by Leger, Lori
Nick nodded in understanding. “I get it, Dad. It’s not that big a deal.”
Sam studied his son. “That’s the thing, Nick. She is a big deal to me. I wake up looking forward to the day now. Carrie’s done that for me, and I hope you and Amanda can accept that I’m moving on with my life.”
Carrie did some serious ‘Sam pondering’ on the way home. Why did everything about the man make her want to cuddle up close to him, as though he were some big teddy bear? Common sense told her there was no way she could possibly care that much for someone she’d known for such a short time. It scared her as much now as it had last night during the dancing. Waking up in his arms this morning—what a glorious way to start the day. Her face heated when she thought of that big bed with him in it. She’d be in huge trouble unless she found a way to slow things down.
She pulled into Christie’s drive and approached the door with keys in hand. She opened the storm door and bent to retrieve a folded slip of paper someone had slipped inside the doorjamb. Carrie unfolded it and read the message written in Dave’s scrawl.
Carrie—
I only went to Kenton so I could get a good look at the man who is ruining our second chance to be a family. I stayed in this driveway until five A.M. – where the hell did YOU sleep last night?
Dave
Carrie cursed under her breath, then unlocked the door and walked inside. She’d only had time to set her purse down and kick off her shoes, when she heard the unmistakable sound of Dave’s diesel coming down the street. She slammed the door’s deadbolt home and hit the speed dial for the Gardiner PD.
Within two minutes, she heard a single siren blast and caught a flash of light from a side window. Pulling the curtain aside, she saw the police cruiser pull up right behind Dave’s truck. In the time it took Dave to saunter over to the first cruiser, Rob Ledoux had pulled up alongside.
Carrie turned from the window to face Christie, who entered the room yawning and stretching.
“What the hell’s going on in my driveway?”
“A dramatic Dave entrance. He’s a little testy from waiting for me in your driveway until five a.m.”
“How do you know that?” She read the note Carrie handed her and rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on! You divorced him. Is he insane?”
Carrie turned back to the window to see what was happening. “It’s all about putting on a good show, Chris. He doesn’t want me any more than I want him.” She clucked her tongue. “After this, everyone in town is going to know even more of my business.” She watched another few seconds before she slipped back into her shoes and hit the door, grabbing her coat and the letter on her way.
Carrie walked over to Rob and handed him the note, giving him her foulest fed-up-with-the-whole-thing look. “I don’t know what he told you, but this was in the door when I got home this morning.”
Dave gave her an accusing glare. “Where’ve you been all night, Carrie?”
She smiled sweetly. “You ought to know. You followed me to Kenton.”
Rob got in Dave’s face. “Did you follow her all the way to Kenton?”
“Hell yeah, I followed her, but I didn’t go near her. There’s no law against that. I just wanted to get a good look at that prick.”
“The divorce has been final for months.”
“In God’s eyes, we’re still married.”
“Don’t you dare spout that ‘holier than thou’ crap to me, not after everything you’ve pulled over the years with a wife and three kids waiting at home.” She lowered her lids to half-mast as she remembered the knock on Sam’s wall. “It was you outside his window last night, wasn’t it, Dave?” His silence spoke volumes. Her voice lowered to a tantalizing whisper.
“You shouldn’t have run away so fast. Sam was anxious to introduce himself to you.”
Rob interrupted. “That’s enough, you two.” He told the second officer to detain Dave while he got the full story.
Carrie shook her head as T. Hardin “assisted” Dave into the back seat of the patrol car. “Freaking lunatic.”
Rob held up the note in front of her as they walked back to Christie’s front porch. “Explain this.”
“Be glad to.” She related the events of the previous night.
Rob nodded. “I would have done the same thing if I were in Sam’s shoes. He must care about you some to go chasing you down like that.” The big man grinned at her.
“Some,” Carrie countered.
He chortled as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Good for you, girl. I hope he makes you happy.”
“A little too soon to tell.”
“Hmph, don’t know about that. I knew I loved Mona a week after we started dating. My feelings haven’t changed a bit in the twenty years we’ve been married.”
She nodded curtly in his direction. “And I’m thrilled for you, but I’m determined not to make the same mistake twice. I moved too fast when I met ‘Mr. Fidelity’ over there. I’d like to take it slow this time around.”
Rob gave her a smug smile. “Just remember, the older you get, the more ‘taking your time’ can jump up and bite you on the ass. Now, let me see what I can do with ‘Crazy Dave’, as my mother has dubbed him. You can either stay on the porch or go back inside.”
“I’m staying. I want to hear this.”
Rob headed back toward her ex and pulled him out of the car to point a finger in his face. “This is just how I wanted to spend my Christmas morning, buddy. You are not making any points with me or my family. What the hell did you think you were doing, when I’ve already warned you to stay away from her?”
Dave lifted his chin stubbornly. “It’s not against the law to drive to Kenton. I never went near her.”
“But you’re sure as hell here now, aren’t you? What if she’d come back to Gardiner last night? What would you have done then?”
Dave shook his head smoothly. “Not a damn thing. I just wanted to see him. But this tramp didn’t come home.”
