Harlequin Superromance January 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: Everywhere She Goes\A Promise for the Baby\That Summer at the Shore (75 page)

“You can't stop a man from talking to his wife.”

“Ex-wife,” Zack and Curt said together.

“She...she didn't mean it. She needs me.”

“Like a hole in the head,” Zack said. “Curt, take a look at the bruises on Jamie's wrist.”

“Yeah,” Jamie agreed. “He grabbed me and wouldn't let go. So I put a knee in his groin and used my pepper spray.”

“Hmm. Mr. Gardiner, it looks like assault and battery, along with the other charges.”

“You have no proof of anything. You—you—” Tim's protest ended in a string of curses that lacked creativity, to say the least. Zack could have done better when he was ten years old.

“Tim.” Jamie interrupted her ex-husband with a smile. “I turned on my video camera the minute I saw you coming down my road. There's more than enough proof to send you to jail.”

Gardiner still looked defiant, though the muscles in his throat began to spasm.

“Very nice, Jamie,” Curt complimented her. “And I suspect the paint from Zack Denning's SUV will match the dent on that rental car over there.”

“And is the video from the night he broke my front window usable?”

The sheriff's smile widened. “Definitely. Mr. Gardiner, there is a mountain of evidence against you. I've seen some dumbass jerks in my time, but you beat them all. By the way, Gus Hewitt is a parole violator and he's going to need a deal, so I have a feeling he'll flip on you in a heartbeat.”

Gardiner deflated with the speed of a balloon losing air and Curt put him into the back of his cruiser.

Curt shut the door and turned to Zack. “Could you bring Jamie in to make a statement? It's best to get it on record right away. And I should probably have you do a witness statement, as well.”

“I can drive myself,” Jamie protested.

Zack rounded on her. “Hell, you could probably drive to Tucson right now, but since you nailed Gardiner without our help, let us preserve a shred of masculine ego by driving you into town.”

“Well...” Her mouth quivered at the corners. “I suppose I could stretch a point.”

* * *

J
AMIE
CLIMBED
INTO
Zack's SUV and buckled her seat belt. Adrenaline was running high and she felt extraordinarily good.

The radio signaled and Zack answered.

“Everything all right, boss?” Trudy's voice asked.

Zack chuckled. “Jamie had the guy down for the count by the time any of us got there. We're going in to make a statement.” No matter what he'd said about wounded ego, he sounded proud of her.

With Zack running obvious interference at the house, she'd thought Tim might try something at the stand when she was alone there. So she'd prepared ahead, tucking her camera into a discreet spot among the leafy vegetables. It hadn't taken a genius to know the score when a guy in a hooded sweatshirt put a sawhorse across the road; a moment later she'd pressed the record button.

At first Tim had tried to sweet-talk her, saying how much they loved each other and that he knew what a hard time she'd had since the divorce and how he was ready to help.

He hadn't taken it well when she laughed in his face, telling him she knew that he'd hired Gus Hewitt for his dirty work. Then she'd calmly explained that she would never turn to him and hadn't loved him for a really long time.

That was when he'd grabbed her wrist and asked how she'd like it if her grandfather's precious trailer ended up as scrap metal. “I told Gus to go easy, since you cared about that crazy old man,” he'd said. “But next time all you'll find is tiny pieces of blue.”

The whole sheriff's office was in stitches as she told the story of kneeing Tim in the most vulnerable part of his anatomy, followed by a stream of hot pepper spray in the face. She'd never realized such a big wimp was hiding beneath the bully.

“My God,” Curt choked out between gasps of laughter. “You got him to confess on camera that he was guilty? Any time you want a job with the sheriff's department, just say the word.”

“So, how many charges is Gardiner looking at?” Zack asked once their statements were signed and filed.

“That'll depend. It's hard to believe, but apparently, he never put two and two together that he was doing something illegal—guys like that can be pretty batty. Now he's panicking because of how his employers will react to this news. That's our trump card in keeping him away from Jamie.”

Jamie didn't doubt it for a minute. Tim had risen to an executive position, but his high-profile company wouldn't appreciate this story at all. If she decided not to press charges, Tim would stay away from her, if only to keep them from finding out.

On the way back to the fruit stand, Jamie's elation slowly ebbed. Triumphing over Tim felt terrific, and she'd proved she could handle herself. Now Zack could spend nights in his own bed and leave her to the peace and quiet she craved.... Or at least she
thought
she craved it. With everything that had happened, she wasn't so sure anymore.

