One Hundred Excuses (An Aspen Cove Romance Book 5) Read online

  “Is it okay if she plays?”

  Marina glanced at the big family having fun. “Sure, but she won’t go. She rarely leaves my side.”

  Another heartbreaking truth, but then something miraculous happened. Kellyn stood and walked toward the swings.

  When she was out of earshot. Marina choked back a cry. “I don’t believe it.”

  They sat on the edge of the blanket and stared at Kellyn take the only open swing. She was too small to touch the ground once she hopped up so she sat there dangling and swinging her feet back and forth.

  Aiden handed Marina the last dry napkin and helped her stand. “I don’t know what your history is, but I’m glad you’re here, and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

  She gave him a half smile. “You’ve been kind to us. We aren’t used to that.”

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. At first, she stiffened but then relaxed. “Shall we go play with your daughter?”

  Her pace picked up as they neared the swing set. “Yes, she loves to swing.”

  Aiden stood back and watched while Marina pulled Kellyn back and pushed her forward again and again. When she finished, one of the Williams girls came over and took Kellyn’s hand, leading her to the sandbox.

  He walked Marina back to the blanket. “I’m a great listener if you ever want to talk.”

  She reached over and patted his hand. “Thank you. If I started talking, I may never shut up.”

  Aiden cleaned up the dinner mess and took a seat beside her. “That’s fine. I like your voice.”

  She rolled her upper lip between her teeth and let it pop loose. “I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but I have to be honest. I need a man in my life like I need another black eye.”

  He internally winced. “I’m sorry you’ve been through that experience.” She’d confirmed what he already knew. When he worked in Colorado Springs, he’d seen his share of domestic abuse victims. “I’m not that man. It looks like you can use a friend.”

  “I really can,” she said in an almost whisper.

  An orange glow blanketed them as the sun began to set. Kellyn came back to them as soon as the Williams children gathered around their parents to leave.

  Aiden called the family over to introduce them to Marina. Bobby Williams owned the only gas station and car repair shop in town. His wife Louise was pregnant with their eighth child. Rather than offer a handshake, Louise pulled Marina in for a bear hug. “So glad to have you and your little girl in the neighborhood.” She let Marina go and ruffled Kellyn’s hair. “Your daughter is sweet. If you ever need a break, bring her by the house. We have so many kids we’d hardly notice one more.”

  Once the Williamses were out of sight, Aiden packed up the blanket and led the girls to their car. While the afternoon had started off on the shaky side, he felt good about how it ended.

  Rather than walk on her mother’s far side, Kellyn took up the space between him and Marina. Another win for him.

  When they got to the car, she moved her little hand from her lips outward.

  “She says thank you.”

  Did he dare try to touch her? He would have loved to be able to pull the little thing in for a hug, but he didn’t want to send her searching for her red wooden cylinder again. Instead, he smiled and touched her nose with his finger.

  “Thanks for the best night I’ve had in a long time.”

  He moved back as she climbed into her booster seat. Marina stood in front of him. He offered her his hand to shake, but she surprised him when she leaned in and gave him a tentative hug. Her lips lifted to a sly smile when she stepped back and looked at his stained shirt. “You do look good in red.”

  His brows lifted. “How good?”

  She made sure Kellyn was buckled in before she closed the door. “Too good.” She climbed into her seat and shut the door, but before it closed all the way, Aiden was certain he heard her say, “You’re going to be trouble for me.”

  He laughed all the way to his car. Oh, sweetheart, you’re already trouble.

  Chapter Seven

  Marina woke with a smile on her face and lightness in her chest that she hadn’t felt for two years. She sat on the back steps and watched Kellyn water the garden. When had things been this carefree?

  “Honey, water the plants at the roots, that way the sun won’t scorch the leaves.” She had no idea if that was true or not, but Aiden had told her to get the water to the roots so it sounded reasonable.

