Suddenly One Summer

by Barbara Freethy

  “Why the pretense? Why ask a seven-year-old to go along with such a deception?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “If you tell me the truth, maybe I can help you.”

  “Or maybe you won’t want to.”

  He considered that, a thoughtful tilt to his head. “Try me.”

  “I can’t tell you everything. But I can say that my sister was a beautiful, kind, gentle person. She was murdered, and the person who killed her will kill me and Lexie if he finds us.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t go into it.”

  Reid shook his head. “Why don’t you go to the police and ask for protection? If your sister was murdered, they must be looking for her killer.”

  “They’re looking in the wrong place. They’ve been sent to look in the wrong place.”

  “By the killer?”

  “Yes.”

  Reid stared at her with a sharp intelligence that made her worry. He was a smart man. If she gave him enough pieces to the puzzle, he would put it together, and she couldn’t let that happen.

  “Where do the police think Lexie is?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “I know you’re talking about Lexie’s father. He’s the murderer, right? Lexie already suggested to me that she saw her father hit her mother. It doesn’t take a huge leap to guess that the violence escalated.”

  Jenna was shocked by his statement. “Did Lexie really tell you that?”

  “In a manner of speaking. Is that what happened? Did your brother-in-law kill your sister?”

  “No one seems to think that he did it.” Jenna paused. “I don’t know exactly what Lexie remembers, and she never ever talks about it. I can’t believe she said something like that to you. You’re a stranger.”

  “I’m a good listener. Come on, Jenna, give me his name.”

  She bit down on her lip to stop herself from saying too much. Reid was a good listener. His warm gaze invited her to confess all, but she had too much to lose. “I can’t. The more you know, the more danger you put Lexie in.”

  “Maybe I’ll be protecting her,” he argued. “All I have is your word for what happened. You might have stolen Lexie from the supermarket or the school-yard, made up a story, asked her to pretend to be your daughter, told her that her father killed her mother.”

  “It didn’t happen that way,” she said quickly. “I am Lexie’s aunt. You have to believe me.” Reid’s theories worried her, and what he’d do about those theories terrified her even more.

  He remained unconvinced. “I don’t know what to believe.”

  “You’ve seen me with Lexie. You know I love her, that I’d do anything for her,” she said passionately, desperate to convince him. “I’m not hurting Lexie in any way—I’m protecting her. And this isn’t your business. You don’t live here. You’re not a cop. You’re a reporter, who’s supposed to be writing a story about angels.” Suddenly it was all clear to her. “That’s it. You want a bigger story, and you think I’m it! That’s why you’re so interested in me and in Lexie.”

  “That might be part of it,” he admitted.

  His agreement stung. “How dare you poke your nose into my business? Press is the last thing I need.”

  “It’s not about what you need. It’s about the truth.”

  “The truth? The truth is that the little girl who wants the angels to bring her mother back to her is in danger. And media attention will only bring that danger closer.”

  “Again, I only have your version of the story.”

  “It’s not a story.” His cool attitude made her crazy. He had no idea what was at stake. To him it was just a news article, but to her it was literally life or death. “You need to back off,” she said flatly. “Sometimes the truth hurts the wrong person.”

  “Lies hurt people, too,” he said with a ruthless note in his voice. “As well as cover-ups, pretenses, and betrayals. You wouldn’t be the first person who gave me the wrong version of a story, pleading her case with sad, earnest eyes, while lying every second.”

  There was bitterness in his voice now, and the darkness she’d seen in him earlier came back in full force.

  “Who are you talking about?” she asked.

  “It doesn’t matter.” He abruptly stood up.

  She jumped to her feet, not sure what he intended to do, not sure what she wanted him to do. She put a hand on his arm. “Don’t. Please.”

  “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t tell anyone I’m not Lexie’s mother. Don’t use me to get a story. Just leave me alone and forget you ever heard what Lexie said tonight. Walk away. Please.”

  He stared at her for a long moment, but instead of moving away, he took a step closer. His eyes were filled with shadows, and she had no idea what he was thinking.

