Back in Kansas

by Debra Salonen

  Chuckling, Bo asked, “So, where are you?”

  “I’m at a rest area just past St. Joseph, Missouri,” Matt said, the connection fading like a long echo. When it surged back in, Bo heard him say, “…a motel in Kansas City tonight, then head to Otter Creek tomorrow.” He made a snorting sound. “I can’t believe I’m on my way to a town called Otter Creek. I bet you dollars to doughnuts it has neither.”

  “If Claudie were awake I’d ask her, but you’ll just have to check that out for yourself.”

  “I can’t wait,” Matt said, facetiously. He added more seriously, “How she’d take it—your jumping into her life with both feet?”

  “She was thrilled to see me.”

  “Yeah, I bet.”

  “No, really.” Bo noticed her peeking up at him, so he added, “Claudie agreed she needed me along for all the really important things—like pumping gas and washing the windshield. You know, you can’t get that kind of service at a lot of places anymore.”

  Her soft chuckle made his insides percolate. “And neck rubs,” she added so softly he almost missed it.

  “How far do you think you’ll make it tonight?” Matt asked.

  “How far will I get tonight? As far as she lets me,” Bo quipped, bracing for the slug that was sure to follow. “Ouch!” he yelped. “She pinched me.”

  Matt’s chuckle hummed across the line. “She sounds like a pistol. Speaking of which—she isn’t carrying, is she?”

  Bo held the phone away from his ear and asked loudly, “Claudie, Matt wants to know if you have a gun?”

  She shot upright. “What is it with you people?” she shouted. “You watch too much television, right? No. I don’t have a gun and I don’t plan to shoot anybody. Jeez.” She plopped down turning her back to him.

  Bo returned the phone to his ear. “Did you get that?”

  Matt was still laughing. “I got it. Boy, Cuz, can you pick ’em. She makes Sonya look like a soft touch.”

  “But her breath is better,” Bo replied.

  Matt’s hoot echoed in the car. “I’ll be sure to tell Sonya you said so when I call home tonight. In the meantime, I’d better hit the road. I’ll talk to you tomorrow—unless you want me to check in tonight when I get to my motel.”

  “Nah,” Bo said, “Call me in the morning so we can set up where to meet. Give Ashley my love.”

  He pushed the disconnect button and dropped the phone into the breast pocket of his flannel shirt. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Claudie looking at him over her shoulder.

  “Who’s Ashley?” she asked.

  “Matt’s daughter. She’s twelve, I think. A real sweetie pie and Matt loves her to pieces, but he doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with her thanks to his ex-wife.” He frowned, switching lanes to avoid a convoy of tractor-trailers. “Ashley’s the reason we were late following you to Sioux Falls. Matt had the information for me on Friday, but he couldn’t leave because Ashley was in some play at school. If we’d have left earlier, we’d have missed the storm.”

  “Why did you want him to come along?” she asked, her tone puzzled.

  Bo sighed. “Matt’s mom and my mom are not only sisters-in-law, they’re really close friends. And they’re both worried about Matt. They think he’s sinking into some kind of depression. He was in a bad accident awhile back and can’t work on the street anymore. His precinct gave him a desk job—and even loaned him to the FBI because he’s so good at what he does, but he feels inadequate not doing what he loves.”

  “What’s wrong with him?”

  “His leg got crushed and they had to build him a new knee. He barely limps at all any more, but he’s not a hundred percent and never will be.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Hey, it’s a good break for me. I could really use his help in my business. I’ve offered him a partnership, which is partly why I wanted him along. He needs to see what the job involves. But like my mom said, he needed someone to shake him out of his rut, too.”

  She was silent a minute then said, “I liked your mother. We spent a little time together at the wedding. She’s smart, but she doesn’t rub your nose in it like some smart people do.”

  “You mean like me?” he teased.

  “You’re not that smart, Bo.”

  He pretended to be offended. “I beg your pardon.”

