My shoulders sagged with relief. Car problems I could deal with. I stood, extending a hand to Tessa. “Come on, let me give it a try.”
She hesitated a moment before taking my hand and letting me help her out of the car. “Thank you.” I hated how weak her voice sounded, how embarrassed she seemed.
I gave Tessa’s hand a light squeeze and then released it. “It’s no problem.” I lowered myself into the sedan that looked like it was on its last legs. The seat creaked and groaned as I shifted it back. My blood began to heat, and I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Tessa shouldn’t be driving this car. No one should.
I turned the key in the ignition. Nothing. I tried again. A grinding sound came from the engine. Shit. I pulled out the key. Bending down, I tugged the release for the hood. Smoke billowed out. Double shit.
I could just buy her a new car, something that would keep her safe. It would be so easy. My hands flexed on the wheel. From the bit I’d come to discover about Tessa, I knew she’d never allow someone to do that. She’d barely accepted some drawing pencils.
What the hell? It wasn’t like I regularly considered buying random women new cars, but there was just something about this girl.
I shoved the runaway train of thoughts from my mind and pushed up and out of the vehicle. “Let me see if I can figure out what’s going on.”
Tessa nodded, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
Walker strode across the front yard. “Car trouble?”
I waved a hand over the engine, attempting to clear the smoke. “Yup.”
Walker let out a low whistle as he took in the situation. “That doesn’t look good.”
I gave a small shake of my head, hoping he’d get the message. Tessa did not need any extra worry at the moment.
Walker pulled out his phone. “One of my buddies is a mechanic. Owns the shop in town. I can have him come and take a look. Maybe tow it to his shop.”
Tessa took a step forward. “Don’t.”
Walker’s brows pulled together. “Why not? He’s great with cars.”
Tessa’s cheeks reddened as she looked from Walker to the porch that was now full of people. “I really can’t afford that right now.” Tears began to fill her eyes again, and I had to fight the urge to sock Walker in the gut.
Jensen reached our group just as Tessa finished speaking. “I can front you the money, Tessa. Don’t worry about it. You can just pay me back a little at a time, whenever you can.”
The blush on Tessa’s cheeks deepened as she stared down at her feet. I could see warring emotions battling on her face. I wasn’t sure if she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to pay Jensen back, or if it was something else that held her back from taking Jensen’s offer. But I couldn’t handle the emotion that seemed to dominate Tessa’s expression. Shame.
I took a step closer to her. “Look, I used to work on cars with my grandfather. I still do it for fun now and then. Why don’t you let me fix it for you? Then you’d just have to pay for parts.” I was already planning to lie my ass off about how much those parts cost.
Tessa’s gorgeous eyes met mine. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
I gave her my best genuine smile and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t have a lot to do around here right now. You’d honestly be doing me a favor. I could use a project.”
Tessa studied me carefully as if searching for some hint of an ulterior motive. She pressed her lips together and gave her head a small shake as if to clear something from her mind. “Thank you.”
“It’s no big thing, really.”
Her gaze broke away from mine as she looked out across the fields surrounding the Coles’ ranch house. “It is to me.”
Walker cleared his throat. “Well, that’s settled.”
Tessa’s head jerked in Jensen’s direction. “What about the horses? I won’t have a way to get here in the morning.”
Jensen waved a hand. “It’s no big deal. I can switch your shift to the afternoons and give you a ride out here after work.”
Tessa’s battle with her pride was evident on her face. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. Now, why don’t I drive you back into town?”
Tessa nodded. “Thank you.”
I bit back the words that wanted to escape my throat, that I could take her. I knew I’d pressed my luck about as far as it could go for one day. I was going to fix her car. I had a reason to be in touch. An excuse to see her. I had my in.
As Tessa followed Jensen to her SUV, she turned. Her dark hair blowing in the wind against the backdrop of the rolling hills was a breathtaking picture. Her gaze caught and held on mine. “Thank you again, Liam.”
That gaze packed a punch. “Anytime.”
She gave a small nod and went to hop into Jensen’s vehicle.
I had what was probably a dopey smile on my face when a hard thump landed across my upper back. Walker. “Good man.” I watched as the girls pulled out and headed down the gravel lane. I ignored Walker, but he pressed on. “You’re not going to tell her how much this all costs, are you?”
“No way in hell.” I met Walker’s stare. “Whatever happened to her…it was bad.” I didn’t have the full picture, but I knew the kind of fear Tessa battled, the walls she had built. Nothing good was at the root of those things.
Walker’s face darkened. “I know. I just wish she’d open up to someone.”
I looked back to where Jensen’s SUV was disappearing, leaving nothing but dust in its wake.
Not unlike the girl the vehicle carried.
11
Tessa
Early morning sun filtered in through the window as my fingers ran over the worn edge of the postcard. I knew I should stop. If I kept rubbing circles on it, the paper would eventually disintegrate. But I couldn’t resist its pull. I wanted to touch the card my mother had once held in her hands.
