Twenty-Six

Kyle didn't seem surprised to see me, and he didn't even try to detach Bunny from him. "Lucy." He gave me a curt nod.

My temper spiked. It didn't matter that we were broken up, how could he replace me so easily? What about his faith?

"Kyle." I spoke loud enough to be heard over the music since we weren't standing that close. My gaze took in him and Bunny. "Sharing the gospel?" The question was sharper than I'd intended.

Bunny's eyes narrowed and zipped down me, as if trying to determine if I'd be a threat. She shimmied her body seductively against Kyle, roping her arms around his neck in a gesture that clearly stated, he's mine.

Only this time, Kyle stepped back, taking her arms and setting her away from him. Bunny pouted. Leaning down, he said something in her ear, which made her smile up at him and reluctantly flounce away.

I did not miss the warning look she shot at me before leaving. "Don't go on my account." She didn't hear me, but he did. I figured Kyle would be embarrassed or at least regretful that I'd seen him with Bunny. Instead, he seemed irritated.

His boots ate the distance between us, and I felt his hand settle firmly on the small of my back. I stepped out of his reach and watched the surprise play on his features followed by hurt.

I stiffened. "Isn't one date enough for you?"

"You think she's my date?" He sounded incredulous.

"Hookup," I corrected, but Kyle didn't seem to like that term either.

He took a cautious step toward me like he half expected me to wallop him and I admit the idea held appeal. "We need to talk."

I shrugged, acting nonchalant, and he took my hand, leading me through the crowd. Where he was taking me I wasn't sure, and I'd have to wait to find out because he turned and suddenly pulled me into his arms when we reached the dance floor.

Despite everything my belly fluttered. "We haven't done this in a long time."

I knew he was thinking of that night two years ago. I could never forget it.

I loved how I felt in his arms, one of his hands on my waist and the other holding mine. My skin tingled where we touched. We two-stepped around the dance floor, our bodies moving in sync to the slow beat of the song about a guy trying to win back his love.

He smelled incredible. I couldn't resist leaning closer, feeling safe, as if I'd finally come home. When the song ended, we stood facing each other awkwardly. A storm brewed in his eyes. I had the feeling he wanted to say something but wasn't sure what.

At last he led me off the dance floor. Missing a step, I stumbled but he caught me. His lips brushed my temple. "I'll never let you fall, Lucy."

A gush of warmth flooded inside me.

Kyle led me outside onto the covered deck where a handful of people were hanging out smoking. He jerked his head to the picnic table away from the smoke. In a move that made my stomach dip, he lifted me high into his arms easily and set me on the table facing him.

My gaze flew to his leg, and I suddenly realized that he wasn't limping. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before. I'd been too upset watching him with Bunny to see what should have been obvious.

"Your leg. It's healed."

His eyes caught mine. "Does that make a difference?"

I wasn't sure what he meant. Taking a deep breath, I tried to focus, which was much harder than I expected. "Of course it makes a difference."

He nodded, solemnly, and I wondered if I'd missed something. "Izabelle said you called me."

"I called a dozen times and sent texts. I made a mistake and I know you're mad, but it hurts."

Something flashed in his eyes. "If I'd gotten any calls or texts from you, I would have returned them. The only reason I haven't called is because I thought you needed time to figure things out."

He seemed sincere, but then there was Bunny. "It seems like it's you that needs to figure things out."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"The last two times I've seen you, you've been with two different women. What happened with Ava?"

He blinked, surprised I'd even brought her up. "Nothing happened with Ava, just like I told you it wouldn't."

Inhaling a slow, deep breath I lifted my chin and stared at the starry night. "What about Bunny?"

His brows shot up. "Bunny?"

"Your hook up," I reminded him, forgetting her name wasn't actually Bunny.

The look on this face would have been funny if I hadn't been consumed with jealousy. "Her name is Charlotte, and she's the sister of a friend."

Folding my arms over my middle to ease the hollow ache, I prayed he didn't see my pain. "I'm sure he's pleased with how friendly you are with his sister."

"He was killed in the attack that wounded me."

Anger and jealousy vanished and I was all of the sudden filled with compassion. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I see how you could have misread the situation. Charlotte and her friend caught us on the way in. Both of them have had too much to drink."

Keeping my emotion in check, I stated the facts. "You've had your hands all over each other."

"My hands have not been all over her," he said deliberately, his eyes fastened on mine.

His tone grabbed my attention. I wondered if I was seeing things as they really were or if my jealousy painted a different picture.