  Reasonable was another word she wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t reasonable to stay with a man who abused her until she considered Kellyn. There was no way she’d leave her once she’d fallen in love with her. And falling in love with Kellyn had been instantaneous. From the beginning her big brown eyes pleaded with Marina to stay. A silent scream for help.

  She sipped her coffee and thought about Aiden. While it wasn’t fair to compare the two men, she had to because Aiden was a part of their new lives and Marina needed to make sure she protected herself. But mostly she wanted to protect Kellyn.

  Last night, when she’d spilled the fruit punch, she saw the type of man Aiden was. He didn’t rage, lash out, or hit. He laughed and poured punch on himself on purpose to make sure Kellyn wasn’t fearful. Rather than punish her and withhold her dinner, playtime, or another drink, he opened a fresh can and went about enjoying his dinner. That was what good looked like. It was important for Kellyn to see kindness in action.

  Her eyes kept going next door, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, but she knew he wasn’t home. She’d peeked out the front door this morning and noticed his cruiser was gone. Like most people, he held a job and steady hours.

  She wasn’t used to that either. None of the Caswells fell into the normal realm. When your father was king, it granted a great deal of leeway to the family. Craig only went into the office when he was required to attend a meeting or show his face. No one complained because their lives were more pleasant when he wasn’t around. His chief of police brother, Chris, had an abundance of deputies to cover for him while he perfected his golf game. Conrad, the youngest, was the only one who kept office hours, but that was because he answered to a higher power than his father the mayor. He answered to the court system, and Mayor Caswell hadn’t been able to fill those positions with his minions.

  In the distance, her cell phone rang. It was an odd sound since few people had her number. Thinking it was one of Kellyn’s doctors, she rose from the steps and raced into the kitchen to answer it. Caller ID showed an unlisted number.

  Her skin crawled when Craig’s voice sounded on the other end.

  “Hello, Marina.”

  She swallowed the lump of fear that always choked her when she heard him speak.

  “Craig.” Her mind raced to figure out how he’d gotten her number. She had an agreement with his parents. If she didn’t release the video she had of him beating her up with Kellyn cowering in the corner, they would leave her alone. “You calling isn’t part of the agreement.”

  “Agreement? You and I never had an agreement.”

  She took a long fortifying breath. “Because you’re disagreeable. Listen, Craig, you can’t call me.”

  “Oh, Mar Mar, haven’t you learned anything yet? I do what I want.”

  She hated when he used his pet name for her. At first, she’d thought it sweet and cute that he gave her a nickname, but really he’d shortened it to reflect his power and control. He could do what he wanted, whether it was to rename her, ruin her, or as his nickname reflected accurately, mar her.

  She’d had over a month to heal since she left him. She’d spent that time getting her life sorted out. One of the things she’d changed was her number. “How you got my number I don’t understand, but you need to forget it. I want nothing to do with you.”

  She heard the crash of glass and knew he’d thrown something. “You don’t get to choose. You took my daughter, and I want to see her.”

  All those months of martial arts classes straightened
her spine. “Wrong. It’s my life—my choice. You lost your options when you used your fists rather than your brain.” She knew this conversation was going nowhere. Knew it was only a matter of time before he called or showed up. His father couldn’t control him despite his promise to do so. One thing she also knew was she was ready for him. “I hoped that the treatment facility would have helped.”

  “You bitch. You owe me forty-five days of my life.”

  She quickly calculated the time she’d spent married to him. “You owe me seven hundred and forty-six days of mine and all of Kellyn’s. Don’t call me again or I swear I’ll release the tape.”

  He laughed like he used to when he taunted her. “Do it, and it will be the last thing you do. Tell Kellyn her daddy loves her, and he’ll see her soon.” There was a click and then silence.

  The only thing Marina heard was the whoosh of blood pounding through her veins, rushing to her ears. She let out a growl that vibrated the fear from her chest. There was no room for anxiety or panic. While she had the initial flight-or-flight response, she had to remind herself why she’d stayed so close to the crime scene.

