by Tara Randel
“Come on. Admit you have a wild streak.”
“Only with you. Otherwise I’m a very dependable, upright citizen.”
“Which isn’t half as fun as setting off alarms.”
She rolled her eyes.
He laughed, reached into his pants pocket and handed her a piece of metal. “Peace offering.”
On closer inspection she realized it was a hammered wrist cuff. “Did you make this today?”
“Yep. If this special-agent gig goes sideways, I might have a future making jewelry.”
She examined the piece, impressed with his workmanship. When she looked up, his rare, uncertain expression captured her heart. She couldn’t be mad at him.
“Thank you, Derrick.”
Pleasure beamed on his face. She didn’t want to make accepting his gift a green light to resuming their old relationship so she tucked the bracelet in her purse. She had just the place for it at home. If it bothered Derrick that she didn’t immediately slip his gift on her wrist, he didn’t say anything, for which she was grateful. She had to speak to Jonathan before making up her mind about the future of either man in her life.
The green stone was still inside her purse. She removed it and handed it to Derrick. “I think you should hold onto this for now.”
He nodded, taking the stone from her outstretched palm.
“I should get home,” she said, reaching out to grab her coat from the peg on the wall behind her. “Once I get more intel on this case, I’ll fill you in.”
She stopped with only one arm in her coat sleeve. “Are you sure we can work together and not get involved? Not kiss again?”
“Kissing? I can’t make any promises...”
When she made a face he laughed, reminding her of the old days when he told her that kissing her was his favorite pastime.
“Hannah, I’m good at what I do. We can work together professionally and I’ll only kiss you when you ask me to.”
“Me? Ask you?”
“Hey. Gentleman here.” Derrick moved closer to take hold of her coat and help her with the other sleeve. His breath tickled her neck and she pressed her lips together. While she wasn’t sure working as a team was a good idea, she was willing to give it a try. Turning, she pulled her hair from the collar just as Lynny rushed into the room, her coat draped over her arm and a frantic expression on her face.
“Derrick, thank goodness.”
“Lynny, what’s wrong?” Hannah asked, concerned by her friend’s obvious anxiety.
“It’s Roger. He was gathering the basketball equipment in the utility closet and somehow tripped over a ball. He thinks he might have broken his arm. I’m going to drive him to the ER now, but he needs someone to cover practice.”
“I can fill in,” Derrick assured her. “I’ve been staying after school to give pointers so I’m like a part of the team.”
“That’s what Roger said.” She shook out her coat. “I need to get back to him.”
“Call me later,” Hannah said, following her friend to the hallway. “Or if you need anything.”
“Will do,” Lynny replied over her shoulder as she jogged back to the gym.
“I hope Roger will be okay,” Hannah said.
“Lynny will take good care of him.”
Hannah raised a brow at him. “Basketball coach?”
“Just in case this FBI gig—”
“—goes sideways,” she finished for him.
He winked at her, making her toes curl up in her boots, then took off, leaving her to stand alone in the dim hallway, wondering how on earth she ever thought she could withstand Derrick’s charm.
* * *
THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, Derrick had just placed a cupcake with thick red frosting and a green gumdrop on top of Hannah’s desk when his cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket, biting back a retort when he read the caller ID.
“Daisies for a winter wedding. What do you think?” his mother asked.
“You’re the florist, Mom. Plus, you have a perfectly capable groom who can answer these questions for you.”
“Yes, but after the hard time you boys gave him, he’s enjoying my phone conversations with you.”
Maybe being on Team James wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
“Since the ceremony will be held close to Valentine’s Day, I’m going with a red color scheme, but roses are so expected. A pop of white flowers might do the trick.”
“Sounds good, Mom.”
“You seem distracted.”
“I’m trying to have a vacation here.”
She chuckled. “One last question.”
Derrick dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Shoot.”
“What do you think about us dressing up in medieval clothing?”
“Like I’ll fall off the side of the earth and never return.”
“Just checking to make sure you were paying attention.”
“Go with daises, Mom. They’re your favorite,” he said as Hannah strolled into the room.
“You remembered,” she whispered in a choked voice.
“Gotta go.”
He hit the end button and angled his body to hide the treat on her desk.
“Flowers?”
“Mom wants daisies for the wedding.”
“Simple and cheerful.”
He nodded. “You liked daisies if I recall.”
“I did.”
“Does Prescott send them to you?”
She frowned. “That’s none of your business.”
“Sorry. I was out of line.”
“You were.” She paused. Wrinkled her nose. “He sends me carnations. I’m sorry, but not a fan.”
He chuckled at her expression.
“So, why are you here?” she asked as she moved around him to get to her desk.
All the parents in car line had picked up their kids. He had an hour before the middle-school boys intramural basketball game, a short window of opportunity to visit with Hannah until he had to be back and coach the team. She’d changed from a proper dress into a green sweater that highlighted her hazel eyes, jeans and boots, to work the snack bar during the interschool game.
