A Soldier's Promise (Crystal Lake Series Book 2) (10 page)

The hard work and subsequent pain had pushed thoughts of kissing her again right out of his mind.

A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Okay, maybe it was best not to mention that fact if she came looking for him.

After a few minutes, the room stopped spinning, and he opened his eyes, longing for a drink of ice-cold water or the sun tea Julie loved. But getting something to drink would require him to move, so he decided to stay right where he was for a little longer.

The throbbing of his ribs didn’t ease much, telling him he’d overdone it big-time. But as he stared up at the ceiling, he was satisfied to realize he’d managed to get more than a quarter of the ceiling drywall down. Not too bad for a man who’d been in a car crash recently.

He estimated that he would have the rest of the drywall down by the Fourth of July, which would be perfect timing. He didn’t dare stay in Hope County too long, even though it felt good to be doing something constructive rather than driving aimlessly, looking for a place that might be hiring.

He stared at the half-demolished kitchen and living room area and considered staying long enough to get the entire job finished. But as soon as the thought formed, he dismissed it.

For one thing, Julie might not have the money to purchase the necessary supplies. Drywall, cabinets, counters, and sinks had a way of adding up to a pretty penny. There were about five sheets of drywall propped in one corner, but that wouldn’t be nearly enough to finish the open-concept room.

No, best that he complete as much of the work as possible before hitting the road with Lexi.

“Derek?”

Julie’s voice came from outside, not from the patio but from the front yard.

“Coming,” he called, forcing himself to move. Getting back on his feet was no easy task, and by the time he managed the feat, tiny beads of sweat were rolling down his temples.

For a long moment, he stood bracing himself against the wall, trying to gather the strength he’d need to face Julie without letting on how much pain he was in. She’d take it personally even though it was his own stupid fault for over-exerting himself.

“Derek? Come on, I want you to meet my brother, Zack,” Julie called again, a note of impatience lacing her tone.

“I’m coming,” he assured her. He used the hem of his T-shirt to swipe away the sweat and stepped carefully over the drywall debris littering the floor as he made his way across the room. He pasted a broad smile on his face in an attempt to hide his discomfort as he opened the front door.

“There you are,” Julie exclaimed. She stood next to a tall man with medium-brown hair. “Derek, this is my brother, Zack Crain. Zack, this is Derek Ryerson, Lexi’s father.”

His greeting died in his throat when he stared in horror at the police car parked at the end of Julie’s driveway. It took another second or two for his brain to register that Zack was dressed in uniform blue, complete with a shiny badge pinned to his chest and a gun nestled at his waist.

Why on earth hadn’t Julie mentioned her brother was a cop?

Chapter Eight

Derek forced himself to approach Julie and her brother, ignoring the tight knot of anxiety twisting his gut. “Nice to meet you, Zack,” he said, reluctantly holding out his hand. “Sorry about the dust and sweat.”

Zack’s gaze narrowed a bit, but he returned the greeting. “No problem. Good to meet you, too.” The handshake was hard and brief.

Derek let his hand drop to his side and wondered how long it would take for Julie’s brother to run a background check on him. Probably not long. Would he even wait to leave or run the check right now in his squad car?

His pulse jumped erratically, and he knew he should take Lexi and leave right away. But how? A rental car? Maybe he could afford a rental, at least until he got to a bus station. And then what?

Where would he go? What would he and Lexi do?

“Derek, are you all right?” Julie asked, pulling him from his panicked thoughts.

“Um, yeah. Sorry. What did you say?”

“I was telling Zack about the work you’ve been doing on the townhouse,” she said. A hint of concern shadowed her eyes.

“Right. Actually, I just pulled more drywall off the ceiling, and it’s a bit of a mess. Why don’t you wait here while I clean things up?” He couldn’t deny he was desperate to get away. Maybe he could convince Julie’s brother that he was harmless. And then maybe, just maybe, her brother the cop wouldn’t run a background check only to find Claire’s parents had filed for custody.

But the shred of hope wasn’t reassuring. Not when he knew that, if the situation were reversed, he’d be doing a background check on a stranger who was sharing a townhouse with his sister.

He turned and walked back inside, letting the screen door slam shut behind him, trying to act natural as he began sweeping up the debris littering the floor. When Julie, Zack, and Lexi came inside, he stopped and leaned on the broom, trying to look casual when in fact he feared his legs might buckle beneath him. “What do you think?” he asked, striving for a normal tone.

“Wow, looks great,” Julie said in awe. Then she frowned. “Your ribs must be killing you. It can’t be easy working on the ceiling.”

He shrugged. “The results are worth it.”

Zack stared at him, his gaze faintly accusatory. “How long are you planning to stay?”

“Until after the holiday,” Derek murmured. “Hopefully by then, my car will be replaced and I’ll be able to hit the road again.”

“What? No. Knock it off, Zack,” Julie said in a stern tone. “I’m thrilled to have Derek and Lexi here. And I told you, we have a mutually beneficial arrangement. He and Lexi get food and a roof over their heads, and in return, I get work done on the townhouse. It’s a win-win for both of us.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” Zack muttered darkly.

Derek tried to control a flash of anger on Julie’s behalf. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating,” he said in a clipped tone. “Julie has been nothing but kind. Lexi and I are very grateful for her willingness to give us food and shelter. It’s not my intent to take advantage of your sister. She’s perfectly safe.”

Lexi must have noticed some of the tension in the room because she came over to stand close to his side. He put a reassuring arm around his daughter, hugging her close.

Surprisingly, a spasm of pain flashed across Zack’s features, and he rather abruptly turned away.

“Are you planning to stay for dinner, Zack?” Julie asked in an obvious effort to change the subject.

“No, I have to get back. Thanks anyway.” Zack walked back outside and settled his police hat back on his head.

