Chapter Eleven
Randi jerked upright at the sound of footsteps ascending the metal stairs to her apartment. Heart fluttering, she rose with quiet urgency, her bare feet padding softly on the cool hardwood as she approached the door. Peering through the peephole, she saw Jack standing on the stoop. Pressing her forehead against the cool, worn surface of the door, she sighed with relief.
She unlocked it and swung the door open. A smile curved her lips as she greeted him warmly. “Come in, Jack,” she said.
“You shouldn’t open the door like that,” Jack remarked, his tone laced with unease as he removed his hat and wiped his feet on the well-worn mat before stepping into the apartment.
Randi’s brow furrowed slightly. “I knew it was you. I looked through the peephole, Jack. I’m not stupid,” she snapped, her words quick and pointed.
Jack offered a smile, admitting, “I know that. I didn’t even think of the peephole. I’m sorry. I’m just worried about him being around.” His voice held a subtle edge of anxiety as he glanced around, aware of the persistent unease that the day had already set.
Randi exhaled slowly, her tension easing just a bit. “It’s all right. We’re both a little on edge.” She stepped aside to let him fully into the apartment, then moved to the small kitchen counter. “Let me get you a cup of coffee so you can warm up.”
Jack nodded. “I appreciate it. It’s a little chilly with the rain. I really hope everyone stays home this evening. I hate being called out in bad weather.”
As Randi busied herself preparing a cup of steaming coffee, the rich aroma filled the apartment, mingling with the muted patter of rain against the windows. She then handed the cup to him, her fingers briefly brushing his. “Here you go,” she said softly.
Taking the cup in both hands, Jack gave a small smile as he sipped the hot brew. “Thanks,” he murmured, the warmth comforting him. “That hits the spot. I took the order to the B and B. The woman behind the counter said she’d make sure the guest gets it.”
“Oh, good. Thank you. Let’s sit down,” Randi said, moving toward the plush sofa and settling herself on a patterned cushion. Jack quickly hung his hat on the hall tree, before joining her on the sofa. Carefully, he rested his hand on her knee, ensuring his touch was gentle yet deliberate, prompting her to meet his concerned gaze.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his eyes searching hers for any trace of lingering fear.
“I feel okay here,” she began, her voice steady despite the quiver of unease, “but the thought of going to my shop, or even venturing out at all, scares me.”
Understanding flashed across Jack’s face. “I know. Why don’t you come home with me?” he suggested, his tone both caring and insistent.
“Jack—” she started, concern twisting her features as she hesitated.
“I’m serious. I don’t like the idea of you being here alone,” he continued, his words laced with genuine worry.
She fixed her eyes on him. “Am I staying in a spare bedroom?” she asked, her brows arching in a teasing yet challenging manner.
Jack’s eyes widened in a moment of caught-off-guard surprise. “Uh…” he stammered.
“Uh is not an answer,” she retorted, her tone growing firmer. “I’m asking because you made the decision to not have sex again.”
Jack quickly interjected, “Not ever. Just take it slow.”
Randi frowned. “Well, I don’t agree with it. I think having that chemistry in bed is a step in the right direction for a relationship. But if I come home with you and you expect me to sleep in the spare bedroom, I’ll just stay right here.” Folding her arms and narrowing her eyes, she watched him as he ran his hand over his mouth, perhaps to hide a grin, before he met her gaze once again.
“Well, since I don’t want you here alone, I suppose we’ll have to share a bed,” he said with a slight shake of his head, his voice filled with humor.
Randi laughed. “Okay. I’ll go pack,” she agreed.
Jack chuckled softly. “You don’t need much, and you won’t be going anywhere for a few days.”
“Are you sure it’s alright? I don’t want to be a bother,” she added, her tone laced with concern.
“Oh, you’re a bother alright, but not in the way you mean,” Jack replied. “Go pack, darlin’. We’ll get out of here before the weather gets any worse.”
“I’ll be right back,” she promised, already turning toward her bedroom.
Before she could step away, Jack’s voice softened with a teasing warmth. “Hey, how about a kiss first?”
“Absolutely,” she replied without hesitation. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his in a heated, fleeting kiss that spoke of reassurance, desire, and playful defiance. Passing the moment quickly, she broke away and practically dashed toward her bedroom.
“That was not a kiss,” Jack called out after a moment, his tone light and amused, making her laugh again.
“I’ll make it up to you,” she yelled back from behind the door, her voice bubbling with mirth.
“Damn right, you will,” he replied with a teasing chuckle.
