Turn the Tide

by Ruggle, Katie

  He stood suddenly and started pacing the small room, the muscles in his chest and back rippling under his soggy FWC T-shirt. “I’m sorry about the dance, Sarah. I’ve always been sorry. I never meant to stand you up.”

  “Meant to or not, you did.”

  He blew out a breath. “I know. I figured when I didn’t show, you’d head over to the dance by yourself and hang out with all your country club friends. You wouldn’t even miss me.”

  She snorted. Showed what he knew. “Did I mean so little that you could blow me off so easily?”

  “What? No. Of course not. Look, Sarah—”

  She shoved to her feet, wincing when she tried to put weight on her right leg. But she wanted answers, and she wanted to see his eyes when he gave them to her.

  He hurried toward her. “What are you doing? You need to rest that leg. Do you still have an ice pack from the insulin?” He placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her, his dark eyes worried.

  She shrugged his hands away and almost lost her balance, which only frustrated her more. She wouldn’t let him hide behind protector mode. Not this time. “I’m fine. I don’t need to be coddled. I want to know why you stood me up.”

  ***

  The silence lengthened, but Marco didn’t step away, even though he wanted to. She deserved honesty, and he should have given her that years ago. “I’m so sorry I didn’t show—”

  Sarah interrupted before he could finish. “Never mind, Sanchez. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  He heard the casual words, but her eyes said he’d hurt her. Which he’d always known but hadn’t wanted to admit because it made him feel worse than he already did. She stepped away and lurched over to the small double bed wedged in the corner. She pulled the ratty wool blanket off and wrapped it around her shoulders, then sat on the bed, stretching her leg out in front of her.

  He sat beside her. “I was never good enough for you, Sarah,” he began.

  She threw up her hands. “Seriously, Marco,” she said, drawing out each letter of his name. “Are we still on that? I told you then, and I’ll tell you now: it never mattered to me who your parents were, or whether you had money or anything else. I liked you. For you. Period. The fact that you didn’t believe me, that you thought I was somehow lying to you, made me furious.” She tossed her head, and her wet hair flowed over her shoulders, making the sparks flying from her green eyes even more impressive. “I can’t believe you thought I was that shallow.”

  Her words humbled and shamed him. He tucked the blanket around her where it had slipped down, turned so he could see her face. “I was in love with you, and it scared me to death. I’m sorry I hurt you.” He took a deep breath and finally told her the whole story, ten years too late. “I never planned to stand you up. I bought a suit at the thrift shop and saved up to have it dry-cleaned. One of Mama’s friends altered it to fit, and Mama made a corsage for you out of some flowers I bought at the grocery store.” He looked away.

  “I was ready to leave when Pop came staggering home. He was drunk. And when he was drunk, he was mean. He took a swing at Mama, and I got in the way of his fist. Then he came after me for interrupting. After that, I couldn’t leave, or it would have gotten worse for Mama and the little ones. By the time he finally fell asleep and Mama and I got him and the other kids tucked into bed, the dance was almost over.”

  Her soft hands reached up and cupped his cheeks. He expected pity and couldn’t bear it. Instead, Sarah’s eyes were filled with understanding. “Of course, you couldn’t leave your family to face that alone. I would have understood.” She paused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He shrugged. “How could I? I was ashamed. And it felt like proof that our worlds were too different and I shouldn’t try to reach for more.”

  She shook her head as though she couldn’t believe the nonsense she was hearing. Her chin came up. “I cried myself to sleep that night, you know, especially after Daddy rubbed it in, saying he’d warned me what would happen if I associated with those ‘not of my station.’” She made air quotes around the last phrase.

  Her honesty undid him, and the hurt he’d caused her dug deep into his heart. Before he’d thought it through, he pulled her into his arms and settled his lips on hers, desperate to soothe that long-ago ache in the only way he knew how.

