Kentucky Home

book.

Prologue

Luke Carson sat in a chair on the fire escape outside of his DC apartment window, his feet resting on the railing. He tilted the chair back, breathing in the humid summer night. It wasn’t much of a porch, and it wasn’t much of a view over the edge of the building next door, but he needed some fresh air. He cracked his beer open and thought it might be time to move on again.

Where to this time? He had a pretty nice gig with this catering company. The hours were flexible, the bartending was easy, and the owner was nice enough to let him share her bed from time to time. She was pretty flexible, too, he thought as he took a long pull of his drink. Still, he itched to move on. Serving watered-down drinks at suburban charity functions was lucrative, especially since his Kentucky charm seemed to help pad the tip jar, but he needed more. The city was starting to stifle him, the long green lawns of DC parks no match for the rolling hills of home.

He laughed. Like he really missed home. Sure, the food was good and the horses were heaven, but going back to his family’s farm was like walking on a treadmill set to slow-as-hell. Nothing changed. Nobody took chances, least of all his father. And he’d be damned if he turned into a clone of his father like his brother, Keith, had. Luke couldn’t say he blamed Keith for hiding out—some things were too painful to face. But three years . . .

Besides, Luke could think of a lot more appealing places than Hollow Bend, Kentucky to watch opportunities pass him by.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking his missed calls to see if Dave had any word on that breed horse auction. It wasn’t exactly on the up-and-up, but it would be good to be part of the excitement.

Three missed calls, all from Mal. What had that girl gotten herself into this time? He hit send to call her back, but hung up when he got her voice mail. He’d see her, eventually, even though she hadn’t been at the last few functions he worked at. Not a surprise, considering.

He remembered the first time he’d met her, at a party for the new pediatric wing at a hospital in Maryland. Mal’s husband was the man of the hour—apart from the big donors, of course. Michael was the hotshot oncologist, and he made sure everyone knew that it was because of him the wing was being built. He had been courted by the hospital’s administration, lauded by the head of the division, blah, blah, blah. Luke listened to the whole thing while waiting to take his drink order.

What Luke had really been looking at, though, was Michael’s wife. Luke liked the wives at these things. They were the colorful, curvy plumage that made his job worthwhile. Not the most progressive attitude, but, hey, you can take the boy out of the country . . .

The night he met Mal, she was wearing one of those short, tight numbers the wives favored. Hers was not as short and tight as some, but it was a brilliant blue that made her brown eyes pop, and it was plenty tight that he could tell she was not into starving herself so she was all bones and implants. She was an all-natural woman. All natural, and immune to his charms. Oh, sure, she smiled politely at him, even laughed at one or two of his jokes, but as soon as Michael joined her at the bar, she was all business, introducing Luke to her husband (as if Michael cared), and following him out into the crowd with barely a look back.

Their little dance continued—she’d get her drink, they’d hang out, Michael would commandeer her, and Luke wouldn’t see her until the next time. Then he ran into her at a café. Luke was on a date, but when the woman made it clear she wasn’t interested (she was Ivy League, he was barely finished high school), he joined Mal, who looked like she needed company. And she was still pretty cute, even without the tight dress.

Over the course of the next month, it became abundantly clear to Luke that Mal didn’t need a man on the side. She needed a friend. None of the other hospital wives seemed to care that Michael belittled her in front of them, or that she spent Memorial Day weekend alone because Michael decided that was the only time he could get away from it all to go on a cruise. Who would go on a cruise alone when he had a beautiful woman to go with him?

Luke knew the answer to that, so he took pity and invited Mal over. His roommate, Claire, was attempting an urban barbecue, and Luke was in charge of grilling on their pathetic little fire escape. Mal brought fruit salad and a look of hope he hadn’t seen on her before. It suited her. She was going to stay at the house with Michael for now, she told him, but he’d agreed to a separation. Divorce papers would be drawn up after the holiday weekend.

