When the Smoke Clears (Deadly Reunions) (41 page)
Read When the Smoke Clears (Deadly Reunions) Online
Authors: Lynette Eason
Tags: #FIC042060, #FIC042040, #FIC027110
Alexia settled herself on the bench. Hunter sat beside her and took her hand. She felt the butterflies take flight. What was he doing?
He said, “I can’t believe it’s only been a week since you’ve been back. I feel like we’ve lived a lifetime together.”
She gave a shaky laugh. “I know what you mean.”
He turned and pulled her to him. Leaning over he kissed her. A long, slow, sweet kiss. When he pulled back, his eyes were soft, a longing there that warmed her. “I want more time with you. I want to see where we’re headed.”
“I want that too,” she whispered.
A satisfied smile crossed his lips. “Great.”
She smiled. “Your parents’ reaction to me at the dinner was surprising.”
“I know.” He laughed. “I guess my dad decided to let it rest.” He fell silent for a moment, then said, “I told him what really happened with the fire. He said he wasn’t terribly surprised, that he never really thought you started the fire on purpose, but that your father was so adamant and my dad felt like he owed him . . .” Hunter shrugged. “Anyway, he said the next time he saw you, he was going to apologize and ask your forgiveness.”
Alexia grinned. “Really?”
“Yes. He’s nervous you’re going to tell him off.”
Sobering, she stared out over the creek. “Last week I would have.”
“But now?”
“So much has changed inside of me. Now, I’ll tell your father that I accept his apology and hope we can start over.”
Hunter hugged her and planted kisses across her eyelids. “You’re amazing.”
She shifted in his arms and looked away as she asked, “Will you help me find my father?”
He turned her back to face him. “We’ll find him. Just like we’ll find the creep from the townhouse.”
“Thanks.”
Hunter slid his hand through her curls and she felt his palm against the side of her head. The look in his eyes made her pulse kick it up a notch.
He said, “Alexia, I’m falling in love with you. I care about you more than any woman I’ve ever met before.”
That silly lump formed in her throat. “I know, Hunter. I feel the same for you.”
He kissed her, a light, sweet kiss that left her wanting more. But another big obstacle stood in their way.
“I feel bad for Chad. Once again he’s going to feel like he lost out to you.” Trouble stirred inside her and she regretted it. This wasn’t what she wanted to be concerned about when the man she loved told her he loved her. But she was genuinely concerned about Hunter’s brother.
Hunter pushed her back to arm’s length. “I told Chad how I felt about you.”
She tensed. “What did he say?”
“He said that he wishes us the best.”
“Really?” She was surprised. And glad. She liked Chad and hated the fact that he felt like he had to compete with Hunter in all areas of his life.
“Yep. I think he’s doing a lot of soul searching.”
“I’m glad. He needs to find peace.”
Hunter sighed and pulled her back into a tight squeeze.
She giggled. “You’re squishing me.”
Loosening his grip, he said, “So, you’re not interested in returning to Washington?”
“No.” Alexia looked him in the eye. “I’ve got everything I need here in Columbia. Family. Friends. You. I’m not running anywhere anymore.”
“Thank goodness for that. I’m too old to be chasing you across the country.”
She smiled, and Hunter turned serious again.
“Can we take it one day at a time and see where it goes? Where we go?”
She nodded. “I’d love to do that. I’d love to see what God has planned for us.”
Something wet splashed on her hand.
His thumbs swiped her cheeks for her. “You’re crying.”
“I am?” Startled, she lifted a hand to her eyes and found them wet. Giving a shaky laugh, she said, “I think God finally managed to knock down all my walls.”
He pulled her to him in a hug. “No, you took them down to make room for him.”
“Yeah.” She sniffed. “I did.”
He leaned over to kiss her again.
Joy surged through her and another tear slipped out.
Epilogue
The senator stared at the latest letter.
GOING AFTER
THEM
WON’T STOP
ME
.
How did these letters keep appearing?
Jillian was close by. Watching him. Dropping the letters in his mailbox. No postmark. Not even his name sometimes. But he recognized the writing. Even so, he now opened all the mail whether it was addressed to him or not.
He picked up the phone and pressed a speed-dial number.
When the voice answered, the senator nearly growled his frustration and fear. “I got another one.”
A curse whispered through the line. “I have someone watching the mailbox. I don’t understand.”
“Then fire him because he’s sleeping on the job.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“You don’t understand. We must find Jillian. Today.”
Silence. “I understand perfectly.” The low, controlled words sent a chill up the senator’s spine.
Softening his tone, he said, “Look. I admit it. I’m freaked. From what you said, Alexia doesn’t know anything about that night. Jillian hasn’t been in touch with her.”
“But she has been in touch with Serena Hopkins.” Another pause. “And now that we’ve failed rather badly in getting rid of Alexia, she and her detective boyfriend won’t give up so easily.”
“But you can monitor them. Right now, they know nothing.”
“So we go after the one that does.”
“Exactly. Serena’s the one we need.”
“I’m already working on it. She’s on a job in China cleaning up after the earthquake.” A sigh filtered through the line, then the voice hardened once again. “As long as she never makes it home, we should be safe.”
We. The senator liked that. Was comforted by the fact that someone was looking out for him. For his career. For his very life.
“And if she does?”
“We get rid of her.”
“Like we did Alexia?” He couldn’t help the snide question.
“Alexia can still die.”
The man on the other line refused to take the bait. Which was just as well. There wasn’t time to argue.
It was time to act.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the incredible staff at Baker Publishing, especially Claudia Marsh, Barb Barnes, and Michele Misiak. You guys are amazing. And of course, a big thanks to my editor, Andrea Doering, who believed in the series and me.
Thanks to the cover art department. This is the best cover I’ve ever seen! You guys did a fantastic job.
Thanks to my family, Jack, Lauryn, and Will, for putting up with me when I’m in deadline mode. I appreciate you and love you more than words can express.
Thanks to those who read the story and gave me feedback, especially my police officer buddy, Jim Hall. I appreciate you.
Thank you, Dee Henderson, for being willing to put your name on my book. I love you, my friend!
Lynette Eason
grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. She graduated from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and then obtained her master’s in education at Converse College. Author of the Women of Justice series, Lynette is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In 1996, Lynette married “the boy next door,” and now she and her husband and two children make their home in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Visit Lynette at
www.lynetteeason.com
.
Books by Lynette Eason
Women of Justice
Too Close to Home
Don’t Look Back
A Killer Among Us
Deadly Reunions
When the Smoke Clears
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