  She stiffened in his embrace, and he thought she’d shove him away. Which he deserved, no question. But she didn’t. Instead, the stiffness left her spine and she sank into the embrace, pulling him closer and wrapping her arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss and sighed in relief when she opened her lips and their tongues met and danced. The years melted away as the taste and feel of her soothed all the aches in his heart he hadn’t realized he had. No one had ever felt like Sarah, had ever loved him the way she had. She saw all the way into his heart in ways no one else ever had and, miracle of miracles, had liked him anyway. Was it possible she still did?

  As the heat built between them, the reality of their situation hit him and he froze. He couldn’t take advantage of her in her weakened condition. What kind of man did that? But when he inched backward, she muttered, “Don’t leave me,” and pulled him closer.

  Those three words were his undoing. His lips never leaving hers, he slipped onto the bed beside her and tugged her against him, ever mindful of her knee. She reached around and pulled the blanket over them both and then ran her hands under his soggy shirt, trying to push it aside. He hissed in a breath as her cold hands touched his skin, then covered them with his own when she would have pulled away.

  ***

  Marco kept his eyes on hers as he sat up and yanked his T-shirt over his head, the heat in his gaze sending another shiver racing over her skin.

  “Let’s get those wet clothes off. I’ll keep you warm.” He grinned when he said it, and she rolled her eyes at him.

  “Then hurry up already,” she said, pulling her top over her head. “It’s freezing in here.”

  Insecurity raised its head, and she wondered briefly if this was simply Marco being practical. But then she saw the way he looked at her, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He made her feel beautiful in ways nobody else ever had. He cupped her cheek, then ran his hand slowly down her neck, skimming between her breasts in their sturdy cotton bra. His eyes followed his hand all the way to her belly, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. When he looked up, their eyes met and held, and the years disappeared. This was Marco, the other half of her heart.

  He shucked his pants and then slid hers off before he retucked the blanket around them both, sighing as her bare skin came in contact with his. Her answering sigh as their lips met again wrapped them both in their own little world, where nothing and no one existed but the two of them.

  Sarah gripped his shoulders and hummed, low in her throat, when he suddenly rolled on top of her and then plundered her mouth like a starving man. Instantly, the fire between them roared to life as though they’d been together only yesterday. She nuzzled his jaw, planting kisses on his cold skin as he did the same along her neck, nipping at all her favorite places along the way.

  Her heart pounded as she ran her hands over his back, then lower, gripping his backside through the wet fabric. He shivered, but not from the cold, and she felt an answering flare of heat build in her belly.

  How many lonely nights had she dreamed of exactly this, of Marco’s arms around her, making her feel safe and protected and cherished? As his hands roamed over her skin, Sarah let her anxiety go, adrift on a sea of emotion and surprised wonder. Marco.

  Something like a gunshot sounded from outside.

  ***

  Sanchez realized what was happening and rolled them off the bed and shoved Sarah under it. She cried out when she hit the wooden floor, but he didn’t let go, simply held tighter.

  A huge live oak tree crashed to the ground outside the cabin, shaking the ground like an earth
quake. Glass shattered, and branches, leaves, and rain came through the gaping hole in the opposite wall where the small window had been.

  Heart pounding, Sanchez looked down at Sarah where she lay half under him, eyes wide in the gloom. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Anywhere new?” he amended.

  Despite her throbbing knee, she sent him a lopsided smile. “Can’t tell with you squashing me.”

  He grinned sheepishly and backed off, then eased her out from under the bed. He waited while she moved her arms and good leg, checking. When she held out a hand, he lifted her up onto the sagging mattress, then helped her back into her damp clothes. He tucked the blanket around her again before slipping into his own clothes. He met her eyes and saw the same mix of longing and uncertainty he was feeling reflected back at him. But all of that would have to wait.

  He crossed the room and eyed the tree outside the window. At least it wasn’t blocking the doorway. Outside, the wind picked up yet again, rattling the tiny cabin as he checked the radar on his GPS. “There’s another rain band moving through. Looks like this should be the last one, though.”

