I laugh as I unlock the door and Serena sniffs my leg then angles her head as she looks over to Brody.
“See you Friday, Dorothy!”
Chapter Six
Brody
Did I just ask her out on a date? I guess I did.
Instead of walking back to the diner where I know Tawney will grill me, I hop in my truck. I laugh to myself as I sit in the comfortable leather seat, remembering only an hour ago when I sat in this truck, bearing a heavy burden. After seeing Dee this evening, I feel like some of that weight lifted off.
Staring at the muted radio on my console, I pick up my cell phone and my finger lingers over the name. The heat of my thumb must trigger it to dial. Without a ring, it’s answered. Instead of his voice, it’s hers that vibrates through the speakers.
“Brody?” she asks, her voice is groggy.
“Hey, sorry . . . I didn’t mean to call you.” I clear my throat as guilt washes over me. “My finger accidentally—”
“What time is it?” I hear Laura shuffling. I can picture her grabbing the clock next to her bed. A place I remember all too well from when I laid next to her and let her cry herself to sleep after Matt’s funeral.
“Oh-dark-thirty,” I tell her as my shoulders slump, and I lean my head back on the cushion.
“Is everything okay?” Laura asks with a snicker. “Haven’t heard Navy slang time in forever.”
“Yeah . . . everything is good.” I let out a long breath. “Go back to sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow when you and the boys are awake.”
“I’m up, you might as well tell me what’s bothering you,” she says.
“Mommy, who are you talking to?” I hear one of the boys ask, Max, I think. His voice is muffled through the line.
“Shhh, it’s Uncle Brody. Go back to sleep, honey.”
“Laura . . . I’m sorry, I guess I just wanted to hear his voice.” There’s a moment of silence and I can hear her struggling with her next words.
“I can’t seem to let Matt’s phone go. It’s a part of him, ya know?”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Matt was notorious for recording our stupid drunk conversations to use later for blackmail. And the pictures were just as bad.”
“Brody, every time you called Matt in the middle of the night, it had to do with a . . .” Laura clears her throat and I know she needs to choose her words wisely since one of the boys was next to her. “Shenanigan you hooked up with,” she finishes.
Memories enter my mind of the nights out with Matt at the bar, tossing back drinks as I checked out the bunnies. Each one hopping from one guy to the next was entertaining. Me, Matt, and the rest of our team had bets who would be the next one to approach us.
Never once did Matt’s eye wander or did he cheat on his beautiful wife. If the thought ever crossed his mind, I’d have kicked his ass. Laura is like a sister to me.
“Laura, I didn’t hook up with a shenanigan tonight.” I stifle a laugh.
“Come on, Reinhardt. I’m not deaf. I have overheard many conversations between you two . . . so tell me all about your escapade this evening.”
“Laura, I’m going to let you go back to sleep.”
“What? Talking to me about this is no different than with Matt since he would tell me about them anyway.” Her groggy giggle fills the line.
“Did Matt tell you about all the girls?”
“I’m sure there were some that he kept to himself.” She lets out a breath. “I can honestly say, he lived vicariously through you.”
“Laura, he never cheated on you. Never even thought about it. He loved you too much.”
“I know.” She lets out a sigh. “Thank you,” she says softly, and I can hear the hurt behind her whisper.
“For what?” I run my hand through my hair as guilt stirs in my stomach. “Your husband is dead and you’re thanking me?”
“For being my husband’s best friend. For being a brother to him. For being an amazing uncle to my boys. And for the extra money in the account every month.”
“Money?” I feign innocence.
“I got a letter from the bank letting me know a Mr. Saint Clair opened up a bank account in my name. So, don’t play coy. I know it was you.”
“You and those boys are my family.”
And a promise is a promise.
Chapter Seven
Delilah
I hear the rain start again as it pelts my window. Serena snorts next to me, curled up on the other side of my bed. Feeling off balance, I stare at the ceiling. I can’t sleep.
All I can think about is Brody’s boyish grin under the rugged stubble on his chiseled jawline and the sparkle of his brandy colored eyes.
How can Brody, a man I’d only met for a brief minute at a club, suddenly appear on my path home and make me forget the fear of my past?
Thunder claps and vibrates my window as it shakes me from my thoughts of Brody. The weather should clear up tomorrow since this is the last of the storm to pass through.
My eyes grow heavy as I stare at my night light and I know how juvenile it is to have one. The shadows from the crack of lightning and the drum of raindrops against the window play tricks with my imagination, bringing back the sound of his fist against my skin.
“Who were you with?” His skull tattooed hands shove me against the wall.
“Nobody,” I whimper, staring back at a man I don’t recognize anymore. No longer is there warmth in his eyes like when we first met. I see only full-blown rage and jealousy in them.
“I saw you.” His breath reeks of beer, hard liquor, and cigarettes.
“Who did you see me with?”
His laugh is evil and patronizing. “Are you calling me a liar?” His grip on my chin is tight, I almost can’t move my mouth.
“Todd. Please. You’re hurting me.” Fear chills my skin, and I’m completely immobile with his body pushing me against the wall.
His hard dick presses against my thigh. His chest rises and falls as he glares at me. He tips back the bottle and downs the remaining whiskey, then throws it against the opposing wall making a loud crash as broken glass shards pepper the floor.
He leans closer to my ear. His warm breath and dead calm frighten me. “I should kill that asshole who touched you today.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I push the bile down my throat, afraid of the inevitable, the blows of distrust that will leave marks on my body.
“Don’t lie to me, Dee-li-lah.” He stresses each syllable and I instantly hate my name as it snickers off his drunken breath.
He grips my shoulders and slams me into the wall. My ears ring when my head bangs against it. “That doctor. I saw how he looked at you . . . and you hugged him.”
“Doctor Tennyson is a family friend. Nothing more.” My voice is a plea as I stare at the crazy man in front of me. It’s Jenna and Levi’s brother, and I can see why Todd’s jealous. Asher is a bachelor, very handsome, and every single woman in Windmill Creek wants to be his Mrs. Tennyson. “I had to take Daxton to see him. We were saying goodbye.”