A Place to Call Home

by Sharon Sala

  “Have I seen your weaknesses, Judd Hanna?”

  His expression darkened. “You’ve seen enough,” he muttered.

  “I doubt that,” she said, then grabbed his hand. “Now it’s time for you, and you’re coming with me.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To get you some food.”

  The moment she said it, he realized how hungry he was.

  “Okay,” he said. “But afterward, I need to have someone take me to my Jeep.”

  Charlie looked around, only then realizing it was gone.

  “That’s right,” she said. “You and Davie walked here. Where is it? Why didn’t you drive?”

  “It’s somewhere on Henson Street, and we walked, because Davie wanted to hold my hand.”

  The words hit Charlie’s heart, just like the sight of her baby’s smile. It was all she could do to speak.

  “You know what, Judd Hanna? So do I.” She held out her hand. “Are you game?”

  Judd stood, stunned by the thunder of his own emotions. It was a moment before he could move.

  “Hell, yes,” he said softly, then his fingers closed around hers with a jerk, as if he were afraid that she’d suddenly disappear.

  Charlie exhaled. She didn’t know how long this man would stay in their lives, but she’d made up her mind to take whatever he would give and be happy for the gesture.

  * * *

  Wade was sitting at the kitchen table, downing the last of a sandwich, when they walked into the house. Charlie took Rachel to her room to play, while Judd went to the sink to wash his hands.

  “How did the day go?” Wade asked. “Did you find Davie okay?”

  “Yes, I found him, but I’m not having as much luck with the Shuler case.”

  Wade shrugged. “For two cents, I’d chuck the whole investigation, but the cop in me knows I can’t do it. Besides, I’m sort of curious as to who hated him enough to put that sore on his ass.”

  Judd nodded. “The man’s a real piece of work, all right. He scared that kid so bad, he was trying to run away.”

  Wade frowned. “Damn.” He stood, then gathered his dirty dishes and carried them to the sink. “You know, I always felt a little sorry for Raymond and Betty that they never had any kids, but now I’m thinking it was probably a good thing. He doesn’t have a compassionate bone in his body. On another note, I’ll be staying in town at night…at least for the next few days until everything settles down.”

  “After Raymond came back, I thought everything was settled,” Charlie said. “Why do you have to stay in town?”

  The men turned, unaware that she’d entered the room.

  “In hopes of staving off a damned panic,” Wade said.

  “What kind of panic?” Judd asked.

  Wade started to grin. “Well, it started with Harold Schultz’s wife. You remember Harold? He’s your mechanic, and the guy I brought in drunk the other day.”

  Judd nodded.

  “Anyway, old Harold went missing again today. I tried to tell his wife that he was probably somewhere sleeping off a drunk, but she’d convinced herself that he’d been snatched, just like Raymond. Then, before the hour had passed, some woman had called the department and reported seeing a UFO. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, Mrs. Schultz had theorized that aliens were responsible for Shuler’s kidnapping and subsequent return, and that they’d now taken her Harold. From that, hysteria boiled.” He glanced at his watch. “And, if I had to guess, I’d say that right about now, all the members of the Call City Southern Baptist Church are together at the church, praying in earnest for Harold’s safe return.”

  “Lord have mercy,” Charlie muttered.

  Judd laughed aloud. “You’re kidding, right?”

  Wade shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

  “But Wade, if the alien theory is to hold any water, exactly what does Harold’s wife think the brand is about?” Charlie asked.

  Wade chuckled. “Funny you should ask. The story highest on the list at the moment is that it stands for the planet they’re from. I tried to tell her that living beings from other planets most likely didn’t use our alphabet, so putting an R on Shuler’s butt made no sense. However, by that time, Mrs. Schultz wasn’t making any sense, either, so it stood to reason no one would listen to me.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to spell you off tonight? After all, you stayed in town last night,” Judd said.

  “Thanks, but I think a familiar face is best. Hell, if you stepped into this controversy right now, they’d probably find a way to accuse you of being the alien.”

  “You’re probably right,” Judd said. “And in a way, they’d be right. I am a stranger.”

  “Not anymore,” Charlie said quietly.

  “That’s right,” Wade said. “As far as I’m concerned, you could call up that captain of yours back home and tell him you quit, that you’re taking a job in Wyoming.”

  Judd wondered if he looked as startled as he felt. All the while he’d been staying here, he’d been focusing on the day he would leave. A little unsure of his feelings, he tried to laugh off the comment.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “You laugh,” Wade said. “But I’m serious.”

  Judd turned away, reaching into the cabinet for a glass and filling it with water from the faucet.

  “It’s something to think about,” he said, then took a long drink, purposefully ignoring the startled glance Charlie gave him.

  “Well, I’m off,” Wade said. “If I go missing, you’ll know where to look for me.” He pointed up to the sky, then exited the house, still chuckling beneath his breath.

  The silence he left behind him was stark and uncomfortable. Charlie began digging through the refrigerator, leaving Judd on his own.

  “Need any help?” he finally asked.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets. “If you don’t mind, I guess I’ll go see what Rachel is up to. I missed seeing that little face today.”

