Chapter Ten
AT SCOOPS OF SUNSHINE’S parking lot, Laredo repeated the now-familiar process of checking their surroundings and then hanging close to her while they walked to the store, as if shielding her.
“Welcome to my store, Laredo, and this must be the lovely Diana Medina.” A tiny woman, so slim as to appear fragile like Diana’s porcelain teacups, bustled over as the door chimed open. “I’m Tina Tisdale. Happy to meet you and happy to see you here.” The birdlike Mrs. Tisdale sounded chirpy and happy indeed, maybe because she’d recently consumed some of the store’s fare. Who wouldn’t be happy around chocolate?
Unlike the pharmacy owner, Mrs. Tisdale did look like Grandma, and Diana resisted the urge to hug the woman as if that would allow her to hug Grandma again. Until her grandmother died, Diana had spent most of her time with her, well, except when Grandma had to help Grandpa.
Grandpa was an alcoholic. Diana suppressed a grimace. Oh, the irony. She’d wanted so badly to be like her kind grandmother. Instead, she’d become like Grandpa.
The chime announced more customers, and Diana tensed. But the girl behind the counter stepped out to help them.
“Thank you for making the time for us. And yes, this is the very lovely Diana Medina.” Laredo beamed.
Right. Of course, he gave every woman a generous smile, not just Diana. Just when she’d started feeling so special.
Diana doubted she was lovely, much less “ very lovely,” but she clasped the woman’s frail hand, every bit of her warming in her presence. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Embroidered gingerbread houses ringed Mrs. Tisdale’s skirt, which swayed beneath a sweater of candy canes—of course. Huh, even candy-cane earrings matched the ensemble, and her bracelet managed to look like jelly beans. Or were those actual jelly beans? This woman followed the Christmas spirit and made herself a walking advertisement for her business without mentioning the store. Again, just like Diana’s grandmother. For a moment, Diana felt like she could smell the gingerbread house they’d baked together, even taste it. Then the moment was gone.
On someone else—maybe someone like Diana—such clothing might’ve looked ridiculous. On this miniature Mrs. Claus with an elfin face and pixie hair, it looked festive and jolly.
Pat would’ve loved it here and probably had. Not just because of all the candy, though there was that, but also because she’d see the kindred spirit of someone who didn’t care what others thought about their appearance and lived life the way she liked it.
“I have the file ready.” Mrs. Tisdale gestured toward a backroom door. “I can email it to you or drop it on a flash drive.”
“Thank you so much. If you could email it to me, that would be great.” Diana plastered on a smile, then gave her email address.
“Sure thing. Let me do just that.” The candy canes danced on Mrs. Tisdale’s delicate ears as she nodded.
A sudden craving for peppermint candies beckoned.
“Fantastic. We’ll browse while we wait. And not only because of that.” Laredo laughed.
“Glad to hear that.” Mrs. Tisdale winked before disappearing deep inside the store.
Diana looked around the candy kingdom. If she bought everything she wanted, she’d need a giant sack. No, make it a wagon.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m getting saltwater taffy and salted caramel and pecan turtles.” Laredo gestured along the shelves as he selected packs and boxes.
“What a good choice.” She picked up saltwater taffy, and its tinted cellophane bag tied up with matching lavender ribbon crinkled. She hadn’t had this treat in ages. A few times, Adam mentioned she’d been gaining weight, so she’d stayed off sweets as she’d never been into working out. From now on, every time she had saltwater taffy, she’d think of ocean-blue eyes and Laredo.
He kept getting more stuff. She didn’t want him to struggle to carry it in his left hand.
“Here.” She brought a basket before he could use his sling for that purpose instead, then held it while he dropped his goodies in.
“Oh, thanks.” He accepted the basket. “I’ll also get chocolate cherries for my mother. They are her favorites. And chocolate caramels for my brothers. That’s my excuse, and I stand by it. And if they can’t eat it all and I might need to help make a dent in their supply, it won’t be my fault, right?” He winked.
Winking might be contagious here. Optimism must be contagious, too, because cautious hope woke up inside her.
She laughed and slid the treats he indicated into his basket for him. “Of course, not your fault at all.”
“Please get some candies of your own so I don’t feel bad wolfing it all down.”
