by Dora Hiers
“Ahhh…no.” Jake reared his head back as if to acknowledge then swiftly lowered it. “That would have been Avery.”
Gunner pulled to a stop in the driveway and glanced at her, a smile teasing his lips. “When she was pining for Trent.”
Jake opened the truck door and hopped down with a chuckle. “Yep. Pretty funny, huh? Now we all have the same last name as a horse.”
Willow joined in their laughter, feeling her muscles loosen.
This relaxing felt kind of good.
7
Gunner stood on the back deck, forearms resting on the rail, shaking his head at the leaves littering the humongous backyard. So the house had one flaw. But you couldn’t have the benefits of the trees, like privacy and shade, without the leaves that went along with them. A few more days and the serious wind would strip the maple trees bare. Through the break in the tree covering, he could see the creek that meandered across the back of the property. If the bullfrogs would quiet down, he could probably hear the gurgle of the water.
This was the one.
He knew it from the way Mina gazed at the stone fireplace in the family room, awe transforming her face. Could she picture family photos gracing the mantel like he did? And the way her fingertips grazed the granite countertop, admiration for the new stainless steel appliances in the kitchen shimmering from her eyes.
Gunner smiled. Together they’d watched the sun sink past the trees in the distance, painting the sky stunning hues of orange and purple. He’d seen the longing in her expression before she’d masked it with a friendly non-committal smile.
Oh yeah. This was the one.
The house, Lord? Or Mina?
He felt the same way. This house whispered peace, quiet, solitude. A refuge from the noisy chaos that was his world on an everyday basis.
It was even in his price range. God was good. Very good.
Whether Mina was the one, Gunner wasn’t so sure yet. He knew one thing, though. They had squeezed a lot into one day.
He wanted more days like this. Filled with laughter. Shared with good friends. Could he dare hope for more days with Mina at his side?
After he became a Christian, he’d stopped the one-night stands and the meaningless dates. Instead, he spent more time reading his Bible and knew that God was leading him toward a deeper relationship. Not only with Him, but for a certain someone to share his life.
He wanted to come home from a tough day to a soul mate, his wife, who showered him with kisses and love and sweet laughter. He wanted to swing on the back deck and watch the sunsets together. To snuggle in bed every night and whisper, “I love you.”
He wanted a forever with someone. Someone to love him for who he was. And the baggage he came with. Including the gun and the badge.
Gunner wouldn’t settle for less.
Mina shivered and drew her sweater tighter around her chest. She turned around and backed her rump against the deck rail. He considered closing the gap between them but decided against it. He didn’t want to frighten her, especially after the realtor had left them alone to finish looking at the vacant house. Darcy had shown them two other houses and opened this one for them before her mother called with an emergency.
Gunner tucked his hands in his jeans pockets to keep from touching her. He wanted God to be in charge of his relationships now, unlike before, when he allowed his physical urges free rein. Trent had suggested that he picture God standing between him and any female. Gunner liked that idea. That’s where he wanted God. Front, and center.
“What do you think?” Mina asked.
That was a loaded question. He had just been thinking about God, about her, about the house. Talk about putting him on the spot. “What do I think about what?”
She gave him a playful swat on the arm. “About the house, silly. What did you think I meant?”
He swallowed the lump in his throat. The years and their problems somehow just melted away in his mind, leaving his heart exposed, raw, helpless. “This is the one. I’ll get Darcy to draw up the paperwork and finalize it. But in my head, it’s already mine.” Just like in his heart, Mina was his. Always had been.
She turned hopeful eyes to him. “Really?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
“How can you be so sure after just one trip through? Remember how many times you went with me before I decided on my first apartment?”
Okay. Maybe hopeful was a bit off base. Doubtful, more, by the sounds of it. “That’s different.”
“Well, yeah.” Mina’s eyebrows hiked. “But this is your first house, right?”
He nodded.
“Something you’ll probably be living in for quite some time?”