  “I’d like to walk away,” he said finally. “I spent the past hour trying to talk myself out of coming over here. I quit hard news almost a year ago. I told myself I was done digging into other people’s lives. I was done with giving a damn about the truth. And then I met you—a woman who jumped into the bay to save a stranger’s life, not only at the risk of her own, but also at the risk of her secrets being discovered.”

  Reid shook his head. “I thought I could walk away from you and Lexie and pretend that whatever was happening was none of my business, but it turns out that I can’t.” He reached out and ran his finger down the side of her cheek.

  She caught her breath at the intimate caress. Things had suddenly become very personal.

  “And it has nothing to do with my journalistic ambition,” he continued. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I have no idea who you really are—an accomplished liar, or a desperate woman in terrible trouble.”

  His finger moved to her lips, then he cupped her chin, tilting her face up to his. Her blood ran hot. Her nipples tightened. A wave of unexpected and reckless desire shot through her body. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, knowing that she should move, because nothing could happen between them. But when his gaze traveled to her mouth, her lips tingled in anticipation. He lowered his head so slowly that she had plenty of time to move, yet she couldn’t take a step.

  She wanted to feel his mouth on hers. She wanted him to wrap his strong arms around her and pull her into his hard body. She wanted to lose herself in him for just a minute…a minute when she didn’t have to be strong and protective and fierce.

  She leaned into the kiss, her mouth opening under his. His tongue swept inside her mouth, tangling with hers. His hands fell to her waist, pulling her up against his hips. She pressed her breasts against his chest, and the spark that had flared at their first meeting turned into raging desire.

  She’d never felt so needy, so wanton. She ran her hands up under his shirt, feeling the power of his muscles, the heat of his skin. She wanted to strip off her clothes and do the same with Reid’s. She wanted to make love to him. It was foolish, reckless, dangerous. Impossible.

  In the end it was Reid who pulled away. His breath came sharp and quick as he gazed down at her. His fingers burned into the bare skin between her shirt and her jeans. He looked like he wanted to let her go, but couldn’t. She felt the same way. He was the wrong man at the wrong time. She couldn’t allow him into her life.

  “Let go,” she whispered.

  “I’m trying,” he said, a husky note in his voice. “What the hell was that?”

  “Craziness.” She put her hands over his and slowly disengaged them from her body. “That shouldn’t have happened. I don’t usually act so impulsively.”

  “Why start now?”

  “I’m attracted to you,” she admitted. “I don’t want to be.”

  “I’m not thrilled with the idea, either.”

  She drew in a deep breath as silence fell between them. “So what now? What are you going to do?”

  Reid gave her a long, hard look. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but his gaze grew cool as the seconds ticked by. Finally he said, “Did
you think kissing me would put me on your side? That I would no longer question you? That I wouldn’t go to the police? Was it just another move in whatever game you’re playing?”

  His suggestion infuriated her. “I’m not playing a game. But maybe I should ask you the same question. Did you think kissing me would make me want to tell you my story? Did you think it was your way into hearing my deepest and darkest secrets?”

  Reid didn’t answer, his ragged breath matching the quickened tempo of her pulse. Then he abruptly turned on his heel and left.

  For sixty seconds, she stood frozen in place. What was he going to do next? Would he go to the police? Would he start digging into her life? Or would he let it go? She fought the urge to run after him. She couldn’t leave the house; Lexie was asleep in her bed.

  Jenna sank down on the couch, touching her lips with her fingers. One taste of Reid wasn’t nearly enough. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d lost her head so completely, been swept off her feet by a touch, a kiss. And by a man she didn’t even trust—a man who didn’t trust her. What a foolish, impetuous thing she’d done. She had to find a way to fix things, but how? Reid was like a dog with a bone. He wasn’t going to give up.

  For a moment she considered the thought that maybe she didn’t want him to. Maybe he could help her. But Kelly’s instructions had been so clear. She’d begged her not to tell anyone, not to trust, not to believe that anyone was a friend. Kelly had known what she was dealing with. Jenna still didn’t know. All she knew was that she had to do what her sister had asked her to do.

