Chapter 9
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Eve mentally slammed her forehead against the cabinet door as she busied herself getting everything they needed for dinner.
Okay, dinner had been delivered in a box, so she really didn’t have to do much to prepare, but in order not to scream out loud, she had to stay active. Not just sit idly waiting for Reid to appear, replaying their almost kiss over and over in her head.
She squeezed her eyes shut for a beat and willed herself to calm down, for the flash of heat to leave already.
“You feeling okay?”
She jumped at the sound of Reid’s voice and slapped a hand over her rapidly beating heart. “Yeah. Sorry. Just taking a moment.”
The smirk on Reid’s face told her he knew exactly why she needed a moment, but at least he was gentleman enough not to comment.
Instead, he rounded the edge of the island and inhaled. “Gino’s?”
She wrinkled her nose. The town of Cloud Valley was split in two very distinct camps—team Gino’s pizza, or team Luigi’s.
Her allegiance would always fall in line with Luigi’s.
“Not in this house.” She flipped the lid closed and jabbed her index finger toward the bold red-and-green lettering scrawled across the top.
“Never tried pizza from this place,” Reid said with a casual shrug. “When I moved here, Madden always ordered from Gino’s. I liked it well enough so never bothered ordering anything else.”
Her jaw dropped in mock outrage. “And I thought you were a man with impeccable taste. I hate to break it to you, but if you take a bite of this delicious meat lover’s pizza and you don’t agree that it’s far superior to its competition, I’m not sure we can be friends anymore.”
Reid grimaced. “Wow, I didn’t understand how important this was. Now I’m afraid to try it, but it smells so damn good I don’t think I can resist.”
She grabbed a plate and placed a gooey slice on it. She kept all traces of humor from her face and handed it to him. “I’d say no pressure, but…”
He cracked a grin as he accepted her offering, and she was eternally grateful for the silly banter over something as innocuous as dinner.
This back-and-forth was exactly what she needed to forget the way her toes had curled as his mouth leaned close to hers, as the smell of his cedar and citrus cologne turned her brain into a pile of mush.
“What’s that look about?”
Well, crap. She was about to ruin the easygoing moment of delusion she needed because she couldn’t stop replaying the almost kiss.
Clearing her throat, she turned back to the counter to get a plate for herself then loaded it with two slices of her favorite indulgence.
“Nothing, still in shock about Madden leading you astray. I should have known. You needed someone with a little more finesse to show you the ropes around here.” She shot him a wink then carried her plate to the small two-person table where she’d set bottles of water and napkins.
Reid’s warm chuckle followed her to the table, and he took the seat beside her. “So really this is all your fault.”
Grinning, she shrugged and lifted her pizza to her mouth. She stopped with it near her lips and arched her brows in challenge. “Ready to have your life changed forever?”
He mimicked her actions and let out a long breath. “I don’t think I have a choice.”
She ignored the ping of curiosity at his tone. Something deep down in her gut told her he wasn’t just talking about their meal, but asking would go against the bury-her-head-in-the-sand mentality she was going for right now.
Biting into the warm, gooey cheese, she moaned.
Spicy bits of sausage combined with the salty bacon and ham, creating the most beautiful symphony of explosions on her tongue.
She felt the heat of Reid’s gaze on her face, but she couldn’t care less.
No man would ever get in the way of enjoying her food.
Especially Luigi’s.
Reid took his own bite then tilted his head from side to side as he chewed. “It’s okay.”
“What?” She practically screamed the question across the table. “You’ve got to be kidding, right?”
He grinned and held up his palms. “One hundred percent. I’ll call Madden immediately and yell at him for leading me astray. Hell, this might be better than anything I’ve even had at Tilly’s.”
She wadded up a napkin and threw it at him.
Laughing, he ducked and let the cloth fall to the floor. “Joking, joking.”
She chuckled and went in for another bite, enjoying the sense of normalcy after such a crazy day. “Speaking of Tilly’s, I need to be there tomorrow. It’s our busiest day of the year. I can’t put that on my staff while I stay home.”
“I’m not here to tell you what you can or can’t do, but do you really think it’s worth your safety?”
“I do,” she said with no hesitation. “Besides, you can keep me just as safe at Tilly’s as you can here.”
He snorted out a humorless laugh. “I’m glad you think so. I wish I could pull some more manpower from Sunrise Security, but we’re short-staffed. Madden hired Dax and our buddy Ben today so he could have more hands working with the sheriff’s department.”
Wincing, she placed the warm pizza back on her plate. “I’m sorry I’m taking you away when you’re needed.”
“Hey,” he said, reaching to place a hand on top of hers. “What did I say about apologizing for things that aren’t your fault? Besides, I’m needed here, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
He removed his hand, and a cool rush of air took its place, sending goose bumps up her arm. She hated how badly she liked having him around, in her home to share a casual meal. She had to keep reminding herself he was here because she was in danger, not because he chose to be in her company.
She forced a smile. “My house does smell much better than those dusty old fairgrounds.”
He inched his finger and thumb apart. “A little.”
If she’d had another napkin, she’d have tossed it again. She gave an exaggerated eye roll. “You’re the worst.”
He let loose a full belly laugh that melted away every last worry clinging to her brain like a cobweb. “Oh, you love having me around and you know it.”
He’d hit the nail of truth with a giant hammer, but instead of commenting she smirked and rose with her empty plate.
She didn’t want to think about how much she enjoyed having him around, but she also didn’t want to think about the chaos surrounding her life like a tornado, which left her two options.
Sleep or booze.
A quick glance at the clock on the stovetop told her it was too early for bed, so she opened the fridge and found two bottles of beer. She popped the tops off both then offered one to Reid. “Nothing goes better with pizza than cold beer.”
