Rough Edges (13 page)

“Imagine what it must have felt like for Bree.” He sighed. “Wasn’t something I talked a whole lot about, but… well not to anyone but the police, anyway. Although at one point I did try to get the press involved, at my mother’s request, but it wasn’t something they were interested in.”

“The press?” she asked softly. “What for?”

He looked down at the blanket for a bit before glancing back at her. “With stalkers, it’s hard to take action against them. Well, it used to be, anyway. Laws are different now. But back then people could follow you around. Sit outside your work place, your house, the grocery store or where ever you went. They could torment you with calls and emails. Texts and whatnot. And the officials couldn’t do a thing to stop them.”

“Is that what he did? Follow her around everywhere?”

“Yep. It started off as an innocent thing. This kid at school, Carl Ronsberg was his name, got bullied a lot, didn’t have any friends. So Bree started a conversation with him one day, you know, trying to be nice. She didn’t think much of it at first, just kept talking with him a bit here and there. But one day out of the blue we catch him standing outside the house with this weird look on his face. He wasn’t coming up to the door or anything… just standing there. Staring.”

“Like, looking through your windows?” she asked.

Braden tilted his head. “Well that’s just it. He wasn’t right up against the house or real close to it. Just stood in the yard by that tree out front. There wasn’t much to see. Just her coming or going, I guess.” Braden gave her a knowing look. “That’s why I wasn’t too keen on you not having blinds on your windows. You just never know who’s looking in at you.”

A dark chill crept over her skin, caused her to shiver. 

“Anyway, it was off and on like I said. We tried getting the cops involved several times, and though they couldn’t do much beyond talk with him, he seemed to back off for a while each time we got them out to the house.”

The expression on his face turned grave. “I remember this one time I came home from work, saw him standing there… I’d had a real crappy day and wasn’t about to let that little psychopath make it worse. I tore into the yard, drove over the curb and sped onto the grass right toward him. Had it not been for that tree, I probably would have run him over.” He let out a humorless laugh, the events seeming to play out in his mind as he spoke. “When I got out of the car, I went right up to him and knocked his lights out. Didn’t say a word. I wanted to keep going too. I swear to you, every frustration I had at that moment – my widowed mother going through chemo, Bree trying to date and work and have a normal life. And there I was working a full-time job as well as running the shop – I could have unleashed it all. Beat the life right out of him.” The truth of his words wore plainly on his tortured face. In the dark, aching depths of his eyes.

“What made you stop?” she asked.

“It was almost like I heard a voice, though it was only in my head. Just as I’m about to really lay into him I hear the word
stop
shouting in my mind. You can’t afford to go to prison, the voice said. Somebody’s got to take care of Mom and Bree.”

An audible gulp slipped past Allie’s tightened throat.

“Some days I wish I’d have taken my chances.”

She let that sink in before asking the next question that came to mind. “So where is he now?”

“Prison,” he said. “Let’s see if I can sum things up here. He stopped stalking her for almost a year straight. During that time Bree got married to Dallin. Once they had Sophie the stalking started back up.”

“At her new home? When she had a
husband
?” There was something shocking about that.

Braden gave her a wordless nod.

“That is bizarre,” she said.

“I know. Put a real strain on their marriage. Anyway, shortly after Carter was born some new laws passed, and the police finally had enough on the guy to put him in jail, which is a story in itself. But sadly, just a few months after that, Dallin filed for divorce.”

“Wow,” Allie managed. “Bree’s really been through the wringer. You both have. And good for Bree for just moving on and living her life despite it all.”

Braden managed a weak grin. “My mother was a big fan of Shakespeare, used to quote
Othello
quite a bit.  She’d say,
‘The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.’
Bree was better at putting that to practice. And though it was difficult for me, the idea of taking something from this guy – weakening him in some way – it made me work at finding things to smile about. 

“Hmm,” Allie managed, “I’m glad you guys were finally able to get him put away. How long has he been in prison, did you say?”

