“You think Jake and I are…?” Maddie doubled over with hard, explosive laughter, then straightened up and wiped at her eyes. “Do you hear that Jake? She thinks we’re a couple.”
“A what?” he looked totally, completely, utterly, discombobulated.
“You love each other,” I managed, utterly amazed I could talk with my heart shredding into pieces and swirling away with the wind.
“Do you love Brandon?” Maddie asked.
I stared at her. What did that have to do with the price of pot roast in Outer Mongolia? “Of course I do.”
“And I love Jake.” she punched him on the arm.
“Ouch!” He put his hand over where she’d nailed him.
“I love him like a brother.” I saw her swallow. “And I couldn’t stand to watch my brother suffer so soon after Dad—” She looked at the ground.
“That’s why you left while I was still in the hospital?” Jake asked. His face had the haggard expression of one who had experienced deep, all-encompassing agony.
She looked at him, and tears began to slide down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Mom was so broken up. You just lay there and moaned in pain, and they weren’t sure you were going to make it and I just couldn’t take it. I couldn’t stand to watch my family suffer. I’m a coward, I know. I just couldn’t stand to be in Ugly Creek any longer.”
Jake stood and pulled her into his arms. “I should have realized that. I’m an idiot.”
“Well, I knew that a long time ago,” Maddie said, and then dissolved into loud, messy sobs. Yeah, I admit it; it was good to know the always-together Madison Clark could cry messy. On the other hand, it hurt to realize she was that upset. My poor best friend. She’d been hurt more than any of us had realized.
I used the distraction to sit up off the hard dirt. Maybe Maddie wasn’t the only coward in the bunch. I looked toward my handsome, six-foot-something-or-other, little brother. “I love you, Brandon. Let’s please talk things out.”
My bigger-than-me little brother pulled me close and kissed my cheek. “I’d really like that, sis.”
“Okay, where’s the emergency?”
I turned to see a somewhat overweight, gasping man in a sheriff’s uniform coming toward us, the young Bigfoot creature leading the way.
“About time you got here,” Liza said. “Fortunately, we have everything under control.”
The man eyed Liza and her big stick. “Looks that way.”
“Just take that jerk Johnson out of here and lock him up,” Jake said, “before one of us decides to take our frustrations out on him.”
“And we got lots of frustrations,” Liza said, narrowing her eyes at the man sprawled at her feet.
The sheriff went over to Butch and shoved him over on his stomach, pulling his arms back in the process.
“I didn’t do it,” Butch protested.
“You got a truckload of witnesses that say you did.”
“Not that. The fire, I didn’t start the fire. Nootau did. He admitted it.”
“I did not start the gymnasium fire,” Nootau said.
The sheriff sighed. “Well, one of you did. We just couldn’t prove which one.”
“Neither one of them did.”
We all looked toward Steve, who, I now realized, hadn’t spoken since he’d arrived with Liza and Maddie.
“I started the fire,” Steve said. “Or at least I think I did.”
I heard Liza’s gasp behind me.
“It was an accident,” Steve’s voice broke, and he swallowed audibly before he continued. “Liza and I had an argument and I was feeling all nervous and antsy. I knew guys smoked behind the gym. I went back there to bum a cigarette from somebody. I thought it’d calm me down.” He looked away for a moment while he wiped at his face. “Nobody was there, but I found a butt that was nice and long. I lit it and sucked in a long breath. I thought I was going to die. I coughed and coughed and coughed until I threw up. I was so embarrassed I took off into the woods until I got myself together. Just a few minutes after I got back, the fire alarm went off. It wasn’t until later I realized I hadn’t put out that damn cigarette. I honestly don’t know what happened to it.”
“You let me be blamed for all these years!” Butch jerked loose from the sheriff. Bigfoot easily caught him and handed him back to the cop.
