Angel's Lake Box Set: Books 1-3 (Angel's Lake Series)

by Jody Holford

  “Mom, food,” she said when he pulled up to a drive-through.

  Lucy hated nervous fidgeting, but it was exactly what she felt like doing. She was forcing herself to keep her hand still on Alex’s thigh. The unspoken words and obvious lust filled the cab of the truck like water slowly rising to the top of a tank. Only a little bit more and she wouldn’t be able to breathe. When Alex pulled up to the speaker, he gave their order before she could even say what she would like. As she listened to him order her two cinnamon buns, a large coffee, and a water before ordering his own apple fritters and coffee, she realized he knew her. She let people see parts of her, but never the whole. Not even family. Because if anyone saw too many of the pieces, they would see she didn’t fit, didn’t fully belong. Sure, apply a little pressure and it seemed like she could cram her way into an empty spot, but if someone looked closely enough, they’d see that she was a fraud.

  He passed her both coffees wordlessly and she realized that he not only saw the pieces—he didn’t care how they fit. He passed her the bags, paid, and said, “thank you.” She tucked the coffee into the drink holders while he got them back on the highway.

  What did it mean when someone saw all of the pieces and wanted you anyway? Her heart jackhammered with the realization that she knew what it meant. What it meant for him to know her coffee order, to pick her up at the airport, to be so happy to see him. How had she missed him so much? It’s only been a couple of days. That didn’t seem to matter to her heart, and the more she thought, the more she felt, and the higher the water rose, submerging her completely. Instead of panicking or feeling like she would drown, she chose to dive deeper.

  “I think I’m in love with you,” she whispered. She wasn’t even sure he’d heard her, but the car stopped at a light and he stared at her. He’d definitely heard her. She refused to avoid his wide-eyed gaze or have a panic attack. Saying it felt right.

  “You think?” he asked, his voice husky and low. The light turned green. Alex continued to stare at her, and she wasn’t surprised when a horn honked behind them. He accelerated and her nerves pushed harder; it was like thousands of butterflies beating against her rib cage.

  “I do. I really do think I am. Maybe I shouldn’t have said it, but I… I really feel like I am, and I thought, well, if I feel it, I should say it, but maybe I shouldn’t have, not like this. Just because I thought it doesn’t mean I just have to blurt it out—”

  Her increasingly hysterical babble was halted by Alex pulling off of the road and onto the shoulder. Maybe she was wrong—maybe she couldn’t swim so well after all. She certainly couldn’t breathe. He turned the car off, but she couldn’t face him. She watched the cows standing in a field, munching grass as the sun shone on their backs.

  “Can you look at me?” he asked. She heard the trace of amusement in his voice, and it steeled her spine. She gave him a haughty frown to combat his teasing tone. He reached out to take her hand and asked, “Say it again.”

  Lucy wasn’t sure if she could get enough air into her lungs to actually speak. It was one thing to say it while he was focused on something else. But she was done running away.

  “I think I’m in love with you.”

  “I am in love with you,” he replied. Her heart fell like a water balloon thrown from a tall building. When it landed, it simply burst, and emotions scattered everywhere. She bit her lip to keep from crying. God, when had she become such a crier?

  “Y ou are?” she whispered. He put his palm to her cheek and used his thumb to release her lip from her teeth. “Yes. More than I ever thought possible.”

  She smiled and her heart picked itself up, put all of its pieces back together, and drummed happily, ecstatically, against her chest. “Say it again,” she asked, feeling inexplicably shy.

  “I am in love with you, Lucy. I love you,” he replied easily, as if the words had always been waiting, right there on his tongue. She leaned forward and met his lips, which were already seeking hers, and undid her seatbelt at the same time. Wrapping her arms around him, she felt his hands grip her sides and yank her toward him. She couldn’t get close enough to him with the console between them. Kissing him, knowing that he loved her, made her want him more—need him more. Those tears she had tried to keep back tumbled. Just a couple, but she tasted them as their mouths met over and over again and he whispered the words.

