Don't Close Your Eyes
Page 34
Fred walked over. Annie met him, her heart aching as she remembered her coffee buddy was dying. She hugged him. And held on a little too long.
He frowned. “I told him not to tell you.”
“I needed to know. And you need to know I’m here for you.”
“I know. I haven’t been able to get rid of your boyfriend.”
Boyfriend?
“He’s a keeper, by the way. We saved you a seat.” They moved to the table.
“Hey,” Connor Pierce and Juan Acosta said. Annie also recognized Mildred, the front desk clerk at the police station. These were all Mark’s friends.
“Albert Stone,” the man said next to him. “We met…before.” Annie recognized him from the morgue.
“Sit down,” Mildred said.
“Sure,” Annie said, still confused. She was about to ask where Mark was when a voice came on the loudspeaker.
“Hey everyone.”
Annie looked at the stage, air caught in her chest.
Four men stood on the stage. At center stage, holding the mic, was Mark, and he held a saxophone. His gaze was on her. Only on her.
“It’s been a long time since I played on a stage. Actually, until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t played in years. I gave up music because I lost someone special to me. But recently I’ve found someone else who’s very special to me. She wanted me to play for her. So if I make a fool out of myself tonight, you can blame Annie.”
Tears filled Annie’s eyes. Fred leaned over to her and said, “I’ve had to listen to him play all week. He’s been practicing for you. You look beautiful, by the way.”
Annie grinned as tears formed in her eyes. The band started playing. She didn’t know jazz well enough to know if Mark missed a note or if his playing was up to par, but it was music to her ears. Music to her heart.
When the band finished the song, Mark spoke again into the mic. “I’m going to turn it back to these guys.”
He walked off the stage. Walked right to her. He held out his hand. “Come with me a minute.”
She placed her hand in his, and emotional sparks traveled up her arm. Blinking away tears, she followed him. And just like that, she knew she’d follow him anywhere. She’d take him, commitment or not. He walked her out to the side of the restaurant, where there were patio tables but no people. He pulled her against him. “I missed you like the devil, Annie Lakes.”
He kissed her, tasting like coffee and a flavor that was simply Mark. His lips were moist and slid softly across hers. His hands held her by her waist and brought her closer, they fit, felt so right, yet she ached to be closer.
“I missed you,” she said, when he stopped kissing her.
“I used to think nothing made me happier than playing that damn instrument, but that was before I met you. You are music to my soul. And if you’ll hang in there with me, I promise I’ll do my damnedest to turn into the man you deserve.”
She smiled through more tears. “I think I’ve changed my mind.”
“About?” Concern sounded in his voice.
“Jazz music. I didn’t know saxophone players were so sexy.”
He laughed and pulled her against him again. “We have to go in there and have dinner with those guys, but afterward, I’m going to take you home and I’m going to show you just how sexy a saxophone player can be.”
He brushed a finger over her lips. “I think I love you, Annie Lakes.”
She rose on her tiptoes and touched his cheek. “I think I love you, too.”
When Juan Acosta meets his gorgeous neighbor, he knows she’s hiding something. As he gets closer to the mysterious woman and her daughter, his investigation uncovers dark secrets that will put them all in danger.
Please turn the page for an excerpt from
DON’T BREATHE A WORD.
Prologue
Three years ago
Juan held the camera and filmed his wife as she spoke. Angie had come up with this idea of making videos for their unborn daughter, so that when she grew up she would know how wanted and loved she was.
No doubt the idea stemmed from his wife’s childhood insecurities. Being adopted had left a mark on her. Probably similar to the mark left on him when he lost his parents at fifteen.
“I love you, baby girl, and I love your daddy,” Angie said to the camera. “This is me, and you before you were born. See.” She pulled up her shirt and showed the basketball-sized bump from her seven-month pregnancy. She grinned up at him. “We’re so happy to be having you.”
Juan stared at his wife of two years, love in her blue eyes and a smile of pure happiness added a glow to her expressions. Her love for their baby was so bright that sometimes it hurt him to look at her. The halo of blond hair rested on her shoulders. But she was indeed an angel. His angel.
He wasn’t sure that he deserved her, but if Fate ever realized it had screwed up and tried to change it, he was prepared to fight. And fight dirty. He was keeping her. She made the bad things in his past feel small. She made the bad things he saw in the world every day feel less so.
