Bachelor Protector

by Julianna Morris

  “I think he was real,” Sarah asserted, “but some believe he’s an amalgamation of several bandits, or that he didn’t exist at all.”

  Tyler lifted an eyebrow. “You’re intrigued by outlaws, huh? Is it the ‘bad boy’ appeal?”

  “Wrong on both counts. While Murrieta is romanticized, in reality he was a vicious killer. Anyway, the application was incomplete. The state sent it back to me, because whoever filled it out put my address and name down as the applicant.”

  “Don’t you think that’s strange? Why would anyone both falsify the information and make sure you saw it?”

  “At the time I...” Sarah’s voice trailed off. “Yeah, it’s strange. A lot of things are strange lately.”

  The back of Tyler’s neck prickled. “Like what?”

  “Nothing. That is, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “It isn’t nothing if it makes you look this scared.”

  * * *

  SARAH DIDN’T WANT to look scared, she wanted to look strong and confident. But she’d forgotten about the historic register application. It hadn’t seemed important at the time, and she’d dismissed it as a prank.

  Now it was something else to question.

  “What’s going on?” Tyler prodded.

  “You have your own problems, you don’t need to hear mine.”

  “Wrong, it would be a relief to hear someone else’s problems,” he retorted. “This has been a lousy year for my family.”

  Sarah wavered. Tyler was a disinterested third party, unlike her father and half of Glimmer Creek. He might look at the situation with a fresh perspective.

  “It’ll sound ridiculous and a total overreaction, which is exactly what I’m always warning my father about.”

  Tyler made a sound of disgust. “Hey, I just confessed to checking out of the hospital early, which makes me an unparalleled hypocrite for jumping on my brother for the same thing. Talk.”

  Sheesh.

  “Well, you know about the complaint called into the city.”

  “And the hit-and-run motorcyclist. What else has happened?”

  Sarah didn’t try to argue the motorcycle incident. “A week ago, I started getting flyers, catalogs and credit offers from stores all over the San Joaquin valley and San Francisco. Piles of them, with both my name and address spelled several different ways, so they couldn’t have come from a single list. Basically it means somebody has been putting my name and address on sign-up lists. And they must have done it over a short period of time for everything to start coming at once.”

  “Is that why you tensed over the coupon I found on your step?”

  She nodded. “I don’t know anybody who’d leave me a coupon for a toy store in Sacramento. I haven’t been north of Stockton in two years.”

  A hint of humor crept into Tyler’s eyes. “Not even to shop at an adults-only toy store?”

  Sarah nearly choked on her ice tea. A suggestive comment was the last thing she’d expected to hear from him. Maybe that starchy, uptight facade was hiding a wild side. Still...she grabbed his coffee cup and sniffed the contents.

  His uninjured eyebrow shot up. “What’s that about?”

  “Just making sure you didn’t add something stronger when I wasn’t looking. It’s hard to imagine the words adults-only toy store coming out of your mouth while sober. You have a persona that’s very prim and proper.”

  The corners of his eyes crinkled. “I take exception to that description. Besides, you’re deflecting. What else is going on?”

  “I was getting strange calls on my home phone. Nothing obscene, just silence. They weren’t a problem until they started coming in the middle of the night. The calls stopped for a few days, then on Thursday I got two, this time on my cell phone. One was around 10:00 p.m., and the other after midnight.”

  “It’s hardly funny, so why are you grinning all of sudden?” Tyler asked.

  “I...um, warned them not to try again when the first call woke me up. When the second one came, I blew a police whistle into the speaker. It may not stop them from harassing me, but it felt good to do something.”

  Tyler chuckled. “I’m sure.”

  Sarah nonchalantly waved her hand. “The calls should be over now, anyhow. I contacted the phone company yesterday, and they’re going to stop calls when the number is unavailable, so I don’t need to worry.”

  * * *

  TYLER DOUBTED SARAH was as calm as she sounded, but he admired the effort.

