by Amy Vastine
Kelly wasn’t sure what that meant. The man didn’t have enough layers to be okay with Graham sneaking around to meet with the enemy. Hopefully, Donovan didn’t truly believe she was the enemy. She pulled Graham in for one more hug.
“Get going. And let me know how the art competition goes. I see a blue ribbon in your future.”
The teenagers took off, leaving Kelly to nurse her broken heart once again. As she faked a smile and greeted another listener there to spin the prize wheel, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Miller was near. She scanned the crowd but didn’t see him.
“What’s wrong?” Lyle asked. Detective Roman stepped closer.
“Nothing. I’m paranoid. I imagine him popping up every time I turn around, but he’s nowhere. I don’t think he’s coming.”
“There’s still plenty of time,” Detective Roman reminded her.
The anxiety made Kelly’s skin tingle like she was being shocked. She wanted him to show up. She needed him to show up. That was the only way this would be over.
Time seemed to be in slow motion. The two hours felt like ten. About fifteen minutes before their time was up, Kelly’s phone rang. It was Graham. He was either calling to tell her he got away with sneaking out or totally busted.
“What happened? Please tell me your uncle is not even more mad at us,” she said.
“Kelly.” Not Graham. Not Graham at all. Miller. Definitely Miller. “Don’t say anything. I know you brought the police with you. I’ve been watching them while they’ve been clueless about me.”
“Where are you?” she asked, trying to maintain her composure. He had to have Graham if he had his phone. She couldn’t put him at risk. She tried to control her tone as she pretended to be talking to someone else. “I need to get you home safely, Graham.”
“Come meet us in the parking lot. Alone.”
Heart beating out of control, Kelly tried to swallow her fear. “I can’t do that.”
“You have to try. For us. You said you were sorry. Now, prove it. Call me when you are alone.”
Before she could argue that it was impossible, Miller hung up. The police told her they would have eyes everywhere. Detective Roman would never let her go off on her own. She couldn’t tell them he had Graham. He always seemed one step ahead.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Kelly said.
“Okay,” Lyle said. “We can draw for the tickets when you get back.”
Detective Roman adjusted her sunglasses. “Can you not hold it for a few more minutes? We are almost done here.”
There was no time to waste. The thought of Graham being with Miller made her stomach turn. “I can’t. I need to go now.”
“Fine,” she said in a huff. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t think I need an escort to the bathroom,” Kelly tried.
“You need an escort wherever you go.” Detective Roman was wearing an earpiece and a mic. “On the move,” she said to whoever was listening.
Kelly knew she wouldn’t get to go on her own. What she didn’t know was how many would be following her. How many she’d have to get away from. She led the way to the Market House, where there were multiple restaurants and a bathroom.
“If you really want to look like an intern instead of a bodyguard, maybe you could grab me a sweet tea while I’m in there,” Kelly said, holding out a five-dollar bill. She hoped the officer didn’t notice how badly she was shaking.
“Seriously?” she scoffed.
“Please? It will make you look a lot less suspicious if he’s watching us.”
Detective Roman snatched the five out of her hand. “I’m getting myself one, too.”
“Of course.” Kelly marched toward the bathroom as Detective Roman got in line for a drink. She scanned the room, looking for a familiar face. She knew the officers who had come with them. She didn’t see any in the Market House.
Instead of going to the restroom, Kelly made for the exit as soon as Detective Roman looked away. She prayed no one else was waiting right outside. She tried to hide herself amongst a group of college-aged kids. As soon as she could, she took off, sprinting toward the parking lot. She had to save Graham even if it meant putting herself in danger.
* * *
DONOVAN DECIDED HE needed to do something spontaneous and fun. He was going to start showing off some of these layers to Graham and Avery. Since he also desperately needed a distraction so he didn’t obsess about what was happening at the farmers market, today seemed like a good day to start. Only Graham wasn’t answering his phone, which could only mean one thing—he was clearly not sitting at home waiting for his sister to come home like he should have been since he was grounded for lying.
Donovan swung by the elementary school to pick up Avery and Macy Finnegan from after-school club a little early. After dropping Macy off, he and Avery headed home.
“I can’t wait to go to summer camp on Monday. I bet I make a hundred new friends,” Avery said. Donovan loved her sense of optimism.
“I bet you make at least that.”
They got out of the truck and headed inside the house. Donovan was shocked to find Graham sitting on the couch, playing video games.
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
Graham pushed his headphones off his ear. “What?”
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” he repeated, surprised that his instincts had been off.
Graham stuck his hand in his pocket and then the other. He stood up and pulled up the couch cushion, searching for his phone.
“Shoot.” He got down on his hands and knees and looked under the couch. “Is it on the island?”
Donovan strolled into the kitchen. There was nothing on the island. No phone on the table or counters, either. “Please tell me you didn’t lose your phone.”
“I had it.” He patted himself down before running upstairs to presumably look in his room. “Can you call it again?”
