“I am still applying for another job, aren’t I?” she asked. “My parents didn’t change your mind?”
“No. Never. Sorry, didn’t mean to go silent. I just don’t like that you’re giving up your dream job so soon after you landed it.”
“Some things are more important than a job, Raleigh. Like people. You. Cody. Even Rose, whom I like, by the way.”
Raleigh plucked a weed from the ground and spun it between his finger and thumb. “She likes you, too.”
“She said that?”
“Yes. And that you were good people.”
“Aw.” She grew silent for a moment. “We’ll make this work.”
His fingers tightened on his phone. Hope. And the fear of losing it. “Yes, we will.”
“I love you, Raleigh. I keep wanting to say it, but it’s so new.” She laughed. “And I don’t want to inundate you. Or scare you off.”
“There’s nothing you could do or show me that would scare me off. I love you, too.” Saying those words felt foreign to him, too. He’d never heard them growing up. A couple of the gals he’d dated had said it, but he knew they hadn’t meant it. He’d never said it back.
“My parents are staying at a hotel tonight and leaving in the morning. They want to have dinner with me. With us.”
He cringed at the thought, and at losing time with Mia alone. They didn’t have much of it left before she had to leave. “Did they actually say ‘us’?”
“I said ‘us.’ That’s a new word, too. Us. They’re going to have to accept it. I know if they spend time with you they’ll see what I see.”
He leaned against the building, tossing the mangled weed. The heat from the sun-warmed metal eased the tension in his back. “And what’s that?”
“That you’re honorable and good and sweet and respectful. Of course, they won’t see the sexy-as-sin side of you that I see.”
He wouldn’t mention how her mother had taken in an eyeful. Instead, he let Mia’s words fill his soul with warmth. “I hope they see what you do.” He hoped he actually possessed what she saw.
“They will, baby. They will. Come home after work. We’ll have a little time before we meet them at Riccardo’s.”
That made him smile. “Are we going to clean out the pantry again?”
“Mmm, you bet.”
He kept that smile through the afternoon.
Peter came out near closing time. “Hey, since you don’t got one of those race cars waiting around, how ‘bout you finish Mrs. Watkins’s car tonight?”
“No can do. I have to get the cottage ready before the real-estate agent comes tomorrow.” He’d forgotten to tell Mia about that.
“I think it has more to do with Mia than it does with that house,” Peter groused, but with a smile.
“You may be right.”
“So maybe this garage selling is a good thing. Frees you up.”
If it made his boss feel better, Raleigh would agree. “Go ahead and accept the offer. From what the Realtor said, even if we get an offer on the cottage next week it could take a month or more to actually close. I’m all right with it,” he assured Peter. “Like you said, it frees me up.”
The man looked relieved. “Good.” He clapped Raleigh’s shoulder. “I wish you the best, I really do. You deserve it.”
Did he? Mia thought so. Obviously, Peter had seen the good in Raleigh, too. “Thanks. For everything.”
“All right, I’m outta here before we get all sappy. Have a good night.”
Mike popped his head out from beneath the car he’d been working on. “What are you going to do, Raleigh? I was hoping you’d open your own place. Maybe hire me.”
“I will, if it works out that way. I’m wide open right now.”
Free, as Mia had said. Scary and exciting at once. They closed up the garage and headed out. Raleigh glanced at the old building as he pulled away. He’d miss it, miss Peter. But the possibility of having Mia in his life was beyond any negatives.
Just the fact that she’d been thinking about how they could make it work, even recognizing his loyalty to Cody and Rose…it was hard to fathom. But that was why he loved her.
He’d been thinking about it, too, all day. How he could have his cake and eat it, too. Could he bring the two of them to Minneapolis? Set Rose up with a job, give her a fresh start. Escaping one’s past, one’s reputation, held a huge appeal for him. Would it for her? Cody would get used to the cold. He’d probably dig the snow.
