Page 95 of Reckoning

A lump swelled in her throat. He did come through for her—as best he could. She put the cash back in her purse and swiped the card to get her gas. She was getting back in her car when Tate replied to her text.

Call me when you get into the city. Tell me where you are and I’ll come find you. You are spending the night with me. You can do college tomorrow. Can’t wait to hold you in my arms.

Briar shivered longingly at the thought. She was still smiling twenty miles later.

* * *

Tate’s house was clean. The refrigerator was stocked, and he’d changed the sheets on his bed. He’d put up a table-size Christmas tree in the middle of the dining table with tiny blinking lights over a week ago. It didn’t help the homesick feeling that was with him daily, but it was a bright spot in the day.

While he was waiting for Briar, a call he’d been waiting for came through. A local woman named Grace LaTrelle had asked for his help. After her consultation was paid for, he made a video call. He saw her face when she answered and knew within seconds it was about lost jewelry.

“Good morning, Mrs. LaTrelle. You mentioned in your message that you’ve lost something dear to you.”

“Yes, a ring. My late grandmother’s ring. Part of my inheritance. I wore it out to dinner the night before last. I know it came home with me because I remember taking it off. But it’s gone. I’ve torn the house up looking for it. Can you help me?”

Tate relaxed, then closed his eyes, then moments later opened them. “Do you have a little dog?”

She blinked. “Yes, Marilyn, my Yorkie-poo. Why?”

“Well, Marilyn swallowed it. Take her to your vet. They’ll X-ray her for you, and the vet will tell you what to do from there. Prepare yourself to dig through her poop for the next couple of days, but it will show up.”

He heard a gasp, then a brief moment of silence before Grace burst out laughing. “The little dickens. Oh my lord! Thank you, thank you. I’d looked everywhere there was to look except in Marilyn’s poop. I’m calling my vet right now.” She disconnected.

Tate was grinning as he hung up. Marilyn was in big trouble. Then he glanced at the clock and thought of Briar again. Where are you, darlin’? I’ve waited too long to hold you again.

* * *

It was midafternoon when Briar drove past the New Orleans city limits. She pulled into a quick stop to refuel, shivering as she got out. It wasn’t as cold here as it was back in Missouri, but there was a bite to the wind. She made a mental note of the address and called Tate.

“I’m here,” Briar said, and told him the address of the quick stop.

“Oh, I know where that is,” Tate said. “Hang tight, darlin’. I’m on the way. See you soon.” He hung up before she could say goodbye.

She just shook her head and laughed. “That man is on a mission. Five months apart was too darn long.”

She got back in her car and pulled away from the pumps, then parked so she was facing the street. Ten minutes later, she saw him coming and started the engine.

Tate’s heart skipped when he saw her sitting behind the wheel. He pulled into the station and jumped out as she was rolling down the window, then leaned in, kissed her on the lips, and smiled. “My beautiful Briar. Follow me.”

She was laughing. “Don’t lose me.”

He shook his head. “Remember who you’re talking to, girl. Just a little bit farther and you’ll be in my arms.” He loped back to his car and pulled out into the street with Briar right behind him.

She locked onto the sight of his taillights and never looked away. When he began signaling a turn and slowing down, and she saw the wrought-iron gates opening up across a driveway and the charming little shotgun house beside it, her eyes widened, then she quickly pulled in right behind him, afraid they’d close before she could get off the street. The gates were swinging shut when Tate came running to her car, and the moment she got out, she was in his arms.

Once they got inside, he didn’t want to let go, and finally sat down on the sofa and pulled her into his lap. He began filling her in on his world, and she updated him on hers. When she told him about her parents and the impending reunion, he just shook his head.

“Your dad is one of those men who cannot function on his own. The good part is that you don’t have to live with their drunken discord anymore.”

They made love that night, fell asleep in each other’s arms, woke up, and made love again. When morning came, it was back to regular programming, which meant nobody could know that they were together, or that she even knew him.

They were at the table eating cereal when Briar changed the subject from the classes she was taking first semester to his welfare.

“Are you often in danger?” Briar asked.

He shrugged. “I’ve been threatened. Criminals want what they want, too, but I don’t deal. And there are the nuts…lunatics who fixate on someone for all the wrong reasons. Don’t worry about me. I’ll always see them coming. Now, if you’re ready to go, I’ll take your suitcase to the car. You back out, then wait in the street for me to back out, then follow me. I know where your dorm is. I’ll get you as far as the parking lot, and then you go check in and do your thing. I love you like crazy, but I’m proud of you too. You’re going to ace the next four years.”

Then he wrapped his arms around her and just held her.