  He’d seen a fellow student being stalked when he was studying architecture. It turned out the perpetrator had conceived a bizarre grudge against the student, believing she’d cut him off in traffic one day. It had started with a few odd events and slowly escalated. He wondered if that was happening here, too.

  “Have you talked to the police?” he asked. “They can help catch a stalker.”

  Sarah went white. “No. And I didn’t say I was being stalked, just that some strange things have happened.”

  Denial, he decided, though admittedly it would be difficult for law enforcement to connect the events. And they might be a coincidence. As if rebutting the possibility, a motorcycle suddenly gunned down Sarah’s street, so loud it made the doors rattle.

  In silent accord they rushed outside, but the bike was gone.

  “I haven’t seen many motorcycles in Glimmer Creek,” Tyler said, turning to Sarah. She was still pale.

  “They...um, aren’t popular here, though a cousin’s boyfriend has one that he rebuilt when he lived in Sacramento. He doesn’t use it very much.”

  “Any chance his bike is the one that hit you?”

  Her strained expression eased. “None. Lance’s bike is several different colors and quite battered. He pieced the thing together out of junkyards and it’s unmistakable. I’m sure the motorcycle that veered at me was black and practically new. Do you want more coffee?” she asked with excessive cheeriness.

  “I can’t. Mom and Nathan are expecting me. We’re eating at the GC Steakhouse. It’s the first time we’ve been able to convince Nathan to go to a restaurant instead of getting takeout. Maybe I could come over again later this evening.”

  Sarah gave him a quizzical look. “Do you have anything else to discuss about the remodeling?”

  “Er, no.” Tyler was thrown, realizing he just wanted to see Sarah and be sure she was all right. Perhaps he was more like his brother than he’d thought—when Nathan was himself, he had a penchant for taking down pirates and tilting at windmills. “That is, there’s always something to discuss with this kind of thing.”

  “Mmm, I’m not convinced. You wouldn’t be concerned about me, would you?”

  Heat crept up his throat. “Is there something wrong with that? Anything that affects you could also affect my mother.”

  “I know, but I’m fine. I’ve got an evening of cooking and baking planned and don’t need a babysitter.”

  Tyler gave her a slight nod. His white knight instincts might be rusty, but he was concerned...and not just about his mom.

  * * *

  SARAH WENT INSIDE and briefly sagged against the door after closing it, feeling tired to her bones. Scared, too, though she kept telling herself that a bunch of weird little events didn’t necessarily mean anything. Of course, if the attempted theft by the hit-and-run motorcyclist was connected, that changed everything.

  She looked around for Theo, hoping to cuddle him, but he’d gone into hiding the minute Tyler had arrived. He wasn’t fond of strangers.

  Distractedly, Sarah returned to the kitchen and began taking out various pans and bowls. She’d volunteered to bring desserts to a baked potato feed after church and also needed to cook for a meal with her grandparents. They’d been hosting Sunday dinner with the Fullerton clan for over sixty years, but last year Grandma Margare
t had finally let the meal become potluck, instead of making it all herself.

  Before long, Sarah had apricot cobbler, corn bread and pans of lasagna baking in her two ovens, along with chili in the Crock-Pot. The peace and quiet was wonderful, and she hummed as she prepared a large pasta salad. Cooking was the best stress relief for her, and after dealing with Tyler, she needed a lot of stress relief.

  Ice man?

  She considered the description again. While he cared about his mom and brother and was struggling with what had happened in Illinois, he did come across as cool and unemotional most of the time. But how about the adage, “still waters run deep”?

  Maybe.

  Mostly Sarah knew facts about Tyler, though she’d gotten a brief glimpse of his professional vision. She even sensed depths in him, but it felt as if she was peeking around corners and looking through a rain-streaked window, trying to catch a glimpse of something he wanted to keep hidden.

  All the same, calling him an ice man had been cruel, even though she understood how frustrating it would be to fall for a guy who couldn’t share himself. Heck, Tyler hadn’t even told his family about the events in Illinois.