  His phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  He read the message, then looked over at her. “Freddie beat up some poor guy he’d carjacked. They found the man behind the diner where Patty used to work. Pete’s with him now, and Hunter’s headed toward the trailer to meet us.”

  “You need to go, Marco. Now.”

  His jaw clenched, indecision warring inside him. “I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

  Her expression was mutinous. “Will you be able to live with yourself if something happens to Donny while you’re hiding out here, worried about me?”

  Chapter 10

  “I’m not hiding out,” Marco snapped. “You’re hurt.”

  Sarah scooted back on the bed, wrapped the blanket tighter, and leaned against the wall of the cabin, taking slow, even breaths in an attempt to keep from smacking him. The man was behaving like an idiot. She was a nurse and knew how to take care of herself.

  “Look, Marco. I get your concern, but it’s just a sprain. I’m safe and dry. Donny needs you.” She shuddered. “From what you’ve said, Freddie’s crazy. There’s no telling what he might do.”

  “I don’t think he’ll do anything stupid, since he went to jail trying to get the boy before. Donny is his insurance policy.”

  “Maybe. But he’s still just a boy. Please. Go find him. Keep him safe.”

  Marco paced back and forth, his indecision palpable. He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, scowled at her, muttered, and kept pacing. They both knew what he had to do. She was just waiting for him to admit it.

  Finally, he stopped in front of her.

  “I don’t like it, but you’re right.” He reached into his boot and handed her a knife. “Just in case you have to protect yourself.”

  She nodded, grateful. She’d lost her Mace—and the picture of them—somewhere along the way. “I’ll be fine.” She smiled confidently, determined he not see how badly her knee had started throbbing.

  He leaned forward, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

  Sarah waited until he was gone before she moaned and grabbed the ice packs out of her bag, propping her aching knee up on the bed. Eventually, the ibuprofen let her drift into a restless sleep.

  ***

  Marco hurried from the cabin. He knew leaving her was the right thing to do, but that didn’t mean he liked it. What if Freddie doubled back and showed up? He used to live around here, so it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. And Sarah would be at his mercy. With her knee, she couldn’t run.

  Marco refused to think about that—or the way she’d felt in his arms—and instead kept his eyes open for signs the ATV had passed this way. From all the broken vegetation, Freddie and Donny had left a pretty easy trail to follow. Even with the rain, he could see where they’d gone, and he wondered if Donny had done that deliberately. He was a smart kid, and Marco had no doubt Mama T had taught him survival skills. He hoped so, for everyone’s sake.

  He’d gone about a mile when the rain finally let up and he spotted something ahead of him. He stepped behind a tree and studied the situation. There was the ATV, lying on its side, but there was no sign of Freddie or Donny.

  Marco eased closer, and the smell of gasoline surrounded him. When he reached the ATV, he realized the puddle surrounding it had gas floating on top. He opened the gas cap, shining his flashlight inside. Then he stepped back and took another good look around.

  He bet they’d lost control of the ATV. There was no obvious sign of damage, nothing to indicate a leak to the gas tank. He righted the vehicle, fished his key out of his pocket, and fired it up. It started but then sputtered and died. He tried again. Same thing. After the third time, he gave up. The gas gauge confirmed it was empty.

  He thought for a moment, then grabbed two water bottles from the storage compartment before he turned around and ran back to where they’d left the damaged dirt bike. He was winded when he arrived, but he didn’t waste time.

  He ran over to the bike and crouched beside it. Then he pulled one water bottle out and drank it down. He wiped a hand over his mouth, then disconnected the fuel line and drained the gas into the water bottle. He dumped the water out of the second bottle and filled it with gas, too, capped both, and ran back to the ATV, breath heaving by the time he arrived.

  Within a few minutes, he’d emptied both bottles into the gas tank, fired up the ATV, and turned back toward Sarah.