  Copper Creek was only forty minutes away, but that was where Kellyn’s specialists were. They’d been making so much progress that Marina was certain changing everything for her daughter would set her back. Besides, Aspen Cove was where she wanted to be. It was the one place she could count on when she needed comfort or support.

  When a hand pressed against her back, she reacted with all the pent-up frustration she’d stored inside. Whirling around, she yelled, “Leave me alone!” The words were meant for Craig, but they fell on tiny ears.

  Kellyn stumbled back and landed on her bottom. Her face turned white and her eyes filled with tears.

  Marina ran to her daughter and pulled her into her arms. “Oh, Ladybug, I’m so sorry. You snuck up on me.” She took a seat at the end of the couch and rocked her daughter until her tears ceased to fall. “I’m so sorry.” Marina felt like a powder keg ready to explode. “We need a muffin or a cookie. What do you say?” She hated to run to the bakery every time, but it was the one place she could be surrounded by sweetness and love.

  Kellyn wiped her runny nose on her sleeve and nodded. They grabbed their shoes and left. Kellyn needed a treat and Marina needed a friend.

  They arrived a few minutes later to find the bakery busy once again, but Katie spotted them and eyed the only empty table in the corner. Marina sat Kellyn down and went to get their sweets.

  “What’s wrong?” Katie’s expression was filled with concern. She plated up a few cookies and a muffin and grabbed chocolate milk for Kellyn and a coffee for Marina.

  “Nothing. It’s all good.”

  Katie shook her head. “Does that work for others?”

  “Does what work?”

  The line had died down and an older man came to the front to take over.

  “Lying to yourself and getting everyone to believe it,” Katie said.

  She had to admit it was nice to have a friend who could see through her mask. “Yes, it generally works.”

  “Not with me. You look frazzled.” She walked the plate of goodies to the table. “Kellyn looks like she could use a distraction too.” Katie pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed a number. “You got room for one more?” There was a muffled reply. “Perfect. Kellyn’s here. Just pick her up after you get Sahara.”

  “Wait. What?” Marina asked.

  Katie laid her hand on top of Marina’s. “I’m a mom. I know what overload looks like. You know Sage. She’s got honorary aunt duty today. There’s no reason she can’t take Kellyn too.”

  “I couldn’t impose.” While an afternoon to herself sounded amazing, she didn’t want to take advantage of anyone’s kindness.

  “This is Aspen Cove. There’s no such thing as an imposition when you live among family.”

  Marina opened Kellyn’s chocolate milk and put a straw into the container.

  Family was a foreign concept to Marina. In her case it was a single mother and a string of men who came and went. She didn’t want that for Kellyn. It was probably why she’d fallen so hard and fast for her. It hadn’t hurt that Craig had treated her like she was gold until he had a ring on her finger. At that time, Marina felt like she’d hit the jackpot. She had everything she’d dreamed about for a few minutes. When she said I do it had all changed.

  “I don’t know what a family is supposed to look like. All I know is I’d do anything for her.” She patted Kellyn’s hair. Her daughter gave her a sweet smile. It was those smiles that made everything she’d gone through worth it.

  “Family isn’t always who you were born to. Sage is like a sister and we aren’t even related. ” Katie looked at Kellyn. “But you know that already. We’re family. We take care of our own. You look like you could use a break. Anything you want to talk about?”

  Marina couldn’t mention his name without sending her daughter into a fit of despair. “No, just got a call today.” That was all she’d say because although Kellyn was only four, and she never spoke, she’d honed her other skills to perfection. She’d never met a more intuitive child in her life.

  Katie frowned and nodded. “You know we’ll circle the wagons.”

  “I know you’ll try.” It felt good to have a friend. The one thing abusers did was alienate their victims. It gave them power and control so Marina wasn’t used to having a support system.

