Burke planted his hands on the top of the counter and leaned toward her, crowding her. “He's no match for someone like you."
"Someone like me,” she pondered aloud. “What exactly does that mean? You make me sound like some kind of femme fatale."
"Just devious and manipulative."
"And you're not?” she shot back. She'd had enough of his unfounded accusations. “You all want Shamus to do exactly what you tell him to do and the minute he won't, you turn on him. From where I'm sitting, his family is being manipulative and devious, not me.” Before Burke could speak, she held up her hand. “I've had enough of your insinuations and finger-pointing. Look in the mirror before you start casting blame.” She slid from the stool, putting some distance between herself and the large, angry man glowering at her.
"I tried to send Shamus away at first, but he wouldn't go. And you know what?” She crossed her arms, glaring at Burke. “I like Shamus. A lot.” Now that was an understatement. “Our relationship is none of your concern."
"It's coming between him and his family,” Burke growled.
"That's as much your fault as it is mine. I never demanded he stop seeing any of you. Can you say the same? The past is over and done with. I apologized to Dani at the time, and I'll apologize to you if that's what you need, but I'm done with paying for it.” This was her home and she'd had enough. “It's time for you to leave."
Not waiting to see if he was following, Cyndi marched to the front door and yanked it open. Burke followed a few steps behind her. “This isn't over,” he promised.
"Yes, it is.” She'd said her piece. It was over as far as she was concerned.
"I heard you planned to start a B & B here.” Burke's face gave nothing away, but she could sense the emotions bubbling just below the surface. “You'll need permits, and they might be hard to get."
Cyndi laughed, but there was nothing pleasant about the sound. “Is that a threat?"
"No. Just a fact.” He stepped out onto the front porch and turned to face her.
"My, how like my father you've become Mr. Black.” She could see that her last comment startled him. “But I have documents going back to the founding of this town that allow me to do whatever I want on this piece of land. My ancestors might have been greedy bastards, but they weren't stupid. Good day.” She slammed the door and shot the lock home.
Her heart was pounding, her head spinning, and she thought she might be sick. She sucked in a deep breath, then another, as her pulse gradually slowed and her stomach settled. When she heard Burke's vehicle pulling away, she opened the front door and stared out after him.
The morning, so sunny and crisp, now felt much colder. She was about to close the door when something made her give her car a second glance. She stepped out onto the porch and stared. What was different about it? Then it struck her. Her tires seemed deflated.
Frowning, she hurried down the stairs and over to her car. What in the earth could have happened? She walked all the way around the vehicle. All her tires were flat.
Feeling exposed, she glanced around. There was no one to be seen, but she couldn't shake the sense that someone was watching her. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she examined one of the tires. She could quickly see what the problem was. The rubber had been slashed open. It was the same with all four tires.
Sighing, Cyndi hurried back to the house, closing and locking the door behind her. She didn't really want to, but she had to call the authorities. Someone had cut her tires. She wondered if it was the same person who'd shot out the windows, or was this a new enemy?
As she dialed the sheriff's office, it occurred to her that Burke Black was the only other person who'd been in her driveway this morning.
Shamus climbed out of his truck and stared at the back door of his sister's home. He'd spent many hours in that house and considered it a second home. Now he wondered if he'd still be welcome here. His gut tightened, so he took a deep, calming breath.
He'd barely talked to his sister the past few days, and even then the conversations were short and strained, neither of them voicing the true reasons for their estrangement. Shamus was used to seeing his family every single day. Not doing so had left a huge void in his life.
The back door opened, and Dani stood there, her expression filled with sadness. He hated the fact that he was partially responsible for putting it there. He wouldn't take all the credit though. Each member of his family had a part to play in this, too.
"Any chance I might get a cup of coffee?” The fact that he asked showed their relationship was not what it had been. A little more than a week ago, he would have walked into the kitchen and poured a cup for himself.
"Oh, Shamus.” Dani's face crumpled and she began to cry.
He hurried up the path, taking the steps in one leap, and tugged her into his arms. She locked her arms around his waist and sobbed against his shirt. “It's okay,” he promised her.
"It's not,” she wailed. “Everything is all mixed up. I want things to be the way they were."
"I know you do.” He eased her back into the kitchen, letting the door shut behind them. “Where are Burke and Shane?” He didn't want his brother-in-law or nephew interrupting them.
"Burke left just after breakfast. I think he was looking for you.” Dani swiped at her eyes. “Shane is at school. He keeps asking about you."
Shamus hated that his nephew was suffering because of this. He loved Shane and spent a lot of time with him. “I'll call him tonight."
"Thank you."
"Jesus, Dani. You don't have to thank me for something like that. He's my family. You all are.” Seating her in her usual chair, he strode to the counter, took down mugs, and filled them with fresh coffee. Carrying them back to the table, he handed his sister one of them.
Shamus hauled out a chair and flipped it around. Sitting, he leaned his arms on the chair back as he studied his sister. She looked pale and drawn, as if she hadn't been sleeping well.
"I guess Burke told you what happened at Jessie's."
She nodded, a lone tear slipping down her cheek. “Oh, Shamus, I don't want this family to split apart.” She swiped at her face with the back of her hand.
"I don't want that either"
"It's all her fault,” Dani wailed.
"No,” he said calmly, even though he felt anything but calm at the moment. “It's not. What it comes down to is that none of you trust my judgment and now it's extended beyond the personal and into my professional life as well. I've been running the construction side of the business by myself for more than eight years, Dani. How do you think I felt when Burke told me I couldn't take a job I wanted to do? That he wouldn't let the company do work for Cyndi."
"He said that?"
"Yeah.” And a bit more besides, but there was no need to get into it. “Dani, I'm a grown man who has been a big part of a successful business for years. No one tells me who I can and can't work for."
He could tell his sister was torn between supporting her husband and him, and he didn't want to put her in that kind of untenable position. “Hey.” He reached out and cupped her face. “Don't worry about it. We'll work it out. And besides, I was raised right. I know how to take care of myself."
She gave a weak chuckle as she reached up and grasped his hand in hers, squeezing it tight. “I just don't know what to do. What to say."
This was the first sense of softening he'd felt on Dani's part and he took advantage of it. “Why don't you trust my judgment?” Shamus struggled to find the right words to help Dani understand what he was feeling. “Cyndi isn't the same person she was fourteen years ago. There are circumstances in her life that people here just don't know about. But regardless, the past is the past. I know it's asking a lot, but why don't you try to get to know her for who she is, not who she was?” He hated the fact that he was hurting his family, but they were hurting him too.