Raleigh’s chest felt light as he pulled up to the cottage, the words Honey, I’m home ringing through his head. Home. Us. Words he’d never hoped to own.
He knocked on the door, hearing her call, “Come in! Goodness, you don’t have to knock.”
She was breathtaking in a white sundress, leaning against the back of the couch facing the door. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, pulling down the hair she’d so artfully piled on her head. “Nice dress. I’ll enjoy seeing it on you later.”
He started to untie the bow at the base of her neck, but she stilled his hand. Gave him a look that indicated he’d missed something. Or forgotten something.
“Was I supposed to bring home wine? Is it our anniversary? What?”
Her eyes were wide as she gestured toward herself. “Notice anything?”
Oh, crap. She’d done something special and he hadn’t seen it. He stepped back and took her in. Well, her hair was mussed now. A silver pendant lay just above the cleavage her dress revealed. The cotton fabric hugged her tight at the waist and flared out and fell to knee level. She wore no shoes.
“You look amazing.”
“Seriously, you don’t see it?”
“Sorry, I don’t.” He took her in, and then…“You’re not wearing makeup. And you’re wearing a sundress. No cover-up.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “You really didn’t notice?”
“I swear, I didn’t.” He stepped close, their lower bodies pressed together. Her skin was a little redder, a bit rougher. He ran his fingers across her shoulder, down her arm. Then up to her cheek. “You’re still beautiful.”
She hopped up on her tiptoes and kissed him, sweeping her tongue into his mouth. He’d always loved her passion, the way she completely gave herself to him. It was easy to give himself back. Finally, she leaned away, giving him a coy smile. “Now, what were you saying about my dress?”
“I think it will look very nice lying right here on the back of the couch.” He’d started to untie the bow again when someone knocked at the door. He stifled the sound of irritation. “Your parents, stopping by for another surprise visit?”
“Maybe.”
But the person on the front porch was even more surprising than that: Cassidy in his sheriff’s uniform, looking at Mia. “I’d heard you were in town, meant to stop by and give you my condolences.” He raked her face with cold eyes. “Damn, is that from the crash?”
“You’re an ass.” Raleigh lunged forward, but Mia grabbed his arm and held him back.
“You’re going to hit me because I pointed out the obvious?” Cassidy said, sending rage boiling through Raleigh.
“You’re the one who did this to her!” Raleigh shouted.
“You ran into my lane. I overcompensated. It was an accident.”
“You were being an arrogant punk,” Raleigh said, using Mia’s father’s word. “Don’t forget, you admitted you were trying to psyche me out. You were reckless.”
“Come on, punch me.” Cassidy pointed to his chin, taunting. “Give me another reason to run your ass in to the station.”
Another reason? Raleigh reined in his fury, then turned to see another squad car pull up. Hell. What was going on?
Pax launched out, but his angry expression was aimed at Cassidy. “Couldn’t wait to come out here, could you?”
“And you shouldn’t be here, ’cause you’re friends with this idjit.”
Raleigh gave his attention to Pax. “What’s going on?”
Cassidy ans
wered. “The guys clearing George Morlen’s land went for a swim in the lake to cool off…and found a vehicle submerged in the middle. With a body in it. Well, more like a skeleton now. You need to come in for questioning.”
Raleigh’s heart felt as though it were pumping sludge through his veins. A skeleton? Near his cabin? He turned to Pax. “Am I being arrested?”
“We just want to ask you some questions, being as it was found on the same property you live on,” Pax clarified. “Routine procedure.”
“Unless you want to take a shot at me,” Cassidy said, tapping his chin again. “We can make it a lot more fun.”
“Ass,” Pax muttered, shoving his co-worker. “You can drive yourself down. I imagine that would be more comfortable.”
“I’m going with you,” Mia said as soon as the two had reached their cars.
“No, go to dinner with your parents.”
“Raleigh, I’m going with you.”
“Then you’ll have to tell them we’re canceling because I’m being questioned at the sheriff’s office. It’s easier to make an excuse for just me, like I’m working late or something. They’ll probably think I chickened out.”
