lost. Now Cade let his father’s unkind comments wash over him, drop away, leave no mark, like a wave touching the shore. After years of this game, Cade’s skin was thick as a buffalo hide.
“Lottie leave any dinner?” Cade asked. Most nights their housekeeper put a roast or casserole in the oven before her departure.
“Maybe wasn’t such a bad thing for those two girls when they found Connie dead in that ditch.”
Hunger slid from Cade’s stomach.
“Dad, don’t.” The tight ache at the base of his skull spread down through his spine and tightened in his back. His father pushed his limits.
“Margaret took damn good care of those girls, better than their mother ever would’ve.” This wasn’t an argument, but the unkind, bitter words of an angry old man. Perhaps a piece of Hudd’s brain the thrown clot had damaged.
“That family never did amount to much. Those women run off men like they’re wolves chasing rabbits. Tulsa still single? Can’t even find a man in a city big as Los Angeles?” Hudd shook his head, incredulous that a woman, any woman, might be without a husband.
“You know, Dad, some women don’t want to be married.”
His father squinted his eyes. “Seems like you’ve met a couple of those.”
“I have indeed,” Cade said.
“No worry, son.” His father flipped the file on his lap closed. “Some men just can’t pick the right one when it comes to women. Look at Wayne. He married that trollop and let her run around. And then you. With that woman who wanted a career and not a family. Would have thought you’d have figured that one out before the wedding. But hell, you’re out of it now.”
Cade scrubbed his hand over his eyes. “You need anything, Dad?” Cade asked.
“Me?” Hudd cocked his head. “No, son, I’m all right. But you? Well, boy, looks like if you want to win this case you’re gonna need a better poker face.”
A heat rose in his belly, an anger he couldn’t indulge. Nothing good came from anger directed at his father. Cade stopped short, always, from saying the unkindest of words to his dad, but his father fought all out. Slash and burn. Whatever Hudd thought, Hudd said, and if he’d ever had the slightest hint of discretion, the stroke had blown those neurons and synapses out of his brain. When Hudd wanted to spar, it was better to duck and weave than to try to land the heavy blows. Cade turned to the fireplace and took the wrought-iron poker from the tool rack. He squatted in front of the fire.
“Written all over your damn face. You’re still in love with that McGrath girl.”
“Is it?” Cade gave the bright red log a rough poke and embers sprayed upward toward the flue.
“Can’t go into a courtroom in love with opposing counsel. That woman will chew you up and spit you out. Make a fool of you, son. Just like before.”
The log burst into flame. The heat on Cade’s face matched the fire burning deep in his gut. A fool? His father thought he’d been a fool over Tulsa McGrath? He’d been a heartbroken teenager, in mad love with a girl. Cade’s left knee popped when he stood. He placed the poker back in the rack and turned slowly toward his dad. The right side of Hudd’s face hung limp and his arm curled in and rested on his lap. Why fight with a man who could barely walk?
“You’ll make sure the fire’s out when you go to bed?” Cade said.
His father grunted and dropped his gaze to the file. “Go on then if you don’t want to face the truth. Go on and run your little ol’ self off to bed.”
*
The cold night air worked its way deep into Tulsa’s bones. A hot shower, flannel pajamas, and fleece socks couldn’t chase away the chill. She shivered and snuggled deeper under the handmade block quilt, above her a multitude of glow-in-the-dark stars covered the ceiling of her childhood room.
The first time she snuck Cade Montgomery into her room he’d paused just inside Tulsa’s bedroom window and stared up at the glowing
“Lottie leave any dinner?” Cade asked. Most nights their housekeeper put a roast or casserole in the oven before her departure.
“Maybe wasn’t such a bad thing for those two girls when they found Connie dead in that ditch.”
Hunger slid from Cade’s stomach.
“Dad, don’t.” The tight ache at the base of his skull spread down through his spine and tightened in his back. His father pushed his limits.
“Margaret took damn good care of those girls, better than their mother ever would’ve.” This wasn’t an argument, but the unkind, bitter words of an angry old man. Perhaps a piece of Hudd’s brain the thrown clot had damaged.
“That family never did amount to much. Those women run off men like they’re wolves chasing rabbits. Tulsa still single? Can’t even find a man in a city big as Los Angeles?” Hudd shook his head, incredulous that a woman, any woman, might be without a husband.
“You know, Dad, some women don’t want to be married.”
His father squinted his eyes. “Seems like you’ve met a couple of those.”
“I have indeed,” Cade said.
“No worry, son.” His father flipped the file on his lap closed. “Some men just can’t pick the right one when it comes to women. Look at Wayne. He married that trollop and let her run around. And then you. With that woman who wanted a career and not a family. Would have thought you’d have figured that one out before the wedding. But hell, you’re out of it now.”
Cade scrubbed his hand over his eyes. “You need anything, Dad?” Cade asked.
“Me?” Hudd cocked his head. “No, son, I’m all right. But you? Well, boy, looks like if you want to win this case you’re gonna need a better poker face.”
A heat rose in his belly, an anger he couldn’t indulge. Nothing good came from anger directed at his father. Cade stopped short, always, from saying the unkindest of words to his dad, but his father fought all out. Slash and burn. Whatever Hudd thought, Hudd said, and if he’d ever had the slightest hint of discretion, the stroke had blown those neurons and synapses out of his brain. When Hudd wanted to spar, it was better to duck and weave than to try to land the heavy blows. Cade turned to the fireplace and took the wrought-iron poker from the tool rack. He squatted in front of the fire.
“Written all over your damn face. You’re still in love with that McGrath girl.”
“Is it?” Cade gave the bright red log a rough poke and embers sprayed upward toward the flue.
“Can’t go into a courtroom in love with opposing counsel. That woman will chew you up and spit you out. Make a fool of you, son. Just like before.”
The log burst into flame. The heat on Cade’s face matched the fire burning deep in his gut. A fool? His father thought he’d been a fool over Tulsa McGrath? He’d been a heartbroken teenager, in mad love with a girl. Cade’s left knee popped when he stood. He placed the poker back in the rack and turned slowly toward his dad. The right side of Hudd’s face hung limp and his arm curled in and rested on his lap. Why fight with a man who could barely walk?
“You’ll make sure the fire’s out when you go to bed?” Cade said.
His father grunted and dropped his gaze to the file. “Go on then if you don’t want to face the truth. Go on and run your little ol’ self off to bed.”
*
The cold night air worked its way deep into Tulsa’s bones. A hot shower, flannel pajamas, and fleece socks couldn’t chase away the chill. She shivered and snuggled deeper under the handmade block quilt, above her a multitude of glow-in-the-dark stars covered the ceiling of her childhood room.
The first time she snuck Cade Montgomery into her room he’d paused just inside Tulsa’s bedroom window and stared up at the glowing
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