Chapter Eight: Kelsey

As I pulled the truck out of the parking space, I felt like Andrew and I had turned a new leaf. I had instantly clicked with his family when I first met them, feeling like I’d been a part of them for decades, but when I met Andrew, I could tell he kept a mile-high wall up around himself.

I knew it would take time. I figured I could get him to start opening up after a few days and was shocked it took three whole weeks. But now I was seeing the parts of him he kept hidden away. The soft parts. The silly parts. The affectionate parts.

Not that I’d let him know I liked seeing those bits and pieces of him. Because the one thing I learned about Andrew over these weeks was if he was called out on something, he’d clam up.

It’s why I didn’t push about his past, or the whole story behind the accident that caused his injury, or why he didn’t want his family to visit. I knew Andrew was going to be like baking a good loaf of homemade bread. To get the best results, you needed to give it time to rise to the occasion.

All that to say I was surprised to find out Andrew didn’t have any of the monetary worries that plagued me. And very few things in life surprised me anymore.

Not that it changed my opinion of him. If anything, it worried me more that I was friends with a millionaire. Or billionaire. I was too afraid to ask him to clarify… because of my mom. I’d been putting off her calls since I arrived at Andrew’s house, but I finally succumbed this morning when she messaged an SOS. When I called her back, she went on to tell me that she met a man a month ago, which I immediately realized was when she asked me for the money last time, and they’d broken up. Now, she had nowhere to live, and she wanted to know if she could stay with me while she was between flights.

It took a lot of convincing on my part to explain that I was busy and working different hours every day, and I couldn’t put her up. Goodness knew I did not want her at my apartment while I was gone. When I returned, I would’ve either ended up in a barren space because she sold all my belongings, or I’d find my place taken over by all things Tasha McKinnley. My mom only cared to visit me when it suited her. It was something my father warned me about, but with his death, I had hoped my mom would become that missing piece for me.

I was finding out I’d been oh-so wrong.

Since this morning, when I turned down giving my mother a key to my place, she’d been messaging me nonstop, but I ignored her. Did she know where I lived? I couldn’t remember. She hadn’t wanted to visit me since I moved in two years ago. Did she know how to find out where I lived if she didn’t already? Yes. She had Caleb’s number saved from the time my phone died, and I needed to pick her up at the airport. So she had a way to find out, then she could sneak herself into my building and break into my home like she’d done at my old apartment.

I already called Jackson and asked him to stop by to check on my place. The only girlfriends I had lived in Ashfield and had the maiden name of Easterly. In my line of work, female friends were hard to come by. They either wanted you to help them meet a professional player or hook them up with tickets. Even the girls I met in college had fallen by the wayside. I just preferred my own company to that of shallow acquaintances.

“So,” I began, breaking the silence in the truck. I couldn’t see him, but I was sure Andrew was rolling his eyes. Something I mentally teased him about, but never to his face though. He could be scary when he wanted to be, and I was not the kind of person to poke a bear unless it was to get what I really wanted. “How would you feel about heading somewhere today?”

“Didn’t we already do that?”

“Yes, but that was for me. This would be for you.”

“No.”

“You haven’t even heard my suggestion.”

“And yet the answer is still no.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, you can’t drive. Guess that means you’re coming with me.”

“Kelsey,” he growled, and I mimicked him the way he did me inside the restaurant.

“Andrew.”

“God, you’re annoying.” There was no heat behind his words. In fact, I was coming to see comments like that as terms of endearment when they came from him.

“Yes, but you love it.” At least, I hoped he did. I liked being playful with Andrew, not just because his reactions were literally the funniest things I’d ever seen, but every once in a while, he got silly too. I mean, it was rarer than spotting an animal in the wild that was on the endangered species list, but I had witnessed it a few times.

Thankfully, he propped his arm up in the open window of the truck and remained silent the rest of the drive. I was sure he knew where I was taking him. Or at least had an inkling.

The large sign for Sunny Brook Farms came into view as I drove down the winding road. I’d only been there a couple of times, but I remembered how picturesque the farm was. Not just the house, but the entire property.

Knowing this was the place Andrew cared for and now ran had me hesitating on the main road.

“If you don’t want me to turn in, I don’t have to. But I do think you should visit your parents. Plus, I was kind of hoping you would show me where you’re building your house.”

His head spun toward me quickly, and he looked at me with wide eyes, his brows stretching up his forehead. “How’d you know about that?”

“It’s not really a secret that your dad set aside plots of land for each one of y’all. And I saw your blueprints when I was snooping the other day.” I shrugged with a grin.

“He’s not my dad.”

I stared at him, my grin instantly a thing of the past, as I wondered if he had gone insane.

“That man loves you, Andrew.”

“We’re not having this conversation,” he murmured, no longer meeting my eyes.

We were, but it could wait.

“Fine. We’ll table it for now,” I agreed, but my tone made it clear I wouldn’t be dropping the subject for good.

“I’d rather have a root canal.”

“I know a great dentist,” I chirped, back to my bubbly persona.

The man sulked in his seat like a child and crossed his arms against his torso.

“So, Andrew Keyes, what’s it going to be?”

