Cold Pursuit

by Susan Sleeman

  But, in fact, he was a very patient man. He couldn’t have been a top-notch Recon Marine if he didn’t possess extreme patience. And if Whitney turned him down today, he would use that patience and keep going back until he won her heart.

  Whitney rang the buzzer on what looked like the strongest, most impenetrable gate she’d ever seen. Alex hadn’t been kidding when he said the Blackwell compound was fortified. It left her a bit intimidated and raised her anxieties about a social event with all of Alex’s friends. She wasn’t the need a gate to keep people out kind of person. She was an open her arms let me help you heal kind of person. Maybe she and Alex really weren’t a good match.

  “This place is so cool,” Isaiah said from the back seat.

  She looked up in the mirror and found his eyes wide open as he gaped out the window trying to get a look ahead.

  “I’ll release the gate,” Alex’s voice came over the squawk box startling her and thrilling her at the same time. “Just pull straight ahead, and I’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Okay,” she said, sounding breathless.

  Three weeks had passed, and she was going to see the man she loved again after no communication except for the Thanksgiving invite and the invitation to this party, which technically came from Gage and his wife, Hannah.

  She drove through the opening and down a winding road until she spotted a ranch house with multicolored lights strung along the eves and a giant blow-up snowman in the front yard.

  Alex stood at the end of a sidewalk. He wore a royal blue dress shirt, black slacks, and a tweet coat. He had the collar up against the brisk ocean wind, but at least it wasn’t spitting drizzle as it had been for the entire drive from Portland.

  She stopped the SUV, and he jogged around to the passenger side. She unlocked the doors, and he climbed in.

  “Hi.” He took her hand, and his smile spread across those full lips that she’d been thinking of kissing from the moment she’d left him.

  “Hi,” she said back, feeling suddenly very shy.

  He shifted his attention to the back seat. “Hey, bud. How you doing?”

  Isaiah gave a tight little smile that he’d started using this week. “Okay.”

  Alex shifted again. “I see your sister is taking her usual car nap.”

  “Always.” Isaiah rolled his eyes but smiled.

  Whitney was thrilled with the progress he made. She couldn’t wait to hear him laugh. He wasn’t ready quite yet. But he’d been in therapy, and his psychologist said he was strong and resilient, and he would laugh again. Once he got over feeling guilty about having joy in his life.

  Alex heard a whimpering from the back of the SUV. “What’s that I hear?”

  “Um,” she said. “It’s possible I decided we needed a puppy for Christmas.”

  “Interesting.”

  “You don’t like dogs, do you? I should have waited…asked you…oh no,” she rushed on, the words just tumbling out. “…I just…well… I thought it would be good.”

  “Take a breath.” He took an exaggerated intake of air, and she followed suit. “I love dogs. I haven’t had one since I was a kid because of my military service, but I was thinking it would be a nice way to round out a family.”

  “You were?” She sighed. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

  “I’m not, but then I guess I should ask if you got one of those little yippie dogs or a man’s kind of dog. A big strapping one.” He laughed.

  She mocked outrage at his comment. “Just for that, you’re going to have to wait to see.”

  “It’s a—”

  “Shh,” she gently chastised Isaiah. “Make him wait.”

  Isaiah shared a conspiratorial look with Alex and spread his hands out to indicate the dog’s size.

  “Is this what I have to look forward to with the two of you today?” Whitney laughed. “Ganging up on me.”

  “Quite possibly.” He winked at Isaiah who cracked a tiny smile.

  Alex pointed to the right. “If you follow the road that way, we can unload your things and the puppy, then you can freshen up before the party if you want to.”

  She got the SUV going and butterflies fluttered around her stomach. She was going to see his home. The place he’d built himself, as he’d told her that each team member designed and built their own cabins. It had to be a reflection of the man, and she could hardly wait. She soon saw six cabins all designed in a different style.

  “Cool,” Isaiah said, his eyes going wide again.

  “Mine’s the first one. The A-frame.”

