Harlequin Intrigue March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Nichole Severn

  “Next time make yourself known and don’t hide in the bushes.” Hunter holstered his gun. He then took the package of cookies from him and introduced him to Ainsley.

  “You didn’t have to bring me cookies, George,” he said.

  “I just wanted you to know that I’m mighty thankful for your friendship.” He offered a shy smile to Ainsley. “He’s a mighty good man, Miss Ainsley, and now I’ll just leave you two to carry on.”

  As they got into Hunter’s vehicle, George meandered down the sidewalk back to his house. “That was sweet of him,” Ainsley said.

  “He’s a nice guy. He’s just got some issues,” Hunter replied.

  “Must be kind of strange to work law enforcement in a town where everyone knows where you live,” she said.

  “It has its moments. I occasionally get my vehicle egged, but most of the time people respect my privacy, and I haven’t had any real trouble.”

  “That’s good.”

  They small-talked on the rest of the way to her apartment, and then it was time to tell her good-night. “Thank you, Hunter, for another wonderful night.”

  “I really look forward to Thursday nights when I get to spend time with you.”

  She smiled up at him. “Me too.” She leaned toward him, and he gathered her into his arms.

  “Is it too soon to tell you that I see a bright future ahead of us?” he asked.

  Her eyes darkened and seemed to shutter closed against him. It lasted only a moment, and then she gave him one of her beautiful smiles. “I feel the same way. And now it’s time for a good-night kiss.”

  “With pleasure.” This time he kissed her softly and then stepped back from her. “I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Minutes later as Hunter drove back home, he thought about that moment when her eyes had darkened as if hiding secrets. Had he only imagined it? Had it somehow been a trick of the night shadows?

  He hoped so, because the last woman he’d been involved with had had a ton of devastating secrets, and he never wanted to engage with a woman like that again.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ainsley sank down on the edge of Melinda’s bed. “Did you have fun tonight with Bonnie?” She swept a strand of her daughter’s honey-colored hair away from Melinda’s beautiful blue eyes.

  “We had lots of fun. We played pretend and I was the queen and Bonnie was a princess. We decided to make Henry the king and we colored him a crown, but he tried to eat it.”

  Ainsley laughed. Henry was eighteen months old, the youngest of Juanita’s children. She leaned forward and kissed Melinda on her cheek. “Have sweet dreams, my little angel.”

  “I will,” Melinda replied. Ainsley started to get up. “Mom, last night Daddy talked to me.”

  Ainsley’s breath caught in her chest. “Melinda, honey, you know Daddy can’t talk to you. I told you, Daddy went away and he’s never coming back.”

  “But he told me last night that he was coming back for me because he loved me more than anything else in the whole wide world.” Melinda looked at her earnestly.

  “You must have had a dream,” Ainsley said.

  “It wasn’t a dream. I wasn’t even asleep when he talked to me,” she replied.

  “You tell me if he talks to you again, okay?” Ainsley stood. “Now you need to go to sleep. It’s getting late and you have school tomorrow.”

  “Okay, good night.” Melinda turned over and closed her eyes, and Ainsley left the small bedroom.

  It was only when Ainsley was in her own bed that she allowed herself to think of what Melinda had said. It had been at least a year since Melinda had even mentioned her father.

  At that time Ainsley had seriously considered telling the little girl that her father was dead, but ultimately she hadn’t done that. Instead she’d told Melinda that her father had been sent far, far away and would never be able to see them again.

  There was no question in her mind that either Melinda had dreamed of her father talking to her or it had been the fantasy of a little girl who didn’t have her father around.

  Still, the mention of her ex-husband stirred all kinds of memories in Ainsley, horrible memories that transferred into nightmares that plagued her for what felt like the entire night.

  She awakened late the next morning. She threw herself together, checked on Melinda and then raced into the café to get things going for the day.

  By the time Lana came in so that Ainsley could go back and get Melinda up and ready for school, Ainsley was still flustered and off-kilter because of the nightmares that had chased her through the night.

  “Girl, sit down and I’ll pour you a cup of coffee. You need to calm down before the breakfast rush really starts,” Lana said. “You’re as shaky as my third husband wearing a pair of my high heels.”

  Ainsley laughed. “I’m not sure I want to hear that whole story.”

  Lana pointed to the end stool at the counter. “Sit.” The gray-haired woman poured Ainsley a cup of coffee. “What’s going on with you this morning?”

  “Nothing really. I had nightmares all night and then overslept this morning, and I’ve just been off since then.”

  “I hate nightmares. One of my worst nightmares involves my second husband, a plucked pink chicken and a horse wearing a big straw hat.”

  Ainsley couldn’t help but laugh, which she knew was exactly what Lana had wanted. “You’re the best, Lana.”

  Lana grinned and then her smile faded. “So, what were your nightmares about?”

  “The boogeyman chasing me through the shadows.”

  “Ah, boogeyman dreams are the worst. Sit and drink your coffee. I’ve got the diners in here right now.”

  Lana got up as Big Ed yelled, “Order up!”

  Ainsley sat for only a minute or two and then she slid off the stool. The breakfast rush would begin in earnest in the next fifteen minutes or so.

