Her brain wasn’t working right and if she let the words inside wanting out, she’d definitely be losing that last trace of civility. Natalie felt her last bit of sanity begin to slip when Tre opened the large bag and pulled out the thermos, uncapping the lid to let the scent free.
“Coffee? Would that help?” He let his gaze continue over the very big baseball jersey. It was a few seasons old, the neck stretched out a bit and sliding down one shoulder and stopped in the middle of her thighs, the edges having lost their hem and a stray string dangling now and then when she turned in her pacing.
She watched the smile on his face, gaping at him when he walked casually over to her table and began setting things out from the inside. He moved around her little kitchen like he knew it first hand and brought out plates, silver and a large mug. He filled the mug and carried it to her, lifting one of her hands and wrapping it around the cup.
“Fresh. Mrs. Yang can’t live without the stuff.”
Once the cup was safely in both her hands she raised it and took in a long slow breath, her eyes closing as she tried to find composure. When she finally thought she had control of her mouth, she opened her eyes to see a thick leather jacket hanging over one chair and his helmet sitting next to it. Then she felt the forward momentum and realized he was behind her, leading her to one of the chairs in front of a plate filled with food.
“Why are you up at this hour?” She asked when she was sitting, staring through the steam rising from the cup in her hands at the man taking a seat across from her.
“I told you, I was hungry. So I made breakfast and decided to share,” he emptied a container of scrambled eggs onto his plate before lifting a biscuit out and breaking it in half, offering her the other side.
Natalie took the biscuit and bit down, sipping the coffee in her hand and sighing.
“You made this?” She looked over the sausage, eggs, biscuits and home style cubed potatoes, nicely browned and delicious.
“I usually do breakfast on weekends. Mrs. Yang is supposed to take weekends off,” his head shook as he spooned potatoes onto his plate and took a forkful. “But getting that woman to take a day off…even I don’t have that kind of charm.”
She wasn’t sure when the whole thing began to feel normal. She figured it was about the second bite of the eggs and potatoes. The potatoes had an interesting spice on them along with salt and pepper and were beyond good.
“They work for you? Have you known them long?”
Tre met the curiosity opening. “I met them in San Francisco when I was almost twenty,” he recalled in between bites. “I roomed with a few people, Mac one of them and we pooled finances and hired a housekeeper and cook. Some of us liked to cook, but not all the time. I met Mrs. Yang in the Asian market one day and we started talking,” he shrugged. “Mostly it was part time until I bought the house eighteen months back. They live over the garage. The apartment is huge.”
Natalie thought about what Cassidy had told her. And about things he had shared the night before.
“That’s a very expensive piece of property,” she said cautiously.
“It needed some serious upgrades and renovations but I got a good deal since I don’t plan on leaving the area. We’ve been working on fixing things and having stuff done around the place,” he reached for another biscuit and made a sandwich of his remaining eggs and sausage patties.
“EMT’s or doctors don’t make that kind of money.”
“Ahh…you’re wondering if I’m into anything you might have to arrest me for,” he grinned at the slightly embarrassed look on her face. “It’s okay, Natalie. Just ask if you have questions. But to make it easier…I told you I started inventing things and writing computer code really young. I still hold a few patents and they produce revenue and I invest. One of the things I explored was investing, so I had the money and most of my school was scholarships. I was lucky.” He lifted the thermos from the table and poured more coffee into the half empty cup.
“Thank you. It’s a good blend. You don’t miss those other things you explored?”
“Not really. I can delve into any one at any given time if I wanted. Mostly they’re relegated to the status of hobbies,” he continued eating, reaching into the bag and pulling out a bottle of juice and popping the cap. “If someone calls with a problem, we’ll bounce it back and forth and I might help if I have an idea to fix the problems. I like being a doctor. I want to believe, in most cases, people will go away feeling better than when the consult began. That’s a funny, good feeling to have.”
“Your parents must be very proud of you,” she said quietly, laughing at the color suddenly filling his cheeks. “I don’t think I’ve known too many guys who blush. I didn’t mean to embarrass you, I’m sorry.”
“If you ever tell them this, I’ll have you committed,” he began slowly. “When I distanced myself on purpose…to try and figure me out…I missed them. When you’re a kid, people see through you. It’s like you’re invisible. Finding out you had a kid who was reading at two and knew three languages by four…I think it scared them at first. I’m not sure it still doesn’t frighten them a little. I don’t know what kind of natural instincts humans have about kids…I know they never meant me any harm. I know they listened to the so-called experts in dealing with a kid like me. I also think in time, they realized we’d have to find our way without the help of well-meaning people. From what you’ve said, they’re not like your parents. They never wanted me to ‘be’ something just because it fit them. God, I had so many hobbies…so many things caught my attention when I was growing up.”
“Like I said…they must be really proud of you. Now you’re a doctor and can put those snazzy MD plates on your bike,” she teased with a laugh.
“Why don’t you ride anymore?” Tre watched the light fade from her eyes as they shifted to the remaining eggs on her plate. “You know…if you tell me never to mention something to anyone else, I won’t, Natalie.”
