“I have a pretty fair idea.”
She sighed. “It’s been more than a year since…since it happened, and I still have nightmares. I can’t tolerate being closed in or…touched. I’m angry all the time. I…I haven’t dealt well with any of the fallout.” She bit her lip. “Ted suggested I stop waiting for my veteran’s benefits to be restored and get help now, but—”
“Ted suggested?” His focus intensified. “You’re spending a lot of time with him, aren’t you? What’s going on between the two of you?”
She picked at a chipped spot on the red Formica tabletop and shrugged. “I wouldn’t say a lot of time. He’s been helping me get acclimated is all. We’re just friends.” She forced herself to meet Wesley’s gaze. “He’s right. I do need to get help, but even if I do decide to do something now, there are no therapists in Perfect, and I don’t have a car.”
“I sleep during the day. You can always take my truck if you want.”
Her eyes widened and a flare of hope ignited. She still hadn’t made up her mind about which direction to turn, but at least she knew she could get somewhere if the need arose. “Really?”
“Sure. No problem.” He glanced toward the assistant manager making her way toward them before turning back to her. “Just let me know what you decide to do and when you need to be somewhere. Is your driver’s license current?”
“Yep. It is.” She grinned. “I made a point of keeping it up to date. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Carlie delivered their food, sending a lingering look Wesley’s way. “Do either of you need anything else right now?”
“Nope. This looks great. Thanks.” Cory’s stomach rumbled, and she unwrapped the flatware.
“More coffee when you get the chance.” Wesley smiled at Carlie. “Don’t hurry, though. I know you’re busy.”
“Got it.” Carlie patted his shoulder and left.
“She likes you. You should ask her out.” His only response was a grunt. He’d changed so much, and Cory’s mind went back to their earlier years—the easy way they’d teased each other, the way he’d always looked out for his younger siblings, including her in that circle. “What do you know about Carlie?”
“Only that she took this job and moved here shortly after a divorce. She has a son.”
“You know your way around kids, that’s for sure.” She took a bite of her pancakes, and their fluffy, buttery sweetness made her stomach rumble again. She swallowed and cut off another bite. “Did you know Kyle asked Brenda out?”
“All right.” Wesley set his fork down, put his elbows on the table and fixed her with a stare. “As long as we’re following this track, let’s talk about Ted.”
She choked on her pancakes and had to cough a few times. “What about him?”
“He’s a great guy. You could do worse.” A single eyebrow rose. “We’ve all seen the way he looks at you, and there’s a lot more than friendly going on there.”
Appetite gone. She stirred the runny yolks of her eggs around her plate while a lump clogged her throat. “I know he’s a great guy. He’s…” She swallowed hard. “He deserves the best, and—”
“And you’re messed up?”
She nodded. Great. Now the tears. She tried to blink them away and failed.
Wesley snatched an extra napkin from the dispenser on their table and thrust it her way. “Give it some time, and give yourself a chance. Somehow I have a feeling Ted’s the kind of guy who’s willing to take things real slow.”
“You don’t understand.” She jerked her hand away.
“Don’t I?” His look drifted across the diner to where Carlie chatted with a couple of old codgers in bib overalls and beat-up John Deere caps.
“OK. Maybe you do, but our situations are entirely different. What if Ted and I date, and it turns into a disaster? I don’t want to hurt him. It would break my heart to hurt him.”
“And what if you give it a shot, and it works out? Are you willing to pass up the chance at something good without a fight?” Both his eyebrows rose this time. “I’ve seen the way you look back at him. I’ve known you for most of your life, and I can tell you feel something for him too. Go for it.”
“Sure. I will if you will.” She nodded toward Carlie and cocked an eyebrow at him.
He grunted and went back to eating his breakfast.
Cory’s heart raced at the thought. Could she do it? Could she date Ted for real, see if he could help her break through the barrier of revulsion and disgust Sergeant Asshole had cast around her? Before all the bad stuff stirred up, Ted’s kiss had curled her toes and melted her bones. Maybe the second time around…or the third…
“I don’t know.” Wesley interrupted her fantasy. “I’m almost forty, set in my ways, and Carlie has a kid. Kids and PTSD don’t exactly mix.”
