Every Vow She Breaks

by Jannine Gallant

  “I’m in Connecticut. My grandfather passed away, and I’m helping my mother settle his estate. It’s a mess.”

  Leaning back, Jed pinched the bridge of his nose. Shit. “You can prove that?”

  The man snorted. “I’ve spent the last two days in a courtroom. Hell, yes, I can prove it.”

  “Sorry to bother you. I guess someone else is responsible. Thanks for answering my questions.”

  “Don’t hang up! Is Claire there? I want to talk to her.”

  With an eye roll, Jed handed her his cell. “He wants to talk to you.”

  The half-smile faded from her lips as she spoke. “Ross?”

  While she talked, mostly in monosyllables, he pretended to study the menu. When the waitress approached, he dropped it on the table to glance over at his companion. Her hair hung across her cheek as she faced the plate glass window overlooking the street. With a hand that wasn’t quite steady, she tucked the strand behind her ear and mumbled something.

  Augusta cleared her throat. “You ready to order, hon?”

  “Sure. Bring us a couple of burgers and—”

  Claire turned with a frown. “No burger. I’ll have the broccoli soup.” She pushed the menu toward the edge of the table. “And an iced tea with lots of lemon.” Her chin dipped. “I have to go, Ross. Honestly, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern, and I’m sorry about your grandfather. You, too. Bye.” She clicked the phone off then held it out. Her lips pinched tight.

  His gaze held hers as he took the cell before glancing up at the waitress. “I’ll have root beer with my burger, cooked medium, and fries.”

  “Cheese on that?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Augusta scooped up the menus and moved away.

  He touched her hand. “You okay?”

  Claire nodded. “It was strange talking to him again. He sounded exactly the same.”

  “The guy doesn’t have much respect for women. Dumping him was the right move.”

  “Thanks for not saying what you’re really thinking.” She sighed. “I know what an idiot I was to get involved with him. At the time, Ross’s interest was flattering. I was young and still pretty naïve. It took me a while to realize what a complete ass he was since he was the exact opposite of Ian. Ian may have his faults, but at least he’s genuine.”

  “You figured out McGregor was a user before it was too late. That’s what matters.” He pulled his gaze away from her troubled eyes and smiled when the waitress delivered their drinks. “Thanks, Augusta.”

  “You bet, hon. Your food will be ready shortly.”

  Jed sipped his root beer. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

  “Hmm.” Claire squeezed a lemon slice into her glass then dropped it on a napkin. “What?”

  “Ross didn’t leave the wedding paraphernalia.”

  “I told you guessing games weren’t his style.”

  “Which means either Ian or Dallas is guilty.”

  Her hand jerked, sloshing the tea. “Damn.”

  “We need to confront them. Individually. It’s time to end this.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet his, piercing and direct. “Past time. Let’s go do it.”

  His nose twitched as Augusta approached carrying their lunches. “Just as soon as I eat my burger.”

  Chapter 13

  “We missed Dallas by fifteen stinking minutes.” Claire pried the lid off the paint can and frowned into the swirling blue depths. “He left for a three-day hunting trip with one of his buddies right before we got there.”

  Theresa leaned against the window sill with arms crossed. “Good. Dallas needs to have a little fun.”

  “Not good. I wanted to settle this whole stalker thing, damn it.”

  Her old friend gave her a commiserating look. “Okay, the timing for the trip could have been better. Did you question Ian?”

  Using a flat stick, Claire stirred the paint. Some slopped over the side. “No, he and Lee are camping out in the woods for a couple of nights. After they finish repairing the damaged equipment along the perimeter of their observation area, they’re pushing deeper into the forest to look for any signs of Bigfoot occupation. I got the impression it’s a last-ditch effort before they admit defeat and pack up to leave.” She poured a stream of shimmering blue into the roller pan. “Oh, Bart may be by later today to help. Do I need to give you another rundown on who’s who in the Bigfoot camp?”

