by Karen Kelley
“Ma’am, we didn’t do it for the money. You need anything else, just let us know. We’re always glad to help. Oh, and Danny has a hitch on his truck. We’ll turn the U-Haul in if you have the paperwork.”
“Then thank you,” I said. I hadn’t meant to insult them. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I was off to a fantastic start. I dug the paperwork out of my purse and gave it to Wes, then closed and locked the door after they left.
As I headed toward the shower, I began peeling off my clothes. It felt as if they were glued to my body. When I was standing in the middle of the bedroom, I finished stripping.
I really did appreciate their help. Sometimes I got damned tired of doing everything on my own. I dropped to the side of the bed, running a weary hand across my forehead. No, being alone was the way I liked my life.
And if I didn’t move right now, I probably never would.
I pushed off the bed and headed to the bathroom. Once I was beneath the spray, I started to feel a little more human. Tears suddenly welled in my eyes. I let them fall unheeded, knowing they were just from exhaustion. I mean really, what did I have to be sad about? I had a good life. No one told me what to do. If I got tired of a place, I left. Nothing and no one to tie me down.
Then why did I come to Texas? Why this area? Texas was a big state, I could’ve gone anywhere. Maybe after all these years, I still needed answers.
Chapter 2
Layne
I’d watched out the window as she walked to her pickup. There’d been just a slight sway to her hips. My gaze had dropped. Her ass looked damned good with denim hugging it. I’d quickly moved my gaze up. The sun had caught the different shades of her burnished, deep red hair. I wanted to run my hands through it, see if it was as thick and silky as it looked.
My gut said she was going to be trouble.
I’d gone back to the captain’s desk and looked through the paperwork again. Everything said she was a crackerjack paramedic. I glanced at her application and in the block marked contact in case of emergency, she had left it blank.
There was always someone you could write in. Even a friend. But she’d written nothing. Maybe she just didn’t like her relatives. I had a cousin or two that got on my last nerve. My gut told me that wasn’t the case. Fiera was a mystery. It would be interesting to see who she really was beneath that tough exterior.
I went to my office and finished up some paperwork. My shift had ended that morning. One of the medics had called in, so I stayed until they could get a replacement. No big deal. I liked the adrenaline rush that came with the job. It was either that, or I just drank too much coffee.
The door suddenly opened, and the captain came in.
“So, what did you think about her?”
I shrugged. “She’s stubborn. She might be trouble.”
“She worked with my niece, you know. Rita spoke highly of her, but she did say Fiera’s a loner. She vouched for her paramedic skills. Rita told me I wouldn’t find a better one, but she warned me the girl didn’t stay in one place very long.”
“She’s obviously not running from the law or they would’ve found her the first time she got fingerprinted for a city license.”
“She said she wanted to see as much of the country as she could while she was young.”
“Do you believe her?” I asked.
He shook his head. “She could be telling the truth, but there was something in her eyes that said differently. No, I think she’s been broken and doesn’t know how to make everything right again.”
I trusted the captain’s instincts. He was usually right on the money. Besides, I’d had the same feeling as well. She was probably someone I should stay away from.
“Are you going to try to fix her?” The captain asked with a grin.
I shook my head. “Why do you always think I have to fix someone?”
A snort of laughter exploded from him. “I don’t know, maybe because you’re always trying to fix someone. If they’re broken, you always become their Band-Aid.” His expression turned serious. “Let me tell you this, not everyone’s made to be fixed.”
“You’re crazy, you know.” I smiled. The captain was like a second father.
“Yeah, and it’s the job that made me this way.” He was thoughtful for a moment. “You know, I’ve asked myself a dozen times or more why you’re still working here. You and your brothers have the coffee shops, you’ve invested in Ryder’s housing developments with your other brothers, you also have your wineries. You’ve probably got more money than you’ll ever spend. Aren’t you ever going to slow down and enjoy it?”
I grinned. Yeah, I knew I didn’t have to work. “Life’s too exciting to slow down. Besides, I love what I do. I think I’m an adrenaline junky.”
“Well, you’re damn good at being a paramedic, so I hope you don’t ever quit.” He frowned. “What the hell are you doing here anyway? Isn’t this your day off?”
“I had some paperwork I needed to turn in, and Cal had something he wanted to talk to me about, so I helped him wash the ambulance, and we talked.”
“Everything okay with him?”
I nodded. “Yeah, he still doesn’t understand women.”
The captain snorted with laughter again. “Hell, I’m fifty-five years old, and I still don’t understand them.”
He was still shaking his head as he left my office. I was right behind him. I told Nancy good bye as I walked past her desk, and then went out to my truck. On the way to my apartment, I stopped and grabbed a pizza, since it was getting close to dinner time. I usually didn’t buy pizza, but it was going to be a bribe tonight.
I was still smiling as I pulled into my parking space at the Gables, turned off the ignition, grabbed the pizza off the front seat, and started toward the elevator. When I stepped off, I headed down to my apartment.
