by Susanna Carr
“This is my fault,” Travis said quietly. “My being here is causing a dent in your reputation.”
She glanced at him. The sidewalk was dark with a lone streetlamp, but she could tell the responsibility he felt weighed heavily on him. His head was bent and his shoulders hunched as he shoved his fists into his jacket pockets.
“I refuse to believe that,” she declared. “Someone is going to find that bracelet and everyone will feel guilty for blaming me. But tomorrow it’s going to be so hard to walk into the bank.”
“Then skip it,” Travis suggested. “Take the day off.”
Christine’s eyes widened. That was the last thing she should do. “I can’t miss work. I already had a three-day weekend.”
“I’m sure you have plenty of sick days. Use one of those.”
“The day after there was a missing piece of jewelry in the bank? Which most people think I’m responsible for? If I miss work, everyone will automatically think I’m guilty.”
“And if you go into work, you will have to deal with curious and angry customers. The bank is going to be a three-ring circus. That’s more reason for us to leave Cedar Valley for the day.”
Christine couldn’t shake the feeling that Travis wanted to escape Cedar Valley more than she did. He seemed restless and uneasy since he had walked into the bank earlier today.
“What would you like to do?” he asked. “I think we can find something on that bucket list of yours.”
“Travis, no.” She stopped walking. “I can’t leave. Especially not now.”
“This is the perfect time,” he argued. “Aren’t you feeling as if you’re under a microscope? That everyone is watching you?”
“Are you?” she countered.
“Yes.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised by his blunt answer. Travis obviously felt small-town living too confining. “What do you usually do when you feel this way?”
“I find another challenge. An adventure. There has to be something around here that we can do. It might take up a day or two.”
“Travis, I’m going to stay. I don’t expect you to.” Her throat tightened as she spoke. She didn’t want him to leave, but she knew she couldn’t keep him here. “You were already planning to leave before the bracelet went missing.”
He crossed his arms. “I said I’m staying here.”
“You say it as if it’s some form of punishment.” After what he’d said about his childhood, she understood his need to keep moving. Travis didn’t want to settle down and risk being like his grandmother. “I’m sorry that Cedar Valley isn’t exciting enough for you.”
He sighed. “That’s not true.”
Christine started walking again. “Oh, and that whole story about how your friend lost an emerald? You need to come up with a better excuse.”
“I don’t have to make excuses,” Travis said as he followed her. “If I want to go somewhere, I do it. If I want to try something, I do it. I don’t let anything hold me back.”
She knew that was a pointed reference to her. How she had dreams and plans but it was all talk and no action. “Then why are you still here?” She stumbled to a halt as a horrible thought occurred to her. “Do you think I took the bracelet?”
He paused. Travis opened and closed his mouth before looking away.
She reared back as if she’d been slapped. The man she trusted, the man with whom she had risked her reputation, didn’t trust her. “You’re taking quite a while to answer,” she said brokenly.
“I don’t think you took the bracelet,” he finally said.
“You don’t sound convinced,” she said tiredly as the fight went out of her. At least her friend believed in her. “Good night, Travis.”
“Good night, Christine,” he called to her. “Sweet dreams.”
“Send me a postcard,” she said as she walked up the steps to her house. She immediately regretted the suggestion. She didn’t want to be reminded of what she thought she had with Travis. Of what it could have been.
“I’m not leaving,” he said. “I’ll be at the bed-and-breakfast.”
“Why?” she asked as she reached for her keys. “You don’t want to be here.”
“You have no idea what I want,” he said in a growl.
She opened the door and turned. Christine saw him standing on the sidewalk. His stance indicated he was ready to defend himself, but she knew he wanted to get away.
“You don’t have to say a word,” she said as she leaned on the doorframe. “I see it in your eyes. The way you were pacing in the bank. The way you couldn’t sit still at the bar. I’ve seen it before. You’re going stir-crazy and want to leave.”
“Try not to compare me with your father.”
“Point taken.” Maybe some of the pain that was pressing against her was from the memory of her father’s desertion when the going got tough. “Travis, I don’t want to be the one holding you back,” she said as she stepped inside her house and started to close the front door. “Do what you want, but I choose to stay.”
14
CHRISTINE STARED BLANKLY at her computer screen as she slumped into her office chair. She felt as if she had trudged through the day with no energy or interest. The gray day had leached out all color and the quiet had been overwhelming. She wanted to bolt out of the bank and run back home.
But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She would get through this. She always did. When her dad disappeared and left her with a financial mess to clean up, she had kept her head down and worked hard. When Darrell broke up with her in the most public fashion, she went through each day as if nothing had happened. She would regain control of her emotions when she followed her routine. The disappointment and pain would eventually morph into a stupor.
Only she didn’t want to be numb anymore. She wanted the blood-pumping and heart-racing moments. The hard kisses and the soft caresses. The moments before she took a risk, uncertain of the outcome, were the scariest. But they were better than the numbness. Travis had showed her that.