Carrie bristled at his words. She walked up as far as Rob would let her go and stared Dave down. “As you well know, I was on my way back to Gardiner. Thanks to you, I ended up spending the night at his place. Turned out to be the best Christmas gift you’ve ever given me.” Her voice took on a sing song southern drawl. “Thanks ever so much, David.”
Dave sent her a contempt-filled glare. “You bitch.”
She sauntered dangerously close and lifted her chin as she addressed him. “Did you get a good look at him, Dave? Did you see the man who appreciates what you never did?”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Rob grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the porch. “Dammit, Carrie, stop goading him. You already know about his temper.”
“Goading him?” She pointed to the man in question. “I go on one date with a man months after I divorce Mr. Man Whore over there, and he’s got the nerve to call me names? I’m lucky I never got a disease from that cheating son of a bitch!” She glared in Dave’s direction.
Rob nodded. “I know, but go inside or at least stay on the porch so I can finish talking to him. I mean it, Carrie.”
Carrie stood there on the porch, mad enough to kick someone, preferably Dave, where it really hurt. She went inside for the phone, remembering she’d forgotten to call Sam, as she’d promised. He answered on the first ring. “I’m home but the cops are here talking to Dave.” She filled in the details quickly. “When I heard his truck approaching, I locked the door and called the police.”
“You did the right thing. Are they pressing charges?”
“I’m not sure what they can do. He called me a tramp for spending the night in Kenton.”
“I made you stay because of him,” Sam countered.
“I know, and Rob told me I goaded Dave afterwards, but I swear he had it coming.”
Sam groaned. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like what I’m about to hear, but tell me anyway.” He waited until she finished before commenting. “I know it must have felt good to throw that in his face, bu
t Rob was right. Is that too much to ask to just walk away for once?”
Carrie was quiet for several seconds. To anyone else, her silence may have been an indication that she’d given up the fight. Those who knew her would recognize her icy muteness as the calm before the storm. She doubted Sam had a clue.
She spoke through jaws clenched tightly enough to crush glass—the ominous undercurrent in her tone came through loud and clear. “Excuse me, but I thought I did that, Sam. He. Followed. Me. To Kenton. He banged on your house after spying on us through your window. He drove back here and sat in my sister’s driveway. He waited until five a.m.”
“Carrie, listen—”
“You listen! I played that role for too damn long. I was the good wife who sat by for years, while he screwed his way through the phone book, then accused me of things I never did to justify his actions.”
“Babe, I know tha—”
“I refuse to hide from him, and I damn sure refuse to stand here quietly while he calls me a bitch.”
“Carrie, I’m sor—”
“He’s gotten as much slack from me as he’s going to get in this lifetime. You know, Sam, if you can’t handle this side of me, then maybe you shouldn’t handle me at all. Maybe I’m not the right woman for you.”
Carrie pushed the end call button and stormed into the kitchen for a just-brewed cup of coffee. She poured as Christie stared at her in silence. The phone rang, and she turned off the ringer without answering.
“What is it with men, Christie? I swear, when God creates them he must say to himself, ‘This one will grow to be a man someday. I’d better not forget to add that insufferable jerk gene. He’ll get lots of use out of that.’”
She paced the kitchen, mumbling to herself. “Maybe it’s time to back off of this thing.”
Christie stared up from the rim of her mug. “Who are you so pissed at? Dave, Sam, or the mystery man caller?”
“Is there a choice for all of the above?” She turned to her sister, suddenly remembering she should be concerned. “Did you get any phone calls last night?”
“Nope. I slept like a full-bellied baby with a fresh diaper.”
“Great, Mr. Man must have seen my car wasn’t here. I wonder if that lunatic followed me to Kenton too.” She stormed out through the front door again, too angry to give that thought serious consideration.
Rob turned at the sound of the door opening and sent a low growl in her direction. “Oh, crap, here comes trouble.”
“Hey, jerk, did you tell your caller to follow me to Kenton too?”
“Look, Carrie, I’ve told Rob over and over that I didn’t have a damn thing to do with that. I swear I didn’t. I don’t!”
“And you wouldn’t lie about something like that, would you, especially with Rob ready to throw your butt in jail.” She spun around to face the chief. “What are you going to do about him?”
“Well, do you want to press charges for harassment?”
“Sure, maybe I’ll get to enjoy one day of my Christmas vacation without him ruining it for me.” She growled the last comment as she turned around to walk back to the house.
Dave took a step forward. “Come on, Carrie, you’d do that to me on Christmas Day?” His voice held a rare note of panic. “Have a heart.”
Carrie turned in midstride and stalked angrily up to Dave. “What about you, Dave? How about your heart?” She poked his chest angrily with her finger. “Do you even have one? How about a conscience? How do you even have the nerve to call me names after everything you’ve done to me? How can you, huh, Dave?” She shoved him back against the police cruiser with all her might. “Answer me!” Panting with fury as her heart pounded with the rush of adrenaline, she glared back at the three men who stared, open mouthed, at her.
