by Donna Alward
He hesitated, and Jess’s heart went out to him. “Since Roberta cooked for you?”
He nodded. Put the fork in his mouth and chewed but Jess knew his mood had taken a hit.
“You still have family. You have people who care about you.”
“And yet you were the only one who thought to invite me today.”
“Well, I care about you.” She kept her voice low and stared down at her plate, making a show of spearing a few golden circles of carrot.
And then she reached over, not caring that it was his prosthetic that she was touching, and squeezed his hand.
Two tables had been set up—one being the dining table with all its leaves inserted, which sat eight comfortably and right now held a crowded eleven. Another card table had been set up nearby, where Mark and Sarah ate with their kids. The noise from separate conversations kept the volume at a steady hum and Jess watched out of the corner of her eye as Rick managed to cut his turkey, somewhat awkwardly but successfully. Pete regaled the group with a tale of his latest fishing trip and Bryce had his own stories to share about life as the police chief. Someone asked about the sale the next day at Treasures; Meggie assured Jess she was coming over to help out but only for a few hours because she wanted to take advantage of the markdowns around town as she was hoping to get some holiday shopping done.
Jess looked around her and felt so very blessed. No matter her troubles, no matter her mistakes, she had a wonderful family. She looked up and met Josh’s gaze and he smiled at her, looked at Rick, looked back at her, and winked.
She winked back.
CHAPTER 16
When the main course was over, it was time for pie. The kids went to work clearing the table and loading the dishwasher while pumpkin and pecan pies were taken from the cool back porch and a golden apple pie was taken out of the oven where it had been warming. They were all lined up on the butcher block for cutting when Sarah let out an “Oh, no!”
Everyone looked up.
“I forgot ice cream.”
Jess couldn’t have cared less if she had it or not but the chorus of dismay from the rest of the family was downright ugly. “You can’t have warm apple pie without ice cream,” Josh said with a frown. “It’s just not Thanksgiving!”
“Really, Josh? What are you, four?” Jess raised her eyebrows and teased. “It’ll be fine.”
“I can’t believe I forgot it. And the market’s closed.” Sarah looked truly distressed. Jess sighed. Only Sarah would consider the lack of ice cream a national emergency. She did have a tendency to be a bit of a perfectionist, especially when it came to hosting anything.
Rick interrupted. “I bet the G and S is still open. It doesn’t generally close on holidays. I can go get some, if you want.”
“Really?” Sarah’s face lit up. “We can let dinner settle for a few minutes, can’t we, guys?” She looked down at baby Alice, her cheeks smudged with sweet potato and peas. “I mean, poor Alice might like dessert, too.”
Jess snorted. A tub of yogurt would have done Alice just fine but when Sarah got something into her head …
“We’ll go, won’t we, Rick? It won’t take long. I could stand to walk off some of that stuffing anyway.”
“Back in a flash,” he agreed.
They put on jackets and shoes and headed out the door, making their way to a side street where the G & S Convenience was open pretty much every day of the year. The afternoon had warmed up a bit and neither Jess nor Rick seemed too concerned with hurrying back. Jess in particular was happy to be out of the commotion for a few minutes alone with Rick—even if it was simply walking to the store.
“So, did you get the third degree?” Rick asked, ambling along with his hands in his pockets.
“A little,” Jess answered. “Sarah mostly. She’s nosy. And my mom was a little concerned. Aunt Barb didn’t say much.”
“Concerned how?”
Jess shrugged. “Just doesn’t want me to rush into anything. Not when … well, we both know it’s no secret I had quite a dry spell.” She looked sideways at him and sent him a crooked smile. “You?”
“A bit. Mark and Pete didn’t say much, and Tom and Bryce gave me some shit, but Josh was a bit more, stern, maybe, than I expected. He’s pretty protective of you.”
“Josh was there that night,” she reminded him. “And he’s my big brother, not my cousin.”