Derek’s shoulders slumped with relief at the news her brother wasn’t planning on staying, but that didn’t change the fact that he needed to figure out a way to get out of town. And soon.

Before his luck ran out.

___________

Julie followed her brother back to his squad car. “Zack, please consider staying for dinner,” she murmured. “Derek is really a nice guy.”

Zack shook his head, avoiding her gaze. “I can’t. The way he looks with his daughter...” He sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I just can’t.”

She knew how difficult losing Amelia had been for Zack. No parent should have to lose both his spouse and his daughter within a two-year timeframe. She wanted to help ease his pain, tried to convince him to hand his burdens over to God, but Zack refused.

Her brother hadn’t stepped foot in a church since losing Emma and Amelia. Her heart ached for him. They’d grown closer over the years since losing their parents.

“Goodbye, Julie,” Zack said as he slid into the driver’s seat.

She forced a smile. “Bye, Zack. Stop by again soon.”

He gave a terse nod as he twisted the key, bringing the engine to life. But he didn’t back out of the driveway right away. Instead, he lowered the passenger window. “Are you sure you can trust this guy?”

“Absolutely,” she said, as if she hadn’t had the exact same fears just yesterday. But that was before the kiss. Interesting, because a normal woman might be more worried about her safety after a heated kiss.

Except she wanted to kiss him again.

She inwardly shook her head at her foolishness.

Zack grimaced and lifted his hand in a wave as he rolled backward out of the driveway. She stood on the lawn, shielding her eyes from the sun, her heart heavy and aching as she watched him drive away.

She felt something soft brush against her side and glanced down in surprise to see Lexi standing close, they way she usually stood next to her father. It was as if the little girl knew Julie was feeling sad again and wanted to offer comfort.

Her throat tightened with unshed tears, so she simply gave Lexi a hug. But when she glanced up, she noticed Derek was watching them with a frown.

She immediately released the little girl and stepped back, feeling as if she’d crossed a line. Why didn’t Derek want her to be close to Lexi? Because they were leaving soon? Probably. She pulled herself together with an effort. “I better start dinner,” she said in a low voice.

Derek didn’t say anything as she went over to her side of the townhouse, closing the door firmly behind her.

She leaned weakly against the door, blinking back ridiculous tears. Why did she allow herself to get so emotionally involved? You would think she’d have learned her lesson with Andrew. She knew better than anyone how care and compassion did not lead to love.

Besides, she knew Derek and his daughter were only here for a brief stay. His unexpected kiss hadn’t meant anything, except maybe to thank her.

After Andrew’s betrayal, she’d refused to date. Well, to be fair, there hadn’t been many available men to date. And she was afraid of making the same mistakes all over again.

Was she really willing to risk opening her heart to a man who’d made it clear he was just passing through?

No, she wasn’t. With renewed strength and determination, she pushed away from the door and headed toward the fridge, where she’d stored the groceries she’d purchased that morning. She pulled out the chicken and searched for her skewer so she could make rotisserie chicken on the grill. Once the chicken was roasting away, she headed outside to her small garden to pick fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers for the salad.

Puttering in her garden helped her to relax. Once she was sure she’d regained her composure, she went over to Derek and Lexi’s side of the townhouse to see what they were up to and to let them know what time to expect dinner.

Her jaw dropped in surprise when she discovered Derek was standing next to his packed suitcases while Lexi was rocking back and forth in the corner. “Where are you going?”

The flash of guilt in his eyes confirmed her worst fears. “Isn’t it obvious? Your brother is worried about you, and I really don’t blame him. I think it’s best for everyone if Lexi and I move on.”

“Why? How? You don’t even have a car!”

“I know I’ve already imposed enough, but would you mind dropping us off at Billy’s? Harold said he’d rent me a car cheap if needed. If you don’t want to drive us, that’s fine. We can walk. It’s not that far.”

“Don’t go,” she pleaded. “Not yet. Not until you’re feeling better.” Her earlier pep talk vanished in a puff of smoke now that she was faced with the reality of Derek’s intent to leave. “Please?”

He hesitated, looking more worn out than ever before. “It’s really best if we go.”

It took all her willpower not to point out that leaving wasn’t best for Lexi. The girl was rocking back and forth, staring at the floor, obviously upset. She wanted to go over and cuddle the girl close.

Was Lexi the reason Derek was so set on leaving? Because she was bonding too much with his daughter? She couldn’t blame him for wanting to protect Lexi.

“If you really want to leave, it’s best to wait until the morning. That way you’ll have a whole day to travel, rather than just a few hours.” Did she sound as desperate as she felt? Somehow she couldn’t manage to drum up the energy to care. “And it’s one less night you’ll have to pay for a hotel room. Not to mention, I’ve already started dinner.”

Derek stood indecisively, a deep frown furrowed in his brow as he rubbed a hand over his ribs. She imagined the pain was much worse now, considering the amount of work he’d done on the ceiling of her townhouse.

“Lexi, do you like chicken?” she asked. “Chicken roasted on the grill is one of my favorites. Dinner should be ready in less than a half hour.”

“All right,” Derek muttered with a sigh. “We’ll stay one more night.”

She felt relieved even though she knew the morning would be here soon enough. “Great. Do you need help putting the suitcases away?”

“No, but thanks,” he said with a weary smile.

Since she still had the urge to comfort Lexi, she forced herself to turn around and leave. Derek had made his feelings known, leaving her little choice but to honor his wishes.

As she cleaned the vegetables from her garden, she couldn’t help trying to think of a way to make Derek change his mind about leaving in the morning.

___________

Derek rolled the suitcases back to the bedroom he shared with Lexi, wincing at how sore his muscles were. He hadn’t felt this bad since waking up in the emergency department of Hope County Hospital.