by Jody Holford
“You okay?” he said quietly, his body crowding in behind her, his breath brushing over her, smoothing out her hurt even though he hadn’t caused it. She blinked quickly several times then turned to him with a smile in place.
“Of course. It’s a good turnout. I think people will enjoy pitching in once we get started,” she answered, keeping her voice low while Kate finished answering questions.
“Hmm,” Alex murmured, pushing a strand of Lucy’s hair behind her ear. His eyes watched her. She had spent every evening this week with him and was surprised by how much she enjoyed and looked forward to being with him.
“I should—”
He frowned. “Not try to hide things when you’re upset. Not from me. What did Char say?”
Lucy winced. Of course he had noticed. The man saw everything—if she tried to sneak out of his bed, avoid a conversation, pretend something didn’t bother her when it did … It was like he had a radar.
“She just said my mom doesn’t leave the house much, and I wondered why. Not a big deal. It’s nothing.”
He leaned in and kissed her, soft and gentle, like he didn’t mind anyone looking. Still, she didn’t want the attention on them and whatever they were. The town was here tonight to support Kate. She pulled back and smiled at him.
“I have to go check in with my deputies, finish up some paperwork,” he said, moving with her even as she stepped back.
“Okay. Thanks for coming. The town loves you so much that if you support the rec center, they will.”
“The town is here because they care about your family, Luce. About you.”
She started to make a caustic remark but noticed that people were starting to mingle and Kate was finished on stage.
“Do you want me to come by later?” she asked.
His smile was wide and warm. And a little bit cocky. All of which, apparently, appealed to her.
“Yes. I really and truly do.”
She laughed and gave him a quick kiss. “Then I’ll see you later.”
Chapter 9
Lucy hadn’t seen her brother-in-law since she had returned home almost two weeks ago. Between organizing the plans for redoing the rec center and jumping into what was suspiciously resembling a relationship, time had suddenly flown by. And she’d really been enjoying every moment. She’d only seen Mia and Carmen a few times at her parents’. It wasn’t enough, but for the first time in forever, she didn’t feel like she had to cram everything in because she was on her way to somewhere else.
She knocked on the white lacquered door. They had moved since Carmen was born, and she felt a small trickle of shame that she hadn’t even been inside of this home. It was gorgeous—a white, two-story cross between country and colonial with a wide front porch and baby blue shutters. The cement walkway that led to the four-step porch was lined with pretty flowers. Bright blues and yellows mixed perfectly, reminding her that, of the three of them, Char had gotten the green thumb. Lucy considered pulling her camera out, snapping a couple shots of those vibrant petals, just as the door finally opened. Luke Hanson stood there in his jeans and T-shirt, his feet bare, with a slight snarl on his handsome face.
“Jesus. I thought you were a salesman,” he said, breaking into a happy smile.
“I’m not Jesus, either, so I hope you’re not disappointed,” Lucy returned, stepping into him. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight, lifted her off of her feet, and spun her in a half circle. She laughed in delight as he set her down and shut the door.
“You show up about as often,” he teased, kissed her cheek, and grabbed her camera bag from her.
Slipping off her shoes by the door, she followed him down a short hallway that led to a kitchen and sitting area. Char was standing at the counter, gripping it with both hands, as Carmen rocked back and forth on her heels, muttering under her breath.
“Hey,” she said curtly, then turned to look at Luke, “you didn’t pick up peanut butter.”
He frowned, glanced at Carmen and back at Lucy, his cheeks turning a pale shade of pink. Looking closer, Lucy noted that his dark hair was peppered with some grey around the ears and needed a trim. Char looked half dressed—unless she actually planned on pairing her pretty button-up shirt with the pajama pants she was sporting.
“I only like peanut butter sandwiches,” Carmen muttered a little louder.
“Aunt Lucy is here, Carmen. Aren’t you glad to see her?” Luke asked, going over to Carmen and putting his hand on her arm.
“I want a peanut butter sandwich,” Carmen replied, not looking at her dad.