“Actually I always figured Nootau was responsible,” the sheriff said, “but we weren’t sure. When rumors started that Butch started the fire I had no proof either way. The DA couldn’t exactly charge Nootau, and for all we knew, Johnson could be the one who did it.”
“What are you going to do with my husband?” Liza was pale, and I could see her trembling.
“That’s up to the judge,” the sheriff said. “But I wouldn’t worry too much.” He looked toward Steve. “We don’t even know for sure you did start that fire. Even if you did, it was an accident. You’re a good man, Zapata. I kinda think keeping quiet for all these years was probably more punishment than anything the justice system could do to you.”
“His keeping quiet hurt me,” Butch protested in a whiny voice even a five-year-old would be embarrassed to use.
“So file a lawsuit.” The sheriff snagged Butch and headed toward the road.
Nootau took the snake into the woods, and both Bigfoot creatures headed off toward the mountain.
Liza ran to Steve and they grabbed each other.
I felt an arm around me and realized I was feeling kinda shaky and weak and my head was pounding. “Take it easy,” Brandon said. “You got hit pretty hard.”
I touched the side of my head and felt a rapidly growing lump under my hair. Great.
“I’ve got her.” Arms lifted me and I looked up into dark, worried eyes. “I’m okay, Jake,” I whispered.
“She needs a doctor,” Brandon said.
“I agree,” Jake started back toward the road with me in his arms.
I tried to argue, but my heart wasn’t in it. Doing a woodsy remake of An Officer and a Gentleman with Jake felt just too amazing. Besides, I pretty much had no stuffing left. In the century since I woke up that morning, entirely too many things had happened. Confused, relieved, hopeful, and terrified; I leaned against Jake’s strong, firm chest and closed my eyes. I felt safe and happy. That couldn’t last though, I knew. There was a mountain of problems still to be dealt with. I could still lose it all.
Chapter 16
Less than thirty minutes later, I lay sprawled on a narrow emergency room stretcher staring at the tiny room across the hall from mine. The curtain was pulled almost completely around the other stretcher, but through a tiny opening, I clearly saw an elbow. An elbow covered with thick, brown fur. There was the sound of a voice, and I recognized the deep rumble of a Bigfoot creature. I was blown away, but it only took a moment for me to reconsider. Where else would they go for medical care, a veterinarian? I actually giggled at the thought of the proud, awesome critters going to a vet. They were definitely more human than dog or cat. Fur notwithstanding.
About that time, a young, good looking male type doctor walked into my room. He followed my gaze across the hall, muttered something I didn’t quite catch to the nurse, then stepped into my room. I’m quite sure it was no accident he stood directly in my line of sight. Nor was it an accident the curtain and sliding glass door across the hall both abruptly closed. The nurse joined the doctor in my closet-sized room, and they both stood there looking at me as if I was Hitler’s right hand girl. I started to tell them I didn’t send that picture to the The Weekly Tattler, but I knew that would be a crazy waste of time not to mention probably a bad idea. Better that I not antagonize the nice people with mysterious machines and big needles.
“I’m Doctor Addams,” the doctor said. And yes, the name on the badge had two D’s in it. “So you bumped your head?”
“No, actually, I got knocked down, hard.” I touched, the egg-sized lump on one side of my head, and winced. The area was extremely tender.
Maybe I’m paranoid, but hi
s expression seemed to be one of deep respect—for whoever hit me. “This was an assault?”
“Actually, more of an accident as the result of an assault.”
His eyebrows pulled down in confusion. “Was the sheriff notified?’
“Yes,” I told him, wishing I’d have just claimed clumsiness.
“Okay then, let’s check you out.”
I wanted to scream out the rest of the story, but I knew they didn’t care and probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.
Two hours later, I rolled into the lobby in a wheelchair pushed by one of the medical professionals I now had enormous respect for. In spite of how they apparently felt about me, their treatment was a shining example of caring professionalism.
Jake was sitting in the lobby. He stood when he saw me and rushed my way. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I told him.
