Just One Kiss

CHAPTER NINE




JUSTICE TURNED DOWN the road leading to the ranch. If there was a hot spot in the world, a dangerous place, he’d probably been there. He knew how to get in, get the job done and get out. He’d faced soldiers, assassins and dictators. He knew how to take care of himself. None of which explained why he was going to a ranch to visit a woman he didn’t know, who had just given birth to a baby he had no interest in, with a casserole he hadn’t made.

“You okay?” Patience asked. She sat in the passenger seat and watched him curiously. “You have a scrunchy face.”

“No, I don’t.”

“I’m the one who can see your face, so I get to say.”

Justice surrendered to the inevitable. “I’m trying to figure out how I got here.”

“On earth at all, or here with me at this particular moment?”

“The latter.”

She flashed him a smile. “You offered to drive me.”

“What was I thinking?”

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun. Annabelle had her baby. Now we have to be a part of the celebration.”

“Why?”

“It’s what we do. We visit the new mother, take over food so she doesn’t have to cook. Coo over the baby.”

Just one more version of hell, he thought. “I’m not cooing.”

“I’ll coo for both of us. Besides, the whole town will be there.”

“When do you people get work done?”

She laughed. “We do have a lot of community obligations, but it’s fun. If you want, I can ask Shane if he’ll let you ride one of the horses.”

“No, thanks.”

He’d returned to Fool’s Gold thinking he could find his past. And maybe a piece of who he had been years ago. Instead he’d discovered that this town was possibly the best and the worst place to be. There were good memories here, but also the constant pressure to connect and belong. He was happier on the outside, looking in. But no one was going to allow that. Not for long. They wanted to pull him in and make him a part of things.

He couldn’t risk it. Not until he knew if he was safe enough to be around ordinary people. He glanced out the side window and wished he could shake the feeling that his father was out there, watching.

The old man was dead, he reminded himself. Had been for more than a decade—burned alive in a prison fire that had taken several lives. Justice had mostly believed it—only over the past couple of years, he’d had a growing sense Bart was around. Hiding, but close.

More proof that he couldn’t escape his DNA, he thought. However much he might want to.

They drove onto the ranch. There was a sign offering goat cheese and milk for sale, along with goat manure. Beyond the main house were stables and corrals. In the distance he saw a couple of sheep, a llama and—

He brought the car to a halt and stared. “Is that—”

Patience followed his gaze. “An elephant? Yes. Her name is Priscilla.”

“A real elephant?”

“She’s not fake, if that’s what you’re asking. It’s a long story, but she lives here now and everyone likes her. She’s a part of the community.”

He returned his attention to the drive through the property. “Of course she is.”

“We love Priscilla. She was in the nativity last Christmas.”

“An elephant?”

“Everyone should get to participate.”

He wanted to point out that Priscilla was an elephant, not a person, but knew that Patience would probably object. In her world, elephants could be family and townspeople showed up to work on soon-to-be-opened businesses. No doubt small woodland creatures did the housecleaning, whistling all the while.

He shook his head. “I need a break.”

“From what?”

He pulled up in front of a large house. There were several cars parked in front already. People stood on the porch, chatting.

Patience touched his arm. “Justice, are you okay?”

He turned to her. The sight of her face calmed him. He could stare into her eyes and find equilibrium again. With Patience around, he could handle the eccentricities that were Fool’s Gold.

“I’m good.”

“If you’re sure.”

She waited, but he didn’t say anything. She turned to the people on the porch.

“Okay, the pregnant woman is Heidi. She’s married to Rafe, who’s the brother of Shane, who’s the father of the baby. Annabelle and Shane aren’t married yet. She didn’t want to walk down the aisle pregnant. It’s kind of funny because Annabelle is sort of traditional, so for her to do this all backward isn’t like her. But they’re blissfully happy together.”

She studied the crowd. “You met everyone else at the work party. Don’t worry about remembering names.”

“I remember their names.”

“You can’t. You’ve only been in town for a few weeks.”

He allowed himself a slight smile, then started on the left. “The two blondes are Dakota and Montana. Next to them are Finn and Simon. The older woman is their mother, Denise, and the white-haired lady talking is Mayor Marsha.”

“Wow.”

He shrugged. “It’s part of what I do, but remember, I was friends with Ford way back when.”

“If I hadn’t been born here, I doubt I would have remembered everyone’s name.”

“It’s a parlor trick.”

“A good one.”

He wanted to impress her and knew the danger of making her believe in him. He reminded himself he had to make up his mind. Was he willing to risk getting involved with Patience? Did he trust himself that much? Or was it too late to have the conversation? Because he was starting to think he was already in too deep to find his way out.

* * *



PATIENCE HELD THE tiny baby in her arms. “Aren’t you handsome?” she whispered to the sleeping little boy. “So precious.”

Annabelle sat on the padded rocking chair in the baby’s room and smiled. “I feel useless. Everyone is helping out so much there’s nothing for me to do.”

“Oh, you should hold him,” Patience said, walking toward her.

