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“See ya, girlfriend.” The babysitter gathered her sweater and purse and started toward the door.
“Hold up a minute. I’ll walk Tiffany to her house. You stay inside.” Luke pushed to his feet, hoping Sally wouldn’t argue simply because she was annoyed with him. He didn’t want to remind her in front of her nine-year-old daughter that the man who’d caused the bruise forming on her jaw and cheekbone was still parked in the driveway. In a short time, those bruises would be noticeable enough for Jen to spot, and Sally could answer her daughter’s questions however she saw fit. For now, he was relieved when Sally nodded, pulled some bills from her purse and handed them to Tiffany.
Jen touched Luke’s arm as he moved to follow the teenager outside. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He wasn’t going anywhere until the loser in the Chevy Tahoe out front left. After that, he needed fifteen minutes alone with Sally to say what he’d come to say. Then, if she wanted him to leave, he’d move on with a clear conscience…and a heavy heart. He gave Jen a quick hug. “I’m not leaving yet. In fact, I’ll be staying at a friend’s place north of here for a while. It’s not that far away, so I can come anytime you want to see me. Don’t forget, I promised you a birthday present and I meant it, even if I have to go shopping alone.” He glanced at Sally, but he couldn’t read her expression.
“I mean…you should stay here tonight…with us. Then we can talk more in the morning.” Jen’s small fingers squeezed his arm.
“Jen, that’s enough, honey. I’m sure Luke has somewhere he needs to be.” Sally stepped behind Jen, placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders, and gave Luke an apologetic smile.
God, she was pretty…and so damn transparent. It was clear she wanted him out of there in the worst way—something she wasn’t going to get until they’d had a chance to talk. He grinned as he met her gaze. “Actually, I don’t have anywhere to be. I was planning to sleep in my vehicle again. Your couch looks pretty comfortable compared to my old truck.” He hated himself for the cornered-prey look that invaded Sally’s eyes. “If you’ve got eggs in the house, I’ll even cook breakfast.”
“Please, Mom. Please say yes.” Jen hugged them both as she bounced up and down.
Sally’s expression hardened and her cold eyes regarded him as though he was something the cat had caught and left on the doorstep. She cleared her throat, sounding suspiciously like she’d growled at him. “I suppose it would be all right for one night. Jen, find a pillow and a blanket for the couch.”
The girl hugged her mother around the waist and Sally bent to kiss Jen’s head. Lucky for Luke, Sally would do anything to make her daughter happy. Apparently, that included allowing the proverbial leper to sleep over. Now, if only he could get Sally to talk to him before she gave him his walking papers in the morning, Jen’s efforts on his behalf wouldn’t be wasted.
Luke continued to the door and gave Jen a thumbs-up before he followed Tiffany outside. It took him a couple of minutes to deliver the girl to her door and he was halfway back to Sally’s steps when the Chevy Tahoe parked at the curb roared to life and the headlights split the darkness. He continued to walk until he reached the path leading to the front door, then turned to face the lights, legs spread slightly, hands fisted at his sides. If the guy wanted to take out his frustration on someone, Luke was happy to oblige.
The man revved the engine loudly three times before he rammed it in gear, and the big SUV lurched forward onto the grass. Luke advanced quickly, sidestepping the front of the vehicle. The driver threw the transmission in Park and climbed to the ground.
Luke stepped close, invading the man’s personal space, struggling to control the white-hot fury he and his shrink had labored for months to lock away. His lightning-fast temper had been a surprise even to him after his physical body began to heal. Harder to fix, his mental state had become his nemesis—one that could keep him from the two people he cared about the most.
Sally opened the front door and stepped partway out. He couldn’t see her eyes at this distance, but he felt her gaze on him as though a soft breeze, carrying the scent of carnations, swirled around him. She had always smelled of carnations. Now, her very presence was a physical restraint, tipping him back to the side of sanity.
“No one’s been hurt seriously so far. Wanna keep it that way?” Luke stepped back, giving the driver some breathing room.
