Happily Never After (15 page)

Chapter 17

Exhausted from a night of soul searching, Kelsey admitted to herself that she’d overreacted by running away from Bode. Women her age usually had the finesse to handle these delicate situations.

She hadn’t even had a real boyfriend in several years. The few times she started to date someone, they seemed to fall by the wayside. Most of the time she didn’t realize when they’d had enough. Weeks might go by before the fact she hadn’t talked to them sank into her work-absorbed brain. Then, she would shrug her shoulders and move on with life.

Dawn painted the sky with pink and orange clouds as she stared out the window. Their night together had given her a small glimpse of what a world filled with passion and love would be like. She wanted that life more than anything she’d ever desired. A barrage of doubts crashed down on her, but she wouldn’t let them rule her. Not on this.

He wasn’t the man she’d expected him to be. His tender actions with the children highlighted what kind of person he was. He was so good with them, and they loved him in return. Even after such a short time, she couldn’t picture him as anything besides a cop. A protector. And she was starting to be okay with that.

Bode wanted to take things day by day. No long term commitments. She would make herself accept that. He might not be the man for her in the end, but she wouldn’t throw away an opportunity for happiness. She’d enjoy him in whatever way she could have him.

Working at the community center had made her realize something. Life hadn’t been satisfying for quite a while. She was slowly but surely, figuring out what she wanted her future to look like.

She wore black yoga pants and a long sleeve gray hoodie in anticipation of enjoying a morning round of basketball. It didn’t come as a complete surprise when Bode arrived at the center.

He strode across the blacktop until he reached her. “Did you keep your promise?”

“I most certainly did.” Her chin lifted into the air. “I worked around here while Ann went to the mall and bought the necessities, workout clothes in five different colors.”

He smiled and brushed his hand along her cheek. “It sure beats your buttoned up prosecutor persona.”

“So, what’re you doing here this morning?” She walked toward the basketball courts.

“I wanted to fill you in before going to work. No one has spotted Robbins yet. He crawled under a rock, but we’ll find him. If you want to go anywhere, call, and I’ll come take you.”

“I’ll be here at Ann’s until I can find another place to live. Until this creep is located, I’m not going to move to David’s.”

His gaze slid toward her. “You can always come to my house, you know.”

Laughing, she tossed him the ball. “What about
take all the time you need
?”

He dribbled a few feet and stopped to shoot a free throw. “I’m not here to pressure you. Maybe I’m just here to get a little healthy exercise.”

She gave him a stern eye. “You can’t possibly think you’re going to hang around here to watch me.”

He let out a little sigh. “No, I need to go to work but I wondered what your plans were for later today? Will you go out to dinner with me?”

She began to shake her head but stopped at his stricken expression.

“Don’t you want to spend time with me?”

The hurt in his voice bothered her. It was time for the moment of truth. “Of course I do. I told you how I felt about you.”

Satisfaction eased across his face. “Good, I’ll be back to pick you up after work. We’ll go to my place, and I’ll astound you with my culinary expertise.”

A quick kiss and he strode away. She dribbled the ball while trying to understand what had just happened. Her ability to resist this guy needed some serious ramping up.

With a wrist snap, the ball soared through the air toward the hoop. A smile replaced her frown. She’d never met anyone who turned her on as much physically and mentally. He was the whole package for her with his broad shoulders and full chest. The long, strong muscles of his thighs made one word come to mind. Hot.

His quick laugh and rakish smile melted her defenses. The decision to pursue a relationship with Bode in place, her heart felt light even with the threat of Miles Robbins looming over her.

A few minutes before five, she was in the process of filling out a supply requisition when Bode ambled into the room. He sat down across from her desk and stretched out his long legs. The tired lines across his face told the story.

“Bad day, huh?” she asked.

“The job that just keeps giving.” His voice held a hint of sarcasm. “Our office staff is pretty thin due to budget cuts. By the time I finish one case, another two pop up. How was your day?”

