Lost Innocence

by Jannine Gallant

  Teague willed himself to keep a straight face. “I can drop you off, if you’d like.”

  She glanced up at him. “No, thanks. It’s a short walk, and I could use the fresh air. Good night, Teague.”

  “Night, Paige.” He waited while Leah picked up a giant tote bag filled with what he assumed were gifts and thanked the bartender, then walked beside her to the door. “Seems like you ladies had a good time.”

  “It was a fun evening.” She stood beside his truck and shivered while he lifted her pink cruiser into the back. After he unlocked the door, she slid onto the seat.

  Hurrying around to his side, he climbed in and started the engine. “Which way are we headed?”

  “Go north out of town.” They were quiet for a minute before Leah spoke again. “If you want a relationship with Nina to work, you’re going to have to push her a little.”

  “Huh?” He turned to stare.

  “She’ll act like she doesn’t want anything serious. Heck, maybe she’s convinced herself that’s true. But I know her well enough to understand what she really needs.”

  He faced forward and focused on the road. “What does Nina need? Exactly?”

  “She needs to know she’s someone’s priority. I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I also don’t want to see my best friend get hurt. Turn left just up ahead at the mailbox.”

  It took him a moment to realize what she was talking about. Teague slowed, then turned onto a long, rutted driveway that led to an older home on a bluff overlooking the ocean. He stopped and put on the parking brake. “Please, I’d like to understand her better.”

  Leah lifted the tote bag onto her lap and played with the strap. “I only met Keith a couple of times.” She gave him a sharp glance in the glow of the outdoor light. “Nina’s told you about her fiancé who died?”

  “Yes.”

  “He was a good guy, a Marine who served his country with honor. I don’t doubt he loved her, but he made it clear his career came first. I think it was eating her up inside, even though she never complained.”

  “Maybe he couldn’t put her needs first. Military families have to make sacrifices all the time.”

  “That’s true.” Leah’s voice was calm but held an underlying tension. “Except his tour was up. Nina wanted to move back to the States. Keith agreed, then signed on for four more years without talking it over with her first.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, wow. She never got a chance to shout and yell and work out her feelings because Keith was killed. I think it’s the reason she won’t commit to another relationship. She has some issues, but she also has a beautiful heart and deserves to find someone to love who loves her in return. If you have any interest in being that man, you’re going to have to put in some work and make sure she knows her needs matter.”

  He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. “We haven’t gone past the getting to know each other stage yet, but I do care about Nina. A lot.”

  “Good.”

  “I also have a daughter.”

  Leah touched his arm. “I know that, and she shouldn’t be a problem unless you make her one. I’m just looking out for my friend because I know she cares about you, too, maybe more than any man she’s dated in a long, long time.”

  He stared out into the night. “Thanks for talking to me. I appreciate it.”

  “I’m not trying to scare you off.”

  “I know, and the last thing I want is to hurt Nina.”

  Leah’s eyes were thoughtful as she met his gaze. “That’s all I ask.” She opened the car door and stepped out onto the driveway. “Thanks for the ride.”

  “I’ll get your bike.”

  “Thanks.”

  A minute later, she pushed the cruiser into the carport, and the outdoor light went out. Teague stood without moving as the breeze off the ocean sent a shiver through him. He definitely had a lot to think about.

  Chapter Sixteen

  She stabbed the tip of the shovel into the earth with a grunt, then heaped the loosened dirt on the ground near the hole. Her arms ached, as did her back and every other part of her body. In the past, digging the burial chamber hadn’t taken so much effort. As it was, she’d have to work for the better part of a week to dig the hole deep enough. Some days more than others, getting old was a trial. As she leaned on the shovel and gasped for breath, her mind fogged with visions of all the other pits she’d dug over the years.

  Regret ate at her. Each and every time she’d been certain the girl in question was Lynette come back to her. Watching the pretender morph into someone unrecognizable as her darling child was horrifying and painful. Unfortunately, with each passing day she was more certain the current inhabitant of her home was an impostor. The time to bury her mistake was drawing near.