  “Alex,” she said, pulling back only slightly. His hands were gripping her head, holding it close to his. His breathing was ragged and hers was shallow. He tried to kiss her again, but she put her hand up between them. “Wait. I’m done thinking.”

  “What?” he asked, giving a half laugh.

  “I’m done thinking,” she repeated, enjoying his look of confusion. It seemed perfectly fair given the way he baffled her with his kindness, his humor, and now, his love.

  “I love you. I don’t just think I do,” she finally said. He grinned down at her. “Took you long enough,” he said against her lips.

  Later, as the moon sent streaks of light through the bedroom window, Alex kissed the underside of Lucy’s jaw and breathed in the sweet smell of her soap. He pressed a kiss to her neck, adoring the way she stretched and sighed contentedly. He didn’t think he would stop smiling anytime soon. He ran his hand over the smooth curve of her waist, her soft stomach, up and over her breasts, and cupped her jaw, turning her face toward him. She smiled, shifting her body so they were face-to-face.

  “I guess this means we’re going steady, huh?” she joked, pressing her lips to his. When she would have pulled back, he held her and continued kissing her, wondering if he would ever get enough. How was it possible to feel this much for one person?

  “I think I still have my jacket from high school. Do you want to wear it?” he asked between teasing her lips.

  “It’s getting too warm for jackets. I was thinking I would just write our initials in a heart on the side of the school,” she replied, pushing at his chest until he was on his back. He gripped her hips as she lay on top of him, looking down at him, her hair falling around her face, brushing his shoulders. She nuzzled

  his neck, under his jaw, then trailed her way up to his ear, placing soft, playful kisses along his skin. He had never wanted anyone like this and knew that he never would again. She shifted, purposely, making it more difficult to be playful.

  “That would work. You do that, and I’ll make you a mixed CD with sappy love songs on it. You could play it over and over and drive your family nuts,” he offered.

  His breath snagged when he felt her teeth graze his neck. He was done playing. Gripping her and moving swiftly, he shifted their positions so he was over her.

  “That’s good. I like that one. I’ve never…” she trailed off. Raising his eyebrows, he waited. “You’ve never?”

  She bit the inside of her cheek, making him curious. He leaned in and nibbled on her lip before tracing his tongue over it.

  “I’ve never … gone steady or, you know… The love stuff. I might mess it up,” she mumbled, keeping her eyes on his chin. He was humbled by her admission and overwhelmed by this gift.

  “You won’t. We won’t. We might not get everything right, but the love stuff will take care of itself. There’s only a couple of rules,” he told her, happy when her eyes lifted to meet his.

  “Rules?”

  “Mmmhmm,” he murmured, moving slowly against her, kissing her softly. “You have to say it every day.”

  “Okay,” she replied, her breath accelerating slightly. “I can do that.”

  “You should be naked when you say it,” he continued. She laughed, her hands moving restlessly over him. “So now would be a good time?”

  “Actually, there’s no bad time. It’s just better when you’re naked,” he told her with a wide grin. Her hands trailed down his back, making him lose his own train of thought.

  “Have you … said it a lot?” she questioned, and his heart twisted at the smallness of her voice.

  “I’ve said it,” he
admitted. He would always be honest with her. “But I have never felt it like this for anyone. Only you. You’ve had my heart since I was twelve years old.”

  Her eyes were damp as she beamed up at him. “That doesn’t count,” she said, laughing.

  “I’ve loved you for more than half of my life. That counts.”

  “I said it first,” she reminded him. He laughed and closed his mouth over hers. “That counts, too. More than you know.”

  Lucy groaned a little when Alex shifted in the bed. Her arm was around his waist, and he was pushing it away. “Don’t,” she grumbled. He gave a soft, muffled laugh and kissed her lightly.

  “I heard something. Move your hand sleepyhead,” he said. Her eyes launched open in the darkness. His face was close, and she could make out the features she’d memorized in the soft moonlight that came through the cracks in the blinds.