“And if I can’t eat it all, you’ll volunteer to help?” She laughed again, then stiffened against a stab of guilt. How could she be so carefree—unusual for her—and enjoy his company so much while her best friend was missing?
“It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it.” He winked a second time.
“Well, thank you so much for your kindness.” She let chocolate cherries join the saltwater taffy in her basket, then salted caramel made a yummy trio.
Then her hand stilled, and after a moment’s thought, she returned the chocolate cherries to the shelf. They had a liqueur in them. A tiny amount, but best not to risk it. She chose a pack of chocolates with macadamia nuts instead, then looked up at him.
She liked the twinkles in his eyes. She liked... him. She nearly dropped the chocolate-covered raisins she was holding, though why was she so surprised? As difficult as it was not to like him, she’d better temper that attraction, and fast.
“Happy to be at your service.” He touched the tip of his Stetson with his uninjured hand.
Happy . There was that word again. Happy . Something she hadn’t felt in years.
She didn’t know what the bubbly feeling inside her was as she looked at what currently might be her favorite things in the world—Laredo and chocolates. Or whether that feeling was even the cautious, unsure promise of happiness. But she desperately wanted to hold onto that.
Mrs. Tisdale flitted to them. “I just emailed it to you. I hope it’s useful.”
“I’m sure it will be.” Diana lowered her voice so other people wouldn’t overhear. “Did you talk to my friend? Did she just buy candy or did she ask something?”
Mrs. Tisdale nodded, and the candy canes on her ears bobbed along again, reminding Diana she hadn’t gotten peppermint candies yet—okay, chocolate mints would suffice, as well. “She showed me two photos and asked whether I saw them two years ago.”
Diana’s jaw slackened. “ Them ?”
“Yes. Two pictures—one of a woman and one of a man. I hadn’t seen them in my store. Or at least, I didn’t remember seeing them. Honestly, I don’t know why she thought I would, years later.”
Diana did her best to wrap her mind around this discovery. But the thoughts slipped away like chocolate melting on her fingertips. Premonition chilled her insides more than her father’s glare when she hadn’t done well in school, especially in subjects like chemistry that were important for the medical profession. What was Pat trying to figure out? Or stumbling upon?
As often in times of distress—and fine, in other times, as well, since Adam’s death—Diana craved the sweet oblivion that could so easily make her forget all her aches and worries. Pat had dug Diana out of the hole she’d thrown herself in every time she relapsed. Relapsed much to her parents’ shame. But Pat wasn’t here, and that cut sharper than her father’s scalpel or derision.
Despite knowing Diana at her worst, Pat had never been ashamed of her. Instead, Pat held Diana’s hair while Diana vomited and then wiped her tears and whispered again and again that things were going to work out somehow.
Her gaze moved to the fine-looking cowboy who was winning her heart.
“Thank you, Mrs. Tisdale. What did they look like? The photos, I mean?” His voice brought them back to the investigation.
The question Diana should be asking instead of worrying that Laredo, too, would think less of her if he knew her secret.
Guilt clawed its way through her again. Growing up with parents like hers, she had guilt as a frequent guest. No, not even a guest. Guilt had permanently moved into her insides a long time ago and never moved out, a squatter who lived there without buying property or receiving permission.
Why would it move out? She fed it often and abundantly. And even when she’d tried to forget about it with the help of alcohol, guilt was waiting right there for when she sobered up, gleefully ready to poke with a thousand claws.
Mrs. Tisdale scrunched her forehead. “The guy was handsome. Nice polished shoes. White shirt. He didn’t look like a regular tourist. Young. In his thirties, I think. He was a little weird—the type you’d think wouldn’t buy any candies or chocolates.”
Good thing they’d done their shopping here if Mrs. Tisdale so disapproved of the latter. Wait. Diana’s eyes widened. That sounded like... No, lots of men wore white shirts and polished shoes. Even in tourist towns. But the feeling of premonition increased as if she’d stumbled on a secret she didn’t want to know, one she was better off never finding out. Her instincts screamed at her to stop, to walk away. Run away even. But she had to find out what had happened to her friend, to bring her back.
“What about the woman?” Laredo asked when Diana let the pause stretch too long. Great. She’d let him do her job again.
