Chapter Ten
Kaylee
Still seething that evening, Kaylee lay across her bed, where she’d been hiding for the better part of the day.
She’d called Dana earlier to let her know she was okay and would explain everything later.
When Dana mentioned that Gill had told her Rick was a cop, Kaylee reassured her it was a misunderstanding.
They were just friends from college, and while he was in law enforcement, he was here to catch up.
Seeing him had just caught her off guard.
Dana tried to push, but Kaylee simply thanked her for being understanding, especially after Dana mentioned that her office smelled like vomit.
Kaylee couldn’t believe that she’d forgotten to take that out.
In addition, she’d texted Josie that she couldn’t go with her to the town meeting tonight because her friend from college was here. It beat telling Josie she had a borderline stalker FBI agent crashing on her couch.
Josie only knew the backstory Kaylee had given her when they first met, which was full of half-truths and outright lies, but while she loved Josie, there was no way she could tell her everything and keep her safe.
Kaylee didn’t think Josie would betray her, but it was better to just keep things light and fun without dragging Josie into the darkness.
Plus, how did she explain to her first friend since Elasia that she’d gotten her former best friend killed? Or that she’d assaulted an FBI agent in order to go on the lam?
Fine, assaulted him with laxative powder, but still.
Her stomach growled obnoxiously, and Kaylee knew she couldn’t stay in there any longer. Besides, Pumpkin would be demanding dinner soon. Hmm, maybe she should wait and let the guinea pig annoy Rick until he ran for the hills.
She crept out of the bedroom and spotted Rick on the couch, scrolling through his phone. While he’d been on the lankier side two years ago, his shoulders were wider now, his arms filling out his collared shirt sleeves nicely.
Nicely? Knock it off. He is the enemy. Well, one of them.
His earnest assurances that he could keep her safe hadn’t changed from the same tune he’d been singing the night they met, but he was harder now, more unforgiving. Had she done that to him? Or had more happened to him in the last two years that smothered his boyish charm and hero complex?
Pumpkin was in his cage, playing with his stacking cups by picking up each one with his teeth and dropping it onto another cup, making a loud noise each time. Rick practically growled, leaning his head back to glare in the direction of the enclosure.
“You’re a loud little piggy.”
Kaylee bristled at his rough admonishment of her pet and stepped into the hallway, closing her door behind her with a thud. “This is his home. He can do whatever he wants. You are the unwelcome guest.”
He didn’t even look her way when he countered, “And you’re a sore loser who’s just mad I checked you.”
“Checked me,” she said, glaring at him. “This is my life, not a game.”
“You’re right.” He finally met her gaze, grinning mischievously. “But, if it were a game, I won.”
Kaylee wanted to throw something at his smug, stupid face, but the small number of things she owned were special and not worth breaking over an arrogant, pain-in-the-ass prick.
“Whatever. I’m getting food,” she said, marching to the door and grabbing her jacket off the hook on the wall.
“You can order delivery.”
“Are you serious?” she groaned, placing her hands on her hips. “You’re not going to let me leave?”
“I told you. I’m not letting you out of my sight. So, if you want to go grab food together, we can do that.”
Her jaw tightened. “Your obsession with me would be adorable if this were a dark romance, but being a real-life stalker is creepy.”
Rick gave her a thoughtful look. “I’m just keeping my promise to you.”
“And what promise is that?”
“I told you I’d protect you. Can’t do that if I’m not close by.”
She grumbled, stomping into the kitchen and searching through her menu drawer. Most places in Holiday delivered, especially since the town was so small and had a lot of tourists around. However, being cooped up in her home was making her stir-crazy, and it had only been a few hours.
“So, who tased me this morning?” he asked from behind her, and she turned with menus in hand to see him in the doorway, his hands above him on the frame, hanging off.
Kaylee’s mouth went dry as the defined muscles flexed with the motion, his black T-shirt stretching across his chest as he rocked forward.
When his shirt rode up, revealing a flash of abs, Kaylee looked away, clearing her throat.
“A friend.” Crap, was that a voice crack? “She didn’t know you were a cop, so if you’re thinking of arresting her—”
“I’m not,” he said, his voice drawing closer. “I was just going to say you’re lucky. Seems like you have friends in town. Even the kids who aren’t old enough to shave want to protect you.”
