Chapter 9 #2
I heard a longing in her voice that had me glancing over at her.
Every tiny detail about Hallie pulled me closer and had me wanting to know more.
It made sense. I’d always wondered what had happened to the woman I’d rescued on the mountain.
With the case being as brutal as it was, it had stuck with me. It was all natural curiosity.
I forced my gaze away from her and toward the parking lot as I started the engine. “I’ve got one more stop to make if it’s okay with you.”
“Of course.”
“I ordered a new SUV for our nanny to use. Figured it would be easier for wear and tear and gas mileage. I need to pick it up. I’ve got a credit card for expenses, too.”
My statements weren’t entirely true. When I first saw Hallie’s sedan, a pit had formed in my stomach. It didn’t look like it should’ve survived the trip out here, let alone stay on the road during a winter storm in Cedar Ridge.
Hallie’s eyes widened. “Oh. I guess that makes things easier.”
“You’re welcome to use it all the time. It’ll probably do better in the snow than a sedan, given the specialty tires and four-wheel drive.”
She toyed with her seat belt. “I did kind of wonder about my car’s ability to make it up your driveway in the snow.”
I grinned, grateful I wasn’t facing a battle. “It’s definitely a bit more rustic than Chicago.”
“I should probably trade in my car for an SUV.”
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I turned onto Main Street. “There’s plenty of time for that. And this will give you a chance to test one out.”
The truth was, I wasn’t sure Hallie’s sedan would get much as a trade-in. But I knew that living in the guest cabin with the salary I was paying her, she’d probably be able to save up for a safe, reliable car in a matter of months.
Her fingers released their hold on the seat belt. “True. I’ve never driven a big car before.”
“It only takes a couple of days to get used to. And it comes in handy with three boys who start brawling if they’re in too close of proximity to one other.”
I caught a flash of a smile out of the corner of my eye. “They actually seem like they get along pretty well.”
I grunted. “Sometimes.”
Her smile widened. “Siblings.”
“So very true.” It was a miracle that my brothers and sister and I had made it through childhood relatively unscathed.
I glanced over at Hallie as I slowed to a stop at a red light. She stared out the window at the passing scenery. It seemed to hold her captive as if she’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Is the guest cabin treating you okay? Heat good? Bed comfortable?” I wanted to kick myself the moment the word bed left my lips. The image of white-blond hair splayed across a pillow filled my mind. Of Hallie tangled in those sheets.
Her gaze flicked to me. “It’s perfect.”
“I just saw your light on pretty early.” It was none of my business, but I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d been up before dawn.
Shadows swirled in Hallie’s gray depths, her expression closing down. I wanted to take back my words, erase every syllable. Anything to get back the look of wonder that had been on her face moments ago and clear away the pain that filled it now.
She forced a smile. Everything about it was fake. Wrong. “I guess I was just excited for my first day. Woke up before my alarm.”
It was a lie. I’d been working in law enforcement long enough to know.
I hated the deception between us, but she didn’t owe me the truth.
She didn’t know me. Not really. I was her boss.
And someone she’d barely met years ago. “Better get to bed early tonight. Don’t want to get run-down.
Trust me when I say that the elementary school germs are vicious. ”
A hint of a laugh escaped Hallie’s lips. “I am very familiar with those from my last job. So, hopefully, I’ve got a bit of immunity.”
I kept the conversation light as we traveled the rest of the way to Brookdale—anything to avoid seeing that pain on Hallie’s face again.
As I pulled into the Chevrolet dealership, Hallie’s fingers tightened around her purse straps.
Her gaze jumped around as if she expected someone to pop out and attack her.
Knowing she lived with that every single day killed something in me.
I pulled into a parking spot but left the engine running. “You okay?”
Hallie bobbed her head. “Good.” But her voice was strangled as if she could barely get the word out.
I shifted in my seat and turned to face her. “It’s okay if there are things you aren’t comfortable with. We’ll just pivot.”
Her eyes glistened, and she swallowed hard. “How did you know?”
I reached over and gently tapped the fingers that had her purse straps in a death grip.
A laugh bubbled out of her, and she released the bag. “I guess I’m not going to win an Oscar anytime soon.”
I grinned. “Might want to take a few classes before you head to Hollywood.” My smile slipped. “What’s got the anxiety humming?”
Hallie’s tongue darted out, licking her lips. “Everything.”
My brow furrowed.
“Anything new. Unknown. It’s hard. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it. I just need to run through it in my head first.”
“Run through it in your head?” I asked.
She nodded. “It’s a trick I learned with my therapist. If I picture what I’m about to do in my head, imagine all the possibilities, it helps. That probably makes me sound crazy.”
“No,” I insisted. “It makes you sound smart. You’ve figured out a way to make life work for you, even though you’ve been through something incredibly traumatic. Something that changed you. It makes you smart as hell.”
Hallie stared at me for a long moment. “Thank you.”
“We all have scars. Things that we think might make us weak. But, in reality, they’re usually the source of our strength.”
Her eyes shone as they bored into mine. “I like thinking of it that way.”
“Me, too. Now, let’s do a practice run of what’s about to happen.”
The corner of her mouth kicked up. “Really?”
“Really. The SUV has already been ordered. Paperwork should be ready, and I’ve faxed in all the information they need. So, we’ll go in, the salesman will try to schmooze us, I’ll sign the papers, inspect the vehicle, and then we’ll be on our way.”
Hallie let out a slow breath as she stared at the building. I watched as her eyes tracked over the exits and realized she was planning her escape routes.
“I’ll be with you the whole time.”
That steely gaze flicked to me. “Let’s do this.”
I nodded, and we both slipped from my SUV.
Heading for the doors of the dealership, I had the bizarre urge to take Hallie’s hand.
To sweep my thumb back and forth across her knuckles to reassure her.
I told myself it was because I’d been the one to find her years ago.
Because I’d seen her in the aftermath of the horror she’d endured. That was all.
Opening the door, I held it for Hallie, and she cautiously stepped inside. I quickly followed, wanting her to feel my presence.
A man with a too-white smile was striding across the showroom floor in seconds. “I’m guessing you’re Lawson Hartley.”
The fact that I was in my police uniform was likely a dead giveaway. “I am. Chip?”
He nodded, extending his hand for a shake. As he did, his gaze tracked to my right and swept over Hallie. “And who is this lovely lady?”
Hell. The last thing Hallie needed was some smarmy bastard making her feel uncomfortable.
Chip offered Hallie a hand, but she just nodded at him. “Hallie.”
I stepped forward, cutting Chip off from Hallie. “How about we tackle that paperwork? I don’t have long before I need to head to the station.”
“Uh, sure thing. Of course.” Chip gestured for us to follow him down the hallway.
I moved in closer to Hallie as he started in that direction. “You okay?”
She bit her lip but nodded. “Men make me a little uneasy.”
It made sense. She’d suffered the worst kind of pain at the hands of a man. It would change how someone viewed the entire gender.
“I never saw his face,” she whispered. “Every man I meet, I wonder if it’s him.”
My eyes flared, my gut tightening. “You didn’t seem wary around me that first day. For the interview.”
Hallie’s hypnotic gaze lifted to mine. “You’re different. You saved me.”