Games of the Heart

Chapter Twenty “Fell on Black Days”

Walking up to the farmhouse, Mike heard it so he quickened his pace.

It was Tuesday. Rivera, Jerra and their kids were there. After they arrived on Sunday, they’d spent the day with Dusty, Mike and his kids and three dozen Hilligoss donuts. Mike ended the day with Rivera and a beer at his barbeque on the back deck. Rees and No were in the living room playing with the kids. Dusty was in the kitchen bonding with Jerra.

Yesterday the Rivera family went into Indy to do the tourist shit, The 500, the Circle, doing this to let Dusty get out in the fields. They all went out to dinner at The Station last night.

That day they spent with Dusty at the farm, Dusty and her Dad taking the kids for tractor rides. Tonight Della was making dinner for everybody. Mike had been working but from a text from Dusty he received fifteen minutes ago, he knew everyone was already there including Rees and No.

He hit the door and didn’t interrupt by knocking. He just walked right through and he did this quickly.

He didn’t want to miss another second.

He closed the door behind him quietly, turned and saw it. Everyone was in the living room, asses covering every seat available except Rees and Fin. Rees was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Fin was sitting behind her, his long legs cocked and surrounding her, his wrists resting on his knees, hands dangling, her back was resting against his chest.

But even his daughter’s intimate position with her boyfriend didn’t penetrate Mike’s attention to what was happening across the room from Reesee and Fin.

His eyes took it in and his chest tightened as he saw, sitting across from each other, Dusty perched on the arm of the couch, No opposite her on the arm of an armchair, his acoustic guitar on his thigh, his hands moving but his grinning face was turned to Dusty.

She was smiling back at him while singing.

Mike felt electricity prickle his skin as he moved to the double doors and leaned against the jamb to listen.

No had that guitar for years. It was the first one Mike bought for him. He got it when he was twelve, he started playing it immediately and not then or since had he had a single lesson. He just took to it. Mike didn’t understand it but the same happened the year after when Mike bought him the set of drums he’d been asking for. They set them up and No started banging immediately. Within minutes it sounded less like banging and more like music. He’d never had a lesson with those either. He just had it in him, it was his way. As with Reesee, their talent was natural.

And the same was true with Dusty.

He’d heard her sing, not recently but when she was younger he heard it all the time. Though he’d never heard her sing a song like she was singing now.

K’s Choice, “Not an Addict”.

It was an intense, seriously fucking fantastic song and Dusty’s pure voice made it sweeter.

What it was not was a happy song.

She always used to sing happy songs. He remembered once walking into the farmhouse decades ago and hearing her singing Katrina and The Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”, swinging her ass and singing loud as she washed the inside windows. It was a gray day, thundercloud hanging low, storms that would eventually come but at that moment were only threatening the sky outside.

The minute he’d walked inside, Mike remembered, hearing her voice singing that song, the world brightened.

But even though he knew the subject matter wasn’t something she had experience with, the song she was singing right then sounded like it was made for her.

Mike watched his woman and his son having their moment, eyes locked, mouths curved and everyone had melted away. It was just them, his strumming, her voice, in their element. As the song progressed, No’s guitar became more powerful and Dusty’s voice increased in depth, volume and they were both gently swaying their torsos simultaneously to a beat they felt internally seeing as they didn’t have drums.

All eyes in the room were glued to them. Even Rivera and Jerra’s kids were motionless and mesmerized.

As was Mike.

And it hit him then, something he’d known for twenty-five years about Dusty but something he only understood right at that moment about the three people most important in his life. Dusty’s voice, her pottery, her drawings, her writing. His son’s drums, guitar, keyboards. His daughter’s writing. He was surrounded by people who were extraordinarily gifted. Everything they did was beyond the pale. His life was touched all around with genius.

And Mike knew what he was seeing and how it made him feel was burning itself on his brain forever. Because in that moment, watching and listening, he was profoundly moved that God had seen fit to gift him, an ordinary man, an Indiana boy through and through, with these people in his life.

And he understood then what he never did. Why he called Dusty “Angel”. Because with her gifts given to her straight from God, that was precisely what she was.

The phone rang but the only one who moved was Fin. He got up and silently walked out of the room, catching Mike’s eyes and giving him a chin lift as he went to the table in the hall that had a cordless phone in a charger.

Mike looked from Fin back into the living room. No’s hand was a blur as he strummed the repeating chords to the end of the song then laid his hand against the strings, halting the music and he smiled huge at Mike’s woman.

“Sing it again, Auntie Dusty!” Adriana, Jerra and Rivera’s six year old little girl shrieked, clapping her hands.