  She wouldn’t say anything, but she was disappointed in the outside. The others had such character and charm, and his was plain and utilitarian. So opposite of the way he presented himself. Where was the disconnect?

  She parked, and they got out to go to the back for the puppy.

  “A chocolate lab,” he exclaimed in delight. “Perfect.”

  “She’s only two months old, and she sometimes pees on the floor,” Isaiah offered. “Aunt Whitney doesn’t like that, but she says she’s learning and needs us to be patient.”

  Whitney nodded. “She should have a potty break before we go in, as she gets all excited.”

  Alex opened the kennel to get her out. “What’s her name?”

  “Cocoa,” Isaiah announced proudly.

  “Perfect name for her coloring. Rich dark cocoa.”

  Whitney nodded. “That was one of the reasons we chose her name, but Isaiah had a great idea. Vanessa loved hot chocolate. She was always drinking it. Even in the summer. Cocoa is a way for us to remember her every day.”

  “That’s a very nice way to do it.” He lifted the puppy in his arms, and she lapped his face. “Well, hello to you, too, Cocoa.”

  Whitney was jealous. Not of the licking, but of the puppy being so close to Alex and held in his arms.

  He turned to Whitney. “Would you like me to get Zoey?’

  “That would be nice.”

  As Whitney clipped the leash on Cocoa, Alex opened the door and started unbuckling Zoey’s straps. He spoke softly to her to wake her, and Whitney’s heart melted over his gentleness.

  Zoey’s eyes fluttered open, and she squealed for joy. “Awex!”

  She always woke up ready to go. No need to take a few minutes to gain her bearings. She went down as quickly, often crashing in whatever location she happened to be in. Whitney had found her sound asleep on her bedroom floor, toys scattered around her more times than not.

  “Are we here?” Her eyes were wide with wonder.

  “That you are, princess.” He smiled down on her, his fond expression warming Whitney’s heart. He was so good with the kids. Likely due to helping raise his younger sister.

  He lifted her out of the seat and went to put her down, but she circled her arms around his neck and held on. “I wuv you, Awex.”

  His mouth fell open, and he glanced at Whitney.

  Whitney smiled. “She knows a good man when she sees one.”

  Alex’s face colored, and he sputtered, trying to come up with something to say as he stepped back and closed the car door.

  Something about seeing the strong, confident man who’d rescued her from a killer, blushing due to a sweet comment from a three-year-old was really attractive, and Whitney wished they were alone.

  She took a deep breath of the salty ocean air as Cocoa sniffed around the yard. She felt at peace in the lovely setting, a feeling that had been missing since Vanessa’s death and even before that. She’d thought long and hard about her future with Alex, and if they got married, she could easily live here. Listen to her. First, he hadn’t proposed. Second, he hadn’t even hinted of marriage. And third, she hadn’t seen the inside of the small cabin. She didn’t care about décor, but with Isaiah and Zoey, Whitney needed two bathrooms. On this, she couldn’t compromise.

  Alex called to her and before long they were all inside and he was showing them to their rooms. The place was spotlessly clean and the word “utilit
arian” described it for her. Nothing personal displayed. No pictures. No sign that he’d actually lived here for four years. And no second bathroom.

  Deal breaker? She’d thought so, but when she looked up into his eyes, she knew she would settle for only having an outhouse to be with him.

  The kids lost interest in the tour and started chasing Cocoa around the main room. At least there weren’t any pricey or precious décor pieces to break. She caught sight of the clock on the wall, and a moment of panic settled in.

  “We only have thirty minutes to get ready,” she said. “We need to get hopping.”

  “We can be late,” Alex said. “It’s not a formal event.”

  “Still, I don’t want to make a bad impression.”

  “So what can I do to help?”

  “Get Isaiah into his outfit, and I’ll get Zoey dressed. And if it’s not too much, keep an eye on Zoey while I get changed.”

  “You got it.” He turned to Isaiah. “Hey, bud, grab your bag, and let’s go to your room to change.”