“The woman had blonde hair.” Mrs. Tisdale gestured to Diana’s. “Kind of like yours but darker and longer. She was slender. Conventionally attractive.”
And Diana wasn’t? Her parents often said she wasn’t attractive so she’d better be successful, because she couldn’t count on getting married and having a man to provide for her. She hadn’t dated much, proving their point. Nobody had been more shocked—or more ecstatic—than her parents when the charming Dr. Adam Medina not only courted her but also proposed. Well, nobody besides Diana.
She sent Laredo a glance. Did he think she wasn’t attractive, conventionally or otherwise? The desire to appeal to him only awakened more remorse, hungry and ready to gnaw on her tender soul. She knew a tempting way to appease that hungry, ruthless creature and soothe it back to sleep.
Yet, she couldn’t allow herself to fall into that abyss again. The last thing she wanted was for Laredo to scrape her off the floor like Pat often had to.
Right now, Diana better find her tongue. “Anything else you might remember?”
“No, that’s it.” Those earrings jiggled with Mrs. Tisdale’s headshake.
Laredo gave the woman a generous smile. “If you remember something else, please call me.”
“I sure will.”
Diana did her best to remember her manners. She waved to the many bins behind the counter, all ready to funnel brightly colored and glistening sweets or chocolate-covered treats into cellophane bags. “You have a wonderful assortment of candies here. I love this place.”
Grandma would love it, too. She even used to make Diana caramel candies. If Grandma was still alive, she and Mrs. Tisdale would easily be friends.
A smile crinkled up the woman’s cheeks. “Come back at any time, dear.”
Laredo paid for all the goodies, despite Diana’s protests.
After they left the store, she winced at the liquor store sign not far away. Why did they put a liquor store so close to a place children frequented? Then she cringed for an entirely different reason. It took a lot of willpower to stop her feet from going in that direction.
Just one glass... Even a few drops.
Simply the sign lassoed her like she imagined Laredo would lasso a calf, drew her to itself, bound and helpless. She squeezed her teeth and kept moving to his truck.
“Are you all right? You look tense.” He touched her hand once they were inside the vehicle. Then he slapped himself on the forehead. “What am I saying? I’m being insensitive. Of course, you’re not okay. Your friend is missing. And that capstone barely missed you. Aaaand I’m being insensitive again. I shouldn’t have reminded you of that incident. You might think just seeing chocolate affects me badly.”
A totally different substance affected her badly. And as selfish as it was, not only the worry about her friend made her look—and feel—tense.
“It’s not your fault.” It was hers. “Let’s watch the recording. I still hope something will pop out at me. I know the anatomy of a human being, of course, but I’m not the best at reading body language.”
Like she couldn’t decipher Laredo’s body language.
Did the fact that he leaned to her now from the passenger seat, giving her a whiff of that fresh aftershave, mean he was interested in her? Or in the investigation? Or was he just polite and caring? The kind of man she didn’t even know existed.
They repeated the process of watching the video together in the truck. As it played, he opened the pecan turtle pack. “You’re more than welcome to this.”
A chocolate addiction would be much more welcome than her other addiction, so she helped herself to a few. “Thanks.” She loved chocolate, but she barely noticed the taste as she stared at the small screen.
Pat smiled more in this video, but the tightness around her mouth proved it a polite smile, not her infectious one usually accompanied by equally irresistible laughter.
The frowning bearded guy with her hung back again as if they didn’t know each other. Probably a good choice to let Pat do all of the talking. With her communication skills and cheerful manner, Pat could talk up a roach on the wall, if needed, and therefore was much more suited for gathering information.
Once again, something about the guy nagged Diana. The birthmark was familiar, but why? Why couldn’t she remember? She should be able to. Pat’s life might depend on it. Diana’s lack of progress felt like a betrayal and burned like acid.
“You’re frowning,” Laredo said.
She sweetened the bitterness in her mouth with another bite of her chocolate pecan turtle. “I know I’ve never met this guy, but something’s familiar about him. Particularly that birthmark above his eyebrow or something.”
It was so close in her mind. Why couldn’t she figure it out?
“Don’t force it. It’ll come to you soon enough.”
If she could associate a sound with a taste, Laredo’s baritone would taste like chocolate. How would his lips taste?