Annabelle shook her head. “I wasn’t complaining. I was very stressed about having him. I wasn’t sure I would know what to do. But it turns out I don’t have to worry at all. We’re never alone, and I mean that in a good way.”

“How’s Shane handling fatherhood?”

“He’s excited and freaked. It’s a fun combination. He kept saying having a child was no big deal. Nature takes care of the details. But he’s discovered it’s not exactly like having one of his mares drop a foal.”

“The power of being smug,” Patience said, returning little Wyatt to his mother’s arms. She settled in the chair next to Annabelle’s and leaned close. “He’s adorable.”

“I think so.” Annabelle grinned. “So, tell me. How many casseroles are there in my freezer?”

“At last count there were thirty-two, but more are coming. Oh, and there’s a beautiful fruit arrangement in your refrigerator. Very upscale. There are cookies and brownies and I’m not sure what else.”

Annabelle leaned back in the rocker. “I love this town. I’m never leaving.”

“No one wants you to.” Patience gave her a quick hug, then stood. “I need to head back. I’ll call you in a couple of days to see how it’s going. By then you should be less busy here.”

“Thanks for coming by.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it.”

She returned to the front part of the house and found Justice talking to Clay Stryker. When Justice saw her, he excused himself and joined her.

“You ready to go?”

She smiled. “Are you done pretending to be excited about the baby? Did you want to hold him?”

He flinched. “No.”

“Not a kid person.”

“I like kids. Babies make me nervous.”

“So you’re ready to go?” she asked, amused by his infant phobia.

“Say the word.”

They walked out of the house and made their way to his car.

“What about you?” he asked as he held open the passenger door. “Did you hold the baby?”

“Of course. He’s wonderful. So tiny. I remember when Lillie was first born. I was so scared.”

He closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.

“You had your mom,” he said as he slid onto the seat.

“And Ned,” she added. “Although by then, things were already falling apart. He left shortly after. But even with half the town in my living room, I was still terrified. I was too young to be a mother. I had no idea what I was doing. But from the first second I saw her, I loved her so much.”

She glanced at him. “Do you remember your mom?”

“Some. She was always hugging me.” His mouth twisted. “As I started getting older, I would squirm away. Now I wish I hadn’t resisted so much.”

“It’s part of growing up,” she said quietly. “She didn’t blame you.”

“You can’t know that.”

“Sure I can. I have a daughter. Kids grow and separate. One day Lillie will roll her eyes at me. It doesn’t mean we aren’t close.”

“I think my father killed her.”

Patience stared at him. “What? How?”

“She died in a car accident. The brake line was cut. They said in the report it was inconclusive, but when I was a little older I went to the junkyard, found the car and saw the line myself. He did it.”

She saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel as they drove toward town.

“Justice, I’m so sorry.”

She tried to think of something else to say, but couldn’t. Was it possible he was right? That Justice’s father murdered his wife? Her worldview made the concept inconceivable, but the truth was hard to deny. Justice had been in the witness protection program because his father had broken out of prison and come after his own son. The U.S. Marshals didn’t take care of someone on a whim. There was a real reason. Bart had been put away for killing a man. Sadly, that made the concept of him murdering his own wife much more real.

“Once she was gone, I was biding my time until I could leave,” he continued. “Trying to stay out of the old man’s way. I was big enough that he didn’t try to beat me very often, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous.”

“Then you came here.”

He nodded. “It was like an alternative universe.”

“I must have seemed really foolish to you.”

“No. Never that. You were an anchor. You showed me what was possible. I knew I didn’t want to be like him and that I’d have to always be on guard.”

“You’re nothing like him.”

He glanced at her. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve done.”

“I might not know the details, but there are plenty of clues. Look at you. You just came with me to deliver a casserole to a formerly pregnant woman you’ve never met. Tomorrow you’re going with me while Lillie has her first meeting with her grandfather. You’ve worked in the store. You care about my mother. How can you worry you’re anything like your father?” She knew she had to lighten the mood.

“Is this a Star Wars thing? Do all boys pretend to be Luke Skywalker?”

He chuckled. “No, and my father isn’t Darth Vader.”

“It kind of sounds like he is.”

“There was no good in him.”

“There’s good in you.”

“I hope you’re right.”

* * *



PATIENCE FELT HER stomach turning over and over. “I brought a Q-tip,” she whispered to Justice as they walked toward the park. “In case, you know, Steve gets out of hand.”

Justice put his arm around her shoulders. “I can subdue him without a weapon,” he assured her. “Keep the Q-tip for your own protection.”

“But I don’t know how to use one that way.”

Lillie looked at her. “Mom, are you really talking about Q-tips?”

“Yes, and it’s weird. I accept that.”

“Is it because you don’t know what to say to my grandfather?”

“Mostly.” Patience stopped and dropped to one knee. She faced her daughter. “Are you okay with this?”

She and Lillie had talked several times about Steve wanting to meet her. Lillie had been accepting from the beginning and hadn’t asked many questions. That worried Patience. Had Lillie disconnected from the thought of more family? Or was she simply a normal kid who took things as they came?