“He was sentenced to seven years. It’s been five.”

Allie gasped. “He’ll be out in two years?”

“Two years,” he repeated with a slow nod.

She considered that. “Do they think he’ll leave her alone when he gets out? I mean, what are the statistics on this type of thing?”

“Not many get jail time unless they kill someone, or attempt murder in the least of it. But the ones who do seem to be so fixed on the person, they fall right back into their old patterns. One specialist told us seven years in jail would only give the guy time to obsess and plot. Said chances are, the nightmare will start up again once he’s out.”

“Oh, my gosh. How horrible. With the kids and being divorced. I can’t imagine.”

“Yep. You know sometimes I wonder if Dallin started to fear what he was capable of. A situation like that can bring out the monster in you. I know it did with me.”

Allie gulped, sensing the truth of it even then. “So when time’s up…”

“I’ve already taken care of it,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t talk about the details, but I’ve made arrangements. Bree and the kids will be safe and sound before Carl Ronsberg steps foot outside that prison.”

The conviction in his eyes put heat in her blood. Allie had seen her father harbor and protect witnesses over the years, serving as a US Marshal and all. Never did she doubt his ability to keep their visitors safe. A similar confidence rose in her chest as she eyed Braden. He’d protect Bree and the kids if his life depended on it. Still, there was something he was hiding from her. Hiding from everyone. And though she didn’t doubt it was only to protect his sister and the kids, Allie couldn’t help but feel hurt that he didn’t confide in her. She couldn’t imagine keeping anything from Braden at this point.

But Allie wouldn’t dwell on it, she decided as another thought came to mind. “Does Bree date?” Perhaps she’d be married by the time the guy was released from his sentence.

“No,” Braden said. “She doesn’t want to bring anyone into it. She never blamed Dallin for leaving. I think she carries a level of guilt over the whole thing, though none of it’s her fault.” He sat up, rested an elbow on his bended knee. “She was more generous than I am. I don’t hate her ex-husband, and I try to give him credit where I can, but in the end I think he’s a coward. A real man doesn’t abandon his family like that. I know he still sees them, but he’s got the option to bail any time the going gets tough. Part of me thinks that’s just what he’ll do.”

There was so much to take in. Bree and her past. The stalker, the divorce, losing both her parents. And Braden. Strong, protective Braden who carried the weight of those burdens on his shoulders. He had a plan for them. Only heaven knew what it was, but he did. And Allie loved him even more for it.

“Looks like Sophie has a new best friend.”

Allie worked to tear her gaze from the sight before her. “You’re right,” she smiled at Bree before looking back to Paige and Sophie. The little girl had caught a fish, but the thing had flipped around so much it’d freed itself from the hook. Sophie squealed as Paige pinned it with her bare hands.

“She always wants to touch the fish,” Bree said, “but every time Braden holds it still for her she chickens out.”

Allie chuckled. “Maybe this time she’ll do it,” she said, squinting against the sun as Sophie neared the fish Paige held. The smile on Paige’s face could have outshone the sun, Allie was sure of it. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her so happy.

“Crap. Let me get a picture of this,” Bree said, pulling her phone from her pocket while running to the pond’s edge. But Braden had beaten her to it. Standing just a few feet away, he stood with his phone propped and ready, snapping pictures as Sophie mustered the courage to touch the fish. Just like a proud father, she thought.

“Ewe,” Sophie squealed, yanking her hand back. But then she ventured once more, rubbing the scales with one tiny finger. She spoke gently to it this time, her small voice barely carrying on the light breeze. “Nice little fishy.”

Paige laughed. “See?” she said. “It feels neat.”