Kyle leaned forward and placed a hand on either side of me on the table. Two words fell from his lips. "Only you."

It was difficult to think when we were close enough to touch, and yet we weren't touching.

"She's going through a rough time. I hoped to keep her from doing something she'd regret, but she's determined to fill the emptiness with everything but the only thing that will ease her pain."

"Jesus," I whispered.

"I have to make sure she and her friend get home safely." His unwavering gaze refused to release mine. "Come with me."

I still had questions that needed to be answered. The decision was easy. Sending Katie and Izabelle a quick text, I nodded.

Tonight we'd settle our differences.

*

Jase agreed to take Charlotte and her friend Donna home and literally pushed us both out the door. "Fix this. Kiss and make up. Do whatever it takes to be all lovey-dovey again."

I smiled.

"We might keep arguing just to hear you say lovey-dovey again." Kyle chuckled, turning to me. "Jase is addicted to soaps."

"Oh, c'mon," he threw an arm around me and Kyle. "Like you don't want Waylon and Lou Belle getting back together."

I couldn't stifle the giggle imagining Jase as a soap groupie.

Kyle's gaze paused on Charlotte, before returning to Jase with knitted brows. "You good with this?"

"Get outta here," Jase drawled.

We drove in silence. There was tension between us that had never been there before, and I knew it was my fault.

He glanced over at me. "I don't how it all went wrong so fast."

"It was me."

It was Ava. And Kyle. This is their fault!

Shaken, I turned to look outside, ignoring the voice in my head.

"We should pray," I heard him say.

"That's a good idea."

"I'll find a place to pull over," he said exiting the freeway and taking a road that led to the lake.

We'd traveled a mile or so down the dark, gravelly road when he pulled over suddenly and stopped, parking behind a bus from a retirement home.

"Do you think they need help?"

"I'll find out." He glanced over, frowning. "You should stay here until I know if it's safe."

Staying behind alone did not sit well with me. "I want to go with you."

"Lucy."

I was not a fan of scary movies, but I imagined this would make an interesting plot. "Kyle, maybe we should call someone."

"We're in the middle of nowhere. I doubt we even have service." He looked like he might say more, but stopped and shook his head. "I won't leave you alone. Stay behind me."

It was easy to hide behind his broad-shouldered, thick-chested form and I did feel safe.

He approached the darkened bus with caution. "Hello? Anyone here?"

The chirp of crickets was his only answer.

"We thought you might need help," he tried again, staring up at the windows.

It was impossible to see inside. "Maybe they were already rescued."

He shook his head, pointing to the right back wheel. "No, they still have a flat tire."

Kyle reached in his pocket to pull out his phone, when all of the sudden the folding doors snapped open and three men descended with battle cries and lifted golf clubs.

"Stay back!" one guy ordered.

"Don't even think about bucko!" Another one waved a putter in a circle.

"We're armed and dangerous!" The last one warned.

Crying out, I stepped in front of Kyle but his arm moved with lightning speed encircling my waist and shielding me with his body.

Even behind him, my heart raced. I was breathless and dizzy.

Kyle raised his arms slowly. "We mean no harm."

"What do you want?" came a suspicious reply.

"We saw your bus and thought you might need help."

"Don't trust 'em, Tom," one of the men called.

"They don't look dangerous, Pete."

Kyle's voice was deep and soothing. "We're not dangerous. 'Sides you fellas are armed."

"With golf club genius and you're bigger than two of us put together."

I peeked from behind Kyle and saw one of the guys, Pete maybe, looking less hostile. "You said you stopped to help."

"I have a phone." Kyle glanced at it frowning, probably from the lack of bars.

"Fat lot of good it would do." The guy called Tom held up his own phone. "No service here. All this technology and it's worthless."

"I can change the tire," Kyle offered.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"To help you, sir."

"Get on outta here, young man."

"Oh, pipe down Sam. I'm hungry and I want to get back to my bed." Peter smiled. "How long will it take to change the tire?"

Sam huffed.

I felt Kyle's muscles relax. "Fifteen minutes if that and you'll be on your way."

"We'd be mighty appreciative."

Kyle held out his hand. "Kyle Huxley." He jerked his head to me. "This is my girlfriend, Lucy."

He and Pete shook hands while my heart sang at hearing him call me his girlfriend.

Sam and Tom seemed to simmer down a little, and finally the bus door opened again and three women stepped from the bus.

"Thank you!" a silver-haired woman cried, shaking Kyle's hand. "I'm Maybelle, Pete's wife. Please forgive us, it's difficult to know who we can trust."