Dusty started, Adriana’s voice reminding her there were people around and she turned her head to the little girl and smiled at her. Then her eyes tipped up, caught on Mike, he watched her face get soft and her smile got bigger.

Yes, God had been generous to Mike Haines.

“How about Soundgarden?” Reesee called out, “Dusty, do you know ‘Fell on Black Days’?”

Instantly No started the opening chords of the song Rees was talking about. Dusty looked to Rees as Mike felt something intangible but foreboding coming from beside him and he looked to his left. He saw Fin moving down the hall toward the kitchen, phone to his ear and something about Fin’s posture made Mike’s eyes narrow on his back. He couldn’t see anything particular but he could feel it.

“I can give it a go,” Dusty answered Rees and Mike looked back into the room.

Then she “gave it a go”. Rees’s choice was excellent. Simple, disconsolate words, No’s guitar and Dusty’s pure, sweet voice making a phenomenal song even better.

But this time, that something he felt from Fin nagging at Mike, when they were in the second verse, Mike tore his eyes off Dusty and No and looked down the hall. He saw nothing then Fin paced across the kitchen doorway, one fist to his hip, the phone to his other ear, neck bent, eyes to the ground. He was in profile and Mike couldn’t catch his expression but he did note Fin’s jaw was hard. Then Mike watched Fin pace out of sight.

Even without being able to see Fin’s expression, his movements, posture and hard jaw made Mike push away from the jamb and move down the hall toward the kitchen.

He got into the room to see Fin standing at an angle to the kitchen table, his back to Mike, his head up, his eyes across the room and he heard Fin say in a low, rumbling, pissed off voice, “Dad’s dead. Ma’s practically dead. And now, you are totally dead.”

Then he beeped off the phone, turned on his foot and spied Mike.

Mike braced at the look of sheer fury on the boy’s face.

“Fin –” he started low but Fin moved.

Swiftly, Fin’s long legs took him through the kitchen, past Mike and down the hall.

Mike followed just as swiftly. But even so, he was too late. After seeing that look on his face, Mike should have caught Fin in the kitchen. Unfortunately he didn’t and when Fin hit the living room, his fury unleashed.

“You’ve lost your fuckin’ mind!” he roared, No stopped playing, Dusty stopped singing and all eyes went to Fin but Fin’s eyes were locked on Rhonda.

Jesus. Shit. Fuck.

Mike moved to Fin and started to lift a hand to lay it on his shoulder but Fin’s head jerked toward Rivera and Jerra who each had a kid in their laps.

“Get your kids outta here,” he ordered and Rivera’s gaze cut to Mike.

Jerra got up instantly, putting a staring at Fin, open-mouthed Adriana on her feet but taking her hand. Della moved toward Joaquin, Rivera and Jerra’s little boy. They led them out as Mike got close to Fin’s back right side and his eyes went to Dusty who had stood as had No, putting his guitar down and leaning it against the chair. Rivera and Dean also stood. Rees, too, had found her feet and she moved close to Fin.

But Fin only had eyes for Rhonda.

Mike’s gaze cut to Rhonda who was staring at Fin, frozen.

“Fin, honey, take a breath,” Dusty said placatingly.

Fin ignored her.

“That was Bernie McGrath on the phone,” Fin announced.

Mike tensed.

Jesus. Shit. Fuck.

Fin went on, “Wanted me to tell you to be sure you deposit that five thousand dollar check.”

Jesus. Shit. Fuck!

“What’s this?” Dean asked but Fin ignored him too.

“Then I called Aunt Debbie,” he continued. “She’s filled me in, Ma, that you’re on board.”

“On board for what?” Dusty asked, looking back and forth between Fin and Rhonda and at her question Fin’s eyes sliced to her.

“On board as a plaintiff contesting Dad’s will.”

Jesus. Shit. Fuck!

Dusty’s body got visibly tight, her cheeks got visibly red and her eyes fired. Mike could see it from across the room.

But he read the situation that was more volatile was Fin and Rhonda so Mike positioned himself beyond Fin and between Rhonda and her son.

Rees approached Fin and laid a hand on his arm.

Fin ignored her too.

“You haven’t been up in your room feelin’ sorry for yourself,” he stated, his eyes glued to his mother. “You been up there plottin’ with fuckin’ Aunt Debbie.”

“Rhonda, please say this isn’t true.” Dusty’s voice was soft but forced.

Rhonda kept her eyes to her son and she whispered, “It’s for the best.”

At that, Fin’s torso twisted violently, his arm swinging out in a blur across his front and the phone went flying across the room, over the couch to smash against a wall.

The room, already tense, went wired.

“Fin, take a walk,” Mike ordered.

Fin ignored Mike too and looked back at his mother.

“For the best? That…is…whacked!”