I only needed one more thing. I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of wine. I’d talked to Wes, and he told me which apartment Fiera was in. It was rather funny when one thought about it. I was pretty sure she wouldn’t get the humor in it. I stopped in front of her door and knocked. It was a few minutes before she answered.
My gaze roamed over her. Nice. Blue-jean cutoffs, a white t-shirt that was thin enough I could tell her white bra was trimmed in lace, and her hair was damp. Then she opened her mouth.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Damn, she really knew how to kill a moment. I eased around her and went into the kitchen. Winding my way between the maze of still packed boxes.
“I didn’t give you permission to come into my apartment.”
I glanced over my shoulder as I set everything down on her table. Damn, she looked hot as hell when she was pissed. “I figured you didn’t have time to buy groceries. I don’t normally eat pizza, but I made an exception for you.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“When was the last time you ate?”
She frowned. “That’s none of your business.”
“I hope you like supreme. I took a chance. And I brought wine, too.”
She strode into the kitchen. “I’ll tell you right now, I don’t like having company. I don’t do dinner with strangers.”
She was in worse shape than I thought. “Then it’s a good thing you already know me. We didn’t really get the chance to go through the protocols. I thought we could do it over pizza and wine. But if you don’t want to, I can leave.” I opened the box. The aroma of pizza wafted around us. For just a moment, her eyes closed as she drew in a deep breath.
“Okay, you can stay for dinner,” she relented. “Just don’t make this a habit. I like my privacy.” She went to an open box and brought out a couple of plates and two wine glasses that she unwrapped from the newspaper as I opened the wine. I’d brought my own opener in case she didn’t have one, or hers was still packed. I poured us each a glass. She took a tentative sip, then sighed with appreciation. “This is very good wine.”
“Thank you,” I told her. We took a sea
t at the table.
“And thank you for bringing pizza and wine,” she grudgingly told me.
“Now, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
“What?”
“Saying thank you,” I told her.
“I’m just used to doing things for myself.”
“Wow, someone must have really hurt you. Ex-boyfriend?”
“Now you’re being nosey, but no, it wasn’t an ex anything. Maybe I just don’t like people that much.”
“Then I apologize. I’ll stop being nosey.” I knew when to back off, and now was that time. “So, why did you leave the cool temperatures of Colorado for the Texas heat?”
She hesitated before she began to speak. “I want to see the country while I can.”
“You don’t have an incurable disease, do you?”
“Not that I know of. Is there a law against seeing the country? I mean, everyone wants to go to Europe, but what’s wrong with seeing the United States? Very few people see all of them.”
“You’re right. The United States has a lot to offer. You’re probably smart to travel as much as you do.”
The slice of pizza stopped before it made it to her mouth. “How do you know how much I travel?”
“The captain mentioned it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You talked about me with the captain?”
“It’s no big deal. He just mentioned you like to travel a lot.”
“I don’t like people talking about me.”
“Fair enough.” I took a bite of pizza, then thoughtfully chewed. “If you don’t like people, then why become a paramedic? You’re around patients all the time.”
“Because I don’t have to get to know them. I like the medical field. This was the perfect job. You treat them as best as you can, then probably never see them again. Short-term relationships.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“It’s not. Tell me about your protocols,” she said, pulling me back to the reason I’d given her for showing up at her apartment.
I went over protocols with her, the basic stuff, and told her a little bit about how the ambulance was run out of the fire station. We worked the same hours as the firemen. Twenty-four hours on, and forty-eight hours off, which was pretty standard, and something she was probably used to. Most times, we worked together with the fire department. We would stand by at fires in case someone got hurt, or they would back us up on calls. It worked out well for both entities.
When she started to yawn, I came to my feet and told her goodnight. “If there’s anything you need, I’m next door.”
Her brow knit in confusion. “What?”
I opened the door, then turned back around with a smile on my face. “My apartment’s right next to yours. We’re neighbors.” I could tell by the shocked expression on her face that she had hoped I lived across town.
My life had gotten routine lately. I had a feeling Fiera Murphy was about to change all of that.
Chapter 3
Fiera
Next door? Well hell, that wasn’t good at all.
I didn’t want the very tempting Layne Hayes living next door to me. He could complicate everything—especially my life. Right now, I didn’t need anything upsetting my carefully maintained balance.
I locked my door, then slid the safety lock in place before returning to the kitchen. He’d left the wine. I poured the rest into my glass, then looked at the label. It was really good wine.
Hayes Brothers Winery.
I looked toward the door. His last name was Hayes. I shook my head. Probably no relation. Otherwise, why the hell would he be working as a paramedic? Everyone knew how horribly underpaid this line of work was, and while the Gables was nice, it definitely wasn’t high-end. Maybe he’d thought to impress me? Yeah, right, I wasn’t born yesterday. Regardless, I would probably buy more of the wine.
I took my glass back to the living room and made myself comfortable on the sofa. The apartment had come furnished. Everything was in shades of brown. It needed more color. Vivid reds or maybe shades of blue and gray.
Yeah right, I didn’t expect to be here long enough to start decorating. That wasn’t my style. But sometimes I wondered what it would be like to stay in one place. I closed my eyes for a moment and imagined living in one town. Going into a grocery store where they knew your name. Making friends.
