Chapter 5
JAKE
I slip out the front door and into the pre-dawn darkness, needing the solitude of a morning run to clear my head.My self-control nearly shattered on that bridge last night, and that's unacceptable.I don't lose control. Ever. Not since Kandahar.
The streets of Heartstone are deserted at this hour, perfect for a five-mile loop to burn off the tension that's been building since I first laid eyes on Trish Walker in Toronto.
I set a punishing pace, focusing on the rhythm of my breathing, the steady impact of my feet on pavement,anything but the memory of her face in the moonlight and the soft whisper of my name on her lips.
By the time I return, the eastern sky has lightened to a pale lavender.I'm slightly startled to find Trish sitting on the B&B's front porch swing, a steaming mug cradled in her hands.
"You're up early," I say, slowing to a walk as I approach.
"Couldn't sleep." She raises the mug in a small salute."Dawn was already up, making coffee.She's prepping breakfast now."
I take the porch steps two at a time, conscious of the sweat dampening my shirt."I'll shower quickly."
"Sit first," she says, patting the space beside her on the swing."Dawn brought out two mugs."
Indeed, there's a second mug on the small table beside the swing.The thought of sitting so close to Trish while my body is still charged from the run seems unwise, but refusing would be equally suspicious.
I take the seat, maintaining as much distance as the swing allows, and reach for the coffee."Thanks."
"How far did you run?" she asks, eyeing me over the rim of her mug.
"Five miles. It's my standard morning routine."
"Of course, it is," she says with a small smile."I bet you ran exactly five miles, not 4.9, not 5.1."
"5.2 actually," I correct, which earns me a surprised look."There's a nice loop around the lake."
She laughs, the sound unexpectedly delightful in the quiet morning."Look at you, deviating from the plan by a whole two-tenths of a mile. Next thing you know, you'll be ordering chocolate milkshakes and jaywalking."
"Unlikely," I say dryly, but I can't help the small smile tugging at my lips.
We sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching as the town gradually wakes up.
A bakery truck makes deliveries across the street.
An elderly man walks his dog along the sidewalk.
The normalcy of it all is almost jarring after years of operating in environments where ordinary moments are rare.
"I think I understand why you came back to small-town life after your time in security," Trish says suddenly."There's something grounding about places like this."
"It's an illusion," I reply, though not unkindly."Every place has its dangers.Its secrets."
"Even Heartstone?" She looks skeptical.
"Especially places like Heartstone." I finish my coffee and stand."I should get ready. We're still on schedule to leave by six."
"About that," she says, setting her mug down."Dawn mentioned there's a famous breakfast at Kathy's Diner that we absolutely have to try before leaving.She called it the 'heart-stopper special' or something."
"The Hearty Breakfast?" I correct, remembering the menu from last night."That would put us behind schedule."
"By what, an hour?" She tilts her head, studying me."The way you drive, you'd make it up before noon."
She's not wrong, but schedule deviations make me uncomfortable for reasons I can't explain to her without revealing more than I should.
"Please?" she adds, looking up at me with those dark eyes that seem to see right through my carefully constructed barriers."Dawn says it's a local tradition for travelers.Two eggs, hashbrowns, four pancakes, bacon, and sausage.A real artery-clogger."
"Not the best sales pitch," I observe.
She laughs again, and I find myself wanting to be the cause of that sound more often."Live a little, Jake. One breakfast detour won't destroy your precious timeline."
I should say no. Maintaining the schedule is important, especially with the deadline of her friend's dress fitting looming.But the eagerness in her expression is strangely difficult to resist.
"Fine," I concede. "But we leave immediately after breakfast."
Her smile is like the sun breaking over the horizon, warm, bright, and impossible to look away from."Deal."
I head inside to shower, uncomfortably aware that this is the second time in less than twelve hours that I've deviated from my plan because of Trish Walker.
The realization is unsettling.Control has been my cornerstone since leaving the Marines, the foundation upon which I've rebuilt my life and my security business.
Control is what makes me effective, keeps my clients safe, keeps me safe.
Yet around Trish, that control feels increasingly fragile.The way she sees through my defenses and elicits reactions I thought I'd buried years ago is dangerous.And not just to my carefully organized schedule.
In the shower, I turn the water to cold, seeking clarity.