“You didn't have a chance to tell me why you came to the fruit stand this afternoon,” she said. “Is anything wrong?”

“No,” he exclaimed. “It's the new building—it's all finished and looks terrific.” Excited, he stopped at the side of the road and showed her several pictures he'd taken.

He was right; it looked terrific. It was the kind of building she'd have chosen herself, except she wouldn't have put so much money into it. Of course, not having a restroom
was
awkward at times, and would have become a problem once she'd hired an employee in either location.

“There's a walk-in cooler inside,” said Zack as he restarted the car and pulled back onto the road. “And a small kitchenette.” He cast a look at her. “No bunk beds, though, so it has a definite disadvantage on the trailer.”

She tried to appear demure. “I could always have some put in.”

“Or just a good patio couch. They're not bad for...sleeping.”

“Aren't beds more comfortable?” Jamie asked, at the same moment wondering why she was going along with his verbal game.

“It's always nice to have plenty of room, in case you get restless. After all, some nights can be just tossing and turning, turning and tossing.”

He parked and fell silent. Jamie looked at the trailer, her stomach twisting with the realization that this was the last day for Granddad's trailer and the Little Blue Fruit Stand.

“You know what? We should get some pictures of you and the stand.”

Zack had her pose and snapped several photos with both of their cameras. Several customers arrived and he asked their permission to shoot pictures of them buying strawberries.

“Have you decided when you'll open in the new location?” Zack asked after the last family left.

“I told everyone it would be tomorrow, unless they heard differently. But people will pass it on the way here, so they won't have to make two trips if they don't know about the move. It was mostly the suppliers who needed to have an exact date, and you thought it would be ready by then.”

“It would've been done yesterday, but the crew had an emergency job at the resort.”

“That's okay. Susan has been here two mornings with me already, so she knows the drill, but I'll be with her tomorrow to get things started.”

Jamie glanced at the canopy that Granddad had rigged. With the damage done to it, she'd probably have to haul it to the dump.

Zack's voice was suddenly serious. “Jamie, if this really
isn't
what you want...well, don't worry about the contract. We can tear it up. I mostly had it drawn up so you'd know I would keep my word.”

It was the last thing she'd expected him to say and she blinked several times. Why did he have to be so nice just before they reverted to being just neighbors? Friendly neighbors this time, with no bone of contention between them and no urge on his part to protect her. They'd barely see each other.... Her stomach went hollow at the thought of it.

But it was senseless to get weepy.

“Jamie?” he prompted.

“No,” she answered firmly. “This is best. Except if you don't mind, I'm going to leave the chairs here. That way anyone can sit in them and look at the ocean. They're nice quality.”

“I don't mind at all. We can put a few extras out here, too, maybe in various places so people can sit quietly and enjoy.”

She didn't know if the “we” he used meant Zack and Jamie, or Zack and the Mar Vista staff.

“That would be nice.”

More customers were coming, so Zack smiled and waved as he walked to his car, turning back once to snap additional pictures.

Jamie decided she'd leave dismantling for tomorrow. Today she'd enjoy the stand as it was and celebrate her victory over Tim.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Z
ACK
PHONED
THE
wine steward at the restaurant and asked him to have a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket ready at dinner, so he could carry it with him in the car.

“Are you going to Jamie's?” Brad asked.

Zack grimaced. “Yeah, hope you don't mind.” Kim had flown back to San Francisco to meet with a client, so Brad would be alone that night.

His brother stretched and grinned. “Go. Just don't take as long as I did to straighten things out in your head. It took a kick in the ass from Kim to do it for me.”

A laugh rumbled in Zack's belly. So
Kim
had made the first move.

“Don't worry, brother,” he assured him. “My head's in the right place.”

Brad raised a skeptical eyebrow, but Zack paid no attention. He'd told him about that afternoon, making Brad howl with laughter at how Jamie had dropped Tim Gardiner in his tracks. What Zack hadn't told his brother was the certainty that had hit him in the middle of everything—the terrifying realization that if something had happened to Jamie, he'd have had even less time than old George Jenkins had shared with his Leah.

A bleak picture of himself in fifty years had flashed across his mind...a lonely old man, tooling around a golf course before going to sit on Jamie's beach and remember what might have been.

Then he'd seen Jamie, her cheeks flushed pink with victory—alive and well in all her strength and beauty. And he'd known what he wanted—a partner for the years ahead.