Rhonda, surprising everyone, straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “This farm killed your father,” she declared.

“So now you open your mouth and Aunt Debbie speaks?” Fin asked sarcastically.

“Rhonda, sweetheart, did you really do this?” Dean asked, his eyes also glued to his daughter-in-law.

“Yes,” Rhonda kept her seat, the only one in the room who had, outside Kirby. She nodded and repeated, “Yes. It’s for the best. It’s for my boys.”

“It’s for your boys?” Fin spat, leaning forward.

“Fin, man, take a walk,” Mike repeated.

“Yes,” Rhonda spoke over him. “You told me I should be lookin’ out for you. I’m lookin’ out for you.”

“By taking away my future?” Fin asked.

“By giving you one. Debbie tells me the sale of the land will set you up.” Rhonda threw out her hand. “It’ll set all of us up.”

“I’m already set up, Ma. I got everything I want. I got my future and that future, every day, every fucking day I go out and work this farm, I do it with my father,” Fin shot back, his words nearly guttural and not just with anger but with grief burned a hole straight through Mike’s fucking heart. “That’s the future I want and I wanted it even before he died. Now I want it more because it’s the only thing of him I have left.”

Rhonda blanched and Dean stepped in.

“Rhonda, I wish you’d spoken to me about this.”

Rhonda tore her eyes away from her son and looked to her father-in-law. “Debbie warned me not to. She said you’d try to talk me out of it and I knew that was true. And now, that’s been proved.”

“Go with me now,” Fin ordered, cutting in, his voice now hard, his eyes pinned to his mother. “Right now, get in my truck and go with me to the cemetery so you can actually spit on Dad’s grave rather than doin’ it like this.”

“Fin,” Rhonda whispered, eyes round, face shocked and horrified.

“He’d hate you for doin’ this, Ma. All his life he did nothin’ but love you but if he knew you were doin’ this, he’d hate you. He’d hate everything about you. He wouldn’t even wanna look at you,” Fin clipped, Rees got close and Mike tensed.

She put her hand on his chest, tipped her head back, leaned in and whispered, “Fin, let’s go for a walk.”

Fin lifted a hand and Mike tensed more but he just wrapped it around Rees’s and held it at his chest, his eyes never leaving his mother.

“And you know how I know that?” he asked quietly then answered his own question. “Because not five minutes ago, I sat in this room with my family, with friends, listenin’ to Aunt Dusty sing and No play and doin’ it knowin’ Dad would love to have been here for this. Dad would love this fuckin’ house filled with fuckin’ people he cared about, sharin’ time, doin’ nothin’, killin’ time in a sweet way waitin’ to eat. Doin’ nothin’ but doin’ it together which means it isn’t nothin’. It’s everything. And I’m my father’s son, he made me that way and, you takin’ that away from all of us, right now I hate you.”

Fin’s last three words were so rough they were ragged and Mike pulled in breath at the sound of them but Fin was done. He knew this because Fin dropped Rees’s hand but slid an arm around her shoulders, turning them both and walking out of the living room, through the entryway and right out the front door.

Mike turned back to the room, his eyes going to Dusty who had her head bent, her palms pressed to her forehead, fingers in her hair, visibly rubbed raw by the harshness of her nephew’s words but he didn’t look at her long.

This was because Kirby spoke.

“I can’t believe you,” he whispered and Mike saw he was struggling. He didn’t want to lose it but it was clear he was in a fight he wasn’t going to win and he didn’t. A tear escaped and slid down his cheek as he went on, “I can’t believe you’d do this to Fin, to me, to Aunt Dusty, Gramps, Dad. I can’t believe you.”

“Kirb, honey,” Rhonda started beseechingly, leaning forward and even reaching out a hand to her younger son. “You’re too young to understand but I’m doing the right thing for you and your brother.”

“No, you aren’t.” Kirb shook his head. “I don’t know what house you been livin’ in since forever but if you’ve been livin’ in this house with Dad, Fin and me you’d know you aren’t. You’re doin’ what Aunt Debbie wants you to do. You’re too weak and stupid to see she’s usin’ you. Dad knew what she was like. He even said it. He said it all the time around you. Did you even listen? Do you pay attention to anything? ‘Cause I don’t think you do. I don’t think you ever did. I think you’re the most selfish person I ever met because even before Dad died you just took and took from him and now you’re takin’ from me and Fin and Aunt Dusty and Gramps and all because you’re stupid and weak. Weak and stupid. That’s all you are. And with Dad gone, we gotta put up with it. Since he died, the way you been actin’, I’ve been wonderin’ if he was the way he was with you for you or to protect us from what you are. Now I’m thinkin’ it’s that last one.”

