“Hopefully, not. The rain is supposed to stop.” He jerked a thumb toward the kitchen. “Let’s eat supper.”
Dread stirred in Dee’s stomach. Evacuate? So much for their tryst. First, Jack staying home with a cold, and now this. Why was it so difficult for Rodney and her to spend any time together?
Only one answer came to her as she stared into the murky grayness. Maybe they were never meant to be.
Chapter Eleven
“Supper tasted great,” Rodney told Mrs. Dobson as they retired to the living room.
The ham, beans, and biscuits reminded him of home and his mama’s cooking. He sat on the sofa with Dee, feeling comfortable enough to put his arm around her. Gazing at her, he wondered if he was dreaming. Sitting here in a family setting warmed his heart more than a standing ovation at one of his concerts.
And when Jeremy pulled out an acoustic guitar and played for them, Rodney really felt at home.
“You don’t have another one of those around here, do you?” he asked between songs.
“No, but you can borrow mine.”
Rodney lifted the instrument with care and seated it in his lap. “I’d like to play her the song I wrote about her.”
He bent over the strings, concentrating because it had to be perfect. When he finally looked up, Dee’s eyes were wet.
“That was beautiful. Just beautiful,” Adele exclaimed, still swaying to the beat in her rocking chair.
“I didn’t realize until after I wrote it that brown-eyed butterflies are real and symbolize a new start,” Rodney admitted. “It fits.”
“Yes, it does,” Dee said. “I didn’t know you were so good at guitar. Why don’t you play it onstage?”
“Because I’d probably get laughed off it. I’m not an expert at it like Jack.”
His ears must have been burning because he called. Damn. He’d forgotten to turn his cell phone back off after she’d arrived. Might as well take it or he’d call again and again.
“Hello?”
“Where the hell are you?” Jack barked.
“Relaxing,” he answered. “Did you need something?”
“Yeah, I need to know where you are.”
“I’ll be in Akron tomorrow evening. That’s all you need to know.”
“But—”
“I really need to go,” Rodney said, as calmly as he could. “See you later.”
“You’re with her, aren’t you?”
“Goodbye, Jack.”
“I can find out where you are through your cell phone, you know.”
“My mistake. I meant to keep it turned off.”
After he turned off the phone and pocketed it, adrenaline made his fingers feel jerky. Unable to play anymore, he handed the guitar back to Jeremy. The high he’d felt earlier had burst quicker than a bubble.
“I hate that man,” Dee said with a shudder.
Rodney ducked his head, feeling two inches tall. “How much of the conversation did you all hear?”
“Most of it,” she replied.
Jeremy leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “The man needs to be put in his place. Telling him off once or twice ought to take care of it.”
“He’s family,” Rodney said.
“Being related doesn’t give him carte blanche to treat you and my daughter like shit.”
Rodney sighed. Jeremy was almost as difficult as Jack. The man knew how to find weaknesses, all right. Maybe he should fake a yawn so they could go to bed and end this difficult conversation. But, like his brother, Dee’s father would never let it rest.
He steepled his fingers together. “Jack had a hard time growing up. Our parents always liked me better, and they made it clear every day.”
“I’m with them,” Dee said. “You’re much cuter and nicer.”
“Favoritism happens a lot in families,” Jeremy said. “It doesn’t give him an excuse to be an asshole. At least he grew up with a family.”
“Dad had a rough childhood, too,” Dee said softly.
Jeremy shot her a look. “That’s a story for another day, little girl.”
“Our case was pretty extreme,” Rodney explained. “I got better gifts and all the attention. When anything bad happened, Jack got blamed and punished for it. I even tried to get into trouble to level things out, but they still found a way to blame everything on him.”
“How sad,” Adele said. “Why do you suppose they didn’t love their own child?”
“I had no clue until after they passed. Before I had their house renovated and moved into it, I found some old letters in their things.”
“Do tell,” Dee said, leaning forward.
“Apparently, my mother was raped by Ernie, a so-called friend of the family she’d trusted. He had too much to drink one night.”
Jeremy cocked his head. “And Jack is the progeny of that unfortunate little union?”
Rodney nodded. “The letter was to my father who was serving in Vietnam at the time. The friend was supposed to be looking after her and the house while he was away.”
Adele snorted. “Sounds like my scum-sucking, weasel-eyed stepfather.”
“Every time they laid eyes on Jack,” Rodney continued, “I guess it reminded them of their shame. Hers for letting it happen and his for not being able to prevent it.”
Dee clapped her hand over her mouth. “Does Jack know?”
“No. I hid the letters. He must never find out.”
Rodney stood. So, why had he told them? He’d sworn he’d take that secret to the grave. Now that it was out, there’d be no taking it back.
“Seems like you’re hiding a lot of things from your brother, including your relationship with Dee,” Jeremy stated.
“I know,” Rodney said in a low voice. “She deserves so much better.”
“Which is why sneaking around with her can only be a temporary situation.” The other man stood, too, and held out his hand. “But your secrets are safe with us. Mountain man’s honor.”
Rodney clasped it. Jeremy’s palm felt tough as shoe leather. The man was rough as an old bear, but he’d be an all right father-in-law. Wait, what? Marriage was out of the question for so many reasons.
“Time for pictures!” Dee pulled her cell phone from her purse and handed it to her mother. “Will you take one of Rodney and me?”
“Sure. If I can figure out how to work this thing.”
After their
