by Iris Morland
He stepped closer to Rose, and he heard her quiet inhale. “If you think I’m going to let you deal with this on your own—no matter how good you are with a gun—you’re mistaken.”
Her eyes widened. “Why? Why does it matter to you? You don’t know me.”
“Maybe I want to get to know you better.” He hadn’t planned on saying that, but it was true. He wanted to get to know her. He wanted her with a desire that almost sent him to his knees.
She was beautiful, but it wasn’t just that. She had spirit, and she refused to back down. Even if it frustrated him, it also intrigued him.
And as if he’d let a woman deal with a shitty, violent ex on her own.
He saw her swallow, her throat working. She started to tremble, and when he wanted to touch her, she stepped away. She played with her braid in obvious agitation.
When she refused to say anything else, he said, “I’ll go to the police, if you won’t. My brother is a cop, you know.”
He almost laughed at her expression, considering she looked more outraged at that statement than anything else that had been said prior.
“You wouldn’t. No, you can’t. It would only make things worse.” She steeled herself. “It would hurt not just me, but Heath. I can’t tell you why—it’s his story to tell. But believe me, involving the police won’t help.”
“Then I guess I have no choice: I’ll protect you myself.”
It had been a strange evening, to say the least. First, Johnny; second, Seth. Pointing a gun at Seth. Seth seemingly unfazed by the whole thing. Here he stood, in her kitchen, acting like he was talking about some mundane topic. Did nothing upset the man?
Rose had barely kept her composure. Guilt filled her for having almost shot Seth, of all people, and she desperately wanted him to leave so she could lock herself in her apartment and never come out again.
But Seth wasn’t going anywhere, was he? She gritted her teeth. I’m not going to be bullied by another man—no matter how handsome he is.
“Protect me? What, like some bodyguard?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Call it what you want.”
She laughed, because it sounded so ridiculous. “Well, you can’t exactly follow me around everywhere, so good luck with that. I’m not paying you.”
“Call it a favor.”
She stared at him incredulously. He wasn’t joking. She had a feeling Seth Thornton rarely joked, and certainly not about something like this. Her throat felt dry and scratchy, and she could still smell Johnny’s stupid clove cigarettes on her clothes.
“You know what?” she said, exasperated. “Do what you want. I don’t have time for this. I’m tired, I had a shitty day at work, and then my ex-boyfriend shows up at my door. Then you act like Kevin Costner trying to be tough. I’m good, thanks.”
She finished off her wine and set down the cup a little too forcefully, and she almost growled when she saw Seth’s eyes crinkle in amusement.
“What is it with men?” she groused as she moved toward her single chair in her living room. “All they ever do is try to control me. And I’m tired of it.”
Seth stepped around the kitchen island and grasped her elbow, forcing her to turn around. His grip was gentle, but his expression was not.
“I’m not interested in controlling you,” he said in a low voice that sent shivers down her spine. “I’m here because you were so scared that you pointed a gun at me. I have a feeling you need more help than you’re willing to say.”
She stared into his green eyes, her heart pounding in her throat. She wanted, rather desperately, for him to kiss her. It was a strange reaction, all things considered, but she reasoned it was because she knew his kiss would make her forget. His kiss would make her feel safe for once.
But the ever-present fear wouldn’t let her indulge herself. She thought of forceful kisses that had ended in things she’d rather forget. When she began to shake, Seth’s expression gentled.
“Talk to me, princess. Won’t you talk to me?”
She gasped for air. “If I talk, I’ll never stop.”
If I talk, you won’t want to be near me anymore.
Was that her true fear? That everyone in her life would reject her once they knew what she’d done, even though she’d done it to save her brother?
She struggled between the desire to share her burden with Seth and the fear of his disgust.
So she said nothing, because in the end, silence was always the safest option.
“I need to go to bed,” she whispered, pulling away from his grip.
