“I never minded breaking the speed limit before, what makes you think I’d creep along over there now?” Nat asked as he gunned the truck toward Martin’s neighborhood.
They pulled into the driveway beside Zeke’s truck. Gabe was out of the door before Nat had come to a full stop.
“Hey, I just got here. You must have been next door when you called me,” Zeke said.
“We were at Rainy’s. There was a break in. Glass broken to get into the back door, clothes strewn around in the bedrooms. Everything knocked into the sinks in the bathrooms. Typical Martin behavior,” Gabe said. “What have you found so far?”
“I can’t see any cars in the garage. Looks like no one’s home. Was just going to circle around and try to see in the windows.”
“You go that way with Nat, I’ll go this way,” Gabe pointed to the right.
“Maybe I should go with you,” Nat said, but Gabe’s look stopped him, and he nodded his head and started walking away to the left.
“Rainy,” Gabe yelled. He heard a sound and started running.
“Rainy?”
“Help!” It was Rainy’s voice, but it sounded raw and scratchy. He got to the back yard and saw the boarded-up window. Another knocking noise sounded, and the board moved slightly.
“Zeke, Nat, get back here,” Gabe screamed with his free hand to his mouth. He ran to the board and tried to pull it away. “Rainy?”
“Gabe? Is that you? Oh god, get me out of here. They’re gone, but I don’t know for how long. Martin’s all hopped up on drugs, and that woman he’s with is crazy as a loon.”
Zeke and Nat came running.
“She’s in there?” Zeke asked.
“Yes. Help me.”
“We can’t get her out with these bars on the window,” Nat said.
“You’re right. Can we get in anywhere else?” Gabe stopped pulling on the board.
“Can you get the board off? I can’t see in here,” Rainy asked.
“You guys work on it. I’m going to try the doors.” Gabe started running toward the front.
“Already looked. Burglar bars on all the doors,” Zeke said, “try the garage.”
There were two single car garage doors with glass running along the top at Gabe’s eye level. He didn’t hesitate to break the glass out of several frames, but found it impossible to lift himself and crawl through with his arm in a sling.
“Nat, get over here,” he yelled, and Nat came running. Gabe got down on one knee and Nat got the idea immediately. He was the thinnest of the brothers and with the lift from Gabe was able to shimmy through and jump down inside.
“Open the garage door,” Gabe demanded. He was determined to be the first to get to Rainy. He ducked under as soon as he could fit and ran to the back door. It was unlocked, his first stroke of luck. He ran through the kitchen, a hallway, and found a bedroom door nailed shut with two-by-fours. Nat and Zeke were right behind him.
“Nat! See if you can find a crowbar in the garage. He’s got her locked in,” Gabe said. Nat turned on his heel and went looking.
“You all right in there, Rainy? It’ll be just a minute.”
“I’m good. But please hurry.”
“Here you go,” Nat shoved Gabe aside. “You’re not going to get much done with one hand, bro.”
The boards came off after a couple of tries, and when the door finally opened, Rainy flew into Gabe’s arms. Her skin was cold, and it was impossible to ignore her almost naked state.
“Let’s go,” she said as soon as she pulled away from his neck.
“They took your clothes?”
“Long story. Just get me out of here.” She pulled him along as she ran down the hallway toward the living area.
“This way,” he said and led her toward the kitchen.
Nat and Zeke were in the kitchen waiting. Nat took his tee-shirt off and slipped it over Rainy’s head. It fell to mid-thigh.
“Thank you,” she said, embarrassed to find herself blushing in front of the brothers. She turned in a circle and spotted her jeans and tee-shirt in the sink. Gabe still had her hand, so she pulled him over and grabbed her clothes with her other hand. He saw blood on her shirt and panicked.
“That’s blood. Where are you bleeding, Rainy?” He let go of her hand and started running his free hand over her body. She was covered in gooseflesh.
“I nicked myself when I broke the window pane. It stopped bleeding a long time ago.”
Gabe pulled her close and held tight. “God, I was so scared.”
