Blue Skies, Season 2, Episode 8 (Rising Storm) (8 page)

“Dakota?”

She turned, eyes going wide. Patrick strode across the meadow toward her as if she’d conjured him from somewhere inside her mind.

“Are you okay? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He knelt down beside her, his hands gentle as he turned her face into the light. “That’s quite a shiner.”

She stiffened at his touch. “It’s nothing compared to my mother. How did you know I was here?”

“Marcus said this is where you come when you’re upset.”

She was surprised that he knew. They’d never been that close, she and Marcus. Always circling each other, trying to avoid the landmines that surrounded her family. He’d tried to help her. But she’d always pushed him away. And then it had been his turn to run. And she’d hated him for escaping, never understanding that there had been something real to run from.

“I wasn’t going to come here at all. I was heading for College Station. Amanda Graceson asked me to come and I figured it would be better for everyone if I just left. But then I couldn’t somehow. I don’t know, I felt guilty, I guess. So I came here.”

“It’s a beautiful place,” he said, looking out across the lake and meadow, seemingly content to just sit with her here.

She sucked in a breath, lifting her gaze to Patrick’s, the tender concern reflected there almost her undoing. “My mother?” The words came out on a whisper, and Dakota realized she was afraid of his answer.

“She’s in the hospital. She’s pretty banged up. But the doc said she’ll be okay.”

Dakota nodded, the reel still playing in her head. “And my father?”

Patrick released a long puff of air. “He’s dead, Dakota.”

She nodded. She’d already known it, of course, but somehow Patrick saying the words was what made it seem true.

“Dillon didn’t have a choice.” His words were careful, as if he was afraid she’d argue. But there was no doubt. If Dillon hadn’t fired, she’d be dead. Or her mother. Or her brother. Or maybe all of them. Hector had been beyond any kind of reasoning. He’d been so filled with his own version of reality that he’d lost his grip on sanity.

“I know.” She sighed, turning to watch as a bird skimmed across the top of the water. “He did what he had to. And he probably saved our lives. Daddy had a gun. And I know he would have used it.”

“Dakota, I’m so sorry.”

“For what? You didn’t make my family so dysfunctional. My father did that. And me. I’m just like him, you know? So full of hatred and anger.”

“But you don’t have to be.”

“How can I be anything else? I’ve fucked my life up so royally. I mean, first with the senator, and then with Ginny and the announcement and all the rest. I screwed over people who cared about me. And I believed in people who didn’t. What kind of person does that make me?”

“Human,” Patrick said, reaching for her hand. “It makes you human.”

“But how can they ever forgive me? How can I forgive myself? I’ve made so many mistakes, Patrick.” She laid her cheek against her knee, ignoring the pain as she brushed against her bruises. “I’ve hurt so many people.”

“My grandfather always says that the only way to go forward is to begin as you mean to go on.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you have to decide the kind of person you are. And if you truly want to change, then you have to take the first step.”

“I don’t know how.”

“Sure you do,” he said, tipping her chin up again, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It’s there inside you, Dakota. Beneath the fear and anger, there’s the real you. And I think if you’d give her a chance, you might even like her.”

“Do you always see the good in really awful people?” she asked, losing herself in the pale blue of his eyes.

“Only when I know there’s a good heart in there somewhere.” His smile stole her breath away as he leaned in to kiss her. For a minute the world shrank until it contained just the two of them, his warmth promising things she’d never believed in. And then a mockingbird scolded from the tree above, the moment broken.

He pushed to his feet and held out his hand. “Come on. I’ll take you to your mother.”

For a moment fear held her immobile, and then she squared her shoulders and placed her fingers in his. And as he pulled her to her feet, Dakota wondered if people really did get second chances. Because God knew she wanted one.

Chapter 6

“We don’t have to walk in together,” Mary Louise Prager said as she looked across the yard toward the gathering at the Johnsons’.

The entire family was present for an impromptu barbeque to celebrate Anna Mae and Chase’s engagement. Well, both families. Hers and Tate’s. Which meant that Mary Louise had to go. But she didn’t have to show up on Tate’s arm.

“Are you saying you don’t want to be seen with me?” he asked, the teasing light in his eyes helping to set her at ease.

