“I’ve got a lot of things on my mind.”
Things that had little to do with her, apparently. She, on the other hand, built the short interlude into something romantic. She’d put hearts and flowers around their evening together. Was she that desperate for affection that she created it where it didn’t exist?
“Do you know when you’re heading back to North Carolina?” he asked as he made a right onto Periwinkle Way. “We’ll need to let Gib know.”
The question snapped her back to her reality. It was selfish to be lingering on her personal wants. Dan was gone. Kevin kept his eyes on the road. He hadn’t even glanced her way when he’d asked the question. Apparently, she’d lost not one, but two people in the last twenty-four hours. Her friend and surrogate father in the most horrendous way. It was the deepest hurt. But it would appear she’d also lost Kevin’s respect. She pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping to hold back the tears that came too easily these days. She was still processing Dan’s death. It was a normal response, but she’d be damned if she’d let Kevin see her cry.
“Jacob will call me as soon as he’s made arrangements. He’s still waiting for the coroner’s office.”
Another nod was his only reaction to her response. She forced the issue and hurt aside to concentrate on what she needed to accomplish before her departure.
The stops were quick and successful. One shop had gone through their inventory and had a bag of shells ready for River. With what was promised by the other vendors, she should have sufficient materials to finish the mask, and most would be ready in time to take with her when she left for Dan’s funeral.
She had no idea if she’d return to Sanibel for the long term. She’d have to come back to pack her things, but other than the condo she had no ties to the island. The pastel painted houses passed in a blur as Kevin headed south on Periwinkle Way. She refused to look at him. Embarrassment, anger and sadness all battled inside her, each one seeking dominance. She was stronger than this. Smarter than this.
Last night was a mistake. That much was obvious in the bright light of the Florida sunshine. It had been wrong to seek solace in Kevin’s arms, but it had felt so right. Was it simply her seeking an affirmation of life as he’d asked? If it was, it was a resounding affirmation.
As they pulled up to the condo, she spotted Gib waiting by his truck. The man’s features would make any woman think of rumpled sheets and hot, sweaty bodies, but the attraction wasn’t there for her. Her gaze went from Kevin to Gib and back again. No, last night hadn’t been sex for the sake of sex. It had been something much deeper—for her anyway.
“Were you expecting Gib?”
“No, but it can’t be urgent, or someone would have called.” He pulled into the parking space next to Gib.
“What’s up?” Kevin asked his friend.
“Nothing yet. I understand Colt is on his way to meet the Reverend and Troy is attempting to arrange a meeting with one of the Engleharts. Nothing new on either front.”
“I want to be there for any meeting with the Engleharts,” River reminded him.
“Troy knows you do. We’ve allotted plenty of time to get you there.”
River didn’t know whether to be relieved or anxious.
“Then why the trip out here?” Kevin asked.
“Just a neighborly visit,” he said smiling. “See if there’s anything you guys need.”
“Can you take over here while I catch a few winks at your place?” Kevin asked.
“Ah, yeah. Sure,” Gib answered, but his raised eyebrows told River he hadn’t expected the request any more than she had.
“There’s nothing pressing at the studio, so no problem. Steve wants to meet back here tonight to update everyone.” He glanced at River, then Kevin. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“I just need to get some rest,” Kevin answered quickly. It was just as well Kevin spoke up first because River didn’t have an answer to Gib’s question.
Kevin grabbed his duffel from the living room and headed out. “Text me when we’re ready to meet,” he called over his shoulder.
“What’s going on?” Gib repeated the question, this time to River.
“What are you talking about?” River made her way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. Anything to avoid eye contact. She could guess what had gotten under Kevin’s skin and the last thing she wanted to do was discuss it with Mr. Hottie. Kevin and Gib were friends. Eyeing a bottle of wine, she glanced at the clock and opted for the alcohol instead of water.
“I’m talking about you and Kevin. What happened between you two?”
“I have no idea. I suspect he’s grown tired of babysitting me.”
“That doesn’t sound like Kevin. Something else is going on.”
“You’ll have to take his personality change up with him. I’ve got enough on my plate.” She snagged a glass from the cabinet, filled it to the top with Pinot Grigio, then took a large sip. Gib’s intense stare was unnerving. His friends would eventually find out what happened and that she was to blame for hurting him. She was getting to be an expert at alienating people.
She grabbed a disposable aluminum pan, snatched the bag of shells off the counter then placed them in it. Running cold water over the shells loosened the sand and debris that washed ashore with the tiny treasures. She repeated the process several times before laying them out on a paper towel on the counter to dry. River didn’t have to look to know Gib’s eyes remained cemented on her as she proceeded with her task. She could feel them.
“If you plan to stick around, why don’t you make yourself comfortable? I’m going to wash this sand from my feet then get to work.” The single bag of shells she received from the vendor today would allow her to get started and, with any luck, allow her to keep her mind off Kevin and Dan for a while.
“Why don’t you take a break first?” Gib asked. “It’s a pretty afternoon. Join me on the deck. I’ll grab a beer and we can relax and talk.”
River eyed him suspiciously. No one had to tell her he was the charmer of the group. A ladies’ man, if the term was still in use. She didn’t need another man clouding up her life.