  Her pulse jumped when the phone rang, then she saw her father’s ID information on the screen and answered the call. “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hey, sweetheart. Your grandmother asked me to tell you not to go overboard cooking. You aren’t, are you?”

  Sarah glanced around the kitchen and squirmed. Maybe she could take the chili to the baked potato feed instead. “I’m fixing a few things. Not a big deal. You can take the leftovers home to eat this week. I don’t get to Sunday dinner often enough and want to contribute.”

  Kurt chuckled. “That’s means you’re cooking for twenty. Okay, I’ll run interference with your grandmother. See you tomorrow.”

  “Thanks. Love you, Dad.”

  Sarah disconnected, feeling unaccountably sad. Her father could make her crazy, and she had to find a way to get him to back off some of the time, but it wasn’t a big deal compared to what Tyler and his family were going through.

  She should remember that her issues were comparatively minor.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “WE SHOULD GO to church today,” Rosemary announced the next morning as Tyler drank his third cup of coffee, trying to wake up.

  His eyes widened. “Church?” His mom had worked on fund-raisers for churches when he was a kid, but he didn’t remember her attending.

  “Yes. Sarah’s grandfather is the pastor and her uncle is the youth pastor. It’s good manners to go.”

  “Mom, you don’t have to attend because your boss is the preacher’s granddaughter.” He didn’t mention that he would rather not go with his bruised face—his brother felt bad enough already.

  “Will Sarah be there?” Nathan interjected, a flicker of interest in his eyes.

  “Probably,” Rosemary said. “They’re having a baked potato feed to raise money for the youth group, and Sarah is providing cake and cookies for dessert.”

  “Yeah, let’s go,” Nathan agreed immediately.

  The enthusiastic tone startled Tyler, though it shouldn’t have. His brother had a thing for blondes.

  Yet a flicker of unease went through him. It didn’t make sense, because while he was attracted to Sarah himself, he didn’t plan to act on it. Both she and Nathan were free agents.

  Stop analyzing, Tyler ordered himself as he ate a mouthful of French toast.

  “The service starts at eleven,” said his mother, visibly pleased. “Let’s go early and visit with people beforehand.”

  Visiting wasn’t his thing, but however illogical his concern might be, it was a way to check on Sarah.

  The sanctuary at the church was crowded and Tyler watched his mother and brother converse with different people. Nathan wasn’t as comfortable as he usually seemed in a group but was doing all right, while their mother appeared to be in her element.

  Sarah arrived just before the service started. She sat at the front next to her father and an older woman. Her hair was loosened from its usual French braid and tumbled over her shoulders in thick cascades of pale gold that kept catching Tyler’s eye.

  The opening scripture was read, but his thoughts drifted, and it didn’t seem long before everyone was heading into the social hall.

  “Hi, everyone,” said Sarah from behind them.

  Nathan smiled broadly. “Hello. It’s good to see you again. I’ve never gone to a baked potato feed. What do we do?”

  “Just get into one of the lines. There are tons of toppings, including different types of chili, veggies, cheese, cheese sauce, salsa, sour cream, bacon...you name it.”

  “What did you make?”

  “A white-bean-and-chicken chili. And I contributed to the baked goods. Go enjoy yourselves. The youth group is participating in a coastal cleanup, so they’re raising money for expenses. Donations can be put in one of the baskets.”

  “Is fifty dollars enough?”

  Sarah laughed. “It would be an amazingly generous gesture, and you’d have their undying gratitude.”

  Nathan winked. “I’d much rather have yours.”

  He was acting so much like his old self—charm capped off by easy flirting—that Tyler stared. It was as if those dreary months in the hospital and rehab, the multiple surgeries and physical therapy sessions had never happened.

  “Smooth talker,” Sarah shot back. “You’d better get in line before the sour cream is gone.”

  “Yes, let’s eat,” Rosemary agreed.

  They got in line, leaving Tyler alone with Sarah. “Don’t you want some?” she asked.

  “Sure, I’m just surprised to see you here. Can the shop manage without you?”

