Love Under Two Introverts [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  The Lusty, Texas Collection

  Love Under Two Introverts

  Clayton Dorchester moves himself and his children to Lusty after the death of his wife. Clay needed the comfort of family and to keep his oldest from big-city temptations.

  Gord Jessop has fallen in love with Tasha Garwood. Convincing Clay that he’s too shy to make a move toward Tasha himself, he talks his friend into the perfect solution. They can court her together. Gord knows that Clay is half in love with Tasha. He figures a bit of Lusty-style living and loving will mend his best friend’s broken heart, as well as make his own dreams of having a family finally come true.

  Tasha is already gone over not only both men, but Clay’s kids as well. But she’s afraid that once they know her secret they’ll no longer want her. As these three wounded souls find their way together, a threat emerges that baffles and confounds them, and puts all their hopes for a happy ever after at risk.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 82,242 words

  LOVE UNDER TWO INTROVERTS

  The Lusty, Texas Collection

  Cara Covington

  MENAGE EVERLASTING

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

  LOVE UNDER TWO INTROVERTS

  Copyright © 2014 by Cara Covington

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-721-1

  First E-book Publication: May 2014

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Love Under Two Introverts by Cara Covington from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Cara Covington’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Covington’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  As always, to my husband, David. Thank you for inspiring me, and for supporting my dream.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENT

  Thank you to my readers who continue to awe and inspire me with their love of all things Lusty. Special thanks go to Lisa, an amazing admin, and the fabulous folks of my street team, The Lusty Ladies. You people continue to show me, every day, that I have the very best readers in the world!

  Thank you to my Beta reader, Stormy, for her awesome insights and her sacrifice of time. It’s very much appreciated.

  Thank you to the polished and professional team at Siren-BookStrand. You dedicated women and men make me look good. I am grateful to my wonderful publisher, Diana, every day, because she said “yes.”

  I owe a debt of gratitude that I never will be able to repay. Eleven years ago, I met a Canadian author who’d just celebrated the publication of her second book. From that first meeting we clicked. During our first conversation, she mentioned that she was beginning an “online writers’ group” on her website. She asked me if I would be interested in becoming a member.

  Of course, I said yes.

  Thus was born the most amazing venue and opportunity any aspiring author could ever hope for. In the beginning, there were about a dozen of us—all eager to grow our craft, all dreaming of success. We made friends, and we learned, and we shared, and we worked.

  That group grew and expanded, and knew success. At its acme, we numbered close to forty.

  Of those who participated over the years, there are many who achieved their dreams of becoming published authors. We run the gamut from paranormal, urban fantasy, steampunk, to erotic romance. Some of us are e-published, some traditional print published, and a few are self-published. Some of us have won awards, and among our numbers there is a RITA (Romance Writers of America) award winner, and a Poconos Mountains Film Festival award-winning screenwriter.

  This past March, as we know these things must, the OWG came to an end.

  I don’t know of anyone who has done more to promote aspiring authors than Kelley Armstrong.

  I am where I am today because shortly after joining that group, one day, Kelley said to me, “Come on, Morgan, let’s go to the RT Convention in Daytona Beach. It’ll be fun!”

  We did, and it was, and I met my publisher. Kelley helped me with that initial pitch, and even from the first book that I published, treated me as an equal—she’d already treated me as a friend.

  Thank you, Kelley. More than words can say.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgment

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  About the Author

  LOVE UNDER TWO INTROVERTS

  The L
usty, Texas Collection

  CARA COVINGTON

  Copyright © 2014

  Prologue

  Toronto, Canada, Spring 2013

  It had been an awfully long, utterly heartbreaking day.

  There’s just something about a funeral that can level a soul. Of course, Kate never attended a funeral anymore where she wasn’t mentally and emotionally put right back in Lusty, as first her beloved Gerald and then, just a couple of year later, her Patrick were laid to rest. Oh, that is such selfish self-pity! Yes, it was, but it was also, for the most part, a very human response to a universally human tragedy.