He smiled at her, hoping to ease her doubt. “Don’t you like it?”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts, Mina. I love everything about this house. There’s not one thing I don’t like. And I can see how you feel about the house.”
Two deer sauntered out of the woods and into his backyard. He placed hands on Mina’s shoulders and gently swiveled her around. “Look,” he whispered in her ear.
The deer grazed for a few minutes until both sets of ears twitched and they scrambled back into the woods.
Mina released a long breath. “Wow.”
“Yeah. Wow. With views like that, I plan to live here a long time. Wouldn’t you?”
She smiled. “It’s perfect, Gunner.”
“With Trent and Avery just down the road I couldn’t ask for better neighbors. And Jake could earn some extra money mowing this big yard.” He had grown rather fond of the kid.
The only drawback was that Mina lived in Florida. Maybe that was for the best, though. Hadn’t he read a verse just the other night about God working things out for the best for those who loved Him? Well, he fit into that category. And God filtered all the events in Gunner’s life. Somehow, Mina got through God’s filter, right?
Hmm. Interesting stuff. He would have to discuss this with Trent later. Get his take on things.
He grabbed Mina’s hand and tugged her over to sit on the swinging bench. He used his feet to start the swing, never letting go of her hand.
“Mmm. This is nice. Is this what it means to relax?”
Gunner couldn’t stop the chuckle that rumbled from deep in his chest. “Yes, Mina. This is one example of relaxing. But I can show you many others.”
She gasped, and her body stiffened. He had to set her straight. Her hand pulled against his, but he held tight. “That’s not what I meant. I’m not that way anymore, Mina.”
“No?” The one word question held more than a little doubt.
“No.” Firm. Settled. No compromise. He wasn’t going back to the way he used to be. That way was too dark, the hole too deep to climb out from, the pain too great. And God was too good.
“What made you change?”
Here was his chance. God, don’t let me blow it. This could be why You brought Mina back into my life. “God.”
“God?”
“Yeah. Trent and Avery introduced me to God and knowing Him has made me want to change my old habits.”
He allowed the silence to penetrate, gave her time to process. A few minutes later, her body loosened up beside him, a faint smile graced her face. “So, then. What ways of relaxing were you referring to?”
“Well, I can’t truthfully say ice-skating, because I’m still sporting one big bruise from that episode. Church tomorrow. A picnic in the afternoon. A football scrimmage. Watching the sunset, and sharing coffee on the deck with you. Just to name a few. But, I’ve got a ton more up my sleeve.”
Mina’s eyes lit at his words, but just as quickly clouded over. He knew what was coming next, before the words ever left her mouth.
Work.
“Gunner. I’m going to have to get back to Tampa. Soon. I still have to file this audit report. It hasn’t disappeared. I’ve got…responsibilities.”
Gunner frowned, certain that the thug looking for her hadn’t disappeared, eit
her. He just hadn’t put two and two together. And when he figured out where Mina was, Gunner planned on being right there with her.
She just didn’t know it yet.
****
Willow used an elbow to push against the storm door and stepped out onto the back deck at Trent and Avery’s place.
Gunner manned the grill, a chef’s hat tilted at a dangerous angle on his head.
She handed him the platter of hamburger patties and giggled. “Here you go, Chef Chapel. I prefer my hamburger medium-well.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin as he took the plate from her. “I haven’t forgotten, Mina. One medium-well burger coming up.”
The sizzle from the hamburgers Gunner plopped on the grill made her mouth water. Giant bowls of potato salad and baked beans graced the picnic table, and apple and cherry pies cooled on the kitchen table. She would probably gain five pounds from her weekend stay here. If only Tessa and Regi were here, the weekend would be perfect.
She sank into an Adirondack chair near the grill and watched Gunner tend the burgers, smiled at the little concentration furrow between his eyebrows. “You’re right, Gunner. This place is very relaxing.” She hated to admit that to him, but there was no use denying it. Although he had kept her busy, she had relaxed this weekend and actually enjoyed it.
