by Laura Scott
Lexi stared at her solemnly for so long Julie didn’t think she’d answer. “Eggs.”
“Great, scrambled eggs it is. Did you come over to help? That’s very nice.” Then she frowned. “Unless, there’s something you need? Is your dad all right?”
Lexi did that tiny nod that, if Julie wasn’t watching closely enough, she might have missed. “I’m hungry.”
“Me too.” The toast popped, so she spread a thin layer of butter over the crispy browned bread. “Do you want to help me carry this over to your dad?” She glanced at her kitchen table and abruptly changed her mind. “You know what, Lexi? It would be easier to eat in my kitchen. Let’s ask your dad to come over here.”
Lexi darted out the patio door without answering, and Julie had to assume that she’d gone to get her father. It was tempting to go over to offer Derek assistance, but she purposely held herself back.
If Derek wasn’t able to stand and walk over here to sit at the kitchen table for a simple meal, then he needed to be taken back to the hospital, despite his protests.
But she needn’t have worried. Lexi soon returned with her father on her heels. Wearing the same scrubs she’d given him last night, he moved slowly and gingerly but held himself straight and tall.
“Good morning,” she greeted them both cheerfully, trying not to hover as Derek eased himself into a chair. “Hope scrambled eggs and toast is okay.” Why the sudden rush of nervousness? She wasn’t running a restaurant, and he was hardly in a position to argue about what she fed him.
The un-Christian thought shamed her.
“Sounds better than okay,” Derek said quickly. For being injured, he seemed acutely aware of her emotions. Or maybe she just wasn’t good at hiding them. “Lexi loves scrambled eggs, don’t you, sweetheart?”
Lexi nodded and then ducked her head, swinging her legs back and forth in a steady rhythm. Julie gave Lexi the first plate of food, Derek the second, and then went back to get something for herself.
Once seated, she bowed her head and clasped her hands together. “Dear Lord, thank you for this plentiful meal we’re about to eat. Please help Derek get better soon and guide us on Your chosen path as we begin our day. Amen.”
A brief silence followed her prayer, and she could feel the intensity of Derek’s curious gaze as she took a bite of her eggs. Hadn’t he ever witnessed anyone praying before? Or prayed for him to get better? If not, his education was sorely lacking.
“How are you feeling today?” she asked, glancing at Derek.
“As good as can be expected,” he admitted. “Surprisingly, the pain seems a bit better when I’m up and moving.”
“Your muscles will become stiff and sore if you stay in one place too long. As difficult as I’m sure it must be, you need to keep moving.”
He flashed a smile and nodded. “Good advice, Nurse Julie.”
She could feel herself blushing and focused her attention on her food.
“Sure is peaceful around here,” Derek said, staring through the screen to the concrete patio.
“Yes, I love the peace and quiet.” She had a small television but didn’t turn it on often. Sometimes she listened to the national news, but lately, the global turmoil was just too depressing. “Would you rather listen to the radio?”
“No.” The force of his abrupt response surprised her. “I like the peace and quiet, too.”
Such a small thing in common, yet it made her smile inside. “So, what are your plans for the day?”
He stared at his plate for a moment. “I have to find out the extent of the damage to my car. I’m not even sure it’s fixable. And the doc wanted to check me over one more time.” She was pleased he finished up his eggs and started on the toast. At least his appetite seemed to have returned. “I know I have no right to ask any more favors,” he said in a low voice. “But would you mind giving us a ride? If you have the day off, that is.”
“Yes, I have the next couple of days off. And of course I don’t mind giving you a ride.” She told herself that spending the day with Derek and Lexi was nothing like what had happened with Andrew, but it was. Andrew had needed her help, just like Derek. Her own fault for believing Andrew cared about her in return.
She’d just have to make sure she didn’t get too emotionally involved with Derek and Lexi.
But even if she had thought things through last evening, she knew she would have made the same offer.
Where else would Derek and Lexi have gone?
“Thank you,” Derek murmured. “If all the people here are as gracious and kind as you, Crystal Lake must be a wonderful place to live.”
“Crystal Lake is a great place to live, and anyone here would have done the same thing I did.” She stood and began stacking the dirty dishes to carry them over to the counter. “You’ll have to give me a few minutes to clean up before I’ll be ready to go.”
He glanced at the dishes on the counter. “I’ll help,” he offered.
Whoever this stranger was, he was certainly polite. “Really, it’s easier if I wash them myself.” She couldn’t explain why the thought of standing next to Derek, doing something as mundane as dishes, made her distinctly uncomfortable.
There was a brief pause, and then he capitulated. “All right, then. Come on Lexi, let’s go over and make our beds, okay?”
When the screen door slammed behind them, she put her hands on the counter and momentarily closed her eyes.
Why was she so attracted to Derek? Okay, maybe Derek was strong, kind, gentle, and polite—seemingly everything Andrew had proved he wasn’t. So what? She should be glad she’d offered her townhouse to a nice stranger.
Just as she was glad she’d found out about Andrew’s lying and cheating before she’d vowed to love, honor, and cherish him.