I watched his chest rise and fall and wondered what was going on behind those brown eyes of his. The road was deserted, so I had no issue waiting him out, and after what felt like ages, Andrew huffed out a sigh and pointed in the direction of the farm.

“Oh, goodie!” I exclaimed, faking overly ecstatic enthusiasm. “Someone else to deal with your surly attitude for a little while. I’m the luckiest girl in the world!”

“I hate you,” he grumbled, and I couldn’t hold back my laugh.

Soon, we crested the small hill of their driveway, watching as the aesthetic wheat grass gave way to rows and rows of cornfields that had recently been harvested. I knew from Rory that certain fields would receive more corn the next season, and some would be planted with soybeans so the soil wouldn’t tire.

Cows roamed around the reaped fields, consuming the bits left behind from the combines. I recalled a story about one cow having it out for Aspen until Owen came and had a conversation with the hellacious bovine, who Rory said was named Demonic Claire.

Remembering the story, I found myself giggling as the sprawling ranch came into view.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking of Rory telling me about Claire.”

I almost missed the noise as the gravel crunched beneath the tires, but I heard a faint chortle come from the passenger seat.

At least his mood was improving.

“I messaged your mom and let her know we were on our way.”

“You text with my mom?”

“I have a group chat with all of your family. Well… almost all.” I eyed him narrowly, sticking my tongue out at him.

“Of course you do.” He rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

I parked the truck in front of the garage and jogged around the truck to see if Andrew needed any assistance, but he was already pulling himself out of the vehicle when I made my way around.

“I’m here to help you, you know.”

“And yet, I can do some things myself,” he replied, grabbing his crutches.

I walked behind Andrew as we approached the front door, hoping he’d just open it and we could step inside, except he stopped and glanced at me over his shoulder before knocking.

“They know we’re coming,” I whispered.

“Not my house. I don’t just walk in.”

Nash answered the door and did a double take when he saw it was Andrew standing there. Marisol must have kept our visit a secret.

“Andrew, what a pleasant surprise.” The older man looked around his son’s shoulder and found me waving. “Oh, and Kelsey too. Please, both of y’all, come inside.”

“Thank you, Nash,” I said as I followed the duo into the house with the oversized foyer that opened up to the rest of the house. The farmhouse had been modernized enough to make the spot seem spacious like an open floorplan, but I knew from my visits that the backside of the house held many closed-off rooms.

“Marisol will be so glad to see you. She’s been baking all morning,” he said to us, before calling out, “Honey, guess who’s here?”

“Andrew and Kelsey, dear,” she replied warmly, greeting us in the kitchen as she wiped her hands on a rag.

“You knew?”

“Why do you think I nixed your fishing excursion today?”

“Well, I’ll be damned. Come join me out on the back deck, guys. It’s a beautiful afternoon.”

We followed him out to the expansive porch where there was a firepit and an in-ground pool just beyond the steps. A large swing set sat off in a shaded area, where I was sure their twin granddaughters played when they came to visit.

“How’s the farm doing?” Andrew asked as he settled on a bench seat. I chose an Adirondack chair overlooking the yard.

“Good. The new men you hired have really proven themselves. I barely had to do any overseeing during the harvest.”

“That’s good. And Thunderbolt?”

I couldn’t see their faces, but I was sure Nash was smiling at Andrew’s mention of his beloved horse. “Misses you. He only lets me ride him, as usual. A couple of the new guys tried their damnedest, which was funny as hell to watch, since he wouldn’t even let them get close to him.”

“Maybe I’ll go see him while I’m here.” Andrew’s voice was almost wistful, and I smiled to myself.

“That would be good. And how are you feeling?”

As they chatted about Andrew’s injury and the dreadful exercises I was putting him through—his words, not mine—I closed my eyes and let the sun warm my skin.

“Lemonade?” Marisol asked, and I nearly jumped out of the chair. I must have fallen asleep, listening to the leaves rustle and the birds chirp. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“That’s okay. I must be more tired than I thought. The nights of sleeping on an air mattress must be getting to me. And yes, I’d love some.”

Andrew’s mother returned a minute later with a cold glass of lemonade for me and one for herself. She settled into the chair beside me and hummed a peaceful sigh.

“We all appreciate what you’re doing for us… and for him.”

“I enjoy my work, and he’s come a long way.”

Marisol and I turned around in our chairs as Nash laughed at something Andrew must have said, and even the grump himself was cracking a sincere smile.

“He really has, hasn’t he? I know he can be… difficult at times. Ever since he had his heart broken right after high school, he’s been a bit aloof.”

“What happened?” I asked curiously, tilting my head to face her.

“Things don’t always pan out the way we expect them to,” she replied vaguely, and I wasn’t sure if she was talking about the breakup, Andrew, or even me.

Thinking back to my old job and Caleb, I had to agree with Marisol, and I told her so.

“It’s when you can adapt to the changes that life throws at you that you will find where you’re meant to be.” She reached over and clasped my hand in hers. It was the kind of motherly advice I always dreamed of hearing from my own mom but never received.

