Always the One

by Tara Randel

  Now it was her turn to touch him in comfort. Her fingers barely formed a dent in his heavy jacket, but the fact that she’d willingly initiated the gesture made his heart soar.

  “I’m sorry, Derrick. That must have been hard.”

  “Probably no harder than your father leaving you and your mom.”

  “That was different.” She removed her hand. “And a topic for another day.”

  “Right. I should probably take my final walk through of the building and make sure everyone is out before locking up.”

  Her eyes still glimmered with compassion. Not wanting to be the subject of her pity, he left the room and quickly checked the building. Only the principal remained and she was buttoning up her coat and leaving as Derrick said good-night. The hallway echoed with Hannah’s footsteps as she headed his way, ready to go home for the night.

  “All clear?” she asked.

  “Yep. Just you and me.”

  She shook her head and started for the door. “And we’re leaving. I’d hoped to be home earlier in case Mom needs anything.”

  “You just got finished with a room full of parents. I’m sure your mom contacted a friend if she had any problems, but why don’t you check in.”

  “I spoke to her before the meeting.” She sent him a chagrined look. “She’s finally getting her strength back but doesn’t appreciate me going all mama bear on her.”

  “You know you can’t take care of everyone and everything twenty-four/seven.”

  She looked at him as though he was dense. “But if I don’t, who will?”

  He opened his mouth with a retort, then realized she was serious. Did she really think she had to take care of everyone? Her somber expression answered his question. Was that what moving around and then later, taking care of her ill mother, had done to her? Made her feel responsible beyond her years?

  When she didn’t blink or change her expression, he shook off his concern and said what she needed to hear. “Then let’s get you home.”

  He opened the heavy door, surprised when she hung back while he locked the main entrance. The temperature had dipped low into the thirties again. The damp air made him shiver under his jacket. Hannah wrapped her scarf closer to her neck while he tugged on his hat.

  “Careful,” he said, taking hold of her arm as they walked to the parking lot. The frigid conditions made moving across the slick asphalt treacherous.

  “You don’t have to stay with me,” she said, her boots sliding on the ice patches.

  “You honestly think I’m going to let you walk to your car by yourself?”

  “No, I’m just saying you don’t have to. I’ve been getting myself to and from places by myself for a long time now.”

  He hid a grin. “Yes, you’re independent. I get it.”

  In the moonlight he saw her smile. “Thanks for noticing.”

  “I’m not surprised. You knew what you wanted even when we were kids.”

  “Until my choices were taken away from me.” She gripped her tote bag closer to her side. “It took me what seemed like forever to regain my confidence. To take some sort of control of my life.”

  He softened his voice. “Hannah, it looks like you’re doing fine to me.”

  She paused for a moment, then nodded. “I am.”

  They hurried across the deserted lot as the wind began to gust. He didn’t want to be out in the cold any longer than necessary.

  “So, you never answered my question,” Hannah said. “Is your mother’s fiancé much like your father?”

  She wanted to discuss family now? With a sigh, he hunched into his jacket. “Polar opposite.”

  “In what way?”

  “He was a con man before he went legit.”

  Hannah stopped so suddenly he slid before halting. She faced him, her expression incredulous. “Did you say con man? Like in a guy who swindles people?”

  “That would be him.”

  “Wow. I’m—I don’t know what I am.”

  “Yeah, that was pretty much the reaction when my brothers and I found out.” He slowed as they reached her sedan. “The wedding is in February.”

  “So soon?” Hannah reached into her coat pocket and removed the key fob.

  “She didn’t want to wait long.”

  As she concentrated on unlocking the car door, Derrick couldn’t take his gaze from her. The moonlight illuminated her creamy skin. Her hair lifted in the breeze, curls taking shape in the humid night air. She looked over and her eyes met his. Taking a chance, he removed his glove before he reached over to run a finger down her satiny-soft cheek. “I can understand her motivation.”

  “Derrick,” she said, but didn’t move.

  As he leaned in slowly, he heard her breath catch. His lips brushed hers, tentatively at first, then with more confidence when she leaned into the embrace. The heat in the kiss shouldn’t have surprised him, considering how long he’d waited for this moment. She sighed, then moved closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her close, knowing nothing could surpass this moment. Nothing was more important than Hannah in his arms once again.

  When she made a sweet sound and tightened her arms around him, he wanted to shout for joy, but refused to remove his lips from hers. The cold night didn’t matter. The late hour was a mere blip in the grand scheme of things. Hope swelled in his heart and he thought maybe, just maybe, fate had allowed them a second chance. He’d make up for the past, he swore as she moved her lips against his. Give her everything she’d ever wanted. Everything she’d ever deserved. He’d make things right and promise her forever if she’d accept his love. He’d even—

  A car door slammed in the distance, making Hannah jump. She jerked back, her eyes wide as she grimaced. “We shouldn’t have done that.”

  Not exactly the reaction or words he’d anticipated. “You can’t tell me you haven’t wondered if we still have the same spark.”

  “Wondering and testing it out are two different things.”

  “You kissed me back, Hannah.”