With Jamie he could make a worthwhile life. He still had ambitions, even for Mar Vista, and he
would
build a resort the average family could more easily enjoy. But he wanted Jamie at the center, to smack him on the head if he ever forgot his priorities again. He wanted to love her and make children with her, to watch sunsets and enjoy the taste of strawberries with her. For him, she was first, now and always.

But what did she want? Even if she returned his feelings, was she still determined to make it alone? She'd already been burned by a guy with screwed-up priorities—would she give a lonely resort owner a chance to show he'd learned his lesson?

It was ironic. A few weeks ago he'd wanted to get her and her fruit stand as far from Mar Vista as possible. Now he wanted a lifetime, and even that wouldn't be enough.

* * *

J
AMIE
SET
THE
CD player volume on high and danced around the house. Tomorrow she'd say farewell to Granddad's stand and the empty space inside when she thought of Zack; tonight was the time for a victory celebration.

She ordered a pizza to be delivered at eight. The works—everything except anchovies. In the hallway, she ran in her stocking-covered feet and slid down the polished wood right to the end. Back and forth, like she'd done as a kid, while Granddad stood in a doorway and laughed, giving her scores for the lengths of her slides. Then she danced back through the living room and into the kitchen and kicked the laundry basket across the floor of the laundry room.

The doorbell rang and she danced her way back to the front door, flinging it open. It was Zack.

What the hell...she might as well make it a thorough celebration. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, no holds barred.

He groaned and returned the kiss for all he was worth. She giggled, and had begun tugging his shirt up when he grabbed her hands.

“Jamie,” he said. “Much as I like the direction this is headed, we need to talk first.”

She dropped her hands, leaned against the wall and studied his face. “So?”

“I love you,” he said simply and her jaw dropped slightly. That definitely wasn't what she'd expected him to say. Not that it wasn't a nice thing to hear...depending on how genuine he might be.

Some of Jamie's elation ebbed. Love could mean so many different things to people.

“Let's go into the living room,” Zack suggested. He gently pushed her down on the couch and sat next to her. “Do you love me, too?”

Jamie bit her lip, unsure how to answer. Sure, she loved him; she'd probably loved him from the minute he'd stubbornly stood outside the trailer door and threatened to play Ella Fitzgerald all night. But loving someone didn't make it a good idea to
be
with that person. And what did he want? Did he want to be with her decades from now, or did he want to spend Thursday and Sunday nights in her bed until he tired of her?

“Okay,” Zack said. “I rushed that. What I meant to ask is, will you marry me?”

Chewing her lip, Jamie stared at him. Hope started pushing its way upward, but she shoved it down.

“Jamie?”

Ever since her marriage had begun falling apart, she'd believed she had poor judgment when it came to men. It had seemed so much easier to plan a future without romance or the possibility of loving someone. Maybe it was just a cop-out, another form of fear. She had made some good decisions and she could take care of herself, but did she really only want to take care of herself and no one else?

“Zack,” she said. “I've already been married to someone who cares more about a business deal than he does about me. I'm not saying you're like Tim, but when we met, it seemed as if the only thing you cared about was your resort. Now I know you care about people, too, but it hasn't been that long since you charged the fruit stand to tell me I was trespassing.”

He winced. “You're right, Jamie. I've worked hard all my life for one thing. I wanted the resort and got it. Mar Vista is everything I ever dreamed it would be, and I might have messed even that up if not for you. But now I also know that none of it means much without you. I finally get it, Jamie. Mar Vista is just a business. A life should be built around people and I want to build my life around you and a family.”

She swallowed. He meant it.

The doorbell rang.

“Don't answer it,” Zack said as she stood. “They'll go away.”

“That wouldn't be fair. It's probably the pizza.”

“I'll get it.” He hurried out of the living room and she heard the murmur of male voices.

Loving Zack meant taking a chance and relying on someone again.

Zack
did
recognize the important things in life. And she suddenly understood why he'd questioned if she really wanted to let the fruit stand go...why he'd offered to tear up the contract. He was putting her first.

They would disagree now and then. Strong-willed people frequently did...but it was all right as long as they respected and believed in each other.

Zack came back in, holding the pizza box. “Now we've got two dinners,” he said. “Gordon sent something over also.”

She grinned. “That's okay. It'll give us something for dinner tomorrow.”

Relief flooded Zack's face as he stared at Jamie.

“By the way,” she added, “I love you, too.”

Joy bubbled up as he tossed the box onto a chair and grabbed her in his arms.

What a future they could make for each other.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from A MAN TO BELIEVE IN by Kathleen Pickering.