"Why that is sure the truth," another woman added. "Our driver took off and started walking, leaving us out here alone. I'm Sarah, Tom's wife and this is Esther. She's married to Sam."

"We'd have gone with her, but it was dark and we thought it best to stay with the bus," Esther said with a warm smile. "Do either of you know how to drive a bus?"

I smiled. "As a matter a fact, I used to drive one."

Kyle peered down at me, a question in his eyes. "When was this?"

"I did part of my student nursing at Wistful Willows and they taught me."

"How long have the two of you been together?" Maybelle asked as Kyle worked to change the tire. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at me, waiting for me to answer.

"I guess you could say, well, it's complicated."

Kyle froze a moment, disappointment etched on his face.

"Oh." Maybelle gave a slow nod. "It always is with men dear."

That had me smiling.

"You younger generation always think everything is complicated," Tom complained. "It's simple. Find a woman you love. Marry her. Stay married. That's it."

"You have to work hard at marriage," Sarah said, putting her hand on Tom's.

Maybelle smiled in agreement. "Most importantly you must put God first."

A chorus of amen followed. Kyle's was one of them.

Pete lifted a brow. "You're a believer, young man?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, you have chosen a fine man, Lucy. Followers of Jesus make the best husbands."

"I'm sure you're right, but we're not married."

"Not yet. Give it time. Say your prayers and the Lord will take care of the rest." Maybelle patted my arm.

"We can take them home and come back for my truck," Kyle suggested once he was finished.

It sounded like a good idea, but when I went to get my purse from his truck my gaze snagged on a little piece of paper in the cup-holder. It read, Plaza Rm #211 in feminine handwriting.

My blood went cold. Ava worked there. He'd said Ava was helping him with something and my mind raced with possibilities. A love affair? It didn't make sense that they'd rent a room where she worked especially since they both had places of their own.

I tried not to jump to conclusions, but they came at me like raindrops in a storm. Lost in thought, it took me a moment to realize Kyle stood with his shoulder propped against the truck, watching me.

"Changed your mind?" he asked with indifference, as if it wouldn't matter to him either way.

"It's late and I don't mind driving them," I answered carefully, not completely closing any doors.

"We're not getting home any earlier this way."

"At least you won't have to leave your truck."

The tightening of his jaw was the only indication he cared. "I'll follow you."

The happy chatter of Pete, Maybelle, and the others soothed me. I'd like to say my pain had eased on the drive to the retirement home, but it had not.

"Your man is a good one, Lucy, I'm a desent judge of character," Maybelle said once they were back at the retirement home. "God bless you both."

"Thank you, Maybelle. God bless you too."

When Kyle and I had shaken hands and hugged everyone, we got to his truck. I was thankful it was a short drive to my apartment. He got out to open my door but I jumped down before he reached me. Undeterred by this, he walked me to the door.

"Thank you for the ride."

"I'm getting the same goodbye you gave Maybelle?"

I spun around to face him, aware he could see my hurt. I let him. "Is it really that easy for you?"

"None of this is easy Lucy. I'm tired of playing games." His voice rose and eyes flashed. "I have no idea why you're mad. You know what, it doesn't matter anymore. I should leave it alone."

"I didn't want us to break up! I was confused. I knew breaking up would hurt worse if we ignored the problem."

"We didn't have a problem! You don't even know that we would have broken up. Lucy, you can't control everything. I don't even think you realize that."

I lifted my chin, determined to see this through. "Something is going on with you and Ava. What happened in room 211?"

His expression registered surprise and guilt. "Not what you think."

He reached for me, but I pushed him away. "Don't touch me."

"Lucy." His voice broke on my name.

"Step away from her, sir," ordered an unfamiliar voice.

We both turned to see a young security guard watching us warily. "Take your hands off her!" the guard ordered Kyle with a little more force in his voice than the first command.

Kyle's eyes locked on my face. "My hands aren't on her, sir."

The guard stood on his tiptoes to confirm this, looking shaken. "Should I call the police?" the guard asked nervously.

"No," I said quickly. "We were just talking."

The guard's frown deepened. "I heard him shouting at you."

Kyle winced. I saw the regret in his eyes and it tore at my heart.

"We don't need the police," I replied firmly. "I'm sorry for your trouble."

"I'm sorry, Lucy." Kyle backed away. When he turned to go, I didn't stop him. Later, I realized he hadn't answered my question about Ava and room 211.