Page 54 of Tucker
Fornow, though, I need to make us something for dinner.
Ifire up the grill and throw on a couple of steaks and potatoes wrapped in foil.An hour later, when the food is ready, she’s still sitting in the field. As Iapproach her, she stretches out her arm and waves it, sending a flurry ofdandelion seeds into the air.
“Leah,I made some dinner. You need to eat.”
Shegives me a small smile. “Okay. Look at them,” she says, gesturing to theairborne seeds. “We have no idea where they’re going to end up, just like us.”
Tuggingher to her feet, I wrap my arms around her. “You’re going to end up right here.With me.”
Herblue eyes bore into mine. “I love you, Tucker.”
Thepower of her words nearly knocks me off of my feet.
“Youdon’t need to say anything,” she quickly continues. “I just needed you toknow.”
Herlips part just a fraction as I catch them with mine for a long, passionatekiss. “I love you. I tried not to. You’re Dare’s little sister. You’re young.But it doesn’t matter. I love you and I want you to stay with me.”
Awide smile spreads across her face, but she shakes her head. “I have a job.”
“ThenI’ll stay with you,” I tell her.
Herface crinkles as she thinks it over for a bit. “I love it here. I feel safehere. But I can’t just leave the school short handed. I have to stay until theycan replace me. The kids need me. Then I could transfer to one of the schoolsin town and live here if you’re sure that’s what you want.”
Wrappingmy arm around her shoulders, we walk back toward the house. “Of course it’swhat I want. You know, you could just stay here and write, Ms. Bestselling Author.”
Herlaughter fills the night and it’s the best damn sound I’ve ever heard.
* * * *
Leahcuddles up to me while we lie in my bed, her head resting on my chest. We’vespent a lot of time like this lately, just wrapped around each other, talkingabout the future. Tonight, though, it seems the past is on her mind.
“Idon’t know anything about your family, or how you grew up,” she points out, herfingers dancing through my chest hair.
“Whatdo you want to know?”
“Tellme about your parents. You’ve never mentioned them. Are they still alive?”
“Iassume so.” I run my hand down the smooth skin of her back. “I haven’t heardfrom them in a few years.”
Hereyes are full of sympathy when she peeks up at me. “Why?”
“Myfather was in the military. He disowned me when I was court-martialed. No sonof his was going to have a dishonorable discharge.”
“Whata dick,” she blurts.
Iswear this woman can always make me laugh. “Yeah, he always was a dick. If itwasn’t this, it would be something else. I resisted the military at first. Itwas always preached at me growing up and I didn’t want to be like him. Buteventually, I thought it might work for me since I had no other plans.”
“Whatabout your mother?”
“She’scontrolled by him. Completely dependent on him. We were able to visit a fewtimes without him knowing, but I know it made her nervous. If he found out,she’d be out on the street.”
Leah’sarms tighten around me. “Was he abusive?”
“Notphysically. He just expected perfection because he saw himself as perfect andwe couldn’t live up to it.”
“We?Do you have siblings?”
“No,I’m an only child. By ‘we’, I meant me and mom.”
