Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
S he’d walked to the grocery store, in the evening, by herself, the day after she’d seen a face in her bedroom window.
Jesus .
“Better calm down, Jess,” Luke said quietly. “We’re only a street away.”
He couldn’t calm down. Someone had been watching her last night, and she’d gone out by herself after he’d asked her not to. How easy would it have been for the perp to grab her?
Too easy.
He pulled onto his street, immediately spotting Aspen and his brother parked at the curb. The second he pulled into his drive, he was up and out, marching toward her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, before he’d even stopped walking.
She frowned as she stepped onto the front yard. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I told you to stay home.”
Her back straightened, and he swore his brother cringed.
“ Told me ?” Aspen asked.
Her low voice probably should have been a warning. It was a warning he didn’t take.
He inched closer. “Someone stood in a storm and watched you through your bedroom window last night. Probably the same asshole Pete saw watching the house. Fuck, he could have been watching you when you left the house today, while you were alone and unarmed.”
Becket cleared his throat. “I’m going to put these groceries in the house.” His brother leaned in as he passed him. “Ease up, buddy.”
Jesse fisted his hands. He knew he needed to ease up. And by the glare Aspen was throwing his way, he wasn’t doing himself any favors getting back into her good graces.
Aspen stepped forward. “I know someone was looking through my window last night. I also know there was a car parked across the street. I was there both times. It’s why I had to get out of the house. I was here all day, alone, and I was going insane. It was my decision, which, shocker, I am actually allowed to make. You don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”
He lowered his head and his voice. “I’m the town sheriff, and I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Her eyes narrowed.
Shit . Wrong thing to say.
“Well, Sheriff , if we’re done here, I’m going inside.”
She went to move past him, but he snagged her wrist. “Aspen. Look, I’m sorry. I was worried.” He looked at his watch. “I’ve got two hours left of my shift, and I want you to come to the station with me.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to have eyes on you.” He needed to have eyes on her. He wouldn’t be able to think straight with her here and him at the station.
Her brows flickered. “Because of last night?”
“Yes.”
By the look in her eyes, she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole truth, but on the lawn of his house, with his brother and Luke within listening distance, wasn’t the time or place.
“I’ll lock the doors,” she pushed. “I’ll be fine.”
“It’s not enough.” Her mouth opened like she was going to argue with him more, but he closed the last bit of distance and touched her hip. “Please? You can bring your laptop. I’ll set you up in a quiet room, and there’s tea and coffee.”
She was going to say no. He could see it in her eyes. In the way she was inching back and putting distance between them.
But then her gaze shifted to the street, and something flickered in her eyes. Maybe a small bit of fear? Apprehension?
“Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll work at the station.”
Thank God.
She went inside and grabbed her laptop, and Jesse thanked his brother before they climbed into the car. Aspen didn’t speak much on the way. In fact, Luke seemed like the only one filling the silence. He didn’t need much in the way of response. It was like the man could maintain an entire conversation all on his own.
When they reached the station, he placed a hand on the small of Aspen’s back as the three of them headed inside.
Bea looked up and smiled. “Hey.”
“Hi, Bea. This is Aspen. She’ll be working in one of the empty offices until the end of my shift.”
“Oh, sure. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” Luke said, straightening when Margot appeared down the hall.
Jesse shook his head, never sure what to make of those two.
“Come on,” he said, as he led Aspen around the desk to an unoccupied room off a hall. He flicked on the light.
Aspen frowned. “There’s no window in here.”
“Sorry about that. I finish in less than two hours though.”
She nodded slowly. “So, what exactly did your brother text you?”
“That you ran into him at the grocery store. And that you looked scared.”
“Tattletale. And you told him to stay with me until I got to you.”
“Actually, he offered to drive you home, then I texted him, telling him not to leave your side.”
“Humph.”
He inched closer. “What scared you?”
Her eyes widened before she blinked. “Nothing.”
He swallowed the disappointment. Was she not telling him because she was angry at him? Or because she still didn’t trust him? “I’m sorry I got angry about you walking to the grocery store.”
“You said that already.”
“I’m saying it again. And I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t want you last night.”
Her eyes flared. “You didn’t—”
“I did.” He stepped closer. “And I do want you.”
Her chest rose, her lips parting to form an O.
He lowered his mouth to her ear. “And when the time’s right, I will have you.”
The air that drew into her chest was sharp.
He kissed her on the cheek, letting his lips linger. “Text if you need anything.”
When he got back to the front desk, it was to see Luke talking to Bea.
Luke gave him a chin lift. “Hey. Aspen settle in okay?”
“As settled as she can be in that small room. Are you okay doing any callouts for the next couple hours so I can stay in the office near Aspen?”
“Sure. I’ll take Margot.”
“Thanks.” He went into his office. Now he just needed to keep his mind off Aspen and on his job.
Yeah, easier said than done.
He lifted his phone and texted his brother.
Jesse: Thanks again for driving her home.
Becket: Is she okay?
Jesse: Seems to be. You said she looked scared at the grocery store?
Becket: Not scared…terrified.
Jesse’s chest tightened. He leaned back in his seat, gaze on the door. So what had scared her? And why wouldn’t she tell him?
She couldn’t work here. Sure, there were some people who could write anywhere, anytime. They were unicorns who just got the job done, and she wasn’t one of them. She needed light and movement. She at least needed a window.
Were the walls closing in on her? Because they felt like they were closing in on her.
And why was it so quiet? Weren’t sheriff’s offices supposed to be loud? The wrongly accused were supposed to yell and argue and threaten to fight the deputies for their freedom. Or was that only in movies?
Obviously, there weren’t enough bad guys in Amber Ridge.