  “And it was a mistake. I’m with Jonathan.” She pressed the control and the car lock disengaged with a click. “I need to get home.”

  “Hannah—”

  “Please, don’t make this more uncomfortable than it needs to be.”

  He stepped away as she opened the door.

  “I thought I’d spend the rest of my life kissing you,” he told her, his heart in his words.

  Eyes level with his, she said, “Never again.” Then slid in the car and pulled the door shut.

  He watched her drive away, standing in the middle of the parking lot, freezing, wondering how he could have made things with Hannah any worse.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  DERRICK OPENED AND CLOSED the back door off the kitchen for the third time. “It’s warped, Hannah. I could shave off a section of the doorjamb to make it fit better, but I don’t think it’ll improve things. The cold air is going to seep through no matter what I do.” He tried it again for good measure. “You need a new door.”

  Hannah ran a hand through her delightfully tousled hair. This morning when he showed up early on her doorstep, she’d answered wearing a sweatshirt, baggy flannel pajama bottoms and bunny slippers. Yep, bunny slippers. The whimsy made him smile, even as Hannah’s scowl dared him to utter a word.

  He was a smart man, so he kept his mouth shut.

  “Give me a few minutes to get dressed and we’ll go to the home-improvement store.” She turned to leave the room, then spun around. “You can replace the door, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  He decided to err on the side of caution by answering in a light tone. Hannah had been giving him the stink eye ever since he walked in the house. If he had to guess, her mood came from the kiss they’d shared the night of the teacher-parent meeting. She’d been standoffish at schoo
l and this morning came across more than a bit antsy. She may have regretted his impulsive move, but he’d replayed it in his head a dozen times. Savored the feel of her soft lips against his, her sigh when she’d slipped her arms around his neck. Still, his best bet was to ignore the elephant in the room and pretend things were normal.

  Tall order.

  “Then we’ll go to the store now,” she announced. As if leaving the house and going to a place where they’d be surrounded by people would change the friction zipping between them.

  Just as she turned to leave, her mother, dressed in a fuzzy robe, entered with a teacup in her hand. “Did I hear you say you were going to the store?”

  “You need a new door, Mrs. Rawlings...er, Rawley.”

  The older woman grinned. “It’s rather a bother keeping track of our identities. Why don’t you call me Sophia when it’s just us? It’ll be easier.”

  “I will.”

  Sophia turned her attention to Hannah. “The store?”

  “We need a new back door.”

  “That’s the landlord’s job.”

  Hannah’s back went up. “I can take care of it.”

  “It’s not your responsibility.”

  “It’s just easier. This way I make sure it’s what we want.”

  Sophia frowned and Derrick got the feeling this wasn’t the first time they’d had this discussion.

  Maybe he should mediate.

  “I agree with your mom,” he cut in. “You should let the landlord know first. He probably wants to be made aware of what’s going on with his property.”

  Hannah sank her hands on her hips. “Are the two of you ganging up on me?”

  Derrick held up his hands in surrender. What had happened to the even-keeled Hannah? Today she was wound tight. “Hey, I’ll get a new door if that’s what you want.”

  Sophia eyed her daughter and said, “Why don’t we get out of the house. I’m sure it’ll do us good.”

  When Hannah ran her hand through her delightfully disheveled hair again, Derrick’s fingers itched to do the same. Her take-charge attitude reminded him of the girl she used to be. Stubborn and attractive at the same time.

  “Sorry. I just always take care of things that need to be done around here.”

  Her mother walked over and placed her palm against Hannah’s cheek. “But you don’t have to. Mr. Rand appreciates the care you take of the house, but it’s his duty as the owner.”

  “I know, but I can’t help myself.”

  Hannah removed her mother’s hand.

  “How about this,” Derrick offered. “Why don’t we go to the store and you can pick out a style you like. Then call the landlord and ask him if I can go ahead and replace the door.”

  He read the hesitation in her eyes. He got that she wanted to feel in control. He imagined the years in witness protection had made her lose her autonomy, but it seemed like there was more buried there, more than Hannah would let him see.

  “I suppose that’ll work.” She sent him a questioning glance. “You’ll wait?”

  He grinned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  She rolled her eyes and left the kitchen.

  Once she was gone, he heard a loud sigh behind him. He turned. Sophia rinsed her cup, placed it in the sink drainer and stared out the window.

  “Hannah’s not the same girl she used to be.”

  “I can see that.”

  She turned. Rested her back against the counter. “It was bad enough when Jerome left. When I got sick...” She stopped and pulled the lapels of her robe to cover her neck more snugly. “Sometimes it’s too much.”

  “I’m sure you could get assistance if you asked.”

  “From whom?”

  “The US Marshals.”

  She frowned. “They won’t help us now.”

  “Why not?”

  “We left the program. Years ago.”

  He tried to temper his surprise.

  “I thought Hannah would have told you,” she said.

  “She’s been pretty closemouthed—”

  “Because of the time spent in hiding.” Gesturing to the table, Sophia took a seat. Derrick followed.