  Many of the guests at this post-internment reception were taking their leave. Kate felt all of her ninety-two years for the first time in a very long time. She understood the reason, of course. They’d just said their final good-byes to her beautiful granddaughter, Victoria Dorchester.

  Vicky had been far too young to die. Just thirty-nine, she’d succumbed to an unexpected heart attack in her sleep. Her poor, dear Clayton—the only piece she had left of her sweet little girl, Maria—had awakened to find his wife gone, and himself suddenly and tragically left alone with their three beautiful children.

  Kate sat on one of the small sofas in the reception room of the funeral home, a cup of coffee cooling on the end table beside her. She and her sons Caleb and Jonathan, along with her daughter-in-law Bernice, had flown up the moment Clayton had called with the news. They’d arrived the next day and done what they could to help. Just as Clay was all she had left of Maria, she and hers were all he had left of his birth family, too.

  At the moment, her sons and Bernice were talking with some of Vicky’s family and the friends who’d also rallied to support her grandson. She noted the way Bernice and the boys stayed close to Clayton, not too close, but there, nearby, so he would know he wasn’t alone.

  “Grandma Kate, Mr. Freckles is tired.”

  Kate turned to look at little Bonnie, her great-granddaughter. Not yet nine, the little one had held up very well throughout the grueling ordeal. Clay had let the children decide if they wanted to participate in the ritual of visitation and funeral service, or not. She’d seen the pride in his eyes when all three of them, led by twelve-year-old Shaun, had banded together and informed him they were going to be there for him and for their mother.

  Kate gave Bonnie a gentle smile. “It’s been a very hard few days for Mr. Freckles, hasn’t it, sweetheart? But he did a good job, and so did you.”

  “Can I sit with you, Grandma?”

  “Of course you can.” Kate reached for the child, and would have settled her in on the cushion beside her. Although she’d visited a couple of times a year, she hadn’t been a constant figure in Bonnie’s life, and so was mindful of respecting the little girl’s boundaries.

  Instead of settling beside her, though, Bonnie climbed up onto her lap and hunkered down.

  Kate wrapped an arm around her and snuggled her in.

  “Grandma, do you think Mommy is in heaven like that man in the black suit said?”

  “I do, indeed. But I know someplace else where she is, too.”

  Bonnie lifted her head and met Kate’s gaze. “You do? Where?”

  Kate tapped the child’s chest. “She’s right there in your heart. And when you are really lonely, or sad, or even scared, you will be able to feel her love comforting you.”

  “I wish she was here and hugging me for real.”

  “So do I, baby. Oh, so very much, do I.”

  Bonnie laid her head against Kate’s chest, snuggled her stuffed dog in close, and sighed. For a long time they sat in silence, just the two of them. Kate knew that Mr. Freckles wasn’t the only one who was tired, and continued to hold the child as she drifted off to sleep. After a while, Mark, ten years old and very quiet on this day, came over and sat down next to her. She slipped her free arm around him and said nothing as he laid his head against her, too. Shaun stayed by his father’s side, doing his best to be a man. But in his eyes Kate read not only sorrow, but anger.

  She couldn’t blame the boy one little bit.

  Finally, the last guest had left, and only immediate family remained. On Vicky’s side, that was just her mother, Doris Mart, Mrs. Mart’s sister, Lorene, and a couple of second cousins.

  Clay came over and pulled a chair closer, then settled down to Kate’s left.

  “Do you want me to take her, Grandma? She must be heavy by now.”

  “Rest for a bit yourself first, sweetheart. I never mind holding a grandchild—or a great-grandchild.”

  “I haven’t said it, but thank you. Thank you for coming so quickly all the way from Texas, for being here for the last few days. For being here for me—for us.”

  “You’re welcome. But you don’t have to thank me, Clayton. You’re mine.”

  “Son, there’s no place we’d rather be than with family when they need us.” Caleb handed Clay a bottle of water, and sat down in the chair next to him.

  Bernice and Jonathan were chatting with Vicky’s kin, the sound of conversation quiet and almost soothing.