Randi’s smile lingered as she began to pack a small bag with essential items; a couple pairs of jeans, shirts, her favorite comfy lounge pants, and a soft cotton T-shirt that she loved. After carefully zipping the bag shut, she lifted it from the bed and made her way back toward the living room, where even the storm outside couldn’t dampen the glow of anticipation for going home with Jack.
Jack stood up; his movements smooth as he strode toward her. He took the bag from her hands, leaned down, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. As he pulled back, he lingered, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.
“We need to have a chat about these quick little kisses,” he murmured, his voice teasing yet serious.
“You don’t like them?” she asked, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
He grinned. “Oh, I like all of them. But what I really love are those deep, passionate, hot ones I get from you.”
Randi felt her cheeks flush with warmth as she gazed into his eyes, mirroring his playful affection. “Me too,” she admitted softly.
“Good. We’ll save some of those for later. For now, let’s get moving and hit the road.”
Randi nodded, reaching for her sweater hanging on the hall tree. Before she could slip it on, Jack took it from her, holding it for her. She slid her arms into the sleeves, and he spun her gently to face him, capturing her lips in another tender kiss.
“I should take my car,” she suggested, a note of practicality in her voice.
“No,” he replied firmly. “I have to come in every morning anyway, so it’s no trouble bringing you to work.”
“But what if I need to go somewhere?” she protested.
“You know you shouldn’t be out alone,” he warned, his tone serious.
“But you work later than I do. I suppose I could wait at my apartment for you.”
“Just hang out in the shop. It’s only an hour later than usual. I don’t want you alone until we figure out who that man is and what he wants.”
“But I could park right next to the door and dash up the steps,” she argued stubbornly.
“Damn, you’re hardheaded,” he said with a chuckle. “Look, if you drive here alone, he could be watching. He’d know exactly when you get here and when you leave. I don’t think we should risk it.”
Randi sighed, conceding with a nod. “Alright. Let’s go before we can’t, Jack.”
“Did I hear that right? You’re agreeing with me?” he asked, feigning surprise.
“Don’t push it, Lawrence,” she retorted, making him laugh.
“After you, sweetheart. Be careful on the steps.”
Randi stepped onto the stoop, the cool air from the rain brushing against her skin as she pulled the door closed and locked it securely. Jack took her hand, guiding her with careful steps down to the SUV. He opened the door for her.
“I wish you didn’t have the cruiser,” she remarked with a smile.
“Don’t worry. I won’t put you in the back,” he replied.
Randi laughed. “Well, that’s good because I’d feel like everyone was looking if I was seated in the back.”
****
Jack grinned as he closed the door, then swung open the back one and carefully placed her suitcase on the seat. He strode around the front of the SUV, feeling the rain against his skin, and slid into the driver’s seat. With a smooth turn of the key, he brought the engine to life and drove toward his place, the road stretching out before them.
“You know, I could just stay open an hour later to wait for you,” Randi suggested, her voice tinged with a hint of determination.
Jack let out a sigh, glancing over at her with a look of understanding. “Randi, you won’t be going into your shop at all if we get what the weather stations are predicting, and they are rarely wrong. We have a flood warning in effect,” he explained, reaching over to gently clasp her hand. “So, just get used to the idea that you’ll be away from the shop for a few days. Trust me, everyone in this town will understand. They’ve all dealt with it. About the only place that stays open is the diner. Connie can’t stand the thought of someone wanting to eat and her place being closed.”
“She is a wonderful woman,” Randi remarked, admiration in her voice.
“Yes, she is, and her husband, Owen, is great too,” Jack agreed, his tone sincere.
“I have never met him, but if he’s even half as nice as Connie, then I believe you,” Randi replied, a smile playing on her lips.
“Good. I will never lie to you. About anything,” Jack promised.
“I hope not, Jack. I’ve had enough lies from men,” Randi said, her voice carrying a tinge of weariness.
“You don’t have to worry,” Jack replied reassuringly. “I don’t have another woman tucked away somewhere.” He shook his head earnestly, his eyes steady. “I am not that crazy.”
A grin spread across his face when Randi laughed. “Well, you’re a smart man. Some men just don’t get it,” she teased.
“Why any man would try to see more than one woman at a time is beyond me. I don’t care if you’re just dating. That’s just asking for trouble,” Jack remarked, gesturing emphatically with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel.
“Yep. If one finds out…” Randi shook her head, an amused smile playing on her lips.
“Exactly,” Jack agreed.
