“More than a few. Greer just woke me up when you went to sleep,” Dustin said, telling on his brother.
“He’s lying.” Greer gave Dustin a withering look.
“Dad doesn’t lie,” Logan spoke up for his father. “He always tells the truth.”
Jessie felt sorry for Dustin as he stared down at his plate. The room had gone silent except for the sounds that Rosie was making as she demolished the finger foods Greer had placed on the highchair’s tray.
“Yes, he does,” Jessie agreed, breaking the silence. “But he does occasionally stretch the truth when he’s trying to protect someone.”
“Like how?”
“Like when you told Darcy her picture was pretty when everyone in her group said that she used too much blue.”
“I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
“No, you didn’t. Sometimes Dustin does that when he cares about someone, too.”
“Dad, do you like my pictures?”
“Every single one of them.” Dustin made a funny face at him from across the table.
The whole table broke out in laughter.
“I lie all the time. Nothing wrong with that.” Greer ignored Holly’s aghast expression at him putting his two cents in. “Of course, I don’t mind telling the truth when I have to.
“Tate, you ain’t taking that last jar of pickles home with you. They’re mine.”
Jessie was smiling as she walked home beside Dustin in the cool air. Holly had lent her a blue jean jacket to keep her warm.
“I thought Asher was the biggest jackass in town. Greer easily has him beat.”
“He’s the biggest in seven states and proud of it.” Dustin chuckled as he helped her down from the fence.
Picking up the bag with her dirty clothes, she casually swung it as they resumed walking.
“Drake told me today that you’re thinking of selling the daycare.”
Jessie’s good humor vanished. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Why not?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“It is. My niece goes there, and when Sutton has her baby, she was planning on using the daycare when she goes back to work part-time.”
“Bliss will run it just as well as me. She’s doing it now. The kids love her just as much as me.”
“Greer is going to make Holly quit, or he will tell Knox to find another deputy. He doesn’t trust anyone with Rosie but you.”
“That’s crazy. I’ve worked with Bliss for years. She’s wonderful with the children. If I had children, I would trust her with them,” she argued heatedly.
“It doesn’t matter how wonderful she is. Bliss isn’t you. She doesn’t cut the sandwiches the same way you do. She doesn’t buy the same room deodorizer as you do. She ignores Greer’s texts. And most importantly, she isn’t you.”
Jessie rubbed her forehead, still feeling the roughness on her skin. “I’m selling it. I can’t run it the same way I used to.”
“Why not?”
“Dustin, I don’t want to talk about it!”
“Why?”
His probing had her walking faster to get away from him, relieved when she came to the gravel driveway of her house.
“Thanks for walking me home. Good night.”
She almost reached the porch when she heard his footsteps behind her. Turning angrily, she saw him staring at her solemnly.
“Why, Jessie?”
She swung the trash bag at him, hitting him on the shoulder. “How can I greet the children when the parents bring them in the door? Not all the mothers bring them in. Sometimes the fathers do! What if the man who beat and raped me is one of them?” Yelling, she whacked him with the bag again. “What if, because I was being friendly to him, it made him decide to rape me?”
The longer he stood still, letting her hit him, the more her fury rose.
“I can’t even bring myself to go to church anymore. How can I worship with someone who killed another person and tried to do that to me? He took everything from me!” she yelled at the top of her lungs.
He had badgered her into talking, and now the anger spilled out in a tidal wave of passionate outrage she hadn’t been able to admit to Holt, Asher, or even herself.
Dustin caught the trash bag when she swung it yet again, holding her hand still. “I’ve heard some women say that when they were raped, the men didn’t rape only the body, but their soul. Jessie, you fought like a bobcat for your life. Don’t do anything less for your soul. I don’t believe it. The bastard couldn’t have touched your soul. It’s too pure and strong for that.”
“I’m not strong enough to get through this!”
“Yes, you are. I know you are. Your pa didn’t raise a woman who wasn’t as strong as her brothers. You were raised the same way as Rachel, born on the same fucking mountain. One thing I know for damn sure is that you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You just need some time to get your head together like Rachel had to after she miscarried.”