Welcome To Redemption: Series Collection (Books 1-6)

by Donna Marie Rogers

  “That’s what friends are for.”

  Rick nodded before turning his attention forward again. That’s when he realized why Brent’s friend wisely remained in the background behind Chase. Drew, Matt and Charlie had taken it upon themselves to restrain the still-angry-looking, loudly obnoxious Brent.

  Allie was nowhere to be seen. Damn.

  “What do you think?” Chase asked in an aside to Rick as he crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Send him home in a cab or haul him downtown to sleep it off at the station?”

  Redemption’s jail was a dingy, musty-smelling, cold slab of cement with rock-hard cots and scratchy old Army blankets. Rick suspected not much had changed since the night he’d spent his eighteenth birthday there for underage drinking. Quickest lesson he’d ever learned. Not that he stopped drinking, but he sure as hell never got caught again.

  He took in Brent’s furious scowl and thought of when the jerk had grabbed Allie. The way he’d talked to her, and about her. How he’d pawed her during the game. The urge to go hit the guy in the face this time rose up strong, but he managed to lift his shoulder in a casual shrug.

  “Now there’s a tough call, considering he did assault an officer of the law.”

  Chase chuckled and reached into his back pocket for his cuffs. “Exactly what I was thinking.” Chase moved forward to slap the handcuffs on Brent’s wrists and start reciting his Miranda Rights.

  Rick turned to Charlie. “You see where Allie went?”

  “She headed out right away. I was just about to go try and catch her.”

  Rick put a staying hand on his arm. “I got it.”

  Charlie hesitated before asking, “You sure?”

  “Yeah. See ya later.”

  Out in the parking lot, Rick stopped mid-stride and stared through a heavy curtain of falling snow at the white blanket covering the vehicles and the ground. It shouldn’t have surprised him, he’d heard the weather report earlier that day and now remembered seeing the winter storm warning in the corner of the TV, but he hadn’t been entirely focused on the game, either.

  In sharp contrast to the noise inside the bar, the inches-thick layer of snow muted everything outside. It felt like a whole different world.

  He did a quick scan for Allie, but didn’t see her clearing off her little red Volkswagen Bug. Not only did he need to make sure she was okay, but he still had an apology to finish. A sudden cold blast of air reminded him to retrieve his jacket from inside. He called goodbye to Marv and waved to the guys, unable to contain a grin at the sight of Brent in handcuffs slouched in a chair while Chase watched the rest of the game with Caleb, Charlie, Drew and Matt.

  Rick didn’t even bother a glance at the fourth quarter score as he shrugged into his leather jacket and hurried to his truck. He’d catch the highlights later, after he’d driven by Allie’s house to make sure she’d gotten home safe.

  Not even three blocks away from the bar, he spotted a small figure hurrying along the sidewalk in the snow, hands buried in coat pockets and shoulders hunched against the storm. His pulse leapt in recognition as her hair whipped about her unprotected head in the bitter gusts of wind. Rick glanced at the outside temperature gauge above his rearview mirror to see it read sixteen degrees.

  Idiotic fool.

  When he pulled up alongside her and braked, the truck slid sideways before lurching to a stop against the curb. Allie’s head swung in his direction as he lowered the passenger side window.

  “Get in,” he ordered through clenched teeth. He’d gone from worried to wanting to shake some sense into her.

  For a moment he thought she’d argue. A visible shiver shook her shoulders. He reached for his door handle with a low growl, prepared to get out and toss her in if he had to. Luckily, she stepped off the sidewalk, opened the door, and climbed onto the passenger seat while brushing snow from her hair.

  She didn’t say a word, just fastened her seat belt and sat there shivering in her thin coat. With another growl, he reached over and turned the heat full blast, glad it’d started to warm up already. Still, she didn’t look at him.

  “What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded. “Your house is over a mile away.”

  “J-just d-drive.”

