At least she didn’t keep him waiting for long. Callie opened the inside door but didn’t immediately open the screen door, as she studied him for several seconds.
“Do you want to come in?”
All things considered, maybe it would be better if he didn’t. “It’s a nice night. Want to go for a walk instead? I’ll even spring for some ice cream if you’re interested.”
Her smile was slightly happier. “When it comes to ice cream, I’m always interested. Let me put on better shoes and lock up.”
While he waited, he called Mooch to his side. “Listen, dog. You make a great wingman, but not this time. You head back to the house and watch over Leif for me.”
The dog plunked his backside down on the porch and stared up at Nick, his head tilted to the side as if thinking it over. “Go on and go, Mooch. Leif needs you, too, and I’m all right for now.”
Still not moving. Nick squatted down to meet the dog’s gaze head-on. “Listen, soldier, that was an order. Go keep an eye on things for me while I’m away from my post. I want to iron out some things with Callie, and I have to know that things are under control while I’m gone. Stay, Mooch.”
Finally, the dog yipped softly and took off running back toward the other house. That didn’t mean he’d stay there, but it was a start. If he showed back up again, Nick would carry him back to Spence’s house and lock him inside, if that was what it took to have some time alone with Callie.
She joined him out on the porch. “Ready?”
Was she talking about the ice cream or the talk? Either way the answer was the same.
“I am.”
• • •
Nick slunk past the entrance to Spence’s driveway and then picked up speed until they were some distance down the road. Callie managed to keep pace with him but had to ask, “Are we in a particular hurry?”
He immediately slowed down, looking a bit guilty. “Not at all, but I told Mooch he couldn’t come with us. He headed back to the house when I told him to, but I’m not sure he’ll stay there, especially if he realizes I’m with you.”
“I wouldn’t have minded if he tagged along.”
“I figured you wouldn’t.” Nick reached out to take her hand in his with a quick squeeze. “I feel better knowing he’s there to keep an eye on things, especially because Leif promised to take some of his meds soon. Once that happens, he’ll probably zone out on the couch in front of the television. Mooch can sound the alarm on the off chance our visitor is stupid enough to come back tonight.”
She tightened her hold on Nick’s hand. “Do you think he will?”
“No, at least not so soon. Having the cops show up so quickly after he broke in last night had to have spooked him a bit. He also knows the house isn’t empty all the time.”
She hoped that was true.
Nick dropped her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders instead. “Let’s not give the bastard the power to ruin an ice-cream run for us.”
“Fair enough.”
And truthfully, she felt safe from the whole world when Nick held her close like this. Well, safe from everyone but him. For now, though, she’d enjoy their walk. There would be time for the hard stuff after ice cream.
As they continued on, Nick seemed to relax, and gradually his almost hypervigilance disappeared. Her house was located on the outskirts of Snowberry Creek, barely within the city limits. As they drew closer to the business district, the houses were closer together and the yards smaller. A fair number of her neighbors were out on their front porches enjoying the evening air.
They waved as she and Nick passed by, several calling out for her to tell her folks hello for them. No doubt the local gossip mill would be in full swing within minutes. It was too much to hope that no one would e-mail her mother about seeing Callie out walking with a handsome man.
Nick picked up on their interest, too. “Why do I feel as if we’re on display, kind of like we’re the chimps at the zoo on parade for all the local humans?”
She giggled at the analogy. “Aren’t you from a fairly small town, too? If so, you know how all of this works, and don’t tell me that folks there don’t live to gossip.”
“That they do, but I haven’t been subjected to it for a while. I’d almost forgotten what it was like. Think we should stop and fill in some details for them? Like where I’m from or how we met?”
Then he gave her a sly smile. “Or, better yet, give them something to really talk about?”
Images from last night’s encounter in the backyard filled her mind. Oh, yeah, anything along that line would certainly set the tongues to wagging.
“As tempting as that is, Sergeant Jenkins, I’m pretty sure some of the older folks have heart conditions. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s health. Besides, I’m not sure Gage would appreciate having us be at the heart of another emergency call so soon.”
Nick looked genuinely disappointed. “Too bad.”
They’d finally reached the business district. There was a line at the ice-cream shop, but it moved quickly. She snickered when Nick didn’t even bother to check out the flavor choices, settling for plain old vanilla.
“What? I’ve always liked vanilla.”
Even if he sounded a little defensive, she tweaked his nose about it. “Not very adventurous for a big, tough soldier like you, is it?”
“I’ve had enough adventure for one lifetime.” He grimaced as if regretting his response. Then he lightened the moment by adding, “And maybe I’m saving today’s allotment of adventure for something better than ice cream.”
Her cheeks flushed hot. “Good answer, Sergeant.”
Back outside, they headed for the same small park where they’d shared muffins and coffee with Gage and his daughter. All of the picnic tables were taken, so they followed the path along the creek for a short distance until they found a small clearing that would afford them some privacy.