  She looked up in surprise as Lexie padded into the room, rubbing her sleepy eyes. “Hey, what are you doing up?”

  “I’m thirsty,” Lexie said, climbing into her lap.

  “I’ll get you some water,” Jenna replied, glad that Lexie hadn’t walked into the room a few minutes earlier. “Do you want to get back into bed, and I’ll bring it to you?”

  Lexie hesitated, her mouth trembling. “I’m sorry I told the truth.”

  “I know, honey.” Jenna sighed. How messed up was Lexie going to be, when she had to feel bad about telling the truth? But she was alive. She was safe. That’s all that mattered for the moment.

  “Maybe Mr. Tanner won’t tell anybody,” Lexie offered.

  “Maybe not.” Jenna brushed the hair off Lexie’s face, tucking it behind her ear.

  “I miss Mommy,” Lexie said sadly.

  Jenna felt a wave of pain. “Me, too.”

  “I wanted to ask the angels if Mommy was okay, if she could maybe come back with them and see us sometime. Heaven is so far away.”

  “Yes, it is.” Jenna gathered Lexie close. “But your mommy can see you no matter where you are, and she will love you forever. When she’s looking down from heaven, she’ll want to see you playing with your friends, learning things in school, and having a great life. She’ll want to see you laughing, having fun. That’s what she wants for you, honey.”

  Jenna could hardly get the words out as she thought of how many moments her sister would miss—Lexie buying her first bra, having her first real kiss, getting her heart broken. Kelly would miss seeing Lexie graduate from high school and college. She wouldn’t be at Lexie’s wedding, wouldn’t get to hold her grandchild in her arms, wouldn’t get to share in her daughter’s life. It was so hideously unfair. Kelly should still be alive. Lexie should still have her mother. This was wrong—so wrong.

  “If I smile, Mommy might think I don’t miss her,” Lexie said worriedly.

  The lump in Jenna’s throat grew bigger. “She wants you to be happy, honey. She wants to see smiles, not tears.”

  “I don’t feel like smiling.”

  “I know,” Jenna whispered.

  Lexie’s bottom lip trembled. “I just want to see Mommy one more time. I want to say I’m sorry for not staying in my room like she told me to.”

  “Oh, Lexie, she’s not mad at you.”

  “But I didn’t say good-bye. I didn’t tell her I loved her.” Lexie looked at her with earnest eyes. “She doesn’t know. She went to heaven and she doesn’t know.”

  Jenna’s heart broke in two. She hadn’t said goodbye, either. She hadn’t told her sister that she loved her, that she was sorry for all the years of distance, all the resentment, and that she felt terribly guilty for being completely unaware that Kelly’s life was crumbling.

  Why hadn’t she been more involved? Why hadn’t she stepped out of her own world and called her sister? Why hadn’t she seen the signs, noticed that her sister was in pain? If only she could go back in time, she would change so many things.

  But she couldn’t go back. And looking at Lexie now, who was the spitting image of her mother, Jenna knew the only thing she could do was take care of Lexie, give Lexie the love, the devotion, and the security that Kelly would have wanted her to have.

  “Your mommy knows everything you’re thinking, honey. She knows that you love her, that you’re feeling bad that you didn’t get to say good-bye. But she doesn’t want you to be sad.” Jenna put her hand over Lexie’s heart. “Your mommy is here, in your heart, and she’ll be with you always. Whenever you want to see her, just close your eyes. And there she’ll be.”

  Lexie closed her eyes. “I do see her,” she whispered after a moment. “And she’s smiling.”

  A tear slipped down Jenna’s cheek, and she brushed it away. If she broke down now, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to go on. And the one thing she knew for sure was that she had to keep going.