  Charlie stood, staring down into the sink at the potatoes she was going to peel, and then took a deep breath. Stay calm. Don’t get your hopes pinned on anything resembling a man. That way you won’t get yourself hurt.

  It wasn’t long before she heard the sound of his laughter and her baby’s giggles coming from the back of the house. She picked up another potato, peeling furiously. Damn the man. He was so under her skin, and she was so going to be hurt.

  * * *

  Charlie came out of the bathroom, fresh from her shower, and peeked in on Rachel. The little girl was sound asleep on her tummy with her rump in the air. As usual, she’d wrapped her blanket around her neck and Charlie slipped inside long enough to pull another one up over her feet.

  “Good night, baby girl,” she said softly, and blew a kiss into the air before closing the door behind her.

  Up the hall, she could hear the faint sounds of a television program in progress, and every now and then, the rattle of a newspaper. She smiled to herself. Just like a man. Trying to do two things at once. Then she amended the thought. If there was anyone who could pull that stunt off, Judd Hanna just might be it.

  She smoothed her hands over her hair, then tugged at the hem of her knit pajamas. She started to go back for a robe and then stopped. If she did, she would be too warm, and the pajamas were decent, covering everything that a T-shirt and jeans would cover. She didn’t take into consideration the softness of the fabric and the way it clung to her body, or the just-washed soap-and-powder scent she brought with her as she entered the room. She picked up a basket of mending on her way toward her chair, then absently turned on the lamp as she sat.

  Judd looked up from his reading, taking careful note of her fresh-scrubbed appearance, as well as the tender curve of her neck as she bent to her task. All evening, he’d been tense, even a little uneasy, wondering how this “family” evening was going to play out. Just he and she—and a baby—it was almost too perfect.

  Ye
t as he sat, looking at her there in the lamplight, a yearning came upon him so strong that it made his heart hurt. Just for a moment, he let himself pretend that this was his life—that Charlotte was his woman, and the baby, their child. It was the pain that came afterward that stunned him. Pain that came from knowing it was only a dream.

  He sighed, then made himself return to his reading. Only the words no longer made sense. He couldn’t think past the woman on the other side of the room.

  * * *

  Charlie knew he was watching her. She could feel the heat of his gaze, but she was afraid to look up. Too much had been going on between them today to ignore, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to be the instigator. Finally, she gained a sense of control and laid her mending down in her lap. If nothing else, she just needed to hear the sound of his voice.

  “Judd?”

  He looked up so suddenly, she could tell he hadn’t been reading after all.

  “What?”

  “What makes some people so mean?”

  Her question struck a nerve and he flinched. While he suspected she was thinking of Raymond Shuler, his mind automatically went to his own past, and to the man who’d been his father. It was all he could do to answer.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you think that people are born that way, or do you think it’s a thing that they learn?”

  Judd sighed. She wasn’t going to give up until she got an answer that satisfied her.

  “Maybe a little of both,” he finally said. “What do you think?”

  Her forehead furrowed, and then she dumped her sewing in the basket on the floor and folded her legs up beneath her.

  “I think that life does it to them.”

  He frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I don’t think that babies are born with anger and viciousness, do you? I mean—think about it. At first, they’re all brand-new—little angels straight from God. It’s what happens to them after they get here that cripples their minds and scorches their wings.”

  Tears suddenly blurred Judd’s vision of her face, and he had to focus on something else to keep from crying. The image she’d painted was too real to bear. If he’d ever had wings, they’d been burned off long ago in the fires of his father’s hell.

  “I guess you’re right,” he said, and made a fuss with straightening the paper he’d been reading.

  “Look at Raymond. According to Wilma, he was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, and yet it hasn’t made him happy. So, you have to ask yourself why. Maybe the things he was taught were self-destructive. Maybe that’s why he has this constant need to be the one in control. But the way he treats Davie…I just don’t understand it. There’s no way a person like Davie could pose any threat.”

  Judd tossed the paper aside, pinning her with a hard, even stare.

  “In spite of the disappointments life has handed you, Charlotte, you have still lived a very sheltered life.”

  She flushed. “That sounded like an accusation,” she muttered.

  Judd stood abruptly. “You know, you’re right,” he said. “You didn’t deserve that, and I’m sorry.”

  Angry with himself, he started to leave when she called out his name.

  “Please, Judd…don’t go.”

  He sighed, then stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned to face her.

  “Why? You don’t deserve to suffer the effects of my moods.”

  Charlie stood, too, then took his hand, tugging until he returned to his seat.

  “Okay,” he said wryly. “I’m here. Now what?”

  “Talk to me…tell me about you.”

  He gritted his teeth. On a good day, talking about himself wasn’t a thing that he did easily, and tonight, he knew it was the last thing he needed to do. But the look on her face and the plea in her voice kept him seated. He didn’t have it in him to deny her a damned thing.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “For starters, how old are you? Where were you raised? Why have you never married?”

  “Thirty-three. Boyington, Kentucky. Didn’t find the right woman.”

  Charlie folded her hands in her lap like a perfect child.