They settled down in the grass in companionable silence while they finished their cones. Nick leaned back on his elbows and stared up at the sky.
“Ready for that talk you wanted to have?”
Not really. In fact, she wished they could skip it altogether, but they needed to set some rules. Maybe come up with some guidelines about where this relationship was headed or even if it was headed anywhere at all.
“Nick, what I said last night was thoughtless. When I wanted to wish away everything that happened, you’ve got to believe I was talking about the break-in and Leif getting hurt, not you. Not us.”
She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “As I tried to tell you last night, I don’t regret what happened between the two of us. I still don’t.”
He rolled onto his side to face her but kept his distance. “I know that now. I should have known it last night, too.”
She wished he’d tug her down beside him or even take her hand in his like he had just a short time ago. But she sensed it wouldn’t be wise to push him too hard right now. There was a question she had to ask, especially because he hadn’t volunteered the information himself.
“Now we both know how I feel about last night, but do you regret it, Nick?”
More silence, which gave her at least a partial answer. Her blood ran as cold as the ice cream had been as she waited for him to answer. “Can’t you at least tell me why?”
He rolled onto his back again, studying the stars overhead as if the answer were written up there in the sky. Fine.
“I’m a big girl, Nick. Just spit it out. And don’t try to sell me that usual guy line of crap that the problem is with you and not me, because I won’t buy it.”
That had him sitting up. “How do you figure?”
She wanted to punch something or, better yet, him. “Oh, please, Nick. You weren’t alone out in my folks’ backyard last night. That was me you were—”
He
abruptly sat up and stopped her tirade by putting his hand over her mouth. “Believe me, I know it was you. And if you keep talking that loud, everyone in the park will know it, too.”
She’d had enough. “I’m out of here.”
“Don’t go. Not yet.”
Nick caught her arm, tugging her back down. When she didn’t struggle, he released his hold on her. He drew his legs up and rested his head on his arms, staring down at the ground this time.
“I’m sorry for screwing this all up.”
His frustration echoed hers. “Nick, I don’t even know what this is. Obviously something about our relationship is a big-time problem for you. If it’s too much too fast, fine. We’ll slow it down.”
He looked up at her briefly. “For both our sakes, aiming for just being friends might be the smartest move.”
“I’m not even going to ask why that is, Nick. Obviously, you’ve already made up your mind that’s how it has to be.”
This time when she moved to stand up, he didn’t stop her. Before she could leave the clearing, he blocked her way. “I don’t want to hurt you, Callie.”
“You already have, but I’ll get over it. I thought there was a chance for something special between us. Obviously I was mistaken about that. But regardless, I’m more worried about you, Nick. I hate seeing you in such pain and not being able to do anything about it.”
He winced as if her words had struck a physical blow. “I’m sorry, Callie. I really am.”
And God help her, she believed him. It would be smarter to tell him to pack up and leave. That she’d pay someone to finish the project he’d started, and he could get on with his life without Mooch and without her. She wasn’t going to do either of those things for the simple fact that he’d probably do just what she asked if she pushed too hard.
As frustrated as she was, she wasn’t ready to stand in Spence’s driveway and wave good-bye to Nick.
“I should get back home.”
He nodded. “Me, too.”
They headed back down the path, this time careful to maintain a safe distance from each other. As they walked, it occurred to her to wonder about one thing. When he said he should go home, did he mean Spence’s place or back where his folks lived in Ohio?
She’d have to wait and see, because right now she didn’t have the courage to ask.
Chapter 22
“How did it go?”
Nick pulled one of the wicker rockers closer to Leif’s and sat down. “Better than expected. Worse than I’d hoped for.”
His friend kept rocking, his expression relaxed and calm, although that could be the drugs. “So should I be packing my bag anytime soon?”
“Not yet, although it was close.”
The jerk actually laughed. “Man, you must have taken your talent for offending people to a whole new level. What did you say to Callie that pissed her off that bad?”
“I said we should be friends.”
Another round of Leif’s laughter rang out in the night. “Damn, Nick, what were you thinking? You’re lucky she didn’t gut you with your own knife. I admit I’m not an expert with women, but even I know that’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
Leif took a long swig from his root beer. “I can tell you this much: I like Callie, Nick. A whole lot, actually. I can see why Spence wanted to hook up with her when he got back.”
But Spence hadn’t gotten to come back, not like Nick and Leif. Hell, even Mooch had survived life on the brutal streets of Afghanistan. Everybody had gotten home safely except Spence. And Nick’s gut was tied up in a knot of guilt and grief over it.
Leif kept right on talking. “Maybe they could have built a good life for themselves here, but I’ve got to say I’m having a hard time imagining Spence sitting still long enough to be happy in a small town like this. From the way he used to talk about his past, it was clear he couldn’t wait to get the hell out of Snowberry Creek permanently.”
Nick shrugged. “I felt the same way about my own hometown.”
