Hold On To Me (Welcome To Redemption)

by Netzel, Stacey Joy

  He was now. “Sure.”

  “Great, let’s go. See you guys around,” she said to her friends as she slid into Grant’s passenger seat.

  He murmured appropriate goodbyes, only to have Charlie catch up with him at the back corner of the car. Dana moved on as Sugar pulled her along.

  “What the hell did Roy want?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Topping Grant by about five inches and a good thirty pounds, he crowded close enough to intimidate with his size and those damn bad-ass tattoos stretched across his thick biceps.

  “Jenny might trust you,” he growled, “but I’m not one hundred percent convinced yet.”

  Irritation flared over the continued suspicion. “Instead of worrying so much about me, maybe you ought to worry about what your fiancé thinks of your interest in another woman.”

  “Dana knows where I’m coming from,” Charlie bit out.

  “So clue me in,” Grant challenged, refusing to back down from the larger man. “Because from where I’m standing, you’re bordering on obsessed.”

  A muscle ticked in Charlie’s jaw and Grant tensed, preparing for the hit he was sure was coming.

  “You remember my other sister Annabel? Probably a year or so behind you in school?”

  The question came out of left field. Annabel? What—?

  In a flash, he pictured another Russell, pretty like Tara, but with a hell of a wild streak. She’d been a freshman when he was a sophomore. They’d partied together more than once. Probably why Tara had looked familiar at the bar even when he couldn’t place her name.

  He gave Charlie a guarded nod. “How’s she doing these days?”

  “Annabel’s dead.”

  He blinked in shock.

  “’Bout a year after you left town, someone spiked her drink with ecstasy at a party. She had a reaction to the drug and died. The police never found who did it, but I always suspected it was Roy. And I’ll do anything to protect Jenny from that sonofabitch or anyone else who threatens her.”

  Grant swallowed hard as he met Charlie’s gaze head on. He wasn’t used to caring what others thought of him, yet he’d been proving himself since day one of returning to Redemption—and he discovered he wanted Charlie’s respect.

  “The sheriff will hear about this,” Charlie warned.

  “Good,” he replied. “Tell Lowell I’d appreciate some extra drive-bys near Wayside, too.”

  Charlie’s gaze narrowed in consideration.

  “I’m sorry about your sister, but being friends with someone years ago does not make me like him now. And though I can tell you that until I’m blue in the face, and my actions will speak for me, I give you my word I’m not going to hurt Jenny.”

  “You better not. Because if you do, I won’t be the only one in town looking for you, and there won’t be a single place you can hide.”

  Charlie walked away with that parting shot. Grant blew out a tension releasing breath and continued to the driver’s side. Jenny turned away from the rear window as Grant slid behind the wheel.

  “What was that about?”

  She’d taken the time to clean off the rest of her smudged make-up. Except for a few lingering shadows in those blue eyes, she looked like she’d recovered from the scare Roy gave her.

  “Charlie just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page, that’s all.”

  “Oh.” And then a moment later, “What does that mean?”

  “It means we both agree that something has to be done about Roy.”

  “Nothing can be done about Roy,” she muttered, shifting to face forward again. “I just have to avoid him, that’s all. I don’t want anyone getting in trouble for me.”

  “You could press charges. Get a restraining order.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?” he demanded, facing her as she shook her head.

  “Don’t you watch TV? Read the newspaper? Restraining orders don’t work.”

  “They do if he violates it and they throw his ass in jail,” Grant countered.

  “His daddy is friends with the county judge—part of the old boys club where one hand greases the other. Roy would be out in no time and more pissed than ever,” she argued.

  “Jenny—”

  “Grant.” She turned to meet his gaze. “Can we please not talk about this right now? Please?”

  How could he resist the plea in those eyes?

  “Fine, I’ll shut up.” For now.

  “Thank you.”

  Grant inserted the key in the ignition as she opened her mouth like she was about to say more. Instead, she pressed her lips together and turned to gaze out the window. When he started the car, he heard her draw in a breath as if to speak. He shifted into reverse, but kept his foot on the brake.

  Once again, all he got was silence. Obviously, something was on her mind, so he put the car in park and sat back in his seat. “Go ahead, spit it out.”

  When she glanced over in surprise, he offered a smile to loosen her tongue. She dropped her gaze to her lap, where she fiddled with the clasp on the manila envelope.

  “I lied earlier.”

  “About what?”

  Trusting me? What happened with Roy? He felt his smile slip as thoughts raced through his mind.

  “I don’t want to go home,” she finally admitted. “Do you have plans for today?”

  Once again, not what he was expecting or even hoping for. But on second thought, the implications of her words had promise.

  “A few odd jobs around the building, but nothing that can’t wait.”

  “Any chance you’d consider taking a ride? Getting out of town?”

  He pretended to consider before casting her a sideways glance. “You might be able to convince me. What do you have in mind?”

  She shrugged, suddenly looking shy. “I don’t know. Green Bay isn’t too far. We could go shopping or something.”

  “Shopping,” he repeated. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

  As hoped, his teasing sarcasm made her smile.

  “I also said ‘or something.’ How about a matinee movie? They usually start playing after noon.”