  “I think I can keep them straight. How does Jed feel about Bart hanging around to work on the house? The way you described him, he sounds kind of sexy.”

  “Uh, Jed missed that part of the conversation. He was chasing after Scoop, who was terrorizing the wildlife. Thank God it turned out to be a rabbit and not something that would have fought back. By the time Jed saved the poor little bunny, Margaret had arrived and was spouting off about something or other, and I forgot to mention Bart’s offer.”

  Theresa snorted. “Forgot?”

  “Okay, I chose to withhold that piece of information in the interest of avoiding an argument.” She ran a roller across the pan. “Jed thinks Bart has the hots for me.”

  “Does he?”

  “Yep. No doubt about it.” Standing, she applied fresh paint to the wall. “Hmm. That looks nice.” When Theresa didn’t answer, she looked over her shoulder. “Are you going to help me paint or watch?”

  “Help.” She checked her cell before shoving it into the pocket of her pleated trousers. “I have an hour before I need to leave to pick up Shelby. Do you have another smock? I don’t want to get my good blouse dirty. I was showing property earlier and didn’t have time to change.”

  “There should be one in that box.” Claire pointed then turned to re-apply the roller to the wall. “Pretty, don’t you think?”

  “Absolutely. There’s a hint of silver in the blue that adds a nice glimmer. Speaking of Jed, where is he?”

  “We ran out of tape, so he went to get more. I think he was glad to have an excuse to escape the tedium of masking off windows. He mumbled something about taking Scoop down to the beach for a run afterward.”

  “I thought you were replacing all the windows.”

  “Eventually. There are other more pressing projects, and I’m not sure how far my budget will stretch. In the meantime, I don’t want to look through paint-splattered glass.”

  “I don’t blame you. Are you staying here now? I noticed your motor home parked outside.”

  Claire nodded and rolled on more paint, satisfaction mounting as the wall turned from off-white to silvery blue. “We checked out of the campground. No point in wasting money. Plus, this is more convenient. I’m not planning to sleep in the house until we finish most of the interior work, but we can use the shower.”

  Theresa tucked a strand of dark hair behind one ear as she started on the adjacent wall. “Is Jed a permanent fixture? I didn’t realize your relationship was so serious.”

  Claire’s hand stilled. “Permanent is overstating the situation. I’m not sure how long he’s staying.”

  “Aren’t you two—”

  “Yes.” Hunching one shoulder, she painted a little faster. “I knew going in he’d take off eventually.”

  “Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry.”

  The sympathy in her friend’s voice made her eyes smart. After some rapid fire blinks, she forced a matter-of-fact tone. “My choice, and completely my fault if I get hurt.”

  “Maybe he’ll stay.”

  “Doubtful. Jed isn’t big on commitment.”

  “He seems to like you more than a little. When you’re around, I might as well be invisible for all the notice he takes. In my opinion, the man has some serious feelings for you.”

  Claire set the roller in the tray then hauled the ladder she’d borrowed over to the wall. After climbing up a couple of steps, she swore before reversing direction to grab a paintbrush. She’d edge around the top of the window
frame with a steady hand if it killed her.

  “He does care about me, but that doesn’t mean he’s looking for a long term relationship.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  She drew in a breath then released it slowly. “I guess it is. I’m just not sure Jed is the right man to invest my time in, no matter how good he is in bed.”

  Theresa sputtered and coughed. “Oh, my.”

  “That’s not the only thing I like about him. He’s funny and sweet, and his toleration for my dog has grown into an actual bond. Scoop’s going to miss him, too.”

  “Then why shouldn’t you dive into the relationship headfirst and convince him to stay?”

  She pressed her lips together. “Honestly, he’s kind of a flake about the future. The man lives in the present. Period. I’m a planner, so I fear we’d end up clashing in the long run.”

  “Compromise is a beautiful thing. You should try it.”