Lucy put her bag on the counter, noting that Mia was sleeping in a bassinet in the sitting area. Curbing the impulse to pick her up, bury her nose in the crook of her tiny little neck, and inhale her, she walked to Carmen. Luke’s lips firmed. He stood and walked to Char.
“Sorry, babe. I’ll go get some,” he said in a low voice. Lucy tried to focus on the tenderness she heard in his tone and not the stifling amount of tension that had permeated the room.
“I brought you something,” Lucy told Carmen in a quiet voice. She stopped rocking and looked at Lucy.
“Peanut butter?”
“No. But it sounds like daddy’s got that covered.”
Carmen stood staring, but not really looking at her, while Luke kissed Char’s cheek and said he’d be back in a few minutes.
“Do you mind if I go finish getting dressed, Luce?” Char asked. Lucy couldn’t ignore the sound of fatigue lacing her sister’s normally upbeat, solid voice.
“Of course not. Go.”
She waited until Char left then went back to her camera bag and picked it up, moved to the sitting area, took another peek at Mia, and sat in the large recliner closest to the bassinet. She opened her bag and pulled out the photos she had brought for Carmen. Mia made cooing noises in her sleep and Lucy’s fingers itched to pick her up. Carmen came to stand beside the chair.
“What did you bring?” she asked, looking at Lucy with curiosity.
“I brought you some of the shark pictures I took when I was in Australia.”
“People think Australia and New Zealand are the same, but they’re not.”
“No. They’re not.”
“Did you go to New Zealand?”
“No. I was sent to take pictures of the Grey Nurse Shark. When I get sent on an assignment, I usually go where they send me,” Lucy explained, scooting over when Carmen leaned against the chair, looking at the photo album.
“Sharks are endangered,” Carmen said, running a small finger across one of the photos.
“Many of them, yes. Why do you like sharks so much?” Lucy asked, handing the book to Carmen. She smiled when Carmen wedged herself into a sitting position beside her on the chair. Mia stirred, made a few snuggling noises, and stretched her wee fists.
“They’re strong. And powerful. No one wants to be near them because they’re scary, but they’re also beautiful if you just look,” Carmen said after a moment of thought and turned another page. Mia began to whimper in her cradle, and Lucy looked down at Carmen and then ran a hand gently along her springy, dark curls that smelled like baby shampoo. Carmen pulled back, away from Lucy’s touch.
“You need to pick her up. Make sure you hold her head,” Carmen instructed, without looking up. Lucy smiled and bit back a laugh at the serious instruction. Standing, she leaned over the cradle and picked up Mia, snuggling into her neck and breathing her in, just as she’d been dying to do. Mia’s little fists pushed against her, and she moved her head around like a little chicken pecking at Lucy’s neck. Lucy laughed, making Carmen look up.
“She’s hungry. You can’t feed her,” Carmen said, turning another page.
“You look good with a baby snuggled into you like that,” Char said, walking in, her hair damp and her clothing fresh.
“Did you shower?”
“I most certainly did, and it was amazing. Seven and a half uninterrupted minutes of heaven,” Char answered, moving to the fridg
e. She pulled out some juice, held it up for Lucy in offering, and then poured them both a glass.
“I think that’s half a minute longer in heaven than you’re allowed,” Lucy joked, happy to see Char smile. Lucy wandered over with her pecking niece. The kitchen was separated from the sitting area by an L-shaped counter. A small, round table sat in the center. Sitting, Char motioned for her to do the same.
“I think Carmen’s right. She’s hungry,” Lucy said, smiling down at Mia as she sat.
“She’s good for another couple of minutes. I’m going to switch to formula,” Char told her. Lucy wasn’t sure if she was supposed to have an opinion about that, so she just nodded her head.
“Everything okay with you and Luke?” Lucy asked tentatively. She had always been able to talk to Charlotte about everything. But right now, she felt like her sister had an invisible, and somewhat impenetrable, shield cloaking her.
“Things are fine. We’re good. Tired. New parents with a five-year-old tired, but we’re good. Speaking of good—how’s our town protector? Dad says you’ve been spending copious amounts of time with him.”
