“I don’t know. Is now really the right time to be thinking about any of this?” She rubbed her hands together. “I’m locking my house down like it’s Fort Knox. My focus needs to be on keeping Maceo safe—not dating.”
“Wait here.”
“Where are you—”
Pecca tried to grab Lane’s hand, but it was too late. Her friend was striding over to Colton like a woman on a mission. They looked over at her and she ducked her head, quickly busying herself with the mess of paper plates and plastic cups littering the table. Tossing the mess into the trash can, Pecca kept an eye on the conversation happening among Lane, Colton, and Charlie. What is Lane doing? A second later, she returned like someone who had just gotten their way.
“What did you do?”
“Gave you one less thing to worry about.” Lane sat, leaning her elbows back on the table, looking completely pleased with herself. “Colton said he would be happy to help you get Maceo and all those presents back to your house.”
“That’s nice, but I don’t really need help.”
Lane sat forward. “You just said you need to be thinking about your and Maceo’s safety.” She tilted her head in Colton’s direction. “Shirley thinks a dog is your best security. I say it’s that six-foot hunk of muscle.”
Pecca watched Colton, who was overseeing Maceo and the kids playing on the monkey ropes, and the familiar burst of attraction rushed through her. There was a seriousness to his posture—protective and alert. Pecca was beginning to understand that those traits were the cornerstone of who Colton was at his core, but she also caught glimpses of his quiet humor and tenderness that reached the places of her heart she’d long since closed off.
Was it time to open them up?
Maceo was toast by the time they got to Pecca’s house. Colton finished unloading her car and carrying in the gifts while she got him ready for bed. He surveyed the cottage-style homes and dense tree line hedging the neighborhood. His nightly runs gave him a good idea of the places a person could hide and watch, waiting for the perfect moment to make good on their threat.
“You okay?”
Colton turned to find Pecca standing near the hallway, watching him. He gave her neighborhood one final survey before stepping the rest of the way into her house. “Yeah. I set Maceo’s gifts on the table. I hope that’s alright.”
“Perfect. Thank you.” She eyed the colorful packages. “He really wanted to open them, but he was so tired. I told him opening them up tomorrow morning would be like his birthday was two days instead of one.”
“Smart.”
She shrugged. “I have my moments.”
Colton was sure she had many. Maceo was such a well-adjusted young man, no one would ever guess the hardships he’d faced in his short life—and that was all due to the woman standing a few feet away from him. She was strong and determined, and her joyful personality defied her circumstances in ways he couldn’t understand. Those qualities and so much more made Pecca more beautiful with every passing day.
His skin grew hot. “So, I’ll just head back—”
“I was going to make some quesadillas,” Pecca said. Her cheeks pinked at her interruption, but she continued. “I didn’t realize how bad that pizza was, and I’m starving. Would you, uh, like to stay?”
Yes. He wanted to very much, but was it a good idea? There was no denying his feelings for her were growing into something he needed to be cautious about, but at the moment he couldn’t remember why. Besides, it was just cheese and tortillas.
“That kind of sounds delicious right now.”
A sparkle returned to her eyes when they met his. “Yeah?”
He tipped his head toward her fireplace. “Would you like me to start a fire?”
“Oh, that would be great.” Pecca disappeared into the kitchen. “There’s wood on the porch.”
Colton gathered some logs and kindling from the porch in his left hand and began stacking the wood next to the fireplace when he heard Pecca in the kitchen. Was she humming? He paused and listened. She was. He smiled and continued working on the fire. A few minutes later it was crackling, and Pecca carried a tray into the living room.
“I don’t like to keep soda in the house, but I’ve got some juice, tea, and water.”
“Water is good.”
When Pecca returned, she handed him a bottle of water and then stopped. “Can you give me a few minutes? I’ll be right back.” She hurried down the hall before turning around abruptly. “Oh, the remote’s on the side table. Go ahead and start eating, and make yourself at home.”
