Page 56 of Burning Skies
“Mint chocolate, please.”
After I put half a banana in each bowl, I add a scoop of ice cream and hand it to her. Then I lean against the counter across from her as we eat our dessert. She smiles. “Thank you. I needed this.”
“My pleasure.”
We don’t say much as we eat. I’m still shocked she’s here.
When she’s done, she puts her bowl down. “Have you always been this nice?”
“Pretty much.”
She laughs. “Beau Walker, I don’t know what to do about you.”
“You confuse the hell outta me too, princess.” I set down my bowl and cross the aisle to brace my arms on either side of her. She opens her legs, letting me slide closer. “This is reckless.”
She rests her arms on my shoulders. “Out of control.”
I don’t know how honest I should be, but I’m tired of being guarded around her. “If we go down this road, you might regret it.”
Reaching up, she cups my face. “You might regret it more.”
“Not sure I could ever regret you, darlin’.” I kiss her forehead.
“Even if my brother runs you over with his truck?”
“You heard about that, huh?” The worry in her eyes does me in. “I can handle myself, Honey. I’m not gonna get hurt.”
“Please don’t challenge Trig. He’s not himself right now. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but he’s angry all the time, and I’m afraid you’ll find yourself in his crosshairs.”
“I’ll do my best to stay out of his way. We go long stretches where we don’t see each other.”
“Let’s hope for one of those now.” She closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, they’re full of agony. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Beau. I don’t know if my father is going to ship me off to Vegas to marry one of his friends or disown me. I’m a little afraid either is possible.”
“I’ll tell you right now that there’s no fucking way I’m letting him marry you off to some stranger.” Over my dead body.
She nibbles her bottom lip. “I like that you get pissed on my behalf.”
“I feel… I feel protective of you, I guess.” It’s an admission to myself as well as to Honey.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “What about your mother or Cash? Could you talk to them?”
Pulling away, she looks down. “Can I tell you something in confidence?”
“Of course.”
“My mom falls in line with whatever my father wants. It’s been like that since I was a child. He cheated on her, had a son with another woman, and it ripped her apart. Mom was never the same after that. It’s like she gave up on anything she wanted.”
“Damn. I’m sorry to hear that.” From afar, Abilene always seemed like a nice woman, even if she was a little remote. And I had no idea there was another McAllister brother out there.
“I’m afraid to involve Cash. My father could easily make his life hell too.”
“I’ve never had a beef with Cash. Yes, he’s always backed Trig, but Cash is closer to Rhett’s age, so they’re the ones who had the fistfights when they were young. And I tried to make peace with Trig today, but he told me to fuck off.”
“Fighting the Walkers seems like a rite of passage for my family.”
She seems so forlorn. I’ll do anything to put her in a better mood. I hold out my hands. “Come on, tiger. Give me your best shot.”
