by Karen Renee
“So that’s a no.”
“Raegan—”
“Clint, whatever you want to talk to me about, I’m not doing it if you haven’t eaten. You’re known for flying off the handle on an empty stomach.”
He stared at me for a long moment before he stood up and came back with a bowl of soup for himself.
He took his sweet time stirring and crumbling crackers into it before he asked, “How are you tied up in this shit?”
Even though I should’ve seen the question coming, it took me by surprise.
“I don’t know! Because I’m Bronwyn’s sister?”
I was exasperated, not only because I had no answers, but because that wasn’t my first question. Who cared how I was tied up in this? I cared about why there was anything to be tied up in to begin with! Wynnie wouldn’t hurt a flea!
When he finished his soup, Clint dug into his pocket for his keys.
Mom stood up, saying, “Spend the night.”
Her firm tone surprised me. Then she whispered, “Please.”
I opened my mouth to say Clint didn’t need to do that, but Mom shook her head. “I can’t... ” She leaned on the table.
Clint’s arm darted out to keep me from moving to Mom. “I’ll stay, Penny. Don’t worry. I know what you can’t do and where your mind is right now. I’ll be right out here, in the living room, so nothing happens to either one of you.”
Mom nodded, whispered her thanks, and shuffled off to her room.
When she was out of earshot, I said, “You can stay in Bronwyn’s room—”
His voice cut me off like a knife. “No. This house has a split floorplan. I camp out on the sofa, I can hear anyone come in from the back or the front. If I’m in your sister’s room, I won’t hear entry from the back until it’s too damn late.”
I sighed because I didn’t like it. “Well, thank you. After I do the dishes, I’ll get you pillows and linens.”
He shook his head. “When I’m done with dishes, Rae. You’re not standing at the sink when there’s a chance you might have a concussion.”
I narrowed my eyes. “If there were a chance of that, the EMTs would’ve taken me in for a CAT scan.”
He grimaced. “You refused after their recommendation. Signed the paperwork and everything, sweetheart.”
I sighed, knowing he was right.
He took Mom’s dish to the sink along with his own. I finished my soup and took my bowl to the sink.
Clint took it from me while jerking his head toward the hallway. “Go change, Rae.”
When I came back, Clint sat on the couch taking off his boots. I left the linens on the end of the couch with a new toothbrush in its package on top. Then I quietly went to my room. Part of me wanted to sit and chat with him, but I knew that wasn’t in the cards.
It couldn’t be.
Five days ago, he had expected me to be back in New York City. Maybe I should have been. But then what would’ve happened? Would someone have attacked Mom instead? Would the detective have simply informed her over the phone that Wynnie’s death was ruled accidental?
No. What happened happened, and I couldn’t analyze it any further. Besides, it had been a long day and I was exhausted. In the bathroom, I made short work of putting on my pajamas and doing my nighttime routine. After I turned out my light, I heard Clint moving in the bathroom, taking care of his own business.
I rolled over, willing myself not to think about him being under the same roof with me, but not in the same bed.
MY EYES OPENED, AND I knew it was the middle of the night. As exhausted as I was, I should’ve slept straight through to morning, but my body had always been contrary that way.
I turned over and tried to get some more sleep, but it didn’t work. After five more minutes, I got up and made my way to the kitchen as silently as I could.
There was a pot-light over the kitchen sink, and Clint had left it on for some reason. The low-wattage bulb gave off enough light I could watch Clint sleeping. He had the blanket at his waist, and still wore his undershirt. I spied his jeans folded on top of his boots, so my hunch was he wore his boxers beneath the blanket. My assessment of him when he first barged in the kitchen so many days ago was right. He had bulked up through his arms, but I didn’t notice how much his chest had filled out. I forced myself to tiptoe into the kitchen because watching him sleep any longer put me into creeper territory.
Mom always left a kettle on the stove. I filled it as quietly as I could before setting it to boil. While I waited, I grabbed a box of herbal tea and a teacup.
The kettle started to make the low hissing sound of the water heating when Clint shuffled into the kitchen. His boxers were patterned with the Boston College logo. My eyes skated down his muscular legs to his bare feet. Call me crazy, but I loved seeing him barefoot. Seemed any part of him attracted me, so I focused on my tea.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” I whispered.
“You got enough water for another cup?”
My brows furrowed. “Yes, but I’m making herbal tea.”
He shrugged. “I’ll give it try.”
By the time I grabbed a cup ready for Clint, the water was boiling. I dunked both teabags. Before I could grab Clint’s cup, his heat hit my back and he took his cup away.
A chill stole over me as he walked away, and I told myself to get over it. The honey container sat behind my cup, so I squirted a shot of honey into my mug prior to joining Clint at the table.
As I blew on my tea, he told me random stories about Bronwyn taking care of Mom in the days after the stroke. I’d heard most of those stories from Wynnie. Getting the story from Clint was different since he was giving me both Wynnie and Mom’s side of things.
He’d always been good at that. Giving both sides of any story, and it was why I knew he would make such a damn fine police officer.
Maybe it was because it was the middle of the night. Maybe it was because I was tired even if my body wouldn’t succumb to sleep. Whatever it was, something forced me to fill the silence, and I blurted, “I hear her voice.”
