Jack snorted. “Has anybody ever told you that youʼre a nag?”
“A bunch of people.”
“In vain, apparently.”
“Ja-ack!”
“All right, all right.” He couldnʼt help chuckling at her frustration. “As you know, I went to pick up my bike at the sheriffʼs office.”
“Did Max do this to you?”
Her eyes seemed to burn with anger as she asked that, and Jack shook his head, trying to hide the smug grin about to spread on his lips. “He wasnʼt there. Brent gave me the bike. But then I went for a ride, and before I knew it, I found myself in front of the diner.”
Her hand stopped in midair. “You…went to The Cove?”
“Yeah. I got something to drink and met both Hank and his wife. Nice folks. But then there was this guy―some Wayne. Letʼs just say he wasnʼt too excited to see me,” he explained with a shrug.
Sara grimaced. Good thing that dumbass wasnʼt there right now, because her hand was aching to land a good punch to his big, ugly nose! “Did you hurt him badly?” Much to her surprise, she saw Jack drop his gaze, looking utterly embarrassed. She could have sworn heʼd even blushed.
“I, uh, didnʼt really have time to react.”
She gaped at him for a few moments, then burst out laughing.
“Itʼs not funny,” Jack grunted, arms folded over his chest.
“Once again, I beg to differ.”
“He attacked me from behind! What was I supposed to do? I didnʼt see him until he hit me!” he insisted, his pride stung.
Sara tried hard to control the laughs but failed miserably. “Poor Jack. And youʼre supposed to be a brutal murderer?”
His eyes glittered in the kitchenʼs neon light. “Donʼt push your luck, sweetheart.”
“Oooh. Now Iʼm really frightened!” she said, still chuckling―but her smile faded the instant her gaze locked with his. She didnʼt know how or when it happened, but somehow the atmosphere had abruptly changed. The lighthearted sparkle in Jackʼs eyes had disappeared, and now he was staring into hers with so much intensity that her knees went weak. The sudden electricity between them stole her breath. The ice she was holding fell onto the floor, shattering in tiny little pieces―and thatʼs when she came back down to earth.
“Fine, you win. Youʼre a dangerous man,” she murmured with a weak smile, kneeling down to pick the chipped ice cubes off the floor.
Jack gave her a blank stare, a most confused look on his face. Then he shook his head and took in a deep breath. “I, uh, also met Charlene at The Cove.”
The ice chips slipped from her hands all over again, rolling through the kitchen. Sara mumbled a curse and lifted her gaze to him. “Did you talk to her?”
He crouched down on the floor and tossed some cubes into the sink. “I doubt ours could be defined as a conversation.”
She nearly choked on her own breath. What was that supposed to mean? Had they kissed or something? Had they had sex, resuming their relationship from where it had been interrupted? “W-what?”
“Never mind. Itʼs silly. I shouldnʼt even have brought it up.”
She huffed. “Just tell me what the heck happened!”
Jack raised a brow at her tone but nodded. “Fine. I asked Charlene if I could talk to her, and when she agreed, I took her outside. I told her I was trying to remember something about my past and hoped she could help me since we used to be―you know. But she said she couldnʼt help me, that all there used to be between us was lots of great sex.”
The slut! Saraʼs stomach seemed to have caught fire, and she took a deep breath. “Go on.”
“I told her I hoped she could at least tell me where I was and what happened the night that J.T. was killed, and thatʼs when—” He shook his head. “She looked like a trapped animal, Sara. She was frightened.”
“Do you think she might be hiding something?”
“I donʼt know. Maybe Iʼm overthinking this. Hell, maybe Charlene was simply scared of me!” he added with a grimace.
Sara wished she could hug him, tell him that everything was going to be all right. “What else did she say?” she asked instead.
“Not much. All I know is that the instant I mentioned J.T.ʼs name, she became whiter than a ghost and started to gasp and stutter. Before I could ask her anything else, Hank rushed to save her from the big bad monster.”
Enough was enough.
On impulse, Sara pulled him into an embrace. “Iʼm so sorry.”