And with that, he got up, eyes to his feet and walked out of the room but he ran up the stairs and Mike heard his bedroom door slam.

Mike looked back to Rhonda to see she looked like she’d been struck.

But his eyes cut to Dusty because she spoke next.

“You deserved that,” her lyrical voice was vibrating with emotion and her eyes were locked on Rhonda. “You deserved every word both of them said. But they didn’t deserve to feel that way and you made them feel it. You carry that responsibility. If Darrin knew this was happening and you were aligning yourself with Debbie he’d lose his fucking mind. And he loved you, Rhonda, he loved you fiercely. But if he knew you made his sons feel like that, you put their future and this farm in jeopardy and why you have, make no mistake, he would set you out.”

Rhonda’s eyes filled with tears but Dusty wasn’t done.

“If you deposit that check, Rhonda, I’ll set you out. And I am not fucking joking.”

“You can’t turn me out of my own home,” Rhonda whispered, the tears starting to stream down her cheeks.

“Try me!” Dusty hissed, losing it and leaning forward.

“Angel,” Mike called gently and her eyes shot to him. “Try and calm down, sweetheart.”

She held his eyes then she sucked in breath.

Then she looked back at Rhonda and stated, “You made a very bad decision. Very bad. And you need to rectify that. Immediately. I’m not gonna tell you how to do that because you’re older than me, for God’s sake, and it’s time you grew the fuck up. And I’m not talking just about this shit with Debbie but that is definitely priority. I’m talking about you not snapping out of it and being a mother to your sons and the woman of this house. You need to kick in, now. If you don’t, Rhonda, I swear to God, you’ll regret it. No matter what Debbie is promising, no matter what she’s convinced you of, in your lifetime, you have not held down a job that can support you. And you just severed ties with the five people who have your back. Debbie does not like you. She is not going to take care of you. And you two, if you align with her, are not going to win this farm. So you gotta think fast and you gotta do it smart or you are going to lose everything. And I’ll point out the most important things you’ll lose are your sons. They’re slipping through your fingers and only you have the power to catch hold before they’re gone.”

Rhonda stared up at Dusty, face wet and getting wetter but Dusty was done.

She moved through the room saying to her father, “Tell Mom I’ll be back in a while to eat.” Then her eyes came to him and she whispered, “I gotta ride, babe.”

Then she was gone.

Rhonda got up and dashed out of the room, up the stairs and Mike heard another door slam.

Dean stalked out, muttering, “Gotta talk to Della.”

Mike, No and Rivera stood in the living room, silent.

“Welp!” Rivera ended the silence. “Kids wanted spring break in Disneyland. I like my roller coasters but, gotta say, this is a fuckuva lot more interesting.”

Mike clenched his teeth to stop himself from smiling. If No tried this he didn’t succeed but luckily his amusement came out in a low chuckle.

Mike looked between the two then told them, “I’m gonna go talk with Kirb.”

“Good luck with that, bro,” Rivera muttered, Mike shook his head at him then he walked out of the room, up the stairs and knocked on doors until he found Kirby.

Mike stood in the barn, back against the side of a stall, Blaise’s starred nose over the door. Moonshine’s stall was empty since Dusty was now on her back somewhere on the land. Rivera was three feet away, arms crossed on his chest, legs planted, eyes on Mike, ears peeled.

Mike was waiting for Dusty and he was on his phone. Rivera was waiting for an update.

“You gotta step this shit up, Ryker,” he said into the phone.

“I told you, this dude is slippery,” Ryker said back.

“He hit the sister-in-law. Don’t know how but do know she has a five thousand dollar check,” Mike informed him.

“Well, I do know that I hope like fuck the bitch hasn’t cashed it because of all the nothing I know about Bernie McGrath the one thing I do know about him is that he doesn’t take refunds for payoffs,” Ryker remarked.

“Is that all you got for me?” Mike asked.

“He’s in bed with the sister,” Ryker told him something else he knew.

So he informed Ryker of that. “Already know that, Ryker.”

“No, he’s in bed with her. Got an in close to this guy who don’t know much. What he does know is that there was some showdown a while ago, the bitch from DC was ticked and she showed at the office, spread her bitch love, stormed into McGrath’s inner sanctum and she worked out her anger by lettin’ McGrath fuck her on his desk. Apparently, the bitch is noisy and active. The computer fell off the desk. Everyone in the office heard it.”

Jesus.

“He’s since hit DC twice. Not business,” Ryker went on.

Only Debbie would end what had to be, from her disposition, a dry spell by letting a shady real estate mogul bang her.

Fuck.

Mike’s eyes went to Rivera. “I gotta make an approach to this guy that succeeds in gettin’ him to back off this land. This means I need intel, Ryker. Somethin’ that I can lean on him with. And I need to do this yesterday.”