Sophie’s pigtails bounced as she nodded in agreement. Without warning the small girl threw her arms around Paige, making Allie wish she had a camera ready to capture the moment herself. In the distance, Jillian and Carter fed the ducks on the other side of the pond. A rush of gratitude filled her heart, and Allie offered a silent prayer of thanks. Being with Bree’s small children had brought a whole lot of joy to their family that day. How wonderful it might be if they were able to grow closer to Bree, Sophie, and Carter. Become an extended family in a way. Allie’s cousins, Blake and Gavin, had a few kids of their own. Just boys for now, and though Paige and Jillian loved seeing them at family dinners and such, they rarely spent much time together, the rowdy boys too busy causing mischief with their cousins. Soon the youngest brother, Shane, would marry and add to the tally as well.

A small ache seeped into her chest at the thought. Her brother, Alex, died before he could marry or have children. And though his twin, Logan, had been married for years, no children had come of it, the couple having complications conceiving. And with Terrance being the only child, the girls never had any cousins on that side either.

“Those are going to be some great pictures,” Bree said, settling back onto the picnic bench next to Allie.

“I’m afraid your kids have stolen my girls’ hearts,” Allie said. “It’s great to see them this happy.”

Bree laughed, resting her elbows onto the table. Her black hair blew in the light breeze, the length of it accenting her lovely, olive skin. “I think the feeling’s mutual,” she said. “And to be honest, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Braden so happy.”

A pool of warmth spread throughout Allie’s limbs. “Really?”

Bree nodded, her smile revealing a deep dimple in one cheek. “You know, he’s been very guarded over the years. And selective about who he dates. How close he lets them get to his heart. Seems like only one other woman broke through the barrier he’d built over the years. In fact, I thought the two would marry for sure. But then suddenly they broke things off. He never did tell me why.” She shrugged, setting her eyes back on the pond.

Allie followed her gaze as Bree continued, watching the way Paige bumped Braden’s shoulder with her own as she stood beside him, fishing pole in hand.

“I know couples have their differences,” Bree said. “But whatever went wrong between them seemed to come on quite sudden.”

Allie furrowed her brows. “Hmm.” The moments that followed had Allie thinking of what might have caused such a thing. Here he’d almost married and then one day out of the blue – bam – it’s over? And had Terrance known about it? “When was it that Braden was going to get married?” she asked.

Bree tilted her head. “It was the same year I got married. I remember thinking how nice it’d be for both of us to start families at the same time. Our kids could play together and all that.”

“So how long ago was that?” Allie asked.

“Let’s see, It’s been seven years.”

“Hmm,” she said. Alex died seven years ago. No wonder she hadn’t known about it. That had been one of the hardest…
Wait.
Was it possible she was the reason he’d broken things off? Because of the way she’d shown up at his house that night?
No,
she decided, dismissing the thought with ease. Nothing had happened between them, she’d just needed someone to talk to. And he’d been there, as a friend. Deep down Allie knew it wasn’t right or proper to have gone to him, but nothing had come of it. She refused to punish herself over the weak moment – if that was, in fact, what it had been.

“Anyway,” Bree said, “he won’t really say why he broke things off with Mindy. But we do know that the two of you are single now. I’m just so glad that your feelings for him are as strong as his are for you.”

Allie held her gaze as a smile crossed her lips. “You’re right about that. They are.” And as her eyes settled over the scene once more, the thought repeated in her mind. There was no such thing as perfect, but she had to admit, the moment before her seemed as close as she’d seen in a long time. A small voice whispered in the back of her mind, one of those mean doubts that speak up without invitation.
They won’t be that way for long,
it warned. Allie shook it off, kept the grin pasted on her face, and vowed to hope for the best.

Braden watched silently as Carter struggled to get through his bedtime prayer. His small hands clamped tightly. His eyes were clenched shut. And though he’d bowed his head at the beginning, Carter’s face was now lifted toward the heavens, his lips twisting as he thought of what to say next. “And bless Jillian and Allie and Allie’s other girl too I can’t remember her name.”

“Her name is Paige,” Sophie hissed from the hallway.

Carter did more lip twisting. His hands clenched and unclenched. Suddenly one of his eyes flicked open, creating a slit just large enough to peek at Braden. “You’re not ‘posed to listen, Soph.” His eye snapped back shut. “And bless Mom that she can find a new husband. And Uncle B that he can find a wife. Amen.”