Claire had given him a look—a don’t-you-dare-make-a-move-buddy look. So Luke agreed to meet Mal for coffee, and that was it.

Somehow the only part of leaving he would regret was losing Mal’s friendship. He liked that Mal leaned on him for support, and he liked how he made her feel. She listened to him, laughed at his stories, and shook her head when he was being a bastard. She understood him, his need to grab a part of something bigger, but not knowing what that was yet. They had that in common.

A bang at the door interrupted his thoughts. His chair fell forward and he spilled some beer on his shirt.

Dammit, Claire, he mumbled as he climbed through the window. She’d forgotten her keys. Again. Good thing I’m off tonight or you’d be sleeping in the hallway.

But it wasn’t Claire when he opened the door.

Mal? What happened? Her eyes were red, and her right cheek was puffy with the start of a bruise.

Hey, Luke, she said. Can I come in?

Chapter 1

It turns out staring at the screen won’t make the figures add up.

Keith turned in his seat and smiled wearily at Miss Libby as she stuck her head in his doorway, followed by a waft of that sweet rose perfume she wore. He should have seen her walking across the yard to the farm hands’ bunk he had converted into a small—very small—one-bedroom home with a living room/office of sorts. But his eyes were crossing just trying to focus on the spreadsheets; he didn’t think he could focus anywhere else even if he wanted to.

As Libby entered his office, the smell of coffee overpowered the roses, and he gratefully reached out his hands for the mug she handed him. She bent down to give Peanut a scratch behind the ears. Peanut responded by raising his head half off the floor, then flopping over onto his back, his three legs in the air. Miss Libby obliged him with a belly rub.

How long have you been at it?

Feels like just about a month. But I guess since breakfast. A corner of Keith’s mouth lifted. Miss Libby came and stood behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder as she looked at the computer screen.

How’d we do this month? She blinked mildly at the computer screen. She was just about as good with numbers as any of the Carsons were, which was not at all. Never mind. How about a break? I know you must be hungry by now . . .

I just want to try to sort this out before—

Before, before, before. Keith, sweetheart, come to the house and eat dinner.

I’ll get a plate later.

Who says there will be any left?

Keith smiled up at her. You gonna let me go hungry, Libby? I won’t, but your brother might. Luke’s back.

Great, thought Keith. What is it this time? What deal did he find that he just could not pass up? Must’ve been nice for you to see him.

Said he just got homesick for my cooking. But I know he’s worried about this place. And you.

There’s nothing to worry about! I’m—

I know, I know, you’re fine. It’s been three years since you lost Vanessa and you’ve been fine every day since then. Anyway, don’t worry about Luke’s questions tonight. He’s in a state because he hit traffic on the way in. Lives out of town for a few years and the case of road rage on that boy is unbelievable.

Keith gave her a questioning look. Traff ic? They had traffic in Hollow Bend?

The Harvest Festival? Happens every fall, although I can see how you might have missed the leaves changing. I don’t think you’ve set foot off the farm since the summer.

Keith looked guiltily toward the barn that held the official office next to the tack room. There was a window, he was pretty sure, but now the low table in front of the window was piled so high with boxes and papers (mostly bills, he thought miserably) that he could only see out if he stood up. Just as well, since the trees on the rolling hills beyond the house were changing from that sweet mixture of yellow and orange to the brutal red that meant fall was well and truly on its way out. He loved that view. He didn’t need the distraction. Still, he should get a file cabinet. Add that to the list of things to make time to do to help him get ahead. Where was that list?

Miss Libby patted his shoulder sympathetically. You work too much, sweetheart.

I have to.

Miss Libby stroked the back of his head maternally. I don’t want to argue with you, not when there’s a celebration goin’ on inside.

What celebration? I thought Luke was home and cranky. Seems like that happens enough for it to pass unremarked.

Luke’s got himself engaged.

