Sofia popped up so fast her head spun from the motion. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that!” She glowered at Hunter as she did her best to tie the bag angrily and without losing a shred of her hard-won dignity.
Wolfie yipped and tugged on the leash in his desperation to greet their visitor.
Hunter laughed as Wolfie licked every inch of his outstretched hand. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Gotta take care of your dogs, right?”
“Dogs?” Sofia frowned. What did Hunter know? Was this date some kind of ruse? Was he already on to her dognapping ways? “I only have one.”
“And I also have one, which makes two.”
Sofia knew the Anchorage PD had better things to do than scope out a two-time dognapper, but still she couldn’t help feeling as if she were being sized up.
Guilty conscience? Maybe. Flustered nerves? Definitely.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Sofia said with a quick roll of her eyes. “You wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Hunter followed her down the sidewalk. “Can I come with you? See where you live?”
“I’d rather not,” she said, hoping that answer would be enough. She already had a hard time keeping track of her various lies regarding the dogs and really didn’t want to add any more. “Besides, it will just be a second. I have to put him back and wash my hands. I’ll be right down.”
“Okay, then. I’ll be waiting over there.” Hunter shrugged and pointed toward a patrol car that sat idling by the curb. Sofia hadn’t noticed it before now, but the sudden thought of driving around in the police cruiser sent bile surging up from her stomach. It burned when she swallowed it back down, but at least she knew this particular date wouldn’t be ending with a kiss at the doorstep.
Hunter reached for her arm to help steady her. “Whoa, are you okay?”
Sofia nodded and resisted his attempts to support her the rest of the way to the door.
Get a hold of yourself, Stepanov!
Back inside, she swished a bit of mouthwash then grabbed her purse and turned back toward the door.
Wolfie rubbed his head against her hip and whined.
She made the mistake of looking into his amber eyes, and her heart cracked in two. “I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Then the day after tomorrow we get to visit a ranch. Won’t that be fun?”
Even the dog could tell her forced cheer wasn’t sincere. He groaned before skulking away and tucking himself underneath the table.
Sofia wished she had the option to join him there. They could all hide until Hunter eventually gave up and drove off in his stupid cruiser.
“I’ll be back soon,” she promised Wolfie one last time, then padded out into the hall and locked the door behind her.
Even though she’d only known Hunter for a grand total of seventeen minutes, she knew their evening together would be a memorable one.
All she had to do was stay cool and do her best to resist his charms…
How hard could that be?
Although Sofia didn’t immediately spot Hunter waiting for her when she stepped out of the building, a blip-blip from the cruiser at the curb drew her eye to the idling vehicle, the passenger door open and waiting.
“Sure you don’t want me in the back?” she joked and immediately regretted when Hunter gave his answer…
“Oh, I want you in the back, but that’s not really a first date kind of thing.”
Sofia turned away before he could even finish his horrible comeback. She could feel his eyes on her but refused to look his way, instead choosing to cross her arms over her chest and stare pointedly out the side window.
“Relax. I’m only kidding,” he assured her with a soft voice. “You can’t set me up like that and then expect me not to make a joke.”
She sighed and risked a glance his way. At least his silly, flirtatious overture was better than having to admit she was, in fact, fit for the criminal cage in back.
Hunter held one hand on the other on the steering wheel and the other over his heart. “My apologies, Miss Sofia. I promise to be a perfect gentleman for the rest of the night.”
He looked so corny as he awaited her response that Sofia couldn’t help but laugh and relax into her seat. “Thank you,” she said with a sincere smile, mostly because she was happy to be moving away from this topic. “Now, what are these big plans of yours?”
Hunter shifted into drive and pulled away from the curb. “Tonight I’m going to show you the unseen side of Anchorage.”
“I’ve lived here my whole life. There is no unseen side as far as I’m concerned.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Certain areas open up to you only when you know the right people… or when you have a badge.” He flashed a smile her way before merging into traffic and heading south.
She laughed at the serious look on his face. Hunter Burke was hot stuff and boy, did he know it. “So we’ll be abusing your police privileges tonight,” she said with a smirk. “Got it.”
“Hey, I risk my life on a daily basis for this city. I deserve some perks, don’t I?”
Sofia shrugged. “If you say so. So, tell me about these unseen areas.”
“I don’t need to… Because we’re already here.” Hunter put the car into park right in front of an old, abandoned warehouse Sofia had passed by every single day on her way to work.
“Unseen?” She laughed and shook her head. “I literally see this building every day.”
Hunter’s eyes lit with the promise of adventure. “Yeah, but have you seen the inside?”
She studied the expansive gray building before her. The windows had been boarded up with giant wood slabs, and a fresh swatch of graffiti adorned its street-facing facade. It did not look like somewhere Sofia wanted to be—especially not on a date.
“Umm, isn’t it a homeless camp?” she asked.
“Nah, that’s just a rumor. We cleared those guys out years ago. C’mon.” Hunter climbed out of the car, and Sofia followed suit. “Are you ready?” he asked, reaching his hand toward hers.