“Noah has three children and one on the way. I don’t think he’d agree with you.”
“He wasn’t a marine.”
“No, but he was part of a heavy combat unit.” Now that she had a way to get to therapy if she decided not to wait for the army to come through for her, her mind buzzed with possibilities—and Ted was foremost in her thoughts. “You’d be great with her son. I know from firsthand experience.”
“A lot has changed since we were kids.” The corners of his mouth turned down, and he pushed his half-eaten breakfast away.
“I’m sorry, Wes. I didn’t mean to ruin your breakfast. Let’s talk about something else. Don’t let this great food go to waste.” She loaded her fork and took a bite of eggs and bacon, as if doing so could bring them back to safer ground.
“I do love their hash browns.” The tension lines around his mouth eased, and he picked up his fork. “How do you like working at L&L?”
Relieved, she swallowed her mouthful. “I like it a lot. Do you see yourself moving into production eventually? I kind of get the feeling that it’s viewed as a big promotion around L&L.”
“Nope. I’m already a shift supervisor. Plus, after the night crew leaves, I’m in charge of after-hours security. I really like the work I do. Finishing furniture is soothing. I also have my military pension. I’m content.”
“Content sounds pretty darn good.” She finished her breakfast, wondering how she’d handle seeing Ted for the first time since their kiss.
Wesley finished his breakfast and tossed a five-dollar bill on the table for Carlie. “Let’s go.”
She followed him to the front, where he paid the bill. They walked out the front door and headed back to L&L. Her heart thumped away, half trepidation and the other half anticipation at seeing Ted. Could she take a chance and see where things led with him? They entered through the alley, and there he was. Their eyes met and held, setting off a trip wire inside her. Ping. A rush of adrenaline sent her heart and stomach into a frenzied jig.
Ted’s glance swung from her to Wesley—and back to her. He didn’t look happy. “Morning, you two.”
“Good morning,” she stammered. “Wes and I just had breakfast at your aunt’s diner.” Why’d she tell him that? He hadn’t asked, and she didn’t really owe him any explanations. “I gotta get to work.” Fleeing from him once again, she took the stairs two at a time and hightailed it to her office. Oh, yeah. She was great relationship material. Not.
Watching Cory walk into L&L with Wesley Holt had Ted seeing through a green haze of jealousy and possessiveness. Had she read it in his face? Was that why she took off like Bambi caught in the crosshairs? Probably. Staring at the spot where she’d stood a second ago wasn’t going to bring her back either.
Anxiety took a bite out of his hide. Their kiss last night had been a mistake, and now she was spooked. Which left him…where? In too deep, and she hadn’t even begun to wade up to her ankles. Damn. He needed to go after her, talk it out and offer some reassurance. And he would’ve too, if it weren’t for the fact that he knew how his current audience would react.
Wesley cleared his throat. “Cory and I had some catching up to do. I’m
always gonna look out for her. Can’t help it, bro.”
Yeah, that didn’t help with the jealousy. A couple of the guys smirked his way, and he ground his molars together. Great. Everyone knows I have a thing for Cory. “Sure. Of course. No big deal.” Jeez, shut up. He glared at Kyle and John. The two still acted like giddy spectators. Xavier had his earbuds in and continued to focus on his work. Ted’s respect for the guy rose a notch. “Don’t you two have work to do?”
“Sure, kid.” Kyle shot him one more amused look and turned back to the headboard on his workbench.
John straightened and stretched. “I need coffee. Anybody else want me to fill their cup?”
“Nah. I’m good.” Ted turned to Wesley, curiosity burning a hole through him. What had he and Cory talked about? Had she told Wesley about last night? “Is everything OK with her?”
“Define OK.” Wesley’s steady gaze held his. “Untreated, PTSD only gets worse as time passes. She’s stuck between a rock and a brick right now.”