Shutting the lid on the empty box, Reid carried it outside and placed it in the trash can behind the house. Darkness had fallen and a dusting of stars covered the inky sky. He stilled, listening to nature’s calling card of critters and crickets, waiting to see if anything else pricked his ears.
He fought the instinct to walk a perimeter around the property.
Most assignments since becoming a security specialist kept him outside, patrolling ranches or installing security systems to keep thieves away from large parcels of land.
It wasn’t until recently that he and Madden had expanded their business to include bodyguard and private investigator services.
But Eve’s yard was small and there was no reason to stay in the cool night air, pacing around the lone maple tree in the center of the yard. He had a good visual of the space, and not many shadows provided coverage for someone waiting to ambush Eve.
Although he’d be lying if he told himself that was the only reason he lingered outside.
Sharing an evening meal with Eve had given him more pleasure than he’d expected.
Luckily his bonehead move in her room hadn’t ruined anything.
Neither had spoken of his blunder. In order to keep his focus on Eve’s safety, he had to do a better job of keeping his feelings in check.
Breathing in one more breath of crisp air, he returned inside. The kitchen was tidy, all traces of their dinner cleared away. He followed the sound of televised laughter into the living room and found Eve sitting on the sofa with another beer in her hands.
She glanced up and offered a small smile. “I set another one for you on the end table.” She nodded toward the brown bottle on the coaster.
He settled in beside her but ignored the drink. He didn’t talk to anyone about his one-drink limit, and he didn’t plan to start tonight. He’d just pour the beer down the drain when she wasn’t looking. “What are we watching?”
“A sitcom I’ve seen a hundred times. It’s a comfort show, but I can change it if you want to watch something else.”
“I’m fine with anything.”
She returned her gaze to the television and peeled the label from her bottle.
Only the soundtrack from the show interrupted the silence.
A dozen questions about Eve and her life tumbled around his head, but he held them back.
A weird tension simmered between them, and he wasn’t sure diving even deeper into their shifting dynamic was the best answer right now.
His phone buzzed against his thigh. He plucked it from his pocket and read the text sent by his sister, sighing as he shoved the phone back in place.
“Everything all right?” Eve asked, brow furrowed in concern.
“Yeah. Just Tara. I’ll call her later.” He winced at the familiar pinch of guilt.
He hadn’t touched base with his sister after their conversation the night before.
He hated that she was struggling to deal with their father—again—but he also didn’t want to get caught up in the mess.
Not when he’d worked so hard to untangle himself from his father’s bad decisions.
Their father would never change, and Tara had to either accept that or move on.
“You sure? Don’t feel like you have to stay up and babysit me. I’m fine and will probably head to bed soon. I’m actually pretty exhausted.”
“It can wait. She wants to continue our conversation from last night, and I’m not really sure what all is left to say. I don’t want to upset her more than she is, but I can’t tell her what she wants to hear.”
Eve tilted her head to the side and her soft auburn locks tumbled over her shoulder. “And how do you know what she wants you to tell her?”
He debated how much to divulge. Getting into his family dynamics was as low on his list as a getting a root canal, but he also didn’t want to brush Eve’s question aside.
“Because she and I have been going around in the same circle for years. Like the most dysfunctional carousel ride. She wants me to keep riding, I want her to get the hell off the carousel, and neither of us can see the other’s point of view. ”
Eve frowned. “I’m sorry. That sounds super frustrating. Especially with someone you care about so much.”
The weight of a million burdens crushed down on his shoulders.
“I want what’s best for Tara, and Tara wants what’s best for our dad.
Unfortunately, there can only be one winner in that situation.
If she stays and continues on the same path she’s been on for years, he’ll keep dragging her down with him. ”
His throat suddenly went dry, and he reached for his beer. He’d just take one drink and set it aside. Gripping the cool glass in his hand, he breathed in and out, hating the instant desire to battle his emotions with alcohol.
Like his dad.
Leaning forward, he set the drink on the coffee table and rested his elbows on his knees.
Something on the floor caught his attention.
He scooped a little wooden carving off the ground and rolled it around his fingers.
“I never realized how much you like flowers. First the painting, now a little knickknack. This is pretty cool, though. Did someone make it, or did you buy it?”
Straightening, he settled it in his palm and lifted it for her to see.
All the color drained from her face, and she shot to her feet.
“No. No way. I know I didn’t drop that in the living room.
How did it get in here?” Shaking her head back and forth, she patted the pockets of her jeans from front to back.
“Where did I put the other one? Damn it, I was so upset by everything that happened I completely forgot about the stupid flowers.”
Rising to his feet, he placed the wooden carving on the coffee table and held up his hands as if trying to calm a spooked horse. “Hold on a second. What are you talking about?”
“That.” The word came out on a screech as she jabbed a finger toward the trinket.
“He’s leaving them for me. I know it. There was one at the bar last night, on that guy’s plate.
Then I saw one in my driveway and Suzy was holding one after I got her out of the car.
I tried to tell myself it was all in my head.
I must have accidently pocketed the one from the bar, which fell when I got home then somehow showed up in my car.
But now this? In my house?” She continued shaking her head side to side, her motions quick and jerky.
He absorbed the truth of her statement like a physical blow and forced himself to stay calm. “Are you saying the man who attacked you is leaving you these little carvings?”
“I think so, yes.”
“And where are the other ones?”
Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “I put one in my jacket pocket earlier. If it’s not the same one, one might be in my car. But my car’s not here to check.”
“Okay, then let’s check your jacket.”
She rushed across the living room to the entryway closet. Yanking open the door, she found the light coat and rummaged through the pocket. She pulled out a little wooden flower and a small groan leaked from her mouth. She turned wide eyes on Reid. “He’s been here. He’s been inside my house.”