Stay: Changing Tides, Book 1 (15 page)

Tomorrow would be soon enough.

The radio crackled to life again, and he groaned as the dispatcher prepared to page. “Brighton Fire and Rescue, stand by for a page.”

Slowing down, he waited for the pager to sound Brighton’s tones. This call wouldn’t take as long as the fire. A car off the road, no injuries but enough damage to keep him from his warm bed. With a sigh, he flipped on his emergency lights and pulled off in the next driveway to turn around.

Sending a quick text to Jonathon to say he was off on another call, he pulled out into the road. All he wanted was to crawl into bed and consider his time spent with Abby. Just the thought spiked his temperature up a notch, and he cursed.

It was going to be a long night.

An hour later, Brack dropped his gear on the floor as he entered his house. The lights were off except the front porch light. Jonathon must have left it on for him. He dragged his shirt off as he made his way to the bathroom.

He needed a shower after tonight. Spinning the faucet to full open, he finished undressing and climbed into the steaming-hot water. Soot and filth ran in black streaks down his skin, but he didn’t have the energy to do more than a quick scrub.

He leaned into the shower, letting the water stream over his head and back. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the snapshot images of Abby’s body from his mind. She’d plagued his mind all evening, and now, inside his home, the home he’d bought with Ellen, where his children had been made and took their first steps, her memory fought with Abby’s for a space in his mind.

Ellen’s smile, the way she’d looked when they made love, her beautiful eyes and the laughter always present in the clear blue depths. Everything about her had made him love his life. Four years, and there were still moments when her presence was so real he’d turn around thinking she’d be standing there. But she never was. And now, he didn’t want her to be there, because he was scared of her reaction. Would her eyes hold recrimination for what he’d done? For what he was feeling?

Sex would have been one thing. A release, a simple need, but the way he’d let Abby affect him, the urge to see her, hold her, make love to her again and again…

How was he supposed to hold on to Ellen’s memory, be true to the wife he’d lost because of his actions, when Abby’s touch brought everything into focus for a brief time? Like an addiction, he craved that brief respite from the pain. Even if he didn’t deserve it.

A loud rap against the door startled him and he jerked the curtain back. Jonathon stood in the doorway, his eyes half closed as he signed that he had to piss. Brack would have scolded his son for his language, but he didn’t want him to look too closely. The water could only hide the tears burning at his eyes. His son would react to any hint of sadness Brack couldn’t manage to hide. And he’d learned a long time ago, that Jonathon had a knack for sorting emotions, even when a person didn’t want him to.

Jonathon flushed the toilet then jerked to stare at him. He signed “Sorry” and their eyes met.

For a moment, Brack thought his son would leave alone whatever sign he hadn’t been able to hide, but Jonathon just shrugged, his hands working in a flurry of motion. “I think about her too. All the time. But Abby’s good for us. Mom would be happy.”

And with that, he turned and left the room.

Brack grabbed a towel and sat on the edge of the tub, memories sapping the last of his strength.

Chapter Eleven

Potato salad, coleslaw, ribs, fresh-baked bread. The scent of the food was a veritable feast in itself. Gigi carried more platters to the large table set up in the middle of the fire station parking lot.

Abby hurried over, hoping to find anything to keep her attention off Brack and the others currently in the midst of a volleyball game. She’d had about an hour’s warning that tonight’s meeting was the annual family bash-slash-final prep meeting for the weekend fundraiser. If Jonathon hadn’t mentioned it earlier, she wouldn’t have had time to stop and pick up several boxes of cookies from the bakery.

Her store-bought fare looked out of place next to the plethora of home-baked goodies littering the table, but she wouldn’t have cooked even if she’d had warning. Her culinary skills were nonexistent. In the extreme. But damn Brack for not giving her a clue. Of course, this was the first time she’d laid eyes on him since their
encounter
the other night.

And he hadn’t given her more than a cursory glance when she arrived. She couldn’t be angry. She’d said no ties. Still, it hurt that he didn’t take a moment to say hello.

“Yours!” Rand shouted.

Brack dove for the ball too late and rolled to his side. He was smiling, and Abby forced herself to look back at the food. Nothing here was as mouthwatering as the man behind her, but she was determined to ignore his draw. No easy task since her body hummed in response to his laughter. She remembered that laughter… Beneath the sheets, while his body did sinful things…

“Hey, Abby.” Gigi approached and set another platter of goodies on the table.

“Hi.” Gigi had returned two days ago, but Abby had yet to ask how her trip went. “Glad to have you back.”

“I’m glad to be back.” She sighed. “My uncle had been fighting cancer for years. We all knew it was only a matter of time.”

Abby gripped her shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Gigi waved her off and when Brack shouted, Abby tried not to look.

“Girl, you got it bad.”

Abby grabbed a slice of banana bread from one of the platters and took a bite. She knew what Gigi meant, and it wouldn’t do any good to pretend ignorance. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

Gigi chuckled. “That’s okay. He can’t keep his eyes off you either.”

That knowledge didn’t help. At all.

“He’s a difficult man to understand.” Now there was an understatement.

“There’s a reason.” Gigi wiped her hands on a towel slung over her shoulder. “He’s been through a lot.”

“I know. He told me.” She didn’t elaborate or ask for details. Another thing she’d learned in all her moves. Small-town people were close. Closer than she’d ever be. And that closeness brought a deep loyalty. “I just wish we didn’t argue all the time. It’s like we set each other off, and I never know when he’s going to bite my head off or be my friend.”

“You’ve got to be talking about my moping older brother.”

The statement came from a younger version of Brack, his handsome features alight with an easy smile and a devilish slant to his eyes.

Gigi groaned. “Abby, this is the incorrigible—”

“Infamous,” the man interrupted.

