A Little Dare (51 page)

waking
up,
she
was
about
to
go
outside
on
the
porch
and
sit
in
the
swing
when
she
heard
a
knock
at
the
door.
She

glanced
through
the
peephole
and
saw
it
was
Dare
and
AJ.
Both
of
them
had
their
hands
and,
faces
smeared
with
what
looked
like
motor
oil.
She
frowned.
If
they
thought
they
were
coming
inside
her
house
looking
like
that,
they
had
another
thought
coming.

“Go
around
back,”
she
instructed,
opening
the
door
just
a
little
ways.
“I’ll
bring
you
washcloths
and
a
scrub
brush
to
clean
up.
You
can
also
use
the
hose.”
She
then
quickly

closed
the
door.

She
met
them
in
the
backyard
where
they
were
using
the
hose
to
wash
oil
from
their
hair.
It
was
then
that
she
noticed
several
oil
spots
on
AJ’s
outfit
as
well.
“What
on
earth

happened?”

“Storm
happened,”
Dare
grumbled,
taking
the
shampoo

and
towel
she
handed
him.
His
frown
indicated
he
wasn’t
all
that
happy
about
it
either.
“You
know
how
he
likes
to
play

around?
Well,
for
some
reason
he
decided
to
fill
a
water

gun
with
motor
oil,
and
AJ
and
I
became
his
victims.”

She
shifted
her
gaze
from
Dare
to
AJ.
Whereas
Dare
was
not
a
happy
camper
because
of
Storm’s
childish
antics,
it
seemed
AJ
was
just
the
opposite.
“Storm
is
so
much
fun!”
He
said,
laughing.
“He
told
me
all
about
how
he
had
to
save
this
little
old
lady
from
a
burning
house
once.”

Shelly
smiled.
“Well,
I’m
glad
you
enjoyed
yourself,
but
those
clothes
can
stay
out
here.
In
fact,
we
may
as
well
trash
them.”

AJ
nodded.
“Storm
said
to
tell
you
that
he’s
going
to
buy
me
another
outfit
and
he’ll
call
to
find
out
when
he
can
take
me
shopping.”

Shelly
crossed
her
arms
over
her
chest
and
lifted
a
brow.
“Oh,
he
did,
did
he?”

“Yes.”

She
shifted
her
gaze
back
to
Dare.
“What
are
we
going
to
do
about
that
brother
of
yours?”

Dare
shrugged,
smiling.
“What
can
I
do?
I
guess
we
could
try
marrying
him
off,
except
so
far
there’s
not
a
woman

around
who
suits
his
fancy
except
for
Tara,
but
she’s

Thorn’s
challenge.”

A
bemused
look
covered
Shelly
face.
“What?”

“Tara
Matthews.
She’s
Laney’s
friend—a
doctor
who
works
at
the
same
hospital
in
Kentucky
where
Delaney
plans
to

complete
her
residency.
I’ll
explain
about
her
being
Thorn’s
challenge
at
another
time.”

Shelly
nodded,
planning
to
hold
him
to
that.
She
glanced

down
at
her
watch.
“I
was
about
to
cook
burgers
and
fries,
if

anyone
is
interested.”

Dare
looked
pleased.
“Only
if
you
let
me
grill
the
burgers.”

“And
I’ll
help,”
AJ
chimed
in,
volunteering
his
services.

Shelly
shook
her
head.
“All
right,
and
I’ll
cook
the
fries
and
make
some
potato
salad
and
baked
beans
to
go
along
with
it.
How
does
that
sound?”

“That
sounds
great,
Mom.”

Shelly
nodded,
liking
the
excitement
she
heard
in
her
son’s
voice.
“Dare?”

He
chuckled.
“I
agree
with
AJ.
That
sounds
great.”

Dare
remained
through
dinner.
He
got
a
call
that
he
had
to
take
care
of,
but
returned
later
with
Chase
and
Storm
close
on
his
heels.
They
brought
a
checkers
game,
intent
on

showing
AJ
how
to
play.
It
was
almost
eleven
before
AJ

finally
admitted
he
was
too
tired
to
play
another
game.

Chase
and
Storm
left
after
AJ
went
to
bed,
leaving
Dare
to
follow
later
after
they
mentioned
they
were
headed
over
to
Thorn’s
place
to
wake
him
up
to
play
a
game
of
poker.

An
hour
or
so
later,
Shelly
walked
Dare
to
the
door.
He
had
spent
some
time
telling
her
how
Tara
Matthews
was
a
feisty

woman
that
only
Thorn
could
tame
and
that
was
why
the

brothers
referred
to
her
as
Thorn’s
challenge.
“So
you
think
this
Tara
Matthews
has
captured
the
eye
of
Thorn

Westmoreland?”

Dare
chuckled.
“Yes,
although
he
doesn’t
know
it
yet,
and
I
feel
sorry
for
Tara
when
he
does.”

Shelly
nodded.
Moments
later
she
said.
“I
hope
you
know
your
leaving
late
is
giving
the
neighbors
a
lot
to
say.”

He
smiled.
“Yeah,
I
heard
from
McKade
that
a
lot
of
people
around
town
are
questioning
my
intelligence.
They
think
I
haven’t
figured
out
that
AJ’s
my
son.”

Shelly
nodded.
“Yes,
that’s
what
I’m
hearing,
too,
from
Ms.
Kate.”

“How
do
you
think
AJ
is
handling
things?”

“I
don’t
think
anyone
has
said
anything
to
him
directly,
but
I
know
a
couple
of
people
have
asked
him
about
his
father
in
a
roundabout
way.”

Dare
lifted
a
brow.
“When?”

“A
couple
of
days
ago
at
Kate’s
Diner.
He
goes
there
every
morning
on
his
way
to
school.”

Dare
nodded.
“Damn,
Shelly,
I’m
ready
to
end
this
farce