“I’m fine,” Lillie said. “Mom, it’s okay to have more family.”

“I know.” Patience had continued to tell herself that Steve was simply some old guy who wanted to get to know his granddaughter. That was hardly newsworthy. But she couldn’t shake the sense of impending disaster.

Patience stood. Lillie took her hand. “Don’t be scared, Mom. Justice and I will be right here with you.”

“Aren’t I supposed to be comforting you?” Patience asked.

Lillie grinned. “I’m very mature for my age.”

“Yes, you are.”

Lillie took Justice’s hand as well and walked between them.

The park was close and they reached it a few minutes later. Steve was waiting where they’d arranged, on a bench by the duck pond. Lillie’s grip tightened as they approached, and when they were within speaking range, Steve rose and the three of them came to a halt.

Patience saw that he was exactly what she’d been telling herself for days. A man in his sixties who looked nervous and tentative. Not a monster. Just an ordinary man who had made awful choices and was now paying for them.

“Hello, Lillie,” Steve said quietly. “Thank you for agreeing to meet me today.”

Lillie studied him. “I’ve seen you before. In town.”

Steve’s eyes widened. “I’ve been living around here for a while.”

“Okay.” Lillie pulled her hands free and walked toward Steve. “You know my dad, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you ever see him?”

“I don’t. We haven’t spoken in many years.”

“I don’t see him, either.” Lillie looked at the lake. “We usually feed the ducks.”

“Your mom mentioned that. I brought bread.”

They collected the bag from the bench and walked down to the water. Patience followed, close enough to hear what was going on, but far enough away to give them the illusion of privacy. Justice stayed with her.

“Thoughts?” she asked. “Is it going okay? Is your Spidey sense tingling?”

“I’m tingle free.”

She sighed. “You must think I’m a freakish worrier.”

“No. I think you’re a concerned mom who doesn’t want to trust her kid with a man she barely knows. You’re right to be wary. Steve checked out, but he’s also the man who left his family. Sure, people change, but he has to prove that to you.”

He had a point, she thought, still worried, but now less so. Of course, she had planned to keep her daughter safe from Justice, and that hadn’t happened. He’d been so supportive and kind that she’d just plain forgotten.

The fact that he was buying a warehouse and starting a business in town implied he was sticking around. So it wasn’t as if he would simply disappear from her daughter’s life. She sighed. Was that her being rational or rationalizing? She wished she knew.

She continued to watch her daughter. Lillie was talking about her teacher and her friends at school. Steve listened with what looked like genuine interest.

Patience stepped closer to Justice. “You’ve been great. I’m sorry if I’ve been claiming too much of your time. You moved here to start a business and ended up getting sucked into my crazy world. I have to say, usually my life is really calm. Even boring. But the last few weeks have been wild.”

“I like your crazy world. It’s delightfully normal.”

She laughed. “You’re not the kind of guy who says delightfully.”

“I do now. Fool’s Gold is changing me.”

She wondered if that was true. “In your bodyguard job, do you hang out with other military types?”

“Mostly.”

“So being here means you don’t know quite what to do with us civilians.”

“You’re not as different as you think. Besides, most of my clients are civilians.”

“How disappointing. I was picturing you with ousted dictators who have a price on their heads.”

“Not this week. It’s mostly successful men with a price on their heads.”

She wasn’t sure if he was teasing or telling the truth. She had a feeling it was the latter, which wasn’t the least bit comforting.

“You have that assignment coming up,” she said. “You promise you’ll be safe?”

“Yes.” His dark blue gaze locked with hers. “I will be safe and I will be here for the opening. You have my word.”

“You’re very sexy when you make promises.”

She spoke without thinking, then wanted to call the words back. A quick glance at Lillie and Steve showed her they were deep in their own conversation, which was a relief, but Justice had still heard.

“Sexy?”

She cleared her throat. “You know. Um, well...” She waved her hand. “Oh, look. Ducks. We should feed them.”

She started to walk toward the water, but Justice grabbed her hand and held her in place.

Tension spiraled between them, making her want to step closer. He got to her, and she couldn’t figure out a way to mind.

“Don’t act all surprised,” she told him, her voice low. “You know what you are. Dangerous. Powerful. Plus, the kissing was nice.”

One eyebrow rose. “Just nice. Not great? Not spectacular?”

“I’ve had better,” she said with a sniff.

He drew her close. “Now you’re lying,” he said with a growl.

She smiled. “Maybe a little.”

She glanced at her daughter and saw both Lillie and Steve watching them. She took a quick step back.

“So. Ducks. How are they doing?” she asked.

Lillie gave her a “sometimes you’re really strange” look. “They’re fine, Mom. They like the bread.”

“Then it’s good your grandfather brought some.”

Justice stepped behind her. “That’s the best you can do?” he asked in a whisper. “You’d never make it undercover.”

“Fine. Be critical, but I’d like to see you try to cut hair, mister.”