Ask Me to Stay (Honky Tonk Angels #4) (13 page)

“I need something to eat. How about we talk in the kitchen while I fix something?”

“Sounds good.”

He followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the counter as she rumbled through the refrigerator.

“I can either cook the pork I have marinating, or if you don’t want to wait I can fix some cold meatloaf sandwiches and potato salad. Your choice.”

“Sandwiches and potato salad sounds good.”

“Cool. Would you grab the bread out of the pantry over there?”

As Jayce got the bread, she took the meatloaf and potato salad from the refrigerator and placed it on the counter. “Knives and forks in that drawer.” She pointed again and opened a cabinet door above the counter to take down two plates.

Within five minutes, they were seated at the table, plates of food and glasses of iced tea in front of them.

Jayce noticed she made no move to eat. “Callie, look, we don’t have to talk—”

“Yes. We do. You deserve to know and – and …” She put her elbows on the table and clasped her hands in front of her. “Okay. I told you what happened with my mom. What Deke did. What you saw on me and felt, is the result of what happened next. He shot me. That’s the scar on my chest. I was lucky that it didn’t hit anything vital. It went clean through. He left me lying there on the floor. It hurt like hell. I don’t mind telling you that I was scared to death. I thought I was going to die and when I smelled smoke, I – I felt this terror like nothing I ever imagined. I had to get Lily out of there. So I got up and made it to our room. She was screaming her lungs out. I bundled her up and started downstairs. The bottom floor was already like an inferno, but I got her outside. Our neighbors on one side, Fred and Kay, were on the sidewalk. They’d called the police. I gave Lily to Kay and when back inside. I thought maybe my mom was still alive.”

Callie paused, pressed her clasped hands against her lips briefly and cleared her throat. Jayce could see that she was struggling to be calm and not cry. He wanted to reach out to her, but sensed that this was not the time. Her entire body was rigid with tension. She looked at the top of the table as she talked.

“I made it upstairs. The fire seemed to follow me. I remember it billowing in the door of my mom’s room and I slammed it. I went to her and I swear she had a pulse. Her eyes weren’t open and she didn’t respond when I spoke to her, but I thought she had a pulse. So, I dragged her up and opened the door. Fire literally leapt at us and I staggered back. That’s when I heard this noise, an awful screeching sound like the house was screaming. I looked up and saw the ceiling coming apart. I threw Mom down and dove on top of her. The last thing I remember was what felt like the entire house coming down on top of us.”

Callie moved her hands to her lap. “I didn’t wake for three weeks. When I did, I was terrified. My mother was dead and my child was in a foster home. I was frantic to get her back, but my back was badly burned and the doctors wouldn’t release me. A really nice woman with the Department of Child Welfare took pity on me and had the lady who was keeping Lily bring her to see me every day. It was a month before I could leave and during that time, the police came to question me. I told them what happened and what Deke did. They found him and arrested him. Two months after it happened, he was put on trial. I testified against him. He was found guilty and sentenced to twenty years in prison.”

Callie looked at Jayce. “When I saw my back, I was horrified. Not because I was that vain, but it looked terrible and what if Lily saw it and it scared her? I didn’t want to be some monster to her and I didn’t want her to know what happened – at least not while she’s a child. So, once I was healed enough, I came up with an idea and had a really talented friend create it on my back.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Jayce said and meant it. He’d been surprised when he’d seen the tattoo in its entirety. Her back was covered from the nape of her neck to the top of her buttocks. The bottom of the tattoo showed scorched earth that was dry and cracked, a scene of desolation. But in the center was a lone lily, growing gracefully, stretching upward, its shoot and leaves tender with the color of new growth in spring, the flower a soft white, rimmed in pink. The flower dominated the scene. Behind it, the sky changed from what seemed to be noxious fumes to a blue sky with lazy clouds.

“What does it mean?”

Callie gave him a slight smile. “You tell me? What do you feel when you see it?”

Jayce thought about it. “Survival, I think. That life springs from the wreckage and fear, and something beautiful is born, something that overshadows the pain and ugliness and makes us remember that life is precious.”

