Kicking the Habit

by Kari Lee Townsend

  “Former. I never actually took my final vows.” She frowned. “I’m confused. You’re a church organist and obviously Catholic if you’re playing for Our Lady of Glory, yet you’ve never met a nun?”

  “I’m newly Catholic,” he said without missing a beat. “And I meant that I’ve never really gotten to know a nun outside of the church.”

  “You still haven’t,” Candy chimed in. “You don’t really know my sister, and we’re not outside of the church. What else you got, there, chief? Cuz I’m not really buyin’ what you’re sellin’.”

  “Pardon me?” The man looked taken aback. “I’m not selling anything, but I’m also failing miserably at conversing, apparently.”

  “Your words, not mine.” Candy turned around and headed to the pews, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be waiting for you in the back, Cece. My feet are killing me.”

  “Forgive my sister. It’s been a long morning, and you could say she’s newly Catholic as well. Or she will be if I have any say.” Cece shook her head. “I truly apologize, Mister …?”

  “I’m the one who needs forgiveness. My manners are severely lacking,” he responded kindly. “The name’s Trundle. Wilbur Trundle. And thank you so much for taking the time to introduce yourself. I really appreciate it. It’s hard being the new guy in such a small, close-knit community.”

  “I can imagine, but no worries. Everyone’s really friendly here.” Cece glanced at her sister, who was sprawled across a pew in the back, looking bored stiff. “Well, almost everyone, anyway. Speaking of locals. I hope you don’t mind if I ask, but where’s Eleanor?”

  His face lost a bit of its sparkle, and he looked a little sad. “I’ve known Eleanor for years. In fact, we studied music together at Berkley. When she called, heartbroken after the senator’s death, she said she needed to take a leave of absence to grieve. She and the senator were very close, what with her volunteering for his campaign and all. Naturally, I came at once. I’m a composer, so I work from home in Boston, which means I can basically work from anywhere. Filling in for Eleanor for a couple weeks was the least I could do after all she’s done for me over the years. Besides, I find it inspirational to work in such a quaint little town.”

  “Oh, dear me. Poor Eleanor. I hope she’s feeling better soon. Did she leave town?”

  “Oh, no. She’s still here. Her sister came in to stay with her for a while.”

  “Well, that’s good.”

  “I guess I’d better be going,” he said. “But thanks again for being so nice.”

  “Anytime. And please let me know if you need anything.”

  “Will do.” He smiled at Cece and then walked out the side door.

  “Will do what?” Detective Jackson asked, making Cece jump. She whirled around as he and Detective Antonelli came to a stop behind her, followed closely by a gloating Candy.

  “Let me know if he needs anything,” Cece replied. “He’s new in town, and I’m just being friendly, Detective. Is that a crime?”

  “Hmmm,” was all he said, his sea-green eyes heavy lidded and closed halfway. Cece couldn’t help but notice the small dots of perspiration breaking on his forehead. Maybe he was thinking of their kiss too. And while in church, heaven forbid! That had to be doing a number on him.

  “I think it would be a crime if you were any other way, Sister,” Detective Antonelli purred.

  “Oh, for the love of God,” Candy snapped. “Close your mouth, Rockstar. You’re blinding me with the wattage of your smile. What do you do, moonlight for a toothpaste commercial?”

  “Just thorough hygiene and good genes, darlin’. That’s not a bad idea, though, but only if you’ll be my leading lady under the moonlight.”

  “Never gonna happen.”

  “You keep saying that, but you’re still here.”

  Candy snorted. “Not by choice.”

  “See? Somethin’ else we have in common.”

  Candy grimaced. “Show’s over, Cece. Time for the curtain call cuz I can’t pretend anymore.”

  “I got a curtain, sugar. A candy apple–red shower curtain, and you can call me—”

  “A bullshitter,” Ace interjected, clapping a hand on Rocco’s shoulder and giving it a hard squeeze. “Get a clue, Romeo. The lady’s had enough.”

  Rocco winced, then shot Ace a frown.

