Digitalis (23 page)

The Hummer—what was left of it—lay in flames.

D
ad?” Colton swung around the door to the stables, scanned the stalls, and double-checked the tack room. “Dad?” he called again, stepping farther into the heady, stuffy building. Max had reported seeing his father come out to the barn, which made no sense at this hour.

Leaning against the last stall, his dad made no move or response.

Colton glanced around, confused. Finally, he closed the distance between then. “Pop? What’s going on? What’re you doing out here in this weather? Let’s go sit on the porch.”

“They might overhear.”

“Who?”

“The womenfolk. Those friends of yours.”

“I … I don’t understand. What don’t you want them to hear?”

After several minutes of the deathly silence, Colton tried to wait it out, but there were way too many things pulling on his energy and focus. “I need to get back in …. Things are crazy right now.”

“Uh huh.” His father stared at the bed of hay where Firefox had given birth a month or so back.

Colton jerked his gaze to the side. He balled his fist and clamped his other hand over it, rubbing his knuckles. Something was seriously wrong. He’d never seen his father like this. “Pop? What’s this about?”

“Piper’s a good woman.”

Grinding his teeth, Colton tried to respond respectfully. “She fled—from me. She says she loves me one minute and then darts out as soon as my back is turned.”

“Always a reason a woman does things. Have you asked her?”

He’d asked. And she’d promised to tell, then broke that promise.

Refused. And it ate at him. “This isn’t the time, Pop. Can we go back inside?”

His father drew up his chin. “I’d hoped to see you married ….”

What the …? Was his father off his rocker? “Pop, we’ve got time—”

“No, son.” His father’s voice cracked. “I don’t.”

He snickered. “Pop, come on—”

“Found cancer.”

A cannon ball through the chest wouldn’t have had the impact those words did. Colton stared at his father, waiting for a laugh, a sideways punch with an “I’m kidding.”

Silence.

“Pop, you’re serious?” his voice pitched.

“Doc gave me weeks to live, Colton.” Pursing his lips, his father slowly turned to him. “
Weeks
.” The eyes he’d inherited slowly became a plane of liquid blue. “Don’ wanna die slow and ugly like. Ya know?” He bit back the sob and looked around. “Don’ want your mama seeing me like that, nursing me while I lose my faculties.”

Slumped against the fence, Colton held his head, tried to breathe, tried to process the fatal diagnosis. It helped him understand Dad leaving Piper alone at the house, his weight loss ….

Colton’s world was collapsing from the inside out. First Piper, now his father.

Merciful God, Almighty …

His throat swelled with the roaring emotion and burned. He sucked back the tidal wave of sorrow. “Dad …”

“Wished I could die in my sleep, ya know? Get it over with. No bittersweet times. No lingering, no depression.” He shook his head. With fierce determination, he turned to Colton. “Promise me you won’t let her go or push her away.”

Confusion raked across Colton’s raw heart. “Sir?”

“Piper. She belongs with you. I can see it in your eyes, in hers. Love don’t need weeks and slow processes to know it’s there. You either do or you don’t, Colton.” He pointed a shaking finger, tears rushing down his weathered face. “You love that girl, and I don’t give a donkey’s behind what you think you’re protecting. She’s the one.”

“Pop—”

“No. I
know
it, son. I do.”

Shoulders heavy with the realization of what his father was saying,

Colton had to tell him. It didn’t matter anymore, not if his father was dying. “My boss found out some stuff about her.”

“Like what?” Defiance leeched into his father’s words.

“We aren’t sure.”

“So!” His father grinned, chin raised in triumph. “You don’t know.” His eyes all but glittered. “But I
do
. I’m telling you she’s the one.”

“How?” Colton rubbed a hand along his jeans, aching to believe what his father was saying. “How do you know?”

“McKenna.”

Colton drew his spine straight. “What’s Mickey got to do with this?”

His father grinned. “She said Piper was going to give her a baby brother and sister.”

With a snort-laugh, Colton relaxed. “She’s always wanted a brother and sister. But that doesn’t mean—”

His father dragged a crumpled picture from his pocket and shoved it at Colton. “She drew this picture three months ago.”

A weird feeling slithered through Colton’s stomach as he stared at the paper. Five stick figures, crudely representing a man and woman and three children—and a dog. “Three? She drew this three months ago?” He gaped. “She hadn’t even met Piper yet.”

“Exactly.” Exultant, his dad grinned as he pointed to the characters. “But she has you, her, and a woman with long, golden hair. Just like Piper.”

“That could be anybody.” Except for the fact he’d never brought
anybody
home. Colton roughed a hand over his face. “Pop, look, I don’t like the turn this has taken, but—”

“For once in your life, stop expecting something to sabotage your happiness. She’s not Meredith, and she’s completely in love with you. Everyone can see it but you.”

“No,” he said with a half chuckle. “I can see it.”

His father jerked toward him, his eyes wide. “Then, what’re you waiting—”

“Let me handle this. My way. Carefully.” Dawg, he didn’t like this one bit. “My career demands I exercise caution. Lives could depend on it.”

Jaw jutted, his father stared out of the barn. “I can understand that.” He nodded. Once. Twice. His throat processed a hard swallow.

“I stopped by Thomas’s on the way home this afternoon. Named you as executor.” A small chortle. “Did you know, the last time I updated my will, you were five?”

