“I know this has been a difficult few days for you, Tory. If you want to talk, I’m here.” Slade sat on his side of the bed.
“Is Mindy all right now that Mom will be okay?”
“I think so. She said a prayer for her tonight. Also for you.”
“For me?”
“Because you were sad.” Slade’s gaze snared hers. “Tory, keeping things bottled up inside of you isn’t good. I want to help you, but I figure there’s a lot I don’t know about what happened four years ago.”
Tory grew rigid. “What do you mean?”
“The other day with Mrs. Johnston. The undertone of the conversation was tension-filled. Why?”
“Because she didn’t think Brandon did anything wrong. She thought I had made up that story about the rape. After all, we were dating. Had been for over a month.” Tory balled the sheet into her hands.
“Was she the only one?”
Tory stared at her fingers twisting the cotton material into a wad. “No. Several others voiced their opinions, too.” The memories of the gossip that spread about her inundated her. Her throat closed, tears stinging her eyes. “Having a concussion and a few cracked ribs weren’t enough for some people. I guess they wanted me battered, near death. In their eyes Brandon was a nice young man from a good Christian family. So it must have been my fault somehow.” She lifted her tear-saturated gaze to his.
“Tory, I’m so sorry some people are narrow-minded.” A nerve twitching in his jawline, he gathered her into his arms and pressed her against his T-shirt-clad chest.
For a few seconds Tory allowed herself to seek comfort in his embrace, his hand stroking the length of her back. Then their intimate situation engulfed her in sensations she wasn’t ready to experience, not when she could replay all the hurtful things said about her. Panic surged to the foreground. She wedged her arms up between them and shoved away.
“No!” She scrambled from the bed and snatched up her robe. “Please, I’ll sleep on the couch in the den. This won’t work.”
Tory fled the bedroom. Her heartbeat hammered against her rib cage while her breathing became shallow gasps. She escaped into the den, the silence of the house a balm that sought to soothe her tattered nerves. Thank goodness Slade hadn’t followed her. She couldn’t have handled a confrontation with all that had happened lately.
Using a throw pillow to cushion her head, she curled up on the couch and tried to sleep. But in her mind’s eye all she could see was Mrs. Clayton the other day watching her with a narrowed gaze and an expression of contempt. Tory had done nothing wrong, so why did she feel so dirty and humiliated? But memories of Brandon’s trial only confirmed those feelings. There had been times she felt she had been on trial instead of him.
Tory twisted on the couch, trying to get comfortable. In the dark she saw the digital clock tick off minutes—way too slowly. Around four she finally surrendered to sleep, exhaustion overcoming her racing mind.
* * *
Tory bolted straight up on the couch when she heard a knock at the den door. “Come in.” Swinging her legs to the floor, she ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her pajamas and robe.
Slade stood framed in the doorway, no expression on his face. “I wanted to tell you that Mindy and I are leaving for Cimarron City in a few minutes. I can’t keep acting like everything is all right between us when it isn’t.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tory chewed on her lower lip. Slade was right. Everything in their life wasn’t okay. The threads of their marriage were fragile.
“I’m leaving my car for you. I’ve rented one to drive back to Cimarron City. It was delivered a few minutes ago. Mindy needs to be back home in her normal routine. You need time alone. Maybe talk to your sister. Heaven knows, I’ve tried to get you to talk to me, to let me into your life. I know this isn’t the best timing, but I don’t think there ever would be a good time.” He turned to leave, then looked back over his shoulder at her. “Figure out what you want. I’ll be at the ranch with Mindy. I have some figuring out to do myself.”
Tory opened her mouth to stop him, but the closing of the door reverberated through her mind. So final.
She pushed to her feet, but her legs shook so much she sank back onto the couch. There was a part of her that wanted to stay in the den and hide. But the stronger part demanded she get up and at least say goodbye to Mindy. The child didn’t need to be hurt by what was going on between her father and Tory.
Tory again rose, taking a moment to get her bearings. Then she strode from the room. She found Mindy and Slade in the entrance hall saying their goodbyes to Judy and Brad.
Mindy came over to Tory and took her hand. “I’ll—take—real good—care—of Belle—for you.”
Tory drew the child into her embrace. “I know you and your dad will. The ranch couldn’t be in better hands.” She kissed her on the forehead. “Remember I love you, Mindy.”
“I—love—you.”
Tory lifted her gaze to Slade’s and the tormented look in his eyes nearly unraveled what composure she had. “I’ll see you two soon.”
Slade’s raised eyebrows spoke of his doubts. “We’ll call to let you know we’ve arrived safely.” He grabbed his suitcase and turned toward the front door.
“Thanks,” Tory murmured as she watched the two leave her sister’s house.
The ache in her heart grew the farther away Slade and Mindy were. Her chest hurt when she drew in a deep breath. Why did she feel as though she would never see them again?
Panicked by that thought, she started forward. Slade pulled away from the curb. Her face pressed against the window, Mindy waved to Tory.
She