  Snickering, she repositioned herself so she could draw her knees up and wrap her arms around them. “Okay, you’re street smart—like me, but you’ve got a ways to go to catch up with your mom when it comes to reading books.”

  He blew out a sigh. “You’ve got that right.” He hesitated a moment then said, “When I was a kid, I resented her books. I was jealous of them.”

  “How can you be jealous of a book?”

  “Easy, when your mom’s busy reading instead of playing with you.”

  “Oh,” she said reflectively. “I see what you mean. My mom never had time to read because there were always three or four kids whining for something, but it was kinda the same thing. She wasn’t giving me her attention.”

  “Exactly. I think that was one of the reasons I didn’t read for years.”

  “Ren said you never opened a book in college. He said the only way you graduated was because you were naturally intelligent and you soaked up information like a sponge.”

  Bo sat up a little straighter. “He told you that?”

  She nodded. “Me and Sara. One night when we were sitting around the pool. I don’t know where you were.”

  “Hmm…well, he got the part about not opening a book right. I really regret that now. What a waste! Between the parties and the hangovers I don’t know how I ever learned a thing.”

  Neither of them spoke for several minutes, then Claudie asked, “Where does Matt’s daughter live?”

  “With her mother and stepfather. He’s a plastic surgeon and they have a big, fancy house on Long Island. I think that’s another reason Matt isn’t feeling too good about himself. He hates it that Ashley has to choose between spending time in his rinky-dink apartment or hanging out in upper-class suburbia.”

  “It’s the pits when kids get caught in the middle,” Claudie said. “My brother Yancy told me he has a daughter by his first wife, but he hardly ever sees her. At least your cousin makes the effort to stay connected.”

  “Matt’s a good father, and he was a damn fine husband until Sonya had an affair with the nose doctor. Of course, she blamed Matt because he was never home. She said she wanted more out of life than being a cop’s wife.”

  “You sound like she was unfaithful to you,” Claudie said, hearing more than he wanted to say.

  “It pissed me off that Matt’s job wasn’t good enough for her. The same thing happened to a friend of mine when I was on the force.”

  “Is that why you never married?” she asked in a soft voice.

  He kept his eyes on the road—amazed by how easy it was to talk about things he never shared with anyone. “I dated one woman for almost four years. We talked marriage but never got around to setting a date. She worked for a dentist, and she was…” He didn’t know how to describe the lack of emotional involvement he’d felt toward Janelle. He’d liked her. They’d had a good sex life. They’d had fun together. But that was as far as it went.

  “What?” Claudie probed. “Was she too pushy? Too chubby? Too short? She snored? Her breasts were too big? Her feet were too small?”

  Bo flashed her a droll sneer. “I liked her a lot, but I didn’t love her.”

  “Oh,” she said softly. “Did she love you?”

  “Yes,” Bo said with a sigh. “That’s why I haven’t dated for a long, long time. I hurt her—without meaning to, and I didn’t like the way that made me feel.”

  She pushed the lever to bring her seat into the upright position. It made a clicking sound until it reached the angle she wanted. She turned slightly, her seat belt crossing at her shoulder. “You’re a good man, Bo Lester. I guess I always knew that about you.”

&n
bsp; Bo’s heart swelled. “Thanks.” His voice sounded gruff and the fabric of his flannel shirt felt as though it were scraping his neck.

  “You’re welcome.” She took a breath and let it out. “Can we eat soon? I’m hungry.”

  “DECISIONS. DECISIONS. Apple pie or cheesecake?” Bo said, studying a laminated dessert menu that had been left on their table by their harried waitress. “What are you ordering?”

  Claudie’s appetite had disappeared the instant he suggested getting a motel instead of traveling on. “Neither.”

  His left eyebrow quirked. “Are you sure?”

  “I think we should hit the road,” she said glancing out the window at the black sky. Deep down she know Bo was right—it was foolish to drive any farther when they were both exhausted. But to agree would mean she’d have to voice her request for separate rooms. Bo might think it pretty silly coming from a woman who used to sleep with men for a living.

