Chapter 30
After a day of absolutely no progress, and a night spent more awake than asleep, Colby had finally laced up his running shoes just after dawn and taken off to get rid of some of this tension.
He pushed harder than usual, thinking that if nothing else, his legs should be too tired for the seemingly endless pacing he’d done all day yesterday.
When he got out of the shower after the workout, he found that the Foxworths had been and gone, leaving a note saying they were checking out something their tech guy at the St. Louis office had found.
They’d also thoughtfully brought breakfast, although the famous cinnamon rolls from the local bakery just reminded him of how Grace had wanted him to take one to Ali.
And how much he would have enjoyed doing just that.
But no, he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t be seen at her place, or with her.
And it was driving him crazy, this taking a back seat through all this.
Not that he didn’t think Foxworth was more than capable of handling this—they’d handled much, much bigger cases, after all—but he felt…
useless. Useless and helpless. As he so often had when facing the Hollens and the power they could bring to bear.
But he had no choice. If he pushed, they would somehow take Grace away from him completely, and he didn’t think he could bear that. And worse, he was terrified that Grace would do something desperate, something that would blow up everything and endanger her.
When he heard the tires on gravel, he thought maybe the Foxworths had forgotten something and come back.
He was startled when the door swung open and he heard dog paw steps.
For some reason all he could think of was Quinn explaining to him how with Cutter’s toenail length they had to strike a balance between short enough to not cause problems but long enough to use if he needed to, like running over rough ground, or climbing.
But that idle memory vanished when the reality of him appearing here hit.
If Cutter was here then so was Ali.
He spun around, nearly colliding with Cutter. The dog dodged him neatly, nudged his hand in greeting, but then started bumping the back if his knees, as if urging him to move toward the door.
“I was going, dog,” he muttered, unable not to think about the tales he’d been told about the dog’s other capabilities.
“Colby?”
Damn. Just the sound of her voice… Even over the phone it got him revved up. The sound of it here, in person, and saying his name…he had no words for how that made him feel.
And then she was there, a wide smile on her lovely face.
Her hair was tied back, and the sight of it just made him want to free it, to see all the colors of autumn tumbling down her back.
Those eyes made him think of the spring that was just around the corner, and the trees here in his beloved Northwest that never lost that green.
And when did you start getting…seasonal?
“I was just thinking about you.” He hadn’t expected his voice to be quite so rough, and he hastily cleared his throat and explained.
Or tried to. “Quinn and Hayley brought cinnamon rolls, and I was remembering how the last time we were at the bakery Grace wanted to bring one home to you, in case you’d never had one. ”
“Are those the famous ones?” she asked, as if she’d noticed nothing odd about either his voice, or what he’d said.
She walked over to where he’d gestured at the white bag on the table.
And once more he found himself fascinated—a bit too fascinated—with the way she moved, that slight sway, and the way her sweater clung to certain places.
He had to swallow again before he could even say just, “Yeah.”
“I haven’t had one, yet. Sure have heard about them, though.”
“Then you’d better have one of these, or Grace’ll never let me hear the end of it.”
She chuckled, and he felt his tension ease a bit. Or maybe it was just that he loved the sound of her so much he couldn’t stay tense in the face of it. He grabbed the stack of napkins that had come with the rolls, then dug into the bag and got out the delectable treats.
At her first bite, Ali closed her eyes. “Mmm. They are so not overrated.”
“They really are good.”
“Lucky for me they’re a bit of a drive, or I’d weigh a ton.”
“I was thinking if I ran there and back, it might be a wash.”
This time it was a full burst of laughter, and everything, even his situation, seemed lighter. When they’d finished, and he’d gathered up the debris, wondering if licking the last of the frosting off his fingers would be too tacky, he almost reluctantly asked the obvious question.
“Did you need something? The Foxworths already left, but I could call them and see if—”
“I need you,” she said. He froze. Stared at her, unable to quite believe he’d heard her right. “Well, that, too,” she said, her cheeks pink now. “But I need some plants for my wonderful new greenhouse, and I thought who better to go plant shopping with me than the man who built it?”
He felt as if he were scrambling to keep up, after the shock of that “I need you.” He seized on the one thing he thought safe. “You want me to go plant shopping with you?”
“I just thought you might like to get out a bit. We have a few hours while Grace is in school. Unless you think the mother is likely to frequent plant nurseries.”