She waved him forward. “Now put the camera on the stand and come be in the video.”
“I’ll ruin the video.”
She made her cute face and beckoned him to her. “Don’t be shy.”
He did as she said, because telling her no was impossible. Which was why next week was his last week working undercover for the gang squad. After that he’d start working homicide.
She wrapped her arm around his waist. “This is your daddy. Say something to your daughter.” She playfully bumped him with her hip.
“I’m camera shy,” he said, explaining his awkwardness, but it was a lie. Even though he was excited about the idea of having a child, somehow it just didn’t feel real. Sure, he’d placed his hand on his wife’s middle and felt the baby move, and he’d seen the fuzzy sonogram video that dubbed the child a girl, but it still didn’t feel…true.
And that worried the hell out of him. He saw what Angie felt for the unborn child. As hard as he tried, though, he couldn’t tap into those emotions.
His older brother, a father of two, assured him it would change when they placed that child in his arms. He hoped like hell Ricky was right. He hoped losing his parents hadn’t somehow damaged him and prevented him from being the kind of dad a kid deserved.
“Juan.” She touched his arm. “Say something.”
“Okay.” Pause. “I think you are going to be the luckiest little girl in the world, because when your mama loves someone, that person has everything they’ll ever need. Look at her, she’s smart and beautiful.”
“Right,” Angie said. “Like you aren’t easy on the eyes.” Angie looked into the camera. “Your dad’s friends call him Pretty Boy. He even did a few TV commercials.”
“Don’t tell her that.” He’d done it only to pay for school.
Angie laughed. “But I don’t love him just because he’s a hottie. The day I met him he was getting a kitten off the roof of my apartment building for an elderly neighbor. He was kind to the kitten. And he was kind to the neighbor who was being a pain in the butt. I fell in love with him right then.”
Juan leaned down and kissed her.
The kiss lingered. “Okay.” Angie pulled back. “Let’s cut off the video.”
“And then what?” he whispered and wiggled his brows.
She cut off the camera, pushed a few buttons to send the video to the cloud, then shot him a sexy smile. “If you go get the tools to put the crib together you might get lucky.”
“You want to tape that, too?” he teased.
She swatted him on his ass.
He laughed and went to the garage to get his tools. As he made the door, his wife’s dog, Sweetie, followed him out.
He’d found the wrench and the screwdriver when his phone rang. Although he didn’t recognize the number, he still picked up. “Yeah?”
“You didn’t think you’d get away with it, did you?”
The voice yanked hi
s good mood right out of his chest. Then the blast sounded. The wall of the garage imploded and he was thrown to the other side. Disoriented but conscious, he managed to push his way out of the collapsing garage. Pieces of his roof were scattered all over the lawn. Fire was claiming what was left of his house, but it didn’t stop him.
“Angie!” he screamed and ran inside.
Acknowledgments
I’ve been extremely lucky to find editors who get me. Editors who connect with my characters, my voice, and whose advice resonates with me and my career goals. Thank you, Michele Bidelspach, for helping me climb upward in this career. I have loved working with you, but have faith we’ll cross paths again soon. And Amy Pierpont, thank you for taking me on and helping me get this book in the hands of fans.
Thank you to my agent, Kim Lionetti, for taking the journey with me on this publishing path. Thank you for trusting me enough to follow my game plan, for pushing me when I need a push, for pulling me back when I start to take a step down the wrong way. I think we make a pretty good team.
And thank you to my parents, Virginia Curtis and Pete Hunt, from whom I got my work ethic, my sense of humor, and just enough zaniness needed to be a writer.
And thank you to my fans for leaving reviews, for the emails letting me know you liked my book, and for the word of mouth you send out in the world that helps my career.
Here’s to getting lost in a book.
Christie Craig
About the Author
Christie Craig is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-nine books. She is an Alabama native, a motivational speaker, and a writing teacher who currently hangs her hat in Texas. When she’s not writing romance, she’s traveling, sipping wine, or penning bestselling young adult novels as C. C. Hunter.
You can learn more at:
Christie-Craig.com
Twitter @Christie_Craig
Facebook.com/ChristieCraigBooks
Also by Christie Craig
HOTTER IN TEXAS SERIES
Only in Texas
Blame It on Texas
Texas Hold ’Em
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