Page 21 of Rainwater

Ellie felt that persistent little flutter in her heart when she looked at Tucker.

Quiet and serious, the sixteen-year-old had been her friend for as long as she could remember.

He didn’t smile often, but when he did, it was all that more devastating in its rarity.

It was only now that she seemed to be having a problem breathing whenever he was around.

He kept his distance from all the other kids at school, but there had always been something about him that drew her.

“Jay, why don’t you leave her alone?” Tucker persisted, and Ellie got the impression that he was deliberately avoiding her eyes.

“Shut up, you little bastard, and don’t get in my way,” Jay snarled without taking his eyes off Jennifer. “So come on, Jennifer, give me what you owe me.”

“There’s only one thing larger than your overinflated ego,” she said. “The Goodyear Blimp. I have no interest in a relationship with you now or ever! Leave me alone! Ellie, let’s go.”

Jay grabbed Jennifer’s upper arms, his mean eyes narrowing in threatening malice. “You’re not going anywhere until I get the kiss you owe me.”

There were low murmuring in the diner, but no one intervened. No one wanted to draw Jay’s viciousness to them.

“Let go of my mom, you bully,” Ellie demanded, jumping out of her seat, her dark green eyes flashing.

“Ellie, go out and sit in the truck and wait for me.”

“Yes, Mom,” Ellie said.

Ellie went to leave the booth, and Stuart, Jay’s youngest brother, blocked her way.

Ellie’s little chin lifted and her eyes narrowed. “You’re blocking my way, Mr. Butler. Would you kindly move?” There was steel in Ellie’s voice, and Jennifer couldn’t keep the half smile from her lips. God, was she her mother’s child!

Stuart pulled on her braid and Ellie lifted her foot and stomped on his booted one. When he didn’t move, Ellie said, “Even a dumb animal knows to move when he’s prodded.”

Stuart stepped back in surprise. Ellie continued with acid sweetness, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you guys any manners?”

Tucker tried to muscle his uncle out of the way. “Leave her alone, Stuart. She’s just a kid.”

His voice was different, deeper, protective. Ellie had never heard him use that tone before. He’d always been so quiet, so polite.

Stuart raised his arm and backhanded Tucker across the mouth. Ellie gasped and gave Stuart a venomous look. “You mean bully,” she cried as she slipped out of the booth, squeezing by him.

Tucker lay on the floor, cupping his face.

She touched his shoulder gently and he flinched, but his eyes reached for hers.

They were darker and deeper then she expected, full of mystery and magic, and her young heart gave another little lurch.

She pressed a napkin to his bleeding lip, and smiling softly, she asked, “Are you okay?”

“Smart-mouthed kid. Smart-mouthed mother,” Jay drawled. “The two of you are peas in a pod.”

“I think you’ve got it wrong, Butler. You’re the one with the smart mouth. Too bad those smarts don’t extend to your brain.”

Corey’s unnerving turquoise gaze captured Stuart’s attention. “Don’t touch the boy again, cowboy.”

Jennifer caught her breath and her eyes went immediately to the source of that deep, compelling voice.

He stood with his hip thrown out in mock relaxation, one thumb hooked in the loop of his jeans, and the other lying against the smooth leather of the saddlebags draped over his shoulder.

His hat was pulled low over his remarkable eyes, his smile was lazy, but edged with cold steel.

His stance did nothing to alleviate the threat radiating off him like shock waves moving soundlessly through the still air.

He looked as if he was chastising four children instead of facing down four hostile men who had already beaten him once.

Jay stiffened, then turned around to face Corey. “You still in town, chief? I thought you would be long gone by now,” he mocked snidely.

Corey heard the gloating tone in the man’s voice, saw the smug smile crawl across his florid beefy face.

Bullies. He hated them and he knew why. His father had been one, and Jay wasn’t any different.

Jay was afraid of him. He could see it in his eyes.

And from experience, he knew that bullies were afraid of the people who could defend themselves and cruel to the ones who couldn’t.

“No, I’m stuck here for a while, at least. My motorcycle was vandalized and I was mugged.”

“Well, now, ain’t that a crying shame.” Jay smiled and his brothers all laughed. “Yeah, a crying shame, indeed. Me and my brothers were out honky-tonking a couple nights ago and we were real near the motel, but we didn’t see no one.”

“No, I reckon you didn’t. You were too busy beating the hell out of me.” Corey’s eyes narrowed and a thin smile appeared on his lips when Jay stepped back involuntarily.