And then she was down the hall. Colton sat on the couch and leaned back. His stomach rumbled at the sight of the gooey cheese pressed between the tortillas. He’d wait for Pecca.
Colton surveyed the room, remembering the last two times he’d been here. He sat up. Should he have checked the house first? No, she had an alarm now. But an alarm wouldn’t stop someone if they were determined.
“Sorry.”
He turned in her direction and his mouth went dry. Pecca had changed into a pair of black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt with— “Are you really wearing that?”
“What?” She smiled coyly and glanced down at the Navy sweatshirt. “A patient gave it to me.” She locked eyes with him. “You don’t like it?”
“It should be burned,” Colton said. He tilted his head to the fireplace. “We can use it if we need more fuel.”
“Ha-ha.”
Pecca plopped down on the couch close to him and tucked her legs beneath her. She’d let her hair down, and Colton realized it was the first time he’d seen it not pulled back. The long chestnut layers fell over her shoulders, and every time she moved the sweet scent of her shampoo wafted over him.
“Why aren’t you eating?” She stretched across him, grabbing a triangle of tortilla and cheese, and his heart about thudded out of his chest. The heat of her body next to him made him swallow back an urge he hadn’t felt for a long time. “It’s good, I promise.”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Did you want to watch a movie or something?” She took a bite and then swiveled on the couch so that she was facing him. “I have Netflix, and we own every Marvel movie.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
She tilted her head to the side, a nervous look in her eyes. “Um, sure.”
“Are those tacos on your socks?”
Pecca let out a startled laugh. “Yes.” She wiggled her toes. “Maceo got them for me for Mother’s Day last year,” she said around a bite, then wiped her lips with a napkin. “Okay, my turn to ask a question. But first you have to eat, because if you don’t I will eat all of this—and I’m not joking.”
Colton smiled, then picked up a quesadilla and took a huge bite to satisfy her. “You’re right. These are good.”
“It’s the homemade tortilla.” She lifted her shoulders and took another bite. “Makes all the difference.” She licked her lips and straightened her shoulders. “Tell me about Texas.”
Colton swallowed the last of his quesadilla. “What do you mean? You’re from Texas.”
“I know, but I miss it. And I want to hear you talk about it. Where you grew up. Your family home.”
He grabbed a napkin and wiped his lips, his fingers twitching. Talking about home used to be one of his favorite topics, but now it was a painful reminder of a life no longer within his grasp. Chaplain Kelly’s homework came to mind. “Begin imagining what your future’s going to look like once you leave here.”
“Jasper is a decent-sized town. Maybe a little smaller than Walton. We’re just north of Dallas, so it feels more like a suburb. My dad is a lawyer and my mom is a homemaker.”
“Any siblings?”
“No.” Colton shook his head. “I always wanted a big family. Feels like I should’ve had brothers or sisters. Probably why I gravitated toward team sports and then the military. Instant brotherhood.”
“I get that.” Pecca sipped her water and then set down
the bottle. “Siblings are not all they’re cracked up to be.” She smiled. “I was the youngest and tortured at their pleasure.”
He cracked a smile. “But you talk so highly of them.”
“I’m pretty sure I suffer from Stockholm syndrome,” she said with a laugh. “They always made me feel bad so I wouldn’t tell on them.”
It wasn’t hard to imagine. Pecca had a good heart. Maybe too good. “Does”—he didn’t know if he should ask, but it was another piece of the puzzle—“does Maceo know about his dad?”
Pecca’s expression shifted, her gaze growing distant. “I found out I was pregnant with Maceo after Javier was arrested. He pleaded guilty, so his trial was quick. His lawyer expected he’d get a two-to-five-year sentence since he wasn’t the one who killed the store owner, but I guess the judge wanted to make a statement. He sentenced Javier to fifteen years. I was shocked. Very upset. I started having contractions and ended up delivering Maceo early, but there were complications. I was young and didn’t have health insurance, so there were no ultrasounds to warn me, but bands of the amniotic sac had been wrapped around Maceo’s leg, cutting off his circulation. It’s called amniotic band syndrome. When the doctors delivered him, the only thing they could do was amputate the leg.”