  “Now you’re speaking my language.” He shifted back into reverse, then glanced at her as he turned to back out of the parking spot. She gave him a sunny smile that chased all the clouds from her eyes.

  As he drove out of town, he dug his phone from his pocket and handed it over. “See what’s playing.”

  It took her a few minutes and a number of questions to navigate to the movie site before he realized she wasn’t familiar with the technology.

  “Do you have a cell phone?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t have anyone to call.”

  For the first time, it dawned on him she was all alone in Redemption. “Parents? Brothers or sisters?”

  She shook her head, gaze fixed on the phone. “My parents died when I was little. I grew up in Green Bay with an aunt who had no kids of her own. She died shortly after I turned eighteen, and I married Roy.”

  “And let me guess, he didn’t let you have a phone.”

  “Oh, he gave me one, but I got rid of it after I left him because of the GPS tracking.”

  Grant’s jaw tightened with that information. “He tells people he kicked you out.”

  She gave up on the screen and rested her hands in her lap. “If putting me in the hospital for a week can be considered kicking me out, then yeah, he did.”

  His jaw tightened from the anger her words ignited, but he remained silent, knowing his response would be inappropriate in the face of her quiet admission. He also wanted to apologize, but for what? He didn’t think she’d appreciate his sympathy, either.

  “Did you...did you really meet him for a beer the other night?” she asked in a small voice.

  “I did,” he answered honestly. From the corner of his eye, he saw her turn to watch him and felt his heart move up into his throat. Keeping his eyes on the road, fingers tight
on the steering wheel, he continued. “We were friends in high school before I moved to New York, and I figured I’d catch up with an old friend when I got back in town. I knew he’d gotten married, but even though we’d kept in touch here and there over the years, I had no clue he was your ex or what he was like now.”

  “He used to be quite good at hiding his true colors. The curtain parted when I left.”

  “He hasn’t tried to close it very well, either. It didn’t take but a few minutes for me to see he’s no one I wanted to be associated with anymore.”

  Grant kept his attention on the road, thinking how after this incident with Roy, he didn’t like Jenny out and about on the streets of Redemption by herself, especially since she didn’t appear to own a car. Suggesting she buy a vehicle probably wasn’t a viable option. He didn’t imagine she made enough at the coffee shop. Next best step would be making sure she had a way to contact someone if she ever needed help. But how to convince her of that without frightening her?

  Finally, he ventured, “You know, it might be a good idea for you to have a phone.”

  “That’d be nice,” she agreed. “But I can’t afford the monthly bill.”

  “It’s not that expensive if you skip the internet plans and just get a basic phone that can call and text. Besides, won’t you have money from your divorce settlement now?”

  “No.”

  “What?” He looked over in surprise.

  She shook her head.

  “You’re kidding, right? After what the bastard put you through, you should’ve made him pay through the nose.”

  “I just wanted out, that’s all. No money, no strings.”

  He absorbed that information and gave a reluctant dip of his head. “I guess I can understand that. Getting back to the phone...you got any friends who’d help with that? A lot of phone companies only charge ten to fifteen bucks for an extra line.”

  She shook her head no. No family, and apparently, no close friends. He knew people around town watched out for her, but without someone involved in her day to day life, the danger Roy presented only increased.

  “Listen, I don’t mean to scare you, but I think you need to have a way to reach someone if something ever happens.”

  When the silence stretched, Grant snuck a glance to see her staring out the side window, hands clasped tight in her lap.

  “Jenny?”

  With a soft sigh, she turned toward him. “I’d like that security, too, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t afford it.”

  “I know we haven’t known each other long, but any chance you consider me a friend?”

  “Yes.”

  He hadn’t expected such quick affirmation. Her lack of hesitation warmed his heart and brought forth a smile.

  “Good. In that case, you’re welcome to sign up on my plan and then you can pay me with your rent each month.”

  Would she accept the offer, or would pride step in?

  “You’d do that?” she asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

  “That’s what friends are for. And I’ll feel better knowing you have a way to reach someone if you need to.”

  “Me, too,” she admitted with a tentative smile of her own.

  “Great, then it’s settled. We’ll stop at the mall first.”

  “So we’re seeing a movie and shopping?”

  “Looks like. Maybe I should’ve thought of that before I made the suggestion.”

  She giggled, and the unfamiliar sound expanded the glow of happiness in his chest.

  “If it makes it any better, we can shop first,” she offered. “Get it out of the way.”

  “It does, thank you. Work first, then play.” He didn’t tell her electronic gadgets didn’t fall in the shopping category, and even if they did, he was happy to help her out.

  At the store, they scored a free phone after a hundred dollar rebate, though she only allowed him to pay for it up front when he agreed to file the rebate in his name. He wanted to add internet on the sly and pay for it himself, but hesitated lying to her. Then the salesman told them about another special that gave her free internet for a year. Once Jenny confirmed she could drop the service without penalty after the free offer was over, she agreed to that, too.

  “And who knows, maybe I’ll be making enough extra with my photography that I’ll be able to keep it at the end of the year.” Like a little kid with a new toy, she played with the phone as they walked through the mall. “Hey, I got it.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The movie list. Ooh, there are some good ones playing, too.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” he declared.

