by J. H. Croix
Chapter 9
Trey headed to his law office the following morning. His work schedule flipped summer to winter. In the winter, he handled more law cases and in the summer, he rarely spent more than a day at the office each week, his time filled with flightseeing trips. He kept his flightseeing business small, but the tourists packed Diamond Creek every year, so he stayed busy. Today, he had a meeting on a divorce case, one that seemed blessedly simple. He couldn’t help but wonder more about what Emma had gone through with her ex. Some of the most heart-wrenching cases he’d handled as a prosecutor involved domestic violence. Though he believed in the legal system, he knew that the current system didn’t serve victims well. Prosecutors were overloaded with cases and rarely had the time or resources to help victims navigate the system. More often than not, charges were dropped. Even when charges stuck, the penalties were minimal—a few days in jail, a piece of paper that was supposed to keep someone away, maybe an anger management class.
With a sigh, he sat down at his desk and quickly checked his email and phone messages, which included a message from Risa demanding he call her if he wanted her to babysit tonight.
“Well, that was quick,” Risa said as soon as she answered.
“Hey Risa, just calling when I had the chance,” Trey replied.
“So I can come down, but you’re gonna have to put up with me for two nights. The drive from Anchorage is too long for one night.”
“You’re the best. Of course you can stay two nights. More if you want.”
“Okey dokey. I’ll be there before Stuart gets out of day care. Can I pick him up?”
“Where are you? You can’t get here from Anchorage in time to pick Stuart up,” Trey said.
“Oh, I already left,” she said with a chuckle.
Trey threw back his head and laughed. “Of course you did. You didn’t need me to call, you just wanted to make me.”
“Damn straight I wanted you to call. What are you doing tonight that you need a babysitter on short notice? Not to mention, maybe you should find a local babysitter.”
Trey sighed. “I do have a local babysitter. But she’s only available on the weekend.”
“Good to know. But you’re avoiding my question. What’s the deal tonight?”
“I have a date,” he said simply.
“Well if you’d told me that in your message last night, you wouldn’t have had to call. It’s way past time for you to at least try to date again. Who is it and is she good enough for Stuart?”
Trey heard the smile in Risa’s voice. “Her name is Emma. And since you’ll figure this out pretty quick, I really like her. She’s great with Stuart, and he’s the one that pretty much set us up.” He paused when there was a knock on his door. “Hang on.”
“Come in,” he called out.
His assistant, Lucy, poked her head around the door. Lucy was an older woman who’d worked as a paralegal for over twenty years and worked with him when he was a prosecutor. She and her husband, Howard, moved to Diamond Creek before he did. A few fishing trips with Howard helped Trey decide to move here. Lucy was no nonsense and practical. Her white hair was kept short, giving her a youthful look. She favored bright colors, wearing an emerald green blouse today. She handed over a sheaf of papers. “The ex’s attorney sent over a suggested settlement. I think it’s crap, but you might want to take a look,” she said with a wry smile.
Trey gestured to his phone and mouthed that he’d be off in a few. Lucy nodded and closed his door again. “Risa, gotta go. You’re the best. Of course, you can pick Stuart up. You’re on the list already. I’ll see you when I get home. Promise I’ll tell you more about Emma when I see you.”
“I’ll hold you to that. See you in a bit,” Risa said, disconnecting quickly.
***
Trey was walking back to his car after a quick run to the store before heading home when he heard his name. Looking up, he saw Jared Winters leaning against his truck, which was parked beside Trey’s car.
“Hey there, what’s up?” Trey asked, quickly stowing the groceries in the back of his car.
Jared shrugged. “Not much. Saw you coming out when I pulled up, so thought I’d wait. How are things with you?”
“Pretty good. Been getting some fishing in every week. One of these days, we ought to head out together,” he said. As they chatted for a few minutes about fishing, Trey recalled that Emma’s friend Susie was also a friend of Jared’s. In turn, Jared was friends with Darren Thomas, one of the local cops in Diamond Creek. Though Trey liked to keep his life private, he knew Jared would keep a lid on anything he told him.
