by Terri Reed
“So after college…what?” he asked, needing to change the subject. He hadn’t divulged information about his childhood to her the first time around and he had no intention of doing so now.
“I’m a photographer and I love it.” She shifted toward him, her face animated in the moon’s glow. “I was fourteen when Grams gave me my first camera. I never went anywhere without that little Nikon.”
“I remember.” She’d carried the thing with her all the time. He hadn’t given it much thought then.
“Drove my family crazy because I was always snapping off shots.” She looked out the front window. “Every summer my parents sent me away to Camp Greenleaf. The only thing that made camp bearable every year was my camera and Meg McClain.”
“That’s how you two met?”
“Yep. She liked going there.”
“And you didn’t like camp.”
She plucked at a wayward strand of hair. “Not really. I wasn’t used to the rustic life, which earned me a lot of teasing.”
“I can imagine,” he murmured, thinking back to the days they’d spent together. She’d liked restaurants and the ballet. He’d preferred sidewalk vendors and baseball games.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged. “You’re a Worthington. Used to the good things in life.”
She sighed. “We’re back to that old argument?”
“No,” he stated firmly. He didn’t want to rehash the past. “I saw the picture in the paper of the new hospital wing named after your family. Nice.”
“Yeah, nice.”
The derision in her voice made him curious. “You don’t like hospitals?”
“I don’t like my family putting their name on a building. It’s too…”
“Pretentious?” he teased, expecting to ruffle her defensive feathers.
“Exactly.”
Interesting. This was a different side to the woman he’d known. He pulled up alongside her car. “You’ve changed.”
She titled her head, her hand on the knob. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
She laughed and stepped out. When she opened the door to her car, he called out, “I’ll follow you. Make sure you get home safely.”
“No need. I’ll be fine,” she said before slipping inside.
True to his word, Gabe followed her.
Kris thought that was sweet, really sweet. Her senses still struggled to accept how she’d reacted to his near-kiss earlier. One second they were following Frank and the next—wham. Gabe had been so close, she could breathe in his aftershave, could see the darkening stubble where his beard would grow in and his strong mouth drew her like a beacon on a stormy night.
And being held that close felt so…right.
Even more so than before. At age twenty, she’d been in awe of Gabe. He was older, handsome and the opposite of everything her parents expected for her.
In retrospect, his “unsuitability” had been part of Gabe’s appeal. He’d been exciting, dangerous and forbidden. And for three glorious months that summer, she’d felt alive.
Until her parents demanded to meet him.
Then everything fell apart and Gabe had walked away, taking her heart with him.
She’d nursed her wounds while she finished her education and then finally decided she had to get over Gabe. She’d dated several attractive, appropriate men and had even become engaged to a nice man whom her parents approved of.
But she’d broken it off because even thinking about spending the rest of her life with Tom Roberts had given her anxiety attacks. Tom had liked her family’s prestige and power too much and he hadn’t wanted Kris to continue with her photography once they were married.
She knew then that she was done looking for Mr. Right. God was going to have to bring the right man to her.
She parked in her usual spot and got out, just as Gabe halted beside her and rolled down his window.
“This is where you live?” His dubious expression was priceless.
With a sweeping gesture at the two-story warehouse converted to loft apartments, she said, “Home sweet home.”
“I’d have expected you to live in Beacon Hill near your parents.”
She gave him a tight smile. “This is what I can afford and it’s a safe neighborhood.”
He leaned an elbow on the window ledge. “What? Mommy and Daddy don’t pay?”
Anger swept through her. This was exactly why she went by Kris Worth for her professional work, because people like Gabe expected her to live off her parents. “No. They don’t. Everything I need is close at hand. I have easy access to downtown and the park is within walking distance. And I have lots of space for my business. The other residents are a good group of people. We’re very close-knit.”
“Interesting,” he commented with a bemused half smile.
Uncomfortable with the focus on her, she asked, “What are you going to do about Frank? And Carl and Lena?”
He shrugged. “Nothing tonight. I’ll look into the situation more tomorrow.”
At least he wasn’t blowing her off. “Good. Let me know what you find,” she said and hurried inside.
Before turning on her lights, she went to the front window of her living area. Gabe sat in his car, his gaze trained on the building. Probably waiting to see which floor was hers. If she didn’t turn on the light, would he come charging up to see if she was okay? The thought intrigued her and made her heart pound. What would she do if he did?
She reached over to the table lamp and flipped on the light.
Gabe drove away. Yep, he’d been waiting to make sure she got into her apartment safely. A pleased rush filled her. It was kind of nice having him worry about her like that. Of course, he was just doing his job, she reminded herself. Protecting people was what he did for a living. She was just one of those people.
She took her camera to the back half of the apartment, which had been converted to a photography studio. She’d had walls removed, the floor redone with hardwood and had lighting equipment mounted in strategic places. The remodel had used her entire savings, but the space worked well. And she loved her life here.