“I know.”
“Take it easy, Ted.” Wesley moved closer and lowered his voice. “She wants to get better, and that’s the key. She’s not self-medicating or acting out in ways that would cause her harm, and she’s eating again. I’m hopeful.”
Relief turned his knees to rubber, and his attention drifted toward the stairs. He wanted to go after her, find out what was going on in her head…and her heart. “Good. That’s good.”
“Humph.”
“What?” He turned back to find Wesley studying him.
“Might wanna leave her be for now. Let her nerves settle.”
“Did she tell you about last night?” he blurted before he could stop himself.
“No.” Wes’s brow lowered. “What happened last night?”
“Yeah, kid. What happened last night?” Ryan turned up out of nowhere, positioning himself at Ted’s other elbow.
“Where’d you come from?” Ted plowed a hand through his hair. Cory wasn’t the only one whose nerves sizzled and popped like water on a hot skillet.
Ryan lifted his filled mug, his sardonic smile firmly in place. “Came down the front stairs for coffee.”
“Nothing happened last night.” Ted extricated himself from the Wesley and Ryan bookends and returned to his workstation. Wesley made another one of his grunting noises and left. Ryan followed, leaving Ted with his thoughts in turmoil. He tried to focus on his work, but it was no use. His need to talk to Cory overrode everything else. Noah had his monthly meeting with the finishing crew this afternoon. Maybe he could finagle a way to drive her home.
He glanced at the wall clock. Two more hours until lunchtime. After that he’d move upstairs to his office. That would give him a chance to talk to Noah before offering Cory a ride. Forcing his mind off of her, he focused on the maple cradle taking shape beneath his hands and tried once again to lose himself in his work.
The rest of the day dragged by, but at least he’d managed to arrange time with Cory. She’d agreed to let him drive her home, and now he sat in his office waiting while she made up for the time she’d missed earlier. His work for the day was done, so he busied himself organizing the piles on his desk, discarding anything he no longer needed.
“I’m ready.” Cory leaned against his door frame, a half smile on her face.
What did that smile mean? Was it a we-need-to-talk-good-bye smile or an I’m-glad-to-see-you expression? His stomach bunched into a knot. “Great. Let’s go.” He shut his computer down and rose from his chair. “Do you need to stop anywhere in town before we head out?”
She straightened and moved out of the doorway to accommodate him. “Nope. I’m good for now. Thanks.”
He caught a whiff of the perfume she wore as they walked side by side down the hall to the back stairway. Whatever she used, it blended with her own unique scent perfectly, the overall effect fresh and lightly floral. How could a woman smell so damn good? “How was your day?” Lame. Yep, lame, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say. With his insides in a jumble, he couldn’t muster enough wit to carry on a conversation.
She slung her purse strap over her shoulder and started down the stairs ahead of him. “Fine. How was yours?”
“It was OK.” He wanted to place his hand at the small of her back, guide her through the production area and establish for any who might happen to look that she was his—but she wasn’t. Not yet, anyway. He opened the passenger door of his truck for her, knowing better than to help her climb in. How should he start the conversation that had plagued his thoughts all day long? He slid into the driver’s seat and started the truck. Once he pulled out of his parking spot and headed for the two-lane highway to the Langfords’, he screwed up his courage and plunged right in. “Cory…about last night…”
She studied the dashboard and folded her hands in her lap. “What about it?”
“Do you regret kissing me? You took off so fast that—”
“No.” She shook her head and glanced at him. “I don’t regret it. In fact, our kiss motivated me to look into getting help now rather than waiting for the law clinic to settle things with the army.”
His gut dropped. “It was that bad?”
She chuckled softly, her eyes meeting his. “That didn’t come out right.”
“Then…it wasn’t bad?” He searched her face for some hint of what might be going on inside her head.
She turned away. “At first it was wonderful, and I really did feel like it was my first kiss.”
“That’s good, right?” He grinned, and his heart took off on a mad dash.
