Discovering Rafe

by Sara Blackard

  He emerged from the hall, his appearance back to his normal slick and put together look, instead of the frazzled and tired way he’d appeared last night. She loved how handsome he was with his hair perfectly combed and his beard groomed neatly. She also liked when his hair stood on end from his hands spearing through it. Her new torturous daydream she’d added to the pile from her younger years had her the one messing up his perfect style. She wanted that particular daydream so badly her fingers itched.

  She turned back to the window, hoping to hide her fiery face. “Just wondering when this snow will end.”

  He stepped up beside her, stopping so close the back of his hand rested against hers. His cologne smelled strong and heady. Had he just put it on because he’d see her? She peeked up at him. He didn’t give any clue that he had.

  “I’ve been tracking the storm front. It looks like it will clear enough tonight that we can start looking for them tomorrow.” Rafe’s face didn’t reflect the joyful news.

  She grabbed his hand and squeezed, her chest tight with his serious face contradicting the vast improvement in the situation. “Tomorrow we find them?”

  “Tomorrow, we can start looking.” Rafe squeezed her hand and offered her a small smile.

  “Why aren’t you more excited?”

  He ran his free hand over his neck and sighed. “Piper, I don’t want to get your hopes up that we’ll find them right off the bat. Locating them in the middle of the mountains after such a heavy snowstorm is going to take time. I’ve gone over all the data a hundred times, so we have the best triangulation possible for where they went down. It’s just …” Rafe swallowed. “I just don’t want to disappoint you if it’s not enough, and we don’t find them right away.”

  “You could never disappoint me, Rafe.” Dang it. Why’d her voice have to go all breathy and reveal so much?

  He gazed at her, his cheek muscle clenching. What did he see when he looked at her? He’d called her beautiful. Did he finally see her as more than Davis’s little sister? She bit her bottom lip, and his eyes darted to them.

  “Why don’t we get out of here for a bit?” he murmured and cleared his throat.

  She nodded, her agreement barely audible. “Okay.”

  He didn’t move, though. The air turned thick and sticky between them, like sweet honey encased them, gluing them together. She marveled as his Adam’s apple bobbed the distance of his throat. She held her eyes wide as he leaned toward her, not wanting to miss a millisecond.

  “What’re you guys doing?” Eva, Sam and Zeke’s daughter, skipped into the room, followed by Sam.

  Rafe jerked away from Piper. He squeezed Piper’s hand and walked to the adorable little girl. Piper ran a shaky hand over her hair, her body vibrating from what she assumed was a missed kiss. Sam cringed and mouthed, “Sorry,” when Piper collected herself enough to turn away from the window. She smiled and shrugged, waving away the apology.

  “My darling fairy princess, I was just convincing the fair maiden to traverse the harrowing paths and venture to the market with me.” He bowed dramatically in front of Eva, who giggled into her hands. “Your lowly servant noticed the princess’s favorite cheese sticks have depleted, and the fairy queen’s ginger ale has run dry. We humbly beg your permission to venture forth on an epic quest to the mart in the land of Wal to procure sustenance.”

  Piper snorted as Eva flung her arms around Rafe’s neck. He was going to be an amazing dad. Jealousy flared in her chest at his future wife, and she lowered her head so she could get her tears under control. Why had she allowed herself to linger over her silly infatuation?

  “Permission granted.” Eva’s serious face pushed a smile up Piper’s cheeks, though her heart remained heavy. “Dear knight, can you get the cereal with pink marshmallows, too?” she whispered, but not quietly enough.

  “Young lady, he will not, and I’ve warned you not to ask again.” Sam put her hands on her hips.

  “Oops.” Eva cringed at Rafe, causing him to tip his head back in laughter.

  Oh, how Piper loved his laugh.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Rafe stage-whispered back before tweaking Eva’s nose and standing. He cocked his elbow to Piper and winked. “Come, my fair lady, we venture forth.”

  She rolled her eyes and slid her hand into Rafe’s arm. She forced herself to ignore the warmth that ran from her fingers to her shoulders. Well, tried to ignore.