Donovan leaned against the kitchen island and took out his own phone. He clicked on Graham’s name and didn’t bother to hold it to his ear so he could listen for Graham’s ringing in the house instead.
The call was picked up. The phone must have been in Graham’s room. He was just about to hang up when Graham jogged down the stairs.
“Did you call it?”
Donovan put the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
“She wants to be with me. Did you notice how quickly she got rid of you when I asked her to?”
Donovan’s blood ran cold. “Miller?”
“She’s coming to me. We’re going to be together and all you cops can go back to catching the real criminals.”
“That’s interesting. Did she tell you that?” He couldn’t get out the door fast enough.
“She agreed to meet me.”
He jumped in his truck and prayed he could keep this guy on the line until he made it to the farmers market. “Maybe she just wants to tell you to your face that she’s not interested.”
“That’s not true!”
“You thought I was her boyfriend. What if I am?”
“You’re not anymore. She wants to be with me.”
Donovan didn’t bother to stop at any of the stop signs in his neighborhood. He prayed for all green lights, as well.
“I think I need to hear that from her. I think we should all sit down and she can tell both of us to our faces what she wants. If she chooses you, I’ll walk away. Will you do the same?”
There was no answer. Donovan worried Miller had hung up. He checked to see if the call was still connected. It was.
“Where are you guys?” he asked. “I will meet you wherever you want.”
“We don’t need your interference. You need to stay away,” Miller said.
It was minutes before six. Kelly should have been working at the farmers market. She shou
ld have cops watching her every move. There was no reason to believe Miller wasn’t about to be arrested. He was falling right into the detectives’ trap.
“How did you get my nephew’s phone?” he asked, slowing down a bit. There was no reason to panic. Kelly was safe. She had police with her.
“He was here visiting my girl. I guessed he had her number and I was right. It was the perfect way to get her to agree to lose the cops.”
Donovan hit the gas. Kelly thought that Miller had Graham. She didn’t know Graham was home safe. If Kelly thought Graham was in danger, he had no doubt that she would do whatever she could to get away from her security to save him.
“She’s calling now. I have to go. No hard feelings. The better man won,” Miller said before hanging up.
Donovan dialed Kelly, hoping she’d click over but knowing that if she thought Graham was in trouble, she wouldn’t. He decided to leave a message, hoping she’d listen to it before she met with her stalker.
“Kelly, Graham is home. He’s fine. He’s safe. Miller only has his phone. Go back to your security. Do not try to engage him on your own.”
He kept calling her until he pulled into the parking lot across the street from the farmers market. He had to find her. He couldn’t let anything happen to her. Not when she thought he hated her. He didn’t hate her. Couldn’t hate her. He was falling in love with her even though he had done everything in his power not to.
* * *
KELLY WAS BREATHING so hard, someone might think she had run a mile to get here. Her heart pounded against her ribs. Donovan kept calling and texting her. She didn’t answer nor did she even open the texts. He had to know Graham was missing. She didn’t know what to say to him. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him that it was all her fault. She had to save him and then everything would be okay. Donovan would forgive them if Graham came out of this safe.
Miller had told her where his car was parked. She needed to find him and convince him to let Graham go. As she made it to the marker where he told her to go, she saw him standing beside a red pickup. Every muscle in her body tensed. Once Graham was safe, she would do what she had to do to get away, but now, she needed to hand herself over to the enemy.
“Hey,” she said as she approached him.
He seemed extremely nervous. It was like his head was on a swivel; he kept surveilling the area to make sure he wasn’t about to get arrested.
“No one followed you?”
Kelly shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She stepped closer and scanned the cars around them. She didn’t see Graham sitting inside any of them. “Where’s Graham?”
“Don’t worry about him. Let’s get out of here,” Miller said, unlocking the doors of the pickup. “Come on.”
“I need to see Graham. I need to know he’s okay.”
“I’ll show you when you get in the truck. Come on,” he said with a little more urgency.
Kelly stopped moving. “I need you to let him go before I come with you.”
Miller let out a growl and barreled toward her. “We have to go, now!”
He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward the truck. Graham wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the truck. She felt a rush of adrenaline. Her flight-or-fight instincts kicked in and she was ready to do both.
Just like Donovan had taught her, she broke his hold. She screamed for help. Miller wrapped his arms around her and tried to cover her mouth. Unfortunately for him, Donovan had taught her what to do when that happened, as well. She bit his finger and broke his hold again.
Escape, escape, escape.
She ran and yelled for help. Miller wasn’t going to be deterred. He chased her and knocked her to the ground. Donovan had emphasized staying on her feet. She couldn’t fight if he had her pinned to the ground. She let him lift her up. If she couldn’t get away, she had to take him down.
Everything Donovan taught her helped her do just that. She elbowed him in the ribs, turned and popped him in the nose. When he doubled over, she pushed him off balance until he fell forward.
