Foxfire (10 page)

Grace stifled a groan. “Adam. What a
surprise.” Suddenly she wished they'd gone to Knoxville instead of
choosing the only restaurant in Foxfire.

Harri harrumphed.

At that moment, Brad returned to the table.
He held out a hand to Adam. “Hey, fancy meeting you here. Looks
like we all had the same idea tonight.” He sat and indicated the
empty chair.

“Care to join us?”

Grace kicked his shin. The last thing she
needed was to spend the evening with weird Adam.

Brad grimaced and pulled his brows down into
a puzzled frown.

Adam flicked a glance at Grace, then shook
his head. “No, I already ate. Just stopped to say hi.” He waved a
hand toward the front of the restaurant. A red flush crept up his
neck. “Got a date.”

They all turned to look. “Why don't you bring
her over and introduce us.”

“Uh, we're kind of in a hurry. Maybe some
other time. Well...” He nodded at Grace. “Nice seeing you.”

Grace felt a burden lift from her shoulders
as she watched him stride away. If Adam was dating someone else,
she didn't have to worry about hurting his feelings any longer.

Dinner passed uneventfully. Brad dropped
Harri off, then drove toward Grace's house. He passed the animal
clinic and Grace noticed Tyler's living quarters were dark. Where
could he be? Nine p.m. seemed too early for him to be asleep.

Brad began to turn onto her drive. “Don't
bother dropping me off. Just go to your house, Brad. I can walk
from there. Tiffany will be waiting there for us.”

Brad did as she asked. And as predicted,
Tiffany ran to the car once it stopped.

“Thanks, Brad. I had a great time.”

He hugged her. “You're welcome, darlin'. Me,
too. And don't worry your pretty little head about Tyler. Things
will work out. Just don't let the past get in the way of the
future.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Just be open to possibilities. That's all
I'm suggesting.”

Grace pecked him on the cheek. “I'll
try.”

Would her past always haunt her? She'd made a
bad choice. Everyone made mistakes. She wasn't the only person to
want more than life handed her. Could she learn to trust again?
Forgive and forget?

Her troubled thoughts somersaulted through
her mind as she strolled along the moonlit path in the woods. Stars
twinkled and in the distance she spotted the greenish glow of
foxfire. Halting, captured in the magical moment, she held her
breath. No matter how many times she glimpsed the phenomenon, it
continued to weave a spell. She blinked several times, but the
light continued to glow. Could it be a sign?

Her spirits lifted as she continued along the
path. Tiffany growled low in her throat and then dashed ahead.
Grace heard the telltale rattle of the trashcan lid. She sprinted
into the front yard, but Tiffany's bark echoed through the trees on
the other side of the house. She called but the dog ignored her.
Stupid raccoons. Shaking her head, Grace headed for the front door
with her key in hand.

She sighed when she spied another rose on the
doormat. She reached for the stem, felt a stab of pain and withdrew
her hand. She stared at the bubble of blood that surfaced. She
sucked at it. Pinching the stem between the long thorns she lifted
the rose to sniff its heady fragrance. A note card hung from a
string tied beneath the bud.

Watch out for the thorns
.

Weird. Just like Adam. She would have to talk
to him after all. He had to stop leaving these floral gifts.

Grace walked into her darkened house,
oblivious to the man watching her from the shadow of the woods.

****

Tyler roused himself from a light sleep and
checked the caller ID. When he saw the number flashing, he ran a
hand through his sleep-tousled hair. He'd been expecting to hear
from Jake, but with only a couple hours sleep, he was in no mood to
talk to him.

“Jake. What's up?” He yawned and scratched
his chest. Last night he'd kept watch on Grace's house until the
sky began to lighten, then he'd crawled into bed only to toss and
turn and think of her.

Jake rumbled a laugh, pulling him back to
attention. “Sorry about waking you up, man, but I've got news. We
caught up with Ted Powell. Unfortunately he had a bullet hole in
his head.”

Tyler whistled.

“So that leaves Grace Wilkins. Maybe it's
time to put her in a safe house.”

“No. I'll keep her safe.”

“This is getting too dangerous, Tyler. Max is
wreaking havoc and none of us has even come close to catching him.
Any signs of him around there?”