In one corner was her processing station. Gabe may not think there was anything more they could do tonight, but Kris knew otherwise. She hooked up the camera to the desktop computer and downloaded the pictures she’d taken.
Within a few minutes she was viewing the shots of Frank and the mysterious man in the alley. She had a clear shot of Frank handing an envelope to the man. Another of the man sliding the contents into his hand. She zoomed the picture in.
“Gotcha!” she stated to the photo. With satisfaction and anticipation, she grabbed the phone and called BPD and asked for Gabe, figuring he’d be back at his desk by now.
She was told he was off duty. So he’d been investigating on his own time. She liked that. She insisted the desk sergeant get a message to him as soon as possible. He couldn’t promise her anything.
Deciding she’d have to wait until morning to further the investigation, she readied herself for bed. Her sleeping area was cordoned off by a sliding divider. A four-poster bed, brought from her parent’s home, sat in the center of the room. A small vanity and chair sat beside the window that overlooked the courtyard behind the building. A flowered love seat with a fat tabby cat curled on a cushion took up the rest of the wall space. Just as Kris was crawling beneath the down comforter, the phone rang.
“Yes?”
“Kristina, it’s Gabe. I got a message you called. What’s wrong?”
Kris smiled at the concern in his voice. “Nothing’s wrong. But I have something to show you. Can I e-mail some pictures?”
“Can it wait until morning?”
Anxious to show him her find, she hesitated. “I suppose. It’s just you said we needed proof that Frank was doing something illegal before you would question him, right?”
“Right,” he replied cautiously.
“Well
, I think I have the proof you need.”
“Kristina, listen to me. Don’t do anything or say anything about this until I get there in the morning.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You want to come here?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” A thrill of anticipation skipped over her skin. “First thing?”
“First thing. And, Kristina?”
“Yes?”
“Make sure you lock your doors.”
“I always do,” she answered before hanging up. But just to be sure, she double-checked. Sure enough, locked.
Back at her bed, she snuggled beneath the covers, convinced that tomorrow she’d be able to put Gram’s mind to rest.
Hopefully, with Gabe’s help.
THREE
The next morning, Gabe pulled his wool sport coat shut against the brisk air as he left his car and walked to Kristina’s apartment building. He still couldn’t believe she lived here.
He pushed the buzzer next to K. Worth. A moment later the door unlocked and he went inside. The large entryway was sparkling clean. The tiled floor shone with polish and the silver row of mailboxes looked brand-new. So much for slumming.
An elevator took him to the second floor. Kristina’s apartment was at the far end. A large wreath sporting a red bow hung around the peep hole. He knocked on the steel door.
The door slid open. She stood there with a smile on her face. “Hi.”
“Good morning,” he managed to say past the tightness in his throat.
He shouldn’t feel this pleased to see her. This was police business, not a social call. Yet he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He really should have just had her e-mail the pictures, but he’d been curious. He wanted to know more about the woman she’d become.
Her faded jeans rode low on her hips. A bright coral, formfitting, long-sleeved sweater accentuated her curves. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a strange-looking rope with multicolored beads hanging down at the end. Mascara darkened her lashes and her lips were glossy. Inviting. His mouth went dry as memories of last night’s escapade stormed through his mind. He should have kissed her and not worried about the consequences.
“Come in,” she said with a sweep of her hand.
Forcing himself to focus, he stepped into her apartment and realized he’d misjudged her. He’d expected a contemporary setting with high-end furniture and expensive decorations. His gaze cataloged the interior. The walled-in, small living room looked cozy with well-worn leather seating and a scarred coffee table strewn with photography magazines. In the corner stood a small Christmas tree, the lights twinkling.
A beautifully carved, yet beat-up armoire sat against one wall. Its opened doors revealed an older television, a stereo and lots of books. To his right was a small eating area and an even smaller kitchen. And he assumed the closed, sliding partition led to her bedroom and bath.
“This way.” Kristina walked toward a curtain, which she pushed aside and motioned him through.
The enormity of the loft-style photography studio surprised him. A large bay window dominated the far wall. Light stands and a stack of props took up one corner. A changing area and a workstation occupied the other two corners. The middle was open and a tripod with a camera sat at the ready.
Large photographs in minimalistic frames were stacked in a corner.
“Great space,” he commented. He walked over to the framed pictures. The one face-out was of what looked like an African village.
“Thank you. It took me a while to get it the way I wanted.”
“You did a good job.” He motioned to the photos. “Did you take these?”
She nodded, her expression a bit apprehensive, as if his opinion mattered.
Flustered by that thought, he flipped through the stack of images. More of Africa, others looked to be in an Eastern European setting, while a few were definitely South American. All third-world communities. Impressed by both the pictures and the fact that she’d gone to these places, he said, “These are great.”
“Thank you.”
Her pleased smile zinged through him, creating a wave of unexpected yearning that tightened his chest. He moved away from the photos and back to business. “So, what did you have to show me?”
