I swallowed against the lump in my throat. We’d been raised to be self-sufficient. To survive without help from the outside world. To rely only on the people in our small little community. Sometimes, I wondered if the obsession with preparedness had fed my father’s illness. It certainly hadn’t helped.
There was beauty in that world, too. People who chose to live off the land and treat it with care. Those who wanted to create self-sustaining communities where everyone was looked after. But the Kemper family looked at everyone with distrust—as a potential enemy or thief.
I met Hayes’ hard gaze. “Trust me, if anyone knows what my family is capable of, it’s me.”
6
Hayes
“Hell,” I muttered as I watched Everly weave through the parking lot towards the hardware store.
“Looks like my big brother finally met a woman who will put him in his place.”
I turned to face Hadley, who grinned from ear to ear. “It’s not funny, Hads.”
She only smiled wider. “I’m pretty sure it is. Who is she, anyway?”
I scrubbed a hand over my jaw and wanted to let a slew of curses fly. I hadn’t had time to fill Hadley in on the latest developments. “Everly Kemper.”
The grin slipped from Hadley’s face as her eyes widened. “That Everly Kemper? The one who…?” She let her words trail off as she watched Everly disappear into the store. “I can’t believe she’s back.”
“It’s not a good situation.” It was more than that, though. After watching the encounter with Allen, I knew things were volatile. A powder keg just waiting for a spark.
Hadley’s gaze turned shrewd. “Please tell me you weren’t a giant asshole to her.”
I blanked my expression. “What do you mean?”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “You know I love you. The kind of love that means I’d do anything for you.”
“But?”
“But you have taken what happened completely on your shoulders.”
My gaze drifted away from my baby sister towards where they’d be setting up the fairgrounds any day now. “I was supposed to be watching her.”
“You were watching her. You turned your back for a few minutes to play a game.”
“And because of that, Shiloh will never be the same.”
“Bubby…”
At the use of her childhood nickname for me, I looked back to Hadley. “It’s the truth.”
She shook her head. “If it hadn’t happened right then, it would’ve been some other time when someone else had their back turned. He was a sick man, and he was obsessed.”
“But it wasn’t some other time. It was when I was supposed to be watching her.”
Hadley gripped my arm. “You have to figure out a way to let this go. You’re letting it eat away at you. It’s not your fault, and it’s certainly not Everly’s.”
I let out a groan. I knew it wasn’t her fault, but Everly was a reminder. Not just to Shiloh and my parents but also to me. If I’d been paying more attention, all of this heartache and pain could’ve been avoided. Everly was a reminder of my greatest failure. One I’d been working to make up for ever since.
“I know she’s not to blame.”
Hadley arched a brow. “Does she know you feel that way?”
Uneasiness slid through my gut. Everly had known she would have to face a family that hated her, but me piling things on had likely been a surprise blow. “I’ll make it right.”
The corners of Hadley’s mouth tipped up. “I know you will, Bubby. You always do.”
I scowled at her. “Stop calling me that.”
“But I love the way it makes your eye twitch.”
I wrapped an arm around her neck, bringing Hadley in for a noogie. “What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were on duty today.”
She shoved at my chest, extricating herself from my hold. “Another EMT asked to switch shifts. So, I’m using my free afternoon to fix my leaky faucet. Aren’t you proud?”
“Why didn’t you call me? You know I would’ve come over and fixed it.”
Hadley rolled her eyes. “You know I am capable of doing things on my own, right?”
“You’ve made that clear.” A little too clear. Hadley was always running off on some new daring adventure. Hiking a range of the Pacific Crest Trail, completely alone. Rock climbing. Trekking Machu Picchu. Riding her bike down mountains. She’d almost given our mother a heart attack more times than I could count.
She stuck her tongue out at me. “Take a breath, brother dearest, it’s not the end of the world to have a sister who can take care of herself.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m proud of you. You know that, right?”
“Doesn’t hurt to hear you say it.”
“I am. The work you do. The person you are. I’m damn lucky you’re my baby sister.”
She pinched my side. “You make me cry in public, and I’ll put your hand in warm water the next time you fall asleep on the couch after family dinner.”
And she would, too. I gave Hadley a quick kiss on the head and released her. “Try not to get into too much trouble.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Her mischievous tone had me groaning. “Don’t forget family dinner on Sunday.”
“I might have to work a shift.”
“Hads…”
She’d do anything to avoid spending concentrated time with Mom. I kept hoping they’d come to an understanding, see where the other was coming from, but the relationship just seemed to grow more strained.
Hadley twirled her keys around her finger. “I’ll try to make it.”
“Don’t try, do.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t you have a world to save?”
I glanced at my watch. I’d spent far too much time in this parking lot. And I needed to talk to the prosecutor about pressing charges against Allen. Somehow, I didn’t think Everly would be much help, but I had to try.
I gave Hadley a chin lift and headed for my SUV. “See you Sunday.”
Hadley simply waved and started towards the store.
Keeping my family together would be the death of me.
The sun hung low in the sky, even though it was already seven. I was grateful for the light as I wound my way through the mountain roads. The absence of any streetlights and the frequent steep drop-offs meant navigating them in the dark could be treacherous if you took a turn too quickly.
My back teeth ground together as I imagined Everly doing just that. We still had months before the time change and winter came upon us, but I couldn’t stop the image in my mind. It came on the heels of another picture of Everly that had been haunting me all day.
The rise of her chin, the glint in her eye. So prepared to take that hit. She’d been ready to go to war. It made me see her just a little differently. As more than just a reminder of the worst time in my life. The knowledge made me twitchy, as if my skin were too tight for my body.
Koda whined from the cab. I pressed a button to roll down his window. “Happier now?” His tongue lolled in response, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.