  Groaning, she straightened and kept digging, despite her exhaustion. With each downward slash of the shovel, fear that she wouldn’t have the wherewithal to pack up and leave with her precious girl after the inevitable was over gnawed at her stomach. She bent double in pain, needing to stop the ache. If only she’d found that damn winning lottery ticket, her worries would be a thing of the past. But she’d failed, and she was beginning to fear the key to her financial security was lost forever.

  She’d conquered hardships in the past. Granted, the times she’d been flush with cash had always proved easier, but she would overcome any and all obstacles ahead of her. Because this time would be the last. The sweet child with the missing tooth and sunny smile was her very own Lynette returned to be with her like a gift from above. She’d been watching her more and more often to make certain she was right. The next step would be a few questions to ease any final concerns. This time, there would be no mistake to bury on a late June day sometime in the future. She’d never been more certain of anything. Never.

  * * *

  Nina tried to ignore her growling stomach . . . and failed. “Well, I totally blew it. I should have planned ahead.”

  At her feet, Coco opened one eye before closing it again to stretch out in the bright patch of sunlight and groan.

  “I brought treats for you, so of course you don’t care.” The dog chews looked like beef jerky, maybe if . . . Nina shook her head. She wasn’t that hungry. With renewed determination, she worked to add finishing touches to her drawing of the patch of pink and white phlox growing around the base of a western red cedar. The tree stood in a shaft of sunlight, and the contrasting colors and textures were so spectacular she hadn’t been able to resist pulling out her sketch box filled with colored pencils.

  A half hour later she surveyed the finished drawing with satisfaction before returning the box and artist pad to her pack. Rising up from the flat rock where she’d sat cross-legged to work, she winced and stretched to ease away the stiffness.

  “I would have chosen something more comfortable to sit on if I’d known I was going to be here so long.”

  Coco stood and shook before giving her an enquiring look. The fur hanging from her ears fluttered in the breeze.

  “Yes, we’re going home. I’ve had enough adventure for one day.”

  If she could figure out exactly where home was. They’d left the trail some distance back when Coco had taken off in fearless pursuit of a rabbit. Of course if Coco hadn’t chased the bunny, she would never have found the cedar tree and phlox. She shrugged the daypack onto her shoulders. One thing was certain, if she and Coco headed straight downhill, they would eventually come out somewhere in the vicinity of their neighborhood.

  Pushing through the dense forest was hard work, and Nina was sweating and scratched after hiking for three-quarters of an hour. She’d given up trying to find the trail some time back and simply focused on getting down the hillside. When the trees thinned ahead, relief flooded through her. “Oh, thank God. We must be almost home.”

  Coco’s tail dragged, and she gave what Nina swore was a discouraged woof.

  “Not much farther now. You know this is all your fault, right?” When the d
og cocked her head to one side, Nina grimaced. “You’re the one who had to chase the damn rabbit.”

  But the small clearing didn’t back up to any of the neighborhood houses. The trees closed in on all sides. Perched on the branch of a Douglas fir, a blue jay squawked raucously in the stillness. Coco left Nina’s side to sniff branches scattered over the ground next to a fresh pile of dirt.

  The hair on the back of her neck lifted. “Get away from there, Coco.”

  The dog ignored her. When the branches gave way, she plunged downward with a yelp.

  Nina ran forward and stopped at the edge of a hole about four feet deep and maybe a yard in diameter. Coco scrambled to climb up the side, but the dirt slid down around her. Kneeling on the branches, Nina reached down to grab the dog and haul her up.

  “Why the heck would someone dig a pit out here?” Hands on her hips, she turned in a slow circle before spying a break in the barrier of trees. “Looks like that’s the direction they came from. Let’s go, Coco.”

  The trail was rough at best, and Nina stopped a few times, fearing she’d lost the path altogether. About fifteen minutes later, she and the dog emerged through the trees at the end of a cul-de-sac much like her own.