Tears ran down her face and she made no move to wipe them away. She simply smiled through them. “How could you know that, Jayce?”

“Because I know you, honey. You’ve been through so much and suffered so much and still you shine. You’re kind and have a goodness inside you that makes people want to be around you. You’re a wonderful mother and an amazing woman.” He paused and then let the rest of it out. “And I don’t deserve you because I’m the guy who really wants to badly hurt the man who did that to you.”

Callie reached across the table, offering her hand. “Thank you. And please don’t ever say you’re not deserving. You’re…you’re everything, Jayce. Everything a woman dreams of.”

“My success with marriage would disagree.”

“We all make mistakes.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “But look at what we were blessed with from those mistakes. Carson and Lily. We can’t ever regret our past because our actions led us to being blessed with our children and they more than make up for whatever bad things have befallen us.”

“You’re so right. And I’m in awe of you, Callie Williams.”

She smiled and realized his hand. “Well, you might be – once you taste that meatloaf sandwich. It’s my grandmother’s recipe. She passed it down to my mom, who passed it down to me and it’s pretty damn good.”

“Well, let’s just see about that.” Jayce recognized that she’d turned the conversation back to mundane things and took no issue with it.

He’d meant what he said. Callie was an amazing woman—the woman who’d taken control of his heart.

Callie thanked Riley and Billy again as they were leaving. She’d had a great time with the band, and they’d asked her to sing with them next weekend. She couldn’t wait to tell Jayce.

Thinking of Jayce made her smile. He’d volunteered to watch Lily while Callie practiced with the band. She’d been stunned and even more surprising was how Lily had not complained at all when Jayce dropped Callie off at the bar. He was planning on taking Lily to get ice-cream and then to the park. Lily had waved happily and told Callie she loved her.

Hannah walked in from the office just as her father was leaving. She smiled at Callie. “You sounded great. I’m so happy things are working out for you with the band. You’re really talented.”

“Thanks. And I mean that, Hannah. You and all your family have been so good to me and Lily. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Hey girl, ya’ll are family now. Oh, by the way, tomorrow we need to get things taken care of for the quarterly tax payment and – oh my god, I forgot. Crap. What did I do with it? Crap. Oh wait, maybe I didn’t delete the message.”

Callie had no clue what Hannah was going on about, but followed her as Hannah headed back to the office. As Callie entered, Hannah was accessing the bar’s voicemail.

“Oh good, it’s still here,” Hannah said over her shoulder after the electronic voice announced there was one saved message.

Callie walked over to the desk and listened. “My name is Janice Garretson. I’m an Assistant District Attorney for the city of Nashville, Tennessee. I’m trying to get in touch with Callie Williams and according to the IRS, she is currently working for you. It’s vital that I speak with her as soon as possible, so if you could have her call, my number is…”

One moment Callie was standing there beside Hannah and the next, she was gripping the desk to keep from falling. This could not be happening. There was only one reason anyone from the Nashville District Attorney’s office would be trying to find her. She looked at Hannah and Hannah reached for her, taking Callie’s arm.

“Are you okay?”

“This can’t be good. I have to – I have to call Jayce. He has Lily. I need him to bring Lily here.” Callie fumbled to get her phone out of her pocket.

Cody walked in just as Callie was dialing Jayce. “What’s up?”

Hannah pulled her off to the side as Callie’s call was answered. “Hey beautiful. You ’bout ready—”

“I need you to bring Lily here, now. Please, Jayce.”

“We’re on our way. Be there in less than five minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Callie shoved her phone back into her pocket.

Janice Garretson. Janice Garretson.

The name sounded vaguely familiar but Callie couldn’t place it. She didn’t remember meeting with or talking to anyone by that name during Deke’s trial. So why did it sound so familiar? She tried her best to remember everyone she’d spoken with from the DA’s office. No, there was no one there at the time with that name.

So why was Janice Garretson calling her? It didn’t make any sense, but it did unnerve her.

“Callie?”

Callie whirled around to find Cody and Hannah watching her.

“You okay, Cal?” Cody asked.

“Yes. Yes. I just – I just need Lily here. Jayce is bringing her.”