“I hear you, man, but I’m tellin’ you he’s slippery and when I say that, I mean there’s a reason why. Only folks who got somethin’ to hide make an art outta bein’ slick. And this guy’s the master. He’s not wet. The man is lubed.”

Fuck a-fucking-gain.

Mike sighed and looked to his boots. “This means I gotta talk to Tanner.”

And pay him. Tanner had two boys and a wife and although he regularly did freebies out of the goodness of his heart, he still had a family to provide for. His Robin Hood act he played out for those who needed it and could not only not afford anyone near the talent of Tanner Layne but also anyone who was substandard.

But what Ryker couldn’t find, Tanner definitely had the skills to get. And if he didn’t have time, he could set his crotchety sidekick, Devin Glover on the job.

Mike’s back straightened away from the stall when Ryker stated, “He’s already in, bro. Rocky and her posse are worried about this business so she got all up in his. In a good way, if you get me. She gave him some, he asked me to brief him last week, I did and we’re workin’ this together.”

Mike was not surprised. He was pleased but not surprised. He’d watched more than once ‘Burg women take each other’s backs or, more to the point, activate the men in their lives who could do it.

So he muttered, “Right.”

“Just a side note, McGrath is married,” Ryker told him and Mike blinked.

“What?” he asked.

“He’s doin’ the nasty with the sister and even headin’ to DC to dip back into that but at home, he’s got a God-fearin’ woman who hits church every Sunday and Bible study every Wednesday night. Her Daddy was a preacher. Like you got on your hands with the sister-in-law, bro, Tanner and me feel the wife is the weak link but in a different way. This bitch talks to God and the way she acts, she thinks God talks back. They live in Plainfield and last fall, if you remember, they had that big bust up, those Bible thumpers burnin’ books. She was the mastermind behind that. Tanner is lookin’ at her the same time he’s got Devin lookin’ into seein’ if they got a pre-nup. See, it’d suck for him, her comin’ into the know that he’s got shady dealin’s and on top ‘a that is bangin’ some lawyer who lives in DC…in his office…for his entire staff to hear, and she gets shot of his ass and takes half of his hard-earned money with her.”

Finally, Ryker gave him something.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Mike asked.

“’Cause I got no proof he’s got shady dealings. I just got this in who told me about the sister and I got no proof of that either except a shitload of witnesses, all on his payroll so not one of ‘em is gonna talk. This woman is God fearin’ but that don’t make her stupid. She gets pissed and wants shot of his ass, she’ll want proof. And that’s what Tanner and me are workin’ toward.”

“That’ll take some time, Ryker,” Mike told him what he had to know.

“I know that, bro,” Ryker confirmed he knew. “So in the meantime, you hold your woman’s shit tight. You find that check. You burn it. And you sit on the sister-in-law. Freeze out McGrath. While he’s scramblin’ to find another in, Tanner and I hopefully will find your out.”

Mike took in a breath.

Ryker wasn’t done.

“Might help, might not, I don’t know how much she knows but you might wanna clue in the sister that her new fuck buddy’s got a ball and chain. She’s feelin’ the love through more than orgasms, she might not be happy to hear he’s not available. And this might make her less inclined to do business with this fuckin’ guy.”

Mike smiled, liking the idea of sharing this news with Debbie.

“I’m on that,” he told Ryker.

“Bet you are,” Ryker muttered, a grin in his voice.

“I’ll call Tanner. We need a sit down, tomorrow,” Mike stated.

“I’ll be there. Now I gotta go. I gotta an ass to ream since my girl was supposed to do the dishes an hour ago and she’s still on the fuckin’ phone with one of her boyfriends.”

Mike grinned at his boots. His “girl” wasn’t his by blood. She was his woman’s. But when she’d been put in danger, he’d laid claim to her and when Ryker lays claim, there’s no letting go. Then again, what Mike had seen of that unusual family, none of them were going to loosen their hold.

“Right. See you tomorrow,” Mike said.

“Later, bro,” Ryker replied then disconnected.

“Feel like sittin’ in on this meeting,” Rivera stated the second Mike took the phone from his ear and Mike looked at him.

“I’ll give you as much notice as I can and the address,” Mike instantly agreed.

“Now, before Dusty gets back, give me the brief you just got from your informant.”

Mike nodded and was just finishing doing that when Dusty rode Moonshine in through the opened double doors of the barn. He saw in the dim lights that illuminated the space that she was no longer furious but that didn’t mean she wasn’t preoccupied.

She stopped the gray and her eyes swung back and forth between Mike and Rivera. She tipped her chin up but she didn’t smile. Then she dismounted and, hand curled around the reins, led the horse to them.