  He stomped on the gas so hard both their heads jerked and the truck fishtailed on the snow-covered road. He blew out one deep breath and took another while easing up on the pedal. “Sorry.”

  She held out her bare, red hands toward the heat vents. Snow crunched under the tires of his four-wheel drive, the only sound other than the hum of the air vents. Just as he was about to ask why she hadn’t called someone for a ride, Allie leaned forward and flipped on the radio.

  The local announcer’s voice filled the cab, hushed urgency rushing his words as the Eagles offense skipped the huddle and lined up in shotgun formation. Relief was evident from him and Allie when the first down pass attempt was incomplete. She gave a small cheer with the next incomplete and then a muttered curse when the Eagles converted third and ten to a first down on the Green Bay twenty-seven yard line.

  “With only forty-four seconds to go, the Packer defense really has to step it up on coverage. A score by Philadelphia here will end the game.”

  “Hold ‘em, guys, come on,” Allie urged in a low voice. Rick silently echoed her sentiments, enjoying the connection.

  “Eagles line up in shotgun formation…Vick drops back, quick pass deep left intended for Cooper—INTERCEPTED by Williams in the end zone!”

  Allie’s loud whoop hurt Rick’s ears.

  “Green Bay has intercepted the ball and won the game! With only thirty-three seconds, all Rodgers has to do is take a knee and the Packers are on their way to Atlanta next week.”

  Rick glanced over at Allie, hoping to share the exciting moment. A passing street light illuminated her face, highlighting the sparkle in her eyes. Their gazes connected for a brief moment before she turned toward the window.

  Man, she had the most amazing hazel eyes with those crazy long lashes. Reminded him of the Neumeier’s camel, or little Tommy Jones’ chinchilla—although he had a feeling Allie would not welcome his comparison to an animal that chewed cud, or a rodent—no matter how soulful their eyes were.

  “Aaron Rodgers and this team have fought their way to another win and are one step closer to bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown! What a year this has been.”

  The announcer continued with his post-game wrap up and from the corner of his eye, Rick snuck glances at Allie’s profile in the dim light while he drove. He should talk to her now while he had the chance. His captive audience of one.

  “Um—you want to turn…back there,” she said, swiveling her head to the right as he passed Kapal Street.

  Geez, he was worse than a teenager on his first date. Of course he knew exactly where she lived. Same house she’d lived in all her life, except for her few years away at college. Rick applied the brakes, nervously chewing his gum.

  Putting the truck in reverse, he laid his arm along the back of the seat while twisting to look where he was going. His hand brushed her silky, windblown hair, and he grasped the seat to keep from threading his fingers through the auburn strands.

  “So, you like the Packers.” He groaned silently the moment the words were out. How lame.

  She looked over then, but no more than their gazes met, she turned away again. “Yep.”

  “I had no idea you were such a fan.” Just as bad, but he couldn’t seem to shut up. He swallowed his gum so he didn’t accidentally choke on it.

  Allie folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin while staring straight out the windshield. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

  Direct hit. He grimaced and put the truck back in drive so he could turn down her street. Despite it feeling like ninety-degrees in the truck with the heat blasting, her tone threatened to give him frostbite. And now they were at her house. He couldn’t let the night end like this, but she was already out of the truck and
slammed the door before he shifted into park.

  Man up!

  Opening his door, he called, “Allie, wait.”

  House keys in hand, she whirled on her front porch as he approached, looking smaller than ever against the large columns supporting the overhead roof. “Don’t expect me to thank you for ruining my evening, Rick, because it’s not going to happen. Now go away.”

  He ruined her evening? A defensive reply formed on his tongue until he remembered he still needed to apologize for his unintended insult. Before he could come up with those more difficult words, he saw her shiver again. So he said the first thing he could think of to get both of them inside her house.

  “I was going to ask if I could use your bathroom.”

  She turned to insert the key into the lock and spoke over her shoulder. “Use a tree.”

  He let out a disbelieving laugh. “Oh, come on. I’m not Bennie.”