Chapter 2

Mal patted the front of her skirt self-consciously. She had decided to leave with just one suitcase—this was just a short trip, a temporary stop to get her head together, so she didn’t need her whole wardrobe. Still, this skirt was not right at all. Oh, sure, the cotton floral print hit right below the knee and the flare of the A-line was the most flattering cut for her curvy shape, or so she had read. But a fall nip was in the air and her legs were freezing, and every time the wind blew, it seemed determined to feel her up. She pulled at the hem of her green T-shirt, then pulled her pink cardigan tight across her chest. She felt like a watermelon. A flowery, freezing watermelon.

Don’t worry, darlin’, you look fine. Luke put his arm around her waist and pecked her cheek. He might not be her type, but he sure was warm. She looked up at him, his green eyes shining with laughter.

Mal hated meeting new people. Not that she didn’t like people, most people, anyway, but the first meetings were always the worst. Since she was a child she had been told that she did not give a good first impression. When she got nervous, she either ran her mouth off, sounding like an idiot or offending someone’s deep-held personal beliefs, or she froze and came across as a stuck-up bitch. That was how Michael described their first meeting. Never could unfreeze you, he used to say.

Well, she was definitely still freezing.

She had never been to Kentucky before, and she was totally unprepared for how beautiful it was. Luke insisted that Hollow Bend was a nothing town in the middle of nowhere; and in Kentucky, that’s twice as nowhere as anywhere else in the country. It took them almost ten hours to drive from DC. As they got closer to the Kentucky border, Mal began to think that they would pull off the interstate into a trailer park where she would be greeted by his cousin and his cousin’s wife, also his cousin. The interstate was beautiful—well, the interstate was pretty normal-looking asphalt, but it was surrounded by rolling green hills and those iconic white horse fences that she thought people just made up to put in scenic calendars.

Luke was right, though. Hollow Bend was in the middle of nowhere. When they pulled off the interstate, they drove about half an hour on a road that went from four lanes to two, then down to one across a bridge over a river that actually babbled. She knew they were in town, not just because of the line of shabby storefronts, but because there were other cars on the road. Luke kept punching the steering wheel, complaining about heavy traffic. Having lived in the DC suburbs for years, Mal didn’t think she would ever refer to a dozen pickup trucks as heavy traffic, but Luke did, so she thought she’d do her best to fit in. Damn country drivers, don’t know how to read a stop sign.

The Carsons lived twenty minutes out of town (on the outskirts of the middle of nowhere, maybe), down a bumpy road that didn’t have a name and that Luke assured her was easier to drive when it was dirt rather than mud. She saw the barn first, a long red one surrounded by those white fences. Horses grazed the fields closer to the road.

You have horses?

This is Kentucky. Everyone has horses. Anyway, most of these aren’t ours, we just board them. We have one of those romantic failing family horse farms. It’s called Tara.

It’s called what?

"Tara. The house from Gone with the Wind ? You really are a Yankee, aren’t you?"

Even I know that’s Georgia.

Hmm. Pretty smart for a Yankee.

They drove past a small sign attached to the fence: WILD ROSE FARM AND STABLES.

Wild Rose?

For my mom, Luke said. He had mentioned that she’d died from breast cancer when he was pretty young. My dad bought it for her when they got married.

He bought her a horse farm? Wow.

Well, he bought the land. They built the house. Is that just a Kentucky thing? Having land is a big deal.

When Mal got married, they moved into a big shiny new house in a gated community. There was a yard, but she had never worked in it. Maybe the land was a Kentucky thing, after all.

Don’t get all dreamy, Mal. It’s not as romantic as all that, at least not anymore. It’s crumbling and nearly bankrupt.

Mal gazed out the window as they bumped past the horses, coats shining, looking up at the noise of the car and shaking their manes. I’ve never been on a horse, she whispered.