Derek and Lexi were only passing through town. Or looking to spend some quiet time together. She refused to entertain the hope that Derek Ryerson and his young daughter would stay to make a home here in Crystal Lake.
___________
Derek fought a wave of guilt as he helped Lexi straighten the sheet and blanket on her bed. He knew he was taking advantage of Julie’s sweet, Christian nature, but what choice did he have?
He was glad the news of his and Lexi’s disappearance didn’t seem to have made its way to the small town of Crystal Lake, Wisconsin. But how long did he have before the alarm went out? Thanks to the Fourth of July holiday on Tuesday, he likely had a couple of days to figure out their next steps before he had to go on the run again.
Claire’s parents couldn’t serve him a court order if they couldn’t find him.
He tried to consider his options, but there weren’t many. The last thing he wanted to do was to betray Julie by stealing her car. A fleeting thought that had crossed his mind. The problem was that he only had a couple of thousand in cash, and he couldn’t afford to spend it all in one place.
He’d need something to tide them over until he could find a job. Especially with the economy as bad as it was. Most of his experience was as a soldier and even though he’d received an honorable discharge there was no guarantee he’d find something quickly or easily.
Once he and Lexi had made the twin beds, he wandered back into the half-demolished, open-concept kitchen and living area. There was a crowbar propped against the wall that still had some charred Sheetrock hanging.
Julie was clearly working on her remodeling project a little at a time. Pulling down old drywall didn’t take a whole lot of finesse, but putting up new Sheetrock did. Luckily, he had some experience with construction work.
He lifted the crowbar, wincing as the muscles in his chest protested. Steeling himself against the pain, he drove the claw end of the crowbar into the seared drywall and pulled, bringing a big chunk of drywall crashing to the floor.
He sucked in a quick breath. Yeah, that hurt. But so what? As he lifted the crowbar, intending to take another chunk of the wall down, an idea burned in his mind.
Julie yanked open the screen door an
d glared at him. “What’s going on?” she demanded. “You scared me to death, making all that noise.”
“Sorry,” he said with a grimace. He leaned the crowbar back up against the wall and shifted to face her. “I found a way to repay you for your generosity.” He lifted a hand, indicating the room. “I’ll work on your remodeling project as payment for you allowing me and Lexi to stay here for the next few days.”
Chapter Four
Julie stared at Derek in shock. His offer was generous, but really, she couldn’t believe he was even considering doing physical work on her townhouse while having cracked ribs. The man was truly a glutton for punishment. “Derek, there’s no need for you to worry about paying me back. You can’t do construction work until you’re medically cleared by the doctor.”
His smile was pained. “I’m a former Army sergeant. I assure you I can work on the townhouse just fine. And don’t worry, I know my limits. I won’t overdo things. But I can still help out.”
Had she ever met a more stubborn man? She bit back a surge of frustration. “Let’s get to the hospital, okay? We have plenty of other things to do right now rather than wasting time arguing over this.”
“Please,” he said in a low voice.
Her annoyance faded at the softly spoken plea. She understood that being helpless and at other people’s mercy was probably difficult for him. She wasn’t surprised that he was former military, considering the short haircut and the way he carried himself so straight and tall. Once again, she found herself wondering about Lexi’s mother. Derek said he and Lexi were alone, but she couldn’t help wondering about the woman who’d given birth to Lexi. Not that Derek’s loss was any of her business.
She glanced at Lexi, who stared at her with a steady gaze, identical to Derek’s. She sighed, knowing she may as well give in since he’d try to do the work anyway. With any luck, he’d get tired quickly. “When you’re able to work, I’d be more than happy to work out a deal with you. But first, we’re going to see the doctor and check out your car.”
“Thank you,” he murmured, and she knew the battle had already been lost. Or in his case, won. Not that she planned on keeping score.
They headed outside to where she’d left her car in the driveway. She opened the driver’s side door but then stopped when she realized Derek had remained standing over by the townhouse. “Shouldn’t we lock the door?” he asked.
“This is Crystal Lake,” she said dryly. “We don’t lock our doors here.”
He looked surprised, making her think that he was used to living in the city rather than in a small town. It made her a little uneasy that there was so much she didn’t know about him.
“Would you mind if we went to find my truck first?” he asked as they made their way down the sidewalk to the car. “I’d like to get Lexi’s booster seat. And if you’re right about the lack of crime around here, maybe our luggage, my phone, and my tools are still inside.”
“Sure.” She was struck by how Derek always seemed to put his daughter first. He was still a stranger, but he seemed so genuine. Of course, she’d thought the best of Andrew, too, and he’d proved to be a lying, cheating jerk. Obviously she couldn’t trust her instincts. At least, not when it came to men.
As before, Derek slid into the backseat to stay near his daughter. She felt like a taxi driver as she maneuvered her way through the small town. This time, Derek looked around curiously rather than being half out of it.
“How did you know my truck would be here?” Derek asked when she pulled up in front of Billy’s garage.
“Because Billy’s is the only towing service we have,” she said, sliding out from behind the wheel. She knew Derek and Lexi followed as she walked over to the open garage door. “Henry! Are you here?”
“His name isn’t Billy?” Derek asked, his blue eyes mirroring his confusion.