  The bell above the door rang, and Sage walked inside. It had been a long time since Marina had seen the tiny redhead. She was the first person Marina had contact with after Bea the original owner of the bed and breakfast had died. When Sage found her battered and bruised on the front steps over a year ago, she patched her up and gave her a room.

  “You look amazing.” Sage gave Marina a one-handed hug since her other arm helped balance the baby on her hip.

  “Thanks, it’s been a journey.”

  “I hear I’m getting a helper.” Sage walked to where Kellyn sat at the table drinking her chocolate milk and eating a cookie. “You want to come with me, little one? Sahara and I are going to watch cartoons and finger paint.”

  “The last time you finger painted with her she ate more paint than she got on the paper,” Katie said.

  “Hey, you don’t get to decide. Besides, I buy the nontoxic stuff and Otis will lick them clean before you even get there.”

  “Right…the three-legged dog.” Marina remembered the kind-hearted golden retriever. She leaned down and asked Kellyn if she wanted to visit the pup and paint. It didn’t take long for her daughter to nod and gather her things. She was taking to her new life like a fish to water.

  “Take your time. There’s no rush to come and get her. We’ll feed her and keep her entertained.”

  Marina smiled. It felt odd but comforting to know she could count on these women when she couldn’t count on her own family. It wasn’t that her mother was unreliable; she lived too far away. Sadly, she could never count on Craig’s family to help.

  “Ladybug, be good, okay?” She leaned into Sage and whispered, “She doesn’t talk.”

  Sage smiled. “Sure she does, she just doesn’t use words. We’ll be fine.”

  She gave Sage her cell number and told her to call immediately if Kellyn pulled out a red cylinder from her bag.

  Kellyn followed Sage outside.

  For a few minutes, panic set in. In the past, when Marina didn’t have Kellyn, it was usually because Craig dropped her off at a babysitter’s so he could come home and beat her. She looked around, feeling vulnerable.

  “She’ll be okay.” Katie rounded the counter and wrapped Marina in a hug. “You’re not alone anymore. Now what are you going to do with yourself?”

  It was a beautiful day. The sun sat high in the sky, but a cool mountain breeze kept it from becoming sweltering.

  “I think I might find a tree in the park and just be me for a few minutes.”

  “That sounds amazing. Let me get you a snack.” Katie
boxed up a few muffins and put a bottle of water and a soda in a bag. “Just in case you need a little something.” She walked her to the door and sent her on her way.

  Marina drove the block to the park and found the perfect spot under a big oak tree. She lay on the grass and breathed the mountain air. She closed her eyes and let her senses take over. The heat of the sun poked through the leaves. The breeze swept the scent of pine and fresh mowed grass over her. Then she picked up something totally different on the air. She didn’t have to open her eyes to know he was there. She had already memorized the smell of his citrus cologne.

  Chapter Eight

  Aiden stood over Marina and appreciated how at peace she looked.

  “You shouldn’t sneak up on me.” She opened her beautiful eyes and stared up at him. “I could be trained in martial arts.”

  “Are you?” He would love to see her kick ass, but then again if she were trained in self-defense, she wouldn’t have been mistreated.

  “Maybe.” She frowned at his uniform.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” He scouted the playground, looking for her daughter. “Where’s Kellyn?”

  “She’s hanging out with Sage.” Marina lifted to a seated position and leaned against the trunk of the tree. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

  He smiled and took a seat beside her. Far enough away that he didn’t crowd her but close enough to smell her coconut shampoo.

  “I’m working. I saw a vagrant sleeping in the park and thought I’d check it out.”

  “And?”

  “Turns out it’s my cute neighbor enjoying some quiet time.” A lone leaf floated down from the tree and landed on his trouser leg. He picked it up and stared at it thoughtfully. “Have you ever considered how nature naturally knows when to let go of the past and move forward?” He lifted the brown leaf. “Take this leaf for example. At one point it took in water and nutrients from the sun and air, but now it’s dried up. The tree knew it no longer needed it, so it set it free.”