  “Heard what?” she whispered, heart hammering.

  “I don’t know. That’s why I need you to move your arm,” he replied, also in a whisper. “You’re going to leave me here?”

  “Honey, I’m just going to look out the window. I’ll be right back,” he replied, moving off of the bed and leaving the cool air in his space. He pulled on his shorts, which he’d dug out earlier when they decided they had better eat something. Lucy was surprised that they had slept so soundly. She rubbed her eyes and scooted herself into a sitting position. Alex opened his side table and took out his gun. Lucy straightened, coming fully awake.

  “You’re taking your gun?” she squeaked.

  “Just stay here. Everything is fine,” Alex assured her and walked from the room.

  Lucy looked around, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and saw that it was almost three-thirty a.m. She hadn’t been home yet. She and Alex had barely surfaced from his bedroom to eat. She knew her family wouldn’t be worried, but now, thinking about someone prowling around, concern for them had her wondering if she should get up. She also had to pee, but she was too nervous to move.

  “Alex knows what he’s doing. He’s very good at his job,” she told herself, shivering.

  “Yes, he does and he is,” Alex agreed, coming back into the room and making Lucy squeal. Alex laughed and put his gun back in the bedside drawer. “You scared the hell out of me,” Lucy spat, getting out of the bed.

  “Where are you going? I didn’t mean to scare you,” he soothed, reaching for her.

  He ran his warm palms up and down her skin, pushing the thin strap of her tank top back onto her shoulder. “There’s no one outside. Nothing that I can see. The street is quiet. Get back in bed,” he yawned.

  “I have to pee,” she said, then, when he laughed, she added, “Why is that funny?”

  “It’s not. Just, it’s a good thing I heard something so you could get up and pee. Do you want me to come stand guard?”

  “Shut up,” she suggested, walking toward the bathroom.

  When she returned, he was kneeling on the window seat, looking through the cracks of the blinds. “I thought you said everything was quiet,” she whispered, coming up beside him.

  “It is. I was just checking from here. Want me to carry you to bed?”

  “You’re a real comedian in the middle of the night,” she commented then laughed loudly when he dramatically scooped her up into his arms. “Yes. But that’s top secret. Only the woman I love can know that.”

  She laughed as he tumbled them both down onto the bed. She knew they were being silly, like lust-filled teens, but even in high school, she had never felt this carefree, this full of hope and possibility. If the price of that was some cutesy banter, it was definitely a worthwhile bargain.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Alex whistled as he strode through the parking lot toward the back of the sheriff’s office. The sun had risen over the Messabi Range, which the locals called Giant Mountain, only forty minutes ago. Alex felt ready to conquer crime and fight bad guys. He laughed to himself as he unlocked the back door and went through. More than likely, his day would be conquering paperwork, arranging schedules, and returning phone calls.

  “Morning,” Cam greeted when Alex walked into the small back room that mostly served as a lunchroom. Cam, his uniform perfectly pressed, was making himself a cup of tea, and Alex was in such a great mood he didn’t even feel the need to razz him about it. Cam still lived with his mom, and the guys often gave him a hard time about her cutting his hair military style, pressing his clothes, and making his lunches.

  “Good morning, Deputy Stevens,” Alex replied. After unzipping his jacket, Alex hung it on the wall in the break room and noted Cam’s arched eyebrows. Being the new guy, Cam didn’t comment on Alex’s obvious good mood. Mick would have called him on it in a second.

  “Everything quiet so far?” Alex asked. Cam picked up his tea, sipped it, and followed Alex out to the front where Elliot Peters was sorting files at his desk. Elliot had been working as a police officer in Angel’s Lake for five years. He was a good cop—quiet and thorough.

  “Been deader than a cemetery, Sir,” Cam replied. “Quit calling me sir, Cam. Morning Elliot,” Alex said.

  “Hey. How are you, Sheriff?” Elliot asked, picking up a ridiculously large cup of coffee and taking a long swallow. The only person at the station who liked coffee more than Alex was Elliot.