“Can you do that in the car? We need to get going before the bad guys get back,” Zeke said.
“Where to?” Nat asked when Gabe and Rainy were situated and Zeke had driven away.
Rainy looked to Gabe for an answer.
“Police? Your house for clean clothes? Shall we call the café and let Olivia and Leon know you’re OK? They are worried sick.”
“My house,” Rainy said to Nat. He put the car in reverse immediately.
“I need to get my purse and keys from the café, but they broke my door, so I can get in without the keys.”
“We went by there first,” Gabe said. “They ransacked your bedrooms and bathroom.”
“I know. I was with them. Martin won’t believe that I flushed his drugs. When he couldn’t find them, he decided I needed to give him enough money to cover what he owes his pusher. Is that what you call the guy you owe money to for drugs?”
“Like I would know?” Gabe asked. “You didn’t give him money, did you?”
“Didn’t have it, and we left my purse at the café when he kidnapped me there.”
They pulled into her drive, and she asked them to wait in her living room while she ran upstairs. She came down in her own clothes shortly with her cat in her arms. She tossed the borrowed tee-shirt to Nat and he slipped it over his head.
“Poor thing is traumatized with all this craziness,” she said as she ran her hand down Samson’s back and cooed into his ear. Delilah was in Gabe’s lap and had finally stopped shaking.
“Olivia and Leon were opening the café when we left. You want to stop by there before we go see the police?”
“Maybe they should come here?” Rainy asked. Gabe had never seen her look so vulnerable. He ached to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but the last time he’d done that he’d taken it too far, so he sat with the dog in his lap and watched her pace.
“If you’re OK now, I sort of need to get back to work,” Nat said.
“Oh, of course. We’ll be fine,” Rainy said. She turned an imploring face to Gabe who nodded.
“Go on. I’ll call Sophie to get me when the police leave,” Gabe said. He knew he needed to get some work done too, but this took precedence.
When Nat was gone, Rainy sank into a chair across from Gabe.
“What am I going to do? He’s lost his mind. I don’t know what drugs he and that woman are on…”
“Toni,” Gabe said.
“What?”
“Her name’s Toni. She went to school with us. She was one of the mean girls then. I guess she never grew out of it.”
“She’s evil.” Rainy closed her eyes and Gabe thought she was imagining her ordeal all over again.
“Are you all right? You’re shaking like a leaf.”
“I think it’s just sinking in that I’m OK.” She stood and walked through the kitchen to the pantry. She called over her shoulder, “Tea?”
“Got anything stronger?”
“Just a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.”
“Tea it shall be,” Gabe said. “But let me get it. You sit down.”
The kettle had begun to boil when the police arrived. It felt like déjà vu, but they went over everything with a fine-tooth comb. Rainy seemed to be calmer when they left, saying they would be on the look-out for both Martin and Toni.
As they sipped tea, Gabe told Rainy that she needed to come and stay at his house.
“I need help. I’m useless with this arm in a sling, so pleas
e say yes. Bring Samson and Delilah.”
She chewed her thumbnail as she considered her answer. Gabe thought this vulnerable Rainy was attractive, but he wanted to see the strong and sassy woman he knew she was. He was sure she’d be safe at his house and held his breath as she deliberated her answer.
Chapter Seventeen – Rainy
“I can’t believe I’m saying yes to you,” Rainy said, “but I don’t want to be here with Martin and Toni running around town. Martin’s too unpredictable. He’s probably throwing a temper tantrum at his house right now after finding me gone.” The only alternative she could imagine would be getting a motel room, but her budget was so tight, she decided to swallow her pride and take Gabe up on his offer. She’d just make sure to stay as far away from him as possible.
“You’re not still angry with me, are you?” Gabe asked. She wouldn’t let his puppy dog eyes fool her. The man was a crazy maker, and she knew it.
“I am trying to be tolerant, since you’ve come to my rescue once again. It would be ungrateful of me to hold a grudge. Just beware. If you try anything with me, I will be out of there in the blink of an eye.”
“I wish you’d let me explain.” He held his hand out, imploring her to listen, but she wasn’t ready to hear his excuses.
