No Ordinary Home. Mary Sullivan

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      Austin hooked his thumbs into his back pockets and stared at the carpet. “I hope it’s all okay. It’s not the most expensive stuff out there.”

      “It’s perfect.” And it was. In her former life, she’d bought only the best. Until doing without, she hadn’t realized how truly fortunate she’d been. This, though, was an unparalleled gift. Who was this guy? Why would he care so much for a stranger?

      He’d set the bait securely. Of course she would stay. They would make the sleeping arrangement work somehow because there was no way she wasn’t having a long hot shower tonight. “I’ll sleep on the floor. You can have the bed.”

      The weird hum Austin made sounded noncommittal.

      “If it reassures you at all, I’m not any happier about this than you are.” Austin gestured toward the double bed. He rummaged in his bag and pulled out a fresh shirt. “You want to shower before dinner or after?”

      “I guess you’d prefer before?”

      “Yeah. We’ll be going to a nicer restaurant than a truck-stop diner. You’re pretty ripe.”

      She gathered the things he’d bought her, but hesitated just outside the bathroom.

      “I won’t come in and attack you. You’re safe with me.” She registered his hurt tone at being silently questioned; she’d already seen that he was a decent man.

      Gracie entered the small bathroom and closed the door behind her. She locked it. Wrong. That only added insult to injury. In an act so foreign to her that it required a leap of faith she hadn’t taken since she’d run away six years ago, she unlocked the door. Right.

      * * *

      AUSTIN HEARD THE lock click and disappointment hit him. Then Gracie unlocked it and he smiled. Progress. He listened to the shower turn on and stay on for a long time; Gracie must be making full use of the hot water. Good. She needed it and it would give him a chance to call his mom. He picked up his cell, but didn’t dial right away, just stared at the wall, steeling himself.

      Tension that hadn’t been there five minutes ago tightened his neck. He rolled his shoulders, but it didn’t ease.

      He should have checked in earlier. Should. Too much of his relationship with his mom was clouded with too many shoulds.

       Well, you didn’t call earlier, so quit with the guilt trip and do it now.

      No phone call had ever been tougher to make. A moment later, she answered.

      “Hey, Mom. It’s me.”

      Silence. What else had he expected? People didn’t change overnight just because others wanted them to.

      “How are you? Did Deputy Turner stop by today?”

      A long hesitation followed, but he wouldn’t break it. The ball was in her court.

      Finally, he heard, “He came by,” in the small voice he knew too well. He could hear the subtext as clearly as a bell: I’m helpless. I need you.

      It tugged at him, but he hardened himself.

      “Good. I’m glad he visited.”

      “He didn’t bring me anything.”

      “No reason he should. The milk would still be good. You’ll have enough fresh fruit and vegetables for the next few days.”

      “He said you shouldn’t have gone and left me alone.”

      Austin doubted that. Turner had been one of the ones urging him to get away. Mom must have misinterpreted something the deputy said. Deliberately, no doubt.

      “Mother.” Austin kept his tone firm. “You’re not an invalid. You’re only fifty. You can take care of yourself. You have no diseases, no dementia.”

      She made a sound that was hard to characterize. It might have been a humph. He’d called her on her so-called helplessness in the past, and yet he still took care of her.

       Breathe deeply. Hold. Exhale the guilt.

      “Listen, I have to go,” he said. “I’m meeting Finn for dinner.”

      “Go. Have fun.” Her clipped words came out loaded with resentment.

      Holding his anger in check, Austin decided he’d better cut the call short. “I’ll call again tomorrow. Good night, Mom.”

      He tossed the phone onto the bed. Better than throwing it at the wall.

      For years, he’d been trying to rehabilitate his mother, to prop her up, and he was exhausted from taking care of her. It had to end soon. He was sick of it. She—

      A sound of distress from the bathroom caught his attention.

      Gracie! In her weakened state, had she fallen? He barged in.

CHAPTER THREE

      GRACIE STOOD BENT over the toilet with a towel wrapped around her, shivering and retching.

      As far as Austin could tell, nothing was coming up.

      “You must be pretty well cleaned out by now.” He rubbed her back, all of the knobs and bones and sharp edges along her spine. Too bad she’d lost her lunch. She sure needed the calories.

      Austin grasped her shoulders and held her steady while she retched some more. “Don’t think you’re going to lose anything else. I think you’re done.”

      She nodded. “Why are you in here?”

      “Heard you retching.”

      “Crap on a broomstick,” she said like it was some kind of badass imprecation. Austin grinned until she burst into tears.

      Aw, goddamn, he hated to see a woman cry. He held her and patted her back awkwardly, because this wasn’t how he usually held a woman. He never hugged strangers. At least she was clean now and smelled like flowers and coconut.

      She hiccupped and cursed again. “I don’t do this,” she said and he could tell she wanted to sound fierce. Hard to do when her teeth chattered like a pair of maracas.

      “Don’t do what?” He led her into the bedroom.

      “I don’t cry. Ever. I haven’t in...” He wasn’t sure but he thought she was doing calculations in her head. “Six years. I haven’t cried in six years. This is so dumb.”

      He rummaged in his bag and pulled out a hoodie and a T-shirt. “Put these on.”

      He turned his back while she dressed.

      She hissed, “Don’t go thinking I’m weak just because I cried.” He heard the zipper rasp on his hoodie.

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