She lifted her phone and texted her best friend.
Aspen: I’m dying.
Callie: You are not.
Aspen: Okay, maybe not dying, but definitely not thriving.
Callie: What’s wrong?
Aspen: I’m working in a small dark room that kind of feels like it’s getting smaller by the minute…Jesse put me here.
Callie: What room and why did he put you there?
Aspen: He didn’t want me to be at the house by myself after what happened yesterday. He even got angry at me for going to the grocery store.
Callie: Good.
Good? Good! Whose side was she on?
She hit her friend’s number, and Callie picked up on the first ring.
“I’m on the side that keeps you safe,” Callie said before Aspen could get a word in.
“Are you a mind reader?”
“No, I just know you too well.”
“Hm.”
“Aspen, he’s trying to protect you.”
She knew that…so why was she fighting him?
“We kissed.” The second the words were out, she scrunched her eyes.
They didn’t just kiss, but she could barely wrap her head around what had happened after the kiss.
Callie did a half gasp, half scream. “Finally!”
“Finally?”
“Come on. Jesse is kind and smart and sexy, and you’re living with him. I thought you would have hooked up ages ago.” Her voice softened. “And I can’t help but think that the old Aspen would have.”
The old Aspen…the pre-Dylan Aspen.
She grazed her fingertips over the keys of her laptop. “I just…I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust my judgment after Dylan.”
“Oh, honey. Will you ever tell me exactly what he did to you?”
She swallowed, the little bomb of truth on the tip of her tongue. She should have told her best friend long ago. Usually, they told each other everything. But the shame that burrowed deep inside her for staying with him after what he’d done still drowned her.
But it was time…past time.
She opened her mouth to finally tell Callie, but the door opened and Bea stepped in.
“Sorry, Cal, I have to go. Someone’s here. Chat soon.”
Callie sighed. “Talk soon, honey.”
The woman in front of her cringed. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were on the phone.”
“You’re fine.” Aspen set her cell on the desk. “Is everything okay?”
She placed a mug down. “I thought you might like a coffee.”
“Oh, I would love a coffee!” She lifted the mug and sipped, barely stopping herself from choking.
Oh, Jesus. Not good. Really not good. Completely sugarless and with a bitter aftertaste. Did people in this town take lessons on how to make bad coffee?
She forced a smile at the woman. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Do you need anything else? Something to eat? Pen and paper?”
Aspen was about to respond, but then Luke passed the room, and Bea’s gaze shot straight to him. Was there desire in the other woman’s eyes?
A small smile touched Aspen’s lips, the romance author in her definitely catching a little spark. “You like him?”
Bea’s eyes widened as she looked back at Aspen. “Luke? No. We’re friends.”
Maybe. Or maybe not.
Actually, that would make a good story. A workplace romance about a receptionist and a deputy. That was kind of sexy.
“What about you and Jesse?” Bea asked, dragging Aspen out of her head.
“Me and Jesse?”
“You’re dating, right?”
“No.” Well, that came out faster than intended. “We’re not dating. We’re friends…and roommates.”
Although, what they’d done last night hadn’t been very friendly .
Bea nodded, an odd smile on her face. She didn’t believe her. Well, she probably wouldn’t have believed her either.
Aspen cleared her throat. “Well, thank you again for the coffee.”
Bea dipped her head. “You’re welcome. Shout out if you need anything else.”
“I will.”
Bea left the room, and Aspen sipped the warm drink again.
Argh. Mistake. And definitely not better on the second sip. But God, she needed caffeine.
Maybe sugar would fix this inability to write. A boost of energy often helped.
She rose from the desk and opened the door, only to stop. She had no idea where the kitchen was. She started down the hall, passing offices and what looked like a storage room. When she turned the corner, she saw a glimpse of a fridge just inside a room down the hall on the right.
There you are.
She was nearing the room when Luke’s voice sounded from inside.
“…and Karen Davies was there.”
Aspen stopped. He was talking about her mother? Why? And where had her mom been?
“Who’s Karen Davies?” Bea asked.
“Aspen’s mother. She was pretty hostile, so I pestered Jesse on the way back to the station about her background, and apparently she’s crazy.”
Aspen’s muscles tightened.
“Crazy how?” Bea asked.
“One minute she’s completely normal and friendly, and the next, she’ll start threatening to kill you.”
Aspen stepped back, hurt slipping through her. It wasn’t a secret that her mother didn’t have the best mental health. But it still hurt that Jesse was sharing the information, and now Luke was gossiping about it at the station.
Someone blew out a breath before Bea spoke. “Wow. Mental illness can be hereditary, right? Do you think Aspen has something going on?”
“Who knows, maybe. I’m pretty sure he went as far as to refer to Karen as insane.”
Aspen spun and headed back to the office, tears stinging her eyes. She hated that she was letting people she didn’t know upset her. She shouldn’t be. But, God, it just threw her straight back to when she was a kid at school and people would say the exact same things, sometimes to her face. No one had ever wanted to help her or her mother, they’d just wanted to gossip about them like they were entertainment.
She stepped back into the small room and almost walked straight into Jesse’s broad chest.
He gripped her upper arms to steady her, his brows tugging together. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“I’m going home now.” She wanted to be angry, but damn those tears building in her eyes.
If possible, his frown deepened. “You’re upset. What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“ Something happened.” He stepped closer. “Tell me.”
Suddenly, the combination of her mother and Dylan and work and the gossip all hit her like a ton of bricks, and she just felt tired. Really tired. “I’d just like to go home, Jesse.”
He held her gaze for another beat, almost searching…as if trying to figure her out just by looking at her.
In the end, he just nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”