The Deputies: 3 Novella Box Set (6 page)

“Maybe because I think you’re full of shit.” Seth leaned back on the counter and stretched out his legs. “I think, deep down, you’re glad Alyssa has come home. You just want a guarantee. Life doesn’t work like that, my friend. I only wish it did.”

“I–” Hank began to protest but Seth held up his hand.

“I’m not the one you need to convince. You are. I think Alyssa has you so twisted into knots you don’t know if you’re coming or going. Relax and take your time. You don’t have to make a decision this minute. Go on vacation and enjoy yourself. Everything will come clear in time.”

That’s what Hank was afraid of. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Right on top of him.

Chapter Five

T
he cabin didn’t look near as rustic and remote as Hank had made it out to be. He’d acted as if the structure was only one rung above a leaky tent. Instead it was a darling log cabin that while small appeared to be warm and comfortable.

They had woken up early this morning and driven to the Missoula area near the Blackfoot River only stopping once for groceries. Hank had seemed awfully cheerful but then he was on vacation for the next two weeks, so that might explain it.

More likely he was happy that Alyssa wasn’t the biggest fan of fishing, hiking, and roughing it in general. He thought she was going to bitch and whine the entire time but she would never give him that satisfaction even if she was attacked by a bear or chased by a mountain lion. If her husband liked to be outside, then by God she would learn to share this with him.

“It looks darling. Why don’t I unlock the door why you unload our bags?”

“This is awesome, Mom!” Luke ran up the three steps on the front porch and peeked in the windows, Hershey barking at his heels. “It has its own fire pit over there too!”

Her son was now pointing to a small circle area in the side yard. Most of the cabin was surrounded by trees and their nearest neighbor was about five miles away as the crow flies. It would certainly be quiet here.

“It’s a good thing I brought the fixings for s’mores then, isn’t it?” she teased as Hank tossed her the key. “I guess you get to stay up past your bedtime since we’re on vacation.”

“Yes!” Luke hissed and did a cute fist pump at that bit of news. “You’re the coolest, Mom.”

She grabbed a few bags of groceries before unlocking the door and stepping into the cabin. It was simply furnished with a couch and chair in front of the fireplace and a small attached kitchen that was clean and functional.

“Yeah, Mom, you’re the coolest.” Hank teased, suddenly right behind her with their suitcases.

“What can I say? Bribery works.” Alyssa shrugged as Luke and Hershey tore around the small room investigating every nook and cranny of the space.

She and Hank had managed a truce of sorts. He insisted they weren’t back together and stubbornly refused to discuss the future. But each night this week he’d turned his back on her when it was time to sleep only to reach for her in the middle of the night as if he’d lost some fierce internal battle with himself. It had to mean something to him. He wasn’t a man to use her like that if he didn’t feel something.

“I’ll have to remember that,” Hank said and nodded toward the door. “I’ll get the rest of your stuff. I think you packed the entire house.”

“You never know what we might need,” Alyssa replied but she needn’t have bothered. Her handsome husband was already out the door and down the porch steps.

“There’s a bathroom and everything!” Luke poked his head around the corner of a doorway, a huge grin on his face.

“God, I hope so,” Alyssa muttered under her breath. She’d been prepared for something far more primitive but was glad her worst fears hadn’t materialized. Males had a distinct advantage on women when it came to doing their business in the out of doors.

“We’ll sleep in the bedroom and Luke can sleep out here on the couch. It’s supposed to fold out into a bed.”

Hank was behind her, his warm breath on her neck and shoulder. She grabbed the handle on her suitcase. “I’ll go unpack for both of us and then fix some lunch.”

“Something quick, okay? I’m anxious to get out to the creek and fish. Otherwise we might starve for dinner, right Luke?”

Hank put his hand on Luke’s shoulder and her son looked up at his father with such love and worship it made Alyssa want to weep. She loved these two so much it hurt.

“Right, Dad! We need to catch lots of fish!”

Hank laughed and lifted Luke into his arms. “What do you say we go outside and explore?”

Her two men exited the cabin with Hershey not far behind. She rolled the bags into the bedroom and looked around at where they would be staying. The room was small with just a bed, a dresser, two nightstands, and a closet. It didn’t take long to unpack their clothes and then stock the bathroom with their toiletries. Hank and Luke together didn’t have as much stuff as she had, but other than some light teasing her husband hadn’t said anything about it.

She was clearly being tested this week by her husband. He didn’t have to say a word but she knew that he assumed she’d hate every minute of this vacation. He probably also hoped she’d head back to her parents when it was over.

Despite how pleasant these last days had been, she was far from out of the proverbial woods with Hank. He was looking for any excuse to push her away. Her job was simply not to give him one.

After she unpacked the groceries, she quickly made three roast beef sandwiches and opened a bag of chips. There was fruit for dessert if the boys were still hungry plus an angel food cake she’d made before they left. Pouring Luke a glass of milk and some iced tea for her and Hank, she stuck her head out of the door and bellowed their names.

She settled at the table as the two of them stomped into the house, their faces wreathed in smiles. What was it about a male and dirt? They were both in heaven.

“See anything interesting?” she asked before biting into her sandwich. She’d made this roast beef herself and it was delightfully rare with a tangy horseradish.