“Lawson.” Gigi smirked. “Youngest of the Elliot brothers.”

Of course. Somehow, he was even more handsome than the other three Elliots put together. His features were perfect, model material.

“Nice to meet you, Lawson. And yes,” Abby offered. “I was just trying to understand Brack’s grumpiness.”

“Let me know when you figure it out. But in the meantime, don’t take it personally.” Lawson nudged her with his shoulder. “He’s like that with everyone.”

“Good to know.”

Lawson stole a turkey roll and barely avoided Gigi’s attempt to slap his hand away. He tossed the older woman a grin before throwing his free hand around Abby’s shoulder. “Now, me. I’m always in a good mood. You’re after the wrong brother, hon.”

“I’m not after any brother.”

Lawson chuckled and leaned in close to her ear. “That’s not how I see it. Looks like you want Brack, Rand wants you and Brack wants to kill Rand. Let’s run away together and they can all keel over from jealousy wondering what we’re doing.”

Abby couldn’t hold back a laugh. Lawson was definitely the most easygoing Elliot brother she’d met so far. “I think maybe you’re too young for me.”

“Irrelevant. Did you know a woman doesn’t reach her sexual peak until she’s in her thirties?” He winked broadly. “What I lack in age, I make up for in skill.”

More cars were arriving and Abby saw Brack, Jacob and Rand head toward a small silver compact that pulled in near the head of the parking lot. Abby shrugged Lawson’s arm off with a laugh. “You’re terrible.”

“Nah, just honest.” He nodded and followed her gaze. “Oh grand, Mother and Father have arrived.”

He walked over to join the other brothers waiting as two people climbed out of the car. Abby wasn’t sure what she expected the mother of all these men to look like, but a tiny, five-foot-two woman wasn’t it. She had distinguished gray hair and a soft smile for her boys. The eldest Elliot male came around the car to take her hand. He was tall and broad-chested, and Abby immediately knew where the sons inherited their good looks.

“Jesus, is every Elliot male drop-dead gorgeous?”

Gigi had come around the table to stand next to Abby. She leaned a hip against the table and sighed. “Yep. It’s disgusting, isn’t it?”

“I feel bad for the mother.”

“Don’t,” Gigi quipped. “Trust me when I say Marla Elliot can hold her own against them all.”

Abby guessed she’d have to. With those combined smiles, the woman would have had to guard herself against them at every turn.

“Oh,” Gigi whispered. “You haven’t even met Gage yet, have you? Girl, that one’s the bad boy from your naughtiest dreams.”

As the older Elliots approached, Abby felt a burst of nervous anticipation. It shouldn’t matter if they liked her or not—but it did.

“This is Abby Burke, our newest member.” Brack steered them toward her. “Abby, these are my parents, Marla and Merrit.”

Abby shook hands with them. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

Marla smiled, her eyes kind. “You are a beauty. And Coast Guard, to boot. No wonder the boys are fighting over you.”

What the heck was she supposed to say to that? Her only consolation was the discomfort Brack and Rand seemed to be suffering.

“She’s used to them fighting over things.” Jacob said, saving her from an idiotic babble.

She’d have to remember to thank him for bailing her out. She laughed to cover her nervousness and met Marla’s gaze. “I can’t imagine how you handled all these boys.”

Marla shoed the men away. “You have no idea. It’s a constant battle.”

“Even now?”

Marla watched her men walk toward the volleyball net, and her gaze filled with tenderness. “It’s worse now than it was when they were little.”

The statement surprised Abby. She sounded so serious. “Really?”

“Oh yes, when you reach my age, you’ll understand.” She shifted a couple platters on the table and waved toward her car. “Gigi, I have several plates in the car we can add to all this wonderful food.”

Gigi walked away to fetch them, and Marla turned back to Abby. “You see clothes and shoes aren’t the only things that get bigger on boys as they grow. Their egos grow too.”

Abby laughed. Now that, she could easily believe.

Abby just fit. That’s all there was to it.

She stood with his mother and Gigi, along with a couple other wives and family members. Her smile was radiant in the soft glow of the lanterns hung for the party. His mother had already warned him that Abby was a keeper-type of woman, and he’d told her he’d realized that from the start. She’d wandered back to the gathering after telling him he better get to keeping her before someone else did.

Brack took a long pull from his beer. He’d had two already, and he knew he’d better stop. But tonight was his night off. He had a ride home, thanks to Lawson, and he needed the break. Jonathon was out with Lynette and her family, and they’d drop him off within the hour. Not that he’d have him for long. His mother and father wanted him to come over for the night.

A free night didn’t happen often, and he closed his eyes, letting himself relax into one of the reclining lawn chairs. Cold evening air had made it necessary to put on a sweatshirt hours before, and the chill would soon drive them all inside the station. But for now, he welcomed the crispness, inhaling deep.

Laughter erupted from where Abby stood with the others, and he picked out her voice. She was asking for directions, and it only took a moment before he realized what Lawson was explaining.

Standoff. A childhood game. One that had carried over into adulthood. And Lawson was trying to convince her to play. This could get interesting. Brack didn’t know if it was the beer or some devil-sent maggot in his brain, but when he heard her try to beg off, he found himself piping in, “Why not? You’re not scared of a little competition, are you?”

He’d managed to keep quiet the entire evening, refusing the need to be close to her. And now he was crossing the parking lot in their direction. Damn it all.

Her gaze met his with dubious challenge. “Of course not, Captain. I just didn’t want to break any more of your records. Lawson said you were the reigning champion.”

“I am.”

“Then I’m game.”

Hoots and hollers erupted around them, but Brack couldn’t look away. She was pissed. No doubt about it. The question was why? He waited until Lawson had drawn a line on the grass with spray paint before waving her toward the lawn. “Ladies first.”