“No, of course not. It’s just that we haven’t actually told anyone that we…that you and I…”

“That we’re an item,” he prompted, his grin growing wider. “Is that the word you’re looking for?”

“Is that what we are?” In actuality, she hadn’t been certain. True enough they’d been spending a lot of time together. Most of it in bed. But they hadn’t actually gone on any official dates, which meant she hadn’t been sure.

Tate turned her to face him, his expression growing serious. “Mary Louise, as far as I am concerned, we are most definitely together. In every sense of the word. So unless you have a problem with that, I don’t see why we shouldn’t use this barbeque as the perfect opportunity to show our families that Chase and Anna Mae aren’t the only ones who are happy.”

“But what about Hannah?” she asked, knowing she was being stubborn.

“I don’t want Hannah,” he said, dipping his head to kiss the end of her nose. “I want you.”

Mary Louise smiled up into his eyes. “And I want you right back. So let’s go to the party.” He slid an arm around her and they walked across the lawn to where everyone was gathered.

“Mary Louise, Tate,” Rita Mae called when she saw them, “I was wondering when the two of you would get here.” Her eyes twinkled with delight as she took in Tate’s possessive hold. “Looks like life has been treating you all well.”

“Indeed it has, Rita Mae,” Tate said. “Your niece has been taking good care of me.”

“Well, someone has to do it.” Mary Louise smiled and accepted a beer from Tate’s father, Zeke.

“Welcome, Mary Louise. I hope my oldest son has been behaving himself.”

It seemed everyone was more in the know than she’d realized. She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, this was Storm, where everybody knew everybody’s business. Across the way she could see her aunt Anna Mae glowing beside Chase.

“She looks so happy.”

“Some things are just meant to be, I guess,” Zeke said as Alice came to stand beside him.

“Now that everyone is here, we need to get the meat on, Zeke,” she scolded. “Hungry people and all that.”

“Yes, ma’am. I live to serve.” Zeke winked at them and followed his wife toward a group of grills and smokers set off from the back patio.

“And that, sweetheart,” Tate said, “is the picture of a perfect marriage.”

“What?” Mary Louise laughed. “Your mom says jump and your dad says how high?”

“Nah, just her needing him and him making her happy.” He pulled her closer as Tucker and Hannah walked up, the two of them looking delighted and uncomfortable all at the same time.

“Hey, bro, glad you could make it,” Tucker said with a hesitant grin. Things between Tate and his brother weren’t perfect by a long shot, but they were better. And Mary Louise was glad to see Tate returning Tucker’s smile.

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Tate replied. “Looks like things are going well for the two of you.” For a moment both men looked uncomfortable, and then Tate laughed, his arm sliding back around Mary Louise. “It isn’t always easy to find the right woman,” Tate continued. “But from where I’m standing, it’s well worth the effort.”

Tucker lifted his beer. “To happy endings.”

They all clinked bottles and smiled. Then Hannah’s phone buzzed and she excused herself while Tucker headed off to help his dad.

“That was really nice of you,” Mary Louise said as they walked over toward where Tara and Bryce were holding court with their children.

Tate’s warm gaze encompassed hers. “I meant every word.” Her stomach fluttered and she felt her face growing hot again. Tate just grinned as they stopped in front of his sister’s family.

Bryce was standing just beyond the stone wall that divided the patio from the rest of the yard, tossing a ball with Danny. Carol was trying to make a Hula-Hoop twirl around her hips, but was having no luck at all. Tara was laughing as she watched her daughter try.

“You have to get it twirling first and then move your hips,” Mary Louise said, pulling away from Tate to demonstrate the motion.

Carol watched and then tried again, the hoop actually making a full revolution before it fell.

“You have to keep moving, sweetie,” Tara said. The two women watched as Carol tried again, this time with almost two revolutions.

“You’re getting it,” Mary Louise encouraged. “You just have to keep trying.”

“Ah, Carol, don’t listen to them,” Rita Mae said, striding over to where the little girl was still struggling. “I was the two-time Hula-Hoop champion of Storm High. Come with me, kid, I’ll show you how it’s done.”

With a quick look at her mother, Carol danced off with Rita Mae, their two heads bent together as they discussed the fine art of hula-hooping.

