She felt his heat touch her lips before his mouth pressed against hers. Warmth blasted through the sensitive nerve endings of her lips and shot down to her toes. She lit up inside.
Seth.
His mouth commanded hers, leading the kiss, challenging her to keep pace. His fingers pressed into her scalp, stroking in a way that made her want to crawl inside him and avoid the world. Nothing compared to being touched and kissed by Seth. Nothing.
He’d always had this power over her. The power to make everything around her disappear until only he existed. Nothing had changed between them. Only the calendar marked the years. Their souls and minds ignored the fact that time had passed and acted as if they’d never been separated.
After a long moment he pulled back, and she was exposed to the rain again. Her eyes opened, meeting his gaze. He’d lowered the umbrella so they both stood in the cold wet. It wasn’t a pounding, soaking rain at the moment. It was a good rain. Soft and gentle, the type that refreshes. She needed the coolness to offset his heat.
She watched a drop run down his cheek and bounce off his coat, feeling the same action repeated on her face.
She didn’t care. Right now, the Pacific Northwest could throw whatever type of weather it wanted at her, and it wouldn’t change that all she wanted to do was stand next to Seth Rutledge.
She wanted to forget that she needed to go to work tomorrow, forget her house had been deliberately damaged, and forget her lab had been robbed. She wanted three days and nights alone with him to immerse herself in him. She wanted to talk and eat and have glorious sex without interruption. The way they used to. She wanted to talk about the future and map out their plans. She sucked in a giant breath, feeling the cold touch the bottom of her lungs.
“I should go,” he said.
Were there any sadder words?
“I know,” she answered. Inside her brain screamed for him not to leave again. The cold had exposed her, opened wide her vulnerable center, ripe for a man to easily destroy with the wrong words. Or salve with the right ones.
“I don’t want to. Not tonight. Not any night again.”
His words were a balm that smoothed her raw nerves.
“I don’t want to ever hurt you again,” he whispered. “I know that can be hard to accept, but I hope you will. I want another chance. And I think you do, too. What we had never died. It was hibernating until our summer could come again.”
But what a long cold winter it’d been.
“I never stopped loving you, Tori. That’s the honest truth. If I could go back in time, I’d figure out a way to do right by both you and Eden. I was wrong to sacrifice you the way I did.”
“Shhh. Don’t talk about it. It’s long in the past and there’s nothing you can do about it now.” She didn’t like the distress in his eyes.
“I’ve thought about it for years. I’ve been haunted by it. I did the worst thing a man could ever do to the woman he loved—”
“You were young. We both were. You thought you were doing the right thing at the time. I forgave you a long time ago.” It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that Victoria realized how true they were. She had forgiven the young man who’d been driven by a sense of honor to take care of his daughter.
“I forgave you,” she repeated for her sake as well as his. “And you’re here now.”
He exhaled, and she felt his shoulders relax as he briefly shut his eyes. “You don’t know how much that means to me. I’ve felt like I’ve had a curse over my head for almost two decades.”
Victoria felt a weightlessness flow through her body. She’d been carrying the curse, too. He moved forward and kissed her again, pulling her tight against him. Current shot through her body where she pressed against him. Her mouth knew his taste and feel; it’d never forgotten. She sank into the kiss, almost giddy with the elation he’d caused. She and Seth hadn’t meant to be apart. The universe had realigned to place them together again.
Her house might be damaged, but she had her soul mate back.
Trinity woke, instantly alarmed and confused, blinking at her surroundings.
Katy’s spare room.
Katy had given Dr. Peres Trinity’s room because of the nice big bed. Trinity had slept on the daybed. She inhaled deeply and caught the scent of smoke. She pulled a handful of hair across her nose. Yep. Odors cling to hair.
How bad was Dr. Peres’s house? Were all her things ruined? How would they get the scent of smoke out of the home? Hair and clothes could be washed, but she didn’t think that would be sufficient for the carpet and furniture.
Poor Dr. Peres.
She’d spent a lot of energy reassuring Trinity yesterday. First after the shooting, and then after the fire. She’d talked about insurance and claims adjusters and companies who specialize in taking care of disasters just like her home, trying to put Trinity at ease as she worried for her neighbor.
A small vibration sent her hunting for her phone.
The sight of a text from Jason made her heart pound. Silly. He’s probably asking about Brooke. She opened the message.
R U OK?
He was asking about her? Her heart raced a bit faster as another text came through.
DID U SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SERVICE?
She texted back. I’M GOOD. NO. RAN OUT. WHAT HAPPENED?
IDIOT WITH GUN. TRIED TO GET IT AWAY.
She sucked in a breath. Jason had been in the middle of that mess? And tried to disarm someone? Seriously? U DID THAT? WHY?
I’M WORRIED. I TOUCHED THE TRIGGER. DON’T WANT POLICE THINKING I PULLED IT.
Alarm rang in her head. He’d touched the trigger? What if he had actually caused the weapon to fire? DID YOU GO TO THE POLICE?
