Gone Country (Rough Riders #14)(63)

They dug in. Rory didn’t chatter through the meal like normal.


Once the dishes were cleared and they’d refilled their coffee, Rory spoke. “So you’re really with him.”


“Yes.”


“Why?”


Rielle squeezed Rory’s forearm. “I love you. I’m here for you. I will talk to you about anything you want. Except for this.”


“Why are you being so secretive?”


“Why are you being so nosy? I’ve never grilled you about the guys you’ve dated. So what gives you the right to do that to me?”


“Because this isn’t like you, Mom. Because I’m worried about you.”


The frayed end of her patience began to unravel. “You know what? You should’ve been worried about me years ago. When as a young woman I never went on a date, never had a boyfriend—not one man passed through my door or your life during your growing-up years. I was one hundred percent devoted to being your mother. I did a damn good job raising you. But that part of my life—seeing myself as a mother first—is over. It has been for a while and I’ve needed to move on from that. Now I have.”


Rory didn’t look up from her coffee when she asked, “What does that mean?”


“It means my relationship with Gavin is not up for discussion with my daughter.”


“Yeah, I get that having me at sixteen f*cked up you having a normal life.”


Rielle slammed her coffee cup on the counter. “For Christsake, Aurora, you think that’s a fair thing to say to me?”


Her pale skin colored. “Probably not. But that’s the way you make me feel sometimes.”


“When?” Rielle demanded. “When have I ever acted like you were anything but the absolute joy and light of my life? Never. And don’t let your jealousy that you might have to share my affections with someone else now distort the past.”


“So you’re saying tough shit, suck it up?”


“Pretty much. You are a twenty-four-year-old woman, Rory. Your reaction to your mother having a boyfriend is ridiculous.”


Rory was completely taken aback.


“My relationship with Gavin won’t ever affect my relationship with you. Unless you let it. Your choice.” Rielle slid from the barstool and walked out.


An hour later, she’d reached the bottom of her pile of logs to split. Even though it was still snowing, she’d gotten so hot she’d ditched her jacket and only wore a thermal shirt.


If anyone asked, she’d blame her wet face on sweat. So what if a few frustrated tears leaked past her defenses while she was working out her aggravation.


“Ree?”


She let the blade fall before she looked at Gavin. “Yeah?”


“Is it safe to approach?”


“Why wouldn’t it be?”


“Because you’re in a bad mood and wielding an ax?”


She offered a sad smile. “Point taken.”


Gavin moved in closer. “You and Rory had words.”


“Did the little snot say something nasty to you?”


“No. But she shoveled the walkway. And swept a path to the garage and the barn.” He gestured to the pile of chopped wood. “Like mother, like daughter. Literally working off a mad.”


“More productive than drinking,” she said lightly.


Gavin framed her face in his hands. “Do you want to talk?”


“That’s the thing, Gavin. I don’t want to talk about my kid or yours.”


“Just what I was hoping to hear.” He tugged her hat off and pushed his fingers through her damp hair.


“I probably smell like sweat.”


“I don’t care.” His thumbs stroked her cheekbones. “I watched you out here. So strong and determined. You’re beautiful and it’s bizarre that seeing you whack the shit out of stuff turns me on.”


Rielle laughed.


Gavin fastened his mouth to hers; the kiss was sweet and steady—like a first kiss. Maybe it was the first time he’d kissed her with such exquisite tenderness. He’d shown her passion. Playfulness. Lust. He’d flirted and teased. But this soft and slow meeting of tongues showed her another side to him and another side to herself. She accepted that he could comfort her, he could offer his support and it didn’t make her weak or needy for wanting it.


Rory watched her mom from the upstairs window. Kissing Gavin. But it was more than that. Just by their body language she saw that her mom trusted him.


Before her mother had stormed off this morning, Rory had tried to get her to recognize that she was making the same mistake she had at age sixteen, falling for the first guy who paid attention to her.


Her mother’s inexperience with men scared her. This wasn’t a casual situation with Gavin. They lived in the same house. Of course the temptation would be there, but Gavin Daniels didn’t seem like her mom’s type.


Had she ever thought about the type of man her mother would be attracted to?


No. She’d spent her life seeing her mother as…sexless. Selfless. More an earth goddess than a sex goddess.