  “I’m good. We’ve been missing each other on shifts. Things alright?”

  Alex came around the counter, glanced at the files Elliot was reading through—cold cases that he couldn’t let go of—and picked up a stack of messages, blessedly written on message pads. He thumbed through them and glanced at Elliot, who tossed down the file he held and scrubbed his hands over his weathered face. With somewhat shaggy hair and a goatee he was a little too proud of, Elliot seemed more like a dark-haired surfer than a cop. But he had cop eyes that noticed details and paid close attention.

  “Good. Gina didn’t show to pick the kids up last night and it was a long one. Both girls are having nightmares lately. But mostly, things are good,” Elliot answered. Elliot and his ex-wife, Gina, shared custody of their five-year-old twin daughters. Mostly, Elliot did all the work, and Gina popped in when it suited her to take on her share. Elliot rose with his coffee cup and clapped Alex on the back. “Saw your dad last night. Waved to him, but I guess he didn’t see me. Looked right at me and ducked into his house.”

  Alex stopped looking through the messages and glanced up. “My dad’s out of town.” Elliot shrugged and walked past, saying, “He must be home. It was him.”

  Cam tuned the radio to a classic rock station and sat down at his own desk. Alex frowned at Elliot’s retreating back and started for his office. He turned, looking at Cam.

  “Dolores still out of town?” he questioned. Cam looked up and nodded. “Said she’d be back by Saturday. She’s having a good time with her family.”

  Alex took his messages to his office and tried to shake the snake of annoyance that had slithered into his morning. Why would his dad be back early? Had he imagined sparks between his dad and Dolores? Sometimes it’s better not to know. He opened the blinds and the window in his office.

  Putting a French Silk coffee into his machine, he sorted his messages by order of priority. He needed to contact a lawyer that was calling him as a witness, the mayor wanted to meet, and a reporter called to ask about the vandalism and get a statement. He pulled the last message from the pile and looked at it. Stacey Whitman Traverse Moore. Did she think that Alex would forget who she was if she didn’t leave her full name? He had no plans to return his mother’s phone call. Wadding the paper, he tossed it into his trash bin and willed the coffee to hurry up.

  Lucy jammed the last of her clothes into the washer and hoped it didn’t explode. Kate came up the stairs as Lucy pressed start and exited the laundry room. The sun was slanting through the sunroof, casting diagonal spotlights over the hardwood floor and banister. Little specks of dust danced in the light.

  “Hey. How was New York?” Kate asked, backpack on her
shoulder and laptop case slung over her chest.

  “It was really fun. I have the most amazing art pieces from Lola’s gallery. Plus, I was able to pick up the travel vouchers and a few other little things. How was class?” Lucy, clad in pajama bottoms and a tank top, followed Kate to her bedroom where she unloaded her bags.

  “Four more. Of this one, anyway. Four more weeks in total. Then I am a college graduate,” Kate said without enthusiasm. Lucy bit her lip, uncertain if she should bring up the internship. Kate unzipped her hoodie and hung it behind her door. Crossing the room, she yanked out her hair tie and tossed the elastic onto her busy desk.

  “Speaking of which,” Lucy said, taking a chance, “I have a unique graduation present for you.” Kate smiled over her shoulder as she dug out running clothes.

  “Is it money?”

  “No. It’s something money can’t buy,” Lucy teased. She pulled a book off of Kate’s shelf: Fangirl by someone named Rainbow. She held it up and asked, “This any good? Who names their kid Rainbow?”

  Kate laughed and walked into her small, walk-in closet. “Someone who sees the best in all situations or knows that things will turn out bright. That book is one of the best I’ve ever read. Actually, it’s about a relationship between sisters. How even when you need them, they can be really annoying.”

  Lucy read the jacket flap and smiled. “That rule must apply just to younger sisters. I’m borrowing this. Do you want to know your gift or not?” Kate came out of the closet dressed to run. “Yes,” she said.