cheeks warm. “It seems kinda silly to be good, if they know anyway,” she whispered. She looked into his eyes and saw the flash of desire. Had she just propositioned him? What would he think of her?
He smiled against her hand, and she moved her finger away—or rather down. The roughness of his whiskers tickled her fingertip. She traced the edge of his jaw.
“Addie,” he whispered. “I—”
He didn’t say any more. She stood on tiptoe and put her lips to his. He grabbed her, hauling her close.
His kiss was different this time. Harder. Deeper. Hungry. She returned every ounce of the intensity. It seemed like forever since he’d touched her, since she’d been with him.
She leaned into him, grinding her hips into the evidence of his arousal. Her legs grew weak, and the only thing holding her up was him. She wound her arms around his neck, holding tight.
As if some semblance of sanity had returned, he leaned back ever so slightly, and slowed his touch. She whimpered, and he chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered. “Except, maybe here.” He pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “Or maybe here.” He licked the hollow at the base of her throat where her pulse pounded. “Here.” He pushed aside the collar of her blouse, his hot breath slipped into the valley between her breasts.
Her nipples tightened, and she gulpedhard. “Marcus, I want you. I need you.”
“I know, babe.” He gulped in air. “I’m dying here. The boys are in the house. This isn’t the place.” He cursed. “Any secret places you know about around here?”
She shook her head. “My place,” she whispered, nuzzling his neck and kissing his heated skin. She knew as soon as she said it that he wouldn’t leave Ryan alone. And she wouldn’t sneak back here after Ryan was asleep.
“I’m starting to understand why teenage boys are so insane.” He held her, rubbing his hands up and down her back. “This could drive anyone crazy.”
She laughed, and did her own fair share of touching him. “We’ll figure something out. In the meantime—” She pulled away, taking the temptation away from them both. She picked up the box. It was lighter now that it was half-empty. “I’ll take all this and my frustrated self home.”
“Hey,” he said softly.
She stopped and looked back. “Yeah?”
“We will figure this out. I want you.” The words sounded strained and shivered over her nerve endings.
Addie watched as the late-day sunlight slipped through trees and fell over him. The breeze fingering through his hair made her fingers itch to do the same. She almost dropped the box and walked back to him.
“I—” What was she going to say? The words I love you nearly slipped past her lips. Did she? Could she? She took a step back, and away, from him. “I’ll see you soon.”
She turned and fled as quickly as the box would let her go.
* * *
SUNDAY LUNCH WAS INSANE. There were people everywhere, and barely enough seats to accommodate them. It was like being at a school assembly—except more chaotic. Addie loved them all, but she’d never felt so alone.
They’d spent the morning putting all the details of the barbecue together. It was a tradition at the ranch, going back to Granddad’s day, so it was more assigning duties and picking dates and times than anything.
Addie breathed a sigh of relief when finally, the dishes were all cleared, and the kids headed down to see Tyler’s pet pigs. Only the littlest ones were here, and they were down for naps.
It wasn’t as if silence settled over the house, though. The adults were as noisy as the kids. The only one missing was Jason, and she’d come to accept that he would miss things, living in Los Angeles. This was as good as it was going to get anytime soon.
“I have something in my car,” she leaned over and told Wyatt. “Can you help me bring it in?” She hadn’t told anyone about the box she’d gotten from Marcus’s garage. She’d wanted to surprise them.
She’d decided to wrap them, and that made carrying the box more awkward. Wyatt frowned but followed her. When he saw the bright wrapping paper, his frown deepened.
“Is there some holiday I forgot about?”
“No.” She laughed, feeling just a little bit like it was a holiday. Marcus had been right, though she wasn’t sure she’d tell him that. “You’ll see. Come on.” She grabbed the wooden box with her wand in it, and a couple of smaller packages, and let him get the others. She nearly skipped into the house.
“What’s all that?” Mandy asked.
“Just sit down and you’ll find out.” DJ and Tammie shared a glance, as did Wyatt and Emily. She saw Tara shrug. This was fun.
She’d found tags similar to the ones Dad had put on her package, and she’d written each of their names on them. Now, like they’d done at multiple Christmases, she and Wyatt passed them out.
No one opened the packages, just looked at them curiously. Addie stood beside the captain’s chair that was one of the originals. The spindles on the back matched.
“My...friend Marcus—the guy who bought Mom’s house—found a couple boxes in the garage rafters.”
“I thought we got everything,” DJ said.
“Yeah. You sure they were ours?” Wyatt asked.
“Oh, yeah, they’re ours.” She grinned, then realized she had to get this done quickly, before she started crying. “These were Dad’s.” She put her box on the table, not opening it yet.