  Candy studied Detective Jackson with a glimmer of surprise and a hint of respect, then grumbled, “At least half of your duo has a brain,” as she headed out of the church with her shoes dangling from her hands and her bare feet slapping the floor. “I’m leaving in five, Cece.”

  “I’ll walk you out.” Rocco hurried after her, ignoring the clue and Ace’s warning.

  The man was determined; Cece would give him that. A whiff of manly aftershave drifted past her nose, making her acutely aware that she and Ace were finally alone. This was the first time they’d been alone since the infamous kiss the night before. She tried not to let it affect her as she felt his eyes burning hotly into her.

  “Sorry about my pain-in-the-ass partner,” he finally said.

  Cece looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

  He flushed slightly. “Pardon my language.” He shifted his stance and asked, “Mind if we take this outside?”

  “Not at all.” She relented and walked beside him toward the entrance of the church.

  Ace didn’t say a word until they’d cleared the doorway. Then he gulped in some fresh air and visibly relaxed. Meanwhile, Candy glared from the car window and tapped her watch at Cece while Rocco kept trying to get her to roll down the window and talk to him.

  “We have about four minutes left, Detective. I suggest you make them count.” Cece adjusted her bun and then tightened her cardigan sweater against the chill.

  He glanced at his partner, shook his head, and then said, “Right. About last night—”

  She held up her hand as she stared up at his impressive height, remembering what it had felt like to crawl up the length of him and plaster her body to his. “Please, Detective. With all the craziness happening around us, let’s just chalk it up to the heat of the moment. We’re not exactly suited for one another. I’m sure it won’t happen again.” She swallowed hard, willing herself to make it so.

  He looked vastly relieved, yet a little perturbed. “That’s probably a good idea,” he said, sounding frustrated. “And you’re right. We definitely don’t belong together. Besides, neither one of us can afford a distraction right now, especially with some crazy assassin out there taking potshots at you. You do realize that incident in the barn was only two days ago, I hope. Are you ready to stop dragging me through a series of misadventures and crazy encounters? Are you ready to come to your senses and let me put you someplace safe? Are you ready to quit being so damned stubborn? You’re not Sister Mary Sleuth, you know.” With every question, he’d leaned in a little further until she was forced to arch her back and strain her neck just to look up at him.

  Her jaw had dropped open and her hands had found their way to her hips by the time he finished. She stepped back a bit and then let him have it. “For your information, Detective, I don’t recall asking you to accompany me anywhere. And I most certainly never dragged you. Like I could, even if I’d wanted to, which I absolutely do not. I am fully aware of the danger I am in, but I am also aware of my obligations to the senator as well as the citizens of New Hope.” She closed her eyes and unclenched her hands, refusing to let him get the best of her. Then she opened her eyes and continued in a calmer tone. “I know you are just doing your job, but I’d appreciate it if you would stop interfering with mine.”

  “Your job?” He barked out a laugh, crossing his muscular arms over his chest and wearing a condescending expression. “Is that what you call it? I call it a foolish, misguided guilt trip that’s going to get your holy little fanny killed.”

  “Ooooh! You are impossible!” She re-clenched her fists and said something she never thought she’d say to anyone. “I really thought there was hope for y
ou, but I’m beginning to think you’re utterly hopeless.”

  “Careful, sister.” He poked her in the shoulder. “That doesn’t sound very virtuous.”

  She pursed her lips and clamped her teeth tightly together, refusing to sink any further to his level, then spun on her heel and marched over to her sister’s car.

  “Hey, wait! Where do you think you’re going?” he hollered after her.

  “On another misadventure to encounter someone crazy and get myself killed,” she snapped back, then slid into the car and slammed the door shut.

  Chapter 10

  “That man makes me so angry,” Cece grumbled, as Candy pulled away from the curb.

  “Wow. I can’t believe you said something negative about anyone, let alone—”

  “Not now, Charity. Please let’s go get some lunch at Millie’s Diner. Can we just do that?”