“Negative. Maybe he won't show.”

“Oh, he'll show. Have you told her yet?”

“I will. This just isn't a good time.”

“What are you talking about?” Tyler held the
phone away from his ear, but Jake's voice still came through loud
and clear. “Someone wants to kill her! You have to tell her. Offer
to put her in a safe house until we catch him. I'll send someone to
back you up.”

“No. I work better alone, you know that.”

“You can't keep an eye on her
twenty-four-seven.”

“I'm handling it.”

The pregnant pause gave him time to
reconsider, but he didn't want any help. Hell, who was he kidding?
If he could seduce Grace into his bed, he'd solve all his problems.
He could keep her under guard and release the pent-up sexual
frustration that built with every second he spent near her. But, he
couldn’t do that to her. And, he wouldn't let Max get his hands on
her.

“This is big, Tyler. I don't have to tell you
how big. He killed my sister.”

The bitter pain of guilt twisted in Tyler's
gut. “Yeah, I know, Jake. I loved her, too.”

“I'm sorry, man. That wasn't fair. Look, I
trust you. Tell Grace and let her make the decision. Then call
me.”

“Yeah. I'll call you.”

He hung up the phone and rubbed the beard
that peppered his chin.

Natalie's face flashed behind his eyes. He
dropped his head to his hands, using his thumbs to massage the pain
throbbing in his temples. Max might have pulled the trigger on the
gun, but Tyler was ultimately responsible for Natalie's death. Like
a tidal wave the memories crashed through his mind.

He owed Jake, and he'd pay him back by
finding the man who'd killed Natalie. Then Tyler could move on with
his life.

Regardless of the attraction he felt for
Grace, his duty to bring Natalie's killer to justice came first. If
he had to use Grace, he would. He couldn't afford to let his heart
get in the way. Max Clayton wouldn't escape this time.

He buzzed the razor across his face and
splashed on after-shave, dressed, and headed for Grace's house.
He'd keep her under his thumb until Max made his move. His last
move. He couldn't tell Grace the truth yet. She might bolt.

Tiffany met him on the path, her tail
signaling a welcome.

She charged around the house once he reached
Grace's yard. A few seconds later, Grace opened the screen door,
her eyes widening in surprise.

“Tyler. Is something wrong? An
emergency?”

Tiffany bounded out as if she hadn't seen him
just moments ago.

“Not unless you call a case of spring fever
an emergency. Would you like to walk to Hannah Falls with me? We
could take a lunch and make a day of it.” He saw the hesitation in
her eyes. “I've heard it's a beautiful hike, and Brad told me you
could be bribed with food.”

“He did, huh? Whose job would it be to pack
the lunch?”

He grinned. In the morning sun, the light
caught the gold highlights in her red hair, making her eyes look
like a cerulean sea. She squinted at him, one eye nearly closing
while she waited for his answer.

“Mine. Come on. Are you game?”

She glanced at her wristwatch. “Why not? Give
me twenty minutes?”

“Deal.”

****

Grace loaded a small backpack with bottled
water. Before closing it she added a small plastic dish for
Tiffany. With the temperature already climbing, water would be
essential.

Tyler met her on the path, and Tiffany loped
to his side, wriggling for attention. Grace's heart triggered a
warning. No man should look so enticing in a t-shirt and jeans.
Just one glance at those broad shoulders and muscled chest made her
wish she’d turned him down.

“It's a great day for a hike,” she said.

Tyler looked up at the clear blue sky.
“Perfect.”

They walked in companionable silence, the
only cadence their muffled footsteps. Hannah Falls, named after
Adam's great-great grandmother, drew visitors during all seasons.
In winter, snowfall draped the ledges with crystalline diamonds,
creating a breathtaking picture that begged for a camera. Grace
made at least one trek in the winter, but summer's full sun brought
life to a multi-tiered collage of plants and trees, making it her
favorite season for the hike. When they arrived, Tyler spread a
blanket on the ground, while Tiffany ran off to do whatever dogs
do. The water cascaded softly over the rocks falling down to a
narrow waterway leading to the Little Pigeon River. The sound
brought a sense of peace.