Her voice shook, and Colton wished he’d never asked. He scooted closer, unsure how to comfort her or what to say. He was surprised when she moved so her body could lean against his.
“I visited Javier one time in prison to tell him he had a son. He told me to never come back. To move away from El Paso, away from the SSB, and do whatever it took to protect Maceo.”
Colton’s breath stilled in his chest. Javier told her to move and keep Maceo safe? That sounded eerily like something someone would say if they were expecting trouble, and it supported his and Charlie’s theory about the SSB’s motivations.
Pecca settled against him, watching the flames dance over the logs. “Maceo doesn’t know Javier’s in prison. I couldn’t tell him the truth because it was an unfair burden to put on his shoulders. All he knows is that his dad went away to do his job and never came back.” She turned to look up at him. “I don’t want him to suffer for Javier’s mistakes.”
A piece of hair fell over her eyes, and Colton lifted his fingers to her face and brushed it aside. He gazed into her eyes, feeling his heart banging wildly against his chest. His thumb traced her jaw and she lifted her chin. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but he couldn’t do it. Pecca was vulnerable and he wouldn’t take advantage of her honesty. Colton pulled her closer to him and whispered, “I will make sure that never happens, Pecca.”
NINETEEN
FOOTBALL WAS EXHILARATING. Pecca’s voice was hoarse from all the cheering. Maceo was a rock star. No, he hadn’t made any great plays, but watching her son play with the other kids like he was one of them made her heart soar.
And maybe it had something to do with the hunky coach.
Pecca smiled. She hadn’t stopped since their one-on-one quesadilla date. And her heart fluttered in her chest every time she thought about it, which was clocking in at every other minute.
Movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention. Lane was waving, a huge smile filling her face as she half scurried/half waddled over. “I’ve been dying. Please tell me you got a rose.”
“A rose?” Pecca pretended she was confused even though she wasn’t. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Do you want me to have this baby right now?” Lane put her hands on her belly before collapsing into the extra folding chair Pecca had brought. “Because I will if you don’t tell me everything.” She blew out a breath. “And thank you for bringing chairs today.”
“Sure, but please don’t have that baby here. You’ll scar these kids for life.” Lane stuck her tongue out playfully. Pecca laughed. “You realize you sound like a teenager, right?”
Lane’s nose wrinkled. “No, I don’t. Otherwise I’d be talking in letters. LOL. SMH. BRB. SOS—which, BTW, does not mean you need help.”
“What does it mean?”
“Someone over shoulder.” Lane raised her eyebrows. “Frankie taught me a few before she left for college. Said I’ll need to know them when Noah gets a phone, which is going to be never.”
“How’s Frankie doing?” Pecca asked. “Is she coming home for the holidays?”
“She’s good, and I think so, because she asked if she could pick up a couple of shifts at the café while she’s home. Has Ryan said if he and Vivian are coming down?”
“Haven’t heard, but I hope so.”
“Okay, enough chitchat. Tell me about your date.”
Pecca kept her eyes on the action happening on the field even as her mind drifted back to being snuggled next to Colton on the couch. She hadn’t been sure how he would react to her answer about Javier, but his simple yet resolute response was the tipping point. She was falling for Colton—hard.
“We ate quesadillas in front of the fire and just talked.”
“Just talked?” Lane eyed her, expectation lighting her face as she waited for more.
“That’s it.”
“Oh.” Lane’s face fell. She leaned back in the chair and gazed over the lawn, no doubt looking at Colton. “I expected more.”
“More?” Pecca gawked. “That was technically our first date.” She twisted her lips together. “Sorta.”
“You’ve been working out with him every day for the last several weeks.” Lane sighed. “I guess I just thought you would know by now.”
Pecca found Colton on the field. Today he was wearing a pair of navy blue Adidas running pants, a gray T-shirt, and the Mustangs cap flipped backward as usual. Her nerves zinged with the anticipation of having him close again. To feel his fingers trailing a line over her shoulders, giving her that heady feeling of desire.