“I won’t let them think that.”
“And maybe I’ll be back in time. I have nothing to tell the cops, since I don’t know anything about a car in the lake. But I want to find out more. And, of course, I want to seem cooperative.”
“Maybe you should get a lawyer.” Fear tensed her features, furrowed her eyebrows.
“If I need to.”
“You see it on those news shows, how they badger someone for hours, days even, until they confess.”
He kissed her nose. “I won’t let them do that to me. I’ll keep in touch.” He skimmed his fingers over her scarred skin. “You’re beautiful. I really didn’t see it.”
“Stop worrying about me,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”
He hated leaving her, so concerned about him. So damned pretty. “Maybe I can meet you at the restaurant, worst case.”
She nodded but didn’t look hopeful. “Why does Cassidy hate you so much? I can’t imagine you doing anything that bad to him.”
“He has a bully for a dad, and he was always taking it out on the smaller kids at school. I thwarted him, because I was bigger and meaner than him. Mean to him, anyway. He resented my freedom, when his dad controlled his every move. When we started racing, he had money for better cars and equipment, but I still beat him almost every time. It made him crazy-pissed.”
She shook her head. “Typical guy who takes out his powerlessness on everyone else.” She squeezed Raleigh’s arm. “Go on. The faster you get there, the faster you’ll come back to me.”
He gave her a quick kiss and drove to the station, remembering when he’d come here after being released from the hospital, the day after coming back from Atlanta…after having his stitches redone. Every cell in his body screamed for him to turn around, run. But he hadn’t done anything wrong this time.
Sheriff Sullivan, Pax’s dad, was on the phone in the front room when Raleigh stepped in. He finished the call and crooked his finger for Raleigh to follow him into the interrogation room. The same room where he’d had to tell the man how he’d been racing. The sheriff hung up and walked into the room. “Evening, son.”
As if Raleigh would ever think of this man as a father. “Evening, sir. I hear a skeleton was found in George Morlen’s lake.” How did an innocent man look? Or, rather, what would make Raleigh look guilty?
Sullivan perched on the corner of the table, casually swinging his leg. “ ‘Bout a half mile from your cabin. Vehicle looks as though it was driven into the lake—we figure maybe a year ago or more by the decomposition of the body.”
“Accident? Suicide?”
“Nope.”
Damn. That would have made this easier. And it wasn’t going to be easy, since the sheriff wasn’t parting with much more than that.
“Male or female?” Raleigh asked.
“Male, by the size of the femur bone. Coroner’s doing his thing now, so we’ll know more soon. I was hoping you could give us some insight. Ever had any trouble out there?”
“No, sir. Run off poachers a time or two but never had a violent altercation. Heard gunshots, but not in the last few years. Been pretty quiet out there lately.”
“Hear anything suspicious in the last year or so? A fight, maybe? Screams?”
“No, sir. Have you spoken to George?”
“Sure did.”
But Sullivan wasn’t parting with what he’d learned. Which probably wasn’t much. He asked the same questions in several different ways, but Raleigh’s answers were the same. The man wasn’t telling him something. Probably trying to trip Raleigh up. Finally, he stood. “I’ll think about if I saw or heard anything out of the norm, Sheriff. I have a dinner engagement, so unless you have more questions—”
The man waved dismissively. “Go on. But don’t wander far.”
Raleigh didn’t like the sound of that. He was glad to walk out of the station, though. He called George as he headed to his car.
“Guess you heard about the skeleton,” George said without preamble.
“Yeah. Any idea who it might be?”
“Not a clue. Probably some troublemaker getting drunk, driving too fast in the dark.”
“That hardly happened, not with all the signs. Or me being around.”
“I just hope they wrap it up soon, so the crew can get back to work.”
“Me, too.” So he could get back to his life. A life he was seriously beginning to love.
