by Jodi Thomas
Sam smiled. “That’s my love.”
The firemen burst out laughing.
By the time he started home it was after midnight. He took the long way back to the parsonage he’d been trying to move out of for two days. He wanted to think, to remember loving Anna in her office, then how brave she was fighting alongside him. She never once screamed or panicked.
He wasn’t going to just follow her around. If she wanted them to work, she’d have to meet him halfway. Funny, he was looking forward to clashing with her, getting angry, making up.
As Sam passed the bar, he felt no pull to go in. He’d need every brain cell he had to keep up with Anna.
The bartender was closing up. When he saw Sam, he called out through the open door, “You seen Daily Watts?”
“Nope, it’s Monday. I thought he just came in on the weekends.”
“Always does, but I heard his brother fired him today. Said he was tired of having him come in late.” The bartender shook his head. “You ask me, Daily is the only one who works around that garage. When I take my truck in, all I see the brother do is lift his coffee cup. Daily’s the one who works late so I can pick up supplies before I open.”
“He’s a good man fallen on hard times,” Sam added.
“Watch for him, Preacher. I fear the Devil’s got ahold of him.”
“I will.” As Sam walked away, he looked in every dark corner and alley. If Daily was fired this morning he could have been drinking all day long.
As he rounded the church, he was happy to see it dark inside. No Stella crying. She was probably happily wrapped up in the organ player’s arms.
His guesthouse was still there, but tonight the little statues and forest animals lining the walls made him smile. He’d had so much excitement tonight he’d have to fight a forest fire to calm down.
He took a long shower and planned to sleep, except now and then in the night he found himself reaching for Anna. It was as if when they made love she had become a part of him. He wondered if he’d ever again feel complete without her around.
Just before sunrise he was half awake and wondering where Anna was. Storming the Widows Park house didn’t seem like a good idea. When his cell rang, he wasn’t surprised to see her number.
“Morning. You miss me?”
“Say it again, Sam.” He swore he could hear sunshine in her voice.
“I love you, Anna Presley.”
“Can you sleep?” she asked like it was the emergency question of the day.
“No, I’m getting used to sleeping on top of you. Nowhere else feels right.” He laughed, imagining her still in bed.
“I got to get out of this house. Everyone in the place snores except Colby, and the nurse walks the hallway every hour to check on him.”
“Colby’s there?”
“Yes, Piper told me the aunts stripped him down and doctored every bruise, scratch, and bullet wound he had.”
Sam sat up straight. “Colby had a bullet wound?”
“Oh, don’t worry. It was last week’s problem.”
“Then back to why is Colby there with you?”
“He’s not with me. He’s across the hallway. The old ladies are killing him with kindness. I expect him to be dead by morning.”
Sam swore. “I should have gone with you. They could have finished without me, but it sounds like I’m needed there.” He grinned. “The guys at the station kidded me about yelling that I loved you.”
Her voice was little more than a whisper. “You sorry you did that? The whole town could hear you yelling.”
“No, I’ll do it every night if you like. I’ll be like a chime.”
“Don’t kid me.”
“I’m not, but I want to do this right. We don’t have that many years left. I don’t want to waste any of it without you.” He scratched his stubble. I’ll ask later, all formal, but right now I have to know if you’re willing . . .”
“Willing to do what?” she snapped.
He couldn’t tell if she was excited or confused.
“Would you, Anna Presley, consider being my next of kin?”
She laughed and answered as soon as she could catch her breath. “If I hadn’t been a foster kid I might not understand. I’d love to be.”
He tried to think. “I know we’ve only known each other a few days, but it feels so right.”
“Sam, look at the bright side. Like you said, we’re almost forty. If we find out it was a mistake, we won’t have long to live to regret it.”
“That cheers me up. How fast can you get dressed? I’ll pick you up in ten minutes and we’ll go eat at the Honey Creek Café. We’ll make plans. I’ll call Stella and see if she knows the name of that judge who married Pecos yesterday.”
“We could ask Stella to sing,” Anna added.
“Sorry, you’re cutting out on me. Get dressed. I’ll be outside Widows Park in ten.”
As he clicked off he thought she said something about the café not being open this early. Sam didn’t care; they’d think of something to do.
Chapter 42
7:00 a.m.
Piper
Colby’s room was still in shadows when Piper slipped under the covers next to him. He looked so handsome in sleep. The hard line of his jaw was relaxed and she couldn’t see worry in his eyes.
“You’re my hero, you know,” she whispered.
One eye opened. “Who are you and what are you doing in my bed?”
“I broke in while everyone else is downstairs having breakfast.”
Colby closed his eye. “I’m not going down to breakfast with old women who have seen me naked. I’ll starve first.”
She sat up. “No, you won’t. I brought your clothes. We’re running away and having breakfast at the Honey Creek Café. Just me and you, out in the morning light, in front of the town. It’s about time the folks knew that you won your fight to win my heart, or at least a real date.”