“There’s nothing to explain. You made yourself quite plain. My only question is this. Why the heck did you bother to kiss me in the first place? Did you just want to make a fool of me?”
“Rainy, I kissed you because I’m attracted to you.”
“You have a strange way of showing affection.”
“I just thought…”
Rainy held her hand up.
“Stop. Just stop. I am exhausted. I don’t want to hear it.”
“But, let me…”
“No, Gabe. Learn to take no for an answer, will you?” Rainy fisted her hands and waited for him to give up. If he told her what a mistake he’d made, it would only make it worse. She’d had too many men tell her she wasn’t good enough. One more while she felt so vulnerable would be one too many.
“Attracted to me, my ash tray,” she thought.
“OK. Have it your way. Want to grab some things and get out of here?”
“Yeah. Wait here,” she pointed to a chair at the kitchen table and left the room. Delilah followed her up the stairs, and Gabe was left alone with his thoughts.
The bedrooms were a mess. Rainy liked organization, her closets were color coded, her drawers held neatly folded clothes separated by type and color. It took all her willpower to leave things laying on the floor, but she knew she needed to leave. Standing in the middle of her clothes, she went back to childhood days, living miserably in chaos. Memories swamped her, and she sunk onto the side of her bed from the heaviness. In her mind, she could hear her aunt Cella’s voice downstairs on the phone, begging Rainy’s mom to come and take Melinda and Rainy back.
She squeezed her eyes tight and wished the memories away. Knowing that your father and mother don’t want you is a pain no child should feel. The hurt never goes away. The rejection keeps being repeated by others, and the wound grows deeper as the years go by. To trust Gabe after he pushed her away was next to impossible, but she had little choice. She’d be sure to keep her distance. No more kisses allowed. A tear slipped out of her eye, and she swiped it away with the back of her hand. She pulled a tee-shirt over her mouth and eyes and let herself cry. Wiping her eyes, she stood and took a deep breath.
“I’m not going there today,” she said out loud. Delilah rubbed her nose on Rainy’s hand in sympathy.
“You’re such a good dog. I’m so sorry I ever let Martin meet you and Samson. I’m going to be very careful about who gets to be around you from now on.” She ran her hand down Delilah’s back, and the dog rolled over for a tummy pat. After a good rub down, the little dog got up and sat at the end of the bed, watching Rainy move about the room.
She gathered jeans, a Rainy Daze Café tee-shirt, socks and a pair of trainers. She fully intended to work the next day. As for sleep wear, she sifted through the jumble on the floor and found her least sexy night shirt and short set. She wished she had a nightgown like Laura would’ve worn in the Little House on the Prairie books she’d loved as a pre-teen. It took her so long to wade through the clothes strewn across the floor, Delilah grew bored and left the room.
“Be that way,” Rainy said to the retreating dog. At least Samson was loyal. He had curled up on the tossed bed clothes and watched her intently, slowly swishing his tail back and forth. She started loading her overnight bag, and the cat jumped into it immediately. He yowled angrily when she picked him up and set him on the floor. Clearly unhappy, he scampered into the closet when she brought out his carrier, and she had a heck of a time coaxing him in.
Unable to stop herself, Rainy checked her appearance in the bathroom mirror. She looked like she’d been in a train wreck. At least she wouldn’t look like a temptress to Gabe, she thought. She set her bathroom to rights before loading her toiletries into an overnight bag. She even packed towels, since she’d seen Gabe’s housekeeping skills. Turning around to take a final look, she willed herself to leave the rest of the house in the awful state Martin left it. She let out a huff and marched down the stairs carrying her bag in one hand and Samson’s carrier in the other. Gabe heard her on the stairs and ran to take the carrier out of her hand.
“Thanks. Now if we can get Delilah into her carrier, I guess we can go.”
“Sounds good. How can I help?”
By staying as far away from me as possible, Rainy thought. She pulled a small bag of dog food and a box of cat food out of her pantry. Then she threw a few items into a bag from her refrigerator. No telling what kind of food Gabe would have at his bachelor pad. She thought about the condition of his house the time she’d been there and decided to take a few cleaning items, too.