“Uh…no. Not likely.”
“Good. Anyway, Irene is at the house, so I thought we should start from here.” When he just stared at her, her expression changed. “If you’d rather not, that’s fine, I just—”
“No!” Get it together, Kendrick. Chance of a lifetime here… “I want to go. I was just…surprised.”
“No warning, I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Let’s go.” He glanced at Cutter, who had settled into what was obviously his bed here, seemingly content to stay in the familiar place while the humans went about their silly business. But then it struck him. “Where’s Ziggy?”
She smiled, as if pleased he’d remembered the squiggly pup.
“He’s with Teague’s wife, Laney, getting introduced to actual grooming.
She offered, said it’s good to start them young.
So, everything kind of fell together this morning.
” Her voice softened. “I thought maybe a couple of hours of not worrying might be nice for you.”
He was smiling himself now. “You have—” He stopped himself, then started again. “I was going to say you have no idea, but obviously you do.”
It was Ali who thought—of course—to leave a note of explanation for the Foxworths, should they arrive while they were gone.
Then they were in her car, since whatever she bought had to go home that way, and on their way to the biggest local nursery.
They were out on the main highway—which here meant a full lane and a bike lane each direction—when she spoke again.
“You’re really doing all right, not working for this long?”
His gut knotted, and he fought back memories of Liz’s denigration of the work he loved. “Yes. I’m not rich enough for Liz, of course, but plenty for me. I’ve got a nice cushion, so I can do this without going broke.”
“Probably just as well it’s not enough for her, because I have the feeling she’d go after it,” Ali said dryly.
He couldn’t explain why that made him smile, but it did. “I see you’ve got her number.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to keep it hidden,” she admitted. “But I know I have to, for Grace.”
She said it as if it were a given. As if she’d do anything for Grace. Just as he would. His throat jammed up again, as it did so often around her.
“Have I mentioned,” he said when he could speak again, which wasn’t until they were pulling in to park at the nursery, “how glad I am that it was you who moved in next door?”
“You might have, once or twice.”
“Not enough. Thank you, Ali.”
“Now that, you’ve done more than enough of. So come on, help me pick out some plants that will live happily in that new greenhouse until they’re big enough to move outside.”
He’d always liked this place. Surrounded by all kinds of trees and plants, with various habitats built especially for them. They were just getting to one of the more sheltered areas when he heard a shout.
“Hey, Colby! Good to see you. Need help with something?”
He turned to see the son of the owner and founder heading toward them.
“She might,” he said, nodding at Ali. “Ali Moran, John Reynolds. His dad opened this place what, fifty years ago now?”
“Almost,” John said with a smile. Then he looked at Ali.
“And this guy—” he nodded toward Colby as he had to him “—has built about half of it for us. All the new outbuildings, and the shelters so we could carry more indoor plants, and things that need a more protected life than the Northwest usually offers.”
“He neglected to mention that,” Ali said, giving him a sideways look.
“That’s Colby, never brag, just let the work speak for itself,” John said. “So, what can I help you find?”
She explained what she was looking for, some of which was familiar, a lot not. But when she described a flowering tree she’d seen and had been wanting ever since, something registered.
“You mean the one outside the library?” he asked.
“Yes, that one. But I don’t know what it is.”
“I don’t either, but I know someone who does. Haven’t talked to him since I finished his patio cover last summer, but…”
He pulled out his phone, looked up a number and dialed.
“Jake? Colby Kendrick. Got a question.”
“Hey, been meaning to let you know Kim loves being able to sit out in the rain on the patio now.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“So, what’s the question?”
He asked about the tree, and got an immediate answer. He thanked him and was about to hang up when Jake asked, “How’s your girl?”
“She’s…okay.” He flicked a glance at Ali. “Doing better right now, thanks to some help.”
“Glad to hear it.”
They ended the call and he looked at John. “Japanese snowbell.”
“Ah,” John said. “Yes, that’s a good one. Stays fairly small, not a lot of maintenance unless you want a specific shape, and my wife loves the flowers.”
“Sounds like a home run to me,” Colby said, smiling now.
Ali was watching him, a rather different expression on her face. But before he could figure it out she turned to John and smiled. “Lead on,” she said.
And I’ll follow.
The quip that shot through his mind then seemed to have a lot more weight than it should have.