The SUV glided along the road, the tires humming against the asphalt as rain made it almost impossible to see. When they reached Jack’s place, he slowed the vehicle and turned into his driveway, the gravel crunching beneath the tires. He parked beside the house, at the side door. Stepping out, he walked around the front, but Randi was already out. She opened the back door to retrieve her case. He took it from her, and nodded toward the door, signaling for her to go ahead.
“It’s not locked,” he said with a casual wave of his hand.
Randi turned, arching an eyebrow at him. “You should lock your house.”
“No one comes around. Besides, I have cameras around the property,” Jack replied, gesturing toward the discreetly placed security cameras.
“That doesn’t help if you walk in and find someone there,” she pointed out, her tone teasing but firm.
“Only a woman,” he muttered under his breath.
“What?” Randi asked.
“Nothing,” he said quickly.
“Oh, no. You said something, Jack Lawrence,” she insisted, a playful challenge in her voice.
Jack suppressed a grin. “I did, but I am not repeating it. I don’t feel like having an argument right now.”
Randi laughed. “Wuss.”
“No shit. Arguing with a woman can lead to the death of a man,” he joked, a mock-serious expression on his face.
She laughed again and opened the door, stepping into the mudroom. Jack followed her inside, the warmth of the house welcoming them. He moved around her to carry her case to the bedroom. As he returned to the kitchen, he noticed she had already removed her sweater.
“I hung my sweater in the mudroom, is that alright?” she asked, glancing at him.
“Yes, ma’am. I have to get going, so make yourself at home,” he replied, offering her a warm smile.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Randi said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
“I know, but I’m on the clock,” he explained, regret in his words.
“Okay. Do you want me to fix dinner?” she offered.
“If you want. I’ll be home around seven-thirty,” he said, checking his watch.
“Oh, that’s late.”
“Yeah, if you want to eat before then, go ahead. I could grab something when I get home,” he suggested.
“Could you grab some burgers from the diner? Or maybe a pizza?” she suggested.
“Sure,” he replied with a nod. “I’ll check in with you before my shift ends. Just let me know which you want. I’m good with either.”
“Okay,” she agreed softly.
They stared into each other’s gaze, an unspoken connection sparking between them. Jack couldn’t help but let a grin spread across his face as his eyes locked onto hers, a warmth spreading through his chest.
“Stop. I have to go,” he said.
“I’m not doing anything,” she said with a smile that made his heart skip a beat.
“The hell you’re not,” Jack murmured, a playful challenge in his tone.
He stepped closer, the room seeming to shrink around them as he reached for her. His fingers gently wove into her silken hair, tilting her head slightly, and he leaned in, capturing her lips with his. Her arms instinctively encircled his waist, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss, drawing a soft moan from her lips. The world faded away, leaving only the intoxicating sensation of her warmth against him.
He reluctantly pulled back, breaking the kiss to gaze into her eyes.
“Yeah, just like that,” he whispered, his voice a low murmur. “Those are the kisses that keep me awake at night.”
“Jack,” she breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper, a gentle sigh escaping her as he claimed her lips once more, tender and lingering.
With a final, lingering kiss, he lifted his lips from hers, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, and then turned away, each step away from her feeling heavier than the last. He exited the house, the cool air a stark contrast to the warmth he’d just left behind. Climbing into the cruiser, he cast one last glance at the house, a deep part of him yearning to stay. With a resigned sigh, he started the engine and drove back to the department, the distance growing between them, yet her presence lingering in his thoughts.
****
Randi pressed her soft fingertips to her lips, the lingering warmth of his kiss still vivid as if it had been burned into her skin moments before. Oh, God, she was teetering on the very edge of falling in love. With a hesitant, almost reverent air, she drifted toward the front window of the living room, her eyes searching the distance as she watched him drive away into the storm. Outside, the rain had ramped up its performance, with lightning and thunder rattling the windows.
A wistful regret fluttered in her chest; she wished she’d asked him to light the hearth’s fire, for there was something so mesmerizing about the crackling warmth and the comforting glow of a flickering fireplace. Perhaps later, she mused, she might convince him to make one in the bedroom. Even with it being late August, the rain made the day chilly. With a deep, reflective sigh that seemed to harmonize with the murmuring wind outside, Randi eased herself into a plush recliner. She picked up the remote control, pointing it toward the TV as if it were a talisman to ward off her restless thoughts. She needed to drown her mind in distractions until the thunderstorm finally came to a close. After all, no one would dare brave such a tempest.
