N. Walters - Strands of Love

Sam had settled herself to the fact that both men were leaving today and now Darian had thrown this latest revelation at her. “Because, you can’t.” Great, that was totally articulate. She sighed and shook her head. “You can’t do that to your mother.” No way was she being responsible for breaking up a family.

She’d give anything to have her family back. A deep well of pain and emptiness filled her. She desperately wanted a family and he was willing to give his up.

Darian returned his sword to its protective sheath and propped it against the porch railing. “My mother will understand and she will have Jace. If I leave, you will be all alone.”

His words sliced through her like a blade. Alone, as she’d been all these months.

The door opened behind her and Jace joined them. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, snuggling against her from behind. She leaned against his strength even as she berated herself for doing so. She couldn’t get used to depending on either of them.

“What is wrong?” Jace’s deep voice rumbled through her. She loved the sound of it, the deepness, the hint of command.

“Nothing,” she replied.

“I told her I was staying,” Darian said at the same time.

Jace tensed behind her but then he relaxed. “I expected as much.”

She whirled in his arms and shoved against his chest until he backed up a step. Like his brother, Jace was naked except for his leather pants, which hung low on his hips. His hair fell around his shoulders with the familiar skinny braids on either side. A lot of men would have looked awkward or even feminine wearing two braids in their hair. Not Jace. If anything it accentuated the sheer masculinity of his face.

“He can’t stay. I already told him that.” Why wouldn’t either of them listen to her?

Jace frowned. “You do not wish him to stay?”

“What is wrong with you?” She drilled her index finger against his chest. “He’s your brother. Don’t you want him to come home with you?”

Sadness suffused his face. “I want one of us to be happy.”

The implication that he didn’t want to leave her almost sent her to her knees. This situation was getting worse by the second. Sam spun away and walked to the edge of the porch.

She stared out over the familiar landscape, not really seeing it.

“Sam.” She ignored Darian and continued to stare at the sky. For the first time, she noticed the clouds building on the horizon. Rain. It would be a godsend to all the farmers in the area. A healthy crop would allow her to pay off her existing loan and maybe even give her some breathing space to try some of her experimental crops. If not, she could put that off for yet another year. But the farm would survive. She would survive.

Why wasn’t she happier about that? It was what she wanted.

Dust flew in the distance. “What now?” she muttered. She hadn’t even had a cup of coffee yet.

The familiar truck came into view. She should have known Tim wouldn’t stay away today. She turned and found both Darian and Jace watching her intently. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Jace’s features hardened while Darian’s filled with sadness. “There is no later, Sam. Today is the day.”

But it hadn’t happened yet. The tapestry hadn’t appeared. Maybe it wouldn’t, and all this worry would be for nothing. Of course, if it didn’t come, she’d be worried about their mother and the people of Hunter Keep.

Sam hurried down the steps to greet Tim, needing a familiar face, one from her past, from her world. “Morning, Tim.”

He swept her into his arms, hugging her tight. As she always did, she returned his embrace and soaked in his caring, his love.

Tim released her and brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead. “You okay, little girl?” His gaze shot to the two men standing on her porch. “Everything okay?”

“Oh, Tim. What am I going to do?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the house. “Whatever you want to. It’s your choice, Sam.”

Her choice. The words struck her hard. In her entire life, had she ever done anything that was her choice? She’d worked the farm because it was expected. She loved it too, but there was never talk of her doing anything else. She’d worked harder when her brother had been killed. She’d taken care of her mother after her father died. And then she’d taken care of the farm after her mother passed. Sam had spent her entire life simply reacting to the situation at hand and doing whatever needed to be done.

She was tough and resilient. A survivor.

But wasn’t life supposed to be about more than simply survival? What did she want? Now that was a loaded question. “I need coffee.” Avoiding the question for now, she pushed past all the men and went into the kitchen.

The men came in behind her and she heard the sound of chairs scraping over the scarred wooden floor and knew they were sitting at the table watching her.

Making coffee was a familiar task and it only took her seconds to have a pot brewing. “What brings you out here this morning, Tim?” Oh, she knew why he was here, but she needed to break the awkward silence.

“I came to check on you.” Tim was nothing if not blunt. “And to see what these two young fellers were doing.”

“I am staying,” Darian announced. He sat across from her, massive arms crossed over his chest, almost daring her to disagree with him.

“You can’t.” The words felt as though they were strangling her even as she said them. The denial was automatic, but really, Darian could stay. It was his choice. He was being proactive, deciding what he wanted. Unlike her, who always seemed to be reacting to whatever situation arose.

Jace leaned against the wall, getting tenser by the second. Sam turned back to the counter and poured coffee for her and Tim. Neither brother liked the bitter brew and preferred to drink water or juice. She handed Tim his coffee before she went to the refrigerator and got the orange juice. She pulled two glasses out of the cupboard and filled them. Her hands were shaking slightly as she gave Darian, and then Jace, the juice.

Silence surrounded them again and she couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m going for a walk.”

Jace straightened. “The tapestry.”

“If it comes the same time it did when it brought you here, it shouldn’t return for a few hours yet.” She softened her tone slightly. “I need some time alone, time to think.” Sam turned to Tim. “Are you staying?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here when you get back.” He stood and ruffled the top of her hair. “Go and do your thinking.”

Sam took her mug of coffee with her and left the kitchen and the men behind her.

Jace watched her walk down the porch stairs and across the yard, the ache in his gut growing with each step she took. Every moment with her was special and he resented losing even one of them. But he understood her need to think. There was a lot at stake.

He glanced at Darian and met his brother’s even gaze. He swallowed hard, shoving the emotion down. He would lose both Sam and his brother today.

“So you’re staying?” Tim’s question gave both brothers something to focus on other than Sam’s slender figure retreating in the distance.

“I am,” Darian acknowledged.

“But you’re not?” Tim asked him.

“I cannot.” Jace had to force the words out of his mouth. He loved his home, his mother and his people, but a man should never have to choose between his heart and his honor. Losing Sam was like losing his heart, but he owed his people everything he could give them. They depended on him. They needed him.

Sam would have Darian. They would be fine together.

Sam sipped her coffee as she walked and when the mug was empty she longed for more. There wasn’t enough coffee in the world to help her make this decision.