“I told you that Jonah Pruitt was trouble.”
“Jonah Pruitt is the furthest thing from trouble I’ve met in ages. He’s just as much a victim as those poor women are.”
One more piece of evidence that proved I had to let her go. There was no way she could turn her back on someone who needed help, and I was a bastard to even consider asking her. “You collect them don’t you? You can’t help yourself.”
She looked up in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“The outcasts. Bruce Wayne. Jonah Pruitt…”
She sat up, a fire in her eyes. “If you add Neely Kate to that list, I’m liable to hurt you.” Her gaze leveled on me. “When did you get back to Henryetta?”
“Just a few minutes ago.”
She glanced at the clock. “But it’s almost two in the morning. Have you been with your parents this entire time?”
“Yes.” I knew I had to tell her what happened but I couldn’t bring myself to do it yet. Not here. Not now. But it was inevitable. I had to be back in El Dorado by eleven tomorrow.
“You’re running for the senate aren’t you?” Her voice was so quiet I could barely hear her.
I remained silent, not trusting myself to speak.
“What about us?”
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t lose her. I’d fight this. I’d find a way to salvage this mess. I picked up her hand and gently kissed her palm, my will to fight blazing a path through my body. “What about us? I still want to marry you, Rose. Nothing’s changed there.”
“I’d make a terrible politician’s wife, Joe. What if I have a vision at an important event? What if people ask me about my education?”
“Not everyone is like my parents.”
She started to cry, and I wanted to kill my father, strangle him with my bare hands. He’d done this to her. To us. But that didn’t help Rose. I wiped the tears from her cheeks, careful around her bruises. “Don’t cry, Rose. Nothing’s going to change the way I feel about you. I don’t care what anyone says.” But I knew it didn’t matter how I felt. My parents didn’t care.
Rose looked up at me, fear in her eyes. “I want to have a vision.”
My mouth dropped open. “Of me?”
She nodded.
“But you hate doing that.”
“I tried one on purpose today, and now I want to try it with you.”
I picked up her hand. “Okay.” This was good. Why hadn’t I thought of it myself? She could see my future and see us together, giving me the reassurance I needed to find a way to save us.
Her eyes sank closed, and her body stilled while I clung to her for dear life. But when her eyes flew open, she started to cry again, her words gargled with her tears.
Terror shot through my body. “What did you see?”
She tried to catch her breath. “You won.”
“The senate race?” I didn’t care about that. I wanted to know about us.
“I don’t know about this one. The one I saw was for the U.S. Senate.”
What had she really seen? “Are you really that upset about me running for office?”
“No, there’s more.”
If she was this distraught, I didn’t want to know. But I’d spent my life making messes and letting my father clean them up. I needed to face this head-on. Then maybe I could change it. “Okay.”
“You were married. To someone else.” Her tear-filled eyes searched mine, and her voice broke. “You were married to Hilary, and she was pregnant.”
Shock and horror flooded my head and I stood. “No!”
She watched me in silence.
This was a nightmare come true. “I love you, Rose.” I could hardly talk past the lump in my throat. She was blurry through my tears. “I don’t love her.”
Rose watched me, tears streaming down her face.
She believed it would come true.
The embers of my anger were stoked into another roaring fire. “You know damn good and well that what you see doesn’t always come true. What was the vision you saw earlier?”
“My murder tonight. Rhonda shot me in the head.”
“Oh, God.” She’d seen her own murder? Panic replaced my anger, and I took her in my arms, terrified. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“There wasn’t time with the dinner and the announcement. Besides, I couldn’t see my face, so I didn’t know it was me until Mason called to check on me, and I told him there was someone outside and the police weren’t coming.” She paused, her voice cracking. “I think we both knew it was similar to what happened to his sister.”
Mason had called her tonight. How close had they gotten over the last few days? “So you talked about his side of things.”
“We’re friends, Joe. If it weren’t for Mason, I really would be dead right now.”