“Yeah,” he whispered.
My brows furrowed because I had no idea why he would sound like he knew what I was going through. I didn’t dwell on that and continued blurting.
“I can’t imagine how much worse it is for Mom.”
He sighed.
I stared at my tea. “Detective Gaspar closed her case. Ruled it as an accident. All official and shit.”
“Gaspar?”
My eyes widened. “Yeah. You know him?”
He frowned for a moment. “Know of him.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. From the look on Clint’s face, he didn’t either.
He sat back in his chair. “I should not offer this, but I’m going to ask Paul to look into it.”
I looked into his warm brown eyes. “Paul?”
“My boss.”
“Why?”
“Because something isn’t right. I’d do it but I’m too close to it.”
I sipped my tea. “I’m surprised you’re not convinced it was an accident.”
He shook his head. “No. Something’s wrong. But no promise he’ll do anything.”
I sensed he was holding something back and sighed. “Thank you, Clint.”
He nodded and finished his tea. I thought he’d get up and go back to the couch, but he put the cup down and looked at me. “How long you off work?”
I wobbled my head. He didn’t need to know I was between jobs and he didn’t need to know I had enough money that I could wait months before going back to work... assuming I didn’t live up north.
“As long as this takes,” I said.
“Really?”
I nodded. “Like you said, something’s wrong, and I need to figure out Mom.”
His face set. “‘Figure out Mom?’”
After a deep breath I answered. “Well, she’s getting better, but still needs help.”
“Don’t sell the house. Not yet.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say anything about selling the house, but why would you say that?”
“No big decisions, Rae.”
I nodded. “You’re right.”
He twisted his mug on the table. “Then back to New York?”
“Probably.”
“You love it that much?”
I couldn’t answer that. Not with total honesty anyway. It was what I knew. I loved the energy and the constant buzz.
“You ever want more than your job?” he asked.
We had landed in treacherous territory. I looked into his eyes. “I did. Life’s... strange sometimes.”
An odd look crossed his face. He grabbed my mug and his. “You need to get some sleep, Rae.”
“You do too, Clint.”
Chapter 9
Standing Date
Clint
THE SOUND OF A WALKER sliding across the floor woke me. I sat up and Penny smiled.
“Good morning, Clint. You could’ve slept in a bedroom last night.”
I shook my head. “Raegan said the same thing, but I wouldn’t have heard anything if I were in Wynnie’s room.”
“Not the bedroom I was thinking of,” she muttered as she approached the stove.
I bit back my chuckle while shaking my head.
When I was in my jeans, I threw my dress shirt on but didn’t button it. I grabbed two coffee mugs and put them next to the stove. Penny avoided my eyes, but I had patience and stared at her until she looked at me.
“What?”
“We aren’t getting back together, Penny. I appreciate that you hold hope, but you need to direct it elsewhere.”
“Plenty of people have told me not to cling to hopes, Clint. And I never listened to a damned one of them. You’re a fine man, but you’re no different. I’m not gonna listen to you tell me not to hope for the best things for my girl. And make no mistake, you are the best thing that ever happened to my Rae-of-sunshine.”
I closed my eyes as heat hit my chest. Those were really nice words, but I wished they’d come from Raegan.
After a deep breath, I opened my eyes. “Thank you, Penny. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
She shook her head. “Watching life pass my daughter by is what will hurt. Not holding onto the hope she comes to her damn senses.”
“Penny,” I whispered.
“Now. You still take cream with your coffee? Hate to tell you, but we don’t have that Cafe Bustello stuff you like. Your choices are a breakfast blend or this cockamamie caramel latte business Raegan picked up.”
“It’s a caramel macchiato, Mom and there’s nothing cockamamie about it,” Raegan said from the doorway.
In the middle of the night, I had missed her shapely legs in those insanely short shorts. Her nipples beaded under the bright blue t-shirt with three clouds across the chest. I ignored all of that, but the sight of her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun made my dick twitch because I desperately wanted to yank it all down before I kissed her hard.
Dammit.
I had to stop those thoughts or the visions they brought on were going to kill me.
I faced Penny, who had a knowing smirk on her face, and said, “Breakfast blend is fine, and two creams plus one sugar works for me. Just point me in the direction of the sugar.”
“It’s right behind you. I’ll be right back,” Raegan mumbled before she hustled down the hallway.
I heard coffee being poured into mugs while I grabbed the sugar container. When I looked to Penny, she wore her lopsided smile. “I think it was something you said, Clint.”
“Right. Where do you keep the spoons?”
She pulled one out from the drawer in front of her and handed it to me. I doctored my coffee and grabbed Penny’s mug.
She gave me a look. “I could handle that.”
I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t argue. “I’m sure you could, but this morning, I’ve got it.”
Raegan came back into the kitchen. “Okay, Mom, what’s it gonna be today? There’s still some boiled eggs in the fridge, or I can poach a couple for you.”
Penny sighed. “Over easy with a side of bacon.”
Raegan gave Penny an impatient look. “You know better, Mom. Or I could put together some yogurt and granola for you... it might get you prepared for the tofu lunch Clint’s bringing you next week.”