He slowly rolled out of bed. “I’d like to stay here and have pillow talk, but I haven’t had a real meal in twenty hours. You ate most of my sandwich and all my crackers and mud.”
“It’s not mud, it’s hummus.”
He wasn’t listening as he dressed. “If you agree, we can come back here after breakfast and I’ll talk you into going back to bed. You can talk and I’ll sleep.”
“I don’t agree.” She watched him slowly pull on his new clothes. “We can skip the talk.”
He stopped and looked at her. “We could skip the breakfast.”
“No, I don’t want you passing out on me from hunger.”
Fifteen minutes later they pulled up next to the only other car at the Honey Creek parking lot.
Piper thought about trying to ignore Anna and Sam when she walked in, but since they were the only other guests in the place it would have been impossible. Anna had the same look as Piper when she invited them to join Sam and her for breakfast.
Jessica brought both couples’ meals at once. She flashed a quick smile at Colby. “Good to see you dressed, Trooper McBride. You could have told me you were guarding her. I had fun guessing what you two were doing upstairs. Now I know the truth, I’m back to PG daydreams.”
Colby had no answer to that. He changed the subject. “I don’t remember even ordering yet.”
“Oh, I know what you like.” Jessica set his plate down. “Anything that doesn’t crawl off the plate. And Piper, she always orders the same thing every morning.”
As they ate their breakfast, they all knew a storm of reporters would come soon. Tons of questions. But no one wanted to talk about it. For a few minutes they just wanted to be two couples having breakfast together.
Piper couldn’t stop smiling at Colby. There were things she needed to tell him. Things they needed to talk about. Plans to make. But she’d have to know him a great deal before she opened up. Before she let him, or anyone, know. There was a proper way of doing things.
As if they were lifetime residents of Honey Creek, Colby and Sam talked about t
he people in town and other town matters—like Pecos’s marriage and what the firehouse needed to be up to standard.
When Sam mentioned that Daily Watts was missing, Colby’s face darkened.
“He told me once that the job at the garage was all he had.” Colby stood. “I think I’ll go walk the river.”
Sam nodded. “He was hanging to life by a thread before his brother fired him. You think we might find a body?”
Colby nodded slightly, then turned to Piper. “I’d feel better if I knew you were safe, PJ.”
“I can’t go to the office so that leaves Widows Park or the church.”
Anna patted her hand. “I’ll go home with you. We’ve both got calls to make and we won’t be bothered at Widows Park. After we finish, I plan to play poker with your aunts for their crocheted hat collection.”
When they all walked over to Piper’s SUV, Colby and Sam each kissed his lady right out in front of the café.
Colby and Sam turned off toward the river as Piper backed out of her parking spot and drove away. In her mind she was already organizing. In a few months they’d start dating. Colby might even go meet her father. He’d like the trooper; after all, both his sons had been troopers before they became Rangers. By Christmas Colby could come stay a few days at Widows Park.
She smiled. Who knows what would happen from there.
* * *
Within five minutes of walking through mud, Colby turned back and borrowed Piper’s boat.
As he and Sam drifted down the river, every fisherman who hadn’t talked to him earlier suddenly waded out to shake his hand. They all promised to watch for a body even though Colby didn’t mention a name.
One old fisherman said he noticed a couple staying in a cabin back in the pines. A woman and a man.
Colby asked if the woman was long legged with long brown hair.
The fisherman nodded. “Real pretty.”
“If her name is Marcie, you might want to tell her that her fellow is in the hospital. Broke his leg in a fall.”
The fisherman saluted as if taking on a mission. “I didn’t see the guy’s car this morning so I’ll offer to drive her in.”
Colby and Sam floated on down to the bend, then pulled the boat to shore and walked out on the road toward town.
* * *
A few hours later when they returned to Widows Park, both women had lots of news. There was going to be a ceremony on Wednesday, the governor was coming, and Piper’s father and a dozen Texas Rangers would attend.
All four of them were to show up at the sheriff’s office to give statements of what had happened at city hall; then the facts would be released to the press.
“Not everything,” both women said at once, and both men laughed.
Colby listened to all the plans, but he didn’t really care. The assignment was over. He’d be going back to work and Piper would go back to being mayor. They’d probably promise to keep in touch, but he knew that would be impossible. It might work for a month or two, but then they’d each start making excuses. The visits would stretch from two weeks, to four, to someday.
When the sheriff called to say Boone would live, LeRoy also said he’d personally come by to pick up Piper. There was an emergency meeting of the city council.
Anna and Sam excused themselves, claiming they had plans to make at the church.
Colby suddenly found himself alone with the aunts and he did not plan to play poker for crocheted hats.
He walked out of the house and checked an address his buddy had texted him. First the garage, then Daily’s home. One last loose end he wouldn’t let drop.
Daily Watts’s brother wasn’t very friendly. Said he was busy even though he was just sitting at a desk talking to one of the customers. He claimed he didn’t know or care where his brother was. He’d been a pain in the neck for years.
