A Love for all Ages (Crockett County Trilogy Book 1) (16 page)

Stephanie had fallen to sleep almost as soon as she had
gotten comfortable, he could tell by her even breathing.
He on the
other hand had laid awake for a while, thinking about everything
that had happened that day. Remembering the way she had
responded to him had made it difficult for him to fall asleep, he had
With her head just under his chin, her hair had smells like

He wished she had kept it loose, but she had it braided
ended up counting sheep to help distract from her lying in his arms,
he finally had dosed off.

Returning to the present, Chase puts the box of condoms in
the night stand on his side of the bed, grabbing clean clothes from
the dresser he goes in the bathroom to shower.
Standing under
the spray of water his thoughts return to Stephanie, she is
downstairs fixing her part of the evening meal, she is preparing a
salad; the potatoes are already in the oven baking.
For his part of
their meal he is in charge of grilling the steaks.

Wondering if he is moving too fast; did he need to give her
time to heal completely, to adjust to her new home, to get the
investigation over with and to try and find the answers to
Archibald’s dilemma?
Shaking his head Chase concludes this will
give him a headache. Resolving to allow their relationship to
progress naturally, Chase allows the water flowing from the shower
to ease some of the tension from his body.

His stress concerning the investigation is overwhelming to
say the least, since the State Police hadn’t been able to give him any
answers thus far.
The evidence had been sent to the lab in
Frankfort, he knows it takes time to process.
Chase has explained
this to victims numerous times but never had it been someone he
loved in danger. He loathes his feelings of ineptness. Washing
then rising, Chase steps out of the shower. Drying with a bath
towel he comes to the conclusion the best thing for him to do is
protect Stephanie, all the rest will have to wait.

Feeling better with his decisions he leaves the bathroom,
walking into the bedroom dressed in jeans, his torso and feet bare,
he sees Stephanie sitting on the side of the bed.
“Hello there.
I
was just thinking about you.” He stops to lean against the door
frame between the two rooms.

“I didn’t realize you were in the shower, I came up to tell you
we may have company for dinner.”
Seeing his confusion she
explains, “Deputy Johnny just called, he said he was on his way over,
he needs to talk with you.
And he has Marty with him.”
Standing
she walks to the dresser to get her some clothes, “Since you’re
done, I may as well shower and get ready.
Do you want to defrost
two more steaks?
I have added to the salad and the potatoes.”
Turning to face Chase she sees him smiling.
“What?”

Shrugging his shoulders, not sure if he should tell her they
sound like a married couple he remains quiet.
Chase walks over
bending down he kisses her loudly on the lips.
Straightening he
turns to get a green t-shirt from his drawer, after putting it on, he
responds, “I will do that while you shower.
Did Johnny say what
time they would be here?”
Moving to the door leading to the
hallway, Chase stops waiting for her response.

Shaking her head no, Stephanie laughs when she hears the
doorbell.
Walking in the bathroom, Stephanie shuts the door as
Chase turns to go downstairs.
Taking the steps two at a time
Chase reaches the foyer, opening the door just as the doorbells rings
a second time.
Seeing Johnny and Marty, Chase smiles then moves
aside to allow them to enter.
As they cross the foyer Chase says,
“Hello Marty, Johnny, Stephanie is upstairs; she will be down in a
few minutes.
Why don’t we go to the kitchen, I am fixing steaks
for supper.
Hope you two will join us.”
Walking ahead of their
guests Chase enters the kitchen, opening the freezer he takes two
more steaks out and places them in the microwave, hitting the
defrost button he turns to see them standing just inside the door,
“Come on in, sit down.
Would you like something to drink?”

Marty is the first to respond, “We don’t want to intrude.”
Smiling she looks uncomfortable at Johnny.
She explains, “I heard
through Carrie that Johnny was coming out to speak with you, I kind
of just bummed a ride.
I wanted to see Stephanie.
See how she
is doing.”
She knows she is babbling but can’t help herself.
Johnny had been upset when she tagged along; he had told her he
was coming on police business and wasn’t sure she should come
with him.
Carrie had told him to bring Marty and Johnny hadn’t
spoken to her the whole drive here.

