by Jillian Hart
“Sounds like you two were a good match.”
“I thought so.” He took a few steps in the direction of the parking lot and let the Frisbee sail through the air. “I didn’t want that plane ride to end. But the wheels touched down and we had to say goodbye. I gave her my cell number, sure I’d never hear from her.”
“She called you.” Who wouldn’t? Brooke could hardly blame the woman. Liam, with the lowering sun slanting behind him like heaven’s light, could make even a woman like her want to believe in Prince Charming.
“I knew the moment I heard her voice on the other end of the line that my life would change. I thought it would be for the better.” Self-conscious, he shrugged his impressive shoulders, the ones that would make any woman sigh.
Not that she was sighing.
“Sidney met me for dinner.” He stared off in the distance, hardly noticing when Oscar bounded up. The dog had to nudge the Frisbee into his master’s hand to draw him back. Liam grabbed the disk and sent it sailing again. “We talked, we laughed, we walked along the Thames. It just felt so right.”
“When it wasn’t?”
“Exactly.” Regret burned dark blue as his gaze narrowed. “I should have known better. Love leads to heartbreak regardless of what books and movies tell us.”
“Not every time.” She had to believe that was true, that love could flourish somewhere, somehow.
Not for her but for someone. The world would be a very bleak place without everlasting love on it. But then again, maybe it was just wishful thinking.
“How many relationships do you know that have stood the test of time?” Oscar rushed up to him, panting hard, his prize clamped between his teeth. Liam scrubbed the dog’s head.
“Oh, tough question.” She wrestled with that one herself. “My parents are divorced. My father has divorced twice. The twins’ mother has been in and out of marriages.”
“My parents are divorced, too. Although they both live in Washington, D.C.”
“The lawyers?”
“Both workaholics. Both are Type A.”
“Things you inherited?”
“Mostly.” He tugged his keys from his pocket, the parking lot nearer now. “Maybe I inherited the bad marriage gene.”
“I know the feeling.”
“That’s why you’re still single?”
“One reason.” The truth sat on the tip of her tongue, ready to be told. What was she doing? She swallowed hard, holding back the words. What was it about Liam that made her guards weaken? She’d nearly opened up to him. She shook her head. No way did she know him enough to trust him. “It’s my opinion men cause destruction and ruin wherever they go.”
“Funny, that’s my opinion about women.” His slow grin made her heart skip a beat.
Good thing her heart wasn’t in charge. She was. And she wasn’t going to let his stunning smile weaken her defenses any further. Time to shore them up. She hiked her chin and steeled her spine.
“I know that’s not fair.” Liam winked. “But that’s how it feels.”
So hard to ignore that wink. She let it bounce off her, unaffected. She’d gotten as close to him as she was going to. Best to remember she worked for him, she was leaving as soon as the trial was over and the last thing she wanted was a man to complicate things. She had a life again. No way was she going to mess that up.
“Hey, Liam!” A man waved, heading in their direction. He wasn’t alone. He held a pretty woman’s hand, their wedding bands glinting in the sunshine. A preschooler on a tricycle pedaled in front of them. “Out walking your new dog?”
“Something like that. Roger, Jayne, come meet Oscar.”
“Oscar, huh? I couldn’t believe that pic you sent me.” The man and his family came closer. “How’s your living room?”
“It might never be the same again but that’s all right. My life needed a little shaking up. And Oscar’s a great guy. See?” The friendly dog bounded up sweetly to the little boy, tongue lolling.
“Puppy!” The preschooler shouted with glee and plopped the flat of his hand on the top of the Lab’s head. Oscar nuzzled in to swipe kisses across the boy’s face. Squeals of joy rang on the wind. Oscar’s tail thudded on the ground as he gave the tot another ardent kiss.
“I guess he’s good with kids.” Jayne patted the dog’s head. “He’s just a big goofy guy. How fun.”
“I can’t believe you’re out with a pretty lady.” Roger slipped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Jayne and I had given up hopes you would ever date again.”