  “Claudie, you told me you didn’t sleep well last night and, frankly, I’m shot,” he said, his voice reflecting fatigue. “If you’re worried about the money, don’t be. I’ll pay for the motel since I know you’re on a budget and I want a good one.”

  She tried to cover her nervousness with attitude. “Two drivers means one person drives while the other sleeps. I’ll take the first shift.”

  His mouth fell open. “You mean drive all night?”

  Nodding with more enthusiasm than she felt, she took another drink of iced tea. Maybe a shot of caffeine would give her the jolt she needed to stay awake.

  After a few seconds of stiff silence he let out a big, “Ohhh…I get it. You think if we get a motel I’ll expect you to sleep with me. Right?”

  Claudie looked away, wishing she could disappear. “No,” she lied. “I don’t have much time off from the bookstore, and I need to get this over with. We’re still in Iowa and the sooner we get to Kansas, the sooner I can go home.”

  When she braved a look, his gaze scrutinized her, making her squirm. “Well, you won’t save any time if we wind up in a wreck.”

  He picked up the bill and slid out of the booth. “Here’s the plan. We’re checking into the motel across the road. I’ve stayed in that chain before and they honor my business club discount card, which means I save enough money to afford two rooms.” He wiggled two fingers. “Okay?”

  Unable to look him in the eye, she nodded.

  By the time they pulled into the parking lot of the motel she was tempted to tell him one room with two beds would be okay. He was right, of course. They were adults, friends. He’d come all this way to help her. She was an idiot.

  But before she could voice her change of heart, he was standing at the registration desk. In a blink he returned with two plastic credit-card type keys and a map with two red circles on it.

  “We’re right across the hall from each other,” he said, looking over his shoulder to back up the car.

  He drove around the far side of the building and parked. They unloaded their suitcases in silence. Bo used his key to unlock the outside door. As they headed down the hallway, he stopped to sniff the air.

  Claudie recognized the smell. Chlorine.

  “The desk clerk said they have a heated pool,” he said, waiting for Claudie to open her door. “And a spa, too.” The childlike excitement in his tone made her feel even more foolish.

  “I didn’t bring a suit,” Claudie said, carrying her suitcase into the spacious, handsomely appointed room.

  “Didn’t I see a mall down the road?” he asked, his tone too innocent to be real. “It’s off season. You could probably get a good deal, if you wanted one.”

  Sometimes Claudie felt as though arguing with Bo was as futile as trying to change the past. With a sigh, she held out her hand. “Gimme the keys,” she muttered. The least she could do was be a good sport.

  BO’S NOSE CRINKLED at the strong odor of chlorine. Paradoxically, it made him homesick for his houseboat. His life had been so hectic lately he hadn’t had much time to spend on his funky vessel, but he loved the peace it brought him. Water was his retreat—his oasis. Any kind of water—even an Olympic-size aqua-blue rectangle surrounded by white plastic chairs beneath a huge Plexiglas dome. The steamy room reflected the loud chatter of a group of teens laughing and splashing in the far corner of the facility where a sunken spa occupied a raised dais. Surrounded by potted palms, it resembled a small oasis.

  He grabbed a towel from a rack and walked to a spot visible from the entrance, in case Claudie came looking for him. Yeah, right, he thought frowning. They’d been getting along fine until he brought up the idea of the motel. It had seemed natural. No sane person drove all night unless it was a matter of life or death. The rationale behind her reaction had been transparently obvious.

  Bo dropped his towel and room key on a chaise then yanked off his T-shirt. He dove into the water without hesitation. Its initial coolness startled him but as he lengthened his stroke toward the far end of the pool the water felt pleasantly soothing.

  You gotta give her space, man, he told himself as he swam. Given her past, she may never want to be with a man, he thought despondently. He didn’t blame her. What good had men done her?

  When his fingers touched the wall at the shallow end, he stopped. Standing, he shook the water from his hair and face then sank up to his shoulders back into the now too warm water. With elbows resting on the tiled step he swirled the water with his feet. A sudden thought made him flinch. What if she just kept going? It hadn’t occurred to him before, but she could have gone back to her room for her bag and taken off without him.