The door opened behind me and a doctor walked into the room. Her gaze swung around, looking surprised when it landed on me. “Ms. Gardner, we have good news. There’s no sign of concussion, but we’ll need to stitch up your head wound. It’s close to your hairline, so the scar should be hidden.”
She examined Rose’s back to reveal large bruises and I forced myself not to gasp at the purple welts. Jonah Pruitt’s mother had hurt her, and I hadn’t been there to protect her.
The doctor left the room saying someone would be back to stitch Rose’s head.
Rose looked into my face, a sad acceptance in her eyes. “You’re right. My vision didn’t entirely come true. But a lot of it did.”
I wanted to scream. If Rose didn’t believe in us, we were lost. “We can change it, Rose.”
“Do you care about her?”
“We’ve known each other for a long time, so it’s hard not to hope she’s okay. But we’re over. Your vision is wrong.”
“Do you want to run for the senate, Joe? If your father and I weren’t involved, what would you want to do?”
I sat down. I should tell her everything. Seek her advice. But Rose didn’t back down from trouble, her battered body was proof enough of that. I wasn’t sure I could put her through it. I took the chicken-shit way out. “I think I can make a difference.”
Rose looked like she wanted to say something but someone came in to put in her stitches.
We were silent most of the way home. Rose was exhausted, and I was too heartbroken to speak.
I helped her inside and off with her bloody dress and into one of my T-shirts. I tucked her into bed and then took Muffy outside.
The little dog was excited to see me and I sat down on the front steps, rubbing the back of her head. “I’m going to miss you, Muff.” Muffy may have been Rose’s dog, but I always felt like she was part mine too. I buried my face in her fur. “It had to be a rough night for you.” I checked her over to make sure she hadn’t gotten hurt when Rose was attacked. I knew how protective she was of Rose. But she seemed just fine and I sent her into the yard, surprised I’d miss this along with everything else I associated with Rose.
After Muffy did her business, I took her inside and stripped down to my boxers and slipped into bed next to Rose. She was on her side, turned away from me so she wasn’t lying on her stitches. I carefully pressed my stomach to her back, wrapping my arms around her waist.
“I love you, Rose.” I kissed her neck.
Her voice broke. “I love you too.”
I couldn’t believe this was my last night with her. I took a breath to keep from crying. Tomorrow I had to break both of our hearts all over again.
Chapter Five
Sunlight woke me up and I snuggled into Rose, dozing before reality hit me.
Today was the day I had to let her go.
I lay in bed, studying the curve of her mouth, the contrast of her dark eyelashes against her creamy skin. I picked up several strands of her dark hair. Soon after her mother had been killed, her aunt had cut her hair to a little past her shoulders, but it had grown out since.
I watched her, wishing she was naked so I could take one last memory of that p
art of her too. The weight of her breasts in my hand, her legs wrapped around me when we made love. I closed my eyes, pushing down my grief. I had a lifetime to live with the pain. For now, I just wanted to embrace this time with her.
But Muffy was dancing around the room, begging to go out. I eased myself out of bed, careful to not disturb Rose. I threw on a spare pair of clothes I kept there, realizing I had to pack up my things.
I wasn’t sure I could leave her, but I didn’t have a choice.
I checked my phone and Rose’s while I took Muffy out. Violet had called Rose almost a dozen times since last night. She’d probably heard about the kidnapping and needed to make sure Rose was okay. I called her from my phone, and she jumped all over me the moment she realized who she was talking to.
“Why didn’t someone tell me that Rose was in trouble last night?”
“I don’t know, Violet. I didn’t get to the hospital until almost two a.m. and by the time she got checked out, it was too late to call.” I took Muffy back inside and surveyed the cabinets for food. Who would shop for Rose when I was gone? She never thought to get anything for herself. She’d live off of turkey sandwiches and cereal.
“What happened?” Violet demanded.