“That call rattled you.” Cody said and stepped up closer. “Why? What would someone from the DA’s office want with you?”

At that moment, Jayce marched into the room with Lily on his hip. “You okay, sugar?” He hurried across the room and hugged her with his free arm.

“I am now.”

“What happened?”

“A woman called. Janice Garretson from the DA’s office in Nashville. She wants to talk to me.”

“How did she even know you’re here?”

“She said she got the number of the bar because it’s listed as my employer with the IRS.”

“The DA checked on your employer? Why?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Cody said. “What’s going on Cal?”

Callie looked at Jayce before answering. She told Cody and Hannah the story in an emotionless manner as if reading an article from a newspaper. When she finished, Hannah had tears streaming down her face and Cody looked like she was about to be sick.

“So why would someone from the DA be calling you now?” Cody asked.

“I don’t know. But I have a bad feeling that it’s about Deke and anything connected to him has to be bad.”

“Don’t worry.” Cody clasped Callie’s hand. “He’s in prison, so he can’t hurt you.”

“But—” Callie looked up a Jayce. “What if he’s trying to get some kind of parental rights with Lily?”

“Maybe Cooper Quinlan could help,” Hannah suggested. “He’s an attorney.”

“Or maybe Callie should wait until she speaks with that woman before she does anything else,” Jayce said. “And she can’t do that until tomorrow.”

“Right.” Callie looked up at him. “Right, you’re right.”

“Okay.” Cody released her hand.

“It’ll be fine, Callie,” Hannah added. “We’re here for you. All of us.”

“Yes we are,” Cody said. “Now go on home and forget about this. I’ll be there later.”

“Actually, she and Lily are staying with me tonight,” Jayce said, earning a look of surprise from all of the women. “We’re just going to swing by your place and get what they need. I’ll make sure she’s at work on time in the morning.”

“Sounds good,” Cody agreed and gave Callie a smile. “Call if you need us.”

“I will. Thank you. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

Cody followed Callie and Jayce to the office, watched as they left, and then turned to Hannah. “God almighty.”

“I know. Can you imagine?” Hannah took a seat. “God.”

“No. I can’t. Damn, she’s got to be one tough cookie to have lived through all that. Shit, doesn’t it make you mad when you think about those biddies who were gossiping about her tattoos when the only reason she has them is to cover her scars so it wouldn’t ever scare her baby?”

“It does. Oh god, I can barely even consider how horrible that must have been for her. How painful. What the hell kind of man does that to someone?”

“The kind that deserves to be in prison.”

“You know, I can’t imagine Callie with anyone like that. Wonder what made her fall for someone like that?”

Cody shrugged. “I guess it’s like Daddy says. We all go over Fool’s Hill at least once. Maybe that was Callie’s one trip.”

“You don’t think they’d let someone like that out of prison do you?”

“After less than three years?” Cody shook her head. “I doubt it. I mean, Callie said he got twenty and I can’t imagine he’d get out in less than three, even with good behavior.”

“Me either. Still, I bet it scared her to get that call.”

“I’m sure, but girl, did you see the look on Jayce’s face? He’s got that ‘I’m gonna protect my woman’ thing going on big time.”

“I know. Who would’ve thought? First JD, now Jayce.”

“No kidding. I wonder if Cal knows that he’s in love with her?”

Hannah shrugged. “I wonder if he’s been able to admit it to himself. Jayce has been a player ever since Nathalie skipped out on him. I never thought he’d settle down. He’s too much of a Don Juan.”

“Or was. You never know. She just might be the one to end all that.”

“She might be. Wouldn’t that be something?”

“It would indeed.”

Hannah blew out her breath. “You know, I’m starting to think that the way things are going around here, you and I are going to end up being the only single women in town. Everyone is hooking up. Even Pressley. She was out at the lake today with Bronson.”

“You still on that old maid thing?”

“No. Well, maybe. But damn, I’m tired of having no social life.”

“You mean no sex life.”

“That too.”

“I hear ya.”

“Then what are we going to do about it?”

Cody shrugged. “Hope that the one we’re waiting on walks through the door, I guess.”

“You think that ever paid off for anyone? Ever?”

