N. Walters - Strands of Love

“No, I’m not sure what’s going on. She has company.” Tim paused. “No, I’ll explain later. I will. Okay. Bye.” Tim pressed a button and put the device back in his pocket. He realized both men were staring at him. “What?” Tim asked.

Darian motioned to Tim’s pocket. “You spoke to someone through that box?”

“Yeah.” Tim seemed confused by the question.

“Yet you do not believe in the tapestry when you possess great magic?” Darian’s words echoed Jace’s thoughts.

“You’re not kidding, are you?” Tim slowly lowered himself into a chair. “Okay, explain to me again about this tapestry and the world you’re from. And why the hell it came here and took Sam.”

Sam stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. She should feel guilty. She hadn’t offered the brothers anything to drink and wasn’t sure they knew how to work the taps, although Darian probably did considering he’d played with them quite a bit on his first trip here.

“Damn it.” She dragged the towel over her skin, wiping away the water before she dragged on her clean clothes.

When she was wearing underwear, jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers, she felt much more like herself. Her hair was wet, but she towel dried it and braided it. She really shouldn’t have left the men alone with Tim. No telling what Tim might do if he got mad. She knew in her heart neither Hunter brother would hurt Tim, but still.

She slung the damp towel over the shower rod and hurried out of the bathroom. She could hear voices as she went down the stairs. They were still talking. That had to be a good sign. Right?

Sam walked into the kitchen to find Tim sitting at the head of the table shaking his head at whatever Darian was telling him. They all turned to stare at her when she walked into the room.

Determined to get through this as quickly as possible, she raised her chin and walked over to the counter. She turned on the tap, took down two glasses and filled them with water before handing one to Jace and the other to his brother. Both men offered their thanks before quickly downing the water, making her feel worse than ever for not offering it sooner.

“Samantha Rose Calloway.”

She flinched slightly when Tim used her full name, but faced him squarely. “Yeah?”

“What kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into, girl?” Tim rubbed his hand over his bearded chin.

She shrugged. “It wasn’t my fault. I was walking the fields, minding my own business, when I found them.”

Tim sighed. “Don’t rightly know what to do or what to tell you.”

She frowned at him. “What’s to do? I’m home now.”

Tim pushed to his feet and came around the table to stand in front of her. “From what I understand, you still have a choice to make. You can go home with them when this tapestry returns.”

“If it returns,” she muttered. She didn’t look at either brother. She felt awful for even suggesting such a thing.

“There is that,” Tim agreed. “Of course, either of these men could choose to stay here. Or even both of them could stay if they were so inclined.”

Even as her heart jumped at the possibility, Sam was shaking her head. “Their mother would be devastated. Plus, they have a lot of folks depending on them.”

“And what do you have here, Sam?” Tim asked in a gentle voice that made tears well in her eyes. “Your parents and John are gone and you’re struggling every day to hold on to the farm. It’s a hard life for a woman alone.”

“What are you suggesting?” she cried. How could Tim even propose such a thing? This was her home. Where she belonged.

Tim pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her. He smelled slightly of the same soap her father had used and Sam closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and, for a brief moment, pretended it was her father holding her.

“I’m not suggesting anything, Sam. I’m telling you to weigh your options and really think things through before you make any decisions. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you.”

Sam’s head was spinning. Tim was actually suggesting she leave her home, her only connection to her family, take a leap of faith and go back to an unknown world with two men she’d met less than two days ago. The implications were staggering.

Tim released her and took a step back. “Think about it. If you want to talk, come on over to the house.” He collected his rifle and turned a hard gaze on the Hunter brothers. “You take good care of her. You hurt her and it won’t matter if you’re in another world. I’ll find you.”

Jace inclined his head. “You have our word.”

“Good enough.” Tim rubbed his hand across the top of her head. “You think on what I said, little girl. You know where to find me if you need me.” He handed her his phone. “You said you lost yours. You call Mary’s number if you need me.”

Tim departed, leaving her alone with Jace and Darian. She wasn’t ready to face either of them at the moment. She was so confused. Mostly, she missed her family—her father, her mother and her brother. She missed her father’s gruff voice, the way her brother teased her mercilessly and the way her mother always smelled of honeysuckle soap.

The last two days had rocked her world. First, there was the threat of losing the farm and everything her family had worked for if she couldn’t manage to turn things around. Then there was the whole tapestry thing and the trip to Javara. Was it any wonder she was feeling so emotional?

Sam knew she couldn’t hold it together much longer. She had to get away before she broke down and started crying like a baby. “There’s food in the refrigerator if you’re hungry.” She gestured toward the twenty-year-old, white refrigerator so they’d know what she was talking about. “I’ll be back.”

She walked toward the back door and pushed it open. Tim’s truck was a cloud of dust in the distance. Sam blinked as the image wavered. Just dust in her eyes. That’s all.

Darian called her name, but she ignored him and hurried toward the barn as fast as her feet could carry her. It was empty now, but still carried the scent of the horses that had once lived there. Practically running now, she pushed the door open and stepped into the cool shade.

Arrow stepped out of the shadows and meowed at her as if to ask where the heck she’d been. His food and water dishes were empty. “I’m sorry.” She worked quickly to fill both bowls and the cat dove into the food with great zeal. From his reaction, you’d swear the cat hadn’t eaten for a week instead of a day. And Sam knew darn well the cat caught the occasional mouse to feast on.

The minute she was finished the chore, the first sob broke from her lips. Sam stumbled toward a bale of hay in the corner. Before she got there, strong arms closed around her, protective and sheltering. Arrow hissed his displeasure at the intrusion and darted away. The cat didn’t like strangers and would probably stay away as long as Jace and Darian were around.

Sam burst into tears. As appalled as she was by her emotional outburst, she couldn’t stop it. Now that the dam had burst open, there was no way to close it.

“Everything will be all right, Sam.” Jace held her in his arms as he walked toward several bales of hay and sat, settling her on his lap. Darian lowered himself onto the bale beside them and Jace could feel and see his brother’s concern.

Was there anything that could make a man feel more helpless than a woman’s pain and tears? If there was, he hoped never to find out. Jace ached for Sam, for everything she’d been through and every trial she had yet to face in her life.

From what Tim had told them and what little Sam had shared, he knew her life hadn’t been an easy one. All her family was gone and she was alone. Jace wanted to roar at the heavens, demanding they return her loved ones to her. But that was impossible.