Travis. Christine closed her eyes as her chest clenched with regret. She would never see Travis Cain again. She should have kept her mouth shut. He was trying to help and could have shown her a good time. A chance to forget and feel free.
But he had been wrong and there was a difference between taking a calculated risk and avoiding a problem. She had to show up at work and face the curious and concerned customers. Christine opened her eyes and looked around the bank, which had been a hub of activity all day.
She knew how Cedar Valley operated. The quirks, the unwritten rules and the rituals. Travis didn’t need to. He had no intention of staying in Cedar Valley for long.
She could picture him here. He wouldn’t blend in, but the people would gravitate to him. Christine let out a staggered sigh. She’d never know. He’d probably already left. She hadn’t seen or heard from him since she’d rejected his offer to take the day off. Christine squeezed her eyes shut as the tears burned in the back of her eyes. She had been holding him back. The man was on his way to some grand adventure while she stayed home.
She glanced at the main lobby of the bank. Would it really have been the end of the world if she had taken up Travis’s offer? There had been no emergency, no urgent matter. If she had gone with Travis, she could have done something fun and exciting. Made memories. Sure, some people would have seen her absence as proof of guilt, but she knew she wasn’t in the wrong.
She heard the entrance door of the bank open. Christine’s breath hitched in her throat as she turned to see who arrived. Her shoulders sagged with disappointment when she saw Darrell stride through the door.
Christine watched as he walked past Harold. Darrell was so different from Travis. Darrell was the golden boy while Travis had a dangerous edge. Her ex had a selfish side that he hid behind a charm
ing smile. Travis had been considerate in and out of bed. Darrell had made her feel lacking; Travis showed her she was everything she wanted to be if she just took a chance.
Darrell was walking toward her office, and Christine swallowed a groan. He was the last person she wanted to see. Her emotions were raw and uneven. She didn’t think she could be polite to her ex-boyfriend, but he was a customer. Following habit, Christine rose from her desk and walked out of her office to greet him.
“Darrell,” Christine said, standing at the doorway. If she allowed him into her office, she’d never get rid of him. She clasped her hands in front of her. “How is everything going at the bookstore?”
“I’m doing great.” His voice carried through the small bank. “Better than ever.”
“That’s good to hear.” She had helped him from the moment he decided he wanted to go into business on his own. She remembered the long hours as she guided him through the paperwork and assisted him in preparing the carriage house. He had been grateful for her work and she was thrilled to see a dream become a reality.
But he wasn’t willing to reciprocate and help her achieve her goals. She had wanted to travel and expand her world. Climb mountains to see if she could do it. Meet every challenge and become the daring woman she always wanted to be. Not only had Darrell claimed he was too busy with his store, but he thought her needs were a waste of time.
And he didn’t know all of them. She was so glad she’d never shown Darrell her list. Sure, getting a tattoo wasn’t as fulfilling as building your own business, but that goal had a reason behind it, which Darrell never asked about. Travis, on the other hand, understood that goal. He knew she wanted a permanent symbol that honored the person she was today.
“So, what can we do for you today?” Christine asked with a professional smile. It had been a long, trying day. Trust Darrell to show up when the bank was supposed to close in five minutes. He probably had a difficult problem with no easy solution, but she wasn’t going to stay after business hours for him.
Darrell shoved his hands into the pockets of his pressed chinos. “Did you really meet this Travis guy in Vegas?”
Christine jerked her head and frowned. That was the last thing she expected to hear from Darrell. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s okay, Christine.” He reached out and cupped her shoulder in his hand. “You can tell me the truth.”
She stepped away from his touch. “I don’t know what this is all about.” And she wasn’t telling him anything. She had always held back with Darrell, and she knew that made her just as responsible for the lack of passion and intimacy in their relationship.
“You were upset about what I said—under the influence, I might add.” He flattened his hand against his chest. “It wasn’t my fault.”
The day he apologized for his actions would be the day she’d keel over in surprise. Christine rubbed her hand over her face. “You’re going to bring that up now?”
“I realize that our breakup may have sent you into a tailspin.”
She crossed her arms. “I assure you it didn’t.” The breakup had hurt, but she’d recovered quickly. That had been a sign that their relationship had been over long before they officially ended it. His words, however, had jolted her.
Darrell’s eyes narrowed as he studied her expression. “Did you really go to Vegas?”
“I did. Why?”
He shrugged. “I heard you played strip poker and joined the mile-high club.”
“Excuse me?” A laugh erupted from her throat. “And you believed that? Do you know me at all?”
“I know you’re mad at me and you need to prove me wrong. Did you pay Travis to come up here and pretend to be your lover?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Wow, you really don’t know me. Darrell, you need to stop reading so much fiction.”
“You have to admit—” he looked at her from head to toe “—you are not the type of girl he goes for.”