  “Done.” Candy didn’t say another word until they pulled up outside of Millie’s, and she cut the engine to her beat-up old mustang. Cece didn’t care what she rode in as long as it got her where she needed to go, but Candy refused to be caught dead in Granny’s witchmobile. They both barely ran, but Candy claimed at least hers was a classic.

  “Look,” Candy finally spoke after they sat in silence for five minutes. “It might be none of my business, but I care about you. Jackass pisses me off on a daily basis, but it takes a lot to get you riled up. What the hell happened between you two?”

  “Nothing,” Cece said, but she couldn’t quite meet her sister’s eyes.

  “Bullshit.”

  Cece’s gaze whipped up to her sister’s. “Charity, please.”

  “You can beg all you want. It’s not going to change the fact that your story is bullshit. Something obviously happened. You just don’t trust me enough to tell me.” She acted like she didn’t care, but Cece could see the hurt in her eyes.

  “It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Cece chose her words carefully. “I just know you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

  Candy’s eyes sprang wide. “Oh my God, you slept with him!”

  “No. Good Lord, no!” Cece shivered just thinking about it. She’d dreamt about sleeping with Ace many times, waking up panting and sweating. She couldn’t imagine what the actual act would do to her if she were awake. “It was nothing that drastic, I promise. We just kissed, that’s all.”

  “That’s all?” Candy sputtered, still looking shocked and appalled. “That’s something, not nothing.” She smacked the dashboard. “You asked me earlier what was I thinking? Now I’m asking you what the hell were you thinking? You are setting yourself up for one big heartache when it comes to him. You think I have issues? You have no idea what he’s been through. Dammit, Cece, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “What do you mean what he’s been through?” Cece frowned, knowing her sister was holding out on her. Candy had grown up around here, after Cece left. It stood to reason she knew a lot more about New Hope’s history than Cece did.

  Candy’s face became a mask. “Like you said, it’s nothing.”

  Cece was about to question her further, but the door to Millie’s opened, and the patrons exiting distracted her.

  “Hey, isn’t that Meridoodle?” Charity asked.

  “Meriwether,” Cece corrected automatically. It didn’t even faze her much anymore. Her sister lived for nicknames. Cece was beginning to think she messed people’s names up on purpose to keep life interesting and frustrate her.

  “Who’s that with her?” Candy pointed out the window.

  Cece squinted to see better. “It has to be her sister. They look just alike. Mr. Trundle said she was visiting for a while.”

  “Not her. I meant the dude. I thought Meridoodle and Mystery Man were an item, although I have to say this dude is a whole lot prettier.” The man was tall for a Chinese man, with a body like that of a runner: long and lean with sculpted muscles. Eleanor was attractive enough; they just didn’t seem like they fit together as a couple.

  “Mr. Trundle said he and Ms. Meriwether were just friends. This guy was Senator Sloan’s campaign manager. I heard Detective Jackson say his name is Li Wang. I think they are just friends as well. Eleanor volunteered for the senator’s campaign, so they’re probably discussing how to wrap it up now that he has passed.”

  Wang leaned in and gave Eleanor a quick hug, patted her back, and then headed in the opposite direction from Eleanor and her sister.

  “Good friends by the looks of it,” Candy grunted.

  “You’re always so suspicious.” Cece sighed. “He was probably just consoling her on the loss of the senator. I’m sure they were all close after spending so much time together on the campaign, but enough about them. Let’s eat. I’m starved.”

  “By the way, why’d you pick Millie’s? Weren’t we supposed to try different places for our bonding times together?” Candy asked, making a set of air quotes.

  “I love the food here,” Cece said, looking down at her lap. She had such a hard time lying. A good thing for her faith, but a bad thing for her new profession.

  “Oh, please. I’m the one who eats here all the time, not you.” Candy stared hard at her and then glanced at the door to the diner as another patron exited. Cece knew it was only a matter of time before Candy figured it out, especially when the patron was one flustered and red-faced Benny Parker.

