by Sharon Dunn
“Prom.” Julia traced the outline of the photograph with her finger as a familiar ache returned. “Did you have fun that night?”
“My date was more interested in dancing with someone else,” Elizabeth mused.
“Such pretty dresses.” Julia struggled to stay in the lightness of the moment. She couldn’t focus on the loss of her own adolescence. Hope lay in looking toward the promise of the future.
Elizabeth wrapped an arm around Julia and pulled her close. “Maybe the first pretty dress you get to wear will be your wedding gown.”
Julia closed her eyes and snuggled into the hug. “I hadn’t thought of that.” God mends and restores in unexpected ways. Looking at the photographs had healed the wound from a long-ago loss. Maybe marriage would happen. All of that was so far off in the distance.
Elizabeth’s grandfather clock struck eight. Julia pulled free of the hug as anxiety coiled in her stomach. Gavin should have been back by now. She rose to her feet and looked out the small window, unable to shake the feeling that something had happened to him.
ELEVEN
Gavin pulled into the lot outside the hot springs. The older-model Mustang he had borrowed from his high-school buddy Brandon ran like a dream. He had been followed for nearly fifty miles before he could shake the cult members. After that, he had contacted Brandon, who he knew ran a used-car lot in the area. The trade was temporary, but at least now he had minimized one of the factors that would compromise the security of the hot springs the next time they had to go out in public.
He pushed open the car door and stepped out into the cold morning. He found himself looking forward to seeing Julia again. It had been a risk to separate from her, and concern for her safety had crossed his mind more than once.
He opened the door to the lodge and stepped inside. “Hello, I’m back.” The stillness of the place and the fact that the door had been unlocked alarmed him. “Julia?” He stepped toward the staircase as unease spread through him.
He ran over to the sliding glass doors and peered out. No sign of Elizabeth. No sign of Julia. He would never forgive himself if she had fallen back into the cult’s hands. His anxiety clicked into high gear as he whirled around.
Julia stood in the doorway. “I heard you pull up. I assume that Mustang is your replacement car.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. Her voice was like music to his ears. She must have come around to the front of the lodge and stepped through the open door. She held her hands together over her stomach. His breath caught in his throat. Even with his bad haircut and the unnatural shade of red, her beauty shone through.
“My new car. You like it?” He struggled to sound casual. The emotion that welled up inside him took him by surprise. Something had changed about her in the hours they had been apart. The vulnerability he saw in her wide blue eyes was still there, but she seemed peaceful.
“Pretty fancy.” She stepped into the lodge and closed the door behind her. “How did you acquire something like that on such short notice?”
“You’ve got to know people. I have a friend from high school who owns a car lot in Highsdale, about sixty miles from here.” Beneath the small talk, strong attraction stirred. When she had stood in the doorway, he’d had wanted to rush over to her.
“You grew up around here?”
“No, I grew up on the highline in northern Montana. I knew my friend had moved to this area.”
She stepped toward him. “I really don’t know much about you.” Her eyes searched his. “I know our relationship is professional, that my father is paying you, but I wish I knew more.”
“Not much to tell.” He could talk about his childhood, but sharing too much might lead her to ask about Florida again. At first, he hadn’t wanted to share about what had happened with Joshua because he was afraid it would shake her confidence in him as a bodyguard. But now, as he realized he was falling for her, he feared she would think less of him as a man if she knew.
She advanced toward him. “Everyone has stories to tell about their life.”
He really wasn’t ready to share his story yet. “I was worried about you when you didn’t answer and that door was open.” His voice was thick with emotion. Their time apart made him realize what a void he felt when he wasn’t around her.
Her face flushed with color, and he wondered if she was feeling the same heated energy. “Elizabeth thought it would be safer to stay in her cabin.”
The whole time they were apart, his thoughts returned to her over and over. On a job when another guard took a shift, it was normal to think about your client, to wonder about their safety. He had been in close quarters with clients for weeks on end before. But this time apart had been different. Not being around her had made him feel somehow incomplete. He really wanted to close the distance between them, to gather her in his arms and breathe in the scent of her hair and skin. He craved it.
“That was a good call on Elizabeth’s part,” he said, managing to sound casual.
“I know we both had our doubts about Elizabeth. But I do think she’s looking out for us.” She reached out and touched his arm as concern colored her voice. “You must be exhausted. You’ve been up all night.”
The mention of sleep made his limbs feel heavy. “I suppose I should get in a couple hours’ rest.” As tired as he was, he didn’t want to leave Julia’s side.
“Please go and get some sleep.”
“You sure?” The more he talked about rest, the sleepier he became. He was ready to crumple on the floor.
“Elizabeth and I will be okay,” she assured him. “We’ll stay inside. And she told me she has a shotgun and knows how to use it.”
He made his way over to his room on the first floor, took a quick shower and collapsed into bed. What was it about Julia that was getting to him?
He rolled over as the fog of sleep invaded his thoughts. After seeing how she handled the kidnapping in the hotel and everything else, he could see that Julia was not the fragile creature William Randel had described. As he drifted off to sleep, he regretted making the promise to Julia’s father.
