Luv Reading and MusesOwnMyMind, thank you both so much for the reviews on the last chapter! You both are so kind!
Chapter 36
Ezra had his wife leaning against him, breathing like she might hyperventilate, and his mother waltzing into his house, followed by Josiah and JD carrying enough luggage to signify a lengthy stay. He didn't know where to go first.
"Buck," Ezra said, drawing the man's attention. Buck looked over and saw Kaylee and immediately handed his horse's reins over to Chris.
"Take her," Ezra said shortly, keeping his eye on his mother. He needed to stop her. To stop this.
"Ezra, I'm fine," Kaylee said, but one look at her said she wasn't. And Ezra knew it had to do with Maude's arrival.
He didn't answer her, making sure Buck was near her, and stormed toward the house.
"Is there a guest room upstairs?" Maude was asking in the house.
"Not for you," Ezra said. Josiah and JD paused with their heavy loads and Ezra was ready to pitch all of Maude's bags out on the front lawn.
"Ezra," Maude scolded lightly. "Is that any way to greet your mother?"
Ezra ignored her. "Take it all back to her car. She's leaving." He motioned the men towards the door.
The door crashed open and Kaylee came in, her eyes moving from Ezra to Maude, worry mixing with the panic on her face.
Maude looked at Kaylee, lifting an eyebrow. "Is there a reason I'm not welcome here?" she asked Ezra, without looking away from Kaylee.
"There are at least twenty reasons," Ezra said, not bothering to hide his frustration. Kaylee looked like she was frozen in place by Maude's appraisal and Ezra had to stop himself from physically propelling Maude toward the door.
"Are you hiding something?" For a second Ezra thought Maude was asking Kaylee, but then she turned a benign smile on Ezra.
"No!" Kaylee burst out. "Ezra's not—I'm not—no one's hiding anything!"
"Then why in the world would Ezra be throwing his own mother out on the street?" She turned her gaze on Kaylee again.
Kaylee scrambled to Ezra's side, her hand fisting in the sleeve of his light jacket. "Your mom should stay. Here. Then I can—can get to know her."
Ezra wanted nothing more than to show Maude the exit. But Kaylee was looking at him with desperation and for some incomprehensible reason, she wanted to build a relationship with his mother. Her mother-in-law.
"Lovely," Maude said. "Which room should I stay in?" she asked Kaylee.
"Um, upstairs. This way," Kaylee said, her words tumbling out. She hurried toward the stairs and led the way.
Ezra turned towards Buck, who had followed Kaylee in.
"This is a disaster waiting to happen," Ezra said. He looked back towards the stairs, hearing Kaylee's nervous chatter and Maude's easy drawl.
Buck frowned. "Maybe they'll hit it off. Never met someone who Kaylee couldn't win over."
Maybe. Ezra ran a hand through his hair. He had luck at the poker tables, but that luck had never extended into his personal life before Kaylee. And a good part of winning at gambling was his ability to read people, read the situation. And everything he was reading spelled unmitigated disaster.
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"So, um, here is the room you can have," Kaylee said, leading Maude into the spare room across the hall from hers and Ezra's room. "Unless you want the other spare room. It's smaller, but it has a nice view of the corrals. And the bed is comfortable. I mean, I haven't slept there, I sleep with Ezra. I mean, in Ezra's bed. I don't mean…" Kaylee winced and felt her cheeks flame. "Whichever room you want."
Maude was looking at the delivery boxes in the hallway.
"Those are just…I haven't put them away yet," Kaylee stammered. She had no idea how Maude could stand there so calmly.
"Ezra's taking good care of you," Maude finally said, lifting an eyebrow at the number of boxes and expensive store names on the sides.
"It's—it's winter stuff. A jacket and mittens and warmer pajamas, some sweaters…" Kaylee trailed off. She should have listened to Ezra and picked up what she needed in town herself. She would have found a few things at the thrift store. When she hadn't taken care of it, and Ezra had found her doing chores in his oversized jacket, her fingers icy, he had gone online and ordered for her. And now there were way too many things from high end brands in the hallway, showing Maude exactly how much Ezra was doing for Kaylee.
Maude's eyebrow lifted fractionally and she eyed Kaylee before turning back to Josiah and JD. "This room is lovely. Thank you."
With a sigh of relief, JD dumped his armload of suitcases and travel bags on the floor.