Christine automatically brushed her fingers against her fake pearls as she glanced at her gray pantsuit and flat shoes. She certainly wouldn’t have caught Travis’s attention if she’d worn this outfit in a Vegas casino. “According to you, I’m not the type any guy goes for.”
“There’s something that just doesn’t add up,” Darrell insisted.
“Because he’s exciting, sexy and a little bit dangerous?”
Darrell’s pale face reddened. “Yes,” he bit out.
Christine motioned him closer with the curl of her finger. “I’m going to let you in on a secret.”
Darrell’s blue eyes lightened as he leaned forward. “Yes?”
“It’s none of your business,” she whispered theatrically.
“He’s not your boyfriend, is he?” Darrell asked as he took a step back. “That’s why you won’t give me an answer. You need to prove to everyone at Cedar Valley that I was wrong and you made a deal with this guy.”
“I didn’t make a deal with her.” Travis’s voice was right behind them. “And she doesn’t have to tell you anything about our relationship.”
“Travis.” Her heart lurched when she saw him come from behind her and stand next to Darrell. She clasped her hands together to keep herself from grabbing him and holding him tight. She couldn’t take her eyes off his rugged face and piercing brown eyes. “What are you doing here?”
He gestured at one of the clocks on the wall. “The bank is closing for the day and I decided to pick you up from work.”
“Thank you,” she said with a bright smile. The energy was pulsating through her as she met his gaze. “Travis, have you met Darrell?”
“Yes, he has,” her ex-boyfriend bit out.
“I’ll go get my purse,” Christine told Travis. She walked to her desk when she heard Travis speaking to her ex.
“So, Darrell,” he said in a soft, lethal tone that made her pause, “do you or do you not believe that Christine has a wild streak?”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“I bet you didn’t.” Travis’s voice went lower. “Which makes me wonder why you’re telling everyone in town that Christine’s out of control and she shouldn’t be trusted.”
Christine’s hand slipped on the drawer handle. When did Darrell say that? And how did Travis know?
Darrell nervously cleared his throat. “You’re confusing me with someone else.”
“No, I’m not,” Travis replied with confidence. “But I’m going to settle your curiosity once and for all. She has a wild side but she’s not reckless.”
Darrell scoffed at his statement. “Why should I listen to you?”
“I’ve seen her wild side many times,” Travis said. “And she will never allow herself to lose control. You know that, but you want to play mind games with her. What I can’t figure out is if you’re angry that she proved you a liar, or if you’re angry you never saw this side of her.”
“She has no sides,” Darrell insisted. “I should know. I dated her for years.”
“Really?” Travis drawled. “Name one thing on her bucket list.”
“Her what?” Darrell asked.
“Exactly,” Travis said. “She didn’t trust you enough to tell you what she wanted out of life. And I don’t trust you at all. Cause any more trouble for Christine and you will deal with me.”
Christine quickly grabbed her purse and hurried out of her office. “I’m ready,” she told Travis.
“I don’t have time for this,” Darrell declared. He pivoted on his heel and marched out of the bank.
Christine raised herself on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on Travis’s angular jaw. “Thank you, Travis.”
“You’re welcome.” Travis slowly turned his attention away from the main entrance and gave her an incredulous look. “That guy really thought you paid me to come here?”
She shrugged. She didn’t want to point out the obvious—that someone like him would need extra incentive to notice someone like her. “He thought I was boring and you don’t,” she explained. “Either he’s worried that he missed out on something or he can’t figure out why I’m different with you.”
“Why are you different with me?” Travis asked as he curled his arm around her waist and escorted her to the door.
“I’m not that different,” she admitted. “I haven’t done anything on my bucket list since I got back home.”
“We’ll have to work on that,” Travis said. “I have a few ideas.”
Christine and Travis said goodnight to Harold and walked out of the bank. As they strolled to the parking lot, Christine stopped, a question burning in her mind since the moment she saw him in the bank.
“Travis, why are you still here? I thought you left town.”
“I was going to,” Travis said quietly. “I didn’t think you wanted me around and I had planned to leave immediately.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” She wanted him near, but knew it was only a matter of time until he left.
“But the more I thought about it, I realized that you were right.” Travis sighed. “If you took the day off today, you would just be avoiding the problem. You would only face more problems the next day.”
“So what have you been doing since I last saw you?”
“I’ve been here.” He extended his arms and gestured at the downtown area. “I figured the problem is that your neighbors don’t know me. So I decided to introduce myself, drop by some stores and listen to gossip. And you should hear some of the rumors. Apparently you won me in strip poker.”
Christine groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“Don’t worry. I set them straight,” he said. “I told them it was blackjack.”
“Travis.” She lightly punched him in the arm.
“It’s going to take them some time to get used to me,” he said as he reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “I’m not an expert on small towns, but I know they don’t warm up to strangers quickly.”