“The carrier’s in there,” she said as she pointed to a cabinet. She watched as he pulled the carrier out and wished he were someone different. The man was so good looking. And that kiss. She wanted to touch her lips to see if they still felt the same to her fingers after being scorched. To get her mind off Gabe, she wrapped her hand through Delilah’s collar to keep her from running away at the sight of the carrier. The dog started whining, probably afraid she’d be on the way to the veterinarian’s office soon. Rainy used a soothing voice to calm the little dog down, but she was shaking uncontrollably.
Gabe turned and, being at Delilah’s eye level, stayed in a squat and began talking to and petting the dog. She whined and licked the back of his hand, stretching toward him. Rainy nodded when he indicated that he wanted to pick Delilah up. As he held and pet her fur, she began to wag her tail. She licked his hand, and he told her thank you for the doggie kisses. Rainy tried not to be charmed. She so wanted to stay angry at Gabe.
Before long, Delilah was calm enough to go into her carrier without a fuss. Gabe carried one of the animal’s cages with his good arm, and Rainy followed with the other and her bag.
“I wish we had kept that danged board Martin put over the window to keep me in. We could’ve used it to shore up this door,” Rainy said.
“I’ll come back and fix it,” Gabe said.
“No, you won’t. You’re doing more than you should already.”
“No ‘should’ happening here. I want to do it for you.” The set of his mouth told Rainy that arguing would be useless.
She lowered the carrier and her bag to the ground, folded her arms, and leaned against the car.
“I’m too tired to argue. You are the most hard headed man I’ve ever met.” She watched as Gabe loaded the animals into his back seat, sweet talking them the whole time. Then he opened the trunk and took the bag she’d picked back up from her before she could throw it in.
“I am perfectly capable of putting my bag in the trunk,” she said. The kinder Gabe was, the more Rainy bristled. How dare he sweet talk her dog and cat, act like a gentleman opening doors and carrying loads for her, kiss her
then push her away. She’d never been so confused or aggravated with a man in her life.
Samson meowed all the way to Gabe’s house. And he was loud, no matter how sweetly Gabe talked, the cat did not like to travel. Rainy worried that moving him would be bad for Samson’s digestion. He’d been on a special diet for the last two years, and any change to his food upset his system. The meowing disturbed Delilah, and she barked in response. The animal noises were loud enough to drown out any attempt the humans made to talk, and Rainy was fine with it that way. She hadn’t decided what she could say to Gabe. She didn’t want to encourage him to think of her as anything other than a friend, even if his nearness got her heart beating faster than normal.
The relief was palpable when they got the animals in the house and let them out of their carriers. Rainy was pleasantly surprised to find the house clean and orderly. She bit her tongue but wanted to ask if he had a maid service. She was certain the man hadn’t done the cleaning. Delilah made the rounds, sniffing everything in sight. Samson slithered under the couch immediately and refused to come out at Rainy’s coaxing. He stayed until Gabe suggested Rainy open a can of tuna fish. Rainy agreed to let Gabe pour the water from the can over the cat’s regular food. Samson ate greedily and curled up in Gabe’s lap when he sat down to watch television. The purring was almost as loud as his yowling had been in the car.
Chapter Eighteen – Gabe
Having Rainy in the house made Gabe happier than he wanted to admit to himself. He could smell her shampoo when they sat on the couch to watch television. He found out that she loved to curl up and watch a good movie, and her idea of a good movie was one that was action packed and suspenseful. The women he’d dated recently had wanted him to watch sweet Hallmark Christmas movies, even in July. He’d obliged, because, of course he would, he was a nice guy. But he didn’t have to pretend to like the movies Rainy chose. Plus, the woman wasn’t a picky eater, and she could microwave popcorn without a single unpopped kernel. He considered that a major accomplishment.
“How’d you manage to pop every kernel? I didn’t see one old maid,” Gabe asked as he reached into the bag and stuffed the last handful into his mouth.
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