  She opened the door and stepped inside. She wasn’t really going to leave him outside like the Bassett hound she dog-sat every week, was she? He cocked a brow and offered a hopeful smile to counter her glare.

  Her shoulders dropped, and she huffed out an annoyed breath. “Fine. Come in.”

  Boy, did he have his work cut out for him.

  Chapter 3

  Allie hung up her jacket and rubbed her arms while waiting for Rick to exit the bathroom. The sooner he left, the sooner she could forget about the whole night and go back to avoiding him. It was always hard to see him, but at least she could be thankful he hadn’t had his beautiful little boy with him. Lukas looked exactly as she’d have pictured Rick at that age. Same dark hair and brown eyes and adorable as could be.

  Anytime she saw them around town her heart constricted, making it hard to breathe as she hurried in the opposite direction. And the few times she hadn’t been able to force herself to leave right away, she saw how attentive he was to his perpetually-smiling son. He seemed like such a good dad.

  Footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor. She straightened and shook off the longing, heart-warming, painful thoughts. She was still mad at him. Easy lay. She should’ve smacked him for that crack.

  He hesitated when he saw her still standing by the door. She hated that she noticed his hair looked black from the moisture of the melted snow. And Lord, was he tall up close. He stopped a few feet in front of her. She reached blindly for the door handle while trying to tear her gaze from eyes the color of the most decadent dark chocolate she could imagine.

  He took another step closer and leaned forward. She shrank back while her heart beat a crazy rhythm in her chest. His warm hand closed over her cold one on the door knob, preventing her from opening it. A tingle worked its way up her arm even after she pulled away from his touch.

  “I apologize for what I said earlier.”

  Her stomach fluttered as his husky, baritone voice flowed over her. It took a second for his words to register, but the moment they did, she snapped back to reality.

  “Just because I date a lot does not mean I sleep around.”

  His gaze shifted away, along with his body. “I didn’t mean to imply that you did.”

  “You did more than imply.”

  “The words came out wrong.”

  “And sometimes what a person actually thinks just pops right out.”

  “No,” he denied, his jaw tight. “I was referring to the jerk you were with.”

  “You don’t even know him,” she retorted. That she was sure of because she’d met Brent in her web-design class in Green Bay at the technical college last semester. Although with the way the evening had progressed, and after what Brent had said, she knew Rick was right about him, darn it.

  “I know his kind.”

  “Recognized a kindred spirit, is that it?”

  His brows drew together. “That’s the second time you’ve said that and yet I haven’t done anything to you. What’s your problem with me?”

  You’ve turned into a nice, responsible guy, you’re too good-looking, and you have what I want most and can never have.

  Allie scoffed and raised her chin despite the sting of tears that threatened with the last thought. “As if you don’t know.”

  He lifted his hands. “I really don’t. Since I came home two years ago you’ve barely said two words to me.”

  “That’s because back in high school you were a jerk.”

  His frown deepened. “I was?”

  “You teased me every chance you got,” she accused. “Got all your party-animal jock buddies in on the act, too. In fact, you did such a good job that after you graduated, I still had three more years of that crap with the rest of the football team.”

  “That was high school.”

  “It was mean.” Allie bit her lip. Rick had never been as bad as the other guys…but maybe that was because he was the only one she pretended to laugh off?

  “Seriously?” he asked after a long moment, his brows arched. “That’s why you avoid me—why you walk the other direction when you see me at the grocery store or on the sidewalk? Because you think I was mean to you back when we were in high school, over fifteen years ago?”

  She glanced away. Sounded petty and absurd to her too, but it wasn’t like she could tell him the real reason why, so she kept her mouth shut.

  “You want to know why I acted like that back then?”

  The low question made her stomach lurch and brought her gaze back to his. Her heart started racing again, especially when he crowded her in the corner, darkening it with his shadow.