  “I will—if we ever get to that stage. Right now, we aren’t even close. What we have together is more like vacation sex.”

  Theresa glanced over and frowned. “Are you sure about that? The way he’s pitched in to uncover the identity of your stalker shouts serious boyfriend more than casual fling.”

  After climbing off the ladder, Claire set down the brush and picked up the roller again. “Like I said, he…cares. The L word has not been mentioned.”

  “You have plenty of guts, my friend. Take a risk. If you have strong feelings for this man, tell him. His response just might surprise you.”

  * * * *

  Jed gave the stick a hard toss then stuffed his hands in his pockets to follow the galloping dog down the long stretch of sand. Drawing in a breath of salt scented air, he turned his face up to the weak sunlight filtering through a layer of clouds. This was why he worked outside. If you could call what he did work. He’d been told by more than one irritated woman that his life was more suited to an adolescent than an adult. What did they know? After spending an endless morning taping off windows, he remembered exactly why he’d quit the construction business. Life was too short to spend half his waking hours doing something guaranteed to bore him into a coma.

  Even for Claire. And damned if he wouldn’t do almost anything for her. Except get a soul-sucking, nine-to-five job. Not that she’d asked him to, but he could see the direction they were headed.

  When Scoop skidded to a stop in front of him and dropped the chunk of driftwood, he stooped to pick up the stick then tossed it with all his strength. He wasn’t sure which would be worse, walking away from Claire…or staying. So instead of committing either way, he was doing what he did best, avoiding a hard choice and going with the flow. For now, indecision was working.

  When his cell trilled, he pulled it from his pocket and checked the display. Kane. His lips curved upward as he answered. “Shouldn’t you be working? Or are you so good crime has taken a vacation in Vine Haven?”

  “Smart ass. For your information I spent the morning busting a bunch of pot growers. One of them even took a shot at me. Luckily, his aim was off, and the bullet just nicked my arm.”

  Jed faced the endless stretch of sea and pushed an unsteady hand through his hair. “Jesus. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Rachel was a little upset, threatened to shove a hot poker up the guy’s ass.”

  Snorting with laughter, he reached down for the stick Scoop dropped then threw it. “Good for your wife.”

  “Rachel insisted I call you and Dad, even though the wound is no big deal.”

  “I’m glad you did. How is he, by the way?”

  “Same as always. Dad mentioned he hadn’t talked to you in a while.”

  “I’ll call him. I’ve been…distracted.”

  “Why don’t you head down the mountain for a visit? Dad would appreciate the company, and I can’t get away from work right now.”

  Up the beach, the dog ran full speed at a flock of seagulls gathered around something dead. The birds squawked their displeasure before taking flight. Jed turned away.

  “I’m not at home. I’m still on the coast up in the redwoods.”

  “Oh? I thought you headed north weeks ago.”

  “I did. Then I ran into an old friend and decided there really wasn’t a pressing reason to hurry home.”

  “Let me guess.” Humor laced his brother’s words. “An old female friend.”

  “Well, duh. Why would I stay for a dude? Actually, she asked about you. Do you remember Claire Templeton?”

  “Doesn’t ring a bell. Wait. The little girl who lived across the street from us when we were kids? That Claire?”

  “She grew up feisty and hot. Getting reacquainted has been great.”

  “Hmm.”

  “What? Jesus, you sound like your wife when you do that.”

  “Nothing. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” There was a brief silence before Kane spoke again. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do for work after the winter is over?”

  “That’s months from now. I’ll figure out something.”

  Even over the noise of waves slapping against the sand, he could hear his brother’s teeth grinding.

  “It wouldn’t kill you to plan ahead once in a while.”

  “I don’t know. It might.”

  “You’re in rare form. What the hell’s wrong with you? I’m the one who got shot today.”

  Taking a deep breath, Jed let it out slowly. “I spent the morning up to my eyeballs in masking tape and paint. Helping out a friend for a few days is fine, but it’s not what I want out of life.”

