by Bess George
For some crazy reason being in her cozy home made her skin itch. After Bode had left on Saturday, she noticed small things. Her journal lay on the bed, along with her nightgown. The usual place where she kept it was in a drawer of the nightstand. She could have forgotten to put it away in the excitement of going back to work. Maybe.
She called a cab since her car was still in the lot by the office. The short ride to the community center gave her a chance to reflect on what her options were.
Each time Bode crossed her mind, she berated herself for thinking she had a soft spot for such a jerk. How dare he call her stupid? Fury rolled through her like a tidal wave. Good. Anger would help her focus and not dwell on the fact she was unemployed again.
Ann’s face registered surprise when Kelsey entered her office. “What’re you doing here? You should be at home resting.”
She flopped down in the chair across from her friend. “I don’t need rest. I need a job. You know everyone around here. Do you know anyone that’s hiring?”
“No, but I can ask around.” Ann paused. “Anything I hear about isn’t going to be attorney type work. Did you ask David? He could help you better than I can.”
The window next to Ann’s desk overlooked the playground. A matronly woman watched over several toddlers climbing in and over the plastic equipment. A little girl around the age of three fell, and her small mouth scrunched up before she erupted into tears. A pang of wistfulness washed over Kelsey so hard it stunned her.
“I don’t think I want to work in an office, at least not for a while.”
“Okay. Until you find something, there’s an opening in one of the programs where you’d be perfect. Parents send their children here after school, so they’re not home alone. We give them a snack, help them with their homework and provide some physical activity. Are you interested?”
Excited at the prospect a wide grin covered her face. “Can I start now?”
Kelsey spent the day doing paperwork and getting settled. By the time the first kids arrived, her nerves were stretched tight with doubts. What if they don’t like me? What if I have a freak out here at the center? After being introduced to the children, she got everyone settled, and working on various stages of homework. Keeping one eye on them, she prepared a light snack to hand out.
As she sat with each child, laughing and teasing, serenity soothed her soul. Mia, an adorable first grader, was the only one who held back. Shy and quiet, she wouldn’t meet Kelsey’s eyes.
Suffering from extreme bashfulness as a little girl, Kelsey knew how hard it was for new people to enter your world. So, without being pushy, she tried time and again to win her over with a gentle word or kind smile. The little girl was a tough nut to crack.
A soft knock tapped on the door, and Bode entered the room. He was big. Much too big for such a small room. She watched the kids for any sign of them being nervous or intimidated. They’d formed a semi-circle in front of him and were busy high-fiving him.
Her mouth opened in astonishment when Mia scampered straight to Bode, and he scooped her up. For the first time that day the girl wore a radiant smile. He tickled her and Mia’s laughter tinkled like little bells.
A stab of unwarranted jealousy had her trying not to scowl. She bent over to retrieve several pencils and when she lifted up he was right in front of her.
His eyebrows were raised inquiringly. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Mia still rode on his hip so she schooled her features into a pleasant smile. At least she hoped it was a smile. The little girl’s nervous eyes darted back and forth between them.
Kelsey lifted her chin with a cool stare. “Do you think I can’t?”
“Whoa there, sister, I’m just checking on you. If you want to work, work.” He strolled back toward the door. He set Mia down, said his good-byes and left without a glance back.
She forced herself to ignore the childish urge to stick her tongue out at the door. All the man had to do was be in the same vicinity to get her dander up.
Everyone sat back down to finish their homework. When she stooped down to Mia this time, the girl gave her a hesitant smile.
At four, she helped them put away their books, and they all went outside. It surprised her to see Bode playing basketball with some teens. Her stomach fluttered at the sight of him. She hadn’t taken a good look at him earlier. There were fatigue lines around his mouth like he hadn’t gotten much sleep last night.
The kids began a game of freeze tag, and her sides soon hurt from laughing. She plopped down on the grass next to Mia as the others broke into small groups. A shadow fell over her right before Bode’s large frame dropped down beside her.
“I didn’t ask earlier but did you ever find the driver of the car?” She tried to sound neutral and unaffected.
“No. We can’t do much more, but if we find any new information, I’ll let you know.”
Tilting her head to the side, she studied him. “What are you doing here, anyway? Don’t you have some detectin’ to do?”
He chuckled. “I teach a self-defense class here at the center on Monday nights. When I can, I get here early and hang out.”
Mia eased her way closer until she sat in Kelsey’s lap. The warmth of the small body was comforting. The girl slid one little hand into her larger one.
“The kids seem to like you. You’re good with them.”
Kelsey started at Bode’s statement. Some of the boys were horsing around, and she smiled at their antics. “I love children. I guess I forgot how much until now.” She blinked several times before continuing. “I was so caught up in trying to save the world, I guess I lost track of the things that are important to me.”
