Home for Good. Jessica Keller

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      “This is different. The Fourth of July. People get excited about patriotic stuff.”

      “You think blowing up a bunch of cardboard is more important than helping handicapped kids?”

      “Now don’t go putting words in my mouth, big sis. You know I think what you do is worthwhile. I’m just saying, the draw for something like this is more universal.”

      Ali bumped the truck along the grass-trodden lot being used to park overflow for the fireworks show. The three climbed out, scooped up their blankets and plodded across the fairground’s field, looking for a spot to claim. Ali stopped often to chat with her neighbors, wave to her horseback-riding students and embrace folks she’d grown up with.

      As the first explosion resounded in the sky, Ali relaxed. Propped on her elbows, she laid back, watching her son’s face more than the Fourth of July display. His mouth hung slack as his eyes sparkled to match the show lighting up the night sky. He wore a giant toothy grin. She wished she could recapture that feeling in her own life. Would she ever again know that feeling of freedom, of trusting and letting go? Where had her joy gone?

      Jericho Eli Freed. That’s where. The man had successfully smashed her hope of a white knight when he ran off like a bandit with her dreams.

      * * *

      Standing there, ten feet away from the love of his life, watching her smile and sigh, an ache filled Jericho that reached clear to his toes. So his Ali wasn’t all mountain lion snarls and rattlesnake warnings. As she watched her son, softness filled her face. Beautiful. Staring at his wife, his mind blanked out.

      “Hey, lover-boy.” A warm hand touched his arm, and he glanced over. Kate stood at his elbow. “Are you going to look at her all night? Or will you man up and do something?”

      “You’re talking to me? I figured all the Silvers hated my guts.”

      Kate motioned for him to follow her a few paces away from where Ali and Chance sat. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Are you still in love with my sister?”

      Jericho swallowed hard. Bold little thing. The last time he’d seen Kate, she’d been a skinned-knee kid.

      “Well? Answer me, cowboy.” Her eyebrow drove higher.

      Jericho cleared his throat. “Yes. ’Course. I’ve always loved her, always will.”

      Kate nodded. “Bingo. Well, if that’s the case, I’ll help you.”

      “You wanna help me get Ali back?”

      She let out a long stream of air, like he was daft for not tracking with the conversation. “Yes. When you left, Ali fell to pieces. You know better than anyone that she didn’t have the easiest life. But with you, when you were there for her, all that other stuff didn’t strangle her. Then you left, and...”

      You destroyed her.

      “I know. I’m sorry. I’d do anything to change the fact that I left.”

      “But I need to know, before we become partners in this, are you a better man now?” She jammed a finger into his chest, and he knew exactly what she meant. You still a drunk? Ornery? Will you leave again?

      He lifted his hands, palms out. “I’m a man surrendered now, Kate. Still make mistakes. But I haven’t touched a bottle in five years, and I’ve made a promise to God that I never will. I won’t hurt Ali. I came back to make good on my wedding vows...to honor and protect her, to fix what I did. But she doesn’t want me at all.”

      “I think you’re wrong.”

      “But what about Chance?”

      Kate held up a hand and shook her head. “Not my story to tell.”

      Sweat slicked his palms. “Don’t know, Kate. I was watching her just now. She smiles for everyone but me. She started crying when I talked to her. I think she’d relish watching the buzzards pecking at me before seeing me again.”

      “That’s because if she lets down her guard with you, she stands to lose the most.”

      “Meaning?”

      “You cowboys are all seriously dense.”

      He rolled his eyes. “Continue.”

      “She’s closed off to you because she loves you the most. That makes you the biggest danger of all. If someone else rejects her or betrays her, she can shrug that off, but you? That’s everything to her. Has been since you two were kids.”

      Well, that was clear as mud.

      “So here’s the plan.” She glanced back at Ali, then leaned toward him. “In a minute these fireworks will be done, and I’m going to ferret away Chance with the lure of some sparklers.” She patted the bulge in her purse. “That’ll leave you a good amount of time to talk to Ali.”

      “But what do I say?”

      “If you can’t figure that out, cowboy, then you don’t deserve my sister.”

      * * *

      Alone, lying back and scanning the night sky through the leftover smoke hanging in the air, Ali almost breathed a thankful sigh—but then he sat down next to her, took off his hat and tapped the brim against his leg.

      “I don’t want you—”

      “I know.” He wound his hat around in his hands, and the motion tugged at all the broken places inside her. “I know you don’t want me. And after a time, if you still feel that way, I’ll honor that. I’ll leave you alone for good.”

      “Good, I want that. Now.” She started to sit up, gathering the blanket Chance and Kate shared during the show, but his warm hand on her arm stopped her. He gently turned her to face him.

      She sighed. “Okay, if I let you talk, we’ll be done? You’ll leave after that?”

      “If that’s really what you want.” He ran his fingers over the rim of his hat.

      “It is. So go ahead, shoot.”

      He gave the slightest sign of an outlaw smile. “Not a good thing to say to a cowboy.”

      She rolled her eyes. “Speak, rover. Talk. Say whatever it is you’re so bent on telling me.”

      He shifted. “I should have never left.”

      “You’ve got that right.”

      He placed a hand on her arm and gently squeezed. “Let me talk, woman, please.” Jericho removed his hand. “That day. You’ve got to understand that I had to go. I had no choice. I was so afraid that I’d hurt you, Ali. I loved you so much, and I sat there watching myself destroy the one person in the world who meant anything to me. That day when I lost it...tossed your lamp...well, I saw a streak of my pop in me, and it made me sick. I got in my car and just took off, kicking up a cloud of dust.”

      Blinking the burn away from her eyes, Ali moved to stand up. “I don’t need to hear СКАЧАТЬ