“Not bad, considering I get to play all day when I’m not doing paperwork. We had cake.”

He barked out a loud laugh and her heart lurched. It literally pinged around in her chest like a spinning top. She loved it when he smiled. His face transformed and lost the hard angles he wore as a detective.

“Well, now that I’m aware that baked goods will keep you happy, I’ll make sure to keep some stockpiled.”

The man’s infectious good humor made her laugh. “I’ll tell you a secret,” she drawled. “Cake isn’t all that’s keeping me here. I haven’t been in Redding long, but I already have a soft spot for it. The city is beautiful, and the people are wonderful. Of course, the good cake doesn’t hurt.”

His elbows rested on his knees. “I’m relieved you’re going to give us a chance. Your luck hasn’t been that great since you got here. First, a hit and run and now this thing with Robbins. I’m glad you aren’t planning to scuttle back to someone in Texas.”

She wasn’t the nature type but recognized a fishing expedition when she heard one. “Bode, was that a not so subtle way of asking me if I had a boyfriend in Dallas?”

“Come on, cover girl. There had to be some Mr. Right, who ended up heartbroken when you moved to California. Men fall over their tongues when you stroll past.”

His statement surprised her. “What can I say? I haven’t dated a lot for the last few years since my career was my primary focus. No dumped Mr. Rights, no skeletons in the closet. Sorry. What’s with the interrogation?”

“I’m just trying to see who my competition is. What about good old Joe? He seems to keep popping up.”

“Are these questions from Detective Taggert, or are they coming from Bode, the hot new boyfriend?” A playful grin covered her face.

He gave her his best cop stare and replied, “I can assure you, Ms. Brackston I’m a professional. So—” he paused, “you think I’m hot?”

She laughed. “I think it’s time for my session. This might sound crazy, but it was a huge relief to find out about Robbins. I’ve been meeting with Riley a few times a week, and my heart breaks listening to those strong, brave men talk about their pain. One man, in particular, suffers from extreme hallucinations and,” her voice trailed off.

“What?”

She took a deep breath. “Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m far from cured, but it scared me to death thinking I imagined a dead guy following me around. I wish I knew what his brother wanted from me.”

Bode rose and placed both palms flat on her desk, anger flaring in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter what he wants. I’m going to find him and put a stop to this.”

She grinned up at him and couldn’t resist. “I think you’re very manly when you beat your chest like this.”

He grabbed her hand pulling her up and around the desk. She fell against him, and he brushed her lips with his.

She turned serious. “Meeting with the group is helping me learn to deal with my emotions. You seem to have a calming effect on me too when you’re not infuriating me. Thank you.”

“I’m here for you, Kels. But you need to do one thing for me.”

Hearing Bode use David’s nickname for her sounded so natural and warmed her heart. “What?”

“Eat. You’re too skinny. Come on.” He towed her laughing along with him.

Chapter 18

Kelsey moved around the room picking up the never ending toys that lingered behind after one of her classes. The kids were supposed to pick them all up, but one or two always seemed to get left under a desk or chair. She didn’t mind. The last few weeks were the happiest she could ever remember.

Her days filled with work she adored, and her nights spent in the arms of the man she loved.
The man she loved.
One morning she lay watching him sleep and had an epiphany. She loved Bode Taggert. Knowing he wouldn’t want to hear it, she’d been careful to keep the secret to herself.

Even though her few possessions were still at Ann’s, most nights she ending up staying with him at his house. They spent every evening talking and getting to know one another. Open and honest regarding his life, he answered all her questions. He never participated in unprotected sex, and he’d always been upfront about what he could offer in a relationship.

She refused to acknowledge the disappointment his words caused.
One day at a time, Kelsey.

She opened up and told him about her relentless drive to be one of the best prosecutors around. How she didn’t have that dream anymore. The more they talked, the more they clicked. The bottom line for her, she liked him, warts, and all.

They exercised together every day, and he’d even joined her for several of the group therapy sessions. Her nightmares didn’t come as often, and her mind and body bloomed.

