Luckily, every afternoon when he’d come to the shop, that chair and table had been empty.
Vance was settling into a routine. He’d eat a late lunch. He’d drink a few cups of coffee. And he’d sit here for an hour, sometimes two, reviewing maps and notes.
We hadn’t spoken much since that day we’d hiked along the river. Partially because I wasn’t exactly chatty at the moment. Partially because I didn’t know what to say.
Something had happened between us. First, along the river. Then, in his truck.
When we locked eyes, it was like the world around us vanished. Like there was this rope cinching us together.
The pain in my throat was gone. The fear Cormac had planted in my mind, erased. The turmoil in my heart, ancient history.
There were only his eyes the color of a winter storm.
Would he have kissed me? Would I have let him?
With everything happening in my life, the last thing I needed was some romantic attachment with a stranger. Yet I couldn’t stop my pulse from quickening when he was in the room. I couldn’t fight the blush of my cheeks when he gave me that crooked smile.
And no matter how many times I told myself to leave the man be, my attention wandered to his chair as automatically as the jingle, smile.
Vance was left-handed. Something I’d learned in the last three days. He always drank his coffee black. He seemed to like my food—I had yet to clear a plate with more than a crumb left behind.
His dark hair was unruly and a month overdue for a cut. But like today, he covered it with a beanie. After he’d warm up, usually after his first cup of coffee, he’d shrug out of his coat but the hat would stay on. His beard was filling out, the scruff becoming thicker each day. Sexier.
And whenever I met his gaze, the world tilted beneath my feet, like my stomach was full of butterflies trying their hardest to carry me away.
Maybe I was just imagining a spark between us. Maybe I was clinging to anything that seemed normal, and crushing on an incredibly handsome man felt normal. Maybe I was drawn to him because he made me feel safe.
Whatever the reason, Vance was constantly on my mind.
Did he feel that tether too? More often than not, when I’d look over to his chair, his stormy gaze would be waiting.
I made Vance a sandwich—grilled chicken with avocado—and delivered it to his table with a pastry from the display case, leaving him to eat. As other tables emptied, I cleared dishes to the kitchen, working quietly. Efficiently. Feeling Vance’s gaze on me each time I left the room and returned.
The bell jingled again. My smile appeared. My attention wasn’t as quick to shift to the door, knowing that it wasn’t Vance.
It was Winn.
Her expression was granite, her shoulders stiff. My stomach pitched. This wasn’t my sister-in-law coming to check on me. This was the chief of police here to deliver an update for the victim.
Fuck, I hated that word.
Winn didn’t so much as glance in Vance’s direction. But over her shoulder, he tracked her every step. The badge on her belt, beside her gun, was impossible to miss today since she hadn’t worn a coat.
“Hi,” I said warily.
“Hey.” Her face softened. “Got a minute?”
“I’m not going to like what you have to tell me, am I?”
She gave me a sad smile. “Probably not.”
I sighed. “We can talk in the kitchen.”
Crystal was off today. Now that my black eyes had faded enough that my concealer could do a decent job covering them up, I’d given her a day off. She’d been amazing, jumping in to help with longer than normal hours.
I was still sporting turtlenecks and scarves to hide my throat, but day by day, I was healing. The evidence of the attack was vanishing.
Winn followed me into the kitchen, standing beside the prep table with her arms crossed. “Sheriff Zalinski just came by the station.”
“And?”
“They’re calling off the search.”
“It hasn’t even been a week.”
“I know,” she said gently.
“Six days and he’s already giving up.”
“I’m sorry.” Winn came closer, putting her hand on my shoulder. “I tried to talk him into another few days, but he refused.”
My molars ground together as anger surged. “This is bullshit.”
“Yep.” Her nostrils flared. “I called the mayor but he was out, so I left a message. Maybe he’ll have more luck changing Zalinski’s mind.”
“Fingers crossed,” I deadpanned.
Sheriff Zalinski was a lazy asshole. I never should have voted for him.