“Have a favor to ask,” Trey said.
Jared quirked his mouth, his eyes amused. “You need a favor?”
Trey rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I do. But if you’re gonna give me shit about it, I might not bother.”
Jared barked a laugh and then sobered. “If I can help, I’m glad to. You know that.”
Trey nodded. “Here’s the thing, I’d appreciate it if you keep this as much to yourself as you can.”
“Of course. So what’s up?”
“I’ll cut to the chase. I’ve had a few dates with Emma, you remember when I asked you about her?”
Jared didn’t even try to hide his shock. “Well, that was quick. Can’t wait to mention this to Dave. He’s been on you to get out of your self-imposed exile.” Jared shook his head and smiled. “Don’t know what I was expecting, but didn’t think you’d move that fast.”
Trey sighed. “Didn’t you just say you’d keep this to yourself?”
“Oh right. Fair enough. But Diamond Creek is tiny. Don’t forget Luke’s wife, Hannah, is Emma’s sister. She’s close to family for me. She hasn’t dated anyone since she’s been in Diamond Creek. Not that I’m worried about it, but you’d better treat her right or you’ll hear about it from me. You haven’t gotten to the favor yet, what’s up?”
Trey sighed. “Should have connected the dots. I knew who her sister was. I just plain forgot that meant her sister was your sister-in-law. And as if you need to worry about me treating her right. I’m as up front as it gets. I think I may be about to tell you something you don’t know, so you’re going to have to keep your word for me,” he said, realizing as he spoke that Emma meant far more to him than he’d have anticipated in such a short time. The situation with her ex worried him more than he wanted her to know. He knew from experience that stalkers weren’t to be taken lightly, and he didn’t want anything to happen to her.
Jared’s eyes sharpened, a look of concern flashing across his face. “Okay,” he said slowly.
Trey quickly filled him in on the background with Emma’s ex and what she’d told him about the calls. “From what she told me, she mentioned the calls to her friend Susie recently. I was hoping you could ask your cop buddy, Darren Thomas, if there’s anything they can do to find out where the calls are coming from.”
Jared nodded slowly. “Susie left me a message yesterday, something about helping a friend. I’m guessing she’s hoping I’ll do the same. Darren will be glad to help. I’ll give him a call today and let you know as soon as I hear from him,” Jared paused and gave him an assessing look. “So you seem, uh, pretty into Emma.”
Trey pictured Emma for a moment—her bright blue eyes, dark hair, and full lips. His mind traveled to who she was—intelligent, kind, so good with Stuart, and genuine. She wasn’t the kind of woman who tried to create an impression. She just was who she was. And he was falling—hard. He took a breath and looked over at Jared. “Yeah, I’m pretty into her. It’s safe to say that she means more to me than anyone has in a long time. I’ll admit it’s happened fast, but…it is what it is,” he said with a shrug.
Jared held his gaze and nodded sharply. “Alright then. I’ll call you as soon as I hear back from Darren.” Jared pushed away from his truck.
“Thanks Jared,” Trey replied. “I owe you one.”
Jared began to walk toward the
store. He glanced over his shoulder. “No worries. I know you’d do the same for me.”
Trey raced home to check in with Risa and Stuart before heading out. He’d called Emma to let her know he wanted to take her to dinner, so he had barely enough time to get Risa’s texted request for dinner supplies before heading to pick up Emma.
When he walked in the house, Stuart was standing on a small stool beside the kitchen counter, Risa at his side, holding a mixing bowl while Stuart carefully cracked an egg on the edge of the bowl.
“Hey there. What are you making?” he asked, dropping a quick kiss on Stuart’s head before giving Risa a hug.
“Stuart is helping me make coffee cake for tomorrow morning,” Risa said.
“Yeah, Dad, you can have some to take to work with you tomorrow,” Stuart chimed in, focused on stirring the egg into the mix.
Risa looked over with a sly smile. “So Stuart told me all about Emma.”