Even being with Gunner.
But all play and no work would end tomorrow. She was going back to Tampa. Back to Tessa. And to the job waiting for her.
The mischievous look reappeared, along with the crinkles. “The place? Or being with me?”
Willow rolled her eyes. She wasn’t touching that one. “Give you an inch—”
“Yeah, yeah.” He flipped the hamburgers, and she closed her eyes, savoring the wonderful aroma. She had never grilled outside. Never had the time or the inclination to fool around with a grill, gas or charcoal. She would have to buy a gas grill. Tessa would love hamburgers cooked like this.
“I knew you would think so.”
“Why is this place so different from Raleigh?” And what happened to make him want to leave the capital city?
He closed the lid to the grill, sauntered over, and sank into the Adirondack chair next to her. He crossed his arms and stretched out his long legs, staring off into the distance, brows furrowed together. “I don’t know that it’s different, necessarily. I just know I kick back and totally enjoy watching the world go by when I’m here.”
Jake and Trent tossed a football in the yard. Snuggles, their yellow lab, frolicked with them, trying to pounce on the ball each time one of them missed it. The orange glow that painted the sky slipped once again beyond the trees, and the night critters started their evening symphony. Time did seem to stand still.
“You’re on vacation, now. Do you think you’ll still feel that way when you have to go back to work?”
“Work is always stressful for me, Mina. When I come home, I automatically unwind. I have to or I would self-destruct.”
She nodded. “I can understand that.”
“You probably have the same problem in your job, don’t you? With all the audits you do? Especially if they’re anything like the one from this week.”
“Yeah.” Tessa was her anchor, her keep-from-self-destructing mechanism.
“So how do you unwind?”
Willow held her breath, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to tell him about Tessa. She wasn’t ready. Not here. Not now. Probably, not ever.
Her cell phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the number. Not Regi’s number, but the area code was from Tampa, so she needed to take the call. “Excuse me, Gunner.”
He nodded, lips kicking up in one corner. “Work finally caught up with you, eh, Mina?”
She smiled and connected the caller. “Hello?”
“Think you outsmarted me, young lady?”
Willow sucked in a breath at the gritty voice and bolted up from the chair. “Who is this?”
“You know who this is.” Heavy traffic snarled in the background. A car horn blared in her ear.
“Malcolm? From Brugman’s Insurance?”
“Yeah. Malcolm Brugman.”
“Did you follow me to the hotel, Mr. Brugman?”
“I only wanted to talk to you.”
Talk to me? Right. “Well, talk to me.”
Gunner came to stand next to her and touched her elbow, both dark eyebrows arched.
She mouthed “Malcolm” and held the phone away from her ear so they could both hear.
“You won’t file that audit report if you know what’s good for you.”
“I have an obligation to file that audit report, Mr. Brugman. Is there a valid reason that I shouldn’t?” Willow willed her voice to be strong, not wanting him to sense her fear.
“I told you—”
“Threats don’t work with me, Mr. Brugman. I have a job to do. I will file the audit report, but you will also have a chance to respond to the audit criticisms. Just as I explained to you in your office.”
Click. Silence.
“Mr. Brugman?”
Gunner took the phone from her trembling hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You all right?”
“Yeah.” Her voice wobbled. “What did he hope to accomplish with that phone call? Does he think I’ll give in and not write the report?”
“Probably just trying to scare you.” Willow shivered, and Gunner rubbed his palms up and down her arms to warm her. “How did he get your number?”
“My cell number is on my business cards.” Maybe she should see about changing that.
“Maybe you should see about changing that.”
Willow’s head popped up to look at Gunner. He could read minds now? “It’s never been a problem, until now.”
Avery fumbled with the screen door and took a step outside, a pie balanced in each hand.
“Here. Let me help you.” Willow grabbed the apple pie from Avery’s full hands and took it to the picnic table.