“It’s never too late to figure things out.”
They sat and stared at one another. Mia getting out of her lap to go play broke their eye contact for the moment.
Kelsey glanced back at him, an expectant look on her face. “Huh. Not going to say you’re sorry for Saturday, are you?” she asked with an impish grin.
He sighed and bowed his chin to his chest. “I’m sorry I said you were acting stupid. I didn’t think you should be alone at your apartment, but I shouldn’t have used those words.”
She arched one eyebrow at him but remained silent.
“Don’t you want to apologize to me for something?” His body leaned toward her.
“I can’t imagine why I would need to. You were the one being a jerk.”
He snorted. “You might start by apologizing for not answering my numerous phone calls. You let me worry about you the rest of the weekend.”
It was hard for a man like Bode to concede when wrong. And maybe it had been sort of her fault too.
She rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t tend to react very nice when people try to push me around. It’s a childhood thing, I guess.”
With a shiver of vivid recollection, she recalled memories of her youth. Her father had been a big man with large hams for fists. He criticized everything her mother did. Nothing ever seemed to be good enough for him. Every minute of every day had to be choreographed by him or it would send him into a rage. Kelsey had vowed never to live under anyone’s thumb.
His warm eyes gazed at her with understanding. “I’ll be sure to remember that next time and make it more of a request.”
Her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She frowned at the unknown number on her caller ID. “Hello?”
“Kelsey, it’s Joe, Joe Graham? From the gym?”
She sat in silence until his words registered. “Hey, I’m so glad you called. I got your flowers, but I didn’t know how to contact you. They’re beautiful.” A quick peek at the Bode made her want to smile. Both sides of his mouth tilted down in a frown, his annoyance evident.
“I phoned the hospital, but you’d already left. S
o you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. A little sore around the edges, but all in all, I’m in pretty good shape.” She twisted her body around and put her back to Bode for privacy.
“How are you doing?” Her voice lowered. “The last time we talked you seemed a little down in the dumps.”
He gave a small laugh. “Some days are better than others, kiddo. Hey, when will you be back to the gym?”
“Oh, I forgot. I’m not at the hotel anymore so I won’t be seeing you there.”
“How about meeting for coffee on your way to the office then?”
“That job isn’t going to work out for me. I’m working at the community center now. If you’re ever in this neighborhood, maybe we can get together.”
“Sure, that sounds great. I’ll call you in a day or so. Take care.”
The phone disconnected and she spun back around. Bode sat watching her, not even bothering to hide the fact he’d been eavesdropping.
“Are you going to sit there and listen to my personal conversations? What are you, twelve?” she hissed at him.
He jumped to his feet and jammed his hands into his pocket. “I didn’t realize you were already seeing someone.”
She gaped up at him. “I’m not seeing him. We’re going to get coffee, not have a secret rendezvous.”
His eyes narrowed. “Trust me, this guy is interested. Where are you meeting?”
The bold demand rendered her speechless. She got to her feet and planted her hands on her hips. His cell phone rang, and he answered before she could make her annoyance known. He turned his back on her to talk and her blood pressure soared.
She inhaled a deep breath and blew the whistle she’d been assigned to catch the kid’s attention. A childish feeling of satisfaction surged through her when he placed one finger in his ear to help hear on the phone. A better person wouldn’t have blown it a second time. Too bad for him, she wasn’t a better person.
Ignoring the evil eye he gave her, she gathered everyone and hustled them back inside.
Chapter 13
Kelsey spent the next few weeks concentrating on work and learning new ways to manage her panic. After the shooting, she’d tried meeting with a psychiatrist. From growing up in foster care to prosecuting the worst kind of criminals, she believed she could handle anything.
The appointments focused on her traumatic childhood, and she’d grown impatient, thinking they were wasting time. Maybe she should call the doctor and apologize because she now understood the importance of going back to the beginning.
Recovery was a process, but it helped to be surrounded by others experiencing some of what she was going through. At least she was confident that she was on the right path. The one female in the group, the fierce war veterans had rallied around her. She’d found a home. They shared their stories and tears and became more like brothers than strangers.
At the end of her work day, she alternated her time between therapy and getting back into shape. Her life was full and rewarding, and she gave thanks every day for the people in her life.
She wasn’t an avid outdoors woman, but she enjoyed beautiful scenery and planned to spend all day Saturday at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The gardens took hours to wander through. Each sight was more spectacular than the last, and she stopped every few feet to read about the various plants.
Sundial Bridge allowed her to cross over to the south side of the park. The sun blazed, and the warmth made her drowsy. Several families still milled around, but the largest crowd of tourists had dwindled to a dozen or so people.