“I don’t know all the details, Violet. I told you, I didn’t get here until she was in the hospital.”
Rose appeared in the doorway, my T-shirt hitting her thighs and her sexy legs peeking out. Her hair draped over her shoulders and partly covered the bruises on her face. The sight of her sent blood rushing to my groin.
“You didn’t save her from that crazy woman?” Violet asked.
I tried to stuff down the bitterness that I owed Rose’s life to Mason and tried to focus on my thankfulness. I really did owe him, as hard as it was to swallow. “No. Mason knew where to find her. He got to her before the police.”
Rose moved toward me, her bare feet padding across the floor. I reached for her, pulling her to my chest and kissing her head, breathing in the scent of her. God, I loved her smell, a mixture of her shampoo and the flowers she worked with.
She looked up at me and mouthed. “Thank you.”
I could mope for the rest of the time I had left, or I could make the best of it. For both of us. I forced a grin and mouthed, “You can repay me later.”
A soft smile of happiness spread across her face.
“Well, is she okay?” Violet asked.
“She won’t be in for the rest of the day. She still has to give a lengthy police statement.” I gave her a playful look. “Apparently, she’s about to supply them with all the evidence Deveraux needs to try this case.” That God damned Henryetta police department had to be the biggest band of fools ever assembled. I wanted to blame them for this mess too. “But even when she’s done, she needs to rest. She’s pretty beat up.”
I finally got Violet off the phone and turned it to vibrate before I tossed it on the table. I sure as hell didn’t want my father calling me before I was ready to leave. It was a little after nine so that meant I still had an hour with her.
I lifted Rose’s chin, tilting her face from side to side. “You look more beat up on the right side, but it obviously could have been much worse. And you have two horrible bruises on your back. You need to take it easy today.”
“If it means I get to spend the day with you, it sounds wonderful.”
All the happiness I had mustered fled. “I’m going to have to run back to El Dorado in about an hour.”
Sadness crept into her eyes. “So you’re really doing this?”
“Yeah,” I whispered. Should I tell her now? Was I just dragging this out for both of us?
She wrapped my arms around my neck and snuggled into my chest, sadness oozing from her pores. “What about the sheriff’s deputy job?”
Tell her. She deserves the truth. But she was in my arms and I wanted every moment I had left with her. If that made me a selfish bastard, so be it. “That’s on hold for now.”
Rose pulled away and turned to the counter. “I need coffee.”
My heart burst with grief. “I’m going to make you breakfast too.”
“If you’re leaving in an hour, I’d rather just spend the time with you.”
“Okay,” I said softly.
There was a rap on the front door and she jumped. She had every right to be jumpy after last night. I trailed my fingers up and down her arm. “I’ll get it.”
When I opened the door, I recognized Bruce Wayne Decker. He looked like the man who’d been on trial, yet he was different somehow.
He looked at me and swallowed, but held his head high. “Is Rose here?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I speak to her?”
There was a confidence in him that hadn’t been there before. I had no doubt that Rose had done that for him. She’d given him a job and believed in him when no one else had. Pride blossomed in my chest, and I cleared my throat to speak. “I’ll get her.”
She was pouring a bowl of cereal when I walked in. “Rose, it’s for you.”
“Oh.” She looked worried when she walked to the front door.
I grimaced at the cereal then pulled out the last of the eggs to make her a quick omelet.
I had to tell her the truth. She deserved to know, yet I was also smart enough to know she was like a pole cat. She’d stand up to my father to the bitter end. But I owed her the choice. I couldn’t make it for her. A small part of me hoped she’d agree to all the terms, but the rest of me was horrified at the thought. Even if it meant losing her.
“I told you that you didn’t have to cook, Joe,” she said when she came back several minutes later.
I twisted to see her sit at the table. “I know darlin’, but I wanted to make sure you ate something filling, something that’s not cereal.” I pulled a plate out of the cabinet and slid the omelet onto it, and set it on the table.