  Isaiah frowned and looked like he might protest, but that compliant spirit was still with him, and he picked up his bag.

  She corralled Cocoa and put her in her crate, then scooped Zoey up and snuggled her neck. “Time for your pretty dress, princess.”

  Zoey clapped her chubby hands. She loved dressing up in frilly-skirted dresses and wearing her little white ballet-style shoes. And Whitney loved buying them. Always had.

  The memory of picking out and giving the first baby dress to Vanessa as a present slammed into her from out of nowhere and stole her breath. Tears immediately wet her eyes and quickly rolled down her cheeks.

  Oh, Vanessa. Sweetie. I miss you so much. I want you here. To see your precious babies growing up. To see who they’ll become. I’ll do my best for them. I promise. Always. Always. And I think Alex would be a wonderful father for them. I know you would like him.

  She concentrated on the joy Zoey would feel in her dress and swiped away the tears. She refused to go to the party looking upset. She would have her cry over this later. When she went to bed and was alone.

  In the bedroom, she wrestled three-year-old wiggly legs into a pair of white tights then slipped the dress’s white-sequined bodice and pink tulle skirt over the little blond head and got it settled and zipped. Next, she combed Zoey’s unruly curls and added a sparkly headband.

  “Want to see in mirror.”

  Whitney accompanied her to the bathroom and held her up to see.

  “I’m pretty. Like Mommy.”

  “Yes, princess. You are pretty and look just like your mommy.” Tears started again.

  “I want to go see Mommy.”

  “I know you do. But remember she’s in heaven with God, and we can’t visit her there.”

  She turned to look at Whitney. “Need to go potty.”

  “Right.” Whitney nearly laughed as she’d expected to have to handle the child’s sadness over losing her mother. “I should have thought of that before getting you all ready.”

  She started dancing. “Now. Go now.”

  Whitney whisked her down to the bathroom, and she just made it in time. As Whitney waited, she caught sight of her frazzled hair in the mirror. The ocean humidity was bringing out her frizz, and she looked a mess when she wanted to look so nice for Alex. Tears threatened again.

  Seriously. When did she get this weepy?

  “Done,” Zoey announced.

  Whitney put her tights back into place, pulled the dress down, got her hands washed, and gladly opened the bathroom door to send her out to Alex.

  “I thought I was going to watch Zoey, but I get a princess instead.” He smiled so sweetly at her that Whitney didn’t think her heart could be any fuller. “Isaiah helped me find some books. Do you want me to read until it’s time to go?”

  She nodded solemnly. “But you can’t mess up my dress.”

  “I’ll be very careful. I promise.”

  “You too, Isaiah.”

  “I got it.” He tugged on the collar of his shirt. He didn’t like getting dressed up nearly half as much as Zoey did.

  Whitney looked at the clock. “Ten minutes. Yikes.”

  She bolted for the bedroom and closed the door. She went straight to the bathroom and refreshed her makeup, brushed her teeth, and ironed her frizzy hair into soft curls. Then grabbed her dress from the garment bag and had to smile.

  She’d splurged on a backless golden embroidery halter bodice dress with a flared skirt in a shimmery blue-black color and paired it with strappy black sandals. She’d never spent so much money on a cocktail dress before, and she likely never would again. But tonight was special. Alex was special and worth every dollar she paid to look nice for him.

  She stood before the mirror and slipped diamond studs into her ears, a gift from her parents at high school graduation, added coral lipstick, and decided she looked ravishing. But it didn’t matter how she thought she looked. There was a certain someone in the other room whose opinion she cared about more.

  She turned off the lights and entered the room. She forgot all about her dress, which was foolishness anyway. The important things were right in front of her. Sitting on the couch in front of fireplace, the gas logs burning.

  A man and two children. Her future. One she couldn’t have imagined just a month ago, but one that she hoped would be a promise before the night was out.