“Come on,” he cajoled. “I’d enjoy the company and you look like you could use a rest.”
The sliders were open. A breeze drifted in off the bay. River glanced at the man with the gray, sparkling eyes. She wanted to be alone. At the same time, she didn’t.
“For a few minutes,” she relented. “As long as we don’t bring up the crap that’s been going on here.”
After Gib helped himself to one of the remaining beers, they settled into the cheap plastic chairs she’d purchased for the deck. Since she’d never planned on a long-term stay, the inexpensive chairs had served her needs.
Gib kept his agreement and avoided any talk of the death of her friend, the attacks or her problems in North Carolina. Instead, the man chatted about his friends, individually and as couples. River developed a deeper understanding of each of them, particularly the women’s ability to empathize with her. Gib was a natural storyteller. He rattled on—telling tales that had her laughing. Laughing. She wouldn’t have believed laughter was possible before they’d sat down. Maybe it was the result of the second glass of wine or Gib’s ability to put her at ease. Between his GQ looks and personality, she had no doubt half the ladies on the island were enamored of him.
After a couple of hours of distracting conversation, she decided to put some time in on the shell mask before the company arrived. Gib had received a text telling him his friends would be over after Rick got off his shift. River assumed Kevin would be in the group.
What had he been doing all day? Had he needed rest, or had it been an excuse to get away from her? It didn’t matter. It would seem they were both on the same page regarding their lack of judgment last evening. They were adults. If she read him right, he was too much a gentleman to make an issue of it in front of his friends. He was a compassionate man—one she’d taken advantage of in her grief a
nd fear.
25
“You with us, Kevin?”
Kevin’s head came up in response to Steve’s question. River was in a better mood than when he’d left earlier in the day. He’d let his mind wander. Gib had spent the afternoon with her and the two seemed to be getting along well.
“Just thinking,” Kevin said. “Go ahead. Place the call.”
The purpose of the gathering was to get and give updates on what they’d been able to discover in the last twenty-four hours. They’d been waiting for Rick before they placed the call to Colt and Troy. Rick had been delayed, which annoyed Kevin as it had allowed him to dwell on the fact that he’d acted like an ass this morning. He owed River an apology but now that Rick had arrived their mission came first.
Colt picked up on the first ring. “I was getting ready to call you,” he said.
“Rick was running behind,” Steve explained.
“What did you find out from the preacher?” Kevin asked. “Anything useful?”
“The Good Reverend Roxbury,” Colt stated. “He was an interesting study.”
Kevin leaned in closer to the phone. Colt wouldn’t have missed a thing. He was intuitive in addition to being a trained interrogator.
“How so?” River asked.
“Hey, River,” Colt said, acknowledging her presence. “How are you doing?”
“Hanging in there. What’s with Roxbury?”
“There’s something definitely off. He was nervous. Defensive. Twitchy—although in that neck of the woods I wouldn’t be surprised to find he had access to a meth lab. Anyway, he gave me a tour of his property while he lauded his ministry—which apparently centers on revenge and justice. He’s a quack, that’s for sure. I know more about the Bible than he does.”
“That’s saying a lot,” Gib laughed.
“How did you get him to talk? If he was defensive, I’m surprised you got anything out of him,” Steve questioned his former commander.
“Fed him a load of bullshit. Told him a friend of a friend who was a member of his flock suggested I reach out to him. I threw enough at him that his head should still be spinning.”
“Can you tie him to River in any way?” Kevin was anxious for answers. So, apparently, was River. Her knee was pumping up and down like a piston. He wanted to reach over and lay his hand on it—give her some reassurance, but he couldn’t assure her of anything. Besides, she’d probably push him away.
“I brought up the Engleharts. The questions startled him for a second, but he recovered quickly. He said they reached out to him and he’d visited at Mrs. Engleharts’ request. He wouldn’t comment further on them, claiming their conversations were privileged.”
“He’s not a priest,” Steve noted.
“No, but I couldn’t beat the information out of him.”
“Why not?” Gib asked with a curve to his lips. Rick batted his arm. The two were a side show even when things were on fire.
“Besides,” Colt continued, “I don’t want him clamming up on me. He might have been defensive, but he was talking. I may need to see him again. Rick?”
“Here.” Rick edged forward in his seat, leaning closer to the phone.
“We need more info on Roxbury than Josie has been able to dig up. Have you made any inquiries into his background?”
“Not yet. I’ll work on him tomorrow.”
“We need to know how he hooked up with the Engleharts. What’s their connection?”
“I’ll see what I can find from this end,” Rick offered. “Troy, you’re meeting with Zeke Englehart is the day after tomorrow. I’ll text you the details.”
“Good. I’ll see what I can get out of him.”
“I want to be there,” River almost grabbed the phone off the table. “I told you I wanted to be there,” she repeated.
“They’re expecting two of you,” Rick assured her. “The prison doesn’t know you’ll be the second visitor.”