Lucy bounced Mia in her arms while Char held her gaze. She wondered, for a moment, why her dad had been talking to Char about her at all. Stop over-analyzing. Still, she felt a twinge of resentment and misplaced jealousy. Why hadn’t her dad talked to her about Alex?
“You going to answer me?” Char asked, amusement lacing her tone. She twisted her wedding ring as she spoke, and Lucy’s eye was drawn to the delicate platinum bands, one with a diamond in the center.
“Things are fine,” Lucy replied, throwing her sister’s words back at her with a cheeky grin. “We’re just hanging out.”
“Alex isn’t really the hang-out type. In fact, I can’t think of him hanging out with any one woman on a regular basis.”
That information sent a thrill through her but she tried to keep her voice playful. “Well, I am more alluring than most women.” She wasn’t sure what to do with the pleasure it gave her to know Alex might be falling as hard as she was. Or the sickness in her stomach when she thought about leaving before she had time to find out.
Mia gave a short cry then returned to rooting around Lucy’s neck, which tickled. The moment was enough to remind her she didn’t have to worry about something that wasn’t happening. Right now, she was here with no plans of going anywhere and Alex wanted only her. She’d focus on that.
“Of course. The one that can’t be tamed is always alluring,” Char said. Her tone was teasing, but the words still cut Lucy’s heart.
There was no humor in her voice when she asked. “Tamed? Cause I’m a wild horse? Seriously?”
Char held up a hand. “Hey. I was just joking. And yeah, you kind of are the wild card of the family. And that’s not a bad thing,” Charlotte said. Lucy bit her lip. If she and Kate only knew how much of a wild card she really was. Still, the hurt in her chest was soothed by Char’s genuine tone. She felt the barrier shift, like there was a chance for them to really connect. Finally. Lucy heard the door and smiled when Luke walked back in with a large jar of peanut butter.
“This should last us for a while. What do you think, Carmen?” he asked, tossing his keys onto the counter. Carmen looked up and smiled brightly at her dad, making Lucy wish she had her camera out and ready.
“Can we have peanut butter sandwiches now?”
“Sure. Come help me make one,” Luke answered.
Lucy smiled at the way Carmen clutched the photo album to her chest as she walked into the kitchen with them. Luke was a good dad. Alex would be a good dad like Luke. Before she completed the thought in her own head, her pulse tripled. She’d been home two weeks and Alex was one of the longest relationships of her adult life. What the hell was she doing thinking of him as a dad? Or herself as a mom. But something in the way Luke was with Carmen pulled at Lucy’s heartstrings and made her wonder. Wondering was as dangerous as wandering. Both led to uncertain paths.
“Aunt Lucy took all of these photos,” Carmen told her mom without releasing the album.
“She’s a very good photographer,” Char responded. Lucy glanced at her with an appreciative smile, warmth multiplying inside of her chest.
“Speaking of which, I was hoping to do some family shots of you four, now that there’s a new addition. I also want to talk to you, Luke, about posing for the calendar idea I had,” Lucy told them. Standing, she moved toward Char and then put Mia in her arms. Char stood and moved into the living room, making way for Carmen to sit down while Luke continued making her a sandwich at the counter.
“Is your calendar featuring geeky accountants?” he joked, a wide grin in place. In jeans and a T-shirt, he didn’t look like any other accountants she knew.
She gestured to him. “Right, because you fall into the geeky category. Hey, how come you’re not at work?” she asked, taking a sip of juice and watching Carmen look through all of the photos again.
“You didn’t tell her, Char?” He glanced at his wife, who was snuggled into the corner of the couch, discreetly nursing Mia. Looking over at Lucy, he placed a sandwich in front of Carmen. “What do you say, Carmen?”
Carmen continued to turn the pages. Luke placed his large hand over hers, but she pulled away and tried to turn the pages again.
“Carmen.” His voice was sharp but low. Carmen looked up at him. Her brows pinched together, and her small mouth puckered in a frown.
