Long Time Gone (Rough Riders) by Lorelei James Read Free Book Online Page B

year?”
    Cal shook his head. He thought he’d see Kimi over Christmas break like they’d talked about last summer, but he knew from Carolyn that Kimi hadn’t come home.
    “I’ll pass it along to her.”
    “Take care. You need anything else, holler.”
    “Will do.”

    ***

    Kimi stared at her mother’s coffin as the priest droned on.
    She sat at the far end of the pew in the second row between her brother Thomas and her Aunt Hulda. Her married siblings were in the front pew. Harland had parked himself right next to Dad.
    She’d barely spoken to any of her siblings since she’d returned to Gillette three days ago. They’d had to postpone the funeral two additional days to allow time for Stuart and Thomas to travel back home.
    Within an hour of arriving in Gillette, she’d been knee deep in boxes as she packed the few remaining items from her childhood. Her aunt agreed to store them indefinitely. Kimi hadn’t offered to help sort her mother’s things; she’d left that to Carolyn and her aunt. Most everything except for a few pieces of jewelry would be donated to the Catholic mission anyway. So as the two of them pawed through the few things that marked her mother’s existence, Kimi had hid in the tall grass behind the shed and smoked. She’d rather get eaten alive by mosquitos and pick ticks off her skin than be in the same room with them, consumed by anger that the two people she loved more than anything in the world had betrayed her.
    Aunt Hulda had known her sister was dying. That’s why she’d taken a stand last summer, refusing to let Kimi remain with her parents. Dutiful Carolyn had known about their mother’s failing health and she’d put her own life aside to care for their ailing mother.
    Kimi couldn’t find forgiveness for anyone for keeping that from her. She would—eventually—but not now, not until after she’d had time to process it all.
    The priest spoke, pulling her out of her brooding. Then she knelt, crossed herself and listened to the choir sing another song about eternal love and redemption.
    After that, everything was a blur. The trip to the cemetery. The repast in the church basement. She shook herself out of her reverie and reminded herself it’d only been thirteen months ago they were in this same place celebrating her sister’s wedding.
    The moment arrived. Carolyn and Aunt Hulda were surrounded by ladies from the auxiliary. Her dad and her brothers were holding court in the corner. She caught Carson’s eye and he nodded.
    No one paid attention to her when she hooked her purse over her forearm and headed upstairs.
    Her brother-in-law was less than a minute behind her and he stopped her just outside the door. “Kimi. Sweetheart, I’m not convinced you’re thinkin’ straight. You sure you wanna do this?” Carson asked.
    “I’m positive.” She brushed past him and headed to the parking lot. After unlocking the trunk of her aunt’s car, she waited while Carson unloaded the suitcases. He carried the big one, leaving the smaller one to her. Then she followed Carson to Cal’s pickup, parked alongside the curb.
    Her heart raced when she snuck a quick look at Cal. He wore his usual cowboy getup, jeans and a white shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders and chest. She couldn’t see his eyes; the bright sunshine forced him to duck his head, keeping his face in shadow beneath his cream-colored cowboy hat. The muscles in his arms rippled as he hefted the enormous suitcase into the truck box.
    Carson sidled in front of her. “After you’ve had some time to cool off, you call her and let her know where you are. Promise me.”
    “I will.”
    He offered her a brief hug, muttered something to Cal and then sauntered off.
    Before Kimi uttered a peep, he effortlessly lifted her off her feet and wrapped her in his arms. “Sweet darlin’. I’m so sorry,” he murmured in her hair.
    She clung to him, breathed in the scents of sunshine and shaving cream and Cal. She felt