Rick took his hand out of his pocket and reached down, lacing his fingers with hers. “He asked me if we were a thing. I said define thing.” He chuckled. “Poor guy couldn’t do it. Couldn’t come right out and ask if I was sleeping with his sister, so he said if I hurt you he was going to mess me up bad.”
“And you said?” She kept her hand in his. It felt good.
“I said fair enough.” He squeezed her fingers. “Except I’m not quite sure what we are either.”
“We’ll figure it out on our own time,” she said, but he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.
“That’s what I figure, too. I mean, there’s no rush, is there?”
They were face-to-face now and she looked up at him. “No rush at all,” she answered, but couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed. It had taken her a while to be ready to be in a relationship again. It wasn’t much fun feeling like she was dragging him along with her, perhaps a little reluctantly. What was he so afraid of?
She stood on tiptoe and, regardless of any potential audience, gave him a kiss. She twined her arms around his neck as her body pressed against his, and his hand rested on the curve of her back, pulling her close.
“Jess,” he said, his chest rising and falling faster than before. “We’re in the middle of the street.”
“You really don’t want people to know we’re seeing each other?” she asked, frowning a little.
He stepped back just a little, but enough that she felt the cool November air surround her once more. “I think you’ve forgotten how gossipy this town can be.” His dark gaze met hers. “It was only a few months ago that you were pointing out what everyone thought about me, Jess. Do you really think that’s changed? That the people of Jewell Cove suddenly think I should be polishing my halo?”
She hadn’t really thought of it that way, but he was right. He’d made some mistakes, and quite visibly. As a result he’d faced a fair bit of censure. She really couldn’t blame him for not wanting his every move scrutinized and judged.
Jess reached up and touched his face with her hand. “I understand,” she said softly. “I just want you to know, Rick, that I’m sorry for how hard I was on you, and that I’m not afraid of people knowing we’re together. Whenever you’re ready for that.”
“Thank you,” he said. “For being patient with me.”
She laughed and lowered her heels, tugging on his hand. “Don’t get used to it,” she joked. “My patience has a sell-by date.”
“Mine, too,” he replied, giving her a jostle with his elbow and making her laugh. “So let’s get this ice cream. The sooner dessert’s over, the sooner we get to go home.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Up ahead the convenience store was deserted in the late afternoon. Jess took in the empty street and parking lot, before nudging Rick. “Looks like everyone else in Jewell Cove is still sleeping off their food comas.”
Rick smiled and, in a heart-fluttering move, brought her hand up to his mouth for a quick kiss. “Good for us. I like being alone with you.”
Jess didn’t say anything as they closed the distance between them and the parking lot, but she couldn’t remember a Thanksgiving afternoon she’d enjoyed as much as this rambling walk with Rick.
A car pulling into the station broke the comfortable silence, stirring up a cloud of dust from the gravel. She gave a little cough, but her breath froze in her lungs as the car door opened and a man got out, slamming the door behind him.
She’d forgotten. Somehow it had slipped from her mind that this was Thanksgiving weekend, the perfect time for Mike to come home from wherever to se
e his family. Even in a community as small as Jewell Cove, Jess could go days without seeing acquaintances. What were the chances of running into each other at exactly this moment? Damn Sarah and her stupid ice cream.
She halted, catching Rick up short and pulling him back. She could tell the moment he noticed Mike because his hand tightened on hers reassuringly.
Maybe Mike would go into the store without seeing her and it would be fine.
Her heart beat wildly. She told herself that she had no reason to be afraid right now but her adrenaline had already kicked in, igniting her fight-or-flight response. “We can go,” she whispered to Rick. “Sarah can go without her ice cream.”
Mike was walking across the parking lot with long strides, and she was nearly in the clear when he put his hand on the door, pulled it open, and looked over his shoulder at the same time. When he saw her the curl of panic tightened in her stomach. It felt like it was centered directly behind her scar, the spot where he’d cut her all those years ago.