Kaylee rolled her eyes. “If you’re talking about Noah and Quinton, the high school kids come in sometimes and grab breakfast. They think I’m cool cause I’ll throw in a couple cookies every once in a while. There’s nothing creepy going on.”
“Of course not,” he murmured, and Kaylee sensed him hovering behind her. “It’s perfectly normal for a young kid to fantasize about an older woman.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” God, why was she firing back a question like that?
This was exactly how their last interaction went, except that their earlier banter was playful, bordering on flirtation.
She remembered sitting on the floor with him, waiting for him to take a drink of his soda.
While he’d been in the bathroom washing his hands, she’d poured the laxative powder in his cup, stirring it with a straw in a hurry to dissolve it.
He’d come back all smiles, letting her pick a slice first, and telling her about his stance on why fruit belonged on pizza.
He was so sweet and charming, guilt had bubbled in her stomach when he finally took a long pull of his soda and grimaced.
Kaylee sucked in a breath. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just their syrup-to-carbonation ratio is off.”
She’d laughed, a high, nervous giggle. He’d studied her for several moments, those warm eyes so intense; it seemed like he could see into her soul.
“I know you’re scared, but what you’re doing? It’s really brave.”
Kaylee didn’t want to hear this, especially when she wasn’t. She was going to take off, disappear into the night in his car, and he’d probably get in trouble. It made her stomach lurch, and she couldn’t eat any more.
“Hey,” he said, his hand brushing hers, and when she looked up, he’d leaned in closer. “I got you, you know that, right?”
Fluttering erupted in her chest at those words, reminding her so much of Elasia that tears burned her eyes. She’d lifted her hand to wipe them away, but his thumb stroked her cheek unexpectedly, catching an errant tear. Their mouths were so close, too close, and her gaze dropped to his full lips.
They both froze, and Rick pulled away, his cheeks a deep, burnished red. “Jesus, I’m sorry. That was completely unprofessional.”
Surprising herself, Kaylee reached for his hand and caught it, holding it in hers. “Thank you. I’m sorry you’re meeting me … like this. I wish …”
The loud gurgling coming from his stomach interrupted her, though, and Rick’s eyes widened. “Excuse me.”
He got up from the floor and hurried into the bathroom, breaking the tender moment.
Kaylee heard the faint groan through the thin bathroom door and jumped up, throwing her things back into her bag.
She pushed away the regret, snatching his keys and phone off the nightstand, along with whatever cash was in his wallet, and rushed out of the motel.
She’d dropped the phones into the ice machine and driven out of town.
She’d thought about that night every day for two years, thought about how kind Rick had been, how sensitive and empathetic, so unlike the man in her kitchen now, talking about age-gap relationships like he wasn’t holding her hostage and invading her life like a parasite.
“Sure, I thought about older women. I had a high school English teacher who was fresh out of college. Very hot.”
Kaylee ignored him, studying the papers in her hand, and finally decided on the Mexican restaurant around the corner called Nacho Average Taqueria. She pulled her flip phone out of her pocket and tapped out the number.
He took a seat at her small dining room table, the scraping of the chair legs drawing her attention, and he waved toward the phone in her hand. “Using a burner phone was smart.”
“I guess I should thank crime shows for that.” She pressed the green phone button and waited for Elonzo Reyes to answer.
“Nacho, this is Elonzo,” he answered the phone with a heavy Hispanic accent. “What would you like?”
“Hi, Elonzo, it’s Kaylee. Could I get a number two with no pico and a Dr Pepper?”
“Sure. Hey, what’s this I hear about you getting arrested today?”
Rick chuckled, indicating he’d heard Elonzo’s loud question, and she muttered, “I didn’t get arrested.”
“Someone said they saw you riding around in Paulette’s Razor.”
Kaylee closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The last thing she wanted was for rumors to fly all over town about her legal issues. Lord knows, Gill was already stirring stuff up, talking about Rick being a cop.
“It was just a misunderstanding. My friend parked in a no-parking zone and got booted.”
“Your cop friend? He’s not pressing charges against Gill, is he? That’s not why you went to the police station, right?”
She huffed. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not polite to gossip?”
“I’m not gossiping! I’m talking to you about it, instead of whispering behind your back, right?”
“Elonzo, it has been a really long day, and I assure you, no one is pressing charges or getting arrested. Can you deliver the food, please?”
“All right, no need to get upset with me. Benny will bring it over when it’s ready. Anything else?”