Cody gave another shrug. “Don’t know, but at the moment I don’t have a better idea and I have to get inventory done so we can put in our order in the morning. Say, why don’t you come to the ranch tonight? We can cook out, have a few drinks and gab?”

“I’d love to, but I have a date.”

“Cooper?”

“Yes. We’re supposed to go for dinner in Midland. He’s picking me up at four.”

“Then get your ass out of here and go get ready.”

“You sure?”

“I am. Go. And have fun.”

“I will. Thanks.”

After Hannah left Cody started on the liquor and beer inventory. She thought about what Callie had suffered and it occurred to her that what Cody had been through paled in comparison. And yet there was Callie, opening herself to love. To a relationship with Jayce.

So what was holding Cody back?

She shoved the question aside. It wasn’t that she was scared to love again. She just hadn’t met the right man.

But she’d reached the point where she was finally ready, so she took a moment to let the universe know it was time to send her
the
man.

*****

Jayce looked over at Callie. She was looking out of the window, a troubled expression drawing her brows together in a frown. Lily was unusually quiet, watching her mother.

When she looked up at Jayce, he smiled and patted her little arm. “Hey there, pretty girl. You want to go to my house. We have horses.”

“Hee haw?” Her eyes brightened with the grin that came on her face. “My like hee haw.”

Callie looked around and her gaze met Jayce’s. “Thank you,” she said softly.

“No need for thanks.”

“Yes, there is.”

“Then you’re welcome. And Lily Belle tells me that she like horses. Excuse me, hee haws.”

“Oh yes, she does indeed. She’s been watching Cody’s horse and just itching to touch it.”

“Well, I think we can arrange for her to do more than touch. Do you ride?”

“Yeah, but it’s been a while.”

“Well, it’s like riding a bike.”

“Except for the part where your ass hurts for a week afterwards, you mean.”

Jayce laughed. “Yeah, there is that.”

“So, what are you going to tell Carson? You should have talked to him before you brought us, Jayce. I don’t want him to be upset.”

“I honestly don’t think he will be.”

“Still…”

“It will be fine.”

“It be fine, mommy.” Lily reached out to pay Callie’s arm.

Callie smiled at her. “Yes, it will, sweetie.”

“My like hee haw.”

“Yes and Jayce has horses where he lives.”

“My hee haw?”

“No, not yours, but Jayce might let you pet his hee haw.”

Lily looked over at Jayce. “Peeze? My good.”

“You sure are, sweet pea, and I promise you can pet a horse.”

“I so sighted.” She clapped her hands while Jayce and Callie both laughed. He was glad to see a smile back on Callie’s face.

“I’m excited too,” Callie responded and kissed the top of Lily’s head.

“We’re all excited,” Jayce said, then added, “And here we are.”

He noticed that Callie looked up and around as he turned just beyond the sign that read Weathered Rail Ranch. After he made the turn, he slowed to a stop. “Okay if she gets out of her seat so she can see? I’ll go slow.”

“Sure.”

Callie unfastened Lily who promptly climbed into Jayce’s lap and hung her head out of his window. He chuckled and drove slowly. There were cows in the pasture on his side of the drive. Lily saw them and tried her best to climb out of the window.

“Moos. Moos, Mommy. My want moos.”

Jayce stopped the truck and carried her over to the fence. It didn’t take long before a couple of the cows wandered over. One stuck her head over the fence and Jayce let Lily rub her.

Her entire little body quivered with excitement and she babbled a mile a minute with only every fourth or fifth word making sense. It was so adorable that Jayce hugged her. When she hugged him back and said, “My wubs you,” it all clicked into place.

Carson, Callie and Lily were the family he wanted. The people he loved and wanted to protect. Provide for and cherish.

He looked at Callie, who had gotten out of the truck to stand beside them. “I think I’m in love with Lily.”

“I think the feeling is mutual,” she said and wrapped her arm around his waist to give him a hug.

“I know I’m in love with her mama and I’m hoping she’ll think about us being a family.”

Callie’s whole body jumped and she looked up at him in shock.

Jayce smiled. “Too soon?”

She shook her head back and forth, staring at him.