Chapter Two #3
authority about him.
“You must be exhausted.” Lesley didn’t know why she should care, but she did.
“Just leave me alone,” he lashed out, and rubbed a hand across his face.
“Gladly,” she returned in a tightly controlled voice. “I was only trying to save you from being stuck in a cold shower. But
at this point it may be just what you need.”
Something unreadable shot over his expression. Regret? Anger? Lesley didn’t know. But when her gaze met his, a funny sensation
raced through her: an awareness of him as a man, and not just any man, but a ruggedly virile specimen. The thought shocked
her. She didn’t want to think of Cole Daniels as a man. This was Terry’s fault. She almost regretted having gone to her sister’s
yesterday. Their conversation had brought up more questions when Lesley had hoped to have some answered.
Lesley noticed that Cole’s features had been darkened by the sun. Yesterday, when he’d come raging at her from the shower, she’d seen how deeply tanned he was, but in her anger the fact hadn’t fully registered. The handsome features were marred only by the crinkling lines around his eyes.
Why would anyone who loved the outdoors so much choose to lock himself up in an out-of-the-way duplex? Nothing about Cole
Daniels seemed to make sense.
Abruptly he turned away and closed the door. Lesley was left to face the nagging silence alone.
The rest of the week passed without incident. Lesley didn’t once see Cole. Late at night she could hear the pounding typewriter
keys, but she didn’t complain about the noise and he didn’t grumble about her singing. The unspoken agreement made for a fragile
peace.
Halloween night, Lesley dressed in her costume. A large cone-shaped hat rested on top of her head. An empty salt canister
hung around her neck, and the long flowing white gown reached the ground.
Lesley carried out a plate of homemade cookies to the car and returned to the house for the canister of lemonade. Munching
on a cookie on her way out the door, she paused in mid-step and nearly stumbled off the stair. Cole Daniels was watching her
with amused cynicism. His dark eyes surveyed her from head to foot, then back for a second disbelieving look. “My, my, what
do we have here?”
“What do you want?” Lesley frowned. She liked it better when they didn’t talk to each other. The fuse to her temper was never
shorter than when she had to deal with him.
“Nothing,” he denied. He was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. Lesley was forced to admit he looked ruggedly handsome.
He slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe.
“However, I’d be interested in knowing what you’re up to.” A slow smile moved across his mouth. “You look ridiculous.”
Her blue eyes were wide and confused as Cole continued to stare at her flushed face with lazy interest.
“You know what your problem is, Cole Daniels?” Cool challenge narrowed her eyes. “You’re suffering from a spiritual disease.”
“A what?”
“You heard me. A disease. I’ve tried everything I know to get along with you. I want you to know that I’m praying for you.”
Without another word she jumped into the car, yanked it into reverse and backed out of the driveway.
Resentment burned through her blood. Even when she was halfway to the church, Cole’s affront hadn’t cooled. Maybe if she’d
been paying closer attention to what she was doing, Lesley decided later, she might have avoided the accident.
A small dog darted into the street, and Lesley swerved to avoid hitting the animal. Her car jumped the curb and tilted headfirst
into the ditch.
For a stunned, breathless second she didn’t move. It had all happened so quickly. Lesley sat in a world of unreality. This
couldn’t really have happened—not to her, not on the way to church dressed up as a pillar of salt.
She didn’t move for several moments, then gradually stretched her arms. Nothing seemed to be hurt. All she felt was numb.
Opening the car door, she climbed out to assess the damage, which seemed only minimal: a scratched bumper. Surprisingly, no
one had rushed to her aid to make sure she was unhurt. But since it was Halloween, most kids were circulating or collecting
candy on the more populated blocks.
A car approached in the distance. In the dark, it was impossible to see who it was.
She straightened and gave a small wave, hoping someone would stop and help her out of the ditch.
A horrid suspicion formed in her mind as the car drew closer. Cole Daniels.
He pulled up alongside of her and rolled down his window.
“You all right?”
“Fine. Not a scratch on me.” Nervously she laughed off his concern.
Cole tilted his head to one side. “Seems like you’ve got yourself into a mess here.”
“I know.” What did he want her to do, beg for his help? She’d rot first.
“I can see that you’re probably suffering from . . . what did you say I had? Oh yes.” He tipped back his hat with his index
finger. “Spiritual disease. That’s what you called it.”
“B-but-” she stuttered.
“I want you to know I’ll be praying for you.” With that he rolled up his window and drove away.