Flash Point

by Diane Benefiel

  Emma glanced up when Marla Banks, in a skirt and jacket that looked both professional and sexy, stopped beside their table.

  “I’m sorry to hear about your little adventure last night, Ms. Kincaid. Lucky for you our stalwart police chief happened to be there so quickly.”

  “Yeah, lucky for me.” Happened to be there? What was she insinuating?

  “You know, Ms. Kincaid, I can represent you if you want to sell those cabins of yours. We can get an appraisal done quickly and I know some interested parties who might be in the market for such a property.”

  Emma didn’t like the vibes she was getting. The mayor didn’t like her; that was obvious. And she certainly seemed keen on showing Emma the way out of town. Beyond that was Emma’s basic human reaction—Marla’s possessive attitude toward Brad irritated Emma, and she had the unpleasant feeling that there was a personal history between the two.

  She replied firmly, “Thanks, but I’m not selling.”

  “Don’t be hasty. You haven’t heard what the potential buyers might offer.” Marla appeared to be making a determined effort to keep her tone pleasant.

  “I’ll bet you have interested parties, Marla.” Maddy’s words were close to a growl. “Developers who would tear down those cute little cabins and build ugly condominiums and a posh hotel. Just like they’re trying to buy up the town and put in ritzy shops. They want to turn Hangman’s Loss into another sanitized resort town with nothing unique to set it apart.”

  Marla raised a perfectly plucked brow. “You’re passionate, Maddy. But not everyone wants this town to stay a sleepy little backwater.” She turned to Emma. “Don’t let Madison brainwash you, Ms. Kincaid. You have my card. Give me a call.” The look she aimed at Maddy held barely concealed antagonism, before turning back to Emma. “We’ll meet at Hero’s Diner. They make the best coffee in town.”

  The mayor left the café and Maddy glowered. “She makes me so mad. And their coffee isn’t the best, they only give it to her for free so she’ll have her business breakfasts there.”

  Emma nodded. She had to agree with Maddy. She didn’t like the mayor, and really disliked the idea of Hangman’s Loss losing its simple appeal to an upscale version of itself that catered to the wealthy elite.

  The women talked some more, Maddy explaining how the town was divided between those who wanted the developers who would bring in the national restaurant chains and chic boutiques, and those who wanted to keep Hangman’s Loss as it was, with its comfortable charm and quiet pace.

  “What about the ski resorts across the lake? Are they the type the mayor wants?”

  “No, those are like your cabins. Simple, good quality, and affordable. They cater to families and college students, people who like to ski and snowboard but don’t have the big bucks.”

  The bell over the door jangled again, and Maddy stood up. “I’ve got customers.” She paused, eyes bright. “Can I come out to your cabins some afternoon? I’d like to see what you’re doing to the place.”

  “Of course, I’d love to show you around.” Maddy returned to the counter and Emma smiled to herself knowing she had a new friend. Making friends was never this easy in Los Angeles.

  She sat back and sipped the last of her coffee. The bell sounded again and she sensed the change in the air even before Brad slid into the seat recently vacated by his sister. She’d tried to forget that kiss, but when she looked at him, it was all she could think about.

  That confusing, heart-pounding, mind-melting kiss.

  “Hey.” The dark eyes were searching, taking in every detail.

  “Hey back.”

  Her hand lay on the table, and he took it in his while his long thumb lightly rubbed her knuckles.

  Emma forced herself to pull her hand away.

  “Did you take a nap? Catch up on any of the sleep you missed last night?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I’m not much for naps. I’ll turn in early tonight.”

  “Good, then you can get up at sunrise tomorrow and come out on the lake with me.”

  Spending time with Brad, watching daybreak over the lake appealed far too much. Time to apply the brakes. “Brad.”

  “Emmaline.”

  She sighed. He was so dang appealing. An innate charm lightened his habitual intensity in a combination she found nearly impossible to resist. She could feel herself being drawn closer and closer to him. “I can’t go out on the lake with you.”

  “Of course you can.”

  She was surprised at the regret she felt. “No, it’s not a good idea.”

  “It’s an excellent idea,” he contradicted. “You want to be able to tell your clients where to find the best places for kayaking and fishing, don’t you? I’ll give you a tour of the lake.”

  At her doubtful look, he smiled. “Think about it. I’ll come by in the morning and see if you’ve changed your mind.”

  Because it felt churlish to refuse, she nodded. “Okay.” She rose to her feet and Brad rose, too.

  He reached out a hand, like he was going to stroke her hair, and she took a hasty step back. “Later,” she said, and had to force herself to walk, not run, out of the café.

  ***

  Emma woke well before daybreak. She showered, telling herself she’d only risen so early to get a jump on her list of chores for the day, not because she would go out on the lake with Brad. She pulled on a long-sleeved thermal to go with her faded jeans and left her hair to dry naturally in a loose fall down her back.

  A quiet knock on the front door halted her journey into the kitchen. Opting for caution, she peeked out the front window. Brad’s tall form was easily identifiable in the faint morning light. She turned on the porch light and opened the door.

  He stood for a long moment, a tall, quiet shadow, then reached for her hand.