"Good to see you again, Maude," Josiah said. He gave Kaylee a look as he passed on his way out of the room. "You call one of us if you or Ezra need anything."
Kaylee managed a wan smile before facing Maude in the room.
"Do you…do you need anything else?" Kaylee asked. She looked around the room. "The bathroom is through that door. The towels are clean." Maude turned her gaze on Kaylee again. Kaylee swallowed hard.
"I'm looking forward to our time together," Maude said, her lips moving into a smile. "I can't wait to find out everything about you."
Kaylee lost her smile. Her stomach sank down to her toes. "Ok," she managed, taking a couple steps backwards toward the door, her feet shuffling over the plush carpeting. "I'm going to go heat up supper." She couldn't think of anything else to say to Maude. She hoped Maude would see how much she loved Ezra, that she wasn't trying to use him. That her secret was just a part of her past that would soon be back where it belonged-in the past.
When she made it downstairs, Buck was there.
"Where's Ezra?" Kaylee asked. For a split second, she had the irrational surge of panic that Ezra had left. He had seen what Maude had seen and left her. She shook her head slightly, trying to get her nerves under control.
Buck's forehead creased with concern, and he hiked his chin toward the door. "Told him to go take care of the horses. Said I'd keep an eye on things in the house. Thought he should get some air."
Kaylee exhaled fully. "Thanks," she said to Buck. Ezra could take some time away from Maude. The constant guilt that Kaylee carried jabbed at her more uncomfortably. She should have stood up to Maude, told her to leave. She shouldn't have made Ezra face the prospect of a visit with his mother.
Kaylee noticed Buck watching her and forced a smile for him. "Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked.
Buck glanced towards the stairs. "Think I'll just give you all some family time," he said.
Kaylee didn't blame him.
She moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to take out the casserole she had made in advance, knowing they'd be out gathering steers all day today.
She told herself that she was doing the right thing. If Maude could just see that Kaylee would never do anything to hurt Ezra, then she would approve of their marriage. And that would make everything easier for Ezra. She would make this work. She would make sure everything got better for Ezra.
"Whoa there," Buck said, taking the glass pan from her hands.
Kaylee looked down at the shredded tin foil that had covered it.
"You sure you want Maude stayin' here?" Buck asked. "She ain't easy to get along with in spite of all the charm."
Kaylee wadded up the torn up foil in her hands and tossed it into the trash. "She's fine," Kaylee assured Buck. The problem wasn't Maude. It was her. "It will be fine."
"Uh-huh," Buck said.
Kaylee got out a bag of salad and some dressing, pulled down plates and glasses. In spite of Buck declining the invitation to supper, Kaylee filled an extra pan with casserole and covered it. She handed it to Buck. "You and Vin can heat that up tonight." She went to the cookie jar and added a stack of chocolate chip cookies.
"Ezra's real lucky to have you," Buck said as the door opened and Maude's step sounded on the stairs. "You give a holler if you need something." He gave Kaylee a squeeze and took the food from her, darting past Maude with a quick greeting.
Kaylee kept an eye on Ezra and Maude as she dished up each plate and set them in the microwave.
Ezra came into the kitchen without a word for Maude. He brushed a hand across Kaylee's back before going to the sink and washing his hands.
"She works like a farmhand and she cooks?" Maude said, settling into a chair at the table. "Quite the catch, Ezra."
Kaylee's shoulder's tensed and she silently begged Ezra to not take offense at Maude's words.
"Go sit down," she said to Ezra as the microwave beeped for the last plate. She felt brittle, but she would get through this for Ezra.
Ezra ignored her direction and pulled down a bottle of wine from the rack above the cabinets. He opened it and poured three glasses. Kaylee noticed how full his own glass was. She laid a supportive hand on his shoulder, standing on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek until she saw Maude watching her intently. Kaylee quickly turned her attention back to getting food on the table.
She set Maude's plate in front of her first, then brought the rest of the meal to the table.
Ezra took a long drink from his glass.
Kaylee picked up her fork and glanced nervously at Maude. Maude was looking at the elbow macaroni on her plate, nudging it delicately with the tines of her fork.
"This looks…different from anything I've tried before," Maude said.
Ezra set his glass down with enough force Kaylee thought the wine glass might shatter.
"It's tuna noodle casserole," Kaylee interjected quickly, before Ezra could take any offense on her behalf.
