Free Seeking Love in Salvation by Dixie Lynn Dwyer Page B

outside watching Kenny play on the jungle gym. It was a beautiful day. She was thinking about her sister. Valentina had been acting funny, kind of sad, lately. A few weeks ago she’d come in from a run and she looked flushed and angry. Lois had heard her talking outside and figured she was with one of the Brazos brothers next door. They always seemed to be around keeping an eye on things. Like now, their cousin Evan was home and he was doing some work in the yard, but kept stopping to see if she and Kenny were still here. It was unnerving but also comforting.
    Lois heard a storm door slam closed and looked to see Beck coming out of the house. He waved to her and she gave a small wave back. She was getting to feel a little less paranoid and panicked. She had to. Valentina needed to have a life, too, which made Lois look out toward the barn and stable and see Jace. He was the hardest, most intimidating of the Brazos men, and reminded her of Ford, the sheriff. That thought had her belly quivering. He was as attractive as his brother Evan.
    “Hey, Lois, Valentina isn’t home from work yet?” Jace asked her as he walked closer.
    She pulled her sweater tighter and sat forward in her chair. “Not yet, but she’ll be home soon,” she said and looked at Kenny, who didn’t even seem affected by Evan coming over. He was getting used to all the Brazos men coming around checking on them.
    Evan gave her a smile and a wink as he placed his hands into his pockets and held her gaze. “It’s pretty warm outside today. Another week and that swimming hole will be calling everyone’s names,” he said, mentioning the swimming hole again. It sounded really nice, but she wasn’t willing to wear a bathing suit and feel so exposed like that, especially around all these physically fit men.
    “We go swimming, Mommy?” Kenny asked, running toward her.
    She ran her fingers through her blonde hair and gave him a smile. “No, honey. You don’t know how to swim.”
    Kenny made a sad face.
    “I’d be happy to teach him. My brothers, cousins, and I grew up swimming in the water hole. It’s a lot of fun and there’s even a rope to jump from,” Evan offered.
    “Can he, Mommy?” Evan asked.
    “I don’t think so,” she said and stood up. When she did, she realized how tall Evan was and it intimidated her. She stepped back, grabbing onto Kenny.
    “Let’s go inside and get ready for Aunt Val to get home. She should be here any minute,” she said, giving Evan a dirty look. She wouldn’t be intimidated by him, despite the fact that he made her nervous. Men couldn’t be trusted.
    “I didn’t mean to scare you. You don’t have to go inside,” Evan said.
    “No, we do,” she countered, and Kenny walked with her up the steps and onto the porch. When she glanced at Evan, he looked upset, maybe even angry. That put Lois even more on edge.
    “We don’t need looking after. Don’t bring up the swimming hole to my son again,” she said and closed the door and went inside.
    When she looked at Kenny, he looked sad, but then he reached for her hand.
    “Don’t be scared, Mommy. Evan isn’t like Daddy. He won’t hurt you like Daddy did.”
    Lois was shocked as she pulled Kenny close and hugged him with one arm, stifling her sob with her other hand over her mouth. It just wasn’t fair for her to feel this way.
    When was she going to feel safe and free again? When?
     
    * * * *
     
    Valentina was tired and especially worn out emotionally after dealing with the Roxie case at work and getting nowhere. The woman wasn’t going to trust Val on the spot. It would take time, and that wasn’t really an option. Then, when she’d gotten home, she heard all about how Evan came over and scared Lois. That had started a whole discussion about what the therapist was doing to Kenny to make him make statements like he had to his mother about his father hurting her. It was too much to handle. On top of it all, Valentina had forgotten to hand in the rent