Jack stilled, obviously surprised by her spontaneous gesture. Sara was starting to chide herself for her impulsiveness when she felt his arms surround her waist. Tentatively at first, as if he were unsure of what to do. Then they tightened around her and pulled her closer, until she was practically crushed against his body. And, God, it felt good.
“Thank you.”
Sara forced a nod as he slowly pulled away. “Maybe you should talk to Brent and Nicky about this.”
“Thereʼs nothing to talk about.”
“Jack—”
“Theyʼre cops. Cops like the ones who threw me in jail ten years ago. Cops like Max Lacrod.”
“But theyʼre your friends!”
“No, theyʼre yours. I donʼt have any friends, Sara. I donʼt trust anybody.”
“You trust me,” she whispered, her heart sinking. Would he still trust her if he knew that she was hiding a secret from him?
“I do.” Jackʼs eyes met hers, and the sinking sensation increased. “But only because you make my brain go haywire.”
And now her poor heart skipped at least a beat or two. “Oh.”
“Yes, oh.” Jack shook his head with a rueful smile. “Look, Iʼd rather not talk about this to anyone until I find out if my impression about Charlene is correct.”
She inhaled deeply. “And how are you going to do that?”
“If you really must know, I intend to try and talk to her again, see if I can get something more out of her. I promise that if I still feel that sheʼs hiding something, Iʼll discuss the matter with Brent. Happy?”
“Ecstatic.”
Again, Jackʼs brow quirked at her reaction. “Is it me, or do you not sound enthusiastic at all?”
Sara nearly rolled her eyes. What did he expect, that sheʼd jump up and down with joy at the thought of him going to see Charlene again? His gorgeous ex-girlfriend who’d admittedly had lots of great sex with him? Of course, she had no right to feel jealous, either. She sighed. “Iʼm sorry. This is your decision to make, not mine. Your life is none of my business.”
He slanted her a surprised look. “Well, it kinda is―we do live under the same roof, you know,” he tried to joke, but she shook her head.
“That doesnʼt give me the right to interfere with your decisions or make you feel like you have to ask for my permission before you do something.”
“Good to know.”
That earned him a scowl, but she ignored the mirth in his eyes. “I mean it. I know that my overbearing attitude may be annoying sometimes…”
Jack cocked a brow. “Sometimes?”
“And Iʼm aware that I may come across a little bossy.”
“Well.”
“I hope you know, however, that I donʼt mean to tell you what you should or shouldnʼt do.”
“Wow. Whoʼd have thought?”
“Oh, quit it, Turner!”
He moved aside with a grin just as Saraʼs elbow jabbed his arm. “Just a little bossy, huh?”
Chapter 13
Friday night, Sara drove to Nickyʼs for their girlsʼ night, which they organized twice a month. Usually they would go to The Cove, but after what had happened the last time, they both decided to meet at Nickyʼs instead.
Sara couldnʼt have been more surprised when she rang her doorbell and a tall, brown-haired guy swung the door open. “Hi! You must be Sara.”
She eyed him with curiosity. His amber eyes were friendly and warm, and she liked him immediately. “In person. And you are―”
“David Meyer, the new vet. Ang
ieʼs replacement,” he explained, motioning her to walk in.
“Oh, yes! Nice meeting you.”
“Hope you donʼt mind that Nicky invited me. Iʼm new in town, and apparently sheʼs taken me under her protective wing.”
“Actually, sheʼs talked so much about you that I couldnʼt wait to meet this infamous new vet.”
“Trust me, I donʼt even want to know what youʼve heard.” His dramatic snort made her burst out laughing. Nicky walked into the room with a few bottles of beer in her hands, and her smile widened as she spotted Sara. “Hey. Sorry, I didnʼt know you were already here.”
“Itʼs okay, Davidʼs been wonderful company.”
“Iʼm glad you guys are finally able to meet. We havenʼt had the chance to hang out much the last few days.” Nicky handed her a beer. “Howʼs Jack, by the way?”
“Better, I think. Itʼs hard to tell, since he never complains. I managed to convince him to get checked by Doc this afternoon.” Sara took a sip from her bottle. “So, David, howʼs it going at the clinic so far?” she asked with a smile. It was such a relief to be able to spend some time with someone who didnʼt know—and didnʼt care—about Jackʼs past.