Eventually, they would ask about my family. Why I never talked about them.
My eyes jerked open. Okay, maybe staying in one place wasn’t such a great idea. I took another drink of wine. It was better this way. Never stay in one place very long. No chance of getting hurt.
I sat there staring at the bookcase. Danny had unpacked one of the boxes before I told him not to bother. A silly little porcelain dog looked at me. A stupid, sentimental purchase. My gaze moved. I knew what was in the black, leather-bound album on the next shelf down. I should just leave it alone, finish my wine, then go to bed. That would be the smart thing to do.
It was almost as if the album was calling to me. I came to my feet and walked over to the bookcase. My hand brushed across the worn leather. I inhaled the scent of years gone by, then I closed my eyes tight for a moment, as if I could bring the pictures inside to life. At least, one person that was gone. That wouldn’t happen, though. Still, I carried the album to the sofa.
The first page made me smile. My mother was seventeen when the picture was taken. She was so beautiful. I’d inherited her red hair, but I’d gotten my brown eyes from my father. It was my favorite picture of her. She was hauntingly beautiful. A little sad. I wish I could’ve known her back then. Before she changed. Before she had me. Before the sadness turned to anger.
I turned the page and smiled. I was just a toddler with wild red hair. Another picture on the same page was our Christmas tree that year. Another one of the yard covered in snow. Another one with me opening presents. Mom looked bored in these pictures. She took one of Dad and me. She probably hadn’t wanted to, but I had a feeling my father talked her into it. He beamed with pride as he looked down at me.
My hands stilled on the next page. There we were, the three of us. Not quite the happy family, but at least a family unit.
The next page was blank.
“And then there was only one,” I muttered.
I slammed the album closed, then tossed it to the coffee table. I downed the rest of my wine in one gulp. I was past all that. It was over and done. Nothing could change what happened. I stood, and took my glass to the kitchen. As I walked back through the living room, I picked up the photo album and carried it to my bedroom. I opened the closet and placed it on the far back part of the top shelf. Sometimes it wasn’t good to bring up the past. But then, that was why I was here.
Could I face the truth?
I changed into my short, yellow nightgown and crawled into bed. Much more comfortable than my pickup had been last night. I released a sigh and closed my eyes, but Layne’s face swam in front of me. I couldn’t believe I’d had the misfortune to rent the apartment next to him. Talk about bad luck. I had a feeling he was going to be a problem. For one thing, he was too damned good looking, definitely too cocky. Hopefully, he got the message that I didn’t like company, and maybe he wouldn’t bother me.
With a yawn, I closed my eyes.
Sometime during the night, my head began to pound. A steady beat, beat, beat. I dragged my eyelids open and looked at the clock. Bright green numbers came into focus. Okay, so it wasn’t the middle of the night, and the pounding wasn’t my head. Someone was knocking on my door.
Who the fuck knocked on someone’s door at – I glanced at the clock again – at the ungodly hour of eight in the morning?
I pushed myself up in bed, then swung my legs over the side. I grabbed my robe off the end of the bed and punched my arms into the sleeves as I slogged my way to the front door. I looked through the peephole first with murder on my mind.
Layne? What the fuck?
I slid off the safety latch, then unlocked the door
, and opened it.
“I thought you understood last night that I like my privacy. At least, I thought I’d made myself clear. What the hell are you doing knocking on my door this early in the morning?” When I noticed his gaze was no longer on my face, but had moved down my body, I jerked my robe together and knotted the tie.
He suddenly smiled. “Eight is not that early. Besides, I brought coffee.” He handed me a cup.
I was tempted not to take it, and slam the door in his face, but once again, just like the pizza, I was drawn by the aroma. I took the coffee from him, since he owed me for waking me up so early, then took a tentative sip.
The coffee immediately hit my taste buds. I’d never had coffee that tasted like this in my entire life, and I’d had some damned good coffee. The flavor swam around my senses. I turned and went to the sofa without closing the door.
I only focused on the next drink. I sat on one end, leaning against the arm, then pulled my feet beneath me. I took another sip with my eyes closed. It was exquisite. I wanted to know where he’d purchased it. “The coffee shop, I want the name.”
“Your neighbor,” he said as he sat in the chair across from me.
“Dumb name for a coffee shop, but fantastic coffee.”
He chuckled. “No, I meant I made the coffee. Last night, I noticed your coffee pot wasn’t unpacked yet, so I thought I’d bring you over a cup. I guessed at how much cream and sugar to add.”
I opened my eyes and studied him. “You’re telling me that you made this coffee?”
He nodded. “My parents opened some coffee shops after they married. I guess you could say my brothers and I were meant to make a great cup of coffee.”
My eyes narrowed. “And the wine? Do your parents also have wineries?”
“No, that was my idea. My brothers thought it was a sound investment, so they bought into it as well.”
“Tell me again why you’re working as a paramedic?” When he smiled, my heart fluttered inside my chest. The guy had a seriously killer smile.
