Chapter 8 #2
“I’m not saying that,” he interrupted. “Settling down with the person you love and who brings you happiness sounds beautiful. I only hope the dream is worth the sacrifice.” He clicked his tongue.
“Sorry. I know that it’s none of my business.
It’s just that I’ve learned that relationships ebb and change over the years, and not always for the better. ”
Jesse glanced away, refusing to acknowledge the unease that sat like a lump in the pit of her stomach. She’d spent too long avoiding relationships out of fear. It was time to start living.
And that included a future with Parker.
But for that to happen, she had to close the door on her past.
“Before you left the Tap Room earlier, you mentioned you’d seen my dad the night Victoria left Canton.”
Noah looked like he wanted to continue his warnings, but with a visible effort, he allowed her to change the direction of the conversation. No doubt her stubborn expression had convinced him that she wasn’t going to listen.
“Actually, it was closer to the next morning,” he admitted.
It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear. “What time?”
Noah leaned his hip against the railing, his brow furrowed. “I don’t recall an exact time. It was still dark, but it was close to dawn. Probably around six thirty.”
“Where?”
“I’d spent the night down by the river—”
“Is that a joke?” she interrupted with a frown.
“What?”
She waved a hand. “You know … that skit about living down by the river?”
“Oh no.” He chuckled. “Back then, Kelly and I were dating, but we were both living at home. It made it hard to have private time together, so we would meet at night in the boathouse next to the old ferry.”
Jesse remembered the place. It was warped and rotting and in danger of collapse, but it was a perfect spot to hide from prying eyes. She’d shared more than one kiss in the damp, moldy darkness.
“Ah, I get it. Desperate times,” she teased.
He heaved a deep sigh. “It felt like it. Probably one of the reasons we rushed into marriage.”
“So you spent the night out there?” she asked, refusing to be distracted. This was too important.
“I did. Kelly left around midnight, but I fell asleep. It wasn’t until a barge blasted its horn that I woke up and headed home.”
“And that’s when you saw my dad?”
“Yes.” He studied her tense expression, clearly sensing his answer was important. “I was walking down Main Street when Mac swerved around the corner and onto the sidewalk. If I hadn’t jumped into the alley, he would have taken me out.”
Her mouth was so dry it was hard to form the words. “He was driving?”
“Not very well.” Noah sent her a rueful smile. “Honestly, I think he was drunk.”
Jesse knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was thoroughly blasted. She’d seen the empty bottle of whiskey. But she’d sworn on a Bible in court that he’d never left the bar.
“Then what happened?”
“He slammed on the brakes and rolled down his window to apologize.”
She sucked in a slow breath as the hope she’d been clinging to was abruptly shattered.
Noah hadn’t made a mistake. A rural town like Canton had a hundred pickups that all looked the same.
It would be easy to think you recognized who was driving when it was someone else. But not if they spoke to each other.
“Was he alone?”
“As far as I could tell. I stayed at the edge of the alley as he backed up and pulled the truck next to the curb before switching off the engine. I assumed he realized he shouldn’t be behind the wheel and was going inside.
I didn’t want to embarrass him, so I went on my way, and I didn’t really think about it again until Mac was arrested. ”
“Why didn’t you say something to the sheriff ?”
Noah blinked, as if confused by the question. “Because I knew Mac my entire life. There was no way he could have hurt his family. Why give those assholes a reason to lock him up?”
“Not everyone believed that.”
“Then they’re idiots.” Noah’s voice was harsh with disgust. “The man owned a bar. He had to deal with obnoxious drunks on a nightly basis. I never once heard anyone complain about him losing his temper or becoming violent. Even when he was breaking up a fight.”
A sad smile curled her lips. Most people had shared Noah’s unwavering belief in Mac, but there were a few ugly rumors that swirled through town. They’d wounded Jesse more than she wanted to admit.
“He was the most gentle man I’ve ever known,” she murmured.
“And the most patient. You know, I once saw him at the homecoming bonfire protecting Coach Matthews from an angry dad who was furious his son had been cut from the team. Mac stood between them, dodging the man’s punches without ever lifting a hand.
He didn’t even raise his voice. Eventually, the dude realized he was making a fool of himself and let Mac drive him home.
That’s not the sort of guy who’s going to snap just because his wife decides to leave town. ”
Jesse reached out to lay her hand on Noah’s arm. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For believing in Dad.” She shrugged. “And for not saying anything after he was arrested. I know Dad didn’t do anything to Victoria, but …”
“Yeah, I get it.”
Jesse turned back to admire the view, willing her muscles to relax as she shoved aside Noah’s disturbing revelation. She would grapple with the implications later. Right now she had to make sure that Noah didn’t realize just how unnerved she was by his confession.
“I hope you don’t sell,” she said in low tones. “It’s so peaceful here. It would be a shame to have the property chopped up to build another boring brick house. It’s like you’re a rebel.”
He snorted, thankfully distracted by her words. “A rebel who is deadass broke. Right now my pride and the money I received from a small inheritance a few years ago is the only thing keeping a roof over my head.”
Jesse sent him a startled glance. Before she’d left Canton the Allen family hadn’t been rich, but they certainly hadn’t been poor.
“Really?”
“Unfortunately.” He shrugged, but she didn’t miss his clenched teeth.
The stress was bothering him more than he wanted anyone to realize.
“The lumberyard has been struggling for years, and my dad can’t really afford to give me a steady salary.
Hell, there are months when we lose money.
If it wasn’t for the odd jobs I do around town, I wouldn’t be bringing in enough to cover the bare minimum. ”
“Why doesn’t your father sell the place?”
“Would your dad have sold the Tap Room?”
“Okay.” She smiled wryly. “Point made.”