“Very well, thanks. Angieʼs a super-professional doctor, and her passion for details has made it easy for me to familiarize myself with everything.”
“No kidding.” Nicky smirked. “She left him a list of instructions thatʼs at least―what, David? One hundred pages?”
“One hundred and ten, I believe.”
Sara chuckled. “Knowing Angie, Iʼm not surprised at all.”
“Are you and Jack going to the Fourth of July Fair?”
“I doubt it, Nic.” Her hilarity fled. “He doesnʼt think heʼs ready for such a big event yet, and I canʼt blame him. Too much crowd, and not exactly friendly.”
Nicky frowned. “Oh no. Another visit from our lovely mayor?”
“Worse. Wayne gave Jack a not-so-pretty shiner at The Cove the other day.”
“Yeah, I heard about that.”
“Me, too,” David interjected, taking a sip from his bottle.
A resigned sigh escaped Saraʼs lips. Darn small towns. “Of course you did.”
“Sorry.” He shook his head with a laugh. “I have to say, though, I canʼt wait to meet Starvilleʼs black sheep.”
“Yeah, well, just do me a favor and donʼt punch him in the face when you do,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “What about you guys? Are you going to the fair?”
“Oh, yeah. David is eager to take me―right, dear?” Nicky batted her lashes at him.
“More like she tricked me into taking her,” he whined, and Sara couldnʼt help laughing again at his pained face. “Itʼs going to be fun. Youʼll see. And Nickyʼs a cute date, after all,” she joked.
“About that.” David cleared his throat and turned to Nicky. “Darling, I know I asked you not to tell anyone about me, and I do appreciate your keeping your word,” he said in a serious tone that surprised Sara. “However, I believe we should tell Sara the truth.”
Saraʼs curious gaze moved from him to Nicky. Her friendʼs cheeks were so red that she wondered how they hadnʼt caught fire yet. “All right, whatʼs going on?”
David smiled at her. “Honey, Iʼm sorry you misunderstood, but thereʼs no romance between me and Nicky. Iʼm gay.”
She choked on the sip of coffee sheʼd just taken. It took her a few moments of wheezing and sputtering with Nickyʼs hand pounding on her back before she finally stammered, “But… I thought…”
“Itʼs my fault,” he explained, amused. “I asked Nicky to keep it secret because Iʼm new here, and as you know, Starville is such a small and narrow-minded town. I didnʼt want people to know yet.”
“Of course,” she assured him with a wink. “Donʼt worry, I wonʼt tell anybody,”
***
When Sara pulled up her driveway a few hours later, she immediately noticed that Jackʼs Harley wasnʼt parked in its usual place. Strange. He hadnʼt mentioned wanting to go out.
Sheʼd barely finished that thought when she heard the deep roar of an engine behind her. Her stomach flip-flopped, and she counted till five before turning around―but dear God, it didnʼt help. Jack looked stunning riding his motorcycle. She could have sworn the darn man got more and more handsome by the day. “Quite the timing, huh?” she said, watching him slow the bike to a stop and lean it onto its kickstand.
He slid off it in one fluid motion. “How was your evening with Nicky?”
“Fun, as always. How ʼbout yours?”
“It was great.”
His tone made her frown suspiciously. “Where have you been?” she asked, and immediately slapped her hand to her mouth. My, did she really sound like a nagging wife? Thankfully, Jack didnʼt seem to notice it.
“I got myself a little toy,” he said with a shrug as they walked together inside the house.
“A toy?” The moment she asked that, she noticed the rectangular box heʼd just laid on the coffee table. He opened it for her with a smug grin. “Ainʼt she pretty?”
Sara peered into the box…and jumped back a couple of feet at the sight of the silver, shiny object inside. “Itʼs a gun!” she shrieked.
“Yep.” Jack took it slowly out of the box, holding it in both hands almost reverently. “This baby is top of the line.”
Shaking her head, Sara took another step back. “I donʼt like it.”
He slid her a glance and frowned. “Itʼs just a gun, Sara.”
“I donʼt like guns.”
“Itʼs only for protection.”
“I donʼt like it.”
