Finding Home

Chapter Twenty-Three

After a while I must have dozed off, when I opened my eyes, Tom was still sitting there next to me as if he were protecting me and standing guard. I sat up and looked around.

"Where's Devon?" I asked, "He left a while ago, he saw you fall asleep and just got up and left, don't know where he is" Tom said looking down at me. "I'm sorry if by me holding your hand that got you into trouble" he said quietly.

"Tom, you didn't get me into trouble, we weren't doing anything, now if we were kissing or having sex right here that would be a different story" I said smiling at him and bumped his shoulder with mine.

"Too bad you aren't single; this is the perfect spot to kiss you and make love to you and show you how much you mattered to me" Tom said looking into my eyes. There it was again something passed behind his eyes.

"Tom why do your eyes do that, it's like something passes behind them at certain times" I asked. "I have no idea, just something that has always been that way since I can remember," he said.

"Oh, and if I were single, I would definitely take you up on that one" I whispered in his ear as I stood up. Tom growled a low deep one, I laughed, "my big bad wolf" I said as I went to walk towards my horse.

Tom sat there watching me, I know he heard what I just said, but I could not believe that I just said "my big bad wolf" he was not mine, but something deep down said he was.

I called for Eternal and my horse wondered over to me, I climbed on and waited for Tom, he sat there for a minute then he stood up and walked over to me, smirked, and climbed on behind me.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, "ready whenever you are my little one" he whispered into my ear.

My body did it again, that little shiver that goes up and down my spine when he does that. I nudged Eternal into a walk, it was a nice slow pace that we were taking.

Enjoying the day and what was going on around us, without even thinking about it I leaned my back against Tom. He relaxed into it as our bodies molded into one.

His hands rested on my thighs as we walked, we saw his brothers sitting on the deck of their new house all happy and content. They saw us and the smiles they had on their faces were priceless.

I waved to them as we continued to the barn, Tom got down and helped me down. I took Eternal into the barn and Tom took off the tack and put it away for me.

I brushed Eternal down and let him back out into the pasture when he joined his friends. I thanked Tom for a mostly lovely day and that we should do it again. He agreed and I walked to my house.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, I walked in and saw that it was empty, I called out for Devon but no answer, I checked every room and nothing. I went to the kitchen and there was nothing there, no note this time.

Now I was getting curious and worried at the same time, not knowing where he went was bothering me. I knew he was irritated with me about Tom but that was innocent. I even had him stay showing him nothing was going on.

I went to the bedroom and grabbed some clothes and went to take a shower, I opened the cupboard to grab my shampoo and I noticed all of Devon's stuff was gone.

"What in the hell?" I said aloud. I went and grabbed my cellphone; I called Devon, and it went straight to voicemail. I then texted him to call me when he sees this.

I then went to the CB and got ahold of Tim, "Hi Ath, what can I do for you?" Tim said, "I need to know of Devon is there?" I asked him. "He was, John just took off with him in the plane, said he needed to go back to Cali and when he was ready, he would get ahold of us" Tim said.

"Oh, okay thank you Tim" I said and dropped the mic onto the desk. "He left me, no note no nothing" I said quietly as I looked around at the empty house. I went to check, and he took every bit of clothing he had.

I found a note in the trash, I was not sure if I wanted to read it, but curiosity got the better of me.

"Dear Athena,

I know I overreacted today about Tom and you; I cannot believe I resulted in spying when I should not have, but Tom was right I tried to control you and that is not you. I have taken my things and moved back to California for a while. I need time to think about everything. As for this note, I am not sure I will give it to you but knowing you, you will freak out and that is not good for the baby. I love you, but right now we need time apart. I wish you nothing but the best and I know this is the second time I left you without a word or a goodbye, but I could not bear to see you cry as I would leave. I know this is the cowardly way out, but I want you to carry on and raise your baby the best way you know how. One day things might be different. I made sure the three brothers would be a good fit on the farm, I will admit I have been thinking about this for some time now. This is not a new thought of me leaving. Farm life in Alaska just is not for me. I am a city boy. I really thought I could give it a go, but I cannot. I will call you in a few days.

Until then

Devon"

I sat down on the floor and cried my eyes out; I could not believe this. He was thinking about this the whole time. I crawled up into bed and then got back out. I stripped the bed and opened the front door as Tom and the brothers were walking up.

I tossed all my bed sheets out and whatever else reminded me of him.

The brothers stopped dead in their tracks when they saw my face, I was crying and my face was red, I was also standing there looking at them naked and at that point I did not care.

I turned around and went inside and grabbed my robe and put that on, I lay on the floor not being able to stop crying. Tom came running in along with his brothers.

"Baby what's wrong?" I heard Tom ask, I handed him the letter and all three brothers read it. Derek started to growl; Darryle swore under his breath. Then there was Tom, he picked me up and took me to their home.

He tucked me in his bed and made me some coffee, knowing that I loved that stuff.

"Here sip on this and don't you worry about a thing, we will take care of you sweetheart" was all Tom had to say. I looked up at him, "thank you" was all I could manage to say.

It was a lot better being in their home instead of mine, mine felt too much of Devon and I could not take that right now. I needed some space from it and Tom, and the brothers gave it to me.

They gave me the spot to hide away and lick my wounds for now until I was strong enough to face my home and make it all mine again.