Blue Ribbon Summer (The Baltimore Banners Book 3) by Lisa B. Kamps Page A
Authors: Lisa B. Kamps
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you be checking on our little sister?"
Chapter Ten
Ian entered the cool dimness of the barn, a sense of déjà vu coming over him as he stopped just inside, letting his eyes adjust. He had done this exact same thing two weeks ago, but it seemed like so much more time than that had passed.
Hell, it felt like a lifetime had passed in just the last hour alone.
He let out a sigh and looked around, knowing he should feel at least a little comfort in the fact that things seemed to have worked out. Maybe. At least the two brothers didn't seem to be on the verge of killing each other. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that things were just simmering on the back burner, waiting for the right time to explode.
He hoped he was wrong, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters. These things had a way of blowing up, sooner or later. He just hoped it was later. Much later.
He let out another deep breath then stepped deeper into the barn, his eyes searching the shadows around him, looking for Kayli. He knew she was in here--he had already learned that she liked to come up here to get away, to enjoy some privacy.
Or to escape.
A rustling sound came from the corner stall and Ian made his way over there. He stopped at the closed door, resting his arm along the top and peering down. Kayli was propped against the side wall, her long legs stretched out in front of her. She had thrown a blanket down over top of the straw and was just sitting there, her head lowered, twirling a piece of straw in her hands.
"You okay?"
His quiet question was greeted by a long silence before she shifted. She nodded, but didn't look up at him. "Yup, fine and dandy."
Ian almost laughed at her forced casualness. He could imagine exactly how she felt, but there was nothing funny about it. He watched as she shifted again, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them before resting her chin on her arms. Her shoulders raised and lowered with a deep sigh, yet she still didn't look at him.
"Lori's on the way down to the house with the twins to help them pack."
"Pack? For what? Are they going somewhere?"
Kayli shook her head and shrugged, the smallest lift of one shoulder. Ian's heart tugged at the forced nonchalance of the movement. "I figured you'd want to take them home, get them away from here. After...you know."
It was Ian's turn to sigh. She thought he was going to take the twins and leave because of her brother, because of what happened. He should have known she'd think that.
Ian pushed the stall door open and walked in, then lowered himself to the blanket next to her. Less than an inch separated them, and he was careful not to move any closer as he held out the bottle of water in his hand. "Here, I thought you might be thirsty."
Her fingers grazed his as she took the bottle with a murmured thanks, but she quickly broke the contact. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she twisted off the cap and drank, then put the cap back on and set the bottle to the side. Ian leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, breathing in the mingled scents of straw and dirt...and Kayli. And he was surprised at the sense of peace, at the sense of belonging that suddenly filled him.
"The she-devils would raise hell if I tried to take them home. Besides, I'm kind of enjoying myself around here. So, if it's okay with you, I think the three of us are going to hang around until my sister gets home."
Kayli stiffened beside him, and he wanted to do nothing more than pull her into his arms and hold her. But he was afraid she'd push him away, afraid of how she'd react if he did. So he held his breath and waited.
"Ian, you don't...I mean, thanks but...you don't have stay. I wouldn't want to stay, not after..." Her voice drifted off in a small sob, and Ian sensed her turning away. To hell with worrying if she'd push him away.
He reached for her, wrapping her in his arms
Chapter Ten
Ian entered the cool dimness of the barn, a sense of déjà vu coming over him as he stopped just inside, letting his eyes adjust. He had done this exact same thing two weeks ago, but it seemed like so much more time than that had passed.
Hell, it felt like a lifetime had passed in just the last hour alone.
He let out a sigh and looked around, knowing he should feel at least a little comfort in the fact that things seemed to have worked out. Maybe. At least the two brothers didn't seem to be on the verge of killing each other. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that things were just simmering on the back burner, waiting for the right time to explode.
He hoped he was wrong, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters. These things had a way of blowing up, sooner or later. He just hoped it was later. Much later.
He let out another deep breath then stepped deeper into the barn, his eyes searching the shadows around him, looking for Kayli. He knew she was in here--he had already learned that she liked to come up here to get away, to enjoy some privacy.
Or to escape.
A rustling sound came from the corner stall and Ian made his way over there. He stopped at the closed door, resting his arm along the top and peering down. Kayli was propped against the side wall, her long legs stretched out in front of her. She had thrown a blanket down over top of the straw and was just sitting there, her head lowered, twirling a piece of straw in her hands.
"You okay?"
His quiet question was greeted by a long silence before she shifted. She nodded, but didn't look up at him. "Yup, fine and dandy."
Ian almost laughed at her forced casualness. He could imagine exactly how she felt, but there was nothing funny about it. He watched as she shifted again, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them before resting her chin on her arms. Her shoulders raised and lowered with a deep sigh, yet she still didn't look at him.
"Lori's on the way down to the house with the twins to help them pack."
"Pack? For what? Are they going somewhere?"
Kayli shook her head and shrugged, the smallest lift of one shoulder. Ian's heart tugged at the forced nonchalance of the movement. "I figured you'd want to take them home, get them away from here. After...you know."
It was Ian's turn to sigh. She thought he was going to take the twins and leave because of her brother, because of what happened. He should have known she'd think that.
Ian pushed the stall door open and walked in, then lowered himself to the blanket next to her. Less than an inch separated them, and he was careful not to move any closer as he held out the bottle of water in his hand. "Here, I thought you might be thirsty."
Her fingers grazed his as she took the bottle with a murmured thanks, but she quickly broke the contact. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she twisted off the cap and drank, then put the cap back on and set the bottle to the side. Ian leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, breathing in the mingled scents of straw and dirt...and Kayli. And he was surprised at the sense of peace, at the sense of belonging that suddenly filled him.
"The she-devils would raise hell if I tried to take them home. Besides, I'm kind of enjoying myself around here. So, if it's okay with you, I think the three of us are going to hang around until my sister gets home."
Kayli stiffened beside him, and he wanted to do nothing more than pull her into his arms and hold her. But he was afraid she'd push him away, afraid of how she'd react if he did. So he held his breath and waited.
"Ian, you don't...I mean, thanks but...you don't have stay. I wouldn't want to stay, not after..." Her voice drifted off in a small sob, and Ian sensed her turning away. To hell with worrying if she'd push him away.
He reached for her, wrapping her in his arms
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