She laughed. “No, Henry bought the place about ten years ago from old Billy Colby and decided there was no reason to change the name.”
“You’ve lived here a long time, then?” he asked.
Her smile faded. “Yes, I grew up here.” Her parents had passed away several years ago, but she never had the urge to leave. Granted, staying on after breaking off her engagement was the hardest thing she’d ever done. At least now that a year had passed, the gossip had died down a bit. Andrew’s decision to leave with his new fiancée had helped. She shook off the painful memories. “Henry!”
“I’m right here. Ya don’t have to shout.” Henry looked older than his forty-five years, thanks to years of smoking. He’d finally quit but constantly chomped on pieces of nicotine gum. He swiped his greasy hands on his coveralls and squinted at them. “Are ya here for the Blazer?”
“Yes. How much do I owe you for the tow?” Derek asked, stepping forward.
“A hundred even,” Henry said. “I checked it out, and I gotta tell ya, there ain’t no way to salvage it. Probably totaled.”
“Where is the vehicle?” she asked as Derek pulled out his wallet. She’d been about to pay the fee herself, but clearly Derek had this covered.
“Around back,” Henry said, gesturing with his thumb as he accepted the cash.
She followed the men around the corner and then sucked in a harsh breath, glad she’d lagged behind when she saw what was left of Derek’s car.
It was a miracle he wasn’t hurt worse. The entire driver’s side of the car was nothing but mangled metal. She gave another silent prayer of thanks to God for keeping him safe.
Derek’s expression was grim as he went over to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. When he pulled out Lexi’s booster seat, she reached around to take it from him.
“I’ll put this in my car,” she said.
Derek nodded before turning back to the vehicle. She could have assured him that whatever he had in the truck was still there. Henry would never have considered stealing from one of his towed vehicles.
The people of Crystal Lake were generally law-abiding citizens. Especially now that Tommy Hinkle and his father, Kurt, were behind bars.
By the time she’d strapped Lexi’s car seat into the backseat and returned to the mangled car, she discovered that Derek had pulled two suitcases out. The sight of his luggage brought her up short. Was she crazy to allow this man to stay with her? If Andrew were still around, he’d have a fit. But Andrew wasn’t part of her life any longer, and despite her unease, she refused to go back on her word.
Hiding her attack of nerves, she picked up the larger of the two suitcases and carried it to her trunk.
Derek carried the smaller suitcase over and stored it beside the larger one. “I’m just going to get my tools,” he said before striding back to his wrecked truck.
Within ten minutes, Derek had everything stashed in the back of her car. He went over and said something to Henry. The older man nodded and then shook Derek’s hand.
She refrained from asking what transpired despite her curiosity. Derek helped Lexi get into the booster seat and then surprised her by climbing into the passenger seat beside her.
“Next stop, Hope County Hospital,” she said cheerfully as she left Billy’s garage.
Derek nodded but still looked upset about leaving his truck behind. He fiddled with his phone, sliding the charger into the port and making sure the device still worked.
“You might want to call your insurance company,” she said. “The sooner you put them on notice, the sooner they’ll cut you a check.”
“Yeah.” Derek scrubbed his hands over his face. “But I doubt they’ll do much without the accident report.”
He was right; she should have thought about that. “We can swing by after you’ve been seen at the hospital,” she offered. “May as well get everything done in one trip.”
“No need. The deputy told me the report wouldn’t be done until Monday,” he said.
“I have connections at the sheriff’s department. Sheriff Torretti is a great guy and I know his wife Megan. I can ask for a rush on the report
.”
“Monday is fine,” Derek said sharply. When she glanced at him in surprise, he seemed to backpedal. “It’s not like anything is going to be processed over the weekend anyway.”
She shrugged and let the matter drop. Maybe he was hurting more than he’d let on. Especially after the way he’d been hauling suitcases around.
The sooner Gabe Allen looked him over, the better.
___________
Derek gripped the armrest of the passenger door, hoping Julie wouldn’t insist on stopping at the police station. He was thankful she didn’t have the news on, but if Claire’s parents had put out the alarm, the risk of being arrested was too high. Claire’s parents had tons of money, and they’d made it clear that they’d take custody of Lexi away from him.
He tried to take deep, calming breaths, but it wasn’t easy with sore ribs. When Julie pulled up in front of the hospital, he gave a tiny sigh of relief.
“Why don’t you get out here, and I’ll park the car?” she suggested.
“I can walk, you know,” he muttered, getting really sick of being treated like an invalid. He supposed that being a nurse made her more conscientious than others, but still. He glanced back at Lexi. “Do you want to come with me?” he asked.
Lexi nodded. He was impressed at how well his daughter was handling all this, especially since she didn’t normally warm up to strangers at all. He opened the back passenger door and helped her get out of the booster seat. He lifted Lexi out and then set her on her feet. Before closing the door, he caught Julie’s gaze. “Ah, Dr. Allen, right?”
She smiled, and he was surprised at how much that small gesture transformed her features. Julie was really quite pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way. Not as classically beautiful as Claire, but then again, that hadn’t worked so well for him, had it? Julie was attractive, but it didn’t matter, since he had no plans to stay in Crystal Lake.