“I see the house is still standing and didn’t explode while I was gone,” she remarked. “Is everything okay?”

“Your Mom is keepin’ dinner warm. Rhonda is barricaded in her bedroom, your Mom tried twice to get in but the door’s locked. I talked Kirby down to spend time with No. By the time Rivera and I walked out here, Fin and Reesee were back. She’d calmed him down so he’s not pissed way the fuck off, he’s just pissed off. She got him playin’ some game with Adriana and Joaquin. And I just got a brief from Ryker,” Mike filled her in.

“And your brief?” she prompted.

“More fun for you, you give me your phone,” Mike replied and her head tipped to the side.

“Sorry?”

“Give me your phone, Angel,” Mike said quietly.

She studied him then reached to her back pocket and pulled out her phone. She handed it to him; Mike touched the screen, went to contacts and found Debbie.

Then he hit go and put it to his ear.

“I have not one thing to say to you, bitch,” was Debbie’s charming greeting.

“You don’t have Dusty, you got Mike,” Mike informed her.

There was a moment of silence before she recovered and mostly repeated, “Well, I have not one thing to say to you, either.”

“Good, ‘cause I don’t wanna listen to you. But I got somethin’ to say that you’ll wanna know. Bernie McGrath is married. I don’t know if you’re lettin’ him bang you for the fun of it or if you see rings in your future. If you do, you got another game to play, scrapin’ his wife off. Word is, she’s a good Christian woman and she lets everyone know it. Don’t know her, don’t know how much of a challenge she’ll be for you. Do know Bernie’s pretty tied to Indiana so if your hopes are high and you pull that shit off, it’s you who’ll be packin’ boxes. And one more thing,” Mike added. “That check McGrath gave Rhonda will be burned tonight. He can try again and maybe he’ll succeed. We’ll see. Every member of your family threw down against her tonight and I’ve been gettin’ to know Rhonda pretty well. No way she’ll bear up against that pressure. By some miracle she does, she’s out on her ass and even her boys agree with that. Congratulations, you’ve brought a grieving widow low and ripped a family apart. But if you’re thinkin’ she’s your ace, you need a re-deal. McGrath’s phone call tonight tipped your hand, we all know the cards you got and you don’t got dick.”

He took the phone from his hear still hearing her hissed, “Fuck you, Mike,” but that was all he heard before he disconnected. Then he flipped the switch on the side to turn the ringer off and shoved it in his back pocket.

Then he looked at his woman to see she was grinning.

And seeing her grin, the clutch he hadn’t really noticed with all this shit going down that had a hold on his chest released.

“Wish you’d have let me do that,” she said through her grin.

Mike grinned back. “Sorry, sweetheart. That was selfish of me.”

Her grin got bigger. Mike gave himself a second to take it in then his faded and he cut his eyes to Rivera.

“I’m guessin’ in Texas they teach you how to do a search,” he noted.

“Yup,” Rivera replied.

“We got a check to find,” Mike pointed out.

“Yup,” Rivera agreed.

“You know how to pick a lock?” Mike asked.

“Nope, but I know how to bust a door open and, you do that, it makes it harder to lock again,” Rivera returned.

Dusty emitted a low chuckle.

Mike looked at her. “Take that as permission?”

She threw her arm out behind her, inviting, “Have at it. I’ll take care of Moonshine and be in to help.”

“You want us to save the door bustin’ for you?” Rivera offered and Dusty emitted a much heartier chuckle.

“Uh…no,” she declined. “I’ll leave that to those with more experience. But give me ten minutes, I wanna watch.”

“You got it,” Rivera muttered then moved to walk from the barn.

Mike kept his eyes on his woman and said quietly, “Come here, honey, and kiss me. Fast. I got work to do.”

She led her horse to him, put her hand on his chest, tipped her head back and went up on her toes. He dipped his down and brushed his mouth against hers.

When he lifted up an inch, he held her eyes and his face was serious.

“I’m gonna make this okay,” he promised and her body leaned deeper into his.

“Mike –”

“I don’t give a shit what I gotta do, Angel, I’m gonna make this okay.”

She pressed her lips together. Then she ducked her head and planted her face in his chest beside her hand for a second. Then she tipped it back again, caught his eyes and nodded.

“Take care of your horse,” he ordered. “I’ll see you inside.”

“All right, honey.”

Mike lifted both his hands, cupped her jaws, brought her up to him and kissed her forehead.

Then he went inside to corral Dean, Fin, No, Rees and Kirby to find a check.

“Mike?”