Stuart looked up from the mixing bowl. “Aunt Risa says you’re taking Emma on a date!”
Trey bit his lip to keep from smiling. “That I am. I asked Aunt Risa down tonight, so I could take Emma out. Sounds like that’s okay with you.”
Stuart nodded excitedly. “I told Aunt Risa all about how nice she is.”
Risa winked at Trey and ruffled Stuart’s hair. Though he’d get plenty of teasing from Risa, he knew she just wanted the best for him. She’d been on him for the past year to get out and try to find someone. Though she was a full decade younger than him, they’d always been close. She’d been far enough behind him when they were kids, there was none of that sibling competition. She’d been a rock for him and Stuart after Helen died. Risa kept her dark hair short, cropped close to her head with bangs that angled across her forehead. Her eyes were a rich brown and held an almost ever-present glint of humor. Just as she’d decorated his house in warm bright colors, she wore them all the time. Tonight, she wore a bright blue wrap skirt with a purple blouse. Trey figured she chose purple since she knew it was Stuart’s favorite color. That was the kind of thing she did. He loved that about her and knew Stuart was lucky to have an aunt like her.
Trey set the groceries on the counter. “As requested, everything you need for a taco dinner.”
“Awesome! See Stu, I told you tonight was taco night. We’ll have to decide what we do tomorrow though.”
Trey glanced across Stuart’s head, catching Risa’s eye and tapping his watch.
“So your dad is headed out pretty quick. Did you want to show him the drawing you did today before he goes?”
After exclaiming over Stuart’s drawing of a walrus, Trey hung it on the fridge and quickly changed before heading out. Risa followed him onto the deck before he left.
“So, this Emma sounds pretty special. Stuart’s got his heart set on you two being together. I hope this is going to be okay,” Risa said cautiously.
“I know. Stuart’s wanted me to find a ‘lady-friend’ for a while now. I’ll be honest—I didn’t expect things to move this fast with anyone. But Emma is pretty special. I like her. A lot. And before you go lecturing me on taking my time, don’t forget you’ve given me quite a few lectures about how important it is to find someone else since Helen died. So give me a chance to figure this one out. If you want to meet her, I can see if she can come over tomorrow.”
Risa arched an eyebrow and whistled softly. “Wow. My big brother who always takes his time is really into this woman. Of course, I want to meet her. If it works out, I’d love it. If not, I can wait. And you’re right, I’ve given you plenty of lectures, so I’ll stand back for a little bit.”
“I think I should thank you. I’ll see you later,” he replied with a chuckle. He gave a quick wave before sprinting to his car.
***
Trey followed Emma into the parking lot, enjoying the sway of her hips as she walked. They had dinner at Diamond Creek Brewery, one of Trey’s local favorites. Though tall, Emma definitely had curves, her bottom deliciously round. She wore jeans and cowboy boots with a deep green fitted blouse with the cream lace of a camisole peeking out where the blouse stretched across her breasts. The blue of her eyes was made brighter by the contrasting green. Her dark hair was loose and fell in waves around her shoulders.
Trey reached for her hand. “Let’s walk over here,” he said, turning toward a wooden walkway that led from the parking lot to a small viewing platform that faced a marshy field with Kachemak Bay and the mountains in the distance. Emma threw him a quick smile and followed his lead. The sky was dappled with clouds this evening with the sun slowly falling, streaks of lavender, pink and gold angling through the clouds. As with most summer evenings in Alaska, there was a chill to the air. Emma leaned her hips against the railing and looked out across the field. In the far corner, a few moose were clustered, nibbling on alder trees at the edge of the field. A raven flew by with a call that was immediately returned by another raven in the distance.
Trey paused beside Emma. He wished he could bridge the gap between what he sensed with her and what he knew of her. With her, the space between them was at once familiar and electric. And yet, she held herself at a distance in conversations. He was getting the idea what she shared with him about her ex must have been difficult, not that it wouldn’t have been for anyone. She was private and offered details about herself slowly.