There wouldn’t be time for any pre-dinner fun, but he’d make the date with Mia and her parents. And it would be about as much fun as he’d just had with the sheriff. He was sure about that.
Chapter 13
“Admit it—dinner was awkward. Painful, even.” Mia slid her fingers down Raleigh’s arm as they walked to her convertible. “It’s okay. I could tell.”
Raleigh glanced back at the lights of the restaurant, where her parents were still having their after-dinner drink. Or five. “It was painful and awkward.” He gave her a gorgeous smile. “But worth every second if it helps the cause.”
She yanked him close and kissed him. “I love you for trying.”
“But not succeeding. I could see it in their faces. Like you said, they’re stubborn. And they’ll never see me as good enough for their little girl.”
“They’re wrong, Raleigh.” She linked her hands with his. “I think my father was relatively impressed when you told him about some of the cars you’d worked on. He might not understand the tech jargon, but he understands stats.”
“Yeah, well, figured I’d throw some numbers at him. Show him I know what I’m doing. Apparently, he’s been doing a little research on me.”
“He read some of the same articles I did.” She curled her fingers over his. “Good move, buying our dinners. You definitely earned a notch of respect on that.”
“I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him pay.”
She could see his pride bristle, just as it had when her father had instructed the server to put everything on one check. He’d chosen a particularly snooty restaurant, and high-priced to boot. “He was testing you. To see if you could hold your own. And you did.”
“I was underdressed. I’ve never been there before.”
He’d had barely enough time to shower and dress and make it there on time. The relief she’d felt when he came through the door had engulfed her. She knew how smallish towns could be, and Raleigh had already been arrested once.
Once they were in the car, Raleigh started the engine. But he didn’t put it into gear. “What Cassidy said—”
“He was just being his asshole self.”
He brushed her cheek with his finger. “But you put on makeup.”
She wrapped her hand around his. “I’m not ready to show the world my naked face. Only you.”
His mouth tightened in a line. “I wanted to punch him s
o bad.” Even now, he was flexing his fingers. “Thanks for holding me back.”
“We don’t need that kind of trouble. But I appreciate your defending my honor.”
He took her in, the anger dissolving. “Thank you for showing me.”
“I’d like to show you a lot more nakedness.”
Raleigh put the car in gear. “Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
She laughed as he tore out of the parking spot. She loved the rare moments when he let himself be playful. Once he was on the highway, he laced his fingers with hers.
She leaned against the headrest, taking in the blanket of stars against the dark sky. “It’s a perfect night.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You know, we never did make out in your car. I have to admit, when I saw you in the garage that first time it was a fantasy of mine.”
He gave her a sly smile. “Mine, too. But maneuvering around in the backseat isn’t as romantic as it seems. And…you were too good for that. Besides, I had a bed. Most teens who make out in cars don’t have much of a choice when it comes to privacy.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “But I’m all about helping you live out your fantasies, babe.”
She couldn’t help grinning at that. “It is an awfully nice night. With the roof off…” She shrugged. “Have any place in mind?”
“I’m sure I can come up with one.”
He took the next right and headed away from the Gulf, through a long stretch of marshland that looked like an alienscape in the moonlight. Inside, hunger and need clawed her, a pent-up tiger waiting to escape. She glanced over at him, and he lifted her hand to his mouth. Ran his tongue over the back, dipped it between her fingers.
Oh, yeah, he was feeling it, too.
Twenty minutes later, he turned into a state park, bypassed the parking lot, and took a gravel road with a sign that read EMPLOYEES ONLY.
“I don’t want you to get into trouble,” she said, the scene with Cassidy still too fresh in her mind.
“One of my best clients is the park manager. But I know they don’t monitor the park at night, so no worries.”
He parked up on a knoll overlooking a field of marshes interlaced with puzzle-piece-shaped pools of water. She stepped out and breathed it in. “It’s amazing.” When he came up behind her, she turned and threw herself at him. “You’re amazing.”
Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) Page 17