Date? Did it look as if they were together? Brooke watched a similar shock explode across Liam’s face. His mouth opened, he struggled, but no words emerged. Maybe she’d better rescue him.
“This isn’t a date. I’ve got to clear up that misimpression right away,” she quipped.
“As if you would want to be with that guy, huh?” Jayne joined in, merry.
“You know it. I’m the dog trainer.”
“Aw, mystery solved.” Roger chuckled and his gaze fixated on her, narrowing. “You’re one of the McKaslin girls.”
“Guilty. You must know Lil and Colbie?”
“Sure I do. I interviewed them after Brianna was home from the hospital last year. I covered the Backdoor Burglars case for the Times.”
“You’re a reporter?” That hated word turned sour on her tongue. She took a step back involuntarily. He’d been in the courtroom today. That’s why he looked vaguely familiar.
“Yep, I’m a journalist. Believe me, it’s tough having Liam for a boss,” Roger joked with an obvious mix of good humor and respect.
“Your boss?” The brightness shattered all around her. Surely she hadn’t heard that right. She tilted her head and ignored shock quaking through her system. “You work for Liam?”
“Sure, it’s a burden I carry well.” Roger’s jovial tone belied his words. “You’re wondering if I got my story filed on time, aren’t you, Liam?”
“Hey, that’s not my department. You always hit your deadlines.”
“He’s a bigwig at the paper,” Roger explained. “We went through college together. Journalism majors. He’s the reason I moved to Montana. His grandfather was kind enough to offer me a job. Here’s to old friendships, right, Liam?”
“Hey, I’m not claiming you as my friend.” Liam’s light quip said differently.
Liam worked at the paper? Shock dulled her senses. She couldn’t think but her knees started to quake. How could it be true? She licked her lips and forced out the question. “You’re a reporter, too?”
“So they tell me.” Liam knelt down to smile at the toddler, still enthralled with Oscar.
Of course, he was a reporter. The pieces clicked into place. That’s why he’d been in court. He was covering the story. He knew the reporter who’d approached her by name. That’s why he’d asked those questions about her and her family, about Bree and her fiancé.
He’d been getting information out of her. She hadn’t even realized it.
Way to go, Brooke. You sure know how to pick ’em. She shook her head, stunned. And here she’d thought he was a good guy.
“I don’t write as much as I used to,” he went on, as if he hadn’t done anything wrong. “I miss it.”
“Hey, you can write what you want, since you’re second in charge at the paper.” Roger winked. “Don’t believe his sob story, Brooke. He gets his choice of assignments. And working with his grandfather makes him happy.”
“I can’t argue with that. My Grandfather Knightly is great. I like hanging with him.” Liam rescued the Frisbee Oscar had forgotten in the grass. “Harry is getting big. His birthday is coming up, right? I’m still invited?”
“Of course.” Jayne smiled. “How old are you, Harry?”
“Free.” He held up three fingers, which Oscar licked happily, tail wagging.
The scene seemed surreal. A terrible ringing clanged in her ears. Her hands turned cold, her knees wobbly. How could she have been so clueless? She swallow
ed hard, but the knot in her throat wouldn’t budge. Why had she let her guard down?
“C’mon, Oscar. Sorry, Jayne, your kid’s hair is standing straight up on end. Looks like a Mohawk.” Liam grabbed the Lab’s collar, tugging him away from the preschooler. The dog’s tongue dangled, torn away mid-lick.
“It’s a new look for our little guy. He’s going punk,” Roger joked as the family moved off together. “See you at tomorrow’s staff meeting?”
“I’ll be there bright and early.”
“Nice meeting you, Brooke,” Jayne called out, friendly.
“You, too.” The words felt torn out of her. She pasted what she hoped was a pleasant smile on her face for the kind woman. Wooden, she took a step, alone with Liam as the little family moved off.
What if she’d opened up to Liam more? What if she’d told him the truth about her past? Look what might have happened. Her family secrets and her past spilled all over his grandfather’s newspaper, that’s what. She shook her head, stumbling after the man and his dog. She couldn’t believe how close she’d come to making another mistake.