“Thank you, Willow.” Avery set the pie down on the table and sat down in the Adirondack, lifting thick hair away from her neck. She sighed, a contented look on her face, then loosened her hair and looped one arm over an extended belly. “I’m glad I wasn’t this big over the summer months. I would have been miserable. This sixty degree weather is warm enough, when you’re carrying around a few extra pounds.”
Willow joined her in the other chair, her eyes resting on Avery’s protruding abdomen, envy pinching her heart. “When are you due?”
“January tenth.”
“Oh, my. You don’t have much longer to go.”
Avery fanned herself with a paper plate from the table and shook her head. “No. Just a couple more months.” She flashed Willow a conspiratorial grin. “Trent thinks teenagers are tough, but he won’t know what hit him after this baby is born.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Willow caught Trent putting a finger to his lips to silence Jake. He heaved the football so that it bounced off Gunner’s back and knocked the chef’s hat to the ground.
Gunner turned around, slowly, one hand parked on a lean hip, the other waving a long spatula while he glared from Trent to Jake. After determining the culprit by the smirk covering his face, Gunner picked up the football and beaned it at Trent.
Willow couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. “Trent looks like he has teenagers under control.”
Gunner narrowed his eyes and made a menacing move toward Willow.
Willow slid down in the chair, looking for a distraction. Smoke poured out from the top of the grill. “How are the hamburgers coming along, Chef? A bit overdone?”
Gunner’s gaze flicked to the grill. He gasped and sprinted the few steps. When he lifted the lid, the flames spit high. He chuckled. “Yeah. They’re done all right. A perfect medium-well.”
“Great.” Avery called out for Jake and Trent to wash up.
Gunner scooped up the hamburgers and held the platter out to Willow’s waiting hands. “Don’
t think we’re finished with our conversation on how you unwind, Mina. I have a feeling it was about to get a lot more interesting.”
8
Willow zipped the suitcase and rolled it to the bedroom door. She had slept later than she planned, but with the cool temperature and gentle breeze blowing through the open window, she hadn’t been able to resist burrowing her head deeper in the down pillow for an extra hour.
She did a quick scan of the bathroom to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind. Grabbing the soiled towels and linens, she opened the bedroom door, intending to stow them in the laundry room for Avery.
Her cell phone vibrated in her jeans pocket. She shifted everything to one hand and pulled out her cell phone, smiling at Regi’s picture displayed on the screen. “Hey, girl.”
“Willow. Sit down.”
“Okay.” Willow frowned at the abrupt tone of Regi’s voice but complied by moving back into the bedroom and sitting on the edge of the bed. She dumped the entire load of dirty linens on the floor. Regi never started a conversation like this. “What’s wrong? Is everything good with Tessa?”
“Tessa is okay.” Regi’s usually level voice sounded shaky. “Now.”
Willow gripped the edge of the bed, clawing at the mattress, willing herself to stay calm. “Now? What do you mean now? What happened?”
Someone passed by the bedroom door, but Willow didn’t pay any attention.
“Are you sitting?”
“Yes, Regi, I’m sitting. Tell me what happened.” Her voice came out ten notes higher than normal. Was that her practically screaming? She was going to wake up the whole house, all eight bedrooms. Not that she cared at this point.
“I drove Tessa to school this morning. You know. Dropped her off at the same spot as always, at the car drop-off area.” Regi’s breath sputtered out in short, quick gasps. She paused to catch up.
Same place Willow dropped her off. So far, nothing out of the ordinary. “Go on, Regi.”
“The principal from the school just called. She said a man tried to talk Tessa into getting into his car.”
Willow sucked in a deep breath then couldn’t let it out. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t force her body to exhale. Even with the open window, all the air seemed to have left the room, leaving her body paralyzed, her mind blank. The ceiling fan whirred, the birds screeched, blood pulsated to her head…which suddenly felt like it would explode.