“Doctor-patient confidentiality?” She joked weakly.
“I’d rather not think of you as my patient,” he admitted, shrugging when she peeked up through her lashes at him. “I believe in honesty. I even found the extra helmet I had for you to wear.”
Natalie found herself just staring at him.
Sweet. High cheeks, a little hollow, a strong jaw that formed a slight square and a gorgeous smile that seemed to be breaking through the wall she’d erected.
“The court case against my ex ended a couple weeks back,” she said, her tongue out and dragging slowly around her lips. She stared out onto the small patio, out over the collection of buildings to the east of her apartment. “Not only that one, but the one against the department for discrimination ended with it.”
“Is that why you were in missing persons instead of homicide?”
She nodded slowly. “When the legal thing began…god…it was two years ago,” she set the cup down and rubbed her palms over her face. “It wasn’t just me he screwed over, he was stealing from the evidence locker. But because he’s one of the boys, they wanted all that kept quiet. They wanted to handle it internally because of his rank and status. So I was temporarily reassigned.”
Tre felt the anger and bitterness in her voice but he also had a feeling that she’d kept a lot of it locked away inside.
“He broke the law and you were penalized.”
“It’s the way of the world, at least that’s what my father told me. I’m a girl. I should have listened to my family and gone into a different career field.”
“You’re not happy about being a lieutenant because of this, are you?”
“They offered it to me to keep the truth out of the press. They made it very clear that it was highly unlikely I’d ever be able to earn it…in that department,” she gripped the empty mug of coffee to keep her hands from shaking. “I get to go to the new department surrounding the resort. But they assured me it had nothing to do with my being a female. Meantime, he continued on in narcotics without a
hint of a blemish until the thing was over.”
“Did he get jail time?” Tre knew his jaw was tightened, his words clipped.
“They plea bargained. He was removed from duty and agreed to leave the state.”
“Restitution?”
“I don’t want his money…or their money,” for the first time in a very long time, she felt the hot stinging behind her lashes. “You know what I wanted? I wanted my dignity back. I wanted my…my faith in my decisions back. I wanted my stuff that he took and sold to feed his ego.” She held up a palm facing him, one finger raised. “I…I’ll be back in a minute,” she was up and disappeared into the bedroom, the door closing behind her. She leaned against it, her shoulders flat and head back and let the tears free.
Tre felt the anger and frustration as keenly as if it were his own. He crossed the room and touched the door knob, turning it and opening it slowly. He didn’t say anything, just went to the bed and gathered her against him. She struggled, tried keeping him away but his arms just held her, fingers gently stroking over her head.
“It’s not so bad to finally be able to get it out, Natalie. It’s kind of like lancing a wound…you can’t heal until the bad stuff leaves,” he murmured against her head, her hand reaching to the nightstand and pulling several tissues into her face. “I’m wash ‘n wear, it’s okay.”
He thought the last sound was a mix of a sniffle and little laugh.
“You’re just going to ignore what I said last night, aren’t you?”
“When you turned me down for a date?” Her head nodded against his chest. “Yep.”
“I’m not usually like this. I’ve never…”
“Your friends know. You’ve talked to them?”
“They know. Paige and Faith dragged me out early on and got me drunk just so I’d talk,” she laughed and sniffled again. “They’re relentless and I know they care.” She pushed against his arms and leaned back when his hold released her. She rubbed at her eyes. “I hate crying. At least Faith and Paige brought ice cream,” she said with a sigh.
“I’ll clean up breakfast. How about if you get dressed and we’ll go for a ride. I’ll buy you an ice cream,” he promised, waiting for the excuses to start. He stood up and moved to the door, the silence baffling. “Natalie?”
“Trying to figure out how much abuse my window can stand,” she murmured, chewing on her lip thoughtfully.
“It’s going to be a great day for a ride. Humor me,” he urged. “I make you laugh.”
“You do make a wicked breakfast, and you come bearing coffee,” she sighed dramatically. “Alright. I’m weak.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” Tre promised, closing the door behind him and quickly cleaning up the table and containers, placing them in her dishwasher. He was standing near the far wall, looking at the pictures she had hung all over that one wall when she came out.
“The family.”
“Your brother’s take after your father,” he commented when she walked over to him, her hands up and finishing the braid she was working down the back of her head.
“I used to think I was adopted,” she said with a little laugh. “As long as I can remember, my mother’s always colored her hair. Why in the world she’d want to be a blond…I don’t know. I mean…I think I do because if you get in the wrong corner, there are a lot of people who have serious issues with Native Americans. I remember my grand-mother telling me how she wasn’t treated well growing up because of it and my mother had vowed it would never be her.”
“There’s always someone out there with issues with another. She’s still very pretty, even as a blond,” he pointed to a photo of her and a motorcycle. “Your bike?”
“I was out with some friends about three years back. We went to cruise around the islands,” she could see the miles of open space surrounding the islands in Puget Sound. “Bridges and beaches…it was fantastic.”
“What did he do with it?” He didn’t have to elaborate. He knew she’d know what he was asking.