He heard it from behind him but just barely. He was standing in the kitchen doorway watching the game of Junior Trivial Pursuit being played in teams at the kitchen table. He opted to be odd man out, a fortunate occurrence that everyone was too focused on setting up the game and getting their favorite colored pie for anyone to dispute.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Rhonda there.

The last time he saw her, she’d been curled up on her bed while Dean and Rivera searched her room. They’d found the check in her nightstand. Clearly she’d not made much of an effort to hide it.

Dean burned it himself, throwing the ashes into the fireplace in the living room.

“Can we talk?” she asked, shifting and motioning behind her to the living room.

Mike didn’t want to talk to Rhonda. He was pissed at her because of what she’d done to her family. Obviously Dusty in particular but watching Fin and Kirb struggle through emotions they should not be having three months after their forty-four year old father died in the snow was something he would not forget. And he was pissed because they wouldn’t either.

But he jerked up his chin, pushed away from the jamb and followed her down the hall.

She didn’t close the doors and she didn’t delay.

Her head tipped back, her eyes sought his and she asked straight out, “You got two kids, do you think I’m doin’ wrong?”

“Absolutely,” Mike replied immediately and watched her flinch.

She recovered and told him, “I’m tryin’ to do right.”

“You’re failing,” he returned and got another flinch.

She pulled it together and started, “If Darrin were here, he’d –”

But Mike interrupted her. “He’s not here, Rhonda.”

That got him another flinch.

She struggled that time and Mike gave her the time to pull her shit together but that was all he was giving her. He knew he was being a dick but she was a grown woman and she’d hurt people he cared about. This had gone on too long, it started ugly and got uglier and she was part of the reason for that. It was time for her to step the fuck up.

Then she said softly, “I got you and Dusty together.”

She wanted to score points and he’d long suspected that was the reason behind her visit with the diaries months ago. Dusty had told him Darrin wanted them together and Rhonda had taken that in.

“Actually, we were already together and what you did nearly drove us apart,” Mike shared and she blinked.

“What?” she whispered.

“It was me who listened to you, read those diaries you left and acted like a dick who did it. That’s on me, I take responsibility for that. You might have had good intentions, like I see you believe you have with what’s goin’ down with this farm, but in the end, you betrayed her. You shared a secret that wasn’t yours to share. I acted on that knowledge for reasons of my own and I’m fuckin’ lucky she accepted my apology and gave me another shot or I would not have what I have now. You might have thought you were doin’ right but I’m seein’ a pattern here of you thinkin’ that and doin’ wrong. Darrin may have been your go-to guy to help you assess the decisions you made or he may have just made them for you. Whatever way that went, it isn’t there anymore. Day to day shit, Rhonda, you’re a big girl. You gotta take care of yourself and your boys. But the big shit, you can’t deal, you find someone to help and you be smart about that. Dusty was being harsh for reasons that were understandable and even deserved considering she’s gone way beyond the call of duty to take your back. But she was right. Debbie does not like you. She talks trash about you. And now she’s usin’ you. In this house you got three people who you can go to for advice. No, I’ll amend that and say four since Fin’s got a good head on his shoulders. Use them. They’d be happy to oblige.”

“Debbie talks trash about me?” she asked softly, her expression both surprised and pained.

“Debbie’s a bitch, Rhonda. She’s bitter. She’s twisted. And she’s usin’ you to hurt Dusty. It cannot have escaped your notice they don’t get along and I know this because you mentioned that exact thing to me. But Debbie has always been just that…Debbie. You picked the wrong advisor to guide you through this tough time in your life. It’s time to make a different choice.”

She held his eyes, swallowed then whispered, “Did this farm kill my husband?”

“No,” Mike answered instantly.

“Debbie says –”

“Debbie lied.”

“But –”

“Your husband was tremendously fit other than the fact that he had a near undetectable heart condition that he’s had since birth. That killed him. This farm did not.”

She licked her lips then rubbed them together before telling him, “I want my boys to be happy.”

“Then wake up and look around. Their Aunt Dusty is back, she’s stayin’ and they both come alive around her. Fin’s got a girl he cares about a great deal. They like family and they got family all around. This is a tough time for them, losin’ their Dad but other shit’s goin’ down and there are a lotta people bustin’ their asses to cushion them from that. The only one they got close who isn’t doin’ that is the one who should be bustin’ her ass the most. And that’s you.”

She did the lip rubbing thing again and Mike watched, seeking patience and wondering how the fuck Darrin put up with this shit for twenty years. Then again, he put up with a different kind of shit from Audrey for fifteen so he was in no position to judge.

Then she asked, “What they…all they said earlier…what…do you…do you think Darrin would –?”

“Absolutely,” Mike cut her off to reply.

Tears filled her eyes and she whispered, “Really?”