The lone shadow hanging over her current happiness was the fact no one could locate Miles Robbins. They still didn’t know why he’d followed her. Or if he set fire to her apartment.

Thanksgiving was on Thursday and the center would be closed, so she finished cleaning before turning out the lights. David had pressured her into attending a black tie fundraiser for the mayor, and she needed to get ready. Her cell phone rang, and she stopped to dig around until she managed to find it.

“Hello?” Her voice sounded a little breathless and she smiled at the low growl that answered her.

“Now tell me again why
I
have to go to this shindig?”

”You don’t
have
to go. I hoped that you would
want
to go. You know, to be with me. I’m sure there will be all kinds of unattached men around. I should be able to find someone to sit with me at our table.” She placed one hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

A sigh followed a slight pause. “Okay, I get it. I’m not going to have time to pick you up so I’ll meet you there. Will you be all right by yourself?”

She hurried down the hall and left for Ann’s small residence in the back. “Yes. I’m leaving now to get all dolled up.” She added in a whisper. “Just to make it up to you, I’ll save some energy for wild gorilla sex later.”

He growled into the phone. “Keep this up and I’m going to throw you over my shoulder in my best Tarzan imitation. Then we’re not going to make it anywhere.”

Giddiness bubbled to the surface. “Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you there.”

The sun was still high in the sky, but most of the workers had left already. The parking lot was almost empty. Apprehension filled her and made the hair on her arms stand on end. Was someone here, watching her?

As nonchalant as possible, she searched for the cause of her discomfort. Nothing appeared to be out of place.

Shaking off the disturbing feelings, she hurried inside the apartment and locked the door. Moving to the window, she shifted the curtain aside to peer out. Ann wasn’t home and the silence gave her the creeps. Giving herself a mental shake, she went to get dressed, refusing to let paranoia immobilize her.

After the fire, she’d had the rest of her clothes shipped from Dallas to keep from having to buy a complete new wardrobe. The dress she planned to wear was a silver concoction that draped her body like a shimmering waterfall. The gown’s back dipped so low it showcased her flawless skin.

Ready to go, she added a silk shawl to wrap around her shoulders and drove to the fancy hotel where they were holding the event. When she arrived, she stopped to let the valet park her car. The young men stared at her legs when she emerged. The ego boost made her flash them a charming smile.

She strolled into the lobby and spotted David and Bev standing off to the side. When she got near, David’s eyes went wide.

“Girl, they’ll need to crank the air up or people will start dropping like flies over you. I don’t know if the city of Redding is ready for that dress. You’re beautiful.” Bev gazed around. “Where’s your gorgeous hunk?”

“He’s going to meet me here, but he’s a little grouchy about the black tie thing,” she answered with a grin.

David scowled at the mention of Bode’s name. While he grudgingly accepted their relationship, he didn’t trust it. He was still afraid she’d wind up getting hurt. “Where’s my little tomboy?”

“Oh, don’t worry. She’s here, just buried under all the glitter and shine. Let’s go join this shindig.” She linked one arm through his, the other through Bev’s, and they entered the crowded ballroom.

It took thirty minutes to make their way around the room exchanging small talk. She’d perfected the art of networking and southern charm while working for the District Attorney’s office. They were chatting with a wealthy city councilman, a prominent banker, and the Captain of Police when the toe-curling sensation she always felt around Bode drifted through her. Deep inside she knew he’d arrived.

A few minutes later a masculine hand lighted on the small of her back, and he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

He finished saying hello to everyone before excusing them from the circle. Hustling her over to a secluded corner, he faced her with a scowl.

In her heels, they were almost eye level with one another. She frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong? Did you find something on Robbins?”

“The good councilman was salivating like you were dessert. His dessert. I wanted to throw you over my shoulder and get out of here, but there’s not enough dress to cover all the important parts.”

She angled toward him and whispered up into his ear. “Don’t be grumpy. I’ll make it up to you later.”