  “Even as a freshman, you were the smartest person I knew. You were in all the college classes with me and got better grades than I did. Every time I opened my mouth around you, nothing came out right, and you’d give me this…look, and I felt stupid. Not the most mature way to handle it, but there you have it.”

  Allie fought to keep her mouth from hanging open in surprise. She’d had no clue. In fact she’d always felt stupid around him.

  He leaned closer. Palms and back flattened against the wall, she stared at his chest, unable to say a single word. Besides, if she looked up, she’d see his mouth so close to hers and want to rise on her tiptoes. He’d been drinking beer earlier, but now he smelled winter fresh.

  He braced one hand against the wall beside her head. The other he tunneled through her hair to cup the back of her head while his thumb tipped her chin up. Her heart banged into her ribs. Gum. He’d been chewing gum in the truck. She swallowed as if a piece were stuck in her own throat when his gaze locked with hers.

  “And then there’s this. I’ve wanted to do this since the day you corrected Mr. Counsell’s equation in advanced chem the second week of class.”

  She’d guessed he was going to kiss her, but, Oh, my, God, Rick Wilde was kissing her! She closed her eyes and savored the moment she’d waited for since grade school. The feel of his warm, firm lips on hers. His strong, calloused fingers caressing the nape of her neck.

  The faint smell of the bar was quickly overwhelmed by his scent that rose up in the heat from his closeness. She inhaled woodsy scented soap mixed with the leather of his jacket, and no hint of overpowering cologne. Just clean, hot male.

  As a first kiss went, it was pretty tame, but all the more remarkable for the fact that he simply explored the contours of her lips, almost as if tasting them, instead of trying to shove his tongue down her throat like Brent had earlier. It lived up to and far surpassed the many daydreams she’d had in high school.

  She lifted her hands to pull him closer when a blast of frigid air blew through her thin nylon Packer jersey. When his lips left hers, and she sensed he’d drawn back, she opened her eyes to find him watching her. His thumb brushed softly across her cheek, then his hand dropped to his side.

  “I am sorry about what I said earlier.” The sincerity in his gaze took her breath away. “And I’m sorry about high school, too. Goodnight, Allie.”

  A few large flakes of snow blew in when he swung the door wider and stepped out into the st
orm. She watched the flakes melt on the hardwood floor to puddle with her heart.

  ***

  “Thanks again for watching Sugar for us.”

  Allie held tight to the Great Dane’s leash and waved goodbye as Charlie and Dana backed out of the driveway in Charlie’s truck. Their taillights disappeared fast in the evening fog that had been thickening all day as the temperature rose into the low thirties. Sugar whined, her whip of a tail catching Allie on her leg while she kept the dog in check.

  The two of them going out for a romantic evening to celebrate their engagement made her smile, and she was glad her cousin had finally found someone like Charlie who loved her for the wonderful person she was. As evidenced by last night’s fiasco, Allie had a ways to go in that department.

  Brent had called earlier, but she let the machine pick up. When he asked if he could drive up from Green Bay, she was glad she hadn’t answered. He’d seemed like a nice guy while they were in class together and been mostly behaved on their first date, but last night he’d tried way too hard to change her mind about drinking and his hands had been all over her. She’d figured out he was a jerk well before Rick’s warning.

  A pair of dark-lashed, brown eyes and warm lips filled her memory. Sugar whined again, backing up next to Allie. She glanced sideways since the Great Dane’s head came almost to her shoulder. “So, what should we do? Want to watch a movie?”

  Sugar barked and Allie laughed, glad for the distraction before Rick and his amazing kiss took over her thoughts. Again.

  “I’ll even let you pick since we don’t have to worry about offending Bennie.”

  While operating her dog-sitting business, she’d taken care of her share of dogs over the past six years and none of them ever gave the TV more than a second glance. Enter Bennie and Sugar. For some strange reason, Bennie always bayed in protest when Allie put on a romance movie. What he had against Matthew McConaughey, Josh Lucas, or any of the other leading men in her favorite movies, she had no clue. But Sugar was a smart dog. She loved them all.