the side as she listened, looking in her direction every so often as if she knew Emma was standing at the window.
When the boy finished, Cain hugged him again before she put her hands on his shoulders and started to explain something to him. “Hayden, she didn’t know about Marie, so try and let that one go, buddy.”
Cain squeezed his shoulders, trying to get him to look up. The death of her sister was still a raw spot for both of them, but especially for Hayden, who had spent so much time with Marie. Cain would arrive on many an afternoon to find him reading to her from one of his textbooks so she could learn whatever he was studying in school.
“If she called more often than every four years she’d’ve known.”
“And as my grandmother used to say, if you were born with wheels you’d have been a bicycle,” said Cain in a light voice.
“Mom, what in the world’s that supposed to mean?”
She laughed as she watched her son’s face go from an expression of gloom to one of confusion. “I’m not really sure myself, but it seemed like the right thing to say.”
“Come on. I’ll show you where we’re staying for the night. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.” Hayden moved away from Cain for a minute and went to welcome Merrick.
When he did, Cain looked back up at the house, saw her ex-lover standing in the window, and wondered what had brought their talk around to her late sister. Something had, because she knew Emma well enough to know she would use all the time she’d been given to win Hayden over, just like she had won her own heart so many years before.
Cain hadn’t gotten this far in life without being smart enough to suspect this visit was Emma’s first step in a plan to lure Hayden away from the evil Caseys. Cain would find out what had upset him soon enough, but now it was time to get out of this fucking cold. If Hayden wanted to leave, the morning would be soon enough.
“Cain?”
She turned toward the masculine voice and broke into a smile. “Ross, how are you?”
“Fine, thanks for asking. And thank you for letting young Hayden come visit. We’ve really enjoyed having him.” Ross stood at the door of the barn wearing a heavy plaid wool jacket with matching hat.
The flaps that covered his ears looked almost comical, but Cain found herself wishing she had one of her own. “Thanks for having him, Ross. Hayden’s a great kid.” She patted her son on the back.
“Yeah, and now he can go back to the city with the knowledge of how to milk a cow under his belt.”
They all laughed at the statement, making the young man blush.
“Let me show you where you’re bunking down for the night, Cain.”
“I’ll get it, Mr. Ross. Go on inside with Emma.”
Ross quickly moved toward the house, acting as if he knew Hayden and his mother needed privacy.
“What’s up?” The question came out of Cain’s mouth the minute the door of the bunkhouse closed.
“I just want to leave here. Does something have to be wrong?”
Cain took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had wanted her son to know Emma, but not at the expense of his happiness. Heading down the path of sleepless nights and nightmares again wasn’t high on her agenda. They had gotten through the pain of Emma’s desertion together the first time, and she would always help him. But if it she could avoid a repeat of that cycle, she would do whatever was necessary for Hayden’s peace of mind.
“Right this minute?”
“No, you’re right. No sense spending the night in one of those uncomfortable chairs at the airport, but tomorrow I want to go. I came so you wouldn’t think I was afraid to try, but I don’t want to stay. It’s just…” Hayden turned and faced the front door of the bunkhouse.
“Finish, son. You know you don’t ever have to do anything just to make me happy. Someday I’ll start asking you to do things for the good of the family, but that’s far in the future. The best thing my old man did for me was let me live before he gave me too much responsibility. I love you, Hayden, and if it’s in your best interest I’ll move heaven and earth to give you what you want. If it’s to leave here, you don’t even have to tell me why.”
Cain put her hands on her son’s shoulders. As smart and mature as her kid was, he was still a kid.
“It’s just that you’re my family, Mom. You and Aunt Marie. I don’t need anything or anyone else.” He recognized the long intake of air and slow exhale he heard above his head as a technique Cain used to calm down.
“Did something happen, or did someone tell you something?”
“No, I’m just ready to go home.” The big hands on his shoulders just patted him gently before pulling away. The loving gesture let him know she would give in and leave in the morning, if that was what he really wanted.
Mother and son sat with their guards in the small kitchen in the bunkhouse and ate. Merrick had brought supplies with her, knowing Carol wouldn’t feed them. And considering they were in the middle of some frozen hell, they didn’t have a slew of restaurants to pick from if she wasn’t up to cooking.
A little after ten, Cain settled Hayden down in one of the bunks in the large open room at the center and waited for him to go to sleep. When he was out for the night, she and Merrick shared a look before Cain put on her coat and hat and headed outside. She hadn’t made it halfway toward the front door of the farmhouse when Emma stepped onto the porch.
“He wants you to take him home?”
Cain looked at the empty fields, wondering how people didn’t go completely insane living out here. “Tomorrow. Now you want to tell me what in the hell happened? I didn’t think you two would be glued at the hip when I got here, but the phone call I got this morning surprised me. Hayden doesn’t usually give up on anything so easily.”