  “Well, now,” she said. “That was painless, wasn’t it?”

  He laughed, but something told him she was just getting started.

  Chapter 12

  “Have you ever been engaged?” Charlie asked.

  “No.”

  She leaned back, eyeing the clean, muscular lines of his body. Then her gaze shifted to his face. Closed expression, dark eyes, strong chin. But, oh so intriguing. Finally she arched an eyebrow and shook her head.

  “Are all the women in Tulsa blind, or are they just plain fools?”

  “Talk like that could get you in trouble,” he said softly, hiding a grin.

  Charlie knew she was playing with fire, but she was cold from the inside out and it had been such a long time since she’d been warm.

  “What do you do for fun?” she asked.

  He frowned. Truthful answers were going to be too revealing, yet he didn’t have it in him to lie to her. He sighed. Better tell her the truth and turn her off now than wait until they wound up hurting each other somewhere down the line.

  “Not much,” he said.

  Charlie hesitated. “What do you mean, not much? Do you mean you don’t have much time for your hobbies, or are you telling me that you don’t indulge at all?”

  “Damn it, Charlotte, why does it matter?” he growled.

  “Because I never slept with a man I didn’t know, and I don’t intend to start now.”

  He froze. Have mercy. How does a man get past a woman like this?

  Charlie pretended she wasn’t flustered by his silence, but the truth was, she was at the borderline of panic. Oh, God, don’t let me lose my nerve now.

  “So, what you’re telling me is you do not allow yourself pleasure?” she said.

  He couldn’t quit staring. Damn the woman, but she was picking him apart at the seams.

  “Doesn’t look like I need to tell you anything,” he muttered. “You’re doing a hell of a job on my psyche all by yourself.”

  Her composure fell. Now she’d done it! She’d made him mad. But the woman inside her wouldn’t let up. She stood abruptly, motioning for him to follow.

  He eyed it nervously. “What?”

  “Come with me.”

  Muttering under his breath as to the wisdom of letting her call all the shots, he stood.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Out to play,” Charlie said. “It’s good for the soul.”

  * * *

  Sweat was running from Charlie’s hairline and down the back of her neck. Her pajama top was stuck to her body and there was a big dirty handprint on her shoulder where Judd had tried to push past her on his way to the basket.

  “Had enough?” she asked, bouncing the basketball up and down at her feet.

  Judd was bent at the waist and clutching his knees, struggling for every breath that he took. His legs felt like jelly and sweat kept running into his eyes, burning and blurring his vision. Charlie, on the other hand, wasn’t even breathing hard, and there was a glint in her eyes that warned him she wouldn’t give in until he gave up. Finally, he groaned and sat the rest of the way down.

  “Was this supposed to be fun?” he muttered.

  She grinned. At least now she had his attention. She tossed the ball into the shrubs by the back door and then ambled over to where he was sitting and plopped down beside him.

  A cloud of bugs had gathered beneath the halo of light by which they’d been playing. Every now and then, one would make a mistake and fly into the heat, and Judd knew just how they felt. For the first time in his life, he’d taken on more than he could handle. Who the hell could have known it would come in such a deceptive package?

  “Are you all right?” Charlie asked.

  Judd groaned. “I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

  “I su
ppose this means you’re too tired to mess around?”

  He looked up, caught the gleam in her eye, and then laughed. The sound surprised him. He didn’t think he’d had that much oxygen left in his brain, but the moment he heard it, he realized how good he felt. Not in his body, but in his heart.

  Impulsively, he grabbed her by the shoulders and wrestled her to the ground.

  “There isn’t a man walking who will admit to that,” he said, and pinned her beneath him.

  “Eeww,” she said. “You stink.”

  He grinned. “You don’t smell so good yourself, sweet cakes. And those pajamas are done for.”

  She grimaced. “This means another bath. I beat you, so I get to go first.”

  His grin widened as he rolled off of her and dragged himself to his feet.

  “You sure you want the first shower?” he asked.

  She frowned. There was a gleam in his eye she didn’t like.

  “I guess.”

  He turned and walked toward the side of the house.

  “You’re sure?” he repeated.

  “Yes, for God’s sake, I’m sure I want the first bath,” she yelled.

  She rolled over, intending to get up, but only got as far as her hands and knees before the first blast of water struck.

  “Judd! Stop! It’s cold! It’s cold!”

  She darted toward the shadows, but he was right behind, aiming the garden hose straight at her back.

  “Because of you, I’ve been taking cold showers ever since the first night I spent in this house. They won’t kill you. Trust me,” he yelled.

  Charlie was caught. She ran from her car to behind the tree. Once she tried to make a run for the house and got a dose squarely in the face. The chill of the water was no longer an issue. It was justice she wanted now—and she knew just how to get it.

  In the middle of a blast, she stopped. Ignoring the shattering cold to her back, she slowly turned, facing Judd without flinching. She watched the grin freeze on his face as she pulled one arm out of her pajama top, and then the other, performing a slow striptease beneath the basketball goal. When she pulled the wet garment over her head and tossed it on top of a nearby bush, the grin on his face slid out of sight.