  The moment the words were out, he worried he sounded controlling and overbearing. But she took it as the joke he’d intended and a lively ‘discussion’ ensued over which movie to see. In the end, he agreed to her initial choice—even though it was a chick flick.

  Arms loaded with a large popcorn and two sodas, he followed her into the theater and up the aisle of the stadium seating. They settled into their seats just in time for the previews, and he held the popcorn on his left thigh for her easy reach.

  She spoke softly as the main feature began. “Grant?”

  “Yeah?” He leaned toward her, eyes still on the big screen. When she didn’t say anything, he turned to find her watching him munch popcorn. He quit chewing and swallowed, the gratitude shining in her eyes making the kernels stick in his throat.

  She leaned over and kissed him on the lips, then sat back with a whispered, “Thank you.”

  After another attempted swallow, he nodded. Because the bright sheen in her eyes confirmed she wasn’t talking about the trip to town, the movie, or the phone.

  Chapter 9

  Jenny walked along the sidewalk shortly after noon on Saturday, fighting the urge to break into a jog. Multiple reasons facilitated the mantra hurry, hurry, hurry repeating in her brain, foremost being that she could not shake the feeling of being watched. She concentrated on taking deep, calming breaths, while frequent glances revealed no blue Charger around the corner, no Roy lurking behind any trees.

  She refused to give him the satisfaction of making her run—and just let him try that move in the courthouse parking lot again. He’d get a face full of the new can of mace clutched in her hand.

  Grant had given her a ride a few times, and Charlie had walked Sugar home with her yesterday, but being used to her independence, she didn’t like relying solely on them for her safety.

  At first, she’d been ashamed of how quickly Roy made her cower after almost a year away from his control. Then the hours of counseling kicked in, and her anger had ignited until it became a steady burn. She’d taken her life back when she left him, and despite her fear, she had every intention of keeping her freedom.

  Baby steps, right? Two steps forward, one step back. He’d gotten to her the other day, but now it was time for forward motion once more.

  Inevitably, her thoughts turned to the real issue that day, the reason Roy had come calling and been willing to accost her in public. Her safe deposit box at the bank. He didn’t know what she had, but his assumption that it was important was spot on, though she still wanted to know how the hell he’d found out. A call to the bank had confirmed that information was kept confidential, and yet he’d still managed to get details like when it’d been rented. Clearly he knew someone at the bank who’d been willing to give him the information.

  Experience and common sense told her she had to do something about the contents of that box. Now that the divorce was final, did she need her secret bargaining chip anymore? She could destroy it and then take him into the bank to see something completely innocent. Would that be enough for him to leave her alone?

  She wasn’t so sure. Besides, that ‘chip’ affected more than just her and Roy. She’d hoped to find the courage to turn it in someday, and destroying it could mean justice would never be served. Did she want to live with that guilt for the rest of her life?

  Jenny tur
ned the corner by Wayside Apartments. When she saw Grant outside on the riding lawnmower, she decided she would not let thoughts of her ex take over. Because today was going to be a good day; today, she was going to ride a horse for the first time.

  Her excitement rushed forward, and she gave Grant a big smile and a wave. She swept her gaze over his lean physique as he drove toward her, gray shirt damp with sweat and clinging to every muscle on his upper body. He wasn’t huge like Charlie or Caleb Hunter, who’d taken to coming into the coffee shop with Lauren Frasier and her two kids Max and Emma, but Jenny didn’t mind that at all.

  At five-eight, maybe five-nine, he fit her five-five height perfectly. She didn’t need a hulking hunk of a man to make her feel safe—Grant handled the job just fine.

  The wind had ruffled his brown hair to the point it looked like he’d woken up minutes earlier. She’d seen him right out of bed when they’d first met; shirt unbuttoned, jeans unbuttoned, a light sprinkling of hair arrowing down toward his waist. As a stranger, the sight had alarmed her. Now that she knew him, liked him, trusted him, she found herself thinking more and more about the sexy body she’d glimpsed that day.

  She wanted his arms around her, his kisses on her lips, his body against hers. And most of all, she wanted to see that tousled head on the pillow next to her in the morning. The thought of lying in a bed naked with him made her nipples tighten and sent a twinge of arousal straight to her core.

  A burst of afternoon breeze cooled the heat in her cheeks as Grant brought the mower to a stop and idled the machine next to her in the warm sun. His lingering perusal tweaked her awareness to the next level.

  “Why’d you leave so early this morning?” he asked. “I set my alarm to give you a ride, but you were already gone.”

  His disgruntled tone reminded her of his morning irritability.

  “I took some more photographs in to the coffee shop, and needed extra time to get them hung up. But even if I hadn’t left early, I start at seven,” she reminded. “Setting your alarm for nine-fifteen doesn’t cut it.”

  “I knocked on your door at six-fifteen.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Wow, that’s impressive.”

  “You have no idea,” he grumbled. “A cinnamon roll might have made up for it, but instead, I came out to cut the grass and got nothing but worms. Early birds need their heads examined.”