THEY BROUGHT ME IN. TOLD THEM. DON’T KNOW IF THEY BELIEVE.
Why was he telling her? Did he really have no one else to talk to? ARE YOU STILL AT THE STATION?
NO. AT A FRIEND’S. GOTTA GO.
Why was he at a friend’s at eight in the morning? If she’d been taken to the police station, Katy would have dragged her ass home afterward. Maybe he didn’t have a good home to go to. Trinity could sympathize with that. Her last two foster homes had been less than supportive. She’d been left alone to do as she pleased and had found the home atmosphere to be stress-filled and temperamental. She’d spent as much time at friends’ homes as possible.
She got up and wrapped a throw around her shoulders. Quietly opening the door, she peered into the hall. Listening closely, she heard kitchen-type noises. Someone was up. She padded to the kitchen.
Dr. Peres stood at the sink, her back to Trinity, filling the coffee pot. Trinity’s stomach rumbled. The woman didn’t look like a successful professional with a career in the macabre. Dressed in soft yoga pants and a thin long-sleeved T-shirt with her feet bare and her hair pulled back in a messy knot, she looked like someone’s mom.
“Mother” wasn’t a word Trinity would ever use to describe the doctor. Even when Dr. Peres had spoken at her school, she’d been the consummate professional.
Dr. Peres shoved the pot into the brewer and hit a button. Trinity cleared her throat, causing the doctor to immediately turn.
“You’re up.” Dr. Peres’s brown eyes widened and she gave a warm smile. “I woke at the crack of dawn and was totally restless, so I made scones. I don’t think Katy will mind that I invaded her kitchen.” She pulled a tray out of the oven and a delicious scent filled the kitchen.
“Ohh. That smells awesome.” It really did.
Her words made the doctor smile. She cut a triangle out of the huge baked lump and placed it on a plate, shoving it into Trinity’s hands. “Sit,” she ordered. “Want coffee or milk?”
Trinity sat. “Milk, please.” She took a bite of warm yumminess and sighed.
The doctor placed the milk in front of her and sat across from her, watching her eat.
Trinity was instantly self-conscious. “Are you having some?”
“I will in a minute. I never bake or cook for anybody, so forgive me if I stare for a little bit.”
Pity washed over her. “That’s kinda sad. Don’t you have some siblings somewhere?”
The doctor gave a small smile. “No. It was just me and my parents. I’m divorced, so I haven’t done much cooking since then.” She poured a cup of coffee from the barely full carafe, making Trinity cringe at the thought of tasting that super-potent coffee.
Dr. Peres sat and took a huge bite of scone. And smiled. “It always tastes better when there’s someone to eat it with. It’s a waste to bake this just for me.”
“I love to bake,” said Trinity. “But Katy doesn’t like it. She says it’s too tempting to have cake and cookies around.”
Dr. Peres smiled. “Yes, I understand that logic. Should we wake her up?”
Trinity shook her head. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was up half the night.”
“You’re right. I know I had a hard time getting to sleep.” The doctor stabbed at her scone with her fork. Trinity wondered if she’d slept at all.
“Have you been outside? Have you seen the house today?” Trinity asked.
“I can’t see much from here. I went out to get the paper, but it’s pouring rain, and all I could see was the blue tarp where they covered the window. I can still smell the smoke outside.”
“I don’t know if they’ll ever get rid of the smell.” Trinity sniffed at her hair again. “I stink.”
“Yes, I showered last night, but I can still smell it on me.”
“You got some clothes?”
“Yes, I dug these out of the very bottom of my dresser.” The doctor sniffed at a sleeve.
“I really like Dr. Rutledge,” said Trinity. “He likes you a lot, too. Are you dating?”
Did Dr. Peres just blush?
Trinity wasn’t certain about the blush, but the doctor dropped eye contact. Exactly what her friends did when they were slightly embarrassed or someone mentioned a guy they liked.
“I wouldn’t say we’re dating. We did at one point. He’s back in my life now after a very long absence, and we’re still feeling things out, trying to see where to go with this.”
“Well, he’s pretty clear about what he wants. Everyone last night could tell.”
Dr. Peres met her gaze. “What?”
“He likes you a lot. He puts out that protective vibe around you. It was weird to see it last night.”
Trinity’s phone vibrated in her pocket. Dr. Peres met her gaze and smiled. “Go ahead. I’m going to see if Katy’s up yet.”
Trinity nodded and pulled out her phone. Jason again.
DO U HAVE A CAR? COULD U COME GET ME?
She stared at the screen. Why her? R U OK?
There was a long pause after her text. She took a few bites of her scone, but it seemed to have lost its flavor. Why would Jason ask her for help? They barely knew each other.
AVOIDING SOMEONE. HE KNOWS ALL MY FRIENDS. NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Trinity’s mind spun. Who was he hiding from? His parents? Were they angry about the shooting? But were they mad in a concerned-parent way or a want-to-beat-on-him-asshole-parent way? She knew nothing of Jason’s family situation.