Warmth enveloped her. She shouldn’t be thinking things like that. At all.
She plopped more chocolate into her mouth to hide her embarrassment. “Nothing else popped out at me, sadly.”
Her eyes burned when she made the mistake of looking out the window. It took a lot to avert them from the liquor store. She was failing again, miserably, just like she’d failed her parents when she hadn’t become a doctor or, worse, had succumbed to addiction. Or she’d failed her husband and her in-laws as she hadn’t been home when he’d had a heart attack, hadn’t been able to see the signs before that. Or failed a patient when she hadn’t been able to save them.
This time Pat was going to pay for Diana’s inept failures. The lump in her throat expanded, demanding to be softened with the fire liquid that melted her anxieties. She couldn’t keep her frustrated tears at bay any longer, and they sprang to her eyes.
Just fantastic. Now Laredo would know what a mess she was. If he hadn’t already guessed. Knowing that only made more tears flow.
“Oh, Diana.” He wiped them from her cheeks with his thumb. “This must be very difficult for you.”
His touch softened the lump in her throat, softened something at her very core. She blinked through the curtain of tears, and his compassionate baby blues showed her a world where hope—maybe even love—existed. But would she ever be able to enter that world?
Besides, he didn’t know she wasn’t just crying for Pat. Self-centered, Diana also cried for herself, for what she’d become, and even more, for what she’d been scared she’d become in the future. She’d been clean for months, but how long would she last?
Her grandfather, an alcoholic, died from liver cirrhosis. Her patient grandmother had become a widow much younger than she should have. Yet Diana had learned nothing from those lessons. She could cry an ocean of tears and it wouldn’t wash away the regret. But then, she could drink an ocean of wine, and it wouldn’t change anything, either.
No, wrong. It would make things worse.
She couldn’t tell him any of that. She couldn’t burden him. He wasn’t even a friend yet, just a good-hearted passerby far away from her home. And yes, she was also terrified he’d turn away if he knew.
“It’s going to be okay. We’ll find Pat.” His voice and touch gentle, he wiped her tears again. Then he cupped her face, and delicious tingles slipped along her skin despite her distress.
“I sure hope so.” She needed to start the truck, drive away, but she couldn’t make herself move, couldn’t break the fragile connection building between them. Or was she imagining the connection because she was desperate for it?
“I’ve been praying for it. My entire family has.” His thumb stroked her face, creating new sensations, while his words and touch stopped her flood of tears.
She sniffled. “I said it before, but I can say it a thousand times and it’s not going to be enough. Your family is amazing.”
“ You are amazing.” His eyes searched hers.
She rolled hers despite the pleasant wave his praise created. “I’m no one special.”
“You’re special. You’re God’s masterpiece. Not just because you’re so beautiful. You don’t even realize how incredible you are. Not everyone has the patience and knowledge to be a nurse. Fewer people would drop everything and search earth and ocean for their friend, despite the threat of danger.”
His words struck to her very core.
Three things had been kind to her in her life. Her grandmother’s affection, though she’d been taken away far too early. Pat’s friendship. And the fiery, amber contents of a smooth glass bottle. Adam had seemed kind during their courtship, but if she dared to admit it, he’d changed after their marriage.
Meanwhile, Diana had never disappointed Grandma, Pat, or alcohol, had never failed their expectations. All three had always been there for Diana. Now she only had alcohol left, and she couldn’t turn to it.
Could she turn to Laredo?
She shouldn’t.
But empty like a bottle without wine, she was so utterly depleted she couldn’t resist any longer. She leaned into his touch, cherished it as the precious something it truly was. It wasn’t the best choice of words, but she was hopelessly drunk on his caring touch, on his compassionate words, on his tender blue gaze. When the time to leave came, she’d crave them more than she craved alcohol, and that wasn’t just saying something—it was saying a lot.
“You see me much better than I see myself.” Probably because he didn’t know her well. She edged closer to him. Angled her face higher.
“Then I wish you could see yourself through my eyes.” He moved a little closer, as well.
Was this like when she looked at the world through a tempting glass of amber wine, when she’d already been tipsy, having that welcome lightheaded buzz, and the world seemed much more comforting and so much more beautiful? Everything seemed better when one looked at it through a full glass of wine.