“When I was about twelve, I wished for a magic wand.” Everyone laughed. “Dad promised he’d make one for me. I didn’t think he did. But—” She opened the lid of the box. “Look. And it matches my chair. Yours, too, Wyatt.” She held it up against the chair back.
Mandy gasped. “Oh, my gosh.” Her eyes sparkled. “I’m guessing it doesn’t really work.”
Addie gave the wand a flourish in the air. “Nope. None of you turned into toads.” She looked around at them all. “That’s what I wanted the wand for when I was twelve.” They all laughed.
Then, as if everyone realized it at the same time, they looked at their packages.
“He made something for all of us,” she said. “Not all of them are finished, though.” Her voice wavered on the end. “Go ahead. Open them.”
The sound of paper ripping filled the room as they each opened theirs. Gasps and laughter filled the room.
“Oh, Addie, this is wonderful.” Mandy did just like Marcus had done, opening and closing her treasure box while Tara looked at the little spoons with tear-filled eyes.
“He did amazing work.” Wyatt ran his thumb over the horse’s mane before showing it to Emily.
“Guess Dad didn’t think I’d make much of a cowboy.” DJ laughed, looking at the definitely-not-a-six-shooter gun.
“What about Jason?” Wyatt asked.
She decided she could rewrap it. She opened the package, passing the wooden book around for them to all look at.
“How perfect.” Tara fingered the detail of the pages. “He’ll love it.”
“Thank you, Addie.” Mandy gave her a hug. “That was a really nice surprise.”
“Marcus actually suggested it. I was going to save them for Christmas.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” Tara said. Morgan was seated beside her, and the dainty spoons looked so small in his big hands. He was nodding in agreement, his hand resting on Tara’s shoulder. Addie smiled. Wyatt had been right. They hadn’t been able to scare him away.
“Thank Marcus for us, would you?” DJ said. “He could have just as easily tossed these in the trash.”
“He’d never do that.” Just thinking about him brought a smile to her lips, and for the first time, the pleasure of being with her family dimmed. She wished he was here. Or she was there. It wouldn’t matter.
Not for the first time, she was disappointed the wand didn’t work. If it did, she’d wave it and take herself to him.
Just then, her phone rang, and she looked at the screen. Marcus’s number. She looked at the narrow piece of wood. No. It was only coincidence. She thumbed the phone on. “Hello?”
“Addie? Thank God. I—” Marcus’s voice wasn’t happy. Near panic came loud and clear through the phone.
“What’s the matter?” She stepped away from her overly observant family.
“Is Ryan by chance with you?”
“Uh, no.” She looked around, catching Mandy’s eye. “I’m at my brother’s ranch. I came here last night.”
“He said he was headed to Dex’s.” She could almost hear him shoving his fingers through his hair. “He said he’d be home by dinnertime.”
Dinner was long past. “No. I—” She swallowed. Mandy stared, frowning as she listened to the one-sided conversation. “He’s not at Dex’s house?”
“I called. There was no answer. When I drove by, the house was dark. I took a shot and thought maybe he was with you.” Marcus cursed softly.
“No. I’m sorry.” She tried to think of where he could be. Had he said anything when she’d seen him at school in Friday? Nothing came to mind.
“I gotta go,” Marcus said.
“Wait. What can I do?” Silence came over the line. Finally, his defeated sigh came through the line. “I—I don’t know.” Something like sadness weighed down his words. “I don’t know. Carolyn always handled this type of stuff.”
“I’ll call some of the parents. I’ll see what I can learn.”
“Thank you.” His relief was impossible to ignore. “I’ll start with the guys on the team. Keep me posted.”
“I will.” Despite her panic, she realized he needed reassurance, too. She was good at that. She’d given plenty of that over the years. It was her forte.
She wasn’t sure when he’d disconnected. But the screen was blank. She thumbed it back on and started to call. The best part of working for a small school was the close-knit community it created. Small-town closeness in a big city.
“Hello?” a woman’s voice answered.
“Melissa? It’s Addie. One of the kids is missing. Can you help?”
“Of course. Who?”
“Ryan Skylar. His dad hasn’t seen him since this afternoon.”
“I’ll start the phone tree. We’ll find him, Addie. Don’t worry.”
The reassurances Melissa sent through the phone were those of a parent who understood the fear, reassuring the principal of the school. It was appropriate. But Addie needed so much more.
While there was a lot of speculation at school, no one knew how she really felt. No one except Ryan and Marcus knew the truth of what was happening between her and Marcus. And did they even know? Heck, she hadn’t a real clue. She looked at Mandy and watched her image waver. She hadn’t told anyone in her family, either.
Several sets of eyes turned to her. Instead of explaining what she didn’t understand herself, she left the room and went into the den. She had several calls to make.
Please, let him be okay. Or put real magic in this damned wand, she prayed.