IS SOMEONE GOING TO HURT YOU? She cringed as she sent the text, but she needed to be frank. Would he answer truthfully?
A full minute went by. Had she offended him? Or was he laughing at her? Showing her text to his friends and laughing at what a dork she was for being concerned about him?
She finished her milk and strode to the fridge for a refill. Jason and his friends could go to hell for all she cared. He obviously hung with some idiots if one of them pulled out a gun at a memorial service. And the only reason he’d reached out to her was because he was interested in Brooke, and she was Brooke’s best friend. Everyone knew you made nice with the best friend if you wanted to get in—
Her phone vibrated on the kitchen table, and she nearly slopped the milk she was pouring. She set down the carton and grabbed the phone, mixed emotions rolling through her. What did she owe this guy? Nothing.
IT’S POSSIBLE. I DID SOMETHING I WAS TOLD NOT TO. THEY PUNISH.
She swallowed hard. They? His parents? Did “punish” mean taking away his phone or using a belt on him? Part of her was cautious; he could be lying about everything.
I’M SORRY. I CAN’T HELP U. PLZ LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
She hit Send and sighed. Some people might think she was a crappy friend for not helping him out, but what could she do? She’d have to ask permission to use Katy’s old second car and then explain why she needed it. And she hardly knew Jason. Surely there was someone else he could ask.
“Katy is sound asleep.” Dr. Peres padded into the kitchen. She did a double take at Trinity’s expression. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. I have a friend who asked for something, but I really don’t know him that well… not at all, actually. I’d like to help if I could, but…” She didn’t know how to describe it.
The doctor studied her face. “You don’t know him? But he chose you to ask? Why you?”
Trinity squirmed. “I think he’s avoiding his parents. And the parents don’t know me.”
“You just answered your own question.” Dr. Peres topped off her coffee. “A friend doesn’t ask you to help him avoid his parents. He needs to face his parents.”
“But what if his parents are wrong? What if they’re mean?”
The doctor sat down, wrapped both hands around her mug, and her brown eyes softened as she held Trinity’s gaze. “Most parents have their kids’ best interests at heart. I’m sure it hasn’t always been that way for you, but you’ve seen the exceptions instead of the majority.”
“But… what if he’s truly scared they might hurt him?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Did your friend say that?”
“Not exactly.” Trinity looked away. Jason had been deliberately vague. Possibly he was trying to manipulate her. For all she knew, he just wanted a ride to the mall to meet his friends.
“What did he say?”
“He said they punish.”
Dr. Peres was silent for a long moment. “If he fears he is going to be hurt, he needs to go to the police. Or a school counselor. It’s wrong of him to ask you for help. It was probably the easiest of his choices of where to ask for help, but the least effective.”
Trinity studied the tabletop. She’d been scared of her real mother. But she’d never hit her or hurt her. Not physically. Emotionally and mentally, she’d been battered by both her mother and grandmother.
They’d neglected every aspect of raising a child. Even the most basic. Trinity qualified for the free lunch program at the school, but her mother never registered her. She had good friends who shared their lunches, believing they were sneaking it behind the teacher’s back. Sharing food wasn’t allowed.
But the teacher had noticed and privately asked her about lunch. Trinity had tried to laugh it off, saying she wasn’t hungry during the day, when in truth she was starving. Often she’d had fast food leftovers for breakfast. How many times had she eaten cold fries? Or empty-calorie junk food left out on the table from her mother’s late-night binges? She ate whatever she could find. Opened any can.
She stared at the remains of her scone. Baked for her. Baked by someone who was excited to share it with her. The crumbs blurred.
What if Jason was in a similar situation? He didn’t seem hungry, but what if he was abused in other ways?
Her sharp-eyed teacher had made a report. Child welfare had paid a visit. The empty fridge and cupboards didn’t please them. When Trinity couldn’t tell them what she’d eaten in the last twenty-four hours, they were even more unhappy. She was rushed to a doctor who clucked her tongue over her weight and then took her to a house where there was always food. It wasn’t the healthiest food, but it felt like living in a grocery store.
“How old is your friend?”
“He’s a senior.”
“Then he’s old enough to ask the right people for help. It’s not your responsibility to try to save him. Just guide him in the right direction.”
She was right. Trinity thumbed a quick text to Jason with the doctor’s advice then shoved the phone aside. Part of her wanted to run to him and do everything in her power—which wasn’t much—to make him feel better. Her therapist had told her she was a natural nurturer and protector. It would always be inherent in her to help others, even to her own detriment. She had to learn to weigh the consequences and ask if she was hurting herself in order to make someone happy.
“You look miserable,” Dr. Peres said quietly.
Trinity exhaled. “You’re right. It’s not my problem. I’m sure there’s someone better suited to really helping him.”
“Good girl. I wish I’d been that smart at your age.”
“That means I should be heading up NASA by the time I’m your age.”
Dr. Peres laughed, and Trinity was struck by how beautiful she was.