Every Vow She Breaks (22 page)

Jed’s fists clenched. “I should go out there.”

Stepping forward, she gripped his arms. “No, Ian’s just frustrated not dangerous, but his reaction made me realize I really don’t know these men very well. My relationship with Dallas was with a boy. He’s a man now, and I’m sure he’s changed as much as Ian has. I’ll be cautious when I approach him.”

He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “Good. If something happened to you…” His stomach tightened.

Her gaze rose to meet his. Hope? Expectation? Need? Emotions he wasn’t sure he understood flashed through her eyes. He still hadn’t figured out exactly what she was feeling when she looked away.

“You’re just afraid you’d have to keep Scoop.”

“There’re worse fates, I suppose. The mutt’s growing on me, but I’d prefer to keep you around.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m almost finished painting the tower bedroom. Oh, the contractor showed up while you were gone. He had a couple of points to clarify then said he’d have a final estimate on your list of repairs soon.”

“Great. I’m sure you were more useful answering his questions than I would have been. Do you want to take a break or finish painting the bedroom first?”

“How about I finish while you make us a picnic lunch? A hike in the fresh air sounds perfect after breathing paint fumes all morning.”

“Deal.” Reaching up, she caressed his cheek, then pressed a kiss to his lips. “Thanks for all your help.”

“You’re welcome. Claire?”

“What?”

“Is everything’s okay?

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

He wasn’t sure he believed her. “Are you upset Dallas is the one who’s been bothering you? You seem—I don’t know—subdued. Not your usual upbeat self.”

“Maybe a little upset. I don’t like thinking he has a…problem. But I’m confident we can work through it. Maybe Theresa will help. I know they’re close.”

Relief lightened the weight pressing down on him. The niggling feeling that he was the reason for her downcast mood evaporated. “Maybe Simms should talk to a shrink. The guy has some real issues.”

Her brow furrowed. “I can suggest it.”

“But you don’t think he will?” His uneasiness returned.

“I doubt it. Dallas was never a fan of talking about his problems. He always kept everything bottled up inside—”

“Until he exploded? Shit. I think we should call the cops.”

“No.” She shook her head, her hair brushing his chin. “He was never violent. Usually he just did something stupid to let off steam. Once, when he and his dad had this big argument over a math grade, he drank half a bottle of tequila.” Her nose wrinkled. “God, was he sick. But when the agony of the hangover wore off, he felt better and hashed it out with his father. He agreed to do some extra credit work, and everything was good between them afterward.”

Jed snorted. “So you think he’ll go get drunk then get over you just like that?”

“I hope so. Dallas was always willing to listen to a reasonable suggestion once he got over his initial anger.”

“If he doesn’t, I’ll be here. One thing’s certain, the asshole isn’t going to get anywhere near you. That’s a promise.”

Claire climbed out of the SUV and shut the door behind Scoop after the dog jumped to the ground. Dallas’s home had seen better days. Not much more than a shack set on the edge of the forest. A toothless old man in a rocking chair with a shotgun across his lap and a homemade still in the backyard wouldn’t have been out of place. She laid a hand on Scoop’s head. When the clerk who’d answered the phone at the hardware store told her Dallas wasn’t coming in until later in the day, she’d decided bringing the dog along for company might be a smart move. With the nearest neighbor not even within shouting distance, she was glad she had.

Dense fog shrouded the cabin as she approached. Jamming her hands in her jacket pockets to ward off the chill, she headed up the dirt path to the front door. Claire hadn’t told Jed she was confronting Dallas in his home instead of at the hardware store. If he could see her now, he’d go ballistic. Her footsteps echoed and Scoop’s nails clicked on the porch floor. Raising her hand, she hesitated then knocked on the solid wood portal. When no one answered, she pounded a little louder.

The door jerked inward. “What the hell? I’m not buying—Claire?”

“Hi, Dallas. How was your trip?”

“Good. I got a big buck.” He stepped back and waved an arm. “Sorry, I thought you were a salesman or something. Come in. The place is kind of a mess.” He kicked a pair of dirty socks under a chair as he passed through the main room. “I just made coffee. Do you want a cup?”

“Sure.” She glanced back. “Uh, my dog?”