His eyes roved over her face, and it was in that moment that she knew he wasn’t going to let her go that easily. She wondered if part of the reason she quivered was from the knowledge that this man could mean more to her than she could ever imagine.
He brushed a finger across her cheek. “Good night,” he said.
After he left, she locked the door and checked it twice, then she took her gun into her bedroom. She only fell asleep feeling the weight of it against her palm.
5
“Hey Rose, can you get my table?” Rebecca asked, her expression harried. Rebecca had just started at The Fainting Goat, and she tended to get overwhelmed easily.
Rose waved a hand. “Go take a break. I’ll take care of them.”
Rebecca sent her a grateful look and sneaked to the back, where she’d stay until Trent noticed one of his latest waitresses had disappeared. Rose enjoyed working at the local bar: Trent and his assistant manager, Landon, were fair, although they expected their employees to work hard and follow the rules. Rose had been astonished when Trent had told her that not only did his staff receive more than minimum wage, but they kept the tips they received.
Rose had almost jumped at the chance when Trent had called her and told her he had a position for her.
Despite the decent wages and tips, it still wasn’t a ton of money. Although Fair Haven was a far cry from being as expensive as Seattle just south of them, the cost of living was high. Thus the reason why Rose had an apartment but no bed at the moment.
Trent generally made the rounds of all three of his restaurants weekly, although Rose had been surprised to see him in today. He usually enjoyed Saturdays with his new wife and baby.
When Trent saw her surprised face, he laughed. “Don’t tell Lizzie I’m here, or she’ll kill me. But Landon wants me to look over some books, and Ash is in Vancouver, the asshole.”
Rose’s lips twitched. Ash was Trent’s younger brother, who also did his books. Rose had found Ash both ridiculously handsome and almost unknowable, with his sarcasm and banter.
And he didn’t hold a candle to another man who had haunted her thoughts for weeks now.
As Rose was bringing out food for one of her tables, she spotted Lizzie with Bea. She barely stifled a laugh. Poor Trent was in for it now.
Rose had to pass by Lizzie to get to the kitchen, and Lizzie’s face brightened with genuine warmth upon seeing her. Rose had found Lizzie Thornton—now Lizzie Younger—extremely intimidating, given that she was a real-life pop star. Rose loved Lizzie’s albums and had barely stopped herself from turning into some teenage fan girl. But Lizzie had a sweetness about her that made you instantly comfortable in her presence. It helped that she usually had Bea with her, who was easily the cutest baby in existence.
“Is my stupid husband here?” Lizzie asked. At Rose’s expression, she sighed. “He promised he wouldn’t come in tonight. It’s date night.”
“I think he just needed to check something,” Rose said. When Bea noticed Rose, she gave her a toothless smile.
“Here, will you hold her so I can knock some sense into Trent? I’ll just be a minute.”
Rose hesitated, but then Lizzie placed the warm bundle in her arms, and Rose was instantly smitten.
“Excellent. You’re the best,” Lizzie said before going into the back to find her husband.
Bea could just hold her head up at this point, although since Rose knew very little about infants,
she made sure to keep a hand under the baby’s head just in case as she lifted her to her shoulder. Bea smelled like baby powder and that mysterious scent babies had that lured you in. Rose laughed when Bea tried to gnaw on her shoulder, although if she weren’t so cute, she’d be more dismayed at the drool stain on her t-shirt.
She caught Bea’s gaze, and she couldn’t help but marvel at how much Bea looked like Seth. Maybe it was the eyes, or the dark hair, or maybe she was just seeing things. Babies tended to look like everybody and nobody at this stage.
Her stupid heart clenched at the thought of Seth and babies, and she pushed away the thought ruthlessly before it wiggled deeper into her heart.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” Heath approached with a smile.
Rose rolled her eyes. “This is Bea. You’ve met Lizzie and Trent’s daughter, right?”
“I have, but I didn’t know you’d become a babysitter for them.”
“I’m just holding her until Lizzie gets back.” Bea cooed and reached for Rose’s nose, which made her laugh. “More importantly, what are you doing here?”