Our journey has only just begun, and already the boundaries I established are blurring.
This isn't like me. I don't get distracted by beautiful women with quick minds and quicker smiles.
I don't deviate from plans. I don't lose focus on missions.
And this is a mission, whether Trish realizes it or not.
My presence on Route 14 isn't a coincidence, nor is my destination of Foxfire Valley.
The security contract for the Kane-McCrae wedding is my largest of the year, a complex operation involving high-profile guests and multiple potential threat vectors.
Trish is a complication I hadn't anticipated, one that's becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Dressed and ready, I make my way downstairs to find Trish chatting animatedly with Dawn in the dining room.She laughs at something Dawn says, the sound making my chest tighten in a way I refuse to examine too closely.
"Ready for breakfast?" Trish asks, looking up as I enter."Dawn says Kathy's famous for her pancakes, and that we'd be committing a cardinal sin if we left town without trying them."
Dawn nods in agreement, a knowing twinkle in her eye as she glances between us."The Hearty Breakfast is worth every calorie.Though you might want to share one, the portions are enormous."
"I can handle large portions," Trish says with a grin, then immediately blushes as she realizes how that sounds."I mean, I'm hungry. For food.Pancakes specifically."
Dawn's smile widens. "Of course, honey.Just pancakes."
I clear my throat. "We should go if we want to stay somewhat on schedule."
Outside, the morning has fully bloomed, sunlight warming the cobblestone streets as we make our way to Kathy's Diner.The place is significantly busier than last night, nearly every booth filled with locals starting their day.
Kathy spots us immediately, waving us over to two reserved seats at the counter."Morning, travelers! Dawn called ahead, said you needed the works before hitting the road."
"You have amazing friends in this town," Trish observes as we take our seats.
"Small towns," I explain. "Everyone knows everyone's business."
"Which means everyone's already talking about the tall, mysterious stranger and his gorgeous companion passing through," Kathy confirms cheerfully, sliding coffee in front of us without asking."So, two Hearty Breakfasts?"
"Just one," I cut in before Trish can answer."We'll share."
Trish raises an eyebrow at me."Worried about my calorie intake, Jake?"
"Worried about food coma while driving," I counter."Trust me, you haven't seen the size of this thing."
Kathy laughs. "Man knows what he's talking about.One Hearty Breakfast with extra bacon coming up.You can fight over who gets the most pancakes."
As Kathy moves away, Trish turns to face me fully on her stool."So, where are we headed after this?Still planning to make it all the way to Kansas tonight?"
"That was the plan," I confirm."There's another small town called Basic Plaines, about ten hours from here if we maintain a good pace.Not much there except a rest stop and a high school football team they're apparently very proud of."
"Sounds exciting," she says dryly."What's our accommodation situation there?"
"There's a motel off the highway.Basic but clean, according to the reviews."
She nods, taking a sip of her coffee."And after Kansas? Where's our next stop before Nevada?"
"Rustic Junction, Colorado. It's a tourist town designed to look like an old Western movie set.Staged gunfights, saloon girls, the works."
"That actually sounds fun," she says, brightening."I've never been to one of those Old West towns."
"It's mostly for tourists," I warn."Very manufactured nostalgia."
"Still better than another generic motel.Where are we staying there?"
"Place called the Rustic Love Hotel." I immediately regret the name as her eyes widen slightly."It's the only accommodation in town," I add quickly."Separate rooms, of course."
"Of course," she echoes, but there's a teasing glint in her eye."Though that might raise some eyebrows, Mr. Control.A couple checking into the 'Love Hotel' but requesting separate rooms?Scandalous."
"We're not a couple," I remind her, more sharply than intended.
Something flashes across her face--disappointment?Hurt? It's gone too quickly to identify.
"Believe me, I'm well aware," she says, her tone cooling."Just making a joke."
I've managed to offend her, which wasn't my intention.Before I can figure out how to navigate this sudden shift, Kathy returns with a breakfast platter that's genuinely alarming in its proportions.
"One Hearty Breakfast for the not-a-couple," she announces with a wink, setting down a plate heaped with golden pancakes, eggs, hash browns, and enough bacon and sausage to feed a small army."Enjoy, darlings."
Trish's eyes widen comically."Okay, I see your point about sharing now."