  ***

  Sarah dozed for a bit, and after she woke, she eased herself to a sitting position and gnawed on some of the beef jerky Marco had left for her, then drank a bit of water. The whole thing seemed like a hazy dream. Had Marco really kissed her as though they’d never been apart? Was it just the situation, or did he still have feelings for her, too?

  She shook her head. She couldn’t think about that now. Or the fact that she was in the Ocala National Forest in the middle of a wicked storm, by herself, with a sprained knee.

  If her nurse friends from San Francisco could see her now, they wouldn’t believe it. Donny’s terrified face popped into her mind, but she pushed it aside, too. If she kept thinking about him, she was going to hyperventilate. Marco would find him. She had absolutely no doubt.

  She must have drifted off again, because she woke a while later, suddenly alert, thinking she heard breathing, but that couldn’t be right, could it?

  She opened her eyes halfway and tried to get a sense of who or what had woken her. There was no one in the one-room cabin. So what had she heard?

  As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she looked around and almost screamed. Almost. But she swallowed the cry just in time.

  Was she really seeing what she thought she was?

  She blinked, tried to focus, to be absolutely sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. They weren’t. There was a bobcat sitting not three feet away, watching her with his golden eyes. She looked closer. Make that her golden eyes. It was a mama cat. And all her attention was on Sarah’s beef jerky.

  Apparently, she’d been right. All the scary creatures were tucked up somewhere out of the weather. She just wished they weren’t with her. Sweat broke out on Sarah’s skin as they stared at each other. She debated her options and realized there weren’t many. Not moving a muscle seemed like a good first step, though.

  She held her breath and waited.

  So did Mama Bobcat.

  ***

  Patty Thomas thought she might have a heart attack before she made it to Mama’s place, but she couldn’t give up. Donny’s life was at stake. And maybe Mama’s, too.

  She ran through the flooded yard and over to the back door. Once inside the kitchen, she forced herself to take a deep breath. If Freddie was there, she needed a weapon. She went over to a drawer and eased the fi
let knife out. The blade was lethal, so she kept the sheath in her other hand. She didn’t want to cut herself by mistake, especially since her hands were shaking like she’d had too much caffeine.

  She tiptoed to the kitchen door and stopped to listen. There was no sound. She eased the door open. “Mama, are you there?” she whispered.

  “It’s okay, baby girl. Come on in. I’m alone.”

  Patty started to push the door open, then stopped. What if it was a trick? It was the kind of thing Freddie would do. She waited some more, then took a deep breath and stepped into the other room.

  When she saw Mama sitting in her favorite rocker, alone, Patty’s knees threatened to buckle. She raced into the room and crouched in front of her mother’s chair. “Where’s Donny?” she demanded.

  Mama T’s dark eyes were frantic, but her tone was calm. “Sit down, lamb, and take a breath or you’ll be no good to anyone.”

  “Does Freddie have him?”

  Mama patted her hand. “He does—for the moment. But that nice Officer Sanchez was here, along with a new nurse at the clinic, who brought my insulin. They took off after them on the dirt bike. They’ll find him, baby girl. Officer Sanchez won’t give up until he does.”

  Patty sank to her knees and buried her head in her mother’s lap as the tears came. She let them fall for a minute, and then sat back and wiped her face. “I can’t let him hurt my boy, Mama. I can’t. He’s everything that matters to me.”

  “I know, sugar. No matter what, you’ve always done right by that boy.”

  Their eyes met, and Patty shook her head. “Not always, and you know it. I don’t know what I was thinking, staying with Freddie for so many years.”

  In that moment, Patty realized, more than ever, how her decisions—or rather, her refusal to make the hard ones—had hurt everyone she cared about. That changed now. She’d protect her son. Or die trying. “I’m going after them.”

  She stood, and Mama eased herself up out of the rocker, too. “You think they’ll head for your trailer?”