“I’ll try to contain my excitement,” she mumbled, allowing him to clutch her hand as they walked toward a hidden entrance around back.
Hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flashlight, then unbolted the door and pushed it open. Particles of dust danced in the beam from the new light source. Even though the evening sky was still light above, the inside of the warehouse was practically pitch black.
“They boarded everything up to keep people out,” Hunter explained, tugging her through the door. “Luckily, I have a key.”
Sofia gulped down the knot of fear in her throat, thankful now that Hunter had already decided to hold her hand. She had never been a fan of the dark. Even though the blackness was meant to hide things, it seemed to her that the night had a way of bringing hidden things out into the open.
Scary things and people. Secrets that would be better left untold.
“It’s okay,” Hunter said, sensing her nerves, which couldn’t have been too difficult given the gooseflesh that had formed on her arms and the shiver that overtook her entire body. “I’ve got you,” he said as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Nothing bad is going to happen.”
“Another promise?” She attempted a laugh, but it took too much energy to pull off properly. “That makes two now.”
Hunter’s voice came out strong and sure, as if he wasn’t afraid of anything in the entire world. “And here comes one more. I promise you’ll like this place once I show you what’s inside.”
Sofia doubted that very much, but allowed Hunter to pull her deeper into the abandoned warehouse, nonetheless.
After about twenty paces, Hunter stopped. “Take out your phone,” he instructed.
She did as he said and switched on the flashlight app. While her attention was focused elsewhere, Hunter pushed his tactical light into Sofia’s palm then stepped behind her and put one hand on her waist. The other gently took hold of her wrist.
<
br /> “The phone is for taking a video,” he explained.
She didn’t need a video. Honestly, the only thing she needed was to leave this place as soon as possible. “Of what?”
“That’s what I’d like to show you,” he mumbled, his face hovering a few inches above her shoulder, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath caress her cheek.
He used his hand to guide hers, and together they illuminated an old piece of machinery that must have been at least fifteen feet wide. They revealed the gears, cylinders, and metal a few inches at a time, tracing over it several times before Sofia could appreciate the full picture.
“It’s a textile machine,” Hunter said just as Sofia had figured it out for herself. “This used to be a clothing factory. At the vet, when you told me you design clothes, I immediately thought of this place. It used to provide a lot of jobs to people who needed them around here. Maybe one day you can open it again to sell Fashions by Sofia.”
“Vigilante,” she whispered. “My line is called Vigilante.”
“Hmm, I like it,” he said, squeezing her hand again before letting go of her wrist. He let his other hand linger on her waist as she continued to study the machine.
“I know the dark makes you uncomfortable, so we don’t need to stay. I just wanted you to see this place, to know that sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be from the outside, that sometimes a very different kind of treasure is waiting for those who are willing to tread into the dark.”
Sofia turned into him, forgetting how close he already stood. Her shiver returned, but this one was of anticipation rather than dread. “That’s a very strange thing to say.”
“Yeah, well, I’m a bit of a strange guy.” Hunter wrapped both arms around her waist and held her close for a few moments before letting go and once again offering her his hand. “Okay, so that was part one of the night I have planned for us. Ready for part two?”
Oh, was she ever…
“I can’t believe you remembered,” Sofia said as she and Hunter settled back into the off-duty cruiser.
“What? That you like clothes?” He shrugged before jamming the key in the ignition and bringing the car back to life. “You told me the first time we met, and I could tell from the way you said it that it was important to you. Why wouldn’t I want to remember?”
None of Sofia’s boyfriends—not that there had been many—ever showed an interest in her flare for fashion. The fact that Hunter, who hardly knew her, was already supporting her interests and encouraging her dreams meant more than she wanted to admit. “You actually like me, don’t you?” she whispered.
He waited for her to look at him before saying, “I actually do. What on earth would have told you otherwise?”
“I… I don’t know,” she mumbled.
Hunter reached for her hand again and held it tight. “Now the question is whether you could actually like me, too.”
If Sofia swore not to commit any more crimes, would that make dating Hunter okay? Because, oh, did she want it to be. She swallowed her hesitation, finally willing to allow herself the chance to find happiness with Hunter. “I think—”
Static broke through the speakers, interrupting Sofia midsentence. “Burke. You there?” the dispatcher said.
Hunter let go of her hand, breaking the magic that flowed between them. He groaned, but pushed the button to speak anyway. “Kind of busy now.”
“Your buddy Collins is back at the station. Ranting and raving, telling anyone who will listen that some hardened criminal stole his dog.”
Hunter did not sound happy. Didn’t look it, either. “Did you tell him we’re keeping an eye out?” he barked to the dispatcher.
Joe Collins.
The stolen dog she called Foxie.
Sofia’s crimes had caught up with her yet again. They’d come to haunt her at the very moment she’d given herself permission to enjoy her date. There could be no future with Hunter, because there would always be the guilt. This realization gripped Sofia in the guts and twisted hard.
“I did, but he demanded to speak to you personally.” The dispatcher’s words were hardly audible over the pounding in Sofia’s head.
“Well, too bad,” Hunter snapped, his anger startling her. “I’m off duty—and on a date.”