Johnny adds, “I told her I was coming on business not a
social visit.
But your Mother said to bring her.”
Shrugging his
shoulders he continues to stand at the door.
He didn’t want to
bring Marty, he has a crush on her but she is from a wealthy family
and he grew up in foster care.
She is so far out of his reach.
When they had been in high school, he would imagine them dating,
them growing up and getting married.
Then he would remember
he was an orphan, while she grew up with a silver spoon in her
mouth.
He did the only thing he knew to get through high school
he ignored her.

Remembering the day at the hospital when he had gone to
see Stephanie, he knows he was rude to Marty.
But he hadn’t
known she was a nurse, he always figured she would have gotten
married and was jet setting all over the world.
The shock of
running into her, of her smiling as if they were friends, she even put
her hand on his arm to stop him from walking around her.
He had
removed her hand informing her he was there to see Miss Tuney,
and then he had walked away without a backwards glance.
Shocked Carrie hadn’t told him about Marty since she does
volunteer work at the hospital, Carrie had to know Marty worked
there, he had felt as if he had gotten sucker punched in the
stomach.

Looking from Johnny to Marty, Chase tells them, “Nonsense,
you two stay for dinner; we can talk business while I grill the steaks.
And I am sure Stephanie is ready for girl talk.” Winking at Marty,
he adds, “She will be down soon.
Sit down; do you want a cold
glass of tea?”
Chase had known for years Johnny liked Marty but
his stubborn pride kept him from seeing the way she looks at him.
Or maybe he chooses not to acknowledge it.
Either way, Johnny is
a fool.

Smiling at Chase Marty sits down at the table; she declines
the tea, adding “I will wait for the tea until supper if you don’t mind.
And thank you for the kind invite to share your meal.”

Glancing at Johnny he asked, “Did Shane report for duty
tonight?”
Chase had to adjust schedules for all three deputies,
since he will be here most of the time.
All three men understood
the importance and had volunteered to do the extra shifts to help.
Even with Johnny in charge of the office and him doing all of his
duties from here Chase felt he needed to keep track of the daily logs
and reports.

Nodding his head in responds Johnny explains, “Yes, Shane
was on time and he knows Nick will be on call if he needs help with
anything.”
Not understanding why Nick is considered the third in
command since Shane has been a deputy longer and has more
training; however, the decision was made by the Sheriff; therefore,
Johnny will obey his orders.

Chase notices the tension in Johnny’s stance as he relates
the information concerning tonight’s roster, “Is there a problem at
work?”

Shaking his head, “No Sir, I was just giving my report.”
Johnny looks at Marty than back to Chase.
Noticing Chase’s
attention is elsewhere, Johnny glances at the door leading into the
kitchen. Observing Stephanie standing in the doorway Johnny
senses this protection detail has taken on new meanings for Sheriff
Chase.

Smiling brightly Stephanie strolls into the room, “Hello
Johnny, Marty I apologize for taking so long.”
She walks over to
stand by Chase he lays his arm across her shoulders.
Looking over
at Marty, “So how do you like your steak?”
Laughing she confides,
“Chase almost had a heart attack when I told him I want my steak
well done, no pink for me.”
Glancing at Chase she sees him
scowling and laughs harder.
Leaving the crook of his arm
Stephanie moves to the table then sits down across from Marty.

Keeping her eyes on Stephanie Marty agrees she likes her
steaks the same way.
As they hear Johnny snort with disgust both
Stephanie and Marty turn simultaneously glaring at him.
Uncomfortable with being the center of their attention, Johnny
turns to Chase, “I think we should go burn some steaks and then
cook ours to perfection.”
Ignoring the women he walks out the
back door, figuring he was safer waiting for Chase outside.

Chase and Stephanie exchange smiles; he gathers the steaks
from the microwave and from the refrigerator.
Chase starts to the
door stopping when he reaches Stephanie sitting at the table,
leaning down he brushes a kiss on her lips.
Raising his head a little
he smiles telling her, “You ladies have a good visit, I will be outside
being manly, cooking our steaks.”
Stephanie returns his smile as
he walks out the door; Chase winks at Marty just as the door closes
behind him.

Blowing out a breath Stephanie turns to Marty asking, “So
how have you been doing?”
Marty is dressed similar to her; both
have on jean shorts and tank tops; Marty’s top is red, while
Stephanie’s is aqua.