He didn’t view her as just another client anymore.
He slept for a long time and awoke to silence. He splashed water on his face and headed downstairs. The front door was closed, but still unlocked. Irritated, he turned the lock. When were they going to start paying attention to these things?
No one was in the outdoor pool. At least they had kept their word on that. The daytime sky was already starting to darken. This time of year, sunset happened around five o’clock. The dining room and the kitchen were both empty.
He quickened his pace as he made his way through the kitchen exit to the building with the hot tubs. He pushed open the door. The sound of women laughing and music playing allowed him to relax, but it bothered him that none of the doors had been locked.
Dressed in an oversize denim shirt with a scarf over her hair, Julia stood in one of the empty hot tubs scrubbing it, while Elizabeth mopped the tile floor.
“What is going on here?”
Elizabeth walked over to a CD player and turned down the volume.
Julia wrung out a sponge. “Since being outside isn’t such a good idea, Elizabeth thought maybe we could get the indoor hot tubs going.”
“Once we get this running, you can join us.” Elizabeth moved toward a table where she had set an open can of soda. “It’s going to take a while to get things shaped up, but it might be kind of fun. I’ll fill the tub tonight.”
Something in the way Julia and Elizabeth were relating to each other was different, more cordial. He smiled. “I appreciate the invite, but I really can’t soak in a hot tub while I’m on duty.”
Julia’s shoulders slumped. “I wish you could join us. You work so hard.”
“It seems like you should get a break once in a while,” Elizabeth added. “We’ll all go stir crazy if we just stay inside and do nothing.”
“That’s not how this job works. I’m going to walk the grounds a
nd make sure everything is all clear.” He turned toward Elizabeth and added, “You left the door to this place unlocked, by the way, along with the other doors.”
Elizabeth grabbed a scrub brush off the table. “Sorry, I guess I forgot.”
A little irritation tickled his nerves. She was so casual about the whole thing. He had thought they were on the same page with security. “It’s bad enough you don’t have an alarm system. You could at least take the standard precautions.” He stalked toward the door. “You’ll have to excuse me.”
He had gotten back to the outdoor pool when Elizabeth’s voice hit his back. “Look, I didn’t mean to sound so dismissive about the doors.”
He wheeled back around. “It’s basic security.”
“I have lived here most of my life and never had to lock my doors. It’s just habit. I don’t think like you do. It doesn’t mean I’m not concerned for Julia’s safety. I’m not a security expert. I’m not constantly trying to predict ways that someone could get at Julia.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m thinking about what Julia needs emotionally,” Elizabeth said.
They were both on the same side. They wanted what was best for Julia. Why were they always butting heads? “I know that, but the doors still need to be locked.”
Elizabeth stepped closer to Gavin. Her expression grew serious. “Getting Julia to this trial isn’t just about getting her physical body into that courtroom. When you were away, I saw how fond she’s becoming of you, and I’m worried that it’s not healthy.”
Her comment took him aback. A level of attachment to a bodyguard was normal, but he would never do anything that would hinder Julia’s recovery. “I understand that, and I’m not saying that she’s undamaged by what she has been through, but Julia has more emotional stability than anyone is giving her credit for. She’s not a child. I’m sure she resents everyone treating her like one. She’s a strong, grown woman.”
“Please stop fighting about me.” Julia stood behind Elizabeth. She folded her arms over her chest to block out the cold. “Locking the door was as much my responsibility as Elizabeth’s.”
Had she heard the whole conversation? Sympathy flooded through him. Once again, in the name of protecting Julia, they were trying to run her life. He walked toward her. “Julia, you’re shivering.”
“I’m fine.” She looked at Elizabeth and then at Gavin. “I care about both of you. Please don’t fight about me and what I need.” Her unwavering voice was charged with power. “I’m twenty-two years old. I’d like to be the one who says what I need and don’t need. I’d like to be a part of the conversation.” She pointed a finger toward her chest for emphasis. “Instead of all these people deciding for me.” She turned and walked back into the hot-tub building.
Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open. “I guess I see what you mean.”
Gavin shook his head. Once again, Julia’s fortitude and courage had surprised him.
Go, Julia.
Julia sat in a chair in the library staring at an ACT practice test resting on a coffee table book that she had propped up with her knee. Ophelia drowsed on her lap. She let out a heavy sigh. She’d done every practice test in the book. Maybe she could borrow Elizabeth’s computer and do some online tests. She sighed and pressed her head back against the chair. Doing one more test probably wouldn’t make a difference in her score, though. She was so tired of looking at the booklet, she could scream.
Gavin sat across from her, flipping through a book on Yellowstone Park. They had eaten dinner with Elizabeth and then decided to stay in the library until Julia felt tired enough to sleep. She studied him for a moment. The way he narrowed his eyes and licked his lips as he read was endearing.
Julia tapped her foot. She could only study for so long. Elizabeth said she would fill the hot tub later tonight. Soaking would only consume a small amount of time. Any more of this waiting, and she would go crazy. “So do you think maybe I could go ride the horses or at least go for a walk?”