As she settled deeper into the soft embrace of the chair, her phone buzzed insistently against her hand. The screen flared to life with her grandmother’s number, and an amused smile touched her lips beneath her worried eyes. There was no way she was ready to reveal to her grandparents that a mysterious man had become a shadow in her life, a presence very unsettling.
“Hi, Nana,” Randi said, her voice a mixture of cheer and underlying tension.
“Hi, honey. How’s your day treating you so far?”
“Well, it’s still early, but I’ve closed up shop. There’s a severe thunderstorm warning,” Randi explained.
“Stay indoors, honey.”
Randi chuckled. “I will. They say it’s going to get pretty bad over the next few days. It’s been raining since morning.”
“Well, at least it’s not snow,” her grandmother replied with affectionate teasing.
“I cannot wait until it snows,” Randi promised, her words lifted by the simple joy of nature’s transformation.
“You are absolutely crazy, Miranda Jean Guthrie,” came the loving retort.
“I know. We never experience snow in Mobile,” Randi observed.
“Thank God!” her grandmother exclaimed, almost in disbelief.
“Are you and Pap doing well?” Randi inquired, her voice softening with care.
“We’re just fine. It’s sunny and a warm eighty degrees here,” her grandmother reported, the words painting a picture of a stark contrast to the rain.
“It’s pouring and the rain is making it feel much cooler,” Randi replied.
“Honey, are you alright? You sound a bit stressed,” her grandmother prodded gently, concern threading through her words.
Randi nibbled on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “I’m okay. I hate having to close the shop for a few days, but Jack told me that there wouldn’t be much business anyway. No one likes to be out in a storm.”
“So, you’re still seeing Jack?” Her grandmother’s voice held an encouraging lilt, brightening with a familiar smile even over the phone.
A grin spread across Randi’s face; her heart lightened by the sound of her grandmother’s amused tone.
“I am,” she admitted.
“Well, that’s good news, right?” her grandmother pressed.
“Yes...” Randi hesitated, words caught between hope and trepidation.
“But?” her grandmother prodded, sensing the unspoken worry.
“He hasn’t said anything about how he feels. I can’t bear the thought of another shattered heart,” Randi confessed, her voice dropping to a whisper laden with vulnerability.
“Miranda Jean, you cannot avoid the inevitability of a broken heart. Every single person on this earth is touched by that sorrow at some point. It’s simply part of the dance of love,” her grandmother assured her.
“I know, but it’s such a hard emotion to go through. Over anything,” Randi sighed, her eyes clouded with the weight of uncertainty.
“But if it happens, you just remember how strong you are. If Jack is worth fighting for, then go for it. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to be.”
“Nana, I know what you’re saying, but I feel so much for Jack, and it’s been a month. Maybe he sees it as casually dating. I’m looking for love. I want to get married, have a few kids, and spend the rest of my life with the love of my life,” Randi confessed, her voice trembling slightly, as if each word carried the weight of her dreams and desires.
“There’s only one way to find that out. Keep seeing him. If he wants to see someone else, it will hurt you, but you can move on,” Nana advised.
“I don’t want to move on, but I know what you mean. I do want to see if we have something between us.” Other than hot, amazing sex, Randi thought, a blush creeping up her cheeks at the unspoken admission.
“Then that is what you have to do. You can’t stop seeing him just because you’re not sure how he feels. You have to stick around to see if you two have something between you. If you don’t, then you will have to get past it. You’re tough, Randi. You can do anything you have to,” Nana encouraged, her words offering comfort and strength.
Randi sighed. “I know. You’re right but after that idiot cheated on me and lying to me about it, it scares me that it could happen again. And I feel more for Jack than I did that jerk.”
“Well, to me, that’s great. I know it scares you, but it does sound like you have very strong feelings for Jack. I don’t think it’s too soon. I was seventeen when I married your grandfather, and we’d only known each other two weeks. I was eighteen when I had your mother. You get through life with a good person beside you. You have us, but I want you to fall in love again. I want you to be happy. I think Jack does that for you.”
“He does make me happy. I suppose it’s all I can do. But if he breaks my heart, you’ll have a mess on your hands.”
Her grandmother laughed. “We’ve all been there. I’m going to watch some TV with your grandfather. Call me if you need anything. We love you.”
“I love you both. Bye.” Randi set the phone back on the arm of the chair and tried to find something to watch, but her mind kept drifting to Jack. She hated the idea of him breaking her heart. They got along great, but was it just because the sex had been so amazing?
Randi knew that eventually they needed to talk. To see if they were on the same page about where this relationship was headed. She hoped they were.