“I need to be careful,” Pecca said. “His rehab here ends in a couple of weeks. I already know Maceo is going to be devastated.”
“And you?”
Crushed.
“Blue forty-two, blue fifty-two. Hut.”
Pecca watched the ball get passed to the kid playing quarterback. Her knowledge of the game and the positions was basic at best, thanks to Maceo’s continuous discussion of the sport. He also took every opportunity to correct her with an animated roll of his eyes. Noah received the ball and started running, but the kids knew he was good, so several started for him.
“Pass, Noah!” Colton called out. “Maceo’s open.”
Maceo? Pecca found her son running ahead of the pack by several yards—completely open. She jumped out of her chair and hurried to the sidelines to see Noah throw the ball to Maceo. Catch it, baby. Catch it. It was like slow motion as Maceo made a perfect catch. He cradled it against his chest, pivoted, and ran toward the end zone.
“He caught it! He caught it!” Lane screamed. “Run, Maceo!”
The kids charged after Maceo and Pecca couldn’t help herself as she followed, running along the sidelines. “Go, Maceo! Run!”
“Hang on to the ball, Mac!” Colton’s voice echoed behind her.
Jogging, Pecca passed the roar of the other parents cheering Maceo’s name. The veterans of D-Wing were on their feet, waving their hands, canes, caps. The rest of the kids standing on the sidelines joined Pecca and Colton, running toward the end zone.
One kid sprinted out of nowhere and was a hand’s length away from Maceo’s blue flag. The kid lunged, but Maceo sidestepped at the last second, putting him out of reach and across the goal line for a touchdown.
A touchdown. Maceo just made a touchdown. Pecca watched her son get mobbed by members of both teams, the kids congratulating him with high fives, fist bumps, and pats on the back. She covered her mouth, emotion blocking her from screaming his name.
Colton turned to her, a huge smile on his face, and without a second thought, she plunged herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck so that he scooped her up off the ground in an embrace so warm and tender it sucked w
hat was left of Pecca’s breath away.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his neck. “Thank you so much.”
Colton slowly released her back to the ground, his eyes remaining on her. “It was all him.”
If the world had slowed watching Maceo run his first touchdown, it was at a standstill now. Colton’s arm twitched and he started to pull it back, but she held on, firm. “It was both of you.”
Pecca ran her hands to the sides of his face, feeling the muscle in his jaw tick. The gold flecks in his hazel eyes glimmered beneath the sun’s reflection and she knew. That thing other women talked about—that Lane talked about—Pecca knew it in this moment, and all she wanted to do was extend the celebration and kiss Colton. Kiss him with gratitude for bringing so much joy to Maceo’s life, and kiss him because she was falling for him.
“Colton, did you see that?” Maceo’s excited voice pulled her back to reality. He stood next to them, holding up the football, his cheeks pink with excitement. He turned to her. “I made a touchdown, Mom!”
“I saw.” She ruffled his hair. “You were amazing.”
Maceo looked up to Colton. “I did the two-step. The one you taught me.”
“You nailed it.” Colton lifted his left hand for a high five. “But we still have more game to play. Go get on the field.”
“Yes, Coach.”
Colton backed up to the field, his gaze not leaving hers until Charlie blew the whistle, jerking them both out of whatever trance they were in. Charlie shook his head and said something to Colton she couldn’t hear, but the pointed look Charlie gave her next said everything.
Pecca walked back to her seat and found Lane standing there with the same knowing smile plastered on her face. In the exuberant moment of a touchdown, something in Pecca’s world had shifted and she wasn’t the only one who saw it, which made it very real and very, very hard to focus on the rest of the game.
Colton’s heart had begun racing the moment Maceo carried the ball into the end zone like a pro, momentarily causing his brain to lapse and sweep Pecca up into his arms. And now it wouldn’t slow down.
Silent Shadows Page 16