  “When did you get out of the program?” he asked.

  “After two years. We were living in Illinois and Jerome swore he saw one of the men who had been threatening him before we left Florida. He told the deputy in charge of our case. They checked into it and said Jerome was mistaken.”

  “But your husband didn’t believe him?”

  “No. So we moved to Nebraska.” She shivered and pulled her collar up to her ears. “Jerome swore he saw the man again. We moved a few more times and still Jerome insisted we weren’t safe. The man he’d sent to jail had promised revenge and Jerome believed him. By this time, the idea of being watched had become an obsession with him.” She let out a long, jagged sigh, conveying so much in the one sound. “We discussed it and agreed we should leave the protection program and separate. Jerome was convinced it was the only way to keep our family safe.”

  “You both made the decision?” Hannah asked from the doorway, her face pale. She’d changed into a sweater and jeans and had stopped in the process of brushing her hair.

  “We did.” Sophia rose, her eyes pleading. “Your father thought it best if we told you he’d made the decision.”

  “Like the decisions he made about the gemstones?”

  “That was part of his business.”

  “A part that sent us from our home.”

  Sophia frowned. “I’d never seen him so scared, Hannah. Even more than when he testified.” She held out an imploring hand. “He thought the Marshals weren’t doing enough. If we separated, at least you and I could go in a different direction. Throw the bad guys off the track.”

  “For all we know, he walked right into danger.”

  “No. He promised he’d do whatever he had to do to keep safe.”

  “But you don’t know if he succeeded, do you?”

  Sophia sank back into the chair. “No. I don’t.” Tears glimmered in her eyes. “And I go to bed every night praying he’s safe.”

  With a strangled cry, Hannah hurried to her mother’s side, kneeling beside her. “I’m sorry. I know that had to be hard for you.”

  Sophia ran a hand over her daughter’s hair. “It’s been hard for you, too.”

  For both women, Derrick surmised. In very different ways. Bottom line, they should know what had happened to their family. Maybe, if nothing else, he could find some answers for them.

  “Your father never meant for those gemstones to cause as much trouble as they did.” Sophia looked up and met Derrick’s gaze. “He bought them at an estate sale for a reasonable price. After the sale, two shady looking men came by the shop demanding he sell them. Jerome refused. Still, the men kept after him, hounding him to give up the stones. Jerome locked them away in the safe at our house hoping the men would go away.”

  That explained why Derrick saw them on the desk in the home office. “But they didn’t.”

  Sophia shook her head.

  “They never do,” Derrick said quietly.

  Sophia gripped Hannah’s shoulder. “Your father was out of his element dealing with those men.”

  The room fell silent until Derrick said, “If you don’t mind my asking, what did Mr. Rawlings need to testify about?”

  Hannah rose from her position beside her mother and took a seat at the table. She wiped her eyes with her fingers and stared out the window.

  “It came to light that the jewelry supplier Jerome had done business with for years was a fence for stolen goods. He wanted the four gemstones because they were worth a great deal. He tried to get Jerome to sell them to him for a fraction of their worth, but Jerome refused. My husband had no idea the type of man he’d been dealing with for years
.”

  “Were the stones stolen property?”

  “No, Jerome had purchased them legally. He had ideas to design his own jewelry to showcase the gems, but the supplier wanted them.”

  “Is that when the feds got involved?”

  “Yes. Your father, Derrick, reached out to Jerome and since he was in so deep, he grabbed on to the offer like a lifeline. In the course of the investigation, we learned just how illegal some of the transactions Jerome had been involved with were. It was just the tip of what the supplier had been associated with. His network was deep and wide. Jerome was able to cut a deal by providing information to put away the supplier. With his testimony, the FBI could shut down a ring that had been operating for years.”

  “Which was good for the government,” Hannah piped up, “but not for our family.”

  “There wasn’t a day that went by that Jerome didn’t regret dealing with the supplier, especially when the threats continued even after the trial.”

  “So that’s why he thought he was being followed?”

  “Yes. Most of the people involved in the theft ring were arrested, but not the men who had threatened him. Somehow they slipped through the cracks and Jerome was sure they had found out where we had relocated.”

  Derrick thought about the red stone in his pocket. It practically burned a hole in the fabric as they talked. “Mr. Rawlings never got the stones back.”

  Hannah leaned her elbows on the table. “Dad didn’t know what happened to them. He assumed the authorities confiscated them when we left and took them as evidence.”

  Derrick leaned back in his chair. Man, there were a lot of holes in this story. And a file he needed to access. To think, the mystery of what had happened to Hannah had been under his nose the entire time he’d worked for the Bureau.

  He was about to ask more questions when the phone rang, breaking the tension in the room. Sophia jumped up and muttered that she’d get it. Hannah slowly rose to her feet, wiping tears from her cheeks. Derrick grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter and handed it to her.

  “That was probably more than you wanted to know,” she said, her voice wobbly.

  “No, I asked your mother because I want answers. It’s my fault you had to overhear the part about both your parents making the decision to split up your family.” He watched her for a long moment. “You really didn’t know?”