We spent the afternoon with his parents until the sun dipped beyond the tree line. While I stayed with his mom, Andrew was able to ride around the property in one of the UTVs, which I knew he hated, preferring his horse, but he seemed to take the change in stride. Mainly because he got to see Thunderbolt and check in with the ranch hands who lived on the property.

Marisol and I spent the afternoon sipping lemonade and baking the most delicious banana bread I’d ever tasted. I knew her daughter was a skilled baker, but it was clear the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

As we were leaving, Andrew directed me to drive the truck behind the house and follow the gravel path. “At the fork in the road, take the one on the right, and follow it until it ends.”

I did as instructed, excited he took the initiative to go somewhere besides his rental home. When a mowed area came into view, I saw the plot of land was scattered with construction equipment and that the foundation of a house had been laid. It made me even more excited, because this was definitely where his new home was being built, which meant he took to heart my earlier confession of hoping to see it.

I knew from the blueprints I found in his kitchen that Andrew was building a house a bit more modern than his siblings’. His design had clean lines, sharp angles, and tons of windows. While it didn’t match the country aesthetic of the property, I could see how it would fit on the plot he’d been given. The house would sit on the top of a hill overlooking most of the property. From here, I could see for what seemed like miles in almost every direction. Plus, the back of the land met a nature preserve with a small creek running through it, so it’d stay just like this with no worry of someone commercializing it.

“It’s beautiful, Andrew,” I told him as I walked around the property. He followed me at a leisurely pace with the crutches under his arms.

“Thanks. It was supposed to be finished by December, when winter hits. I’m not sure we’ll make that deadline.”

“Are there people you can call? I mean, money talks, or so I’m told.”

“Probably. Colton had an entire house renovated in like a month. They worked around the clock.”

“Wow.”

A biting chill blew through the air, a sign that fall was on the horizon. I hurried back to the truck as I rubbed my hands along my arms, trying to stay warm. Andrew didn’t seem to mind the drop in temperature, even though he wore nothing more than a T-shirt and shorts.

“I probably should have brought a jacket,” I joked as he situated himself in the passenger seat. His eyes trailed up and down my bare legs, and I felt it like it was his rough hands caressing my skin.

I really needed to keep my head in the game. In a few short weeks, I would be leaving. Not to mention he was my best friend’s brother… and my patient.

There were so many things wrong with being attracted to Andrew, but as I started the car and he directed me back to the main driveway, I realized I was starting to not care.

I heated up a frozen pizza for dinner, because we had finally made a decent dent in the number of casseroles and frozen dishes people had brought to Andrew. I knew he was embarrassed by the gesture, since it meant they now knew he wasn’t invincible, but it was one of my favorite things about being in a small town. Yes, the gossip ran rampant, but they also cared. They all cared so much.

By the time darkness fell, I was ready for bed, even if it was only 7:00 p.m. I hadn’t been that tired since exam week in college. Andrew helped me set up my bed—a first for him—and struggled with getting the sheets hooked over the corners of the mattress. The elastic of the fitted sheet nearly hit him in the face a few times before he gave up and kicked the airbed.

He relented the task to me and went into his room to watch a movie while I got ready for bed. I could barely keep my eyes open as I brushed my teeth. The trek to the bed was a blur, and I tripped over things along the way, but the moment my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

“Come here,” the deep voice growled as he hovered in the shadows of the room.

I couldn’t tell if I was shivering with fear or if I was turned on by his voice.

“Now,” he demanded, and I felt my panties grow wet as I shifted beneath the sheets.

“Don’t listen to him,” another voice warned, this one sounding more timid and definitely frightened.

In a flash of light from the corner, the being flew across the room, and the other being was no more. Then, I felt him over me. He floated like a cloud. There was no body, no shape, but a face appeared. A face I recognized.

While I stared at the being, my body was relieved of its confines on the bed. Soon, I was aimlessly suspended in the air with no notion of space.

“You’re mine now,” it snarled as the shadow began to move between my legs.

“Andrew,” I whispered, and he—

My body rocked back and forth on the hard surface.

“Kelsey, wake up,” the same voice from my dream demanded.

“Mm,” I moaned in pleasure, thinking my dream had become a reality.

“Kelsey,” the voice repeated sternly. A hand slid across my face, and I recognized the warmth.

“Andrew?” I croaked as I opened my eyes and found him within a few inches of my face.

What was he doing out in the living room, and why was I—

“Your bed must have deflated during the night.”

I sat up and immediately glanced down to make sure he hadn’t overly bent his knee.

“Come on.”

Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I glanced up as Andrew stood to his full height and held out his hand.

“Where are your crutches?”

“I just came out to get some water. I didn’t think I’d get caught,” he said with a smirk.

Instead of reprimanding him, I fought against a yawn.

“Look, we can take care of your mattress in the morning. For now, you can share the bed with me.”

“Share the bed?” I asked, sounding as if he requested I sleep in the middle of a graveyard.

“Kelsey, you’re exhausted, and frankly, I’m tired too. Can you not drag this out and just go get in the bed? I’m not going to do anything.”

In the back of my head, I responded, “But what if I want you to?”

But I’d never let him hear those thoughts in a million years.