“Darrin Holliday loved three things best in this world, you, his boys and this land. You hurt those boys and put this farm in danger. So yeah, he’d be pissed as all hell at you. He knew you. He loved you because of who you are. This is true. But he would not understand this, he wouldn’t like it and he’d do somethin’ about it and I don’t think you’d like what he’d do.”

She looked away, face pale, tears brimming and murmured, “Maybe I should call Debbie and –”

Mike interrupted again.

“No.”

Her eyes came back to him.

“My advice?” he asked and she nodded. “Do not talk to Debbie at all. Do not talk to Bernie McGrath. Do not talk to anyone who works for McGrath. Help Dusty with her horses. Help her with her pottery. Help Della with this house. Do what you can to help get that crop in the ground. Stop watching TV. Stop sulking in your fuckin’ bedroom. Take an interest in your boys’ lives before you lose them both to maturity as well as emotionally. And do everything in your power to keep this farm in the family.”

She studied him a moment before she nodded, thank Christ.

“We done?” he asked.

“We’re done,” she answered then added, “Thanks, Mike.”

“It’ll be me thankin’ you if you start contributing to this family.”

She took in a breath.

Then she nodded again.

Mike nodded back and turned to leave but, Rhonda calling his name, he turned back.

The tears were in her eyes again as she whispered, “I miss him.”

“A lotta people do. But you aren’t honoring his memory by falling apart.”

She swallowed again then nodded.

Mike studied her for a moment then he thought, fuck it, and finished laying it out.

“Way I see your relationship with your husband, it was a lot of Darrin givin’ and a lot of you takin’. He was cool with that so I pass no judgment. But he gave you so much, Rhonda, there’s some tank inside you that’s gotta be filled. Find it, tap into it and use it. Darrin left that to you. You want to honor his memory, take all he gave to you, use it and move on.”

A tear slid out of her eye and down her cheek.

She again nodded.

Mike was pissed at her, he didn’t get her but in that moment, she looked so fucking lost, he felt sorry for her.

He didn’t let this thought move him.

He simply nodded back and walked away.

Mike stared at the dark pillow.

Ten minutes ago, Dusty had carefully slid away from him, rummaged through the room quietly and she, with Layla’s dog tags following her, went out to the balcony closing the door on the cool air coming in.

It was the middle of the night. She was troubled. He had been giving her time.

Now he was done giving her time.

He threw the covers back, angled out of bed and pawed through the shadowed clothes on the floor until he found a sweater. Then he tugged it on and moved to the balcony.

Layla was already at the door waiting for him and therefore Dusty’s neck was twisted, her eyes turned to him as he stepped out.

He bent and sifted his fingers through the fur on his dog’s ruff as he walked the short distance to her. Then he slid his arms around her stomach and fitted his front to her back, resting his jaw against the side of her head when she turned it to face forward again.

“What’s eatin’ you?” he asked on a whisper.

“Do you think Rhonda listened to you?” she asked back also on a whisper.

He’d given her a blow-by-blow of the conversation.

“I think she listened to Fin then to Kirb and what I said cemented what they said. So, yeah. I think tonight, even though it was shit, one thing on your plate got sorted because the boys broke through.”

She nodded and eased some of her weight into him.

He took it.

“That all?” he asked when she said no more and kept her eyes on the farm without moving.

“No,” she answered.

“Give it to me,” he ordered, squeezing her with his arms.

She hesitated then said quietly, “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

“How ‘bout you let me be the judge of that.”

He felt her draw in breath.

Then she whispered, “Something’s coming, Mike.”

His body went solid.

She twisted her neck and her head slid across his chest as she tipped it back to look at him and he did the same but looking down on her.

“I feel it. Cold in my bones. Deep down. I’ve never felt anything like it. But I can’t deny I feel it. Something’s coming. Something bad.”

Jesus, fuck, Mike felt the same goddamned thing.

He didn’t share that.

Instead he said, “We’ll be okay.”

“I’m not a worrier, Mike and I’m not worried. I’m beyond that. Honest to God, I’m scared.”

Jesus, fuck.

“We’ll be okay.”

“How can you know that?” she asked.

“Because I’m gonna make it so.”

She stared at him then he watched in the moonlight as her face got soft.

Then she gave him a precious gift. Better than her mouth wrapped around his dick. Better than the music she sang that night. Better than any of her smiles.

“I believe you.”

Those three words burned the second hole of that day through his heart but that hole immediately filled up with something far better than the muscle that had been there before.

And to communicate his appreciation, Mike dropped his head and took her mouth. She turned in his arms then wound hers around his shoulders. He held the kiss as he bent and lifted her in his arms.

Then he took her to his bed.

Then he took her in his bed.

Then he fell asleep tangled up in Dusty.