  “Who said it should be?”

  After picking up the stick Scoop dropped, he chucked it into the water then swore as the mutt launched into the waves. Terrific. Now he’d have a wet dog on his hands.

  “No one. I don’t know. I guess I’m feeling pressured.”

  The seconds ticked by. “Jed, is this about Claire?”

  “No. Yes.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maybe. I care about her, but she isn’t interested in a bum like me.”

  “You’re not a bum. Exactly.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

  “Back when I was still working in San Francisco, I can’t even count the number of times I wished I had your life. Then I found Rachel and made some major adjustments.”

  “I’m glad. You were miserable, but I’m not. I love the way I live.”

  “It’s been fine up until now, but your circumstances have changed. Don’t you think maybe you should change with them?”

  Scoop dropped the chunk of driftwood on his foot then shook. Icy drops of water sprayed Jed’s face. He winced and swore. The dog was a royal pain in the ass.

  “Jed, what’s going on?”

  His brother’s voice intruded on his thoughts.

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Look, I appreciate the advice, but I am who I am. I can’t change for a woman.”

  “I guess not. Look, I have to go. Are you going to be okay?”

  “I always am.”

  “Maybe that’s the problem.”

  The phone went dead. With a snort, Jed stuffed it back into his pocket. Kane thought he was so smart just because he had his life together. Maybe he envied his brother’s happiness a little, but that didn’t mean he wanted what Kane had.

  Did it?

  * * * *

  “It’s okay, Bart. Honestly. I know work comes first.” Pressing the phone to her ear with her shoulder, Claire sprayed the paint roller with the hose and eyed the SUV bumping along the driveway.

  “I said I’d help, and I meant it. Maybe tomorrow…” His smooth voice trailed off.

  “I’m not sure if I’ll be painting tomorrow. I have a call in to my editor about a new story idea, and I may need to follow up on that. How about if I contact you?”

  “Sure. We should be here for a few more days at least to wrap things up and take down the
camp. I’d like to get together again.”

  The man was nothing if not persistent. “Thanks, Bart. I need to go, but I’ll be in touch.” She pocketed the cell, dropped the roller into the pan then braced herself as Scoop leaped from the now stationary SUV to race across the weedy lawn. His greeting knocked her on her butt.

  “Sorry about that.”

  She shoved the dog off her and glanced up into Jed’s sparkling eyes. “You don’t look sorry.”

  He held out a hand. When she grasped it, he hauled her to her feet. “Shouldn’t you call him a bad boy for jumping on you?”

  “I tried that for six months. All it did was make both of us miserable, but not miserable enough for Scoop to change his habits.” She stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss that lasted longer than she’d intended. She drew in a ragged breath as she stepped away.

  “I guess you can’t teach an old dog—or a stubborn, young one—new tricks.”

  “Looks that way, doesn’t it. You were gone quite a while.”

  “Did you miss me?” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

  She leaned into his side, letting his warmth take away the chill of the encroaching fog. “Theresa kept me company, but yes, I did miss you. With your height, painting the ceiling in the master bedroom would have been a whole lot easier.”

  He pressed a hand to his chest but couldn’t hide a grin. “I’m wounded.”

  “I bet.” Her nose wrinkled. “What’s that smell?”

  “Probably me. Your dog rolled on a dead fish at the beach, and it was quite a tussle getting him washed off. He still needs a bath, and I need a shower.”

  “Lucky for you the hose is already out. I’ll get you some dog shampoo.”

  “Oh, joy.”

  “I’m not the one who took him to the beach instead of painting.” She smiled up at him. “Just to show what a good sport I am, I’ll make dinner while you get cleaned up. Right after I put away the painting supplies.”

  “All right. Deal.”

  Claire took two steps then stopped and turned. “Is everything okay?”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. You seem kind of quiet. I expected more of an argument over giving Scoop a bath.”