Kevin was watching River intently. He saw her shoulders relax a bit at Rick’s answer, but her fingers were knotted. Her thumb was drawing circles in her palm. He’d seen her do that a dozen times—a signal, he’d learned, that her tension level had ratcheted up. Instinct urged him to go to her. Common sense held him back. She’d managed just fine before he came along. He hadn’t met many women with the dog-headedness and backbone of River Chandler. Cat, Josie and Shayne were the only ones who came to mind who had the fortitude and tenacity she possessed.
“I need to get packed.” River rose to her feet. “Where do you guys want to meet? My place?”
“What time is he scheduled to be at the prison,” Gib asked Rick.
“One o’clock in the afternoon.”
The team worked out some general logistics. Gib’s friend would fly River into Raleigh which was the closest airport to the prison. Troy and Colt would meet her there. She’d ride back to her cabin with them when the meeting at the correctional facility was over.
“I’m going, too,” Kevin added.
Her eyes widened. “I’ve imposed on you enough.”.
Kevin wasn’t surprised by her reaction. He’d acted like an ass this morning. She was quite capable of handling herself and the guys would have her back, but this had all started that day at the beach when he’d chased off her attacker. He wanted to see this through. To see where things led—not this dangerous puzzle—but between them.
He’d gotten very little rest today, instead he spent a great deal of time contemplating the comments he and River had exchanged this morning. He concluded he’d overreacted. When this was behind them, if she wanted nothing more from him, he hoped they’d part friends.
“You’ve never imposed, and I’d still like to help.” It was the best apology he could come up with in front of others. Anything more, might embarrass her.
“Thank you,” she smiled this time. It lit up the room. “It’s going to get a bit crowded up there,” River added.
“We’ve reserved a room at the resort on the other side of the preserve. We’ll stay at the resort if you prefer the cabin,” Troy offered.
“The birdbath,” River blurted out, her thoughts changing direction. “Is it okay? Has anyone damaged it?”
“It’s untouched except for the birds who visit it. It’s a beautiful piece, River,” Colt complimented her. “A heartfelt tribute to your family. If you have no objection, I’d like to take a few photos of it.”
“Please. It would be my honor.”
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Rick asked.
“We’ll keep poking around. We missed a few neighbors on our first sweep and didn’t get a chance to go into the little town nearest you.”
“Small towns are a good source of gossip,” Steve agreed. “Call if you find out anything of interest. Rick and I will do the same.”
“Roger,” Colt said, slipping back into his military jargon. “We’ll talk tomorrow night.”
The phone went silent. Rick stood as he slipped it into his pocket. “Kevin?”
“What?”
“You’re on duty tonight again, if no one objects.” He glanced at River.
“Whatever works for ya’ll,” she answered.
Kevin walked with his friends to the door.
“Don’t screw up again,” Gib warned him with a grin.
Ignoring the barb, Kevin shut the door behind them and set the alarm. River had yet to move from her spot on the couch. Those glacial blue eyes watched him warily as he crossed the room. How did he make things right between them?
26
River conceded the staring match and focused on her hands. She had convinced herself she’d made a mistake in taking him to her bed. Kevin had every reason to feel she’d used him as an escape. It was true. The pleasure he’d offered had temporarily overridden the grief of losing Dan, but she’d felt something deeper. Their lovemaking had not only given her an escape from the pain but had also touched her heart—her soul. How was that a mistake?
No one fell in love this quickly,
did they? She had no idea how it felt to be in love. It was times like these she missed her mother the most. Her Aunt Amy was a rock—a strong, no-nonsense woman. She’d given up a lot to care for her niece, and River couldn’t love her more, but River never opened up to her about boys or the other things teenage girls fretted over. The two of them had never shared that kind of bond for some reason.
It was years after the murders before she was old enough to understand the love between her mother and dad had been rare—a rare and special gift. Her parents had loved deeply, but they had also been partners and friends. They hadn’t had enough time on this earth to pass on their working formula. The snippets River did remember of the two together were her only road maps. She held on to them tightly. Still, she suspected she would never experience that depth of feeling with anyone.
As Kevin’s shadow settled over her, she managed to swallow in spite of her dry mouth. She should apologize for last night. Or should she thank him? God! She was so fucked up. Why would she add a man to her confusion?
Squatting in front of her, Kevin waited patiently until she raised her gaze to meet his. When she did, he reached for her hand and nestled it in his palms. Electricity danced across her fingertips, making its way through every inch of her being. Surprisingly, there was warmth in his eyes—a mixture of compassion and heat.
“Do I owe you an apology?” she asked.
Removing one of his hands from hers, he lifted her chin then touched his lips to hers. She didn’t pull away, but didn’t fall into it, as much as she wanted to.
“Why would you owe me an apology?” He brushed his thumb over her chin.
“For last night.” She hesitated, briefly closing her eyes. “You were angry this morning, weren’t you?”
“I was,” he admitted. “I believed I’d been dismissed—that our time together meant nothing to you. It was an unfair assumption on my part.”
“I did take solace in your arms.” His grip loosened, but she held on tight. “But I received so much more. I can’t explain it. I felt something I’ve never knew existed.” She paused, reaching deep for courage. “I’d like to share my bed with you again tonight.” Instead of confident, she sounded wanting and pitiful.
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