Be careful who you trust. Hadn’t she learned that lesson well enough the first time? Liam strode a few steps ahead of her with his dog, as easygoing and amiable as he’d always been.
“How long have you been a reporter?” Her hands fisted. She kept her head down, holding back her anger, trying to corral her hurt. “Since college?”
“Yeah. Once I graduated, my grandfather wanted me to help him run his paper but I wasn’t ready. I headed off to New York. Started as a stringer for the New York Times and worked my way up.” He shrugged, modest, not elaborating. Most men she knew didn’t hesitate to show a little ego. “Like I said, my folks hoped I would take after them, but reporting was in my blood. When I landed a job at a cable news network, I couldn’t believe it.”
“So that explains why you said you traveled a lot.” The pieces finally fit. She’d been interested in the broken romance part of his story instead of asking the right questions, like what he did for a living. “I don’t watch the news a lot, but it sounds fascinating. You were a foreign correspondent?”
“I traveled all over the globe. It was exciting.” He hit the remote on his key chain. His truck locks popped open and the dog loped ahead, overjoyed by the prospect of another ride. Liam didn’t even seem to realize she was upset. Maybe he hadn’t tried to trick her on purpose, but that certainly didn’t change the facts.
She’d trusted him more than she should have. Well, not anymore. This was about the dog, she reminded herself. And don’t forget her pocketbook. She could use the money. Oscar needed help. It didn’t have to be any more complicated or personal than that.
“Are you okay?” He broke the brief silence. “You seem a little quiet.”
“I’m fine.” Wiser, but fine. “I’m thinking we should make a few stops on the way back. The hardware store. The pet store.”
“My thoughts exactly. We’re on the same wavelength, you and me.” He winked, charming, looking like everything good and trustworthy in the world. He strode through the sun with the wind tousling his hair and the happy dog at his side.
But was she charmed? Not a chance. Not again. She shrugged, not sure what to say. It was best to keep her distance from this moment on.
Chapter Six
“It’s getting late.” Brooke’s voice broke the silence between them that had settled into the house once they’d returned. He wanted to attribute it to the long day and the fact they had a daunting task ahead of them, but he wasn’t sure. She’d been quiet before they left the park.
After they met Roger and his wife.
He glanced at the mantel clock, put down the instruction sheet and stood, his back protesting. “It’s nearly nine. We got a lot done in the past two hours. You were phenomenal.”
“Not so much. The cleanup looked worse than it really was.” She didn’t meet his gaze as she stowed the broom in the entry closet. “Poor Oscar. He must have been so upset worrying you wouldn’t come back.”
“He’s worn himself out. Look.” The dog snoozed on his bed in the corner, legs sticking straight out, snoring like a truck downshifting on the freeway. “The more I think about that day care idea, the more I like it.”
“We’ll try to work on his anxiety again next time. If you want.” All business, she tugged the bag of dog treats from her purse and left them on the coffee table. Eyes down, polite, distant.
“Sounds good. You made a real difference today. Thanks. Plus, Oscar has taken a liking to you.”
“I’m not falling for that. Oscar adores everyone.” A hint of a smile touched her lips but she still didn’t look up. Keys in hand, she faced the door. “Looks like you got the kennel figured out?”
“Yep, it’s all in one piece. I have faults but I’m great at following directions.” Another quip, but she didn’t smile. She didn’t banter back. She just slipped her purse strap higher on her shoulder. Her attention arrowed to the door, once again like the serious woman he’d first spotted in Lil’s yard.
He remembered Tasha Brown rushing her in the corridor. He didn’t know what that was about, but it probably had something to do with when Brianna was in the hospital over in Seattle. Brooke lived in Seattle. He had no idea what all had gone on there because he’d been out of the country. But it struck him now that she’d asked a few questions about his job after meeting Roger.