  “Let us know if you need anything else.” She smiled at Sam, praying her voice sounded normal.

  As Rafe led her down the hall to the garage, Eva’s voice followed them. “Uncle Rafe found his princess, didn’t he, Mama?”

  “We’ll see, sweetie.” Sam’s voice spoke quieter than her daughter’s.

  “I hope he’s not a numskull and messes it up. I like her.” Eva’s response made Rafe snort.

  Piper blushed and scrambled for something to say. “Kids.” Seriously, that’s all she could come up with?

  “Sorry about that.” Rafe’s neck and ears pinked. “Eva’s kind of obsessed.”

  “She’s cute.”

  Rafe opened his mouth to say something else, then shook his head and snapped his mouth shut. She wanted to ask what he was about to say, but was too embarrassed to push. He opened the truck door for her and shut it with a huff. The drive to the store was quiet. She blamed it on Rafe needing his attention on the slick roads, but knew it was more than that.

  When they got to the store, their interaction was limited to small talk about what to get. He made silly jokes with the fruit and teased her when she grabbed the chamomile tea. It wasn’t his fun-loving nature growing up, more like a shadow of that.

  “I’m going to run to the toy department and grab something for Eva. Sam would kill me if I brought home that cereal, but I can’t disappoint Eva either.” Rafe’s fretting was adorable.

  Piper laughed. “You’ll spoil her.”

  “Isn’t that what good uncles are supposed to do?” Rafe wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “I plan on being her favorite. Be right back.”

  Piper shook her head as he darted down the aisle. She stopped in front of the gluten-free section and stared at the selection. She wanted to have all of Chloe’s favorites ready for when she made it back.

  Piper grabbed items, tossing them into her cart without looking. She squished her lips together at the minimal offerings. Maybe she could talk Rafe into taking her to the natural food store on the other side of town. They’d have a wider selection.

  She turned to her cart and froze. A black rose lay across the fruit in the seat of the shopping cart. A chill covered her and her breaths came quickly as she darted her gaze around the vacant aisle. She reached a shaking hand to the note tied with a red ribbon. It crinkled loudly in her ears as she flipped it over.

  There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.

  Bile rose up her throat. She worried she’d make a mess in the middle of the aisle.

  “Piper?” Rafe’s concerned voice broke the hold the rose had on her.

  “I think we have a problem.” Her words trembled as she pointed her chin to the cart.

  Rafe’s eyes went wide, then slammed into a glare. “We’re leaving.”

  “But the food.”

  “We’ll get the store to hold it and have someone come get it.” Rafe stepped up to the cart, sucking in a breath as he read the note. “I gotta get you safe.”

  He wrapped his arm around her, and she slumped into him. Her weakness embarrassed her, but she couldn’t help it. She was nothing but an awkward woman who stayed behind the scenes. Why in the world would someone be stalking her?

  Twelve

  “I can’t figure it out, and it’s driving me nuts.” Rafe spoke into the headset to Zeke as the helicopter flew over Glenwood Springs the next morning toward the mountains to search for Jake and Chloe.

  “You will.” Zeke had his head leaned against the seat and his eyes closed.

  The sun had just started to lighten the dark s
ky when the helicopter arrived at the ranch. Piper had packed a backpack full of food and medicine for Rafe to take. She’d said she’d be praying for him, and the words had slid into his spirit and buzzed in a low warmth. He knew she meant she’d pray for him to find Chloe and Jake, but he knew she’d worry about him as well.

  “The guy must be watching the house.” Rafe looked out the window at the sun-kissed tips of jagged land. “I’ve searched all the feeds, though, and can’t figure out where he’s holing up.”

  “The store’s security caught nothing?”

  “Nada.” Rafe huffed and clenched his hands slick with sweat as he thought about how they’d been so wrong about the stalker. “Just a dude in the same black coat. There aren’t any angles of his face, and the snow was too thick to see which vehicle he went to.”

  “Well, you’ll just stick with her until you figure out who it is.” Zeke cracked one eye open. “I don’t think you’ll be complaining too much about that.”