“You’ve got two good legs…still,” Jay said threateningly, but with less heat. “Why don’t you walk out of town?”

“Well, I’d like to oblige you, Butler, but I’ve got myself a commitment.” The grim warning in Corey’s tone made Jay pale.

“What commitment?” he sneered with an insinuating tone. “The lovely Jennifer’s bodyguard?”

Corey’s anger rose when he heard the snickering. Jay and his brothers circled him like coyotes surrounding a sleek black panther.

“No. Her foreman. She hired me. We had a bargain, Jay, but you didn’t keep up your end, so I’ll be sticking around.”

He heard Jennifer’s quick intake of breath, but didn’t dare take his eyes off Jay and his brothers. Jennifer had pointed out each one, by name, on one of their trips into town. Now he noticed that Jay was the smallest of the four. The others were bigger, and they certainly outnumbered him.

Well, he’d been in tougher fixes. He was in one now with a gorgeous redhead.

When he’d been rodeoing, he learned a good offense was better than a good defense.

Corey charged before they even realized what he intended.

He caught Clovis in the chin, and the man sunk like a ton of bricks.

He whirled, taking a hard punch to the chin that rocked him back, but he deftly ducked the next swing coming up with a punch to the soft flesh of Jackson’s underarm.

The man sucked in his breath sharply, the pain etched on his face.

Emmett grabbed him around the neck, his forearm cutting off his windpipe while Jay hit him in the stomach. Corey’s ribs pretested violently, but he ignored the excruciating pain. Suddenly the pressure on his throat was loosened, and Corey was able to block the next punch.

He looked over to see Jennifer still holding the napkin dispenser that she’d used to hit Emmett.

Her face showed her surprise, and a sudden wild look sprang to her eyes, followed by a smile.

Corey returned her grin, then looked at Ellie, she was covering her mouth in surprise after she’d deliberately tripped Stuart.

He laughed out loud, suddenly feeling very light and airy.

Jay helped his brothers up and they regrouped, arguing with one another. The bell on the door jingled and the sheriff strode in. “Problem, boys?” He touched his hand to his holster and gave them all a penetrating gaze.

Jay responded in the negative and all four Butlers exited the diner.

Corey wiped the blood off his lip. The throbbing ache in his ribs traveled in slow waves all through his body.

Suddenly a burst of clapping started in the corner of the room until the whole diner joined in.

Still feeling as light as a cloud, he ignored the clapping, smiling people.

He was annoyed at them for not stepping in and helping two children and a beautiful woman, so that he could have gotten on that bus and already been away from here.

Away from these painful wants and needs.

Hell, who was he kidding? These painful wants and needs would have just followed him.

Corey walked painfully over to the boy and helped him up, giving Ellie a smile of encouragement. “You okay, kid?”

Tucker flushed and nodded, then brushed past Corey and exited the diner.

Ellie ran after Tucker. She caught him by the arm, and when he refused to turn around, she walked around him. “Are you okay?”

“No. I have a mean-spirited bastard for a father who likes to pick on women and children because that’s all he can intimidate. God, they’re like a pack of rabid wolves.”

“Tucker, you came to help me. I appreciate that.”

He flushed. “Fat lot of good I was.”

“You were wonderful.” She took the bloody napkin out of his hand and dabbed his split lip. “Want me to kiss it and make it better?” Ellie didn’t know where the words had come from, but suddenly she felt awkward as Tucker stepped back, obviously uncomfortable, as well.

He flushed again and jammed his hands into his pockets. “Um, so are you going with me tonight to dig night crawlers, or what?” he asked testily.

Ellie was so relieved to have the topic changed that she quickly nodded. “For sure. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Great,” Tucker mumbled and brushed past her, calling out gruffly, “See you around, kid.”

Corey had Jennifer by the arm and was leading her out of the diner when Ellie entered. “Ellie, who was he?” Corey asked.

“People say that Jay fathered him, but I heard he raped Tucker’s mother.”

“What do you know about rape, Ellie? You’re only thirteen years old.”

“Yeah, but I know about sex, Corey.”

He looked over at Jennifer, who only shrugged her shoulders. “She would have found out about it from less reliable sources. I just thought she should hear it from her mother.”

Corey shook his head in resignation and his attention shifted back to Ellie. Gravely, he said, “Rape is not about sex, Ellie.”

Ellie slowly nodded her head as if she’d known all along.

“Corey…” Jennifer started but never got to finish.

“Don’t say a word. Just get in the truck.” He moved through the booths as people reached out to clasp his hand and give him the thumbs-up.