“I’ll walk you out.” Tension tugged tight in his chest, growing worse with every step. A war waged inside him—to keep his distance versus the unexplainable hold she had on him. He cared about her. He couldn’t help it. Truth was, she was a hazard to him. Her gentleness, her quirky humor and now the quiet pull of her spirit got to him.
Even when he’d sworn no woman ever would.
The brass doorknob felt cool against his palm as he gave it a twist. Lukewarm night air washed over him as he held the door open for her. When she whispered past, a gust of wind carried her vanilla scent. A few strands of her long hair brushed against his jaw.
Caring rolled through him with such force he had to brace his feet and steel his spine not to give in to it. A hazard? The woman was a live minefield. He tripped down the steps after her, reeling. A smart man would say good-night and retreat into the house while he could, but was he a smart man?
Well, that had always been in debate. He trailed after her down the shadowed walkway, unable to take his focus away from the lithe silhouette she made.
“You didn’t know I was a reporter, did you?” His question made her turn around in the darkest part of the yard. He couldn’t see her but he didn’t need to. He felt her gaze on him and heard the intake of her gasp.
“No, I didn’t. No one thought to inform me. Even you.” No accusation in her soft tone. Steady, solid, unemotional, as if she’d already retreated too far to come back.
Maybe he should be glad for that. Maybe he should be shouting out a cheer, jumping up and down in relief because the bid to keep her from affecting him just got easier. But he couldn’t let it go. She might not admit it and she refused to show it, but she was hurting.
He hated that.
“I thought you knew. It’s a lame excuse, I know. I shouldn’t have assumed. I should have tattooed it on my forehead or something.” That quip garnered a better reaction. He could feel her smile and the knot of tension wedged in his chest began to ease. “Your family knows what I do for a living. It’s not a secret.”
“No, I get it. I understand.” So she said, but the distance between them didn’t change. Her tone didn’t warm. Her guards didn’t go down. “I see what happened.”
“You don’t have to worry about Roger. He’s mostly harmless. He wouldn’t have grilled you like Tasha tried to do.”
“It’s not Roger I’m worried about.” She exhaled, a sigh of frustration. “You basically interviewed me without my knowledge or permission.”
“Interviewed you? When?”
“All those questions about Bree.”
>
Realization hit him like a hammer. The blow struck hard, reverberating through him down to his bone marrow. What an idiot he’d been, a complete and utter dummy. No wonder she was upset. He risked taking a step closer. “I never intended to print anything you’ve told me off the record. That’s the way I am. Ask Lil. Ask Colbie. They know.”
“I guess we’ll see in tomorrow’s paper.” Her dark silhouette moved slightly, her chin going up. She didn’t believe him.
He drew himself up to his full height but he didn’t feel tall enough, good enough, not any longer. Not in Brooke’s eyes. She was wrong, but he knew what she saw, what this looked like. He disliked it, he really did, because he’d hurt her. At least, she thought he had. “I wasn’t using you. I wasn’t on the job. Nothing that happens between you and me off the record or with any member of your family will wind up in an article of mine. My word of honor.”
“I’ve heard that phrase before.”
“You haven’t heard it from me. All I’m asking for is a chance. Wait and see what kind of man I am before you quit on Oscar.”
“I didn’t say anything about quitting on Oscar.” The confession scraped from her, grating against her throat.
“I know, but it’s something I fear.” A hint of humor, always that humor lightening the moment. She could see the shadow of a day’s growth along his square jaw and smell the night air on his shirt. He crossed his arms over his chest, a powerful pose, a handsome one. But did it affect her?
Not even close. Her guards were up and they would stay that way. She gave a little prayer of thanks as Liam followed her down the last of the walkway. Streetlamps rained a puddle of light over the pickup, guiding her, leading her away.
“Thanks for everything you’ve done. You went beyond the call of duty, Brooke.” He ambled over to opened the pickup’s door. Sincerity defined him. Tall, solid, real. “You saved us.”
“Hardly. I just helped a little, that’s all.” She should hop onto the seat, start the engine and drive away, but something held her back. It was concern for the dog—yes, that’s what it had to be. “I hope Oscar likes day care.”