  “About damn time. I know where we are now.” Picking up her pace, she hurried down the street past the burned-out shell of a house before reaching the corner. “Only a few more blocks to go.”

  Coco flopped down on the pavement and wouldn’t budge even when Nina prodded her with the toe of her hiking shoe.

  “Fine, I’ll carry you, but I’m going to be covered in dirt.” Picking up the filthy dog, she headed for home. She’d just turned down her street when Teague’s pickup slowed to a stop, and both passenger side windows lowered.

  Keely hung out the back one. “Hi, Nina. How come you’re carrying Coco?”

  At the sound of the girl’s voice, the dog yipped and squirmed until Nina set her down. Dashing across the pavement, Coco put her paws up on the running board and barked.

  Teague eyed her steadily from the far side of the cab. “She looks a little dirty.”

  “A lot dirty. A minute ago, she was pretending she didn’t have the energy to walk home.” Nina pointed at the bouncing, yapping dog. “Obviously a complete lie.”

  He leaned forward to push open the front passenger door. “Hop in.”

  After lifting Coco onto the seat and waiting for her to scramble into the back with Keely, Nina climbed in and shut the door. She set her daypack at her feet and turned to face him. “By the way, I took your dog for a walk. I didn’t want to bother you at work, and I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  “Not in the least.” He shifted into gear. “From the state both of you are in, I’d say you had quite a time.”

  Nina glanced down at the dirt stains on the front of her T-shirt and the faint scratches on her arms. “We got a little lost, then Coco fell into a hole someone dug out in the woods. The good news is I spent a couple of hours drawing a sketch in a lovely spot I never would have found if your dog hadn’t chased a rabbit.”

  “Coco loves chasing bunnies.” Keely giggled. “And squirrels and cats. Anything that runs away from her.”

  “I figured that out about a quarter mile into the pursuit.”

  Teague parked in his driveway and turned off the engine. “What prompted you to take her with you to begin with?”

  “I couldn’t find anyone to go running with me. I was tempted to go alone, but then a car I didn’t recognize turned around in our cul-de-sac, and I started wondering . . .” Nina climbed out and waited for Keely and Coco to jump down.

  Teague slammed his door and walked around to stand at her side. “Did you see the person driving?”

  “No. The windows were tinted, and whoever it was left right away. We get tourists just cruising around sometimes, but I was still a little nervous.”

  He laid a warm hand on her arm and squeezed. “I don’t blame you.”

  “Anyway, I decided to go for a hike instead of a run.”

  “And you took Coco for protection?”

  “More like an early warning system. I figured she’d bark if someone followed us, and I had my trusty can of pepper spray in my pack.”

  His gaze drifted to his daughter and the dog as they ran in circles on the lawn. “So, you both got lost chasing a rabbit?”

  “Coco chased. I followed, and I wasn’t lost, exactly. I knew the general direction we needed to go to get home, but I wasn’t on the trail.”

  “Keely’s going to have to give the mutt a bath. That should be fun.”

  Nina couldn’t hold back a smile. “Do I detect a note of sarcasm? Hey, I didn’t ask your dog to fall in a hole. It was the weirdest thing, not terribly big around but about four feet deep out in the middle of nowhere.”

  “It’s summer, so kids are getting bored. A few from the neighborhood probably decided to build a trap and didn’t want their parents to find it.”

  “Well, the trap worked, because they captured Coco. When I first saw the mound of dirt, I was afraid someone had buried a pet out there. It gave me the creeps. Then Coco fell through the branches covering the hole, and I was relieved I wasn’t standing in some sort of pet cemetery.”

  He laughed. “Shades of Stephen King.”

  “Stop. That book traumatized me.” She nudged his arm. “What’s new with you? I’ve barely seen you in the last couple of days.”

  “Just work. Keely seems to like her outdoor adventure camp. Oh, I asked for Saturday off so I can go to Leah and Ryan’s wedding with you.”

  “Thank you.” She leaned her head against his shoulder when he slid his arm around her waist. “Having you there is important to me.”