He let go of the door.
“Don’t run,” Rick said quietly. “I’m here. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
She watched Mike start toward her and fought the urge to cower. She hadn’t seen him since that night. Since Josh had threatened him, stitched up her wound, and driven her to the shelter. Perhaps she should have faced him before now, because the sight of his face did frighten her. Her body was tensed, ready to flee. It was only Rick’s hand clutching hers that kept her rooted to the spot.
Mike’s face was impassive, unreadable, and he stopped a few feet away, his gaze locked on hers. In that moment, looking into the face that had haunted her for years, Jess realized she was done cowering. She’d had years of healing, friends, and laughter, and she wasn’t going to let him take anything away from her ever again. At that realization, something eased inside of her, and she took a breath and straightened her spine, her eyes holding his. She was determined to do this with her chin up.
“Jess,” he greeted, his voice as smooth and charming as ever. He smiled, his teeth perfectly white. Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly …
“Michael,” she answered coolly.
“You must be surprised to see me,” he continued.
She knew exactly what he was saying. He’d broken his promise to Josh to never return to Jewell Cove. With his mocking smile, he was telling her he knew and didn’t care.
“Not really. I know your parents wanted you and Pam around for the holiday. I’m really sorry about your mom.”
Something flickered in his eyes at the mention of his mother, but he cleared it away quickly. “Yes, well, I really should have come to see her sooner. No real reason for me to stay away, is there?”
Jess wanted to shudder at the thought of him moving back to Jewell Cove. She’d come a long way but having him live in the same small community would be torture.
“Except a promise you made,” Rick pointed out, his voice hard. “It’s extenuating circumstances right now.”
Mike’s gaze flickered to Rick. “Jesus, Rick Sullivan. I didn’t even notice you there.”
Pompous ass, Jess thought, keeping her hand firmly in Rick’s.
“You always did have tunnel vision,” Rick replied calmly. “Now why don’t you get what you came for and go back home? I’m sure your family is waiting.”
Mike’s eyes hardened. “Oh, Jess and I have some catching up to do.”
“Not in this lifetime,” Jess answered. “Stay away from me, Mike.”
He turned his smile on her again. “Now, Jess, is that any way to treat an old friend?”
“You are not an old friend,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
His expression turned sharp. “That’s a bit harsh considering all we shared.” He reached out to touch her hand, but Rick pivoted a little and stopped Mike’s hand with his own.
Mike looked down at Rick’s prosthetic on his forearm and chuckled. “Really, Rick?”
“Let’s just go,” Jess whispered furiously. “Please, Rick.”
To her relief Rick let go of Mike’s arm, though he shifted a little so that his body shielded her from any contact with Mike. “What do you want?” Rick asked, looking Mike in the eye. “Are you trying to intimidate her? Scare her? What is it? Because she’s not alone this time, Mike. You think Josh messed you up? That’s a shadow compared to what I’ll do if you so much as touch her.”
“Christ, Rick. Don’t get yourself worked up. I was just saying hello.”
“No, you weren’t. You were playing games. And it stops right here.”
Mike, to Jess’s relief, backed up a step. But he wasn’t done. He addressed Jess once more. “You know, my staying away was based on you keeping your mouth shut and not spreading damned lies about me. Who’ve you been talking to, Jessy? All of Jewell Cove or just lover boy Rick?”
“Back off, Mike.” Jess lifted her chin and issued the order with more force than she’d realized she possessed.
Rick let go of her hand and she instantly missed the security of his touch. He took one small step closer to Mike. He didn’t threaten, but then he didn’t have to. His body language said it all.
Mike put his hands up, palms out in a supplicating gesture. “Jeez, easy there, tiger. You’re awfully protective.”
“Damn straight.”
A quick glance around told Jess that their little conversation in the parking lot hadn’t gone unnoticed. The day clerk was watching them intently from his window. The poor guy was probably scared they’d start a brawl in the parking lot on his watch and on Thanksgiving no less.
