She wondered if that would include Derrick, or if he’d be, on some level at least, relieved that he could pursue Crystal without having to worry about her anymore.
Then she felt guilty for even thinking that. Derrick would never cheat. He said he loved her. They’d been talking about getting married.
But that was before Crystal had come into his life six months ago. Since then, he’d been saying things like, “There’s no need to rush into anything.”
Was that merely a coincidence?
“Would you rather stay closer to where you grew up?” Kyle asked. “I could try to find someplace in Angel’s Camp.”
That definitely wasn’t a solution. Although she longed for the place where she’d been raised, she needed anonymity more. “Absolutely not.”
“You have to go somewhere,” he said.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
His scowl darkened. “Yes, you do!”
They stared at each other in a silent contest of wills, until he sighed and jabbed a hand through his hair. “Come on, Ms. Bennett. Help me out. I’m just trying to keep you safe and warm.”
“Fine, Mr. Houseman.” It felt odd to be addressing a contemporary so formally. But he’d set the precedent. “If that’s what you want, I’ll go home with you.”
His mouth fell open. “What’d you say?”
“You told me you live close by. We’ll just...go over to your place until morning. As long as your wife won’t mind letting me sleep on the couch—”
“I don’t have a wife,” he said.
“That makes it even simpler.”
“But...you don’t know me.”
“I hardly think my staying under your roof will provide you with any new opportunities.”
“What does that mean?”
“We’re alone right now, aren’t we? Besides, I’m sure you have a key to this place other than the one you gave me, so you could come back at any time.”
“I have a key,” he admitted. “But only in case you lose yours or get locked out or something. I’m not going to hurt you.”
The appalled look on his face lent those words plenty of credibility. “My point exactly. I’ll grab my bag.”
He spoke before she could leave the room. “Staying with me—that’s the solution you’ll accept?”
“If it means I don’t have to see or speak to anyone else, yes.”
“I live alone. I don’t even have a dog because I work so much.”
“See? This will be perfect—well, as perfect as we’re going to get under the circumstances. We don’t have far to go, and your refrigerator’s probably stocked.”
“You’re hungry?”
“I am. And as far as I’m concerned, you owe me dinner for this. So your place sounds like the best solution all around.”
“Okay,” he said, but he looked so stunned she almost laughed as she hurried into the bedroom.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” he called after her. “Practically everything in this house is new. I had the renovation done when the weather was good, so I’ve never tried to turn on the heat. And now I’m convinced the person who installed the furnace didn’t check it thoroughly.”
“I realize this wasn’t your intention.” She closed her suitcase and dragged it out, grateful that she hadn’t completely unpacked.
She found him leaning against one wall with his tools at his feet and his hands jammed in the pockets of his coat. “If you’d feel more comfortable, I could ask one of my female friends to put you up for the night,” he said. “I didn’t offer because...well, I never thought you’d prefer staying in my home to a B and B. But Callie’s married and pregnant and also lives out of town. I bet you’d like her farm.”
“I’m not willing to meet anyone else, so your place will be fine.” She grabbed her guitar; no way would she ever leave that behind. “Let’s go. It’s getting colder by the second. And it might take you some time to work out what you’re going to feed me.”