The dispatcher chuckled, then said, “Hi, girl who’s crazy enough to go out with Burke.”
“Umm, hi,” Sofia mumbled, her cheeks burning as she did.
“Tell Collins I’ll call him in the morning.”
Another laugh. “He’s not going to like that.”
“Too bad,” Hunter snapped again, shooting an apologetic expression Sofia’s way. “I have more important things on my mind than a runaway dog and its crazy owner. I’ll call him tomorrow, or not at all. Let him pick.”
“On it.” The radio clicked back to silence, and Hunter sighed as he offered Sofia a tense smile. “Sorry about that. You were saying?” He reached for her hand, but she yanked it away as if she’d been stung.
She needed to end this—end it now before Hunter charmed her any further. She clenched both hands to her stomach and cast her eyes toward her feet. “I was about to say that I think I’m really sick after all. Would you mind taking me home?”
He studied her for a moment, almost as if he didn’t believe her, almost as if he somehow knew that Collins’s dognapper sat right here beside him. “Are you sure? I was going to take you to the top of Conoco-Phillips for dinner and maybe a little dancing in the starlight, if weather permits.”
Sofia frowned. He really had planned a special night for her, but the gnawing guilt in her gut would never let up enough for her to truly enjoy his company. Hunter deserved better than some low-life criminal who’d lied to his face every second since meeting him.
He deserved so much more than Sofia.
Hunter twisted the key in the ignition, bringing the car to silence. “Is it the call? I’m sorry work followed me out tonight. This guy’s dog ran away and he insists somebody stole it, said he saw a red sedan pull up in the rain, but I say he’s full of it. Let’s forget it and enjoy the rest of our night, shall we?”
Sofia wanted to agree. She wanted to see where things could go with Hunter, a man who liked her enough to pay attention to her interests, to plan something special just for her. Under any other circumstances, she’d be thrilled to find herself on the arm of such a handsome, thoughtful, funny man—but not tonight, not like this.
She needed to tell him no. Her sanity depended on it.
Yes, she wished she could tell him everything, let him know it wasn’t his fault, that she actually liked him a whole heck of a lot, but…
Before she could say anything at all, her stomach roiled in protest at all the mixed emotions churning through her core. It was only by some miracle of mercy she managed to open the door fast enough to throw up the contents of her stomach onto the pavement outside.
Sofia’s Monday ended with her curled around the toilet bowl. But no matter how much she emptied from her stomach, the guilt remained. Wolfie stood guard in the hallway, whining occasionally as he waited for Sofia to come to bed.
Meanwhile, Foxie contented herself with a Kong toy Blinky had stolen for them as part of that first batch of doggie supplies. How long ago that seemed!
Tuesday started out much the same, but Sofia’s checking account couldn’t afford anymore sick time. She also couldn’t afford the wrath of the franchise owner, should she request yet another day off so close to the string of days she’d taken last week.
So she sucked it up, dragged herself from bed, skipped the makeup, and pulled herself to work for yet another slow, boring day. A part of her feared Joe Collins would return with another stack of flyers, but luckily he didn’t make a second appearance that day. If he had, Sofia might have sobbingly confessed the whole thing, weakened as she was now from the physical manifestation of her anxiety.
She wondered if Collins was with Hunter at the station now, describing the very make and m
odel of Sofia’s car, putting her former date on the trail to her arrest. Could she be taken into custody for dognapping? And if so, would Hunter show her mercy?
As if the very thought had summoned him, a text from Hunter lit up Sofia’s phone: Are you feeling better today?
Yeah, I’m doing okay. Sorry about last night.
Me too. I ended up eating both our dinners. Could barely button my pants this morning.
LOL. She smiled despite her newfound resolve to avoid Hunter. If only things could have been different. She set her phone aside just as it buzzed with a new text.
So… Hunter had written.
She waited for him to type more, holding back the urge to fill the blank screen with her confession.
Now that you’re doing better, can we try again?
Doing better? Yeah right. The moment she saw Hunter, it would all come spilling out yet again. There was no better, only further—further away from Hunter’s searching gaze, further from the guilt over taking Foxie, further from all of it. Seeing Hunter again would send her sliding back into that sticky swamp of guilt.
She just couldn’t.
I’m sorry, Hunter. I don’t think that’s such a good idea.
His answer came back immediately. But why?
I just… She erased the last two words and thought. What could she possibly say that would be enough to deter him?
Before she could type anything else, another text appeared from Hunter: I know you like me. I could feel it when we were in the factory.
She sighed. Why did he have to be a cop? If he were anyone else, she could share her guilt and move on… But with him? Impossible.
Maybe, but I’m not really looking for a relationship right now, she answered at last.
Then let’s take a relationship off the table. Can’t we at least be friends?
There was nothing left to say, nothing she could say without telling him everything. Perhaps if she stopped responding he’d take the hint.
Just as she was about to officially give up on their conversation, another message filled her screen, this time from a number she didn’t recognize.
Season of Mercy: The Sled Dog Series, Book 4 Page 6
