The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

Cain was right. She was using her past as a shield to keep him away. How could she not? Everyone who mattered to her had left, either physically or emotionally.

Then Dante had come along, and at first things had been great. Like a starving urchin, she’d clung to him for the love and emotional support that she’d lost. She’d fancied herself in love with him, had been blind to the monster that lived inside of him, and in the end he’d pounced on the bruised young woman she was and broken her spirit.

But he’d also given her something wonderful…a child to love and to take care of. A child to keep safe and happy. Michael was her reason for everything.

But what kind of example was she really? Hiding in Crystal Lake? Afraid to stand up for herself…to stand up for Michael.

She wanted to believe that she was better than that. She had to be better than that, or what was the point?

She’d lain awake for hours, and when she finally fell asleep a decision had been made.

Maggie rolled over, saw the time on the clock and shrieked, rolled over once more, and promptly fell out of her bed. She landed on the floor, and her head barely missed the corner of the bedpost.

Crap! They were going to miss the parade!

Her cell went off as she stumbled down the hall, and she skipped the bathroom, her bare feet shuffling along the hardwood as she headed into the kitchen. She’d remembered to plug in the damn thing the night before, at least, and it was working.

She didn’t have caller ID and hoped her disappointment didn’t ring too loudly when she answered and heard Raine on the other end.

“Maggie, where the hell were you yesterday? I called, like, twenty times, drove by your place, and you didn’t answer. You weren’t there.” Accusation rang in her voice, and Maggie winced.

“Raine, I’m sorry. My phone was dead.”

“Your phone was dead. Unbelievable.”

“I forgot to charge it. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do that again. After everything you said the other night, I was afraid you’d packed up and left without so much as a good-bye.”

Michael appeared, sleep still in his eyes and his curls a mad-looking cap of tangles. “Hold on, Raine.”

Maggie kissed her son quickly and pointed to the bathroom. “Why don’t you go and shower now. We don’t want to miss the parade.”

His eyes lit up, and a wide grin spread across his face. “Okay. Can I grab a granola bar first? I’m hungry.”

She nodded. “You still there?”

“Yes.” Raine paused. “So, you sound like you’re in a much better place than you were the other night.”

“I am.” Lord, you have no idea. “Cain came by last night.”

“He did.” A hint of naughty entered Raine’s voice, and Maggie smiled. “Is he there now?”

“No, he was only here for five minutes.”

Maggie walked back to the living room and stared out the window. Cain’s truck still sat there. She glanced down at the keys on the small table. It had been real.

“Oh.”

Maggie smiled as she grabbed his keys and fingered the large black and silver fob.

“Are you going to tell me what happened, O’Rourke, or am I going to have to come by and shak

e it out of you?”

“He told me that he loved me.” Her words rushed from her in a whisper, and hearing them once more made it all the more real.

Silence greeted her confession, and after a few seconds, Maggie spoke again. “Raine?”