Forever's Promises (Forever In Luck Series Book 1) (3 page)

Looking
over in confusion, he said, “Come again.”

Annoyed
with the interrogation, she explained, “Born and raised here, left, now back
and ready to leave again after a mere—she looked at her watch—forty-two minutes
and seventeen seconds. Are you almost done? I don’t have much time.”

“Oh,
really? What’s the rush?” he asked, as he placed a flaming drink in front of
her.

Staring
at the glowing concoction, she watched as he leaned over and blew out the
flames. He was so close, his face just inches from hers. Looking up at him, she
said, “What is it?”

“A
shot, and you drink it straight up in one gulp.” Nudging the drink towards her,
he said, “You’re stalling, answer the question. What’s the rush?”

Feeling
her emotions surfacing again, she looked down and answered him, “Because if it
weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck. So, I really want to be out of
Luck right now.”
 

Hearing
the door open behind her, she picked up the shot and put it too her lips,
swallowing it whole. Oh, good Lord! The burn! Heat spread from her chest and
traveled a steady roll outward to her abdomen, then on to her limbs,
effectively curling her fingers and toes. Then following a current of rising
tension, she was struck by a bolt of lightning deep in her gut, making her sway
and lean against the bar. Overwhelmed by the scorching heat and scream deep
within, she gasped for a breath, and actually saw double.

What
the hell did she just drink? Short panting breaths sawed in her chest, as her
stomach rolled the waves and pulses of molten lava. A wonderful warmth and
loosening spread within her. The shot glass rattled on the bar as her arm,
reduced to a loose ribbon, came down. She clung to the edge of the bar to
prevent herself from drifting. Her brain numb and eyes dazed, she looked at him.
He was enjoying this, she thought. “What was that?” she mumbled in a breathy
whisper.

Chuckling,
his response full of male pride, he answered, “A Flaming Hot Screaming Orgasm,
gorgeous, and just for you, I made it a double. You can thank me later.” Then
he jumped back from the bar as a fist went flying straight towards him.

Huh?
What’s going on, she wondered, her brain a fuzzy bliss. Nik’s here. Oh, and
Jake too. Why are they trying to get over the bar? Hey, they’re going after
that nice man who helped me. They really need to work on their manners. Maybe
they’re bringing him back so I can thank him. Oh that’s right, he said I could thank
him later. Never mind. I really need to sit down. Fumbling for the barstool,
she tried hopping up on it, but instead slid down the shiny surface. Strong
arms caught her before she hit the floor. Hey, Kris’s here. It’s a party! Now
why’d they turn out the lights?

CHAPTER
3

Driving
along in Jake’s pickup, Nate headed to his parent’s house. It took a lot of
convincing on the part of her brothers, but he’d agreed to stay away from
Linnie long enough for them to get her back home and figure out what was going
on. He’d agreed on one condition, Jake would call him with an update the second
she was home. If they didn’t, or they were taking too long, he’d go after her.
Period.

Pulling
up in front of his parent’s house, he saw his father tinkering around in the
garage. Uncertain of his welcome, he took a deep breath as he got out of the
truck, straightening his uniform in the process. On his way up the drive, his
father turned and stepped to the open doorway. Stopping a few feet away, the
two stared at one another without saying a word. Then after a few moments, his
dad reached out, took hold of him and pulled him in next to him. Standing side
by side, his Dad’s arm went around him and he clamped onto his arm, pulling him
in tight against his side. Then he gave Nate several reassuring squeezes. Turning
his head, he looked at his father and said, “I’m sorry, Dad.”
 

More
squeezes, his dad nodding in acceptance as he stared off into the distance, his
lips rolling and compressing, while his eyes blinked rapidly. And that was it. The
two stood like that for several minutes, lost in the moment and time, as their
minds worked through what had been shared, but not spoken. Releasing him, his
father walked over to the screen door of the house, and called for his mother.

“Bev…Bev
come here.”

“Steven,
I’m busy getting dinner ready. It’s almost done.”

“Bev,
turn off the stove. Come here.”

Her
voice getting louder as it came closer, she said, “Honestly, Steven, what is so
important it can’t wa—” She shrieked, then burst out the screen door, flinging
a dishtowel towards his father, while running to Nate and throwing her arms
around him.
 

Catching
her in his arms, he held her as she cried, and cried, tears of joy. Squeezing
him tight, she rocked him in her arms, as she mumbled sweet nothings. Leaning
back, she patted his clothes, brushing away her tears, then went back to hugging
him again.
 

Looking
down at her, he said, “I’m sorry, Mama. I’m so sorry.”

More
tears, then she held out her hand to his father, and they pulled him into their
embrace. They just stood there, in the driveway to their home, holding one
another in the arms of their family’s love.