“What did you do?” she asked with an accusatory tone, hands resting on her hips.
“I left you a treat.” He moved away, swinging his arm toward the desk. She met his amused gaze, then moved forward to pick up the cupcake.
“You aren’t very subtle,” she said, inspecting it.
“I’d never be accused of that trait.”
“But I get your motive here. Red and green, just like the gemstones.” She popped the gumdrop in her mouth.
Stifling a groan, he leaned against her desk. “I got home too late last night to make any calls, but I want you to know we’ll figure out what’s going on. Together.” Actually, he was a bit uncertain about including his boss because he understood that Hannah might have reservations. But while her family lacked faith in the government’s ability to keep them safe, he needed access to case files he couldn’t get on his own. For now he’d keep the identity of his sources to himself.
“I thought a lot about that last night.” She swiped her finger through the frosting and took a taste. She licked her lips to remove the stray icing. “Mmm.”
When Derrick had placed the cupcake on her desk, he never thought watching her taste it would conjure up ideas of kissing her again. He cleared his throat. “And what did you come up with?”
“Though I’m happy to stay far removed from any government agencies, I agree it’s time to look into this matter.” She set the cupcake down, her expression grim. “I hope you don’t mind, but I told Mom what’s going on.”
“As you should. She needs to know what’s transpired so far.”
“She was pretty quiet about the matter. Ma
kes me wonder if she was thinking about my father.”
“I imagine she still misses him.”
Her throat moved as she swallowed. “We both do.”
Throwing caution to the wind, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her close. To his surprise she didn’t resist; instead she relaxed against him. A comforting silence settled over the room, calming in the midst of the emotional turmoil over their relationship, or lack of one. If he had his way, they’d stay this close forever, but she soon pulled back.
She’d fashioned her hair into a braid, but pesky auburn curls escaped and framed her beautiful face. He met her gaze, loving the deep hazel of her eyes, her soft skin and the freckles spotting her nose. He’d so missed being this close to her and his heart ached with the uncertain future ahead of them.
A smile curved her lips. “Ready for tonight?”
“As I’ll ever be. Roger could easily coach tonight, since his fall caused a bad sprain and not a break, but I think he’s looking forward to sitting back and letting me take over. His wrist is taped up nice and tight so he has an excuse.”
“The boys like you.”
He shrugged. “You know, I like my job at the Bureau. It’s exciting and the cases are challenging. But I can see why you enjoy teaching. There’s a sense of...accomplishment when you can give advice or point a student in the right direction.”
“Sounds like your dad talking.”
A wave of sadness washed over him. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
“Your dad knew just what to do to connect with you and your brothers. Woodworking with you, boating with Dylan, science exhibits with Deke and cars with Dante. That wasn’t just luck. He cultivated deep relationships with all four of you by finding out what your passions were, then he took the time to pour his insight and values in you.” She reached out to brush his jaw with her soft fingertips. “He was a wise man.”
He blinked hard. The electricity of her touch was marred by the truth. “And I ruined it by being mad at him. I never got a chance to apologize for being a jerk.”
Hannah moved closer, enveloping him in her vanilla snare. “Derrick, I have no doubt he understood. He did what he thought was right, just like you coming here to see Mom and me.”
“You haven’t made it easy.”
“No, but after the other gemstone showed up yesterday, I’ll admit, I’m glad you’re here.”
Her confession pleased him. Gave him hope. “Glad enough for us to start over?”
A shadow crossed her face. She dropped her hand. “I still have to talk to Jonathan. I won’t make any promises until then.”
He respected her answer, even admired her for it. Just because he was impatient didn’t mean he should keep her from doing the right thing. “Hey, a guy can wish.”
He got the chuckle he’d been going for, then Hannah sobered. “I’m going to talk to him after the game.” She pulled the cuff of her sleeve back to check her watch. “In fact, he should be here any minute.”
“He’s coming here tonight?”
“Yes. He’s been busier with the gallery exhibits than he expected so we keep missing each other, but I need to explain about this gemstone mystery before it goes further.”
“Smart.”
Her face brightened. “Yes, I am.”
“You’re making this difficult.” When she scowled at him, he said, “I’m sorry. It’s just... Hannah, I never thought I’d see you again. To be honest, I’d given up hope. Was ready to move on. And now, you’re right here, within reach and I can’t help myself.”
She placed a hand on his arm. “I get it. Derrick. For years I dreamed about reuniting with you. But as time went by, I had to be realistic. You weren’t going to be in my life. And once I’d made peace with the idea, I met Jonathan.” She bit her lower lip before going on. “I admire him. He’s been there for me and my mom.”
“But do you love him?”
Her eyes welled. “Yes. Not the way I felt about you, but in a different, more adult way. I can rely on him and after the trials my family has been through, that’s important to me.”
“And I show up, a reminder of the past, with news of a gemstone that set events in motion seventeen years ago.” How had he ever thought getting Hannah back would be so easy? “I understand why you’re torn.”