“He’s not going to hurt anything. Let him in.”

“Thanks.” After shutting the door, she followed Dallas to the kitchen. Her shoes stuck as she walked across the worn linoleum to the bar counter and stepped up onto the rung of a metal stool.

Turning, his gaze followed her progress. “I spilled orange juice earlier. Guess I need to mop.” His chocolate-brown eyes were red rimmed. Wearing a pair of old sweats and a ripped T-shirt, his face was covered with stubble. “Clearly, I’m not at my best. We got in late last night.”

“I should have called first, but your employee said I’d probably find you at home. Theresa texted me your address.”

He set a mug full of coffee and a milk jug on the counter then turned to grab his own cup. Taking a gulp, he leaned one elbow on the Formica surface as he faced her. “Did you need to see me for a reason, or is this just a social visit?”

She stirred milk into the fragrant brew before sipping cautiously. “I do have something to discuss.” When she opened her mouth, words she hadn’t intended came out. “Are you okay? If you need help with anything…”

He straightened. “I look like shit because I got four hours of sleep last night. Mandy took me to the cleaners in our divorce, so I live in a rat hole. Other than that, I’m fine. I let my life go to hell after she left town with the kids, but I’m getting things back on track. Theresa’s keeping an eye out for a good deal on a better place. Until she finds something I can afford to buy, I don’t want to waste a lot of money on rent.”

“Oh. That makes sense.”

“So, despite appearances, I’m actually doing better than I have in a long time. I don’t need any charity. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic mug, she met his gaze. “I have a problem. Someone who probably has the best intentions in the world is scaring me a little. I was hoping to straighten out the situation.”

“Is it that Jed, guy?” His voice deepened. “You want me to get rid of him for you?”

Her eyes widened. “No. No! I’m not talking about Jed. This is a man from my past.”

“Ian. The guy’s a weasel. I hate his type, coming into our town to act all superior with their fancy degrees while they hunt for a Bigfoot. The idiots don’t know the first thing about tracking animals.” His lips curved in a satisfied smirk. “This group didn’t find squat, and now they’re leaving with their tails tucked.”

She sat back and sipped her coffee. “You really aren’t a fan.”

An eye roll was her only answer.

She brushed a few toast crumbs left on the counter into a pile while choosing her words. “I thought maybe Ian was…the one. I talked to him yesterday, but he isn’t.”

“The one, what? What’re you talking about?”

She’d hoped with a little coaxing he’d come right out and admit he was the person who’d left the notes.
No such luck.

Taking a breath, she let it out slowly. “I’m talking about the wedding trinkets you’ve been leaving. It’s sweet you still care about me so much, but we aren’t going to get back together. Our lives are just too different for anything between us to work.”

A frown creased his brow. “You think I don’t know that? Jesus, I’m not stupid. Wait a minute, wedding trinkets? I don’t get it? Someone left you gifts?”

If Dallas was faking confusion, he should have been on stage earning a fortune. His bewilderment was almost palpable. She’d been so sure he was responsible…

“If you think I’ve been harassing you, you’re wrong.” Hurt clouded his eyes. “Damn, we were so tight all those years ago. Don’t you know me better than that? I don’t play games with women, and I sure as hell wouldn’t play them with you.”

“He said I promised. It’s not like I’ve talked about marriage with a whole bunch of men. You, Ian, and Ross. That’s it.”

He reached for the coffee carafe and topped off both their mugs. “Ross who?”

“McGregor. We were engaged once, but Jed and I already tracked him down. He’s on the East Coast. It definitely wasn’t him.”

“Then Ian—”

She shook her head. “No, he has absolutely no interest in me. I’m one hundred percent certain of that.”

Dallas held up his hands. “Well I sure as hell haven’t been bothering you. What exactly did this guy do?”

“He left notes and little wedding favors and cake toppers. And a nightie. That one bothered me the most. The notes made it clear he’s waiting for me to live up to my promise to marry him.”

“Sick freak.”

“Or just lonely and a little desperate.” Her voice softened. “I’m not blaming him. I just want him to stop.”

“Oh, my God! You still think I might have done it.” He slammed down the mug. “Is that how you see me, lonely and desperate?”