Colby left the shop and walked the few blocks to the address he’d gotten as Daily’s home residence. The house was a good size but in sad shape.
He knocked, then banged on the door loud enough to bring the neighbors out. No one had seen Daily lately. After he was fired he hadn’t come home.
Colby went back to the bar, hoping the bartender might know a friend who could give information.
No luck. Daily sat alone and rarely spoke to anyone. Colby figured maybe the three little angels got him.
About dark, Colby tried to call Piper, but she didn’t answer. Probably deep into running the town.
He got on his Harley and rode the back roads for a while, then went back to the lodge.
Digger was on the porch of the office. “Heard about your day yesterday. The whole town thinks you’re a hero, Trooper. Saved the mayor and caught the bad guy.”
“I was just doing my job.” Colby didn’t want to talk about Boone, or the fire, or how they almost died. “You see any more of that big guy who smoked on your porch?”
“Yeah, turns out he was just a trucker. A nosy one, nothing more. You know there are always folks who think they should get into other people’s business.”
“I’ve heard of them.” Colby grinned.
“Guess you’re staying in your cabin tonight. No need to guard the mayor.” Digger laughed. “You almost had me believing that cover story. Guess it was just a job.”
“Just a job.”
Colby then headed over to his cabin. Who was he kidding? One long kiss didn’t mean anything. She was a mayor. A few months from now she wouldn’t remember his name. Probably wouldn’t even take his calls.
Part of him wanted it to be so much more. He’d spent ten years walking away from every relationship before it got serious. This time she’d be the one to walk away.
When he opened the door, the low porch line sliced a pie-shaped beam across his bed.
There was a big bump in the middle. Apparently while he was gone the raccoon moved in. Colby thought of pulling his weapon, but he didn’t want to hurt the poor thing. Leaving the door wide open, he slowly walked to the bed ready to yell and hoped the raccoon would dart for the door.
Just before he roared, an arm moved out from under the blanket. Then a bare shoulder. Correction, a bare shoulder except for a spaghetti strap.
“Mayor,” he tried to keep his voice calm. “Want to tell me why you’re here?”
“I can’t sleep without you in my bed. Do you think you could guard my body for one more night?”
He pulled his clothes off so fast he ripped one sleeve and popped two buttons. This might be goodbye. It might be a thank you for all he’d done. She might just simply want to be close to him. Colby didn’t care. He just wanted PJ.
They made love with the moon shining on them and a raccoon watching from the porch. When she slept in his arms, he whispered, “Don’t go, PJ. Don’t ever leave.”
Chapter 43
Evening
Pecos
Pecos had been busy all day. He’d shadowed the sheriff, copying everything he did.
When he finally made it back to Mr. Winston’s home, he found that Barbara and Brad had been invited to supper. Great . . . his new wife came with bookends. Kerrie had cooked supper with Mr. Winston’s help. He served the meal. Pecos didn’t say much. Brad didn’t say anything, but at least he wasn’t growling.
Dessert was Barbara’s famous key lime pie. Mr. Winston was polite enough to ask for the recipe. After they each had a slice, the Lanes left with Barbara chatting all the way out and Brad nodding his head once or twice.
Mr. Winston was tired, so Pecos offered to do the dishes. The old guy didn’t argue.
Finally, he was alone with Kerrie. As had become their pattern, they talked and laughed together, catching up on all the little things, full of ideas for the future. Getting to know each other a day at a time. “We’re just kids,” she admitted.
“I know. We’ll make a lot of mistakes.” He handed her the last plate. “Just you and me, kid, through the good and the bad.”
“Agreed.” She kissed his cheek.
When
they went up to bed, Kerrie changed into her cotton pajamas with a pattern of sandals and beach balls on them. He’d just climbed into bed when she came into his room.
“Mind if I sleep with you again?”
“I’ll never mind. You don’t have to ask.”
As she cuddled in beside him, she said, “I remembered the last line of my graduation speech.”
“Tell me.”
She rose to her elbow. “It’s from Eleanor Roosevelt. ‘You must do the thing you think you cannot do.’ I didn’t think I could have this baby and take care of it and still go to school. You made me believe. We can do it, can’t we?”
“We can.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “Good night, Pecos.”
He was silent for a minute, then said something he thought he’d never be brave enough to say. “Kiss me on the mouth, not the cheek, when you kiss me good night.”
“All right.” She kissed him gently on the lips.
Pecos smiled in the darkness. That was enough, he thought.
Wednesday
Chapter 44
Morning
Piper
The mayor stood at the podium and gave her speech; then she awarded Sam and Colby medals. She proudly gave Pecos the key to the city. He’d find out later it didn’t really open any door, but the kid didn’t seem to need much luck. He had all he wanted.
Pecos stood tall in his wedding suit. He whispered to Piper that it was all the people from the flea market who were yelling his name. And then a few kids in his senior class who had never talked to him before came up and hugged him.
The sheriff extolled the bravery shown during the fire, and the head of the council talked about the changes that would be made because of the fire.
No one mentioned Boone Buchanan.