“Amen,” Braden mumbled. Carter looked pleased with himself. “You and your sister pray for a lot of the same things, you know?” he pointed out, tugging the blanket up to the little guy’s chin.

Carter nodded. “That’s because we know the same people.”

“Ah,” Braden said. “That’s how it works?”

“Yep.” He captured his bottom lip with those baby teeth of his, all but the newly missing one up front.

“Well thanks for praying for me, pal.” He grunted as he came to a stand.

Braden was halfway out the door when Carter spoke up once more. “Do you think maybe Allie could be a good person to be your wife one day?”

Braden smiled. “Yeah. I think she could. I just have to make sure I’d be as good for her as she would for me.”

“Well that’s easy,” Carter said.

Braden lifted a brow. “Easy?”

After an adamant nod the little guy popped up like a jack in the box. “You’re already good. Just be how you are to me and Mom and Sophie.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Braden strode back over to the bed, planted a firm kiss to Carter’s forehead before ruffling his hair. “Goodnight.”

Back in the hallway, Sophie reached onto her tiptoes, gaining her second kiss on the head that night, and darted toward her room and into the bed he’d tucked her into only moments ago.

The conversation had touched him. In all of his five-and-a-half-year-old wisdom, Carter had told Braden that he was good enough for Allie. He’d assured him that he’d done right by him and the girls as well. So why was it Braden couldn’t shake the underlying layer of gloom? He thought he’d gotten past all the bitterness he’d developed over the years. And the new hurts and fears he’d gained along the way. But he hadn’t. Not fully. And the problem was – there were still some things Allie didn’t know about. Some truths that might just push her away, like they’d done with Mindy. Sure Allie had been a big roadblock in Braden’s ability to move forward. But she hadn’t been the only thing that had gotten in his way. And he knew sooner or later it would have to come out.

After strolling into the kitchen to say goodbye to Bree, a small buzz sounded from his phone.

“Thanks for tucking in the kids,” Bree said.

“My pleasure.” He returned her embrace, lifting her off the ground in a giant bear hug. “See ya, Sis.”

Once out the door, Braden retrieved his phone, saw that Allie had texted him back. He’d messaged her earlier, asked what she was up to.

Just watching Paige work on her project. She loved the woodshop, by the way. Said she could live in a place like that.

He paused there on the porch. “Good,” he muttered while typing out a reply.

Glad to hear it. I’m headed home from Bree’s now. Wanna hook up?

His heart thumped wildly as he hit send, the nervous energy spreading over his skin as he shoved the phone back in his pocket. There was something he had to tell Allie. Something that shouldn’t wait any longer. Their fishing trip yesterday had gone perfectly. And their visit to the woodshop had gone even better. Anyone who appreciated that shop the way Braden did was a friend of his. And as Allie said, Paige had been wild about it. And when Braden had complimented Paige on her art, mentioned specific details he’d liked in the drawings he’d seen, he could tell she felt that same level of appreciation.

A small buzz on his phone said Allie had answered him already. He took a peek.

Sure. I’ll come out once the girls are in bed. Probably be another half-an-hour.

Braden nodded, cupping the phone in his palm as he climbed in the truck. Yep, he thought, things were going as good as they could go, and he didn’t want to ruin it. But Braden hated keeping things from Allie. She deserved to know what he’d told Mindy just a few years ago. The very thing that caused them to break off the engagement. It was a risk, telling Allie everything. But if she couldn’t deal with what he had to share, they didn’t stand a chance anyway. It was time to see if this relationship could really withstand the years ahead. As premature as it might seem, it was time to put it to the test.
 

~+~

Allie set her phone on the side table before resting an elbow on the couch. Paige sat on the floor beside her, kneeling up to the coffee table while working at her art project. With the tool she’d borrowed from Braden, she dug at the square plank of wood, carving her drawing into the block. Allie admired the sketch she was working from. Soft, doughy cheeks. Wide, trusting eyes. It was a perfect likeness to darling little Sophie.