Scoop left the corner where he’d been licking something off the floor and walked over to her side. His butt hit the ground with a thump as he eyed Dallas. Claire rested her hand on his head.

“I don’t know what to think. If you aren’t responsible, then who is?”

“Hell if I know. You must have dated other guys.”

“A few. No one serious. No one who wanted to
marry
me.”

He laughed, but the sound held little amusement. “Are you really that naïve? I can name at least three guys in our graduating class who would have put a contract out on me if they thought you would have given them the time of day with me out of the picture. Good God, Claire, there could be dozens of guys out there who have a thing for you. All it would take is a warped mind to twist something you said into a vow of commitment.”

Cold crept through her, chilling her bones. She rubbed her arms as she stared at him. “If that’s true, it could be anyone. Someone I went on one date with or the homeless guy I handed a dollar to on a street corner.”

“I think you should call the police.”

She forced herself to breathe. “He hasn’t threatened me.”

“Do you want him to? If you ignore him, he may up his game.”

“Oh, God.” Holding her head with both hands, she tried to think.

Dallas touched her shoulder. “What does Jed say?”

“We both thought it was you. He was concerned, but I assured him I could handle the situation, that you weren’t going to turn into a monster and chop me up into little pieces to feed to a bear.”

His smile in response to her drama took away some of the numbing cold. She reached for her coffee cup and swallowed the contents. The heat kept her teeth from chattering.

“I’ll do anything I can to help. I do care about you, but I’m not your stalker.”

“I believe you. I didn’t want it to be you, but it would have been easier. Now…now I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Concern darkened his eyes. “Maybe he’ll get bored and quit. How long since he left the last gift?”

“Almost a week.” Hope stirred. “Instead of escalating, it’s possible he’ll give up if I keep ignoring him. For now, I guess I’ll do nothing. I’m safe with Jed.”

Dallas picked up the mugs and turned to place them in the sink. “That’s good. I suppose I should go take a shower and get ready for work.”

Claire slid off the stool. “I’m sorry I thought you were the one harassing me. You’re right. I should have known better.”

He shrugged. “I can see why you had to ask. Take care of yourself, and be sure to let me know if I can help in any way.”

She forced a smile. “Thanks, I will. See you, Dallas.”

“Bye, Claire.”

Outside, she glanced around the yard. Thick fog obscured all but the largest objects. Was the movement in the trees to her left a branch swaying or a person ducking out of sight? Heart working on overdrive, she ran to the SUV and wrenched open the door. “Get in, Scoop.”

The dog leaped up onto the seat then moved to the passenger side when she gave him a shove. After climbing in behind him, she started the engine, relieved when the door locks clicked into place.

She glanced over at her pet. Tongue hanging as he leaned against the window with eyes half closed, he appeared the picture of relaxation.
Wouldn’t he sense danger?

“I’m sure there’s no reason to freak out. Still…” Clamping her teeth together, she backed the vehicle out of the driveway then headed down the road. It had been bad enough thinking someone she knew was watching her. Having a stranger follow her every move was infinitely worse.

Unless it wasn’t a stranger. Maybe it was the man who rang up her groceries at the supermarket. She’d smiled at him the last time she went through the check-out line when he asked how her day was going. Or it could be someone she’d worked with at a past job or dated a couple of times or sat next to in her psychology class.

Braking when she reached the main road, she swore. Going home wasn’t an option. She’d promised to meet Bart for lunch. Was he the one? Had she run into him at the U2 concert she’d attended in L.A. how many years ago and just didn’t remember? Maybe he’d seen her on the beach the next day and liked the color of her bikini.

“Stop it!”

Scoop opened his eyes and barked.

“Sorry, boy.” Drawing in a breath, she clenched her shaking hands around the wheel and pulled onto the highway. She wasn’t going to imagine a predator behind every bush, in every man who said hello. She wasn’t going to start distrusting perfectly nice men who only wanted to have lunch and a conversation. At least she was going to try not to.

When she arrived at the small park across from the high school, Bart was waiting. He waved as she and Scoop approached.

“You brought your friend.” His blue gaze scanned her from head to toe. After he’d finished his perusal, he smiled.