  “Brad, I can’t come with you.”

  “Shh.” He felt inside with his free hand and flipped off the porch light. “Step out here for a minute.”

  Without the harsh artificial light, the natural beauty of the wakening day struck Emma like a symbol of hope. He led her away from the cabin and toward the lake. He paused in an open area where trees gave way to grass. “Look up.”

  Emma tilted her head back. Stars shone brilliant, the Milky Way casting a glittering canvas while the eastern sky had taken on a lavender glow beyond the mountains. Awestruck, Emma swallowed. No church in the world could be holier than this.

  He draped an arm across her shoulders. “Now look over there.”

  Following the direction of his pointed finger, she saw the movement of dark shadows toward the lake. “Deer?”

  “Yeah, a mama and two fawns.”

  She watched the three move down the trail until they disappeared into the undergrowth.

  “Now tell me you don’t want to go out on the lake. That you don’t want to watch the sun come up with me.” The arm across her shoulders brought her around to face him.

  Gazing into his face, Emma knew there was no way she could withstand that caliber of temptation. “I’ll come.”

  “Good. Let’s get you a warm jacket and lock your cabin. I’ve got coffee in the canoe.”

  “Brad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you mind if I bring my grandfather’s ashes? He wanted them scattered on the lake. I’d like to do that this morning.”

  The arm around her shoulders tightened. “Of course you should bring them.”

  ***

  Brad used the oar to push off from shore. Emma was quiet, seated facing forward at the front of the canoe, the urn clutched in her arms, while he sat in the rear. He propelled the boat along the surface of the lake, the oar making quiet plopping sounds as it dipped into the water.

  He found a place in the center of the lake and brought the oar in. With the canoe drifting and the shadows of the soaring peaks dark against the lightening sky, he watched in silence as she unscrewed the lid of the urn and tipped it over the water to let the contents drift away in the current.
She wiped away tears on the shoulder of her jacket, and when the last of the ashes had disappeared, spoke quietly, “Good-bye, Grandpa.”

  Brad added his words, “Good-bye, Walt.”

  After several minutes, he said, “I think Walt would have liked this. You good?”

  She nodded and glanced at him over her shoulder, whispering, “Thank you.”

  He paddled across the lake. A few fishermen cast their lines from the shore. He guided the canoe toward the southern tip of the lake where the creek feeding it fanned into a reedy watercourse. In a hushed voice, he indicated good fishing spots and narrow strips of shore where kayakers could stop for a picnic. “There’s coffee in the thermos.” When Emma glanced back, he gestured to the container in the middle of the boat. “I only have one cup, but I figure you and I don’t have a problem sharing.”

  Brad’s mood lifted when he saw Emma’s smile flutter. She moved carefully to the middle seat, settling herself before pouring coffee into the lid. She held it out to him and he took it for the morning’s first jolt of caffeine.

  “What would you be doing now if you were still in L.A? Sleeping?” He couldn’t imagine living someplace where he couldn’t look out from his front window and see the lake. Steam rose from the cup he handed back to her.

  She sipped the warm liquid. “No, I’ve always been an early riser. I’d probably be reading the paper at my little patio table before getting dressed for work.”

  He eyed her curiously. “Where did you work?”

  “At an insurance agency.” She refilled the cup and held it out to him again, seemingly oblivious to the intimacy of the shared coffee.

  “Did you like it?”

  She looked thoughtful. “I liked having a paycheck every two weeks. But no, I didn’t like the job. I was in a cubicle,” she said as if that explained everything.

  And it probably did. “Why did you work there then? There are other places that provide paychecks.”

  Emma sighed, and sounded sad. “They offered me a job when I was still in college. My mother was diagnosed with cancer and I needed something with regular hours so I could be with her when I wasn’t at work. She didn’t get better.” She paused, and Brad hoped the tranquility of the lake would work its magic and soothe her.

  “At first it seemed like she was better. The cancer went into remission, but it didn’t stay that way. The last year and a half were the hardest. But some days, some weeks, were better than others. She had a lot of issues besides cancer, and working at the insurance company, I could put in my time and not have to deal with anything work-related after hours.”

  Did Emma realize she had lost the guardedness she habitually wore around her like a cloak?

  “Emmaline.” When she looked up, misty-gray eyes aware, he almost hated asking. He risked her clamming up, but he had to know. “Tell me about cops. Tell me what happened that makes you think you can’t trust me.”

  She shrugged, as if trying for nonchalant. “It’s nothing personal.”

  “Give me a break. Whatever it is keeps you from trusting me so it’s damned personal.” He hadn’t really known until he’d asked how important it was for her to trust him. Everyone, his family, friends, the townspeople, knew they could rely on him. But the person he was beginning to realize could be the most important of all thought she couldn’t.

  She appeared to consider her response, but instead of answering his question, asked one of her own. “How many siblings do you have?”

  He gave her a curious look, but answered. “Besides Maddy, I have a younger brother who is away at college and another sister who is married and lives in town.”

  “You’re the oldest?” At his chin dip, she continued, “And your parents, do they live around here?”