  A small smile spread across Rafe’s face before he stifled it.

  “Knew it.” Zeke opened his other eye and leaned forward. “You were growling the other night when her friends were over. It was quite amusing. The unflappable Rafe Malone, flapping—and all over a woman.”

  “Man, you need to get your eyes checked.” Rafe adjusted in the seat, uncomfortable with Zeke’s observations.

  “You just about burned a hole through poor Chet’s head with your glares.”

  “That guy’s a menace.”

  “Why, because he likes Piper?” Zeke smiled knowingly.

  “Because he keeps asking her out.”

  Zeke cocked an eyebrow at him. “Admit it. You’re jealous, which means you care—a great deal by the way you practically pounded your chest and grunted ‘Mine’ the other night.”

  Rafe snorted and rolled his eyes. “I did not.”

  “Okay, maybe you didn’t, but what about the way you’ve acted since the stalker left the rose?” Zeke pointed at Rafe. “You’re acting all paranoid like the guys can’t keep her safe. You’re lucky they didn’t deck you with all your commands issued before we left.”

  Rafe rubbed his neck, his ears turning hot. He had acted paranoid. He knew the team would keep her safe. The truth was, he didn’t want to leave her safety to anyone else but himself, which was plain dumb considering he’d been the one to leave her alone at the store.

  He shivered and looked back out the window. When he had come around that corner and seen her face so pale, he wanted to pull her close and hold her, figuring she got to worrying about Chloe again. Then he’d seen the rose and read the note. He’d almost thrown Piper over his shoulder and run out, driven her so far away and remote no one could find them.

  He had been planning to talk to her about what was happening between them. A nice lunch out downtown after shopping while the snow softly fell had been the perfect opportunity to investigate how she felt about him from her own mouth, not just what others were saying. All the hints and words he had thought up had fizzled out of his brain and been taken over by fear.

  After getting her home, he decided he couldn’t cause even more stress for her. He could wait until all the chaos of Chloe and Jake being lost and the stalker settled to pursue Piper. It’d also give him time to plan his approach, calculate all contingencies, and neutralize all opposition, like the stalker, Piper’s brother, and her worries.

  “She’s the one, Zeke. I don’t know how I didn’t realize it before, but I can’t let anything happen to her.”

  “Davis will kill you.”

  Rafe shrugged. “Maybe he’ll be happy his best friend and sister are in love.”

  Zeke snorted. “Not likely.”

  “Yeah, probably not.”

  Davis knew all of Rafe’s past, after all. Rafe cringed, thinking about some of the things he’d done, the girls he’d dated. The kid he killed. He didn’t deserve Piper, that was for sure.

  “You deserve her.” Zeke’s words snapped Rafe’s head up.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “You didn’t have to, man. It’s written all over you face.” Zeke crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re one of the best guys I know. If I had a sister, I’d be pushing her at you, begging you to marry her, because I know she’d be treated right.”

  Rafe shook his head, but a sharp pain speared his heart.

  “Two minutes out to first checkpoint,” the pilot said over the com.

  Rafe cleared out the emotion that clogged his throat. He had a mission that needed his focus, friends to find in the white expanse. Then he’d ramp up his search for the stalker, pulling all his resources, even if they were illegal. When he settled all that, he’d move to the next step in his plan of wooing his best friend’s little sister.

  Piper glanced around the hospital room later that day, still in a state of shock that not only had Rafe pinpointed Chloe and Jake’s location almost perfectly, but now Chloe’s big break might be closer than they ever hoped. Piper couldn’t believe she’d held her cool when Hello, America had called requesting an interview with Chloe, couldn’t believe she’d negotiated time for Chloe and her band to perform. Now, it appeared they’d all be jetting off to New York, and all Piper wanted to do was find a quiet place to escape for a while.

  Selfish.

  Why did her thoughts always turn that way? This was Chloe’s big break, the thing they’d worked so hard and long for. Piper’s eyes stung. She couldn’t stand herself.

  She turned from the room, needing just a moment alone to collect herself.