“Getting a beer with Harrison and Caleb. When do you get off work?”
“Not until ten,” she said.
“Too bad, otherwise I’d ask you to join us.”
Considering how much the Thorntons looked alike, the last thing Rose wanted was to hang around guys who looked just like Seth. She smiled at Bea, laughing again when the baby did anything remotely adorable.
Lizzie returned, Trent in tow, and Rose handed Bea over. Bea started to fuss instantly.
“Oh no, she definitely loves you now,” Lizzie said. She bounced Bea in her arms. “Rose has to get back to work. Come on, I bet you’re just hungry.”
Trent nodded at Heath as he left with his wife and daughter. After Heath saw Harrison and Caleb enter, he told Rose he’d see her later. Rose went into the back to fetch Rebecca, who’d definitely taken a way longer break than necessary.
The Fainting Goat always got busy on Saturdays, and this evening was no different. About a half hour later, Sara, Megan, and Jubilee entered. Sara was Harrison’s wife—and, Rose couldn’t help but notice, cradling what looked like a growing baby bump—while Megan was Sara’s sister and Caleb’s wife. Jubilee was the youngest Thornton.
When Caleb saw the women, he waved at them. “Come sit with us!”
Megan put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting a drink, like I told you.”
“I don’t remember you telling me that.”
Caleb pulled up a chair for her, kissing her cheek. “You just weren’t listening, as usual.”
For that, he was pinched, and Rose found herself helping Rebecca serve the table of six. As the two singles, Heath and Jubilee sat next to each other, and Rose couldn’t help but notice that Jubilee would not look Heath in the face.
And Heath? Her normally easygoing older brother seemed…distracted. Rose narrowed her eyes. That’s interesting. Very interesting.
As she filled Jubilee’s glass with water, the girl seemed not to notice Rose at all, but instead stared straight ahead. As Rose moved to Heath, Heath grabbed a napkin from the stand in the center of the table right at the same time as Jubilee reached for her glass of water. Their two arms bumped, and Jubilee reacted like she’d been burned. In something that seemed straight out of a sketch comedy show, Jubilee dropped her glass, dumping most of the ice-cold water in Heath’s waiting lap.
Heath jolted; Jubilee cried, “Oh!” And Rose had to shove her fist in her mouth so she didn’t laugh too loudly at her brother’s discomfiture.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” Jubilee kept saying. Heath had stood up, and Jubilee was handing him napkin after napkin.
Heath just shook his head. “It’s fine. It’s just water. It’s fine.”
Jubilee, clearly not thinking, pressed a napkin against the water spot—right on Heath’s upper thigh.
She snatched her hand away, a bright red blush on her cheeks, a second later. Heath’s own cheeks looked a little red, and he muttered something about going to the bathroom before stalking away.
The rest of the party had missed everything except Heath leaping up like a scalded cat.
“What was that about?” Megan asked.
“I spilled water on Heath.” Jubilee sounded miserable, like she’d accidentally run over his dog.
Harrison snorted. “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry, Jubi. It’s just water.”
“I know, but he’ll be all wet now—”
Rose leaned down to Jubilee. “I’ll get him a towel, plus there are dryers in the bathroom. No worries.”
Jubilee gave her a grateful smile, although when Rose went to the kitchen to get some dish towels, she couldn’t help but notice Jubilee rushing to the women’s bathroom.
Well, that had been memorable.
Rose knocked on the door to the men’s bathroom. “Heath, it’s me. I have some towels.”
Each bathroom was just a single stall, and Heath opened the door after a few moments. He seemed to have regained his composure, although when Rose saw the giant wet spot on his crotch, she started laughing.
He rolled his eyes. “Are you five? Give me those towels.”
She followed him inside the bathroom and locked the door.
“Do you really want to see me take off my pants?” he asked.
“No, but I just wanted to ask you: what is Jubilee Thornton to you?”