“I can’t get her eyes right,” Paige complained.

“They look perfect to me,” she said.

“I mean on the board.” Paige lifted the piece for Allie to see.

“Oh, you’ve already gotten a good start.”

Paige shook her head, her face pinched in frustration. “I’m just confused. Think I could ask Braden a question real quick? He helped me get started yesterday, but now I’m to the point where I have all these shades of gray to work with and I don’t know what to do with them.”

Allie was touched that she felt so comfortable with Braden. Enough to call him about her work, even. She was surprised by it too; Paige wasn’t one to ask for help. “Sure,” she said, snagging her phone off the side table. While shifting from the couch to the floor, she scrolled down, clicked on his name, and handed it over. Hopefully Braden wouldn’t answer by calling her some pet name with her daughter on the line.

Allie glanced at the wood block during the quiet moment. After Jillian’s experience with the project a few years back, she was familiar with how it went. Once finished, Paige would smear paint over the surface with a roller before pressing the face of the block onto a blank page like a stamp, which printed the image right onto the page. Anything carved out of the wood would be left white. All parts left on the surface would show up black, or whatever color she chose.

“Hi, Braden?” She paused there. “This is Paige.”

A muted,
Hi Paige,
sounded from the receiver.

“I’m totally screwing up on my woodblock.” Her eyes darted to the wood as she fiddled with the small carving tool. “Uh, huh. Yeah. Well it took like, years for me to learn shading and values and all that, and now I can’t use any of it. There’s no gray area in the wood. It has to be either dark or light and it’s making me crazy.”

Allie couldn’t make out his response, but his reply made Paige smile. And then laugh. “I know.” She nodded. “Exactly. Okay, just a sec.” She held the phone away from her face, put it on speaker, and set it on the table. Next she pulled a translucent sheet of paper from her art basket and set it over top of her drawing of Sophie.

“You ready?” Braden asked from the speaker.

“Yep.” She twiddled the pencil between her fingers.

“Okay,” he said. “You’re going to decide right now which parts should be light, and which are going to be dark. Like you said, there’s no in between here. Everything that stands out as dark through the velum, trace over and fill in, just lightly so you don’t mess with your original sketch underneath. Leave the rest alone.”

She began doing just as he’d said. “Okay…” she mumbled, drawing out the word as she went.

“This is what you’ll look at while you carve your block,” Braden continued. “That way you won’t have to keep stopping to decide where each gray part belongs. You’re determining that right now.”

“That’s perfect,” she said, the look of concentration on her face. “I think I’ve got it now.”

“Good,” he said. “Can’t wait to see it once you’re done.”

Paige smiled. “Thanks.”

“Hey, is your mom getting ready to head out?”

Paige kept her eyes on her work. “If getting ready means sitting here listening to our conversation.”

Braden chuckled. “Hi, Allie,” he said in a flirtatious tone.

Allie leaned over the coffee table. “Hi.”

“You comin’ over?” The question was simple enough, but Allie detected a bit of strain in his voice. He almost sounded … nervous? She wasn’t sure.

“Yep. In just a bit. I’ve gotta put my babies to bed first,” she said.

Paige groaned.

“Okay, but hurry. I’m going to make a fire out back for us.”

“Sounds nice,” Allie said.

“Okay, okay,” Paige said, “this is getting awkward.”

Allie gave her a smile, the sound of her laughter mingling with Braden’s.

“Good luck on the rest of your work, there, Phoebe,” Braden said.

“Gee, thanks, Bobby,” Paige replied with a smirk, and then reached over to disconnect the line. “He’s such a dork,” she said, a half-smile still plastered on her face.