Penny’s smile was fake. “Thanks, but no thanks, my dear. I suppose I’ll go with poached eggs if it isn’t any trouble.”
“It never is,” she said to the pan she filled with water. She glanced over her shoulder. “Clint? You want poached eggs? If I thought she’d behave, I’d offer your eggs any way you want them, but I know she’d pull a muscle trying to get your plate if I fixed fried eggs.”
I chuckled. “Be nice, Raegan. If you got any toast, I’ll take two poached eggs.”
“Bread’s in the freezer, Clint. We have rye or whole wheat because my daughter is determined for me to be healthy.”
Raegan whipped her head to Penny. “Mom! You can’t ask him to get his own toast. He’s a guest!”
I opened the freezer. “It’s not a problem, Raegan.”
“If anybody’s a guest around here, it’s you, Rae. He’s had his key for years now, and he comes by once a week, often times more. He’s an able-bodied man, and I’m sure he can operate a toaster.”
That was putting it on a little thick, and my mother was the queen at guilt trips.
“Penny. Leave her be and drink your coffee.”
She glowered at me and I raised my eyebrows at her. I felt Raegan’s eyes on me, but I focused on the bread. “You want any toast, Penny? What about you, Rae?”
Both women said no, so I put two slices down.
Fifteen minutes later, the three of us sat around the kitchen table in an awkward silence.
Raegan looked at me, looked away and looked back to me a couple of times before she finally found the courage to speak.
“I hesitate to ask this, but... do you have any pointers on how I’m gonna get the rental car back? I mean, like I told the officers, the last thing I remember is loading the last bag into the trunk, and nothing.”
Hearing her tell the cops that last night wasn’t easy and it wasn’t any easier hearing her repeat it. I exhaled slowly. “You need to tell the rental company. Didn’t you do that last night?”
Her head wobbled. “Tried. There wasn’t a live person to be found when I called the number on the website for the rental insurance.”
I squinted one eye.
She rolled her eyes. “No, Clint. I didn’t keep the rental agreement separate from the car. I already heard about that mistake from Officer Daniels last night.”
The doorbell rang before I could advise her.
Raegan pushed from the table and I pointed a finger at her. “You stay here. I’ll see who’s at the door.”
It wasn’t likely the bastards who took her yesterday would come back, but stranger shit had happened when I was on the force.
Through the sheet of glass serving as their front door, I saw Tanya with her sons in tow. Just what I didn’t need this morning.
With a smile on my face, I opened the door speaking. “This isn’t really a good time, Tanya. We appreciate your concern, but Ragean’s—”
She cocked her hip as a foot jutted out. “I’m not here for Raegan, though I’m glad she’s fine this morning. It was clear she was gonna be okay last night. We’re here for Penny. Her doctor said she could get out and about, so she has a standing date with us every Thursday morning. I drive her and the boys to the park, then we come back after,” she paused, leaned forward, and lowered her voice to a whisper, “a trip to a drive-through. Whatever Miss Penny’s feelin’ works for me and the boys. But don’t tell Raegan.”
I choked trying to prevent my laughter. When I had it under control, I nodded. “Got it. Penny’s not dressed yet, you want to come inside?”
She shook her head. “Nope. It’ll take me ten minutes before I pull
the car around. Tell Penny to come out when she’s ready.”
I wandered back to the kitchen, shaking my head.
“Who was at the door?”
I grinned. “Tanya. She’s here to pick up Penny. They have a standing Thursday morning trip to the park.”
Rae’s brows furrowed. “What? Neither one of them mentioned this.”
“She probably gave it a rest with Wynnie’s death.”
Raegan looked ready to argue. I put my hand on hers and gentled my tone. “Let her go with them, Rae. It will do her good.”
Once Penny left, the look on Raegan’s face spoke volumes. She did not like me being in the house.
“Honey, I hate to break this to you, but I’m not leaving.”
Panic crossed with confusion lit her face. “Why?”
I took a deep breath. “Yesterday, you ran out alone, and didn’t make it back here of your own accord. If you think I’m leaving you alone so those fuckers can strike again, you’re crazy.”
“Clint—”
“No arguments. Take a shower, get dressed, do whatever it is you do in the mornings. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to Target, see if your car is still there. If not, we’ll figure shit out with the rental company.”
Raegan
IN CLINT’S SUV FOR the second time, I wondered why he was doing this.
I was grateful, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t get an Uber to Target to check on the car. Then again, I didn’t have the keys, so maybe that wouldn’t have worked out either.
I exhaled as quietly as possible.
At a red light, Clint turned to me. “What are you upset about, Rae?”
“Not upset, Clint. I’m just sorry you have to do this for me. So, thank you, by the way, for your help.”
His toffee-brown eyes gave nothing away as he stared at me. It made my stomach sink because normally I could read him, but now, it was like looking at someone I didn’t know.
“Why?” he asked.
I blinked. “Why, what?”
He turned back to the windshield as traffic started moving. “Why are you sorry I have to do something for you?”
I looked out the passenger window and sighed. “I don’t know.”