I dusted my finger over the lettering that formed Sutter Lake. This postcard was one of four items I owned that had belonged to my mother. The only four things that tied me to my origins. When I had looked at the various tickets Gena had purchased for me, destinations where I might begin my path to starting over, Oregon had tugged at my heartstrings.
I never knew why my mother had a postcard from the small Oregon town. I had no one to ask those kinds of questions. But last night, I had been given a piece of my own history. My great-grandparents had lived here. I wondered if there was a way to find out what their names were, where their house had been.
That’s the thing about not having something, it only makes you want it that much more. A dull thud reverberated in my chest at the thought of family. Home. Roots. A place to belong. It all seemed like an impossibility. I was courting danger from just how involved I’d gotten with the people of Sutter Lake.
Danger for me. And for them. Gena’s face flashed in my mind, and guilt swamped me. Six months after I’d fled DC, there had been a fire at her salon. She’d been inside. Gena had almost died that day. I’d tried to follow the story as much as I could from afar. The fire inspector had found evidence of arson, along with a note spray-painted on a wall. Mind your own business.
There was only one person it could’ve been. Garrett had stolen Gena’s business, her livelihood, her sense of safety, and almost her life. I couldn’t put anyone else at risk. But there was still a part of me that wanted to push for more. Home. Family. Roots.
One day. It was a promise. A vow. One day, I would be able to reach for those things. But after my discovery about Bethany, I no longer thought it would be because Garrett would lose interest in me.
I used to think that he would eventually grow bored. Once every couple of months, I would dedicate my research time to looking through Garrett’s social media, local DC papers and news reports, anything I could think of.
He was always looking. Every few months, there was a new plea for information. A higher reward offered. I would study his face on the screen and fight a shiver. Garrett was always the picture of gri
ef, a prominent man devastated by the loss of his fiancée.
I didn’t kid myself. He didn’t long for my presence. He was livid at his property being stolen. And now I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if he found me, he would kill me.
I blinked against the dryness in my eyes from staring off into space. My gaze refocused on the postcard. I had made it out. Made it to Sutter Lake. I was building a life. So, it wasn’t as full or carefree as I would have liked just yet. It would be one day. One day, I would be totally free.
I gently placed the postcard back in the notebook that protected it. I carefully put the sketchbook back into my bag, checking to make sure my cash, taser, and other essentials were still in place. Not having access to a car had put me on edge. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if I had to make a quick getaway in the next few days. But I just couldn’t afford to take the advance Jensen had offered me. I needed the money I earned at this job to buy myself information.
I’d poured over the articles I’d printed out at the library, but there was nothing in them that I could use. What I needed was an investigator. Someone who could get police files. Someone who could interview people who had known Bethany and Garrett at the time. I nibbled on my bottom lip. But how will I know if I can trust them?
I knew Garrett had to have bought people off in the past. What if he found out that someone was looking into him? What if he paid the investigator more than I ever could to find out where I was? My stomach roiled. Garrett couldn’t find me. The thought of having to leave Sutter Lake had my chest constricting.
I pushed up from the edge of my bed, slinging my bag over my shoulder. I wouldn’t have to run. Everything was fine. I was safe. I would just keep hunting myself, as much as I could. Save my money. Maybe, eventually, I could find someone I trusted to help me take the next steps, whatever those might be. Grabbing my keys, I pulled open the door to my apartment, making sure to slip my small piece of paper into the jamb.
Heading downstairs, I hung my bag on the coat rack in the kitchen and turned on all the lights. I never listened to music before Jensen arrived and the Kettle opened for the day. I wanted to be able to hear every little sound—just in case.
I moved around the room in comfortably familiar patterns, prepping ingredients for my first recipes of the day. The work was almost a meditation, a way to calm my body and slow my mind. But this morning, my mind kept drifting to a certain hazel-eyed someone. His kindness to Noah. To me. The way his voice had hit me right in the chest when he sang.
I shook my head. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If there was one person on this Earth who I couldn’t get involved with, it was Liam Fairchild. His face was recognized everywhere he went. People asked for autographs, snapped pictures. All it would take was one photo in the wrong place.
My hands grew damp at the thought. Garrett would absolutely lose his mind. I couldn’t imagine anything that would make him more furious than me getting involved with someone who might have more influence than he did.
I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. Liam had no interest in me. He was just a nice guy. That was all. A nice guy, helping out his friend’s friend. That was it. I was blowing this all out of proportion.
A key sounded in the lock at the back door. I stilled until I heard Jensen’s familiar tone. “I’m here, and I’m in desperate need of caffeine.”
I let out a light laugh. “One green tea coming up.” I set to work heating some water and readying the tea leaves.
Jensen kissed my cheek as she walked through the kitchen. “You are a goddess.”
I snorted. “You’re certainly easy to please this morning.”
She stowed her bag under the register in the front and then headed back in my direction. “Noah was in a mood this morning. Cranky about everything. I didn’t have the right cereal. I packed his lunch in the wrong lunch box. It was never-ending.”
“Sorry, J.” I studied her face. The circles under her eyes were darker. I bit my tongue against the urge to ask her if she was sleeping. I’d promised not to press. “Is there anything I can do to help? I can watch him for you if you need a night off.”