Out of nowhere, the sensation of a thousand ants marching on the back of her neck caused her to pause. A finger of tension slid between her shoulder blades. An instinctive habit, she scanned the area. As far as she could tell, there was nothing but small children and their parents enjoying a pleasant day. Several park employees were interacting with the younger kids.
Movement in her peripheral vision made her glance to the right. Otis Warren stood a couple of feet away staring at her. Her nostrils flared as anger replaced fear. No. I’m doing better. I don’t want you to be here. She stepped forward and gripped his worn sweatshirt. Leave me alone. Wait.
“Oh. My. God. You’re real.” She backed away so fast she lost her balance and landed on her bottom. The thin man shuffled toward her.
“I just want to talk to you.” He extended one hand as if to help her.
“Don’t touch me,” she shrieked. Using her legs she scooted farther away.
People stared at the commotion, and an older man squatted down next to her, blocking her vision.
“Miss, are you all right?”
On the verge of a meltdown, she bobbed her head. The man winced when she squeezed his hand. “Did you see him?”
The man next to her moved, and she followed his gaze. The outline of a man ducked behind the nearest building. She fumbled to her hands and knees. One of the employees had now joined them, and he helped her stand. She pulled free then stumbled, determined to catch the man. He was real—
She reached the corner and raced around to the side. Where it was empty. One of the tour guides came through a hidden gate in the fence. As the pimply teen passed by she gripped his arm.
“Did you just pass anyone?” she demanded, harsher than she’d intended.
“Uh, no ma’am.” The kid’s eyes were wide with apprehension and he tugged to free his arm.
She forced herself to loosen her tight grip, and he hustled out of the alley. The park employee who’d helped her before stood a few feet away watching her. Without the rush of adrenaline flowing through her, she deflated against the wall taking deep breaths.
“Ma’am, do you want me to call someone for you?”
Laughing, she shook her head. “I’m okay. You can’t believe how good I am right at this moment.” She paused. “Because you did see him, right? The man in the green sweatshirt?”
“Yes ma’am, I saw him.”
At their last meeting, Riley had discussed the feelings of paranoia plaguing some of them. She refused to participate in the conversation, afraid if she admitted it out loud it would be true. Questions whirled through her mind. Who was he? What did he want with her? Who cares, he was real.
Refusing to remain any longer, she hurried to her car on rubbery legs. Butterflies raced in her stomach. She rocked back and forth humming, trying to calm down. Waiting just long enough for her hands to steady, she drove out of the lot. This realization was huge. A live person she could deal with.
Too anxious to return to an empty apartment, she searched for some place to stop. The need to be surrounded by people right now filled her. A nice, safe public restaurant would do well.
She was suddenly starving and drove until she located the perfect place. When was the last time she’d been hungry? After she had found a spot to park, she entered the bustling restaurant. The central seating area had a waiting line, so she inquired if she could eat dinner in the bar.
The bartender was in the process of wiping down the counter when she passed through the doorway. His apparent interest flattered her, and she gave him a wide smile.
“Hey, lovely lady. What can I get for you?”
She read his name tag. “Well, Jake I’d like a glass of chardonnay and a menu, please.” He left to pour her drink order, and she sat back to peer around. Local memorabilia covered the rough lumber walls. She loved this place. He returned with her wine along with the menu.
“I’m at a disadvantage here. You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
Jake’s handsome grin made her do a double take. He was one good looking kid. Kid? When did the bartenders get so young? Her own thirty years of age hadn’t felt young in a very long time.
She sighed, trying to remember the last time she’d ventured out to a restauran
t on her own. Proud of the changes in her life, happiness welled up her throat and threatened to spill out. Sitting up a little straighter, she held her hand over the bar.
“Kelsey Brackston. It’s nice to meet you, Jake.”
He met the smile and shook the hand that she offered. “Are you new around here? I would remember if you’d been here before.”
“I’m sort of new. I moved a few weeks ago, but this is my first time to be in here.”
“Well, I’ll keep on my toes, to make sure you want to come back.”
She couldn’t help but laugh when he gave her a saucy wink before waiting on another customer. The food selection was limited, but they offered several items listed as healthy fare. Jake returned, and she put the menu down.
“I think I’m going to try fish tacos with sweet potato fries.”
“Good choice. The fish comes in every day, so it’s fresh from the river. I’ll get this turned in for you.” He left for the kitchen.
She sipped her wine as images of a pushy cop flashed into her mind. All week she’d done her best to avoid thinking about him. He hadn’t sought her out since their last argument. It didn’t bother her. Really. She would phone him later and tell him about the man at the park. It would be a professional call, of course.