“Yeah, I got that.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. Took a cautious step toward her. “Itʼs okay. Trust me, I know how to use it.”
Sara rolled her eyes. “How come donʼt I find that comforting at all?”
“Tell you what, why donʼt I just put it away?” Walking back to the coffee table, he put the gun back in its box and slid it into the drawer. “See? You wonʼt even know itʼs there, I promise.”
She slanted a disgusted look at the table. Suddenly, she burst out laughing—an almost hysterical laugh that made Jackʼs frown deepen.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes. Man, I’m going to get such a kick out of this at the next book club meeting” she said between chuckles, “serving tea on that very coffee table, in my dear grandmother’s precious china set, knowing thereʼs a gun in the drawer. Mrs. Pearson would have a heart attack if she knew.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Sara. I didn’t think you’d react like this. I can put it somewhere else if you want.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” she assured him. “But I’m wondering if I should start serving something different from now on. You know…a Bloody Mary, for instance. It might be more appropriate, don’t you think?”
Jack couldnʼt help laughing at that. Probably better not to tell her that he didnʼt exactly get the gun through legal channels, either. Shaking his head, he erased the distance between them. “You know what, forget about this whole gun deal. Letʼs do something fun tonight.”
Saraʼs eyes widened. “Like what?”
“I donʼt know.” He rubbed his chin in concentration. “Letʼs watch a movie or something. Letʼs open a good bottle of wine.”
“Uh…”
“Come on, itʼs Friday night, and itʼs early. Letʼs live a little!” Jack slid a horrified glance at the TV cabinet. “Iʼll even watch that atrocious chick flick you got the other day. How ʼbout that?”
She gaped at him as if heʼd just grown a set of horns, then flattened a hand on his forehead. “Youʼre delirious. Are you running a fever or something?”
Chuckling, Jack removed her hand and clasped it in his. “Say yes, sweetheart. I know you want to.”
Sara stared into his eyes—those deep, magnetic eyes of his—and knew she was lost. Darn him, didnʼt he know that she would follow him to the moon and back if he asked her looking at her like that?
Yes
, she thought, in a daze. Yes, Iʼll watch a movie and eat ice cream with you tonight. Yes, Iʼll have sex with you. Yes, Iʼll marry you and have a dozen of your babies…. “Yes!”
“Thatʼs my girl.” He winked at her.
God, she loved when he did that! She let out a sigh. “Give me a few minutes to call my mom, and Iʼll join you, okay?”
“Sure. Iʼll get the wine.”
As she hurried toward the den, Sara looked over her shoulders and slanted a grateful look at the coffee table. Buying that gun might not have been such a bad idea, after all! A few minutes later, she was done with her call and grabbed a rawhide bone for Lance. “Stay here,” she murmured, planting a quick kiss on his head. He carried the treat to his favorite spot, on the rug by the desk. When he plopped down and started chewing on his prize, she took a deep breath and headed back to the living room. She didnʼt really know why she felt so nervous―but her heart started pounding harder when she saw Jack sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in his hand. The TV was on, but the sound was down. Her nervousness grew exponentially.
“You werenʼt kidding about the wine,” she said with an uncomfortable smile, accepting the glass he handed her.
“Nope.”
Sara sat down beside him and took a sip, hoping it would calm her nerves a little.
“Howʼs your mother?”
“Good, thank you.”
“Does she know…about me?”
She shook her head. “I havenʼt told her yet. She just got back home a few days ago but will leave again for Nigeria tomorrow morning, and I donʼt want her to have anything on her mind. It can be dangerous out there. She needs to stay focused.”
“Sheʼs pretty brave, huh?”
“Very.” She smiled and swirled the wine around her glass. “At times I wonder if thereʼs anything in the world that she might be afraid of, and the only answer I keep coming up with is no.”
“Sounds a lot like her daughter.”
Sara turned her head to give him an incredulous look. “What? Iʼm afraid of everything.”
He rolled his eyes. “Please. Youʼre one of the bravest people I know.”
“My mom is. You, Nicky, and Brent are. Iʼm just a girl whoʼs always chosen the easiest path and done her best to live a quiet, tranquil life.”
Bound to the Past (Starville Series Book 1) Page 13