Luke’s father’s house did look like a romantic, crumbling farm house. The black shutters were a little dull, and the yard was more mud than grass. But it was a beautiful house, small but sturdy, with a big wraparound porch that had a weather-beaten wooden rocker and a porch swing. There were lace curtains in all the windows and flowering bushes on either side of the walkway—wild roses, perhaps. From the porch, she could see a smaller, plain house behind the barn, and just as red. The air smelled like there was a fireplace roaring somewhere inside. The whole thing looked like a postcard, cozy and welcoming and warm.

It was not, unfortunately, warm. Miss Libby—call her Libby, she said—met them at the door, bustling and blinking back tears, hustling them inside before they caught their death. Then she bustled off to the kitchen, chasing after a dinging timer and admonishing Luke to make Mal feel at home. Libby was really fast for such a tiny, wide woman.

Mal wished she had listened to Luke and kept her jeans on as she tried to back closer to the fireplace without losing her grip on Luke’s arm. She fingered the cheap metal ring she wore. It definitely wasn’t gold, although this one wasn’t turning her finger green like the one they got out of the vending machine. Still, there was no way anyone would think it was real.

I don’t know about this. I don’t want to impose on your family. I don’t know them, I can’t—

Hush. I told you it’d be fine. They would do anything for the woman I love.

Can’t we just say I’m a friend who needs a place to stay?

Now what fun would the truth be? Anyway, this will make it easier for them to get to know you, and once they do, they’ll love you and do anything for you purely on your own merits and not because you tried to tame the wild beast that is Luke Carson.

As he said the last, he puffed out his chest and squeezed her tighter. She laughed up into his green eyes. Luke had always been able to do that, ever since he tried to pick her up at that fund-raiser in Bethesda almost a year ago. He teased her, but that laugh in his eyes always made her feel, well, comfortable. Good thing she had had her fill of charming, handsome men. Otherwise, she would be in big trouble.

Suddenly a fiery blond streak came charging through the living room and launched itself into his arms. Mal was almost knocked over by the force, but then she found herself clutched into the embrace as well.

Whoa! Mal, meet my little sister, Katie.

Luke, you jerk! What is this about you bringing home a fiancée? The blonde turned to Mal. Hi there. I don’t know how you put up with an animal like my brother, but I love you for it. And if you hurt him, I’ll break your legs.

Kate—Katie—was as tall as Luke, maybe an inch taller, and she was long and lean. Mal was pretty sure she was heavier than Katie, but she decided that when the time came for the real story to come out, she was going to be far away from this one. Preferably in a different state. Hi, I’m Mal. She shook Katie’s outstretched hand.

A firm handshake, I like it. OK, enough nicey-nice, let’s eat.

Katie led them into the dining room, which was much more formal than Mal was expecting from the country-comforting interior she saw, not to mention the downright rundown state of the outside of the house. The table sat six, and over a gleaming dark wood tabletop was a brocade table runner in fall hues of red, orange, and green.

Apparently Mal was not the only one impressed. Luke let out a whistle. Miss Libby went all out. What are those, napkin rings?

Luke reached for her hand and guided her to a seat next to his. She was grateful for the comfort and she didn’t let it go, not even when he tried to pull the chair out for her. Sorry, she murmured when she realized what she was doing.

You’re OK, baby, he said, and pecked her on the cheek. Mal blushed, not sure how such public displays of affection would go over in this formal setting. Well, formal except for the fact that Mal was the only one not wearing jeans.

She looked up as a chair scraped across the hardwood floor. A tall, imposing man stood and nodded at her. She could definitely see him in Luke—the slope of the nose, the high cheekbones, the green of the eyes. But where Luke had laughter in his eyes, this man revealed nothing but weariness, and maybe a little boredom, like this was nothing he had not seen before. How many women had Luke brought home?

Dad, this is Mallory, my fiancée. Mal, this is my father, Cal.

He nodded, then nodded at her seat, indicating she should sit. Luke leaned to her ear and said, What did I tell you, nothing to it.

Mal smiled meekly at Cal, then studiously admired the details on the napkin ring.

Just as she was about to make an insightful comment on making crafts by hand versus machine, which she was sure the horse farmer