Later,
as they sat at the dining table eating and talking, the phone rang. His mother,
having gotten up to get it, came back talking. From the sound of the conversation,
it had to be Jake. As the agreement was, that Jake would call when Linnie was
back home, Nate was hopeful this was the case. Soon, his mother was handing him
the phone.

“Jake?”

“Yeah,
it’s me. She’s here. Passed out, but here. So, we still don’t know anything.”

What
was he talking about passed out? Did they have to knock her out to get her
home? “Excuse me, I need details.”

“After
she took off, she drove around for a while. We caught up with her at the Bon Ton.
Just as we walked in, she drank a hell of a lot of booze, then passed out
within minutes. We’re thinking she isn’t a drinker, or she’d have lasted a
little longer, but then by the looks of her, she hasn’t eaten much in the last
several years, so it didn’t take much to put her three sheets to the wind. Anyways,
she passed out in Kris’s arms, and he carried her out of there, while Nik and I
shared with the bartender how much we appreciated his hospitality. Dad’s out
fixing her car good, so she can’t take off again, then he’s taking the keys out
of all the vehicles, and locking them up. The only way she’ll be able to get
out of here, is to walk, ride a cow, or get someone to drive her.”

Feeling
a small measure of relief, Nate responded, “Good. That’s good.”

“Ahhh,
Nate, this is kind of tough to say, knowing how much you want to see her and
all, but we really need you to stay away for a while. We need time to see
what’s happened, and to find out where she’s at in her head. If I promise to
call with updates, can you give us some time?”

No!
No, he couldn’t. Then Jake’s words came to him.
Nate! Stop! Think!
This was about Linnie, and what she needed, and
right now she needed time. Hadn’t she told him as much when she sped off? He’d
wait. He could do this for her. Not liking it one bit, he answered flatly, “Yeah,
I can do that. Just call…please…and often.”

“Will
do. We’ll take care of her, don’t worry. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks,
man.” Hitting the end button, he disconnected the call. Disappointed, he sat
back in his chair, then looked up to his parent’s expectant faces.
 

“Is
everything okay?” his mother asked.

“Jake
picked me up at the airport, and then took me to the farm so I could use his
pickup. Just as we got there, Linnie pulled in, and…” he stopped, having run
out of steam. On the exhale of a deep breath, he finished, “It didn’t go so
well.”

“She’s
getting married,” his mother said softly, “and she endured a lot when you left.
I assume Jake told you about their mother, and what happened when Linnie saw
Naomi?”

Nate
nodded. “Yeah, I know. But she’s not getting married. No one knows what
happened. They’re trying to find out.”

“Give
her time, son. If it’s meant to be, it will be.”

“What
about Naomi and the baby?” his mother asked.

Ignoring
the question, he looked to his father and said, “I need help finding an
attorney. I don’t know who that child’s father is, but it’s not me.”

“How
can you be sure?” his mother asked. “I mean, he’s a cute little boy. It
wouldn’t be the end of the world.”

Unwilling
to discuss how he knew, he clenched his jaw and repeated, “I’m not his father. Dad,
will you help me?”

His
dad nodded. “I’ll help. We’ll get an attorney specializing in family law, that
way all our bases will be covered. I’ll call Ted tomorrow morning, see if he
can point us in the right direction. We’ll go from there.”

“Thank
you, both of you. I really appreciate it.”

Later
that evening, Nate lie in the bed he’d grown up sleeping in. It was a tight fit,
and he definitely needed to get something bigger, longer at least, or maybe
without a footboard. He’d changed, and as Jake had mentioned, he was big. He
hadn’t realized how big though, until he entered his old room and saw all his
old clothes. Everything would have to go. Nothing would fit, not even a sock.

Rolling
onto his side, his gaze fell on a picture of Linnie, the old Linnie. He’d
stared at that picture for years, his thoughts and dreams of her based on how
she looked in that picture. She was so beautiful, then and now. He’d seen much
in the time he’d been away, and was glad to have memories of the two of them to
fall back on, because if he’d learned any one thing while being gone, it was
that life is fragile. He thought of how fortunate he was to have found her so
young. How many people go through a lifetime never finding their one true love,
he wondered, and then was thankful he wasn’t one of them

Turning
to his back, he held the photo to his heart. Linnea Katherine Albrecht. He
smiled. He’d have to bend just to kiss her. He had to be over a foot taller
than her, and he’d have to be careful hugging her too. She was teeny, and he…wasn’t.
He smiled some more. She’d be fun to snuggle with, he thought, and she was
ticklish. His body responded upon thinking of the adventure. He’d be gentle. Oh
yeah, he was way into snuggling with her, and he would, soon. Turning back onto
his side, he set the picture back on the nightstand, and stared at it.
I love you, Linnie, I always have.
Grabbing a book on plumbing, he began reading, trying to put off the
inevitable. He had to keep his eyes open, he just had to.