The whole time she screamed for help and people finally came to her rescue. She tried to catch her breath as a couple of guys held Miller down while a woman called 9-1-1.
“Kelly!”
She turned to the sound of her name. Donovan ran full speed at her. In the blink of an eye, she was wrapped up in his embrace. It was the only place she wanted to be.
“You’re okay,” he said over and over.
She realized that they weren’t all okay yet. “I don’t know where Graham is. I think he has Graham.”
Donovan let her go. “He’s home. Miller only had his phone. That’s what I was trying to tell you when I called.”
The relief was instantaneous. Graham was safe. They were all safe now. Detectives Hermann and Roman showed up and placed Miller under arrest. Detective Roman was not pleased and Kelly didn’t blame her.
“I can’t believe you took him out all by yourself,” Donovan marveled as the witnesses recounted what happened.
“I had an excellent self-defense teacher.”
“You shouldn’t have needed to use self-defense. You had a team of police officers here to help you,” Detective Roman said, a peeved expression on her face.
Donovan put an arm around Kelly. “Can we save the lecture for later? I need to get her home. She can answer all your questions tomorrow. We’ll come to you.”
Detective Roman didn’t argue and Donovan led her to his truck. Kelly figured he planned a lecture of his own.
“Okay, let me have it,” she said once they got inside. “I was stupid. I was reckless. I was easily fooled. You hate me and my refusal to do as I am told.”
Donovan turned his body toward her and placed his hands on her face. “You were scared. You were trying to protect my nephew. You were extremely brave. I love you and your willingness to do whatever you can to take care of the people in your circle, as you call them.”
She appreciated everything he had to say, but there were three words that stood out the most. “You love me?”
“You make me use my mad voice more than I like, but I’m going to work on that. Yes, I love you.”
Kelly didn’t know what to say. This was the exact opposite of what she expected from him. She had done everything he would have told her not to do.
“I thought you liked it when we talked about our feelings. Are you going to tell me how you feel about all of this?” Donovan asked.
Instead of using her words, she leaned forward and placed her lips on his. There was no better way to tell him how she felt than to show him.
When they broke apart, both of them were breathing a bit unevenly.
“Let’s go home, huh?” he asked. “The kids will be excited to see you.”
There wasn’t anywhere else she wanted to be.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“WHAT IF PIPER STARLING wants to be best friends? Can I say yes?” Avery asked as Donovan handed the tickets over to the man at the gate.
“You might hurt Macy’s feelings if she finds out that Piper is your best friend instead of her,” Graham said. “But if she wants to divorce that husband of hers and marry me, I will definitely say yes.”
“Wow, I guess I’ll have to pick up the pieces of Sawyer Stratton’s broken heart since it seems I will be very much single,” Mia said, pushing past Graham.
“I was kidding!” Graham caught up to her and held her hand.
“What if Piper wants to marry Uncle Donovan?” Avery asked.
“Ha!” Graham looked over his shoulder. “Piper Starling isn’t going to want to marry some old guy like Uncle Donovan.”
Donovan cocked his head. “Old guy?”
“I think she would want to marry you. You’re not that old,” Avery said, smiling up at him.
“Well, thank you.” They made their w
ay to the special VIP entrance. Kelly had promised to meet them here. “But I’ll have you all know that if this Piper Starling person wanted to marry me, I would tell her no thank you. I already have a girlfriend.”
Avery giggled into her hand and Graham rolled his eyes. Mia placed a hand over her heart.
“That’s so sweet,” she said. “Why can’t my boyfriend be that sweet?”
“I can be sweet,” Graham argued. “I was kidding. If Piper asked me to marry her, I would point to you and say, ‘Sorry, Piper, I’m taken.’”
Donovan didn’t realize those two had made things official. Kelly probably knew. Graham had a tendency to tell her everything. He wondered if the kids noticed that was the first time he called Kelly his girlfriend. They had told her uncle they were together last weekend when they moved her into her new place. Getting a new contract at work meant Kelly had a reason to put down those roots. Captain Bonner didn’t threaten to take Donovan’s badge away again, so it was official for them, too.
“Who’s ready to meet some famous people?” Kelly was a sight for sore eyes. They had all had dinner together last night, but she had been busy with station responsibilities all day today.
The kids were more than ready to meet some famous people. Kelly gave Donovan a peck on the cheek.
“What about you? Are you ready?”
“Oh, I can’t wait. I sure hope Boone What’s-His-Name will sign my hat.”
“Please don’t call him that when we go backstage,” Graham said with a groan.
Kelly shook her head. “He knows his name. Your uncle simply enjoys being difficult. I promise I won’t let him embarrass you.”
Donovan grinned. He did like to be a little bit difficult. It was only fair. The rest of them were difficult on a regular basis.
“I promise not to say anything that will purposely embarrass you.” Donovan held up his right hand like he was making a pledge.
“Are you sure we can’t leave him out here?” Graham asked.