Allie couldn’t hide a grin of her own. She was thrilled the two had so much in common. Music, art. They even had lame nicknames for each other. She hadn’t imagined that Paige would like any guy she dated. It almost seemed too good to be true. Beyond that, Allie and Paige had been getting along. Having normal, conflict-free conversations. Things between them had been improving on a daily basis, the gradual-yet-steady incline lasting a few weeks now.

Soon Paige was finished with what Braden told her to do. She pulled the velum sheet off her sketch and set to work, allowing Allie to gaze at the drawing once more. She admired the delicate splash of tiny freckles spread over Sophie’s cheeks. The slight quirk of her thin lips at one corner. And the glimmer of mischief in her eyes. “I have to say, Paige, I can’t believe how truly gifted you are at this.”

Paige shrugged, digging the small metal tip of her tool into the wood. A tiny wood curl peeled away from the block.

“I mean it,” Allie assured. “There are a whole lot of people who can draw. But you’ve done more than that. You have captured Sophie’s spirit in that sketch. It’s incredible.” She scooted a little closer, raked a hand through Paige’s dark hair, draping it behind her shoulder.

“Mom,” she said, exchanging the carving tool for her pencil. She drew a rectangular mark beneath Sophie’s chin. “Dad said he’s coming out here for my birthday.”

Allie gulped. “Did he? That’s nice.” It was soon too. The very idea had her thinking back on the conversation they’d had nearly a month ago. She’d told Paige that if her behavior improved she’d consider letting her go to live with him. She sucked in a deep breath, hoping she wouldn’t ask.

“And…” Paige continued, “he said he would try taking me back to South Dakota with him, see how it goes.”

Allie dug her fingers into the plush rug beneath her, gripping the fibers until her hands hurt. “When did he say that?” The words came out like a pent up breath. She felt winded suddenly. And light-headed.

“I told you about it. Remember? We were in the car and you said that if my attitude improves –”

“No, I know. I remember that,” Allie assured. “But right then it seemed like more of an idea. It sounded like your dad wasn’t sure, and I know I wasn’t sure so I’m trying to figure out when this became a sure thing for the both of you.”

Paige shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a week later or something.”

“And did he say it through a text or were you two talking?”

“We were talking. What difference does it make?” Paige looked over her shoulder, her face pinched with irritation.

Allie ignored the question. “And have you talked with him since?”

“Not like, talk-talked, but we’ve been texting. He’s still planning on it. In fact, he’s the one who thought my birthday would be a good day to come get me.”

Allie remained quiet. She’d asked because it was easier for Terrance to tell his half-truths – or full-out lies, for that matter – over a simple text.

“He says the school is within walking distance,” Paige said, setting her attention back to her work. “And that the apartment complex he lives in has some really cool people in it.”

Allie’s heart sunk. She hadn’t fully entertained the idea of Paige leaving. Terrance had made it clear on more occasions than one that he had no interest in taking either of the girls. “Won’t you miss your sister?” she asked, her voice weak and deflated.

“Yeah, but we can text and Snapchat whenever we want.”

“Well school’s almost out. Don’t you think you should finish out the school year here?”

“It’s fine. It’ll be easier to meet people during the school year. That way I’ll already have kids to hang out with this summer.” It seemed as if she’d given this a lot of thought.

Allie tried to fight back the panic. She just needed to think things through. Make a list of pros and cons. Something she could talk with Paige about and show her all the reasons she had to stay here instead. She pulled in a slow breath, unwilling to spoil the moment she’d been having with Paige. She would sleep on it before stating her objections. She could at least do that. And who knew? Maybe Terrance would spoil it instead. He had a way of going back on his word.

A buzz sounded from the phone on the table. Paige leaned over to look at it, nearly bumping heads with Allie as she did the same.

It was Braden.
You coming?

Paige glanced over. “Are you going or not?”

Allie shrugged. “I
was
going to, but I’m too depressed now,” she admitted, putting her arm around Paige’s back. “I don’t want you to leave, hon.”

Paige shifted her eyes back to her work. “It’ll be fine, Mom. We’re just going to try it out and see if I like it. The judge said we could, remember?”