  “The captain okayed it, so we’re good. Keely’s spending the night with a new friend from camp, which means I won’t have to worry about a sitter and getting home early.”

  “You’re the best.”

  He pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head before releasing her, then stepped away when Keely and Coco scrambled up off the grass to head in their direction. “I want to make you happy, Nina.”

  “You do.”

  His daughter stopped in front of them, and a little frown creased her brow as she glanced from Nina to her dad. “What’s for dinner?”

  “Enchiladas.”

  “Yum. Can I give Coco a bath in the tub?”

  “I’d rather you used the hose outside.”

  “I can help.” Nina laid a hand on Keely’s shoulder. “Since it’s my fault she’s such a mess. Anyway, I can’t get any dirtier than I already am.”

  “Good idea. I’ll make dinner while you’re torturing Coco. She’s not a huge fan of baths.”

  “I figured as much.” Nina glanced at Keely and smiled. “Let’s go do this.”

  After Teague unlocked the front door, Keely led the way through the house and out into the backyard. Nina stopped in the laundry room to take the dog shampoo and old towel he handed her.

  “Thanks for helping out.”

  She leaned against the doorframe. “I did take Coco hiking with me, so I’ll shoulder the extra work . . . if I get enchiladas in exchange.”

  “Seems like a fair deal. Good luck out there.”

  “I have a feeling I’ll need it.”

  Nina let the back door swing shut behind her as she walked down the steps to where Keely was unwinding the hose. Coco’s leash was attached to the girl’s wrist, and the dog strained against her hold, eyeing the back fence.

  “That’s weird. Did you open the gate just now?”

  Keely glanced up and frowned. “No, it was already like that.”

  “I’m positive I shut it after I let Coco out earlier.” Nina crossed the yard and pulled it closed. It stuck briefly before the latch fell into place.

  “It’s hard to shut. Daddy told me not to mess with it.”

  “I guess I didn’t click it firmly. Well, it’s closed now. I don’t want Coco to try to escape during her bath.”

  “She�
��s pulling my arm off.”

  “Here, I’ll take her.” Nina set the shampoo and towel on the picnic table and reached for the leash. Fifteen minutes later, she was almost as wet as the dog as she held her while Keely hosed off the soap. “I think that’s good enough.”

  “I hope so. Coco looks like she might bite you.”

  Nina studied the dog warily. “I got that feeling, too, but I think she’s over it now.”

  Coco shook, sending water flying.

  “I can dry her.” Keely dropped the hose to pick up the towel. “She likes being rubbed.”

  “Good to know.” Nina relinquished the dog into the girl’s care. “I need to go shower. I’m soaked.”

  Keely glanced up from where she kneeled beside Coco. “If you’re already wet, why do you need to shower?”

  “I may be wet, but I’m far from clean.”

  “Are you having dinner with us?”

  Something in her tone made Nina pause. “I was planning to if that’s okay with you.”

  “Sure, but . . .” Keely kept her head down and patted the dog’s fur.

  A sinking feeling swept through Nina’s stomach as she crouched down beside the two. “But what? Is something wrong?”

  Keely regarded her coolly, hair straggling around her face. “Are you sleeping in my dad’s bed? Traci at camp said that’s what grown-ups do, even when they’re not married. She said sometimes a mistake happens. That’s how she got her little brother. Having a brother sounds horrfying.”

  Nina forced herself to breathe. “You mean horrifying.”

  “Yeah, that. A baby sister wouldn’t be so bad.”

  She wondered what to say. Discussing sex with a six-year-old wasn’t an option. “You should probably talk to your dad about this, but I can assure you, you won’t be getting a baby brother or sister by mistake.”

  “That’s good.” Her hands stilled on Coco’s back. “Does that mean you don’t sleep in bed with my dad? I’ve seen him kiss you.”

  “Sometimes adults kiss when they like each other a lot.” She floundered for something else to add, knowing exactly what she’d like to say to the precocious Traci’s parents. “Uh, we’re just . . . dating.”