“You know what? Just forget about it. If I press charges, I’ll have to spend another hour of my day in your office filling out paperwork, and he’s not worth it.” She turned around and stood nose to nose with Dave. “I’m just sick enough of you to do something about it on my own. Go ahead and bother me again. I dare you!” Teeth clenched, she swiveled angrily toward Christie’s porch. “Get him the hell out of my sight,” she called back, waving her hand and storming back towards the house. She turned around in time to hear Rob’s last warning, as he wagged his finger in Dave’s face.
“If you give her one more second of grief, she won’t have the choice to press charges or not. Your ass is going to jail for no less than forty-eight hours. You got that?”
Dave dropped his head. “Yeah, I got it.”
Carrie grunted in satisfaction and went back inside. She fielded Christie’s curious look. “I don’t want to discuss it right now.”
Christie nodded. “Okay then, as soon as I get Max dressed, we’re going to Mom’s.”
“I think I’ll take a leisurely soak in the tub. I just need to get back in time to see Katie before she leaves. God, I need more coffee, you want a cup?” Carrie asked.
“I’m good.” Christie struggled to get a shirt over Max’s head.
“Mo…mmy!” Max’s voice sounded muffled from under the shirt. “It’s too fit!”
Carrie laughed in spite of her previous aggravation. “It’s too fit because of that big head of yours.” She tickled her defenseless nephew, turning him into a mass of headless giggling.
Christie gave up trying to get the shirt over her son’s head and threw it off to the side. “I tell people not to buy him anything but button down shirts for gifts, but do they listen? Nooo.” She dug in Max’s closet and pulled out another shirt, this one a long sleeved button-down.
Carrie watched her sister dressing the toddler. Christie was a hard-working single mother whose husband left her for another woman a year earlier. They’d sympathized with each other plenty over the year. She lifted the blind to check if the men were still there. “You know, there’s a serious bit of beef cake out there in your driveway right now.”
Christie lifted her face curiously. “Oh, yeah?”
Carrie nodded. “I met him a few months ago. His name’s Tim Hardin, I think. You might want to go check that out. He seemed like a nice guy when I met him. He figured Dave out pretty quick.”
Christie peeked out the window and gave a low whistle of appreciation. “Where the hell did he come from? Look at that body,” she groaned. “He must do some serious working out.”
“You could always get Rob to introduce y’all. Go on out there right now.” She poured herself a cup of coffee.
Christie shook her head. “I’m not ready for that. Besides, he doesn’t look the type to be interested in a divorcee with a three year old.”
Carrie lounged on the sofa to soak in the lights of Christie’s Christmas tree. “I hate to see the Christmas season end. It sucks to see people put their trees to the curb on Christmas afternoon. I always leave mine up until New Year’s day.”
“Me too,” Christie agreed. “Later than that, if I don’t have the time to take it down.”
The two sisters got quiet for a moment and Carrie sighed. “That rental in Kenton is a steal, Chris. Nice place—the owner obviously doesn’t need the money for what he’s asking. He could easily get quadruple what he’s asking from me, even for a place the size of Kenton. I took it last night. I can move in any time.”
“You did? Sam must be thrilled. Is he going to help with the move?”
Carrie picked at her thumbnail. “I’m wondering if it’s the right thing to do now.”
Christie dropped to the couch beside her. “Talk to me, Sis.”
Carrie released an exhausted sigh and then told her about the phone conversation with Sam. “I’m probably being too hard on Sam, but I spent too many years with a controlling husband to have another man tell me what to do. And besides, if we do stay together, how do I know what this wacko caller is going to do? What if he follows me over there and hurts Sam or Nick?”
Christie pointed to the phone. “You know, Sam is probably trying to call back so he can apologize
.”
“I don’t feel like hearing it just yet.”
“So, are you moving to Kenton or not?”
Carrie dropped her head back on the couch. “I don’t know what to do, Chris; I can’t stay here, and I’d save so much money with the move. But, it all fell into place so easily. Maybe it’s not supposed to be this easy to start over.”
“Give yourself some time to think on it a little longer. The house will still be there, and the one in Gardiner won’t be vacant for another couple weeks. You have some time to figure this out.”
Carrie ran her hands through her hair, trying to rid herself of the morning’s stress. “Maybe you’re right.”
A knock on the door had her rushing to see who it was. She opened it a crack before turning to Christie. “Stud alert, Sis. Look alive.” She pulled open the door. “Hello, Officer Hardin. What can I do for you?” She stepped aside to let him in. “I don’t think you’ve met my sister. This is her place, by the way.”
The man nodded and touched the brim of his cap. “Tim Hardin, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You also, Tim. I’m Christie.”
Max entered the room at a run. “Mommy, I weady to go to Maw Maw Lains!”
Tim smiled at the child. “And who’s this little man?”
“He’s my son. Max, can you say hi to Officer Tim?”
Max seemed to study him. “He-wo, ossifuh Tim.”
Rather than laugh at Max’s speech impediment, Tim knelt before the child, his hand extended. “You know, when real men meet, they shake hands. Like this, Max. Can you give me a good, strong handshake?”