She’d never seen her brother go so…still. Completely frozen. It was like time stood completely still. Rose had never understood the expression, “you could hear a pin drop,” but in this instance? You could hear a pin drop.
He stared at her via his reflection in the mirror. “She’s nothing,” he ground out.
“You know, it’s funny to me that you get to grill me about my nonexistent love life, yet when I ask you, you refuse to say a thing.” She tapped her lip. “I think that’s called something. Oh, what’s the word? Hyp—hyp—hypocrisy?”
He growled. “Go away.”
“I’ll just say this,” she said with a wide smile, “be careful of those Thorntons.”
He swore under his breath at her parroting his words, and before he could throw something at her, she ran from the restroom. She did hear some more swearing from inside before she returned to work.
She might be Heath’s younger sister, but that didn’t mean Rose wouldn’t use any leverage against her brother whenever he tried to tell her what to do.
Some hours later, Rose walked home, yawning multiple times as she walked the few blocks back to her apartment. She didn’t have money for a car, although luckily, she didn’t live too far from her work.
Despite her tiredness, she remained alert to any strange noises or movements. She wasn’t stupid: she knew Johnny or Rich or some other crony could appear at any time. Johnny might have said he was going to Seattle, but that didn’t mean a damn thing.
When a figure appeared from the shadows only feet from her door, she reached inside her jacket to pull out her gun. Until she realized it was Seth.
“Now you must be stalking me,” she groused. She was halfway tempted to point her gun at him anyway.
He had his hands up, although he didn’t look scared. Of course not. Rose was fairly certain nothing scared Seth.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked when he said nothing.
He shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep. It’s nice out. I thought I’d say hi to my neighbor when she got home. The usual.”
“Uh-huh. Well, you’ve said it, and now I’m saying goodbye. I need to let Callie out before I go to bed.”
“Then I’ll walk with you.”
She wanted to stomp her foot, she was so frustrated, but she had a feeling that would only make it worse. Sighing, she went to get Callie, ignoring Seth even as he walked alongside her.
Callie, to Rose’s annoyance, decided she was not going to do her business quickly. The dog wanted to sniff every bush
and every mailbox, and despite Rose’s continued commands, Callie ignored her entirely.
“Do you carry your gun everywhere?” Seth asked quietly as Callie sniffed a hydrangea.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Curiosity.”
“Yes, for the most part. I’m legal, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
That made him smile. “I wasn’t. You seem to know how to handle a gun regardless.”
“You sound surprised.”
“No, merely impressed.”
Pride filled her, and she ducked away so he wouldn’t see her smile. Coming from a military man, she considered that to be a high compliment.
She suddenly wished she could tell him the reason why she carried a gun—why her memories forced her to protect herself the best way she knew how. Under the night sky, the moon heavy and low, it seemed as if they were the only two people in the entire world.
“So what happens now? Is this how you’re going to live your life forever?”
His voice was calm, like he was asking the time, yet she felt the tone stiffen her shoulders. She didn’t need another man judging her for her choices. She had Heath for that, thank you very much.
“Here’s a real question,” she countered, “why do you care?”
Seth didn’t answer right away, and Rose barely restrained herself from looking away from his intense gaze.
Finally, he muttered, “I don’t know.”
Callie did her business, and Rose brushed by Seth to return to the apartment. They’d only walked a block, although it had felt much farther.
“Rose.”
He caught her by the elbow, forcing her to slow down. Her back was to him, yet she felt his touch like a brand. She gripped Callie’s leash harder.
“I don’t know why I care,” he admitted into the night air, “but I do. I can’t explain it.”
She let out a laugh. “Maybe you should figure that out first.”
He brushed his other hand down her arm until he embraced her from behind. Now Rose trembled, and she felt her body go hot and cold at the same time. His breath heated her cheek.
“You feel it too. I know you do.” His stubble brushed her cheek. “Tell me I’m wrong, princess.”