He returned her smile. “Eventually, I’ll have to get a full-time job. But for now I do what I can to keep the bills paid.”
“I’m sorry.” She covered his hand that was resting on the railing.
“No use crying over spilt milk, as my mom would say.” He flipped over his hand and threaded their fingers together.
His touch was warm and intimate, and a dangerous awareness hummed through her.
Noah’s eyes darkened, but before the moment could become awkward—at least for Jesse—the ring of an old-fashioned landline blasted from the open kitchen door.
“Damn.” Noah looked genuinely annoyed. “I should see who’s calling. ”
Jesse tugged her fingers free, assuring herself it was relief, not frustration, that tingled through her.
“Go ahead.”
“I won’t be long.”
With a lingering glance, he turned to hurry into the house, and Jesse climbed off the deck. It was the easiest way to give Noah privacy for his call; plus, she’d wanted to stroll down the flagstone path from the moment she’d caught sight of it. Who knew if she’d ever have another chance?
Clearing away the troubling thoughts that stewed like poison in the back of her mind, Jesse concentrated on the beauty of the branches interlocked above her head and the sweet scent of freshly mowed grass.
She felt as if she was surrounded by a vibrant green tunnel, safely hidden from the world, and just for a moment she wanted to enjoy the sensation.
This was what she missed when she was in the chaotic bustle of Chicago. As much as she enjoyed the crowds and the boisterous excitement when she worked at the nightclub, there were days when the incessant noise wore on her nerves. And the traffic …
Jesse shuddered. She’d forgotten how nice it was to be able to drive from point A to point B without open warfare. There were even parking spots in front of the places she wanted to visit. Nothing short of a miracle.
Strolling toward the lake, Jesse rounded a small curve, her gaze following the erratic dance of a butterfly as it disappeared between an opening in the trees.
Her steps slowed as the butterfly zigzagged its way toward a patch of weeds that looked completely out of place.
Why would Noah mow his lawn until it was a smooth carpet of green and then ruin it with that ugly spot?
Curious to know what was hidden in the weeds, Jesse squeezed between the tree trunks and angled toward the edge of the yard. She sensed that the ground was dipping down, the soil beneath her feet feeling oddly spongy.
“Jesse! Stop.”
The sharp urgency in Noah’s voice forced her to an abrupt halt. She stiffened as he rushed to stand next to her, his hand wrapping around her arm as if he intended to physically hold her in place.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded, barely resisting the urge to pull away from his firm grip.
He used his free hand to point toward the center of the overgrown area.
“There’s an old well hidden in the grass.
This house used to get its water from the lake until I had new lines laid to connect to the city system.
Eventually, I’ll get around to having it filled in, but right now it’s a death trap. I should have warned you.”
Jesse leaned forward, catching a glimpse of a round grate dug into the ground. It was crusted with mud, but it looked as if it’d rusted through in several spots. She wrinkled her nose as she belatedly realized there was a foul odor wafting from the shadowed depths.
“No worries,” she forced herself to say, even as a dark unease spread through her.
It wasn’t a reaction to Noah. Or at least she didn’t think it was.
But there was something unnerving about the smelly, overgrown area.
A dark stain on an otherwise picturesque scene.
“I shouldn’t have been wandering around. ”
He tugged her away from the well. “Maybe we should go back to the house. It’s starting to get dark.”
Jesse glanced up, realizing that the sun was dipping over the trees, leaving them shrouded in shadow.
“Actually, I need to get home.”
“So soon? There’s more beer.”
She shook her head. “I’m still trying to scrub off the layers of dirt that accumulated in the bar. It’s going to take longer than I expected.”
With an effort, she kept a casual pace as she crossed the yard toward the gate that led out of the backyard. She didn’t want Noah to sense her urgent need to be away from his house. He’d done nothing but try to help her since she’d come back to Canton.
As they reached the edge of the house, Noah reached past her to grab the top of the gate, trapping her between the fence and his towering form.
“I’m glad you stopped by.”
Jesse swallowed the lump trying to form in her throat, tilting back her head to meet his steady gaze. He was standing too close, but it wasn’t threatening.
“Me too.” She kept her tone light. “Let me know when you have the quote for the work I need done.”
There was a long, not quite comfortable silence before Noah gave a nod of his head, pulling open the gate.
“I’ll run it by tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” Stretching her lips into a smile, she darted through the opening. “See ya.”
Keeping her head lowered, Jesse scurried back to the Tap Room, sensing the stares as she hurried past the crowd milling through the farmers market at the nearby intersection.
She wasn’t in the mood for chitchat. In fact, she wasn’t in the mood for anything but a sleeping pill and an early night, she decided, as she slammed the door shut behind her and slid the bolt into place.
She did take the time to walk around the bar area before heading upstairs.
She was still creeped out from the abandoned well in Noah’s backyard, which made absolutely no sense, but she had to reassure herself there were no one hiding in the shadows before she headed to her room and locking that door as well.
By eight thirty she was tucked into bed with a bowl of cereal and a glass of milk she used to wash down the sleeping pills.
At some point she was going to have to deal with the revelation that Mac had lied to her about leaving the bar that night.
As well as her suspicions that Victoria was playing an ugly game with all of them from the moment she arrived in Canton.
But not tonight.
She desperately needed a few hours’ sleep to clear the dread that was clouding her mind. Right now, everything felt ominous. As if an unseen threat was looming just out of sight. Even poor Noah, who’d done nothing more than be a good friend, had set off her alarms.
It was a waste of time searching for the truth when she was jumping at shadows.
She’d start again tomorrow.
Setting aside her empty bowl, Jesse snuggled beneath the covers and allowed the drowsiness to suck her into the void.