Her eyes gleamed with excitement. She rushed to the workstation and picked up several pictures. “Check these out.”
Gabe studied the images. The first two were of Frank as he walked away from the camera toward the dark alleyway. The second showed the man in the shadows, his face unfortunately obscured by darkness. The third showed Frank handing over the envelope. The fourth was of the man emptying the contents into his hand. And the fifth was a zoomed-in shot of a dozen pills in various shapes and sizes.
Gabe raised an eyebrow. “Looks like Frank’s into drug trafficking.”
“See, I knew there was something off about him,” she gloated, looking quite delighted with herself.
Gabe liked her enthusiasm but he couldn’t let her think she’d done a good thing. The thought of her getting hurt made his shoulder muscles tighten. “Yes, you were right. But you took a risk.”
The enthusiastic light faded from her blue eyes. “Didn’t we have this discussion already?”
“Never hurts to reiterate. Besides, this doesn’t mean he had anything to do with Carl and Lena. We still haven’t established anything has happened to them.”
“When will you?”
“Soon.” He hoped. Then he could stop torturing himself with her company.
He moved toward the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Christopher Columbus Park. The fountain shot water in the air and a woman with a dog jogged along the winding paved path. Beyond the park, the blue water of the Atlantic sparkled in the winter sunlight. Sails ruffled in the morning breeze. Die-hard sailors in this cold weather. He shivered.
Kristina halted beside him. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Very.” So was she.
“On summer evenings I can watch the performance artists,” she stated softly. She turned her gaze on him.
Gabe found himself staring into eyes darker than the ocean and alive with intelligence. She regarded him frankly, with no guile or coyness.
So unlike the woman she’d been.
He could like this new person. He didn’t want to. He couldn’t risk that kind of pain again. “I should go.”
She nodded slightly, opened her mouth as if to speak but then seemed to think better of it.
“What?” he asked.
“Would you mind if I took your picture?” she asked.
A dry laughed escaped him. “I don’t know…”
She moved to her camera and detached it from the tripod. “You don’t have to do anything. Just be.”
“Just be?” How did one “just be”?
She held the camera to her eye, the round dark lens trained on him. The soft snap of the shutter was the only sound as she moved around him. He wasn’t sure if he should move or stay still, so he just stood there trying not to tense. She angled the camera and clicked away. He wondered what she saw worth photographing.
“Do you like ice cream?” she asked.
He arched an eyebrow. “Yes. Doesn’t everyone?”
The click of the camera echoed in the loft. “What kind?”
“Chocolate.”
She lowered the camera. “Just plain old chocolate?”
He shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Okay. What are you doing tonight?”
“Tonight?” An unexpected rush of anticipation arced through him.
“I plan to take Grams for ice cream. I think she’d like to meet you. Considering.”
She wanted him to hear her grandmother’s story about people missing from the retirement center. “I don’t think that’s a good idea considering the last time I met your family.”
She frowned. “This is my grandmother. Not my parents. I think it’s important for you to meet her and see for yourself that she’s not some loony person.”
�
�I don’t know.” Social events with the Worthingtons weren’t high on his list of repeat experiences. The last time he’d met Kristina’s family, they’d made their feelings about his unsuitableness loud and clear. But this wasn’t her parents, just one elderly woman. And it was his job.
“Please,” she said, her blue eyes direct and earnest.
What happened to the haughty woman who’d interrupted his life yesterday? Kristina was a puzzle, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to solve. But he’d gone this far, and who knew what other kinds of trouble Grams and Kristina would get in. “Okay.”
She beamed. “Great. Meet us here about seven?”
“That’s fine,” he agreed as he walked toward the curtain.
Kristina followed him to the door. “Thank you for taking care of this,” she said, indicating the pictures in his hands.
“Not a problem. Promise me you won’t do any more amateur sleuthing.”
She grinned. “I don’t make promises I’m not sure I can keep.”
He groaned. “Just stay out of trouble, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
Her words weren’t convincing. Gabe had a feeling that trouble and Kristina would be meeting again. And he could only hope he’d be there to protect her.
Kris had picked up Sadie early in the evening and brought her back to the loft, where they waited for Gabe. She still couldn’t believe she’d invited him for ice cream. And was even more surprised that he’d said yes.
Why would he say yes?
She doubted he harbored any residual feelings from their short time together that summer many years ago.
But what a summer. She’d thought she owned the world when she’d met Gabe. He had just started working for the Boston Police Department. He’d been to-die-for in his uniform. She hadn’t stood a chance. Of course now she realized how foolish she’d been to think they could have a future together. He’d taken one look at her family and bolted in the other direction, leaving her heart in tatters.
She’d seen him once since then. At Meg’s wedding last year. Gabe looked even more dashing in his navy pinstriped suit and tie than in his uniform. Kris had left as soon as she politely could to avoid having to talk with Gabe.