Page 89 of The Burbs and the Bees
“Jesus,” he says and comes my way.
“Don’t come up here. I don’t want the rest of the stairs to give way.”
He scratches his head, his eyes narrowed as he assesses the situation. “Alyson, the stairs are fine. Someone sabotaged the one you fell through.”
My throat tightens to the point of pain, and stupid tears fall, like this is the straw that broke the camel’s back. With exhaustion pulling at me, and my emotions on a supersonic roller coaster ride, I swipe at my face with the back of my hand.
“I’m going to get Jay. Are you okay for a second?” I nod, since I’m not sure my voice will work. “Are you sure?” I sniff and nod some more. “I’ll be right back.”
I take deep breaths to keep myself together, my mind racing. Tyler must be mistaken. I can’t imagine anyone sabotaging my stairs and putting my life at risk. The front door slams open again, and Jay and Tyler come running in.
“Are you hurt?” Jay asks, panic in his voice.
The second I see the fear on his face, my stupid tears fall harder. “I’m okay, really,” I say. Way to convince him, Alyson. “It’s my ankle. I twisted it when I fell.”
“Okay,” he says, a new composure about him that helps relax me. “I’m going to get you out of there.” I nod weakly and he looks me over, all strength and power—the calm in the storm.
“Tyler, run down to the basement and see if anything under the stairs has been tampered with.”
Jay takes my hand, folds his big palm over it, and rubs with his thumb, a soothing manner that lets me know he’s got me. Tyler hurries downstairs, his boots pounding on the wood.
“Dad and I helped Jack repair these stairs years ago.” He knocks on them. “Solid wood. This shouldn’t have happened.”
“All is good down here,” Tyler calls out, his voice faint.
“Okay, lean your back against the top step there and push with your good foot.”
“It won’t go through to the basement?”
“No, and if it does, I’ll catch you before you fall,” he says, his voice so soft, so serious, my heart misses a beat.
I press my foot against the wood and push forward. When I do, Jay tugs, and I land in his arms. He holds me tight as Tyler comes rushing back up the stairs.
“I’m taking you straight to the hospital,” Jay says.
I squirm in his arms, but I have to say, I love the way he worries about me and takes such great care of me. “I’m okay.”
“You’re not okay.”
Tyler shakes his head. “Do you think someone did this on purpose?”
“I do,” he says so vehemently, my gaze flies to his in time to catch anger flashing across his face. He turns his head, averts my gaze.
What the hell is it that he doesn’t want me to see?
Chapter Eighteen
Jay
It’s been one whole week since Alyson fell through the stairs. Fortunately, after a trip to the clinic—despite her heated protests—we found out she only sprained her ankle. I paid a visit to Charlie Miller, but why would he sabotage Alyson’s property? He wants her to stay. The only person who’d want her gone is Bryce Kent, outside of me, of course. Not that I really want her gone—I need her gone if I want to keep the farm. Sure, the bet was never put on paper, but around these parts we take a man at his word, and honor is everything. As far as Bryce is concerned, I’ve known the man for years, and while he can be an asshole, he’s not the type to personally sabotage someone’s property.
My brothers and I have been helping her out at the market, and I’ve been sleeping at her place every night, inspecting the property for damage every evening before crawling into bed with her and every morning upon waking. But I have to say, she’s been quieter than usual, a little more secretive, tucking her phone away when I walk into the room or dashing off to make calls she doesn’t want me to hear about.
I’m not sure what is going on— Maybe she’s tiring of the farm and making plans to head back home. Then again, both of my brothers have been acting strange, too. Beck is probably thinking about his upcoming move and starting college. He’s sure to be nervous about that. Tyler, well, I’m not sure what his problem is, but he’d better not be up to no good. Last time I saw him in town, he was hanging out with Shay Banks’s brothers, and nothing good can come from that.
Alyson stretches out on the bed as I step into the room, a hot cup of coffee in my hand. Everything inside me softens, weakens, the things I feel for her crawling into my throat as I take in the sleeping beauty before me, her warm body exposed after a night of intimate lovemaking.
She was so tired, she slept through Cluck crowing this morning, and I didn’t have the heart to wake her. Instead, the guys and I chipped in to help with her morning chores, and nothing I’m doing here is conducive to saving my farm.