  “We’re going to continue to be available to you, Clayton, in the days and weeks to come. If you need anything, anything at all, you’ve only to ask.” Kate wanted to say more, but she reckoned her grandson had taken all he could. He’d been unable to truly grieve, save those few minutes during the service, and again, at the graveside. She understood, of course. He was a father first, one whose main focus and top priority had to be his children.

  “I’m going to tell you something, just so you have it in reserve,” Caleb said. “Because God knows you can’t think now, nor should you be expected to.” Her son met her gaze and Kate gave him the barest nod. They’d discussed this, even as they’d flown northward. “There’s a place for you and the children in Lusty. There’s family every damn where, there, and room a plenty for you and your children. Don’t consider it now. Just know it, and as I said, keep it in reserve.”

  “We’ll do what we can for you while you’re here, and if you decide to stay here,” Kate said. “Remember, we’re only a phone call, and a plane ride, away.”

  “You’re right, I can’t think. But I am grateful, and believe me, I do appreciate that I have family.”

  “Have you spoken to Gordon?” Kate knew that her grandson and Gord Jessop, the town’s perennial bachelor, had been good friends since boyhood. She doubted they’d been face-to-face more than a dozen times in their lives. Yet their bond had been instantaneous, and had lasted all these years.

  “Yes, we talked on Skype last night. He’s looking better. That cold really had him in a mess.” Clayton smiled, and Kate imagined he was recalling the teasing he’d sent his distant cousin and good friend the week before. Having spoken to Gord prior to leaving for Toronto, she knew that had been the last time they’d spoken before Vicky’s passing.

  “I’m glad the two of you talked. Is there anything you need right now? Other than to go home and be with your babies?”

  “You know me well, Grandma. That’s exactly what I need right now.”

  “Then that’s what you should do. We’ll go back to the hotel and I think we’ll order in tonight.”

  They helped him get his children home, and then they retired to their hotel in the heart of the city. Two days later, after another evening spent together, Kate and her sons and Bernice headed home. She told Clayton she’d be in touch, and reminded him that he and the children were welcome in Lusty.

  Three months later, Clayton called her.

  “Grandmother, I need your help.”

  “What is it, sweet boy?”

  “Shaun’s been having a lot of trouble and now he’s beginning to get into a lot of trouble. I think we need to get out of this very large city.”

  “Come to Lusty, Clayton.”

  “I think that’s exactly what I want to do.”

  “We’ll send one of the Lear Jets to Toronto when you’re ready. You just let me know.”

  And just a month and a
half later, Clayton and his children moved to Lusty, Texas. And Lusty immediately, and with great warmth, welcomed them home.

  Chapter 1

  February, 2014

  The unexpected noise really didn’t frighten her. Tasha Garwood paused in the act of closing up the Lusty Glow Day Spa for the day, making sure the lights in the back had been turned off and that all of the appliances used to keep moist towels hot had been unplugged. Likewise, she turned off the special heaters for the paraffin wax that was used for eyebrow and bikini waxing and for some of the pedis and the manis, too.

  A fire could start so easily. It only took a moment to be safe.

  The scratching noise came again, only now that she’d been listening for it, she realized it wasn’t a scratching noise, so much as a snuffling noise.

  In her younger days, Tasha had worked a few summers at charity events and even a couple of county fairs. She’d earned a lot of tips as Madam Mysterious, the fortune-teller who knew all and saw all. It was a great way to earn money, and easy enough to capitalize on her exotic gypsy-like looks.

  Only her parents knew there was more to the gig than playing a make-believe psychic.

  Tasha had always been able to focus, to draw into herself and open herself up and know certain things. She closed her eyes and did that now, almost without conscious thought.

  And popped her eyes open again a few seconds later. Consternation filled her for the space of a heartbeat. Why me, Lord? And then she mentally slapped herself.

  She was nearly twenty-eight years old, an adult, fully grown. She was old enough to understand that sometimes life threw crap that was damned hard to deal with. She’d never been one to mope over those times. She handled whatever came her way and moved on because she was an adult.