  “It’s fine. I come to church whenever possible, which isn’t often this time of year, I’ll admit.”

  “I’m glad you could make it. You know, I think my brother likes you,” he said awkwardly.

  Sarah shook her head. “I think your brother just likes flirting. He’s making up to my cousin Vickie at the moment.”

  She pointed, and sure enough, Nathan was chatting with one of the women serving the potatoes. She appeared to be in her early twenties, had long blond hair in a high ponytail, a curvaceous figure and bubbly personality, judging from the way she was laughing and flirting right back.

  “Are all the women in your family blonde and enthusiastic?” Tyler asked curiously. When asking about the swimming pool, he’d met Tessa McKinley, the owner-manager of Poppy Gold, who’d introduced him to another cousin, Jamie Fullerton. Sarah had also mentioned that the woman who worked the front counter at the sweet shop was family. They all seemed to have the same fair looks and vibrant personality.

  Sarah shrugged. “A few have golden-brown hair or darker. As for ‘enthusiastic,’ I suppose we’re energetic, but that’s because we have so much to do.”

  “Don’t the men help?”

  “We all work hard, but we also enjoy ourselves. Right now, I’m going to enjoy a baked potato.”

  She got into one of the lines, which had shortened. Tyler followed and chose “five alarm firehouse” chili to top his potato, while Sarah’s bowl resembled a salad when she was done. There weren’t many chairs left in the social hall, so they went into the courtyard and sat on a bench under an arbor.

  “Did anything else happen last night?” he asked quietly after a few minutes. “Any calls or other problems?”

  “No,” she replied in an equally soft tone. “I finished baking before 8:00 p.m. and went to bed. Everything was quiet.”

  “It isn’t even dark by eight this time of the year.”

  “Yeah, but I go to the bakery at four in the morning.”

  Tyler winced. “I’m usually still up working until then.”

  “In t
hat case, I wouldn’t suggest becoming a professional baker,” Sarah advised.

  She dug a forkful of broccoli and cheese sauce from her bowl and munched it down. Tyler’s body reacted as he watched her lick a trace of sauce from her lips, a response that didn’t seem appropriate given their location. What’s more, she wasn’t trying to tease him—she was simply relishing her lunch.

  “When did you leave the shop this morning?” he asked hoarsely.

  Sarah covered her mouth as she yawned. “After nine. I wouldn’t have gone in at all, but the shift supervisor needed time off to visit a sick relative in Oregon.”

  “Surely your staff knows what they’re doing.”

  “Yes, but somebody needs to have final responsibility, keeping an eye on the clock and making sure we don’t fall behind. Now that Rosemary has the office whipped into shape, I’ll have time to get more supervisors trained, also some catering managers.” Suddenly Sarah looked guilty and glanced around.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Not exactly, but I wouldn’t want anyone in the family to hear me say something like that,” Sarah answered in a low tone. “Aunt Babs was helping in the office, but she doesn’t have Rosemary’s gift for juggling everything. Then she broke her leg. She had to stop working while it heals.”

  “How did it happen?”

  “She was doing a 12K run when one of the other runners tripped her.”

  “Oh.” Tyler’s vision of a gray-haired lady with osteoporosis and balance problems instantly vanished. He should have known better, seeing as she was related to Sarah. “Then my mother’s job is temporary until your aunt returns.”

  “Not exactly.” Sara smiled impishly. “Aunt Babs has wanted me to find a replacement for her, so Rosemary has the office manager’s job for as long she wants it. Sorry, I know that isn’t what you hoped to hear.”

  “I’m learning to be philosophical about it.”

  Tyler still wondered if his mother would get to a point where the stress was overwhelming, but right now she was reveling in her success. Nathan was harder to evaluate, though he’d finally agreed to start doing image rehearsal therapy with Dr. Romano, and he was doing the recommended exercises. On the other hand, he continued refusing medication. Tyler understood not wanting to continue taking the one for nightmares if it didn’t work, but there were others that might help the PTSD.