  “My mom lives in town. Dad passed away when I was in college.” When she nodded like he’d confirmed everything she expected, he asked, “What’s this about?”

  “I’ll tell you what I see. You’re the oldest of four children, and male to boot. Your father dies when you’re young. You live in the town you were born in and become a cop. Now you’re the police chief, for God’s sake.” Her hands raised in an exasperated gesture.

  He frowned at her. “Yeah, so?”

  “So? I’ll bet you took care of your family when your dad died. And you’re a leader in this community. You’re used to solving everyone’s problems. People come to you all the time and you solve their problems for them.”

  “You think so?” He didn’t bother to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

  “You’re like a white knight searching for a quest. Well, I’m not one of your problems.”

  Ripples on the lake gently rocked the canoe. Brad took a deep breath to hold on to his temper. “That’s crap. If people come to me with their problems, I try to help them find a solution for themselves.”

  “Like Mrs. Donahue? You dug out a mudslide from her backyard.”

  Brad struggled for patience. “She’s eighty-something years old, for Christ sake. I’ve known her all my life. Of course I dug it out for her.”

  Emma held up her hands in a calming gesture. “You’re right. And being a leader and helping people in need certainly aren’t character flaws.”

  They had drifted toward shore, and Brad paddled the canoe forcefully through the water. He put his back into the job, hoping the exercise would ease some of his frustration. “Look, you said you don’t trust me because I’m a cop. If that’s what is keeping you from having a relationship with me, then I should at least be able to challenge it.”

  “Who said I want to have a relationship with you?”

  “Are you telling me you felt nothing when we kissed?” he demanded. “I’ll tell you what I felt.” He leaned forward on the bench seat. The sun broke over the eastern mountains, illuminating the wariness in her expression. “It was like I’d been waiting all of my life for you and then, with only one taste, I knew. Finally, the wait was over. It felt like my world settled into place.”

  Emma looked like she’d been hit by a stun gun. She sat in silence, eyes locked on his. “No.”

  “Yes, Emmaline. And I don’t know why. You’re pigheaded and frustrate the hell out of me half the time. You’re much more to me than a problem to solve. And you need to figure out what you’re going to do about it.”

  Brad propelled the canoe onto the shore next to her dock. He’d likely blown it. The feelings inside him were so huge they nearly overwhelmed him. But that didn’t mean Emmaline felt the same.

  Well, he’d laid himself bare for her. The next move was hers.

  They climbed out of the canoe, Emma clutching the urn. He stopped her with a hand to her arm before she could walk away. “Give it, give us, some serious thought, Emmaline.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then stepped back into the canoe to push off again.

  Chapter Nine

  Emma stood numbly and watched Brad disappear around the curve of the lakeshore in the direction of his cabin. In her entire life, no one had ever made her feel as acutely as he did. Something inside her yearned to simply take what he offered, to ignore the flashing red warning light in her brain that urged her to use caution, to protect herself. Her shoulders slumped.

  How in the world had that happened? Could this amazing, incredible man really have such deep feelings for her? She couldn’t help but think if he truly knew her, those feelings would wither like tender young shoots in the scorching heat of the California sun. And by keeping him at a distance, she wasn’t just protecting herself; she was protecting him. She didn’t want him to get in too deep, to care too much, and then be disappointed once he really knew her. But following the trail to her cabin, she realized she would do as he’d asked and give what he’d said serious thought.

  Hours later, Emma rose from her stooped position, a hand to her back as she straightened. She stifled a groan, but once upright looked around at what she’d accomplished, quite pleased to see the payoff for the long hours of work. Big Horn cabin shone. While it needed to be outfitt
ed with furniture, all the plumbing and electrical outlets worked and soon it would be ready to rent for the summer. By next week she would have the website up and be able to book vacationers for late June. She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. It was really going to happen.

  Her single-minded attack on the cabin had been her way of dealing with the jumbled thoughts racing around in her brain. Brad’s declaration had amazed and stunned her. He’d been waiting all his life for her? Despite her knee-jerk reaction to pull back, she couldn’t help the giddy feeling tingling around her heart. The intense attraction she experienced whenever he was near was completely new to her.

  She’d never allowed herself to care deeply for any man. She’d always been too caught up in her chaotic life with her mother to give the few boyfriends she’d had the attention they deserved.

  That certainly wasn’t the case with Brad. She couldn’t help but think about him. She’d never been the type of teenager to dream about the perfect man. But she knew if she had to imagine him now he’d be tall, have dark hair shot through with mahogany highlights, eyes the color of pines deep in the forest, and when he kissed her, her mind would melt like a scoop of rainbow sherbet on a sunny day.

  Emma had to believe she was smart enough to understand not all cops were the same. Of course, some were corrupt, but the Hangman’s Loss police chief was a straight arrow. Bradley Gallagher was a decent, honorable man, and she knew he would never do what that cop in L.A. had done. Thinking about it made her stomach churn. She would have to tell Brad. Tell him about her childhood and what was in her sealed juvenile record. And when she told him, he would ease back. Oh, she was sure he would be kind, but he would realize she simply wasn’t the one for him in the long term. He was the student body president and deserved the homecoming queen, not the rebellious troublemaker.