He glanced toward the nurse and she confirmed my words. “She needs to rest, Jake, but there’s no sign of a concussion.” She handed him a sheet of paper. “But it doesn’t hurt to watch out for the symptoms anyway and get her back here if anything changes.”
“I’ll take care of her.”
The cute little redheaded nurse nodded, then turned back toward the door we’d come through.
“You know her?” I asked, and there was no jealousy in my voice. Really, there wasn’t.
Jake grinned. “I love it when you’re jealous. I went to school with her and her husband.”
“Oh, okay.” I bit my lower lip to hide the smile.
“Let’s get you out of here. Dingo’s anxious to see you.”
A frightening thought hit me so hard I gasped. “You don’t know, do you? About the…the picture?”
“The one in that sorry excuse for a newspaper?”
I nodded, worry filling my throat so I couldn’t speak and could barely breathe.
Jake sat on his heels in front of my wheelchair and took my hand in his. “I don’t know whose bright idea that was, but it wasn’t yours.”
I stared at him; love for him filled my heart and leaked out my eyes in the form of tears. “You believe in me?”
“Of course I do,” he whispered, and pulled me into his arms.
I leaned against his firm chest and fought hard to hold back the sobs. It had been a hellacious day, okay?
“Let’s get you home.” He helped me to my feet and snuggled me close against him as we walked out to his truck.
He buckled me in, slid behind the wheel, and took off down the road. I leaned against the back of the seat and closed my eyes. He believed in me. Holy alternate universe, the man believed in me. How crazy was that?
I felt him take my hand in his and I turned to smile his way. I was absolutely convinced the dream was going to end at any moment, but by George, I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
A few minutes later, Jake wrapped an arm around me and all but lifted me up the stairs to his apartment. As soon as I walked through the door, a little voice inside me whispered, Home. That’s what it felt like too, warm, safe, comfortable. Home, that mythical place I’d never really known.
Even after we were inside the living room, Jake kept his arm around me. “I’m fine,” I told him.
“You were held at gunpoint, thrown against a tree, and knocked on your ass. Fine is one thing you aren’t.”
I barely managed to hold back the grin. “Bigfoot was held at gunpoint, how come you aren’t babying him?”
“One, he didn’t hit his head or get knocked on his big ass.” He shoved me toward the bedroom, and I got hopeful. “Two, I’m not in love with Bigfoot. Nootau is his wife’s problem.”
“You love me?” Yeah, I’d seen it in his face, but still a little voice inside kept saying I was mistaken.
He looked deep into my eyes, his hand gently lifting my chin. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life.”
And there it was, the dream of a lifetime, the moment from my fantasies, the moment I never for one moment thought would ever come true. “I love you too,” I whispered, as blissful tears filled my eyes.
He edged me down, covered me with a blanket, and sat on the edge of the bed. My hope did a nosedive.
“I’m really okay, you know. The doctor said I’m fine.”
“The doctor said you need to rest, so you’re going to rest.”
“I thought guys only had one thing on their minds.”
Jake chuckled. “I do. I only want to make sure the love of my life, the woman I want to spend the rest of time with, is taken care of.”
My breath turned thick and refused to move out of my lungs. “What?” I croaked.
He slid into bed beside me, pulled me into his arms and tenderly kissed the top of my head. “You are the most special woman I’ve ever met. You turned my world upside down and made me believe in forever after, my sweet Stephie.” He took my hand in his. “I realize we haven’t known each other long, and we have a million things to work through, but I can’t imagine life without you.”
I put my free fingers against his wide, sexy mouth. “Don’t.”
“Scared?”
“Hell, yes.”
He actually laughed, the rat. “So you’ll go up against a guy with a gun, but the very idea of commitment has you running for cover?”
I gave him my very best indignant glare. “I’m not afraid of commitment.”
“Oh really?” One side of his mouth twitched in the direction of a smile.
“Really.” I tried to put every bit of strength I had into the lie—I mean the word.