And that hadn’t changed. The whole time Nick had been at his parents’ house, it was as if his clothes were all two sizes too small. Nothing fit right. Nothing felt right. He didn’t belong there anymore.
On the other hand, here in Snowberry Creek, he could breathe. It wasn’t just because Callie was next door, although that was part of it. A big part. The whole area, with its mountains and towering trees, was beautiful, so unlike the hellholes where he’d spent so much of his time since joining the army.
He could see himself building a life here, but that wasn’t going to happen. It would feel too much like he was an imposter, trying to pass himself off as Spence somehow. Even so, his instincts were screaming that this place had what he needed in order to heal from the inside out.
He kept rocking at a steady pace, trying hard to hide his churning nerves. “You should know that I’m going to talk to Callie about doing more than building the gazebo for her. I want to act as the general contractor on all of the work she needs done on this place.”
He threw it out there as if he’d put a lot of time and thought into the idea, although he hadn’t. It was as if the plan had simply sprung into existence fully formed, all the bits and pieces fitting together perfectly.
Leif stopped rocking to stare at him in total shock. “Seriously, Nick? What in the hell put that craziness into your head?”
“It’s not crazy. You know damn well my dad is a general contractor, and I put myself through school working for him summers and holidays. By the time I enlisted, I had been writing up estimates and hiring the subcontractors for years.”
His friend let out a long, slow breath and resumed rocking again. “Okay, maybe it’s not completely insane, but have you talked to Callie about this?”
“Not yet. I wanted to see how things went with a small project first, to see if I still liked the hands-on part of it. I’m planning to do most of the work myself and only subbing out stuff like the plumbing and electrical.”
“So why not go back and work for your dad?”
Good question, one Nick had no easy answer for. Maybe because he needed to do something on his own. Something for himself.
He stared at his combat knife, hating what it represented. “I need to fix something.”
Starting with himself, patching up a few of the holes the war had ripped in his heart and soul. Maybe someday he would even rediscover the man he used to be.
Leif stared at Nick for a long time, maybe trying to decide how serious he was about the idea.
Finally, he stood up. “You should have a couple of beers if we’re going to keep talking about this. That way when Callie tells us we’re out of our heads, we can truthfully say you were drunk and I was on pain pills at the time.”
Nick laughed and followed him inside. “Let’s work at the kitchen table. The light’s better and the beer’s closer.”
“I like the way you think, Sarge.”
“Thanks, Corporal. I live to please.”
• • •
Callie hadn’t been sure what to expect from Nick the next time she saw him. As far as she could tell, their awkward encounter hadn’t affected him at all. On the other hand, she’d tossed and turned most of the night, leaving her crabby and spoiling for a fight.
Considering how hard he was working on the gazebo, she couldn’t very well complain. Of course, that probably meant he was trying to get it finished as fast as possible so he could get back to his real life. She could hardly stand the thought of him deploying again, not when the last one had cost him and his friends so much. She’d already lost one friend in the war; she didn’t want to lose another.
Since she couldn’t use Nick as a target for her bad mood, she would’ve settled for nagging at Leif about overdoing it. That didn’t work, either, because
he had dragged one of the lawn chairs into the shade and was supervising the project. Evidently his duties consisted of consuming cold drinks and offering worthless bits of advice to Nick in between naps.
They were both jerks.
She’d delivered lunch but hadn’t stuck around to share it. Instead, she’d spent the afternoon working on her inventory in the rooms upstairs, avoiding Nick’s bedroom. The last thing she needed was to hang around in there.
After a couple of grueling hours, she finished two of the smaller bedrooms and moved up to the third floor. She hadn’t spent much time at all on that level of the house, but it was obvious that three things had gone missing recently. Nothing big, though, judging by the size of the empty spots in the dust.
She clenched her fists and stamped her foot in frustration. Gage wanted her to let him know if she discovered anything had been taken. What good would that do when she had no idea what had been there in the first place?
Maybe rather than dragging Gage all the way back out to the house, she’d pay him a visit. She needed to stop at the store anyway, not to mention she had a craving for something wicked and bad for her waistline from Bridey’s shop. Maybe she’d even take pity on Leif and his friend and bring something back for them.
Should she tell Nick about the missing items? Would he even care? Okay, that wasn’t fair. Of course he’d care. She gathered up her camera and notes and headed back downstairs. The men were right where she’d left them. Well, not quite. Leif was now sitting on the stool wielding a paintbrush with wild abandon, considering the drips of primer on his pants and the grass.
He smiled when he saw her. “It’s really coming along, isn’t it?”
She dutifully admired the gazebo, honestly loving its graceful lines and open design. “Yes, it is.”
“Nick does quality work, that’s for sure. I try not to stroke his ego too much, but he sure knows a lot about this kind of stuff.”
The third member of the party joined in the discussion. “Leif, thanks for talking me up like that, but seriously, I don’t want to think about you stroking anything of mine.”
A Time for Home: A Snowberry Creek Novel Page 19