  Derrick stood in the hall, his phone to his ear. His eyebrows rose as he caught sight of her.

  “I just need a moment.” Piper pointed to the stairwell. “I’ll stay right on the other side of the door.”

  Piper didn’t wait for an answer, but stepped quietly to the door to the stairs. Derrick’s deep voice and footsteps followed. She huffed. Looked like she wasn’t getting space to collect herself after all.

  “I’ll just stand right here. If you need me, just holler.” Derrick pointed to a spot next to the door when Piper turned surprised eyes to him.

  Great, now she felt even more uncharitable. She nodded, the hot tears too close for her to say anything. Ducking her head, she scurried out the door. Stalking to the corner of the landing, she leaned her back against it, squeezing her eyes closed to force the tears away.

  As one leaked through the barrier, others quickly followed until she silently bawled into her hands. What was her problem? Chloe was safe. Piper should dance with joy, not cry uncontrollably.

  “Piper, what’s wrong?”

  Piper’s heart stopped. Why did Rafe have to follow? His soft question had her wiping her hands across her cheeks, praying the stupid tears would just dry up already.

  The sound of the door closing and steps toward her made her face heat with embarrassment.

  “Nothing. I just got overwhelmed, I guess.” She didn’t look at him—couldn’t, not if she wanted to stop crying.

  “Crying your eyes out isn’t nothing, Pip.” His hand smoothed across her shoulder. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “I guess I’m just happy. Happy Chloe’s safe and her dreams are coming true.”

  Piper pulled her hands into her sweater and ran the fabric under her eyes. She must look a mess.

  “Chloe’s dreams are coming true, but what about yours?” Rafe leaned his arm against the wall next to her so he could look at her.

  Piper jerked her gaze to his. “I want Chloe to make it. This is what we’ve wanted for so long.”

  Rafe shook his head. “I didn’t ask what Chloe’s dream is. I asked what yours is.”

  She lifted her hands and shrugged. “This is what I want. I’ve been doing everything I can for years to help Chloe get to this point.”

  “Yeah, but what about you, Piper? What have you done to achieve your dreams?” Rafe’s eyebrows lowered over his eyes like she’d upset him.

  “I don’t know what you are reach
ing for. This is my dream.”

  Rafe pushed off the wall and snorted. Piper glared, crossing her arms over her chest. He could huff all he wanted. It didn’t change the facts.

  “Are you even listening to yourself?” He threw his hands wide. “So you’re telling me your lifelong dream has been to make sure your cousin gets hers? That you’ve never had a dream of your own that wasn’t a by-product of someone else’s? An afterthought to help someone else get everything they’ve ever wanted?”

  Piper shook her head. He didn’t understand. It wasn’t like that. It wasn’t a bad thing for her to do everything she could to help Chloe succeed.

  “Come on, Piper. What is it you’ve dreamed of for you and only you? There has to be something.”

  “You want to know my dream?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “I never wanted much. Never had any grand plans of stardom.” Piper closed her hands into fists as her eyes burned hot again. “All I wanted was to be a wife and mother like my mom was.”

  Rafe stilled, his eyes widening. Now he knew how silly her thoughts were.

  “Stupid, little dream, a joke really when you think of all the men lining up to date me through the years.” She scoffed and crossed her arms.

  “Seems you have an abundance now.” Rafe’s joking pinched her heart.

  “Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter. I buried my dreams long ago.” Piper jerked the back of her hand over her wet cheek and pushed past Rafe toward the door.

  “Piper—”

  “I need to help Chloe get ready to go.” Piper yanked the door open and rushed to Chloe’s room.

  Why’d he have to push? Why couldn’t he just leave things be? Piper scrubbed her hand over her face and pasted on a smile as she walked into the hospital room.

  At least she hadn’t exposed all her dreams, blurting out how they couldn’t come true without him. No, she’d thankfully kept her complete pathetic nature to herself … barely. She had to remember that no matter how many times she caught Rafe staring or how he seemed to find reasons to touch her, his interest was all fabricated in her head. The unfortunate result of a lifelong infatuation she couldn’t get under control.