  She released a deep sigh when Richard Adams walked in and sat at one of her tables. Ainsley guessed Richard to be in his midsixties. He was a big, burly man and more than a bit of a curmudgeon. He was also a crummy tipper—if he tipped at all, it was usually a single dollar.

  “Good morning, Richard.” She greeted him with a smile.

  “What’s good about it?” He scowled at her.

  “The sun is shining and good food is cooking, so I’d say that’s a great start to the day. Now, what can I get for you?”

  “I’ll take the breakfast special, but I want some cheese in the scrambled eggs and extra onions in the hash browns. I want the bacon extra crispy and the toast light. I’ll also have a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. Think you can get all that right?”

  “I’ll do my very best,” Ainsley replied. She placed the order and then hurried to get his coffee and juice. “Here we go,” she said as she served his drinks.

  “I hope the coffee is fresh. Last time you served me, the coffee tasted burned and nasty.”

  Ainsley suppressed a sigh and kept her smile in place. “This coffee was brewed fifteen minutes ago, so it should be nice and fresh for you.”

  She had no idea why Richard always chose to sit in her section when he obviously didn’t like her. She smiled as she approached the table next to Richard, where Jimmy Miller sat.

  Jimmy was a young, friendly man who worked as a ranch hand for Eva and Jake Albright. “Hey, Jimmy. We don’t usually see you here in the mornings,” she said.

  “Jake gave me the morning off, so I decided to come in here and see you.” His blue eyes twinkled. “I can’t think of a better way to start my morning than to see your pretty face.”

  Ainsley laughed. “Have you ever considered bottling that charm?”

  “It’s just too good to be bottled.” Jimmy’s smile faltered. “But I guess it’s not enough to win you away from Hunter
Churchill. He’s got a badge and a gun...kind of hard to compete with a man like that.”

  “Let’s talk about food, Jimmy. What can I get you this morning?” she asked, hoping to get off the personal turn of the conversation.

  An hour later the dining room was almost empty as the breakfast crowd left and the lunch group had yet to show up.

  “I hope you didn’t let that turd Richard get under your skin,” Lana said as the two stood next to the soda machine.

  “I have to admit, it’s hard not to take his complaints personally,” Ainsley admitted. “He acts like I never do anything right.”

  “At least you had that young buck Jimmy making goo-goo eyes at you.”

  Ainsley laughed. “Jimmy seems like a nice guy, but...”

  “But it’s that fine Deputy Churchill who floats your boat.”

  “Hey, ladies, why don’t you come back here and we can have a tea party together and socialize all you want,” Ed said sarcastically.

  “Don’t get your underwear twisted,” Lana yelled back. “You know we’re the best darned waitresses in town.”

  The two women parted ways at the coffee machine and readied the tables for the lunch rush. Immediately anticipation started working inside Ainsley. She knew once the lunch rush was over, Hunter would be in.

  A thrill swept through her as she thought of the kisses they had shared the night before. There had been a part of her that had wanted to throw caution to the wind and make love with him. But when they did make love, she didn’t want to have to rush because she had to leave to get Melinda by a certain time.

  She was excited about taking the next step with him, and that was introducing him to Melinda. She couldn’t imagine her daughter not liking Hunter. And she certainly hoped that Hunter would love her daughter.

  For the first time in what felt like years, there was real hope in Ainsley’s heart. Sure, eventually she’d have to tell him about the lies she’d told him. But she hadn’t lied to him about anything except a couple of factual things.

  She’d been truthful with him about everything that formed the very core of her. She’d shared deep feelings with him about a number of things that shared her code of ethics, her sense of morality and the kind of woman she really was. Besides, hopefully by the time she decided to tell him the truth, he’d be so madly in love with her it wouldn’t matter.

  Is it safe?

  For the first time since she’d run from the home she’d shared with her abusive husband, she believed the answer was yes. It was finally safe for her to pursue life to its fullest.

  And she desperately wanted to do that with Hunter.

  * * *

  TONIGHT MARKED A month of Hunter and Ainsley officially dating. As he dressed for the date, adrenaline rushed through him as he anticipated spending more quality time with her.

  He’d bought a stuffed pink unicorn for Melinda and a bouquet of a variety of flowers for Ainsley. The bouquet was bright and colorful and reminded him of Ainsley’s playful, beautiful spirit.

  He knew that tonight was the most important date he’d have with Ainsley. It was so vital that Melinda liked him. He knew that if the little girl didn’t like him then the odds of the relationship further deepening were probably nil.

  Nerves jangled through him as he drove to her place. He was interested to see the apartment she called home. He’d never been inside the living quarters at the back of the café, and his interest was piqued.

  There was no question in his mind that he was falling in love with Ainsley. All the barriers he’d had up after his ex-wife’s betrayals had been tumbling down since the first date he’d had with Ainsley.

  He was ready to trust again. He was ready to love again, and the place he found himself in both mentally and emotionally excited him.

  By the time he pulled up behind the café, his nerves had calmed and he just felt the sweet anticipation of seeing her once again.

  He got out with the flowers and stuffed unicorn in hand. He was about to knock on the door when it opened and Ainsley greeted him with a smile. “Punctual as always.”