  The idea made his stomach churn. He was just about to leave the pool when the door opened and Claudie walked in. “Holy sh—” he softly swore, taking in the cobalt suit, the dazzling expanse of skin and a sinfully provocative wisp of material encasing her hips.

  Forgetting to breathe he sank lower until chlorinated water filled his open mouth. Choking, he stood up and waded toward her. “Nice suit,” he said, mortified that his vocal cords chose that minute to act like a horny teenage boy’s.

  She clutched a towel to her chest as if to hide behind it. “It was the only one they had,” she said. “How’s the water?”

  “What water?” He couldn’t get over how beautiful she was. Perfect, really.

  She gave him an arch look and pointed to the pool. “Oh,” he said, feeling his face heat up. “Great. The water’s great. I haven’t tried the spa yet. I was waiting for the kids to leave.”

  As if on cue, the noisy group gathered their things and walked toward the door. As they passed, Bo saw the three young studs check out Claudie. Their girlfriends quickly hustled them off. Claudie’s gaze followed them until they were out of sight.

  “Swimming sounds good,” she said, more to herself than Bo. “Work out a few kinks.”

  Bo gave her space, ordering himself to return to his laps. It took every bit of self-discipline to stay focused on his stroke. And it worked—until he accidentally bumped into her.

  CLAUDIE LOVED WATER. As a child, the local swimming pool had been her favorite retreat. The underwater world was one of muted quiet and shimmering beauty—very different from her normal life. She knew Bo liked the water, too, but she’d never seen him attack it quite so relentlessly.

  She casually drifted to his side of the pool and accidentally bumped his shoulder.

  “Oops. Sorry,” he said, jerking back in the chest-deep water.

  “Are you in training or what?” she asked.

  He looked confused.

  “That’s how Ren swims when he’s upset about something. Sara said he put in about three miles a day before he decided to quit the judiciary.”

  Bo rolled his shoulders. Squarish. Solid. Such fine shoulders, Claudie thought before she could stop herself. She liked the nice even coat of reddish-blond curls on his chest, too.

  Bo backed up a step and sank down until the water was up to his chin. “I was in the zone—mindless repetition,” he told her, the look
in his eye cautious.

  She didn’t blame him for being suspicious of her new mellower mood. “I’m sorry I was so cranky before. You were right. I was a little freaked about the room situation.” She made a face. “You probably think it’s stupid for someone like me to worry about where I sleep and who I sleep—”

  He stopped her with a hand to her upper arm. A light touch, but it made her gulp. “Claudie, I’ve been worried about where you were sleeping ever since you left. I know how tight money is and I was afraid you might spend the night in your car. That’s dangerous,” he said sternly. “But it never crossed my mind to wonder who you might be sleeping with.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice even though they were the only two in the place. “I know you, Claudie. I also know that performing sex for money is not the same as making love with someone. When it comes to that, you’re practically a virgin.”

  Claudie’s involuntary bark of laughter hid a deeper emotion that ripped through her middle. She backpedaled for breathing space. A tingling sensation under her arms made her want to race away. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, Lester,” she said, forcing herself to stand her ground.

  “No, it’s not. It’s the truth.”

  She snorted her opinion. “I’ve done things that would make you blush.”

  “I was a cop for nine years, Claudie. I don’t blush easily.”

  She took another step back but encountered the solid wall of the pool. “I bet you never saw—” He didn’t let her finish.

  “Forget it, Claudie. You can’t scandalize me, or freak me out by telling me some horror story about life on the street. I’ve been there. It’s ugly. Enough said.” Claudie’s heart was beating so fast she could barely breathe. “If you need to unload some of that baggage you’re carrying, I’d be glad to listen, but don’t tell me that stuff if you’re trying to scare me off. It won’t work.”

  He looked so serious, so intent she almost turned around and fled.

  “You know what this is about, Claudie,” he said softly.

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t. It’s not about nothin’.”