Hank took a big bite and groaned. “Damn, this is good. I’ll never eat lunch meat from the store again. You’re spoiling me.”

The praise was like sinking into a warm bubble bath at the end of the day. It felt that good.

“Thank you. The less processed your food is the better. I’ve been reading quite a bit about the subject while I’ve been learning to cook.”

“I never complained about your cooking,” Hank said a trifle defensively.

“You never said anything nice either,” she countered. “In fact it seemed like you went out of your way to eat before you came home. I couldn’t be sure if it was my company or the food that kept you away. After awhile I assumed it was both.”

Streaks of red stained his cheeks. “I’m sorry about that. I should have just manned up and told you instead of avoiding the subject.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She shook her head with a sigh. “There are a lot of things we should have talked about and didn’t. If we had, well, we might not be in this mess. But it’s not too late to change.”

She added the last part just to see his reaction. His expression closed down and he turned back to his lunch.

“Somethings are better left unsaid.” The words were spoken softly but she heard them. She felt a stab of hurt somewhere near her heart. He was still pulling away from her even after all they had shared.

Like telling me you love me?

She’d said it to him every day but he had yet to say it back.

Hank might hope this vacation would send her packing but Alyssa had another completely different hope. She wanted it to bring them together like they were in the beginning. Before her parents had interfered and before the realities of everyday married life and parenthood beat them into submission.

She wanted them to fall in love again.

This evening was turning out to be a very bad idea.

Hank should never have accepted the invitation to dinner from the seemingly nice couple he had met while fishing. Bill White and his beautiful blonde wife Celine had a son the same age as Luke and the boys had hit it off like a house afire while at the river today.

Hank had accepted the invite gladly thinking Alyssa would enjoy a night out of the cabin. They’d been there for four days already and she hadn’t seemed bored in the least, but she might simply be too polite to say anything. She didn’t enjoy the fishing but in the mornings she would sit in a lawn chair on the bank while he and Luke fished. In the afternoons, she retired to the front porch of the cabin with her e-reader and a glass of lemonade before making dinner.

They’d built campfires and made s’mores. Alyssa had told a story by the flickering firelight that was more goofy than scary. They’d played tag and frisbee and even a game of croquet with a set they found in the shed. Alyssa was a shark at the game and by the time they were done Luke had been too.

All in all, it was turning out to be the best vacation they’d ever taken as a family. Alyssa didn’t push him but she still told him she loved him every day. A few times Hank almost said the words back but then remembered what she had put him through. He’d nodded instead and went about his business, trying to ignore the hurt in her eyes that she tried to hide.

“Damn bugs are biting tonight.” Bill swatted at his arm and grimaced. “I can’t imagine how bad they would be if we didn’t have a fire.”

The four of them were sitting at a picnic table in Bill and Celine’s backyard. It was an impressive home, two stories and more bedrooms and bathrooms than the three of them needed. Bill had given them a tour that included a game room with a large pool table. Alyssa had given Hank a smile when they saw it. She’d remembered how much he wanted one.

Hank took another swig of his beer and tried to concentrate on what his host and new friend was saying. The boys were playing with Hershey in the big yard while the adults relaxed post-dinner. Alyssa sat next to Hank and Celine sat next to Bill but her attention wasn’t on the somewhat homely and portly husband who clearly doted on her. Celine’s toe, hidden by the table top, was currently sliding up Hank’s leg.

Coughing as some of his drink went down the wrong pipe, Alyssa banged on his back and gave him a strange look. She probably thought he’d had too much to drink.

“Are you okay?”

Hank cleared his throat and nodded. “Sorry, Bill, I missed what you said a moment ago.”

“I was just saying that maybe we should head inside. These bugs are eating me alive.”

The sole of Celine’s foot landed directly on Hank’s crotch.

Holy fuck.

He hopped up and stepped back from the bench as if it was on fire. He was a fucking married man and this woman’s husband was his goddamn host. Was she some kind of nympho?

“That’s a good idea. We should take the boys inside with us.”

If anybody noticed anything wrong with his demeanor, they didn’t say anything, although Hank noticed that Celine pouted a little. They corralled the boys and sent them upstairs to Bill Jr.’s room while Bill Sr. challenged Hank to a game of pool.

The entire evening Celine had been throwing him come-hither looks but now she seemed to be in overdrive, not bothering to conceal her desire from her husband. Alyssa’s gaze was darting back and forth between Hank and the woman, and he had no doubt he was going to hear about this when they returned to the cabin.

“Six in the side pocket,” Bill proclaimed, a smile on his face despite the fact that he was losing badly. Hank had to give the man credit. He was losing at pool and his wife was flirting with another man, but Bill appeared completely unconcerned.

The ball skimmed the pocket but didn’t fall. Bill just shook his head and twisted open a new beer. Celine was standing disturbingly close and leaning on the table, her low-cut top showing way too much cleavage to a veritable stranger. He flicked a glance at Alyssa who was perched on a bar stool a few feet away sipping an iced tea. Their eyes met and for a moment there was no one else in the room but the two of them.

Desire ran hot through his body and the only thing he wanted to do was finish this game and get her home. He was tired of pretending he didn’t want to make love to her. Nothing in this world was as good as having sex with his gorgeous wife. Consciously tuning her out, he turned back to the table and lined up the game winning shot.