“No.”
It was the third weekend in a row that Kane had elected to stay in Pine Ridge, causing a lot of speculation among his brothers and sisters-in-law. No one was stupid enough to ask him outright, though they thought they had a pretty good idea of what was keeping him local these days, and it wasn’t his overwhelming desire to help the less fortunate.
“Thanks for offering to take these down to the shelter, Kane,” Maggie said, placing the little bundles carefully into a larger box with her free hand. “Your haircut looks nice. And you shaved.” She leaned in a little closer and sniffed. “Mmmm, you smell good, too.”
Kane’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down and fixed her with one of his patented stares. Michael winced. It just wasn’t wise to say things like that around Kane; the man liked his privacy, and most definitely did not regard inquiries or suppositions into his life favorably. There was a reason no one had spoken to Kane about his uncharacteristic interest in Aidan’s sister. The Callaghan boys learned early on that when the eldest among them didn’t like something, it didn’t usually bode well for the rest of them.
Maggie, however, apparently chose to ignore the unwritten family guidelines of interacting with Kane, and Michael’s protective instinct had him positioning himself between them, just in case.
“What?” Maggie said innocently, pushing Michael out of the way with impatience. “He looks good!”
To Michael’s great surprise, Kane actually smiled. It was a little smile, but a smile nonetheless. “Thanks, Maggie,” he said, his smile waning as he turned to glare at his brother. “Glad to see someone in this house has some balls.”
*
The flood waters receded, leaving behind a mess of mud and muck in their wake, but with the community-wide cleanup effort, the situation was improving every day. Most people had been cleared to go back to their homes and begin the task of assessing and repairing the damage. Those who had been hit the hardest were consolidated and relocated from the high school to other locations to allow for the upcoming start of the new school year, which had already been delayed. The second and third floors of Nicki’s youth center were among them.
The National Guard had been redeployed elsewhere; people returned to their jobs and lives best they could, though donations still trickled in. A handful of volunteers kept the new shelter going, and, not surprisingly, Rebecca found herself among them. Her life settled into a comfortable routine. She spent the better part of her days at the shelter, and sometimes the nights, too.
But at least a few times each week she could be found with her brother. At first it had been all about catching up with each other, but lately, things were changing. Aidan seemed to be under the impression that because she was staying with him she was his responsibility, and she was starting to feel the familiar claustrophobia in his presence. She loved him dearly, she really did, but he was so much like their parents sometimes. They’d never quite understood her need for independence, either.
*
Dinner was being served in the large communal kitchen when Kane arrived at the shelter. The autumn sun was just beginning to settle, muting the sky in soft hues. He didn’t bother checking the dining area; he knew by now that Rebecca would not be there. Instead, he dropped off Maggie’s care packages with the matronly woman who’d assumed control over the kitchen and strolled outside.
He narrowed his eyes at the group of youths who hung out there, reiterating his silent warning, reminding them of his presence. One of them, a young man who seemed to be the one the others looked up to, was brave enough to meet Kane’s gaze for a few seconds. That kid, Kane knew, was Trouble with a capital “T”. He might just have to have a talk with Nicki about that one.
Continuing on, Kane found Rebecca beneath a sprawling maple. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, her back against the tree, her eyes closed. It was one of the rare occasions where her hair was down, lifting slightly in the gentle, warm breeze. He caught the familiar light scent of Dove and smiled. It was ingrained in his mind and his body, solidly linked with the woman herself.
“Hey,” he said in his deep voice as he approached. Not the most suave of greetings, perhaps, but heartfelt nonetheless. The sight of her lifted away his feelings of unease like a light summer breeze.
She didn’t stir.
“Hey,” he said again, a little louder this time, and still she did not react.
He peered down, thinking she might be asleep, until she absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and he saw the earbuds. Crouching beside her, he tapped her lightly on the ankle and she opened her eyes, removing the pieces from her ears and giving him a hundred-watt smile that lit him up from the inside out.