  “I always try to be on time.” He thrust the flowers toward her. “These are for you, and the unicorn is for Melinda.”

  “Ah, do you always bribe the women in your life with gifts?” She took the flowers from him with a teasing glint in her eyes.

  “Not always, but sometimes.”

  “Come on in.” She opened the door wider to allow him inside. “Melinda is in her room. I’ll call her out in a few minutes.”

  “Hmm, something smells really good,” he said as he stepped into a small living room.

  “Homemade enchiladas with cheesy refried beans and rice on the side. Come on into the kitchen.”

  The living room held a navy sofa, where he placed the unicorn, a coffee table and an entertainment center that held a small television. The kitchen was small as well, a square wooden table shoved against one wall taking up most of the room. She motioned him into one of the three chairs. The table was already set with navy blue plates and silverware.

  “This is called intimate living. I can almost sit at the table and stir something on my stove at the same time,” she said with a laugh.

  “I find it quite nice,” he replied. He watched as she placed the flowers on the counter and then reached into a bottom cabinet and retrieved a vase.

  “You’re very nice,” she replied with a sweet smile. “This place is just a resting place. I’m hoping eventually to rent a house or at least get into a bigger apartment. While I really appreciate Big Ed for letting us stay here, I don’t want Melinda to grow up in this tiny apartment.”

  While she was talking she arranged the flowers and then set them on the table. “There, a nice bright note to the room,” she said and then moved to the oven, opened the door and then closed it again. “This should all be ready in the next fifteen minutes or so.”

  “Is there anything I can do?” he asked.

  “Just sit. How about a beer?” She opened the fridge and brought out the brand of beer that he drank.

  “I wouldn’t turn my nose up at that,” he replied.

  For the next few minutes, they caught up on their days as she stirred the contents in two saucepans on the stovetop. Despite the odors of Mexican spices that filled the air, he could still smell the floral fragrance of her perfume. It was a scent he found incredibly sexy.

  She was clad in a pair of black jeans and a fitted royal blue blouse that did amazing things to her eyes. Yes, he was definitely on the verge of falling helplessly and hopelessly in love with her.

  She took another peek into the oven and then pronounced the meal ready to serve. “Why don’t you come with me to get Melinda? That way you can give her the unicorn.”

  “That sounds good to me.” He was eager to meet her daughter, who would surely become an important part of his life and heart in the future.

  As he followed her back through the living room, he picked up the unicorn from the sofa. There were three doorways, one that led to the bathroom, one that apparently was Ainsley’s bedroom and the third room where her daughter slept and played.

  He would have liked to get a glimpse of the bedroom where Ainsley slept. He wanted to know the color of her bedspread so he could imagine himself beneath it with her.

  “Melinda, our guest is here, and he has a surprise for you,” Ainsley said.

  “A surprise for me?” Melinda stepped into her doorway. She was a petite girl with blond hair and her mother’s beautiful blue eyes.

  “Hi, Melinda. My name is Hunter.” He held out the unicorn. “This is for you. It doesn’t have a name yet. I thought you might want to give it a name.”

  Melinda took the unicorn from him, but her eyes held more than a bit of distrust. She looked at her mother and then back at him. “Thank you.”

  “Why don’t you put the unicorn
on the sofa and you can think about a name while we eat dinner,” Ainsley said.

  They left the small hallway and headed back to the kitchen. Melinda sat in the chair opposite him, and Ainsley opened the oven and pulled out a large baking dish and set it in the center of the table.

  “There’s both meat and cheese enchiladas,” she said as she spooned beans into a serving bowl and then did the same with the rice.

  “Do you like Mexican food, Melinda?” The girl hadn’t made eye contact with him since they’d sat down.

  “I like pizza better,” she said, not taking her gaze off the plate in front of her.

  “Pizza is also a favorite of mine,” he replied. “What kind do you like? I like pepperoni.”

  “Just cheese. I like cheese pizza,” she replied.

  The rest of the meal made it to the table, and then Ainsley sat. “Dig in,” she said.

  “How about I serve you two,” he said and picked up Melinda’s plate. “What would you like? Meat or cheese?”

  “Cheese,” she replied.

  Hunter ladled out a cheese enchilada on the plate. “Would you like some beans and rice?”

  “Some beans.”

  Hunter fixed the plate and then slid it in front of her. “What about you, Ainsley?”

  “I can serve myself. You go ahead and fill your plate,” she replied.

  He took one meat, one cheese and a helping of the side dishes. Once Ainsley had served herself, they all began to eat. “This is delicious,” he said after a few bites. “Does your mother always cook this good?” he asked Melinda.

  She shrugged. “Mostly we eat in the café.”

  “And mostly that’s true,” Ainsley said. “Most nights I’m so tired from working all day, and the café makes it easy for us to have dinner there.”

  He hated that she had to work so hard, that when she worked she had very long hours. If they married, he’d make sure she would waitress only if she wanted to.

  As they ate he tried to engage with Melinda, but she was having nothing to do with him. Each time the girl answered him in monosyllables and with no eye contact, the frown on Ainsley’s forehead increased.