Search and rescue fell under the sheriff’s umbrella. The team had a few dedicated employees who served the greater county area, but the majority of search and rescue members were local volunteers. People, like my dad and brothers, who had lives of their own.
I bet Zalinski was getting pressure from some of the volunteers to call it quits, and the spineless bastard was caving.
“Now what?” I asked.
“We’ve got the APB posted. Everyone at the station knows to keep an eye out for a redheaded man matching his height and build with a scar. The same goes for the sheriff’s deputies.”
Cormac Gallagher.
Winn didn’t have a name to put with that description because she hadn’t met Vance. Because he hadn’t followed protocol.
Maybe it was foolish, but I kept my mouth shut.
Zalinski had given up. Winn had no control over search and rescue.
The only person actively searching for Cormac was Vance.
I wouldn’t thwart his chances by sharing a secret. If he had any hope of finding Cormac, I wouldn’t put an obstacle—my sister-in-law—in his path.
“Thanks for telling me.”
“If search and rescue was under my control—”
“I know.” I gave her a sad smile. Winn wouldn’t have stopped. Of that, I had no doubt.
“Griff called me as I was driving here. He was on the afternoon team to go out today. He got the notice from the search and rescue lead that they called off the meeting. To say that he’s pissed is an understatement. So is your dad, Knox and Mateo. Apparently, Knox suggested they tell Zalinski to fuck off and just search on their own, but . . .”
But it would only cause trouble for Winn. As soon as someone from the sheriff’s department found out, she’d have a mess to clean up.
She’d dealt with enough messes in the past two months.
“No. They should just leave it alone.”
My dad and brothers loved me, of that, I had no doubt. If I asked them to spend every day scouring those mountains, they’d sacrifice their time and do just that.
But they hadn’t found Cormac either. They weren’t professionals.
Vance? Maybe he had a chance.
“I’m sorry,” Winn said again.
“It’s not your fault.”
“I feel like I’ve failed you.” Her voice cracked. She was so determined to make this right, to be our family’s hero, when she already was.
I pulled her into a hug. “You didn’t fail me.”
Her hands might be tied, but mine weren’t.
She hugged me back, holding tight, until a jingle in the background broke us apart. “I’d better let you get back to work.”
The owner of the jewelry store was waiting at the counter when we emerged from the kitchen. While I went to work on a cinnamon soy latte, Winn slipped out of the shop.
After a quick text to my dad and brothers telling them I knew about Zalinski’s decision and not to make trouble for Winn, I walked to Vance’s table.
“They called off the search,” I said.
His eyes met mine as he reclined in that chair. The way he stared was rattling. Unnerving. I fought the urge to look away.
He stared like he could read my thoughts. No one had ever looked at me like that before. He probably made a great cop. I had the sudden urge to tell him everything.
How I was so tired and just wanted to sleep without a nightmare. How I wavered between anger and sadness each time I looked in the mirror. How my pulse spiked whenever he was around.
Had he replayed that moment in the truck? Would he have kissed me? My gaze dropped to his mouth and those soft lips. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about a kiss? Would it take the pain away?
Vance’s tongue darted out, just a quick, small lick of his bottom lip, and desire coiled in my belly.
I tore my eyes away, dropping them to his empty plate. He’d devoured the sandwich and chocolate croissant I’d brought him over for lunch. His coffee mug was empty and in need of a refill.
“I’ll get you more coffee.”
“Lyla.” He stopped me and nodded to the seat opposite his. “Sit down.”
I sank into the chair.
“Are you all right?”
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “I’m mad.”
To everyone else in my life, I’d lie through my teeth, promising I was fine. Pretending to be myself. It was easy to give Vance the truth.
“Part of me wishes they hadn’t given up so soon. The other part hopes this means they’re out of your way.”
His expression changed. He looked almost . . . bewildered?
“What?”
“Nothing.” He waved it off, then dropped his gaze to the table.