  Candy’s jaw dropped open, and Cece thought, Here we go. “Millie’s the woman Benny was talking about in church, isn’t she?” her sister blurted.

  “My lips are sealed,” Cece stated firmly, but she couldn’t quite hide the sparkle in her eye.

  “Good grief. My sister the matchmaker. How ironic since your love life is one big mess.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cece replied, as she climbed out of the car and headed toward the front door, with long, determined strides.

  Her sister followed reluctantly, and Cece heard her utter, “Whatever you say, Cupid.”

  ***

  “Thanks for the ride, Candy,” Cece said, as she shut the door to Candy’s mustang. “Tell Gran I’ll be over for dinner after I finish up here at the clinic.”

  “Will do,” Candy replied. “Don’t be long. It’s going to be dark in a few hours.”

  “Okay, boss.” Cece saluted her sister.

  “Lord knows someone has to be in charge of you. And be safe. Don’t do anything foolish.”

  Cece scoffed, holding her hands in the air. “Do I ever?”

  Candy just snorted and then drove away.

  Cece shrugged as she headed into her counseling clinic and shut the door behind her. She hung her coat on the coat rack, rubbed her hands together, and then turned up the heat. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Given that it was fall in Connecticut, it would be dark in a couple of hours. After the day she’d had, she just wasn’t ready to face anyone yet. She felt like she was floundering when it came to the investigation. And then there was Ace.

  She walked further into the room, intending to finish some paperwork in her office, but stopped halfway there, reflecting on the man who was such a mystery to her. A stubborn, no-nonsense, big burly guy who looked ready to take on the world, yet was terrified of a ninety-year-old nun and an ancient church. Strong but gentle. Tough, yet vulnerable. Cold and aloof one minute but hot and passionate the next.

  The man frustrated her beyond belief, but he took her breath away. That kiss had rocked her to her core. He’d poured such passion and feeling and desperation into that simple kiss that it felt like so much more than just a physical act. But what if he really did have some dark issue he’d buried deep? Could he ever come to love her—or anyone?

  “Stop it,” she said out loud, rubbing her temples.

  She had to stop fantasizing about something that could never be. When she’d entered the convent, she’d done so knowing that she would never marry. Just because she’d had dreams of a steamy encounter with a man who looked way too much like Ace didn’t mean s
he was meant to get married now that she’d left the convent. She still had every intention of doing God’s work from the outside of the church. …

  But a small part of her yearned for a husband and children.

  Maybe it was because she was approaching thirty. Or maybe she was just being silly and simply needed to be held in a man’s arms once more. Whatever the reason, Ace’s kiss had affected her way too much for comfort. He was right. The best thing they could do would be to remain purely professional when around each other.

  The bell over her front door chimed, and she bit her bottom lip. She had known it was only a matter of time before the good detective caught up with her. She turned around and opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat. The man standing before her wasn’t Ace. …

  He was Mumfry Walker.

  Closing her dry mouth and swallowing hard, Cece plastered on an angelic smile and said, “Mr. Walker. How nice to see you. Did we have an appointment?”

  She always locked the door to her apartment upstairs, but she refused to do so in her clinic. She locked up when she wasn’t there, of course, but otherwise she wanted an open-door policy, where people in need would know they could stop by any time and she would be there for them. Besides, essentially the building still belonged to the town anyway.

  His shaggy red hair was in need of a cut, not to mention that he obviously hadn’t shaved in days, and he reeked of cigarette smoke. Reminding herself not to judge, she smiled pleasantly. She certainly didn’t need to add anything more to her list for confession.

  He narrowed his eyes, his black one looking bruised and angry as he answered, “No.”

  Okay, maybe her open-door policy wasn’t such a great idea. He just stood there, his eyes shifting around a bit too wildly for her liking. “Can I help you with something else then?”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t say anything more, just stared at her in such a menacing way, as though trying to scare her.

  Oh, my. Mission accomplished. He had no idea how stubborn she was, though. Probably because she truly believed there was good in everyone. Even him. “And that would be …?”