  Alex looked over his shoulder. Then back at the book, but suddenly did a double take, and his mouth fell open. “You…wow. I mean…wow.”

  He put Zoey down. Got up. Locked eyes with her. Crossed the room. Took her hand and twirled her, her skirt flaring out.

  “You look amazing.” He smiled and took her other hand. “Maybe we could just send the kids to the party and stay here.”

  She laughed. “I’ll have you know my dress cost way too much not to be seen by at least a dozen other people.”

  “Then your chariot awaits, my princess.”

  “But I’m your princess.” Zoey pouted.

  “Can’t I have two princesses?’

  “As long as you like me best.”

  Alex threw back his head and laughed, warming Whitney’s heart. She couldn’t hold back and had to laugh, too.

  “Spoken like a true princess.” Isaiah said and shook his head. “C’mon, Zo-Zo. I’ll put you in your car seat. I’m hungry.”

  He got her into her jacket and shooed her out the door.

  Alex grabbed Whitney’s coat and held it out for her. When she slipped into it, he planted a kiss at the base of her neck before sliding her coat the rest of the way on.

  She turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

  “Does that have you wishing you agreed to stay home with me?” he whispered.

  “Maybe,” she replied, flirting outrageously and loving every second of it.

  He circled his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I have so much to talk to you about. To tell you. To ask you. Promise you’ll save some time tonight at the party for just me.”

  Her skin tingled from the kiss, and her mind tingled from thoughts of their future. “Of course.”

  “And now, I apologize in advance, but you’re going to have to redo your lipstick.” His mouth crashed down on hers, and he kissed her with abandon. Her heart soared and beat hard. Either he wanted to move forward in their relationship or this was the most amazing goodbye kiss ever.

  She had to believe the first. Wanted to believe it so badly. And would.

  He suddenly lifted his head. Breathing hard, he looked at her.

  The kiss had been everything she knew it would be, and she stared openmouthed at him.

  He tipped her chin up with his index finger. “You have precisely three minutes to recover from that kiss. I know I won’t be able to do it, but maybe you can.”

  Grinning, he opened the door.

  She grabbed her tote bag she’d left by the front door.

  Alex peeked inside it. “Gifts?”<
br />
  “For your team. I wanted to thank all of you with a little something.”

  His expression was soft, and he touched her cheek. “You really are an incredible person, Whitney. I’m honored to know you.”

  Embarrassed, she waved away his compliment and dug out the small box she’d wrapped in shiny red foil, the lid separate, so he could open the box with ease. “I have so many more thank yous for you, but I wanted you to have one of these, too.”

  He took the box and lifted the top. She’d commissioned a bronze coin that had their team logo and name on one side and a Bible verse from Ephesians on the back. He stared silently at the coin as if she’d given him something priceless.

  “There’s more on the back,” she said.

  He turned it over and read the verse out loud. “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against evil. Ephesians 6: 10-11.” He ran his finger over the coin then looked up, love burning in his eyes.

  “I’ve never received any gift that means more to me. You captured the spirit of our team and our work, and I’ll carry it with me. I know the others will, too.” He took it from the box and pocketed it.

  “Are you guys coming?” Isaiah whined from the doorway.

  Whitney didn’t appreciate the interruption, but she did appreciate hearing Isaiah whine like a normal nine-year-old—if there was such a thing. “You got it, bud.”

  Alex escorted her to the car. His hand on the small of her back left her emotions rocking, and when they pulled up to the house she was still savoring the kiss and thinking about how soon they could be alone together for another one.

  She took a long cleansing breath and got out. Lights burned from inside Gage’s house and the Christmas lights on the eves were twinkling. As were the stars above in the cold clear night. A magical night all around.

  Alex swung Zoey up in his arms, and Whitney walked with Isaiah up the walk to ring the doorbell. She had to look at Alex to see if she could catch even a glimpse of what he was thinking. She met his gaze and held it. The burning in her stomach that only he could fire off started, and she couldn’t stand it. She raised up on tiptoes and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.