“Go home, Mike.” Jess’s voice came out stronger than she expected.
Mike raised an eyebrow. “Really, Jess? You and this gimp? You can’t be serious.” He started laughing.
Jess couldn’t quite believe how well Rick was holding his temper. He’d always been a bit of a hothead. And he had a tendency to act first and repent later. But right now, despite the tension she knew he was feeling, he was solid as a stone, putting himself between her and Mike and refusing to rise to the bait. Even when he was called a gimp to his face.
“He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be. I know you’re in town to see your mother and that’s fine, but leave me the hell alone.”
“It’s a free country. You never know where I’ll show up.”
Those words marked Rick’s tolerance point. He reached past the zipper of Mike’s jacket to the shirt underneath and gripped it in his hand, twisting so that Mike’s chin went up, stretching him so it looked like he had a chicken neck.
“You. Will. Not. Touch. Her. You will not show up at her place. If you see her in town, you’ll cross to the other side of the street, do you hear me? And if you so much as look at her or utter one word it won’t be just me you have to deal with. It’ll be Josh, and Tom, and Bryce.”
All the charm and confidence fled from Mike’s face as it reddened with anger. “Don’t dictate to me, little man. All it’ll take is one phone call to the police and I’ll have you up for uttering threats.”
Rick gave the collar a shake. “It’s not a threat, it’s a promise. And go ahead. Call the police. Bryce is the chief now. Let’s see how he reacts when he finds out you smacked his cousin around, huh?”
He let go of Mike’s collar and took a step back, still half-blocking Jess’s body with his own.
Mike shook his shoulders in an attempt to undo the twisting that Rick had exerted on his clothing. He looked over Rick’s shoulder, staring at Jess.
“Get gone,” Rick suggested. “While you still can.”
A cruel smile crept up Mike’s face. “Don’t worry,” he said, backing up. “She’s all yours. You can have the bitch. She was never much good in bed anyway, so you’ll be a perfect match, Gimpy.”
Jess was sure that all the blood drained out of her head. She saw gray dots behind her eyes for a few seconds and felt herself weave from light-headedness. But it only lasted a moment because the next thing she knew Rick
had pulled back his right arm and let it go again, his fist connecting with Mike’s nose.
Blood spurted as Mike doubled over, one hand resting on his knee while the other cradled his wounded face.
Rick turned around briefly and Jess saw barely suppressed rage on his face. “Go inside and get the ice cream,” he ordered.
Her feet wouldn’t move. She was frightened and intimidated, but most of all she didn’t want this to escalate into something bigger. Rick was a big man and Mike—well, she knew firsthand that Mike could throw a wicked punch. The last thing on her mind was her sister’s dessert. She was way more concerned about a fistfight in the middle of the G & S parking lot.
“Jess. Now. Go inside.” His voice was hard and commanding. “Mike and I have a few things to get straight.”
She met his gaze and for once she didn’t argue with him. She hurried into the store, grabbed the first carton of vanilla ice cream she saw, and paid for it without ever looking at the cashier.
“Are you all right?” a soft teenage voice asked her from behind the counter. “Do I need to call someone for you?”
She shook her head wildly. “No, it’s fine, really.” She peered through the door and saw Mike stalking off to his car again and her body relaxed a fraction. “It’s all good now. Sorry for the disturbance.”
“Receipt in the bag okay?”
It was such a mundane, ordinary question that Jess barely registered it. “Oh, yes, fine,” she stammered, distracted, then grabbed the bag and went back outside.
Rick was waiting for her. “Let’s go,” he said shortly, and stalked off toward the sidewalk.
“Wait up!” She hurried after him, totally freaked out about what had just happened. In her mind she’d wondered what it would be like to see Mike. If he’d changed, if she’d be afraid, what he’d say. If he’d ignore their past or if he’d be hostile and aggressive.