Uh-oh. He was a Christian. He’d never want a former alcoholic, and his family’s kind attitude would turn aghast once they knew that about her. Though why former ? Even after a period of sobriety, the chance of relapse always remained. Always.
Ask her how she knew.
But just for these precious minutes, couldn’t she allow the look of his blue eyes to inebriate her? Couldn’t she forget all the things that made anything between them impossible? Forget anything existed beyond his truck windows?
Was there such a thing as a Christmas miracle? Though if she hoped for a Christmas miracle, she’d need it to be Pat getting back safe and sound, apologizing profusely for taking off to somewhere in the Caribbean with a new fling.
Yet Diana couldn’t look away from Laredo.
Emotion swirled in his eyes, and those undercurrents pulled her in, deep and fast. His gaze slipped to her lips before moving to her eyes again. The attraction built up between them, electrifying the air. And it seemed just as dangerous as electricity touching water. She angled her face a little more in case he was going to kiss her.
Did she want him to kiss her?
Oh yes! Desperately. The enormity of her response surprised her.
She’d laughed at Pat when her friend told her attraction could be all-consuming and she couldn’t resist it. Diana had loved Adam, but it had never been... intense.
Now, while she wasn’t in love with Laredo— yet! —this attraction to him was so intense it already threatened to burst.
A silent question winged up the corners of his eyes, and she nodded her answer as her heartbeat went into overdrive. Anticipation rose in waves, threatening to cover her, to carry her away, to sweep her into an ocean of unknown pleasure. She closed her eyes to savor the feeling better without any visual distraction.
Then loud, angry honking made her fling her eyelids open and shift back.
“Looks like someone cut someone off on the road.” His voice husky, raspy, he moved away from her, and a guilty look slanted his eyes. Oh no. “I–I shouldn’t have let things go this far. I lost my focus. I was supposed to protect you. We could’ve been assaulted in this parking lot.”
“But... we weren’t. I mean, assaulted.” Neither had they kissed. Something cold weighed her whole body down as she gathered her bearings. She was so distracted it took two attempts to get the truck key in the ignition. Did he regret nearly kissing her? It seemed that way.
“No thanks to me.” His previously velvety smooth voice rasped to a sharp edge.
“It’s not your fault.” Just great. And now she craved both his kiss and wine with an enormous force. Still struggling with her previous addiction, must she now develop a new one—to Laredo.
No, it wasn’t an addiction. Shaking her head to clear the mental fog from the kiss-that-never-happened sensations, she started the engine and drove from the lot.
Then she realized something important. “Where are we going?”
Where was she going? Unlike her flaky friend who’d changed many jobs, Diana had always known where she was headed in life. Had decided young she’d go into the medical profession. That was what she’d seen, what she’d known, what she’d done to earn the approval of those closest to her.
Again, unlike Pat, who could travel to the other side of the world at the drop of her baseball hat, Diana rarely ventured out of her comfort zone, out of her city, much less out of her state. Everything could be found in Texas, right? Rivers, lakes, ocean, hills, fields, and so much more. Not to mention great medical schools and plenty of hospitals once she’d graduated as a nurse.
Port Sunshine, South Carolina, was the furthest she’d ventured, by far. What Pat hadn’t been able to do by asking Diana to travel with her, Pat managed by disappearing.
“If it’s okay with you, I’d love to throw some steaks on the grill for dinner. We can look at the videos again and check to see if Kai and Barrett discovered anything. My brother keeps in contact with the police, even from France. So, if they have anything new, he’ll know.”
Urgency pulsed through her. She needed to continue looking. But where? The boat captain wouldn’t see them until tomorrow. And it wasn’t fair to keep Laredo running around on fumes and chocolate.
“Sounds great to me.” She took the turn to the ranch. She was learning the small town and its roads, though she wished she could learn the road to his heart, as well. But what would be the use? A big sign said “No entrance” in front of that road for her.
She slowed behind a trailer, but she didn’t mind the slow driver. It granted her more time alone with Laredo.
Then she straightened in her seat. “Wait a moment. Pat stayed at the ranch. So I didn’t think to ask at the hotel. But the guy with her had to stay somewhere, right? We should check the local hotels. We could show the personnel the videos, maybe talk to the owners, right?”