“Sure…but then everything changed, and you turned into the guy who…who—”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” She bit her lip, and her hands twisted together in her lap. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He turned back to the broken white line on the highway. “It’s not your fault, and we should be encouraged. You were able to enjoy it for a few seconds, right?” His grip on the steering wheel tightened. She’d said kissing him had been wonderful, and he’d cling to that for now. Maybe the next time the good part would last longer.
She shot him a doubtful look. “Anyway, I’m going to make a list of therapists in Evansville. If I don’t hear from Yale in another month, I’ll make an appointment with a place that works on a sliding scale. Wesley said I could use his truck to get there.”
She’d gone to Wesley for help instead of coming to him. Jealousy gnawed at him. Cory had a long history with Wes. She was already at ease with him, and even though they were around a decade apart in age, lots of women went for older guys. She’d lost her father at a very early age. Gravitating toward an older man made sense, especially considering all of her issues. Plus, they were both veterans—another thing they had in common. “I didn’t think about that,” he muttered.
“About what?”
Had he said that out loud? Shit. He scrambled for something to say. “About the fact that you don’t have a car.”
“Nope, and I’m no position to buy one either.” She sighed. “I’m saving every dime I can, but it’s going to take months.”
“Listen, I have this old Chevy pickup truck just sitting idle in the machine shed. It has a rebuilt engine, and the body is in pretty good shape. I could let you have it for really cheap. No down payment required. You can give me a hundred bucks a month for fifteen months, and it’s yours.” That was stretching it. The engine lay in pieces around the shed. He had all the parts he needed and worked on it whenever he had the time, but with his dad’s help, they could have it back together and running like new by the end of the weekend. “The tires are good too.”
“Ted…” The worry lines between her eyebrows made an appearance. “You’ve already done so much for me, and—”
“What have I done for you? Given you rides now and then?” He frowned at her. “The truck isn’t doing anybody any good sitting in the shed. Rebuilding engines is kind of a hobby of mine. I can always find another vehicle to work on
.”
“You’re a mechanic too? Another skill to add to your long list.” The corners of her mouth tugged up slightly. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Is that how you see me?” His chest swelled, and warmth spread through him.
“Hmm.” She nodded. “You farm, run a successful business that was your brilliant idea to begin with, create amazing furniture and rebuild engines. I’ve never met anybody like you. Maybe you don’t know it, but you’re pretty amazing, Ted.”
“Thanks.” If his chest expanded any more, he might pop a button or two. She’d taken notice, appreciated his abilities enough to comment, and that made him want to do a victory dance. “So, what about the truck?”
“Is it an automatic?”
“No, but I can teach you how to drive a stick shift.” Another opportunity to spend time with her. Alone.
“I’d have to look at it first, and try it out to see if I can manage the clutch.”
“I have no doubt you can manage.” They’d reached the Langfords’, and he turned into the driveway.
“It would be really nice not to have to depend on everyone else for rides.” Her eyes lit up. “I’ll think about it.”
“Take your time, and let me know what you decide. The Chevy isn’t going anywhere.” Especially not in its present disassembled state. He pulled up to the side of the house. “Don’t forget, tomorrow we’re going to the truck stop. We’ll split the bill since it was a tie. Noah, Ryan and Paige are coming, and I’ll let the crew know.” Or not. He saw no reason to include other single guys.
“I haven’t forgotten.” She opened her door. “Ted, about the dinner out with my mom, neither of us has much in the way of fancy clothing. I was thinking something kind of casual might be nice.”
“I know just the place. Have you and your mom figured out a date yet?”
“I haven’t even talked to her about it, but I will. Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime.” He watched her walk around the corner of the big house until she disappeared. He loved the way she moved. Cory had an inner strength and grace that showed in the way she carried herself, despite the trauma she’d suffered. Everything about her turned him on, and the more he came to know her, the more convinced he was that she was the woman for him.
A Change of Heart (Perfect Indiana#3) Page 13