The man studied him with a steady glare. “You seem like a smart guy. Do me a favor, would ya? Tell the ice queen she’s fired.” He jerked his head toward the house. “You, on the other hand—I could use a man like you on the payroll.” He pulled a business card from his front pocket and flicked it to the ground near Luke’s feet. “If you ever need work, give me a call.”
Yeah right. When hell freezes over, buddy.“No, thanks. I’ll pass.”
“Suit yourself.” The man started to turn toward his vehicle but stopped and swung back slowly. “I wonder how well you know that little gal in there. I never hire anyone unless I do a thorough background check. People hide things, and when you’re running a business, it’s smart to find out what those things are.” He crossed his arms and cocked his head toward Luke, as though trying to decide if it was worth his time to share his findings.
Luke stopped short of asking what line of work the guy was referring to. He probably didn’t want to know. Besides, it didn’t matter. Anger resurfaced as he prepared to defend Sally from what had to be nothing but a pack of lies. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”
“Sally Duncan has secrets and they’re buried deep. Not evenmypeople could dig up all the answers. My advice is, watch your back if you plan on spending time with her.” He turned abruptly and climbed behind the wheel.
“That’s all you’ve got? Sounds like bullshit to me, man. This—whatever this was—it’s over. The lady won. Time for you to head back to whatever rock you crawled out from under. And you can do me a favor too. Don’t come back.” Luke’s last words fell quiet and even, the outward manifestation of his simmering anger.
The man’s gaze swept over Luke, obviously taking his measure, before he laughed and swung his door closed. He slammed the SUV into reverse and spun his big tires, leaving wide ruts in the grass until he squealed onto the street. Shifting into Drive, he apparently floored the gas pedal and wound the engine up tight, blowing through the stop sign at the end of the block.
Luke kept vigil until he could no longer hear the Tahoe’s engine. When he turned toward the house, Sally stood quietly in the open doorway, the light shining around her with a halo effect. Her shuttered expression gave him no clue what she was thinking.
Luke held her gaze as he approached the house. She stared back at him with wide eyes, triggering his protective instinct. He had to fold his hands behind his back to keep himself from reaching for her, tucking her against him and laying her head in that spot beneath his chin. She’d felt so good there all those months ago. The effort it took to let her turn and retreat into the house awakened the panic in him. He had to tell her what he’d come to say before he lost his nerve.
As much as he tried to block out her former boss’s accusations, the insidious whispers in his head started almost immediately. Was she hiding something? Was that why she stayed here in this backwater town with no family but Jen and a few friends? Her life seemed to revolve around that little girl and her friend, Rachel, who, coincidentally, was his brother’s fiancée. At one time, Luke had hoped to be a part of the picture too, but now he wasn’t so sure he’d make the cut.
He stepped across the threshold behind her, closing the door and turning the dead bolt.
In the center of the small living room, she whirled to face him. “What did he say?” Wariness crept into her expression, giving credence to his unwanted suspicions.
Luke shrugged. “Said to tell you you’re fired. Everything else was just male chest-thumping.” He caught the barest wisp of her smile as she turned away to straighten up the couch, where he’d be sleeping. A lump formed in his throat as he watched her. He loved the fact he’d always been able to make her laugh. The three weeks they’d spent together before he shipped out had been the most fun he’d ever had with a woman.
Without a word, he walked past her, through the kitchen, to check the lock on the back door. He’d spent enough time in this little house with her and Jen—cooking meals together, watching movies—he was familiar with her routines. Despite the fact this was a small town and everybody knew everyone else, Sally was strict—almost obsessive—about locking her doors. At first, he’d found it a little strange, but now he could be assured the house would be locked up tight until this mess had blown over.
The living room was empty when he retraced his steps. A pillow and neatly folded blanket were stacked on one end of the couch. He turned the switch on a nearby lamp, then returned to the door to flip off the overhead light. A good part of the room retreated into shadows. Luke dropped down on the couch, leaned over to unlace his boots and toed them off. Then he sat back and stretched, crossing his legs at the ankles. Out of habit, he pulled the picture from his shirt pocket. Creased down the middle, dog-eared and faded, the images of Sally and Jen smiled at him, never failing to make his heart beat a little faster, as though to prove he still had a reason to live.
