Chapter 8 #2
There were a million excuses running through his mind, but the truth came down to the fact that he was attracted to Ally. Plain and simple. It was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time.
She was strong and so much like Lisa in a lot of ways. It wasn’t that she looked like Lisa, who had been petite and blonde with blue eyes and pale skin. Ally had light olive skin, light brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a dusting of freckles across her nose, which Charlotte also had.
Plus, there was the fact that he felt oddly at ease around Ally, something he didn’t remember feeling around Lisa.
Maybe because he’d been so young back then.
In his early teens and twenties, he hadn’t even known what kind of a man he was.
Now, at almost thirty, he knew, in part due to losing Lisa the way he had.
As he stared up at the ceiling with the glow of the Christmas tree lights filling the room, every creak in the old house kept him at alert.
The older place settled as the snow continued to fall around them.
When dawn finally broke and the sky outside the window was streaked with bright gray light, he still hadn’t closed his eyes.
By the time he heard movement upstairs, he was up and had made a pot of coffee, knowing she would probably need it as much as he would.
Ally appeared a few moments after the coffee was ready.
She had her hair pulled back in a low bun.
She was wearing a pair of sweats and a large sweater with thick Christmas socks with snowmen on them.
“I started a fire down here again.” He motioned toward the living room. “It will be warm soon.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled and took the offered cup of coffee.
“I don’t know how you like it, but I know how Charlotte likes her hot chocolate.” He smiled.
She blinked a few times and then smiled back.
Okay, so she obviously had gotten as little sleep as he had. As she added cream to her coffee, her movements were quiet, careful, like every noise might wake a ghost.
He headed into the living room, stirred the fire, and put a few more logs on it. When he returned to the kitchen, she was leaning against the counter, mug in hand.
“Did you get any sleep?” he asked her.
“Not really,” she admitted. He could tell the coffee was waking her up a little. “Every sound had me jumping.”
He nodded in agreement. “I can call the security company today and see about them adding cameras out at the end of the driveway to alert you when someone has pulled in.”
“Thanks,” she said between sips. “I’ll have Max call them.”
Just then, Charlotte rushed in. “It snowed a lot!” She stopped dead when she saw him standing close to Ally.
“Did you sleep here?” she asked, her eyes going wide as she looked between them.
“I slept on the sofa,” he quickly answered, feeling the need to explain to the kid.
“Can I have hot chocolate?” she asked, after a moment.
Kids. He smiled and turned to make her a cup.
“I like pink sprinkles and marshmallows,” she said, coming up to his side. “Mama lets me put them in.”
“Sure thing, kiddo.” He carried a chair over to the countertop so that she could do that task herself.
Ten minutes later, Charlotte was curled up on the sofa, watching cartoons, with a blanket tucked under her chin as the whole house warmed up.
“Thank you for staying,” Ally said as she sat across from him at the table.
He gave a faint smile. “It didn’t seem right to leave.”
The quiet stretched between them for a moment. Then his phone buzzed on the table.
“It’s Aiden,” he said and then answered. “Good morning.”
“I thought you’d want to know, Ted Garrison made bail about an hour after we booked him. His car is already out of impound too.”
Joe’s stomach knotted. “That was fast.”
“Too fast,” Aiden said. “Word is, he called in a favor with someone higher up in the county.”
“That makes sense,” he said, watching Ally. “Any word on if he’s sticking around town?”
“Nick and I are keeping eyes on him. He’s still in town, staying at a rental cabin.
The good news is, I know the owners and have already had a chat with them this morning.
They’ve assured me they will cancel his short-term lease.
We’ll make sure he hits the road and heads back to Portland. If not, I’ll let Ally know.”
“Thanks,” he said, then added, “keep me updated too, if you would. I’m still up at the house with Ally and Charlotte.”
The line went quiet. “Are you sticking around there?”
It wasn’t a bad idea. There were empty guest rooms. The thought of both their faces last night made him want to protect them at any cost.
“I’m not sure yet. If I do, I’ll let you know.”
When he hung up, Ally was watching him, her face pale. “He’s out of jail, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.” He sighed and set his phone down.
She swallowed hard as her fingers tightened around her coffee mug. “So what now?”
He hesitated as he searched her face. “Now, we make sure you and Charlotte aren’t alone. I can stay close by.”
Her eyes met his. “Where are you staying now?”
“The hotel just outside of town on the way to Edgeview.” The hotel was five minutes away if he went eighty on clear streets, like last night. Fifteen if not.
She was quiet for a moment, then said softly, “You could stay here. There’s a guest room on this floor that’s empty. I’d… we’d feel safer knowing that you’re here.”
Joe studied her, the exhaustion in her face, the faint tremor in her hand as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
He guessed that she wasn’t asking because she wanted his company.
She was asking simply because she needed to breathe again, to feel like the walls of this house weren’t closing in on her.
He nodded slowly. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’ll stay.”
He watched her visibly relax for the first time that morning.
“How about we make those pancakes you promised Charlotte?” he suggested.