“Well, that should be interesting,” Tara commented as they watched the pair walk away.

“The blind leading the blind,” Mary Louise said.

“You and my brother seem to be cozy these days.” Tara waggled her eyebrows suggestively and Mary Louise felt herself growing bright red.

“We’re seeing each other.” God, even standing here in the middle of his family, she had a hard time believing it was true.

“I know. And from where I’m sitting, it looks like it might be getting serious.”

“Would that be a bad thing?” Mary Louise asked hesitantly.

“Goodness, no,” Tara said, reaching out to pull Mary Louise into a quick hug. “More like a miracle. Tate’s needed someone like you in his life for the longest time.”

“But he was with Hannah.” It felt like just saying her name was going to jinx everything somehow.

“Like you said,
was
. And in case you haven’t gotten the memo,” Tara nodded over to where her brother Tucker and Hannah were talking with Tara’s sister-in-law Kristin, “she’s got it bad for my baby brother. So I’m thinking maybe things have worked out just the way they’re supposed to have.”

Mary Louise smiled, pushing aside her insecurities. “Well, I guess I can’t argue with that.”

“Argue with what?” Bryce asked, walking up behind Tara and dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

“Love,” Tara replied, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she leaned back into her husband’s arms.

“Here’s to that,” Zeke said, his deep voice carrying across the gathered crowd. “And on that note, I want to propose a toast to my big brother and the love of his life, Miss Anna Mae Prager. Here’s wishing you both the very best.”

Zeke lifted his beer bottle into the air, and everyone else followed suite. Chase gave a big whoop and twirled Anna Mae around in a circle.

“They look so happy,” Tucker said, joining the group.

“I’m glad they found each other again,” Tate agreed, slipping an arm around Mary Louise. “It gives a guy hope.”

“Tucker,” Hannah called, slipping her phone into her pocket as she walked toward them.

“Everything all right?” he asked, quickly stepping to her side.

“No.” She shook her head, her eyes welling with tears. “It’s my sister. She’s in the hospital. And Hector…Hector is dead.”

* * * *

Joanne slowly opened her eyes, recognizing the institutional white walls of Storm’s hospital. For a moment, she struggled to remember why she was here, then reality hit with a speed that robbed her of breath.

Hector was dead.

She lay for a moment, letting the idea sink in.

Dead.

The man she’d once loved. The man she’d learned to fear. The man who’d destroyed her family. He was dead.

There should be horror or sadness or delight.

But instead she felt only relief. Blessed, blessed relief.

Slowly she sat up, trying to assess the damage. Her eye was almost swollen shut, and her cheek throbbed in agony. Her arm was in a splint and she could feel the pressure bandage around her ribs. She’d been lucky. Truly lucky. But her kids. Dear God, Marcus had almost been killed trying to rescue her. And Dakota…Dakota had seen it all. She’d watched as Hector died. She’d worshiped her father. Dear Lord, what had it cost her to witness his madness?

She tried to swing her feet around to the edge of the bed. She needed to find her children. But the world swung in a crazy circle and she swallowed against the rush of pain.

“Careful, Mom,” Marcus said, striding through the door and across the room to slide a protective arm around her waist as he eased her back down onto the bed. “You need to be resting.”

“But I need to check on Mallory and…”

“I’m right here, Momma.” Mallory stood in the doorway, looking so young and lost.

“And Dakota?” Joanne lay back, looking to her oldest.

“Patrick Murphy is looking for her. They’ve become friends, and I figured she’d be more likely to talk to him than to me. So don’t worry. He’ll find her. What’s important now is that you let us take care of you.”

“I’m fine,” she said as Mallory came to perch on the chair beside the bed. Marcus leaned back against the windowsill, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched them both. “Just a little bit banged up.”

“A little bit?” Marcus’s eyebrows rose. “You’ve got two broken ribs, a hairline fracture in your cheek, and your shoulder was dislocated. I’d say that qualifies as more than just a bit banged up.”

“Marcus,” Mallory chastised, going from kid to adult in a split second. Joanne shuddered with remorse. What had she done to her children? “She doesn’t need your anger on top of everything else.”