The burning at the back of Colton’s throat returned. Too reminiscent of the night he’d held Emelie’s broken body in his arms as she bled out. Colton dropped his gaze, shouldering the thought out of the way.

“You’ll take care of your mama when I’m gone. Make sure she’s happy.”

Rubbing his knuckles, Colton nodded. His eyes burned now, too.

“Don’t put her in one of them homes.”

“No, sir.” He straightened and let out a thick breath. “She’d never let me.”

“She’ll need something to keep her busy, which is why …” His pop cleared his throat. “Why I wanted you to look after Piper and the thing between y’all. Don’t let details get in the way of what your heart’s telling ya, son.”

“Details could mean the difference between life and death.”

“Without a heart, what does it matter?”

A damp chill swirled around her throat and head as Piper limped from the bathroom. With a hand against the jamb, she listened to the tangle of masculine voices coming from somewhere near the family room. She hobbled down the hall and peeked around the corner.

Colton leaned against the back of the sofa, talking in quiet, terse tones to two men. With a start, Piper recognized the shorter of the two men—the one with black hair and midnight eyes. He’d been at her apartment. What was his name? Mark. Mack.
Max!
Arms folded over his chest, everything about the guy screamed he was ready for a fight. And by the looks of those biceps, he took care of whoever he went up against.

The third man wore a pair of black slacks and a royal blue silk shirt that hung loose just past his waist. He oozed calmness, but a quiet focus radiated from his eyes. “I’ll get changed and walk the perimeter, check things out, then report back.” Flickering shadows from a fire danced over his sandy blond crop.

Hands on the spine of the sofa, Colton nodded. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate your help.”

She gulped when her gaze collided with Max’s. She felt like a moving target, knowing full well she’d been caught and couldn’t evade his sights.

Colton pushed to his feet as he looked at her. “You shouldn’t be walking.”

Limping, she stepped into the open. “It’s not as bad as before.”

He pointed to the oversized chair and ottoman. “Have a seat,” he said as he nodded toward the blond man. “Check it out, Midas.”

Tensing as thick cushions enveloped her, Piper carefully set her foot on the ottoman and regarded the slick guy as he crouched by her leg.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” With that, he cradled her heel in the palm of his left hand. With his right, he slowly rotated her foot.

When he went to the left, Piper flinched at the stab of pain that darted up her leg.

“Is it broke?” Colton loomed over them both.

Midas looked up at her through sandy eyebrows as his hand probed her muscles and tendons. “Never seen him this grouchy.” He pinned her with pale blue orbs. “What’d you do to him?”

The accusation poured heat into her stomach, drenched with dread—that is, until she saw the smile peeking through Midas’s query. She darted a glance to Colton, who brooded and scowled.

What had she done except run away from him? Colton’s curt words spoke of his hurt and anger. She didn’t expect to have to face him after she left the house. It would’ve been better … easier … if he’d just let her go. Why wouldn’t Yeshua help her?

“Well?” Standing over her, Colton planted his hands on his hips. The roaring fire inflamed his rugged face, making it seem to glow. “Is she going to be okay?”

He was worried? About her? Piper studied the man more. The way his black hair curled around the nape of his neck, the dimple in his cheek pinching and winking. His muscles pulling against the untucked, button-down shirt.

Midas pushed to his feet and gave Colton a cockeyed grin. “She’s fine.”

“Fine?” Colton frowned. “It’s swollen.”

With a shrug, Midas grinned even wider. “She wrenched it.

Stretched it too far. Might’ve bruised the bone itself, but no real injury to the tendons, ligaments, or bones. Of course, without an X-ray, I can’t be one hundred percent.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“Because I’ve never seen you so wound up.” He glanced back down at Piper but still spoke to Colton. “I wondered what it’d take to make the cowboy human like the rest of us.”

Max laughed.

Which reddened Colton’s face.

“Come on, Cowboy,” Max said, still chuckling. “You walked right into that one. Even I saw that coming.”

“Back off.” Colton’s face darkened.

“I … I don’t understand,” Piper mumbled, feeling self-conscious and concerned. The last thing she wanted was someone teasing Colton and making him angrier with her. “What’s funny—what’s …?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” Colton motioned to Midas. “You have a shift to work.”

“Yessir.” Snickering, Midas saluted Colton, then headed to the back of the house.

Piper’s stomach knotted at the expression on Colton’s face—consternation knitted his brows, his color went red, and his body language warned he’d take on a champion bull if given the opportunity.

“Come on,” he said to Max a minute later. “Let me show you something.” He took two steps, then stopped and looked at her again. “Stay there. My parents are in bed already, but my guys have orders to shoot.”

A swarm of emotions tightened her stomach as the guys vanished down the hall, their voices seeming to indicate they’d gone to Colton’s room. Indignation and humiliation at the way he said that, the way he embarrassed her in front of his friend. Then again, she deserved it, so the guilt harangued her and kept her mouth shut. But the hurt … the hurt she saw on his face, the hurt she felt knowing she’d destroyed a chance of anything with Colton.

Though she attempted to save him from the heartache she was heading straight for, she’d failed. Were she to be honest with herself, she’d know she didn’t want to leave Colton. She wanted him to protect her. To love her.

Hot tears streaked down her face at the revelation. Yes, she’d wanted to be protected. It seemed every time danger arose, she was pushed away from those she loved. She burrowed into the chair and drew her legs to her chest. Piper buried her face against her knees and cried … prayed … begged Yeshua to show her what to do. How to protect Colton and his family.