“I sometimes think it’s because there was no closure. To anything. Not having the choice to leave or stay. Not being able to say goodbye. With Jonathan I feel like I have choices.”
He was standing so close to her, yet they still felt hundreds of miles apart. It hurt right down to the marrow of his soul.
“I would never pressure you to make any decision.” Even if she chose to walk away from him.
“I know. That’s what makes this even more confusing.”
At least he wasn’t the only puzzled person here.
With a weary sigh, Hannah gathered up her purse and tote bag. “We should get to the gym.”
He pushed from the desk, his heart just as broken and lonely as the years he’d spent away from Hannah. “Right. The game.” Keeping busy to get over losing her had been his mantra for longer than he could remember. Looked like that wasn’t going to change any time soon.
They left the room, Hannah switching off the lights, and stepped into the hallway just as Jonathan rounded the corner. He stopped short and frowned. Hannah hurried toward him.
“You made it.”
He glanced over her shoulder, shooting a What are you doing here? look at Derrick.
“I’ll see you two later,” Derrick said, then passed by, even as every fiber in his body shouted at him to stand his ground. He didn’t want to make things uncomfortable for Hannah. She’d said she’d talk to Jonathan and he had to trust her decision.
Once in the gym, he strode to the group of boys waiting for him. They moved to the side, went over the plays and once they’d high-fived, he walked over to his place at the bleachers while the boys took warm-up shots. Sneakers squeaked on the highly polished floor and family and friends filled the bleachers, chatting and getting ready for the excitement to start. The buttery scent of freshly popped popcorn filled the air.
Derrick looked over to find Roger and Lynny sitting behind him. “Sure you don’t want to take over?” he asked as he set his clipboard down.
Roger tilted his head toward Lynny. “I don’t think she’d let me even if wanted to say yes.”
“You’re more than capable, Derrick,” Lynny informed him in her no-nonsense tone. “If I couldn’t keep Roger home, at least I know he won’t overdo it tonight.”
The men exchanged amused glances. Yeah, Roger was lapping up the attention. Couldn’t say he blamed the guy.
After checking his playbook one final time, Derrick watched the boys’ progress, catching sight of Hannah and Prescott as they walked into the gym. He couldn’t make out her expression as she hurried to the snack bar, but he didn’t miss the thundercloud on Prescott’s face as he aimed directly for Derrick. Steeling himself, he met the other man head-on.
“Prescott.”
“Fields. A word?”
Derrick nodded and led Prescott to a relatively quiet corner of the gym. Folks still filed in minutes before the game and boys streaked by as they took practice shots at the hoop.
Prescott’s voice rose over the din. “Anna wants to talk to me after the game. Any idea what that’s about?”
“You’d have to ask her.”
“Really, because it seems like the two of you have been in cahoots ever since you showed up.”
Cahoots?
“I’m sure once you and Anna have a conversation, this will make sense.”
Prescott folded his arms over his chest. He barely wrinkled his fashionable wool blazer. “What makes sense is you leaving her alone. We’re engaged.”
The strike hit him rig
ht in his heart. “I’m aware.”
“Then act like it.”
A nagging sense of guilt crept over him. He’d kissed this man’s fiancée. He knew he’d be murderous if someone was kissing Hannah behind his back. He had to give her time to work this out, even if the results were not in his favor.
“Do you trust Anna?” he asked.
Prescott frowned. “Certainly, I do.”
“Then give her some credit. Hear her out and then decide if you want to come after me.”
Prescott’s eyebrows rose. “Come after you?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty clear you’re drawing a line in the sand.”
For a moment Prescott looked unsure, then squared his shoulders. “I’d appreciate you giving us some room.”
“I can only agree for so long.” Derrick spotted the referees walking onto the floor. “I need to get ready for the game.”
Prescott seemed confused. “With Anna?”
Derrick clenched his fists. “She’s not a game to me.”
“Me neither,” Prescott declared. The two stared at each other, not giving in an inch. “Seems we’re at an impasse.”
“Then may the best man win.”
Prescott turned on his heel and made his way around to the far side of the gym. Derrick returned to the bench.
“That looked awkward,” Roger remarked.
“Yeah, but we laid our cards on the table.”
“More like made it clear you both want the girl?” Lynny asked. She slipped her hand into the curve of Roger’s arm and smiled at him. “I don’t envy my friend.”
“Any suggestions?” Derrick asked.
Lynny sobered. “Win.”
Leaving him to wonder, was she referring to the basketball game or his future with Hannah?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“ONCE MY FATHER TESTIFIED, we were okay for a while,” Hannah said a few hours later as she and Jonathan sat at her kitchen table, mugs of freshly brewed coffee at their elbows. The light over the sink cast a warm reflection over them. “Until he was convinced someone was following us. That’s when we left WITSEC and moved around.”
“And you and your mother ended up here.”