“I built it,” she said, her voice failing her in the choked emotion. “He sold it. Just…and since his name was on the title, there wasn’t anything I could do and the person who bought it wouldn’t…he wouldn’t sell it back.”
Tre had a few lines on his lips, none of which would help or make her feel better.
“It must have taken a lot of work.”
“It’s gone now so it doesn’t matter. Was there any coffee left?”
“In the thermos. I’ll be back in a minute…bathroom through there?”
He pointed to the bedroom and accepted her quiet nod. It also explained why she wasn’t keen on jumping onto a bike again. She wasn’t finished mourning for the one she’d lost. Nice moves, Thorne, he told himself.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Natalie looked around her kitchen, everything was cleaned up and inside the dishwasher. She rinsed the thermos and shook her head. He was sweet and honest and he could cook. Maybe it was that boy next door look, blond hair that kept falling over his glasses and a sparkling grin that teased without saying a word.
She groaned when the thumping came on her door, her eyes going to the clock and her frown in place as she gripped the knob and opened.
“What do you want?” She braced her feet apart, the height she was granted made her a little over six foot in her motorcycle boots. And she just wasn’t in the mood for crap from her brother.
“You’re cheerful,” he tried moving forward but she didn’t move.
“I’m busy, Craig. Go away,” she tired closing the door only to find it gripped. “Damn it, I said…”
“And I want to talk to you. Mother sent me to bring you over for dinner tonight.”
“Phones are broken?” She set her teeth and prepared for battle. “This is my place. Mine. Go away. I said I’m busy.”
“She said you aren’t answering her…”
“Hey, babe, you ready to hit the road?” Tre walked out of the bedroom with a deliberate and slight swagger, one brow arched at the man’s hand on the door. He’d heard the entire exchange, including her anger
“Who the hell are you?” Craig stepped forward, ready to push Natalie aside.
“None of your damn business!” Natalie stepped between them only to find an arm around her waist. She was easily lifted and set to the side. Stumbling back a step she gripped Tre’s arm when he thrust his palm forward. “I am damn well old enough to have a life of my own that does not…”
“Tre Thorne. I recognize you from one of the photos,” he said without taking his eyes off the man. They were the same height but he was heavier. “You’re one of her brothers.”
“Craig Templeton,” his palm came out, trying to gauge the kid’s strength and he wasn’t denied. He definitely wasn’t what he appeared. He pulled his palm back, shoving it into the pocket on his light jacket so he could flex and make sure his fingers had a little circulation in them.
“Sorry we don’t have time to chat,” Tre lifted her jacket and held it for her, her arms sliding into the sleeves before he lifted his and followed her actions. “Next time you might call ahead,” he hinted firmly, looking pointedly into the man’s eyes. “We could still have been in bed. And you know she doesn’t do mornings without half a gallon of coffee.”
Tre was positive he’d done something right because she didn’t hit him. And while she was putting up a good show for her brother, he could see the fire in her eyes since she was staring at Tre and ignoring her brother.
“I have to get my keys,” she said, turning and striding into the bedroom.
“You the financier?” Tre asked casually, accepting the brusque nod.
“Why?” Craig couldn’t take it any longer when nothing else came out of his mouth. He watched Natalie return, a set of keys jangling in a pocket she zipped closed inside her jacket.
“Just curious. I manage my own stuff, this way I don’t worry about anyone doing things with my money I don’t approve of, especially leaving with it,” he ended
with a purposeful chuckle. He snagged Natalie around the waist and moved forward, forcing the large man backwards out the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Out for the day,” Natalie returned, a little curl to her lips. “Tell Mother I’ll message her later in the week.”
“She wanted you to come over tonight. Dinner.” He repeated, realizing he had to follow them down the stairs or be left behind.
“Busy. Bye, Craig,” Natalie watched Tre open the case and hand her a helmet, a nice shiny one the same color as the bike. She was smiling when she noticed the mic built into the front.
“Nice meeting you, Greg,” Tre slipped his helmet over his head and then his leg swung onto the seat, stabilizing the bike and waiting while Natalie mounted behind him. He turned the key, barely hearing Craig correct him about his name. He offered a wave before guiding the bike into the road. “So you think he’s pissed off?”
“Oh, you have no idea how pissed off,” Natalie laughed, a cheerful relaxed sound. She laid her forehead against his back. “You are a very bad influence. Usually there’s a big, big shouting match and I cave and end up being miserable listening to them all tell me how to transition into a different career field the rest of the day.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for someone to cave,” then winced when he realized how he’d maneuvered himself into her day.
“I’m going to let that one go for the moment, given your behavior.”
“But I’m good for you.” Relief flowed when she only laughed again.
“There is not one thing wrong with your ego.”
“I’m humble, too. Where would you like to go, beautiful? You name it,” Tre cruised along the coast road, enjoying the peace of the early morning.
“I thought you had this whole thing plotted and planned?” Natalie leaned back against the chrome bar, her fingers curled in the belt loops of his jeans and her body relaxed. She’d never ridden as a passenger before but decided it was very nice. Comfortable. “This is a nice bike.”
WindSwept Narrows: #21 Charlotte Bell & Natalie Templeton Page 20