Jensen shook her head. “You sound like Tuck.”
My eyebrows rose. “Tuck offered to babysit?”
She let out an aggravated noise from the back of her throat. “He basically told me that I looked like shit and that I should let him watch Noah so I could get a good night’s sleep.”
I made a humming sound as I poured her tea. Tuck’s delivery may have been lacking in finesse, but I didn’t disagree with him. “Here you go.” I handed her the mug.
“Thanks.” Jensen took a sip. “So, how are you doing? Feeling any better?”
I could feel the familiar blush creeping up my cheeks, my overreaction at my car trouble still fresh in my mind. “I’m sorry I was such an emo mess last night. It had just been a long day.” More like a long couple of years. I pretty much always felt like I was one thing away from a meltdown of epic proportions.
Jensen set her mug down on the counter. “You never have to apologize for something like that. We all have bad days, and car trouble is the freaking worst.”
I pressed my lips together. “Well, thank you again for giving me a ride. And for switching around my schedule at the ranch.”
“You’d do the same for me.”
I nodded. I would do anything for Jensen. She had taken a chance on me when I had nothing to give her but a promise that I could bake.
She cleared her throat. “So…” She let the word dangle. “Liam seemed pretty keen on helping you out.” A mischievous grin spread across her face.
I groaned. “He was just being nice.”
Jensen chuckled. “Nice is offering you a ride. Offering to fix your car himself with rock star hands that are probably insured for millions of dollars? That’s something else entirely.”
I could feel the blood drain from my face. “I didn’t even think about his hands.”
Jensen stood, reaching over to still my suddenly staccato movements. “I was just giving you a hard time. You heard him. He does this for fun. He knows what he’s doing.”
I really hoped he did. I did not need a ruined billion-dollar career on my conscience. Jensen gave my arm a squeeze. “It’s fine. I just liked the attention he was paying you. Maybe Irma isn’t too far off in her predictions this time.”
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “Nothing’s going to happen there.”
“Well, why the frick not? He definitely seemed interested to me. And, as my grandma said, he’s one handsome piece of man meat.”
I returned my attention to the scone dough in front of me. “Because I don’t want it to.” The words tasted sour on my tongue. It might be a lie, but I wished it were the truth.
I straightened from my crouch behind the bakery case, sliding the door closed now that the shelves were freshly restocked.
“Hello again, Tessa.”
I lifted my gaze at the greeting. It was the man from the other day. Al. The one with lots of questions. I gritted my teeth but nodded quickly. “Hello.”
He eyed the bakery display. “What looks good today?”
I looked to Jensen for an assist, but she was busy helping another customer. “The huckleberry muffins are good.”
Al grinned. “That sounds great. I’ll take one of those for here, please.”
I grabbed a muffin with the tongs lying at the back of the case and put the pastry on one of our mismatched china plates. “Here you go.” I handed him the plate. “Jensen will ring you up.” I turned to head back to the kitchen, but Al’s voice stopped me.
“Can I ask you for some local recommendations?”
I slowly turned back around. Don’t be rude. Don’t be rude. “Sure.”
He gave me a grin that seemed just a bit fake. “What’s the best spot for some dinner grub?”
I toyed with the ties on my apron. “The saloon down the street has the best burgers in the county. Or there’s a Mexi
can restaurant two blocks over with great queso.”
Al rubbed his stomach. “A burger sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Is that your favorite restaurant?”
My eyes narrowed just a bit. “I have lots of favorites.”
He let out a low chuckle. “I guess you can’t pick just one being a fellow small business employee.”
I shrugged. “I better get back to work.”
“Oh, of course. Thanks again for the muffin and restaurant recommendation.”
“You’re welcome.” I turned again and was almost to the kitchen when a different voice called my name. What now?
When I pivoted, I came face-to-face with the man I’d sworn off a few hours earlier. My heart rate picked up speed. Liam stood to the side of the counter, motioning me over. He wore dark jeans and a plaid flannel with the sleeves rolled up on his muscular forearms. His hair looked just a touch darker than usual, as though it were still damp from a shower. The moss green in his eyes seemed to twinkle.
I glanced around the café. No one seemed to be paying us much attention. I let out a breath of relief and stepped towards Liam. “Hi.”
He grinned. This smile was nothing like the false one Al had worn. It was full of life. Genuine. “I’m just about to go pick up some parts for your car but thought I’d drop by and grab a snack first.”
My eyebrows lifted. “You’ve already started working on it?”
“Been hard at work all morning. I actually don’t think the repairs are going to be too bad. I think the smoke just made it look worse than it was.”
My shoulders relaxed, releasing the tension I hadn’t realized they’d been carrying since the night before. “That is a huge relief. Thank you so much for doing this.”
A hint of pink touched the apples of Liam’s cheeks. “No problem. Like I said, you’re really doing me a favor by giving me a bit of purpose.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. “Well, thank you anyway.”
Liam flipped his cell phone between his fingers in intricate patterns that would have had my phone crashing to the floor and shattering into a thousand pieces. “Listen, I was wondering…would you want to grab dinner with me tonight?”
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