He leaned against the railing beside her. Emma’s phone rang. She tugged it out of her pocket. As soon as he saw her face, he knew it was one of those calls. She started to turn it off, and he put his hand on her arm.
“Let me answer,” he said.
Emma threw him a startled look. “Why? I know what’s going to happen. Nothing.”
Trey shrugged, anger rising at the hint of fear in her eyes. “What’ll it hurt for me to answer?”
Emma shrugged and handed him the phone.
“Hello,” he said.
For a long moment, the line was silent. Trey heard nothing but the faint sound of someone’s breathing.
He repeated his greeting, followed with, “Who the hell is this?”
Emma caught his eyes and shook her head rapidly. Trey shrugged and ignored her. If her suspicions were right and this was her ex, it obviously hadn’t helped for her to ignore the calls and not confront the guy about his bullshit.
He was just about to end the call when a man spoke. “Why don’t you tell me who the hell you are first?”
“None of your damn business. If you’re calling this number, you’d better identify yourself.”
“This is Emma’s number. She knows who I am,” the man said. Trey could hear the sneer in his tone.
“Here’s the deal. I suggest you think twice before you keep up these calls. We’ve notified the police and if this keeps up, you’ll wish you’d had enough sense to stop. Understood?” Trey asked, a tide of anger rising through him. He rarely got angry, but watching Emma’s face made him furious. She was afraid of this guy and all he’d done was call.
There was a long pause. Once again, Trey heard nothing but the sound of breathing. “Fuck you. I’ll call whenever the hell I want.” The line went dead.
Almost shaking with anger, Trey stared down at the phone in his hand. Just as Emma had said, the screen read ‘Private.’ He slowly handed the phone back to Emma, which she quickly tucked in her pocket.
“Why did you say something?” she demanded, her face flushed and eyes wide.
Trey forced himself to breathe. “Because it’s been three years and you’re still getting those calls. Obviously, they’re not going to stop by ignoring them. I’m sorry if I upset you, but now we know who it is.”
“How do we know?” Emma asked.
“He didn’t give me his name, but he knows who you are and he told me he’d call whenever he wants. Besides your ex, do you know any man that would do that?” Trey asked in return, struggling to keep his frustration in check. All he wanted was to wipe the look of fear off Emma’s face for good.
She shook her head slowly, twisting a ring on her hand. Trey turned to face her fully, reaching for both of her hands. “Look, I didn’t mean to upset you, but I can’t stand to see that look on your face. Your ex already put you through more than anyone should have to go through. I know that without even knowing all the details. I can’t stand by and let him mess with you this way. I don’t know how long it will take, but I’ll do whatever I can to get those calls to end.” He held off on mentioning to her that he’d asked Jared to check with Darren about it. He didn’t want to give her hope unless there was some.
Emma looked at him, those beautiful blue eyes holding a tired, afraid look. “It’s okay. I’d kind of gotten used to it and figured it was the price I had to pay. I know you’re only trying to help.” She shook her head and looked away.
Trey tried to think of the right thing to say. “You already paid a price.” A wave of protectiveness washed over him. He wanted nothing more than to hold her close and make sure she never looked that tired and afraid again.
Without thinking, which he seemed almost incapable of when he was close to Emma, he stepped closer. She turned back to him. Instinct driving him, he leaned forward and took her lips. What started as a gentle kiss, an apology for upsetting her, instantly morphed into a breath-stealing, heart-pounding kiss. Before he knew it, his hands had slid down to cup Emma’s delectable bottom in his hands and pulled her hard against his arousal. Her hand slid up into his hair, holding him close as their tongues went wild. She was like a living flame in his arms, arching and twisting in the maelstrom between them.
His cock was so hard, he thought he might lose control. Distant voices carried from the parking lot. Trey forced himself to focus and slowly gentled their kiss, which was decidedly difficult with Emma twined around him. He could feel the heat of her through his jeans and wanted nothing more than to tear her clothes off and sink inside of her right there. He had to remind himself they were on a viewing platform in clear view of the restaurant and anyone else that happened to be nearby.