“Then you won’t mind if I spend some serious time in D.C. trying to convince you we belong together.”
“What about your shop?” Yes, I was dodging the question.
“Margaret is perfectly capable of taking care of my store.”
My fingers, drawn to his face by the force of desire, touched his cheek and slid downward to his awesome mouth. The darkness in his eyes, and his quick intake of breath had me getting hopeful again.
“You need to rest,” he whispered.
“I need you.” I touched my lips to his in an effort to show him just how much I needed him. The boy was smart. In seconds he had his hands under my clothes and was exploring the topography of my body. A few, heart-pounding minutes later we were both naked.
And then the real fun began.
****
I sat at Jake’s kitchen table that afternoon, munching on scrambled eggs, toast, and crisp bacon. The view across the table was amazing. Tall, handsome, shirtless man, hair wet from his shower, eyes dark and warm; smile wide, gorgeous, and just for me. The warm scent of soap and freshly washed man drifted across the table and did interesting things to the private areas of my body.
I wanted badly to forget everything else and focus on the present. I wanted to pretend we could do this every morning for the rest of our lives. I wanted to not have the conversation we were about to have. But as Mick Jagger says, “You can’t always get what you want.”
“Jake, we need to talk.”
I heard him suck in his breath, then lower his fork. “Damn, those words are never good.”
“Just because you believe I didn’t send that picture to The Weekly Tattler, most of the rest of the world thinks I’m a traitor to Bigfoot kind.”
Jake took my hand in his, a serious expression pulling at his forehead and shadowing his eyes. “You have to understand, we’ve fought for over a hundred years to prevent the Bigfoot clan from being discovered. With every generation, their numbers grow smaller and the population of Ugly Creek gets bigger. The more people who know, the more likely exactly what happened will happen. It’s not your fault.”
I looked hard at my plate. “I took the picture.”
“You didn’t send it out.”
“No, but I gave whoever did the opportunity.” I sighed.
“On your personal computer, right? It’s not like you had the photo out waving it around.”
I slowly shook my head, thinking. “N
obody but me knew it was even in there, and I don’t understand how anybody could have gotten hold of it. I haven’t been online since I took the picture, and my computer is password-protected. Plus, I put that shot in a locked file with some of the other Ugly Creek shots. Just landscape stuff, nothing important. I lock my picture files, and the file name was ‘Landscape’ or something equally earth-shattering.”
“Margaret said there was a possible break-in at her house.”
“Why would anyone get into my computer instead of just taking it? And if they did, why look in that file? I can’t believe they went through every picture in my computer; that could take days.”
“None of this makes sense.”
I leaned back and rubbed my aching head. “That’s for sure.”
Jake shook his head. “I think when we figure that out a lot of things will make sense.” He glanced at his watch. “We should probably start getting things together, the tribute dinner is at seven o’clock, and I know from long, annoying experience with my sister it takes a while for a woman to get ready.”
An icy hand gripped my heart and I felt the blood drain from my face. “I can’t go to the dinner.”
“Why not?”
I looked into his kind eyes and tried to let him see the agony tearing me apart. “My being there would only upset Maddie. I came here to help her, to make things easier. I can’t do something that would make her unhappy.”
Jake licked his lips absently, then tilted his head to one side and narrowed his eyes. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes. I do.”
“Then trust me enough to allow me to escort you to the dinner.”
Even though warning sirens screamed in my head, I did trust him, but there was a problem that might just get me out of the situation. I hoped. “All my clothes are in the rental car. I have nothing to wear.”
“Your things are here.”
How did that happen? Surprise, and a touch of anxiety, tingled up my spine. “How in the world did you do that? Magic?”
He grinned. “I have my ways. Now let’s get going. I don’t want to be late.”
I wanted to be late. Maybe a week late. Actually, a month would be even better. “Promise me if it gets ugly you’ll bring me back here.”
The Ugly Truth Page 19