Shaking her head to clear it Marty replies, “Work has been
good.”
Stephanie waits as Marty seems to want to say something.
A few minutes pass before she continues, “I am so sorry for barging
in today.
I have wanted to visit but with work and you getting
settled, I just didn’t want to impose.”
Glancing first down at her
hands then raising her eyes to look at Stephanie, “I was talking with
Carrie this morning she said Johnny was coming here today so I
thought I would kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Man
did I screw up.
He was so mad he didn’t talk to me once we got in
the car, I tried to start conversations but he acted as if I wasn’t even
there.”
Marty tries not to cry however today she has come to the
conclusion she has to give up on Johnny.
He just doesn’t have
feelings for her.

Closing her eyes briefly to calm herself, Stephanie reaches
across the table and pats Marty’s shoulder.
“I can’t believe Johnny
was so rude.”
Stephanie had to keep from going outside and
punching him in the nose.
Didn’t Johnny realize Marty is a smart
beautiful woman; she isn’t going to wait around for him to come to
his senses.
He will lose her to another man and it will be his own
fault.

Squaring her shoulder Marty sits up straight, “Your right, he
was rude.
Since high school I have had a crush on him, at first I
thought he was just shy because he would ignore me even then.
I
would try to talk to Johnny and he would turn away and not even
answer me.”
Smiling a sad smile, “When I went away to college, I
would keep tabs on what he was doing through Carrie.
She would
tell me all the gossip.”
Looking down at her hands again, “I am
crazy, I thought the ride here would give us a little alone time, to
catch up, but he was so mad I came he wouldn’t even speak to me.
He turned the radio on and ignored me like he use too.
Its time I
give up and try to move on.”

Knowing she would have to be polite to Johnny as he was a
guest in her home Stephanie tried to think of a way for Marty to get
home without riding with Johnny.
Lost in thought, Stephanie
jumps when the doorbell rang.
Laughing at her foolishness she
pushes to her feet, walking to the door.

Opening the door Stephanie sees a deputy, frowning she
asks, “Can I help you?”
Waiting for him to answer she observes
him, he looks to be about as tall as Chase, he has jet black hair and
sexy hazel eyes, he is dark complexioned as if he has Italian heritage.
Peeking at this left hand she notices no ring.
Not that it really
means anything, but it is a plus.
She may have found the answer
to Marty’s problem.

Clearing his throat he asks if Sheriff Chase Peterson is here.
Nodding Stephanie opens the door wider and waves her hand for
him to enter, “Yes, he is outback, why don’t we go through the
kitchen, it will be quicker.”
She caught him just as he turned to
leave.
Lifting an eye brow he follows Stephanie to the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen Stephanie she asks, “Who should I tell
Chase is here?”
Biting her lower lips, she sees Marty looking at the
visitor and interestingly he is looking at Marty when he answers.

“Oh excuse me Miss, I should have introduced myself
sooner, I am Deputy Nick Scalici.” He has seen pictures of
Stephanie, due to the investigation, but he had no clue who this
beautiful woman is sitting at the table.
He smiles and she smiles in
return.
Yep she is beautiful.
He extends his hand; first he shakes
Stephanie’s hand then turns and takes Marty’s hand in his.
He
takes a second to look her in the eyes, she has been upset.

Chase and Johnny walk in the kitchen and see Nick holding
Marty’s hand.
Chase smiles at Nick as he walks over to him.
Nick
releases Marty’s hand then turns to grip Chase’s outstretched hand.

Johnny leaning against the door frame frowns as he watches
Marty.
When Nick had released her hand she had placed it in her
lap now she is sitting staring down at her hands.

“What can I do for you?” Chase asks.
Feeling the tension in
the room, he looks over at Stephanie; she is smiling as she looks
from Marty to Johnny.
Releasing Nick’s hand he crosses his arms
over his chest.

Nick didn’t know Johnny was here; guess the beautiful Marty
is taken, just his luck.
Dismissing Johnny, Nick speaks to Chase,
“The report from the lab came in about an hour ago.
Karen asked
if I would bring it out to you.
I didn’t realize you would be busy, I
should have called first.”
He hands Chase a red folder.
“I hope it
is the information you have been waiting for.”
He clears his throat
as he glances at Marty again, feeling Johnny’s stare he lifts his eyes
and stares right back.
“Well Sheriff, I should be getting back to
town, I am on duty in a couple of hours and need to get some rest,
since I have the grave yard shift.” Nick turns to Stephanie, “It was
nice meeting you.” He then glances at Marty, “And also meeting
you, Marty.”