“This is mine.”
“And you can look at it when you finish your sandwich. What do you say?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Luke’s face became less strained when Carmen uttered the words grumpily and began to eat her sandwich. Lucy didn’t know what to make of the exchange or the family dynamics. She was hardly an expert—on anything, really—but she had spent the last ten years of her life surrounded by people of all walks of life, all ages and abilities. No one spoke of Carmen’s behavior as anything out of the ordinary, and her sister and Luke—and the rest of her family—were wonderful with her, but Lucy couldn’t help wondering what good it would do any of them to pretend everything was status quo.
“Tell me what?” she asked, redirecting her thoughts.
Luke poured Carmen a glass of milk while Char made herself more comfortable, tucked her feet under her on the couch, and stroked the bits of light brown hair on Mia’s head.
“I’m going back to work. Luke is going to work from home. We’re feeling the strain with me being off. And we’re looking into getting some help.” Char’s eyes moved to Carmen when she said help, lightening Lucy’s heart with the realization that they were confronting their daughter’s challenges. The bang on the table when Luke placed the glass of milk down startled Mia and Carmen. Luke’s face colored slightly. He grabbed a cloth to wipe up the spilt milk.
“It just makes more sense for me to stay home since Char can’t exactly fix teeth here.”
“I think it’s great. All of it. As long as you guys are happy and doing what you need to do for your family, that’s all that matters. Maybe I can help out a bit? Give you a break one day a week or something?” Lucy suggested to Luke, bringing her glass to the sink and rinsing it.
“For what? A few weeks while you’re home?” Char asked. A sharp, quick pain stabbed Lucy in the chest. So much for connecting. But she smiled around it and pushed back the hurt at the sarcasm in her sister’s voice.
“Char. That’s a really nice offer, Luce. We’ll take you up on it anytime,” Luke replied, smoothing things over with a less-than-subtle glare at his wife.
“Sure,” Lucy said too brightly, avoiding eye contact with either of them. She picked up her camera case, unhooking the latches as Char finished up with Mia.
“Well, if you guys are okay with a few candid shots, I’ll do some of those now. I’ll let you know when I need you for the calendar, Luke.”
Chapter 10
Alex put his hand on his gun, not something he had to do often in A
ngel’s Lake. He and Cam, one of his younger deputies, walked to the door of the pub on the outskirts of town. The Catfish was basically the only place within fifty miles that people could go to dance, and it was usually crowded with twenty-somethings. Alex shook his head when he realized that he still fell into that category. Sure doesn’t feel like it most days.
“Keep your hand on your weapon, but keep it holstered, alright, Cam?” he said, pulling the heavy, scarred door open. Cam was only a month on the job and showed a lot of drive and enthusiasm. But he also looked downright scared about going into the Catfish to deal with the drunk and disorderly call they had received about ten minutes ago. Cam nodded his head, his eyes wide; his military haircut made his forehead seem too big.
The sound of country music rang out into the starless night. The waft of colognes and perfumes, sweat, and beer raged out at them as if opening the doors had been the escape hatch for the combined scents. A couple—probably a little too young to be there—clung to each other, kissing, the girl giggling as they moved past Alex and Cam. Alex could hear shouting over the din, laughter that was too loud and too phony.
Walking in, he noticed it was not as crowded as it had sounded. The stained, carpeted floor was some sort of geometric pattern meant to hide the nasty things that happened to spill nightly. A long, scuffed, and well-used bar took up almost the whole back wall. Two steps led up to a few pool tables that always had a line of quarters waiting. Through the dim lighting and the cloud of needy desperation that filled the room, Alex saw Davey Morgan towering over a woman, his arm raised to strike. Alex lengthened his stride and nodded to Fast Eddie, the bartender and owner who was anything but fast. Grabbing Davey’s wound up arm, Alex swung him around, placing his foot behind Davey’s heel. The other man turned sharply, and he tripped and fell back onto his ass. Letting out a stream of curses, some of which Alex was sure Davey had invented, he looked up and glared at Alex.