"And the…topping?" Maude asked.
"Crunched up potato chips," Kaylee whispered, realizing how the meal must look to Maude. She took in the string of pearls at Maude's neck, the tastefully done make up, her blonde hair perfectly coifed.
"Kaylee is an excellent cook," Ezra said, anger plain.
"Of course," Maude said, sounding surprised at his anger. "This looks delicious." She took a small bite.
Kaylee felt her cheeks burn. She closed her eyes when she heard Ezra shove his chair back and go get the bottle of wine to pour another glass. He left the bottle on the table near him this time.
"Tell us about your recent pursuits, Mother," Ezra said. "Any new pyramid schemes you've recently committed to? Any young innocents you've bilked out of their life savings?"
"Ezra, where you get these ideas, I have no idea," Maude said with a small laugh.
Kaylee shoved her food around her plate, she started to take a sip of wine when Maude fixed her with a gaze.
"You seem quite youthful," Maude said, her eyes appraising. "How old are you?"
Kaylee choked down her drink and set the full glass aside. "Twenty," she said.
Maude's eyebrows lifted. "My," was her only comment.
Kaylee fixed her eyes on her plate.
"So you chose rodeo instead of college?" Maude asked.
Kaylee gave up on pretending to eat, her fists clenched together in her lap. She forced herself to look at Maude. "College wasn't…" she didn't know what to say.
"Well, there's still time for college," Maude said breezily. "Now that you have Ezra to help cover the expenses, right?"
Kaylee wondered if she was shrinking. She felt about two feet tall.
"How long ago did you graduate from high school?" Maude asked.
"Mother," Ezra snapped.
"I didn't," Kaylee whispered.
"That's enough," Ezra said. He shoved his chair back. "I think this visit has served its purpose and it's time for you to leave."
Maude looked at Kaylee, a clear challenge in her eyes.
"You can't kick your mom out," Kaylee argued. She felt like she was going to be sick.
"I very well can. And I am," Ezra said. "She has no right to come in here and—"
"She's not," Kaylee insisted. "She's not doing anything wrong. She's just…she wants to…"
"My darling boy got married to someone I know nothing about. I want to get to know this sweet girl. What is wrong with that?"
"Everything," Ezra said.
Kaylee could see he meant it. He was going to kick Maude out. And she could see Maude had meant everything she said earlier. If Ezra sided with Kaylee, Maude would do whatever it took to find out what Kaylee was hiding and tell Ezra.
"Ezra, please," Kaylee begged. She tried to hold back the tears that threatened. "I want your mom here. I want to get to know her." Her words spilled out, desperation building, a pressure in her chest, a pounding behind her temples. She just needed a few more months. Just a few more months to pay back Cletus and then she wouldn't have anything to hide. Her heart thudded somewhere in her throat until she couldn't breathe.
Ezra stared at her, distress clear in his own face. Kaylee couldn't summon up a smile or anything to reassure him. She reached out for his hand, giving it a tight squeeze, silently pleading with him to let his mother stay. She could handle it.
"I think I'll turn in now," Maude said demurely. "It's been a long day of traveling." She pushed back from the table, leaving her own plate untouched.
When Maude was gone, Ezra stared down at Kaylee. She tightened her grip on his hand.
"It's really that important to you that you attempt to forge a bond with my mother?" he asked.
"Yes!" Kaylee said, everything in her pushing the answer out with too much volume.
Ezra's expression darkened with concern.
Kaylee didn't want to answer any more questions. She didn't want to lie to Ezra. She stood, linking her fingers through his, leaning against him. She tilted her head back, looking up at him. "I want to try," she said honestly. She had to try. But she didn't say that.
She saw Ezra's expression soften. She shifted against him slightly, feeling him respond to the movement, the distraction. She wanted the distraction. She didn't want to think about Maude and Cletus and secrets anymore.
"Let's leave the dishes for tomorrow," she said, hoping Ezra would let things go for now.
"Do you have other plans in mind?" Ezra asked, some of the tension leaving him.
Kaylee's smile was as much from relief as from desire. "I could think of a couple things."
"Just a couple?" Ezra asked.
Kaylee pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. She moved her lips towards his ear. "Maybe more than a couple," she whispered.
She felt the last of the tension leave Ezra and she let him lead her towards the stairs and to their room, locking the door behind them. Locking out everything they didn't want to face.
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