Gavin looked up from his book. “I know you’re restless, but the incident at the hotel told us how serious these people are. I just don’t want to take any chances.”
She had to trust Gavin’s judgment, but sitting around day after day would be impossible to endure.
“So when do I get to finish the trial prep with the Flemings?”
Gavin closed his book and set it on a shelf. He studied her for a moment. “You feel ready for that?”
Julia put the book and practice test on a side table. She turned her head so he wouldn’t see her shudder. The memory of the gun against her temple flashed across her mind. Steeling herself against any encroaching fear, she turned to face him.
“Doing nothing makes me more anxious. There’s too much time to think. Doing something connected with the trial helps me believe in the possibility that it will all be behind me someday.”
He leaned toward her, resting his elbows on his knees. “We need to find a new secure place for you to meet them. The arrangements could take a while. Also, I’ve got a cousin who works in the prison where Elijah is being kept who’s trying to ferret out some information for me. The guys we took into custody from the hotel aren’t talking. We need to figure out how Elijah is giving orders from his jail cell. Only his lawyers are allowed to visit him, so he must be working with someone in the prison.”
Julia’s stomach tightened at the mention of Elijah’s name. “That’s no surprise. He’s pretty good at getting people to do things for him.”
Compassion etched across his features. “Talking about him still bothers you, doesn’t it?”
Even as she struggled with her fears, the words he had said earlier to Elizabeth floated back into her head. She pushed the cat off and rose from the chair. She faced the bookshelf, afraid of what she might see in his eyes when he answered her question. “Did you mean what you said?”
“Said what?”
She’d heard most of the conversation between them and had been turning it over in her mind ever since. She pulled a book from the shelf and flipped through it, attempting to sound casual. The cat twirled around her feet. “When you were talking to Elizabeth, you said that you thought I was a strong woman.”
“I think people underestimate you, Julia. They think because of everything that happened to you, you should be messed up. But I think it has made you stronger and given you an incredible survival instinct. You handled yourself like a champion back at that hotel. You thought strategically when most people would have fallen to pieces. Dropping those beads saved your life.”
No one else thought that about her. Up until the day she had left with Gavin, her father had hovered around her. Then again, no one else had seen her in a crisis like Gavin had. “Thank you for believing that about me.” She wanted to believe that about herself. Gavin’s confidence in her bolstered her hope. When she turned to face him, he had risen from his chair.
His eyes pierced through her. “It’s the truth, Julia.”
The intensity of his gaze stirred up the affection she had for him. It was hard to sort through all these feelings. Maybe the blossoming emotions were just because they had been in such close quarters. He had saved her life more than once. Was she mistaking gratitude for attraction?
Elizabeth’s words about her attachment to Gavin being unhealthy troubled her. He had probably had clients develop crushes on him before. Were her feelings real or just borne of the threat of danger she had to live with?
She hugged the book she’d picked out to her chest. “I suppose I’ll go upstairs and read in my room before I go to bed.” Without thinking, she reached out and touched his arm with her free hand.
He stepped back and ran his hands through his blond-brown hair. “That sounds like a good idea.”
Something in his tone of voice was guarded. She sensed that he was detaching. She made her way back to the lodge. Gavin’s footsteps crunched in the snow behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know he was constantly sur
veying the surrounding area. His vigilance was a comfort to her.
As they walked beneath a dark sky twinkling with stars, she couldn’t help but wish they had met under different—and less traumatic—circumstances.
A sound awoke Gavin from his chair where he drowsed. He sat up straight, and his hand went to his gun. He surveyed the floor below him. It had been the faintest inkling of a noise out of place.
He eased back into the chair, but forced himself to stay awake. Both Elizabeth and Julia had gone to bed hours ago. The wind rattled the windows. A snowstorm was brewing outside, but that hadn’t been what he had heard.
His gaze fixated on the doorknob. Had someone been trying to get in?
Then a muffled thump came from the kitchen. He jerked forward in his chair as he unclicked the leather strap that held his gun in the side holster.
He rose to his feet and stood at the edge of the balcony.
Julia’s door scraped across the floor. She peeked out. “Is something going on?”
“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” he said.
“I was, but I heard you moving around out here.”
He didn’t like that she was sleeping so lightly. Did she not feel safe? “I thought I heard a noise. Probably nothing.” He felt that strange prickling at the back of his neck that told him it was something, but he didn’t want to feed into her anxiety. “Go back to sleep.”
“You’re going to go down there and check it out, aren’t you?”
Was he that predictable? “As a matter of precaution, I have to investigate. Stay here.”
She lifted her chin in defiance, but relented. “Should I lock the door?”
“Yes, and don’t open it until I come back—until you hear my voice.” He didn’t want to alarm her, but Elijah’s people liked to operate in pairs. While he was being distracted by one in the kitchen another might find a way to get up to Julia’s room. Julia’s question indicated that she understood that.
Her eyes pleaded with him. “Hurry back.”