**********

She
smelled food. Who was talking? Was that Jake? Wait. Where was she? Cracking one
eye open, Linnie looked at her surroundings in the dim morning light. At home
in her room. Wait! What? How? Her mind recounted the series of events…driving home,
Nate, the Bon Ton, some shots, and a…party? Oh God. She’d passed out. How had
she gotten home? Oh Lord, who’d seen her? Did they know Nate was back? The
phone lines were probably burning up right now. Hell a parade council was
probably being formed, along with a welcome home social at the Danish
Brotherhood Hall.

Pulling
the covers over her head, she noticed she still had her clothes on from
yesterday. Did she need to get up? Couldn’t she just lay here for the rest of
her life? Too late to get out of here without anyone noticing, she thought. She
needed a shower, and some coffee. She’d have to go to her car and get her
things first. Sitting up, her head sung like a church bell. She closed her eyes.
Advil, she needed Advil, and coffee. Standing up, she saw all her things had
been carried in from her car. She didn’t know if she should be happy or not. It
just meant she’d have to carry it all out later when she left. Grabbing some of
her things, she headed for the bathroom.
 

Upon
stepping into the kitchen, Nik said teasingly, “Oh look, Linnie’s here. It’s a
party!” Then he and his brothers snickered, while Jake smacked him on the head,
and their father gave them a
shut the
hell up or I’ll beat your asses
look.

Ignoring
them, she grabbed a cup and poured herself some coffee. Sitting in the chair
she’d sat in all her life, she pushed away the plate and reached for the cream
and sugar, then poured some in and stirred the swirling decadence. Lifting the
cup, she took a sip, mmmm, heaven. Sitting back, she closed her eyes and drank
a long drink, then hugged the cup to her chest and relaxed. Opening her eyes,
she found them all staring at her. Feeling irritated, their having invaded on
her moment, she looked away. Nik, who was sitting across from her, pushed the plate
back in front of her. Looking back, she glared at him. Apparently some things
never changed, she thought. They’d always felt the need to tell her what to do.
Then Kris, who was sitting next to her, started putting food on her plate.

“I’m
not hungry,” she snapped in annoyance.

“Duly
noted, now eat,” Jake said.

“Don’t
tell me what to do,” she bit out. “I managed to survive five years without all
of you telling me what to do.”

“Aha,
eat, or we’ll feed you like a baby,” Jake replied, then smiled a fake, yet
charming smile, while wiggling his eyebrows in delight at the proposed opportunity.

She
growled inside. Knowing them they’d do it too. She hated mornings, and she hated
when they told her what to do. Glaring at her brothers, and feeling as though
they were picking on her, she looked to her father for support. “Daddy…”

“Listen
to your brother, sugar.”

That
did it. Slamming her almost full cup of coffee on the table, its contents
flying everywhere, she grabbed the plate of food, walked it over to the garbage
can, and threw the whole damn thing, plate and all, in the trash, then walked
out. Heading to her room, she began grabbing her stuff and hauling it to her
car. She was out of here. She didn’t know why she was acting the way she was,
she never lost her cool, always remained calm and collected, but not now, and after
everything that’d happened, she didn’t care.

With
her car loaded, she fished through her purse for her keys. Not there. Hah! They
thought they were so smart taking her keys. Well, she had a spare. Finding it,
she put it in the ignition and turned. Nothing. She literally saw red. Slapping
her hand on the steering wheel, she released the hood and stormed out of the
car. Lifting it, she looked. They’d taken her battery! Fine. She’d fix it.

Stomping
over to the farm’s shop, she threw open the door and started rummaging through
drawers and cabinets. They were probably yucking it up right now, she thought.
Well, she’d show them. Grabbing a pliers and a socket set, she headed for the
truck garage. Going in, she opened the hood on an idle truck, quickly and
efficiently removed the battery, then walked to her car and expertly installed
it. She was out of here! Getting in her car, she turned the key. Nothing. Swearing
like a drunken sailor, she released the hood, got out of the car and slammed
the door. Under the hood again, she searched for the problem. Spark plugs. They’d
taken them all!

Back
in the shop, she searched and found replacements. Grabbing a specialty socket,
she headed back to her car and installed them. She turned the key. Nothing. She
screamed, loud and long. Chest heaving, she released the hood. Searching,
searching, searching the engine over, she would figure it out. Lifting the lid
on the fuse box, she gasped. They’d taken them ALL! She needed those fuses! Her
car wouldn’t run without them! Turning to the house, she blew in like a
hurricane, slamming the front door against the back wall so hard its window
rattled and a picture fell from a nearby wall. There they sat, all of them, in
the living room. They’d been watching her out the picture window!

“Oh
look, Linnie’s here. It’s a party!” Nik quipped.