“Good thinking. And turn here, please.” His voice regained its usual velvety timbre. “It so happens that two of my sisters-in-law own the local hotels. They won’t mind helping.”
“Wow.” She let out a low whistle as she followed instructions. “Does your family do everything?” She shouldn’t be sounding so envious.
She’d grown up knowing she couldn’t measure up, and she knew she couldn’t measure up now, only in a different situation with different people. She’d seen family photos and could guess whom he meant, at least the one in elegant designer clothes and with a diamond bracelet. The women the Lawrence cowboy brothers had chosen were successful—and beautiful. Diana would look like a gray mouse huddling behind royalty there.
He chuckled. “Not everything. But you’re right. I have an awesome family. Make this turn to the left, please.”
A family in which she had no part of. She complied. “And if I need a crocodile, would one of those sisters-in-law get it for me, too?” What was she saying? Why would she need a crocodile? No need whatsoever to sound so sarcastic.
Thankfully, he just laughed, not sounding the least offended. “Kennedy entertained us at several family dinners with stories of things some affluent hotel guests requested. I don’t remember a request for a crocodile, but I do remember one guest had a pet baby crocodile—or maybe it was an alligator—get loose and scare another guest. Plus, there were requests for a rare crab from many states away. Not as a pet. For dinner.”
Her stomach growled in duet with the motor. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. We didn’t finish our lunch, and I should’ve suggested a real meal instead of chocolates.”
“Well, chocolates are important,” she said with authority. “And I was the one who dragged you away from lunch without rest or serious food.”
“I enjoy your company. I’m happy to spend time with you. And it’s not like I can be of much use at the ranch right now.” His voice dipped. “Are you okay waiting for steaks? We could get something right now.”
“No. I’m sure the steaks will be extra delicious because you’ll make them. They’ll be very much worth waiting for.” Heat crept up her neck. Had she said too much? Would he think she was flirting? She had no clue how to flirt. “And the chocolates you so wisely bought will tide me over.”
“Chocolate caramels work?” Something tore, so he must be opening another pack.
“You don’t even have to ask.” Her spirits lifted.
He extended the open pack. “Please help yourself.”
“Thank you.” She picked a chocolate caramel, and gooey deliciousness melted on her tongue. Just like her heart melted in his presence.
Something he could never know.
Then he handed her another pack. “Here’s a popular snack in this state. Boiled peanuts. Peanuts are also one of the most valuable crops here, after peaches, soybeans, and others.”
“Thanks.” She helped herself.
“I hope and pray we’ll find your friend.”
She needed this reassurance like air, but inner doubt made her quip, “Are you always this optimistic?”
“After all, it’s one of our state’s mottos: Dum Spiro Spero, meaning ‘While I Breathe, I Hope.’”
“I like this motto,” she said quietly.
She settled into a steady rhythm on the road. She loved the way traffic here wasn’t nearly as heavy as in Dallas. Yes, everything was bigger in Texas, but something could be said about the Palmetto State, especially this place. Before this trip, she only knew it was named after Charles II of England and was famous for many things, including historic sites, golf courses, southern hospitality, and rich culture. But now... The sky, unblocked by skyscrapers, was so large and open, the ocean sparkling and breathtaking, the white sand beaches inviting, the people more than friendly, and the cowboy beside her...
Just wow. If she had to use a single word, only wow suited.
Texas was cowboy country, and she’d gone to South Carolina to meet this one. Ironic, wasn’t it?
Of course, just being a cowboy didn’t define him. He was so much more. Plus, let’s be honest, his protective instincts appealed to her. Even if she’d started thinking—or rather hoping—the fallen capstone was a coincidence.
“Uh-oh.” He frowned.
“What?” She tensed.
“We’ve got a tail. And they are getting closer.”
She flinched. “I’ll go faster. I don’t see a way to exit anywhere.” And she had zero desire to go off-roading. She pressed on the accelerator, but it seemed too late.
She spotted the truck in the rearview mirror. He was right—they were approaching fast. Hairs stood alert on her nape. She slammed on the gas pedal, jolting Laredo’s truck forward.
Not enough. The other truck was dangerously close. Her blood iced while he called 911.
“They are going to hit us!” she screamed.
Their vehicle shook as her words were confirmed.