  Reid downed two shots of tequila in rapid succession and ordered a third. The Giants were playing the Dodgers on the TV over the bar, but he wasn’t paying attention to the ball game. He was thinking about Jenna, and what the hell he was going to do about her. Part of him wanted to go back to her house and finish what they’d started. He hadn’t felt so restless or off balance in a long time. He didn’t know what to do with the mix of lust and adrenaline running through his body. Sex would have been his first choice, but having sex with Jenna would only complicate things. He needed to think, to consider the facts.

  While everything Jenna told him might have been a lie, his gut told him she’d been honest with the few details she’d given. From there he could fill in the blanks. Jenna and Lexie were on the run, probably from Lexie’s father. Lexie’s mother had been murdered, probably by Lexie’s father. According to Jenna, the police were looking for the wrong person. So if the perpetrator was Lexie’s father, then he had a great alibi or enough power to influence a police investigation, because the police always looked at the husband when the wife died under suspicious circumstances.

  The real question was—what was he going to do? He could find out exactly who Jenna was and who Lexie’s parents were; he had contacts in law enforcement. Hell, he could go to the local police station and tell them he had reason to believe that Lexie was not Jenna’s daughter. He could break a solid news story and get his career going again.

  He could also get Lexie killed, and maybe Jenna, too. He needed to know more about their situation before he involved the police. He’d already made one mistake by kissing Jenna. God, she’d tasted good. Her response had been so much more than he expected. Under her quiet exterior beat the heart of an emotional, passionate woman. He should have expected the fire. He’d felt her music rip through his soul—why hadn’t he expected that the same would happen with her kiss? Why hadn’t he realized that one taste, one touch, and he’d want to get her naked, take her to bed, and never get up again?

  But Jenna was scared, and wanted to get him on her side. Who knew her true motives for kissing him? For a woman who’d said she was scared of him, she’d sure gotten over her fear fast. He didn’t want to believe she’d faked the passion, but could he really trust her? It was easier to suspect the worst and never be surprised than to hope for the best and always be disappointed.

  The bartender, Michael Murray, set the shot in front of him. “Should I bring the bottle?” he drawled, a knowing gleam in his eyes. Reid had a
lready exchanged small talk with him, knowing that bartenders in small towns were usually a well of information, especially bartenders who were part of the town’s most prominent family.

  “Maybe,” Reid replied, downing the shot in one quick, burning swallow.

  “Gotta be a woman,” Michael said with a grin. He poured Reid another shot and set it in front of him. “Last time I broke up with my girlfriend, I got so drunk I puked my guts out for two days. I’m telling you, man, it’s not worth it.”

  “Thanks for the tip,” Reid said, staring at the fourth shot.

  “So who is she?”

  “A mess of trouble,” Reid replied.

  “Aren’t they all?”

  “Good point.” Reid downed the fourth shot as Michael moved away to tend to another customer. The place was crowded, standing room only. The festival had shut down and most of the action had moved to Murray’s.

  “You look lonely,” a woman said, sliding in next to him. She had on a low-cut top and her hair was light blond. She appeared to be in her early thirties, and from the seductive smile she gave him, she was looking for a hook-up. She was pretty in a thin, brittle, bar scene kind of way, reminding him a little of his mother. She probably wouldn’t be happy to hear that. “Buy me a drink?” she asked.

  He was about to say sure, when he heard Allison’s voice in his head. “She’s not good enough for you, Reid. You always go after women who won’t ask enough of you. You deserve more. Stop selling yourself so short. Stop going for easy. You know what you really want, and it’s not her.”

  He shook Allison’s voice out of his head. He’d obviously had too much tequila. But then he caught a glimpse of a woman sitting at the far end of the bar. She was in the shadows, but he could see the sparkle of red hair, the hint of a knowing smile. His gut tightened. Her face turned into the light, and for a second he thought it was Allison. She was dressed in the same black dress he’d seen her in that last day. She raised the necklace she was wearing to her lips and kissed the gold heart that hung from it. He’d given her that heart when she’d had Cameron. He got to his feet, stunned. She had to be an illusion, but she seemed so real, so vibrant, so alive. Not at all like she’d looked the last time he’d seen her—her body cold, her skin a bloodless white.