She took a bite and kept her gaze on her plate. “Go ahead and spill it. I can always tell when you’re worried.”
I’d hoped to put this off and spend more time with her. I’d hoped to make love to her one more time, but I knew the kindest thing I could do was to get this over with now. I’d tell her the truth. Maybe I’d tell her the terms, and she’d throw me out before I got to the part about my father threatening her and her family. If I looked like a bastard, so be it. Maybe it would make it easier for her. “This senate race might be tight.”
She still didn’t look up. “I thought the race was unopposed.”
“Someone else is going to declare he’s running later this morning. Frank Delany. Delany’s a family man, so they’ll be comparing me to him.”
She hesitated. “Is that why you asked me to marry you?”
“No. God, no.” I picked up her hand and searched her face. “I told you that I planned to ask you today. Before I knew about the senate race.”
“What does that have to do with what you’re worried about?”
“My mother is concerned.”
She put her fork down.
“You’re from a lower socioeconomic class than the opponent.”
She tensed. “And you.” She finally raised her gaze. “I’m much lower than you.”
“But we can spin that as a positive. Look at the nursery that you and Violet started. Voters love that kind of stuff. I told my mother that you might actually be an advantage. We can pull in voters who relate to you and your humble roots.”
She sat up straighter. “I believe your mother called it ‘poor white trash.’”
I flinched. Had mom insulted her before dinner when I was with Hilary or after when Dad dragged me from the dining room? Did it matter?
“Why are you doing this?”
I stared into her face. I should just let her go, but selfish bastard that I was, I couldn’t do it.
“Where’s my Joe?” Tears filled her voice. “Because he would never talk about using me for votes.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “That all came out wrong. I’m doing thi
s all wrong.”
“Joe McAllister couldn’t give two figs about a political office. Joe McAllister wanted to be with me and barbeque and take picnics and walk Muffy.”
Desperation billowed in my chest as I looked out the window. Not only would she not agree to this, she was going to hate me. I told myself that was for the best but the thought of her hating me sent a jolt of pain through my chest.
“Your mother called me a pretty diversion from all the bad things that had happened to you this year.” She paused. “Is that true? Is that what I am to you?”
“God, no.” My eyes burned. “How can you ask that?” I squeezed her hand in my despair. “Do you even know how much I love you?”
“You know, you were right.” She sat back in her chair. “You’re very obviously two different men. Joe McAllister—my Joe—and Joe Simmons—the man you’ve fought so hard not to be. You’re turning back into him.”
Her words stung, and I couldn’t hide my bitterness. “You’re the one who told me there was only one me.”
She took a deep breath. “So you plan on using the story of our entrepreneurial spirit in the campaign?”
“If you agree.”
“What else do you want me to do?”
Was she really open to this? “You’ll need to distance yourself from characters like Bruce Wayne and David for a while.”
“And what about Neely Kate?”
I snuck a glance at her. She sounded surprising emotionless at the suggestion. “I’m not sure yet.”
“So I need to cut the few friends I have out of my life. Mason too?”
I couldn’t answer her. I was asking her to give up everything. For me. I sure as hell didn’t deserve it, and she didn’t deserve the misery it would put her through.
“I guess I can work at the nursery since it will help your campaign.”
Was she really considering it? “For a while anyway, until we get married. We can’t live in Henryetta since it’s not in the same jurisdiction.” I squeezed her hand so hard I had to have cut off her circulation. “I guess we’ll live in El Dorado when we’re not in Little Rock.”
“Okay.”
I stared at her in disbelief. She was going to do it. While part of me was ecstatic, the rest of me was horrified. “Okay?” I dropped her hand and stood in front of the sink, grabbing hold of the counter. “Are you even listening to what I’m asking you to do?” I spun around to face her. “Are you seriously considering doing it?”
Falling to Pieces Page 4