Tyler pulled two thick sandwiches from the
backpack and handed one to Grace. She poured a bottle of water into
Tiffany's bowl. Pulling two more bottles from her stash, she handed
one to Tyler, then leaned against a tree to peruse the landscape.
“I wish I could paint.”

Tyler grinned. “I've seen local artist
paintings of the Smoky Mountains, but none of Hannah Falls. It's
even better than I imagined.”

“That's because we protect our privacy.”

“Interesting.”

She waited a few moments, then asked, “Can I
talk to you about something?”

He paused from unwrapping his sandwich, his
gaze curious. “Sure. You're not going to tell me you're quitting, I
hope.”

She wanted to reach out and massage away the
frown lines appearing in his forehead. “Of course not. I love the
job.”

“That's good. So what do you want to talk
about?”

“You're a man.”

“Last time I checked.”

“I'm serious. I need your advice on how to
deal with Adam.”

“Adam?”

“I think he's got a crush on me. I found a
rose on my porch last night.”

“From Adam?”

“Yes, and it's not the first one he's
left.”

Tyler chewed his sandwich, his brow furrowed
in concentration. “Why wouldn't he just give it to you instead of
leaving it on your porch?”

“I don't know...he's strange. I think he
likes me. You know, romantically. He asked me to have dinner with
him and I turned him down. Then he started leaving roses on my
doorstep.”

“I see.”

“I don't want to hurt his feelings, but
besides being too old for me, he's not my type. It's beginning to
creep me out.”

“Have you talked to him about it?”

“No. That's the problem. I'm not sure how to
do it. Don't get me wrong. Adam's not a bad sort. His family's been
part of Foxfire forever. These falls were named after his
great-great grandmother, did you know that?”

Tyler shook his head.

“I guess Adam's grandfather felt he owned not
only most of the land around here, but also the people. He liked to
keep an eye on everything. From what Brad says, you couldn't tell
him anything he didn't already know. But when Jenny, that's Brad's
wife, got sick, he stopped by every day to visit. Brad says he
always made her smile.”

“I didn't know Brad was married.”

“Jenny died from cancer shortly before their
fifth anniversary,” she said.

“So Brad's been single ever since?”

She nodded. “I keep hoping he and Harri will
get married, but he says he's too old.” She laughed. “Imagine that.
Brad seems so young and vital to me. I never think of him as
old.”

Tyler gave her a smile. “I know what you
mean. He reminds me a lot of my dad.”

“Tell me about your dad,” she said, crossing
her ankles.

“I'd rather hear about you. Tell me more
about your life in...where was it? Missouri?”

She reached for her bottle of water. Since he
had lived in Ohio, she couldn't very well tell him she also grew up
there. “What do you want to know?”

“Whatever you feel like sharing.”

She took a drink, wiped her mouth, and gazed
at the waterfall. She wanted to trust Tyler, but she couldn't tell
him the entire truth...not yet. If she talked about events without
stating where they happened, it would be omission, not really
telling a lie. She'd learned long ago that lying only led to
trouble, and she had enough of that in her life already. She
crossed her legs and leaned her arms across them. Her fingers
plucked a blade of grass.

“I don't remember much about my dad. He left
us before I started school. Mom wasn't the same after that. There
were times when she seemed like any normal mother, and others when
she became someone else.” She shrugged. “Maybe she'd always been
that way. Maybe that's why my dad took off.”

“What do you mean?” His gaze pierced her with
a burning intensity.

“She had...spells. I called them dark times.
When she regressed into a dark time, nothing I did pleased her. As
I grew older, I learned to stay away when she was like that.”

“She hurt you?”

“Not physically.”

They sat quietly for a few moments. Tyler was
the first to break the silence.

“I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about
it.”

“It's all right. I stayed with her until she
died.”

Tyler traced a finger down her cheek. “I'm
sorry.”

“Don't be. She's happier now.”

He lifted her chin. They stared into each
other's eyes. Then he tilted his head and angled his lips over
hers.

She knew she shouldn't kiss him, but her arms
wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. His kiss was gentle,
sweet, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. His lips were
soft, his arms hard.