“How late do we have to be here?” He groaned and made sad puppy dog eyes at her.

Laughing, she clasped their hands together. The dinner was ready to start, so they approached the table reserved for their group. They ate, laughed, and enjoyed the conversation flowing around them. The speakers used lots of humor to keep the audience riveted to the night’s topic. She gave a start of surprise when she noticed the time. People were standing around mingling and it would be easy to sneak out.

She breathed in Bode’s masculine scent. “Let’s go home.”

He jumped to his feet and herded her through the crowd toward the door. His arm kept her tucked close by his side while they waited for their cars. The valet arrived, and he helped settle her inside.

Pulling one of her hands to his lips, he pressed a kiss to her over-sensitive palm. He stood and her insides became a complete gooey mess. “I’ll follow you. Drive safe.” He shut the door and went to his truck.

She stopped to wait for a break in the flow of traffic before pulling out. When she glanced over her shoulder, she did a double take.
Was that Robbins?
She strained for a better angle but whoever had been there was gone.

A peek in her rearview mirror showed Bode’s frown. She turned in the direction of his house. Expecting Miles to jump out at any minute, she’d been on pins and needles the last few weeks. The lack of any contact or visual sightings ramped up her anticipation because she didn’t believe he’d just leave town. He came there for a reason. But the other thing she was sure of, Bode would find him.

She passed Cypress Avenue and tried to slow down as she approached the yellow light at Larkspur. The pedal went all the way to the floor. She pumped again, attempting to engage the brakes.

Her car sped into the intersection, and her eyes widened in horror as traffic zoomed toward her. A vehicle clipped the back corner of her Lexus, and the jolt snapped her body to the side. She gripped the wheel as her car spun across several lanes.

Time slowed to a crawl. A moving van smashed into her passenger door in hideous slow-motion. The impact was tremendous and flung her sideways to slam the door. When awareness returned, her car had stopped spinning.

The air bag had exploded, and its dust clogged her lungs. The seatbelt kept her pinned her in place.

Bode yanked the door open. “Oh, honey.” His voice came out a hoarse whisper. “Don’t move, baby, help is on the way.”

One of her hands pushed the deflated airbag away while the other wiped at her runny nose. It came away coated bright red. The pain increased with every movement. “Help me get out,” she whispered. Sticky blood now covered her beautiful dress.

Panting, sweat dotted her forehead. Clawing at the strap holding her down, she whimpered. “Now, Bode, I need to get out now.”

He used his arm to keep her in the car while he spoke to her in a calm tone. She wanted out, but his manner resigned her to the fact that she would be waiting for the medics.

“Didn’t you see the light?” he asked.

A snippy retort rested on the tip of her tongue, but she let it go. It would be too painful. “Of course I saw it. My brakes didn’t work. When I pressed down, they went to the floor. I don’t understand it either because I had my car checked out in Dallas right before I drove here.”

Her heart lurched at the scene surrounding her. There were several other cars involved in the accident. Broken glass and twisted metal littered the pavement. “Is anyone else hurt?”

“We don’t know yet, honey.” His handkerchief dabbed at the blood on her face.

Sirens filled the air, and she shut her eyes. Unaware of how much time passed, she jumped when a medic began to check her over.

After a preliminary exam, she insisted he help her out. Her injured nose forced her to breathe through her mouth. The medic wrapped her in a blanket and helped her sit down on the back of the EMS truck before he moved on to the next person.

Bode was across the street talking with the other officers. The light above them illuminated their breath as it puffed out in the cold night air. He turned to scan the area. His stare met hers and even across the distance she felt the connection. Motioning to the others, he strode toward where she sat.

She waited for him to join her, shivers wracking her body. With a gentle touch, he smoothed the hair back from her face. He removed his jacket and wrapped it around her over the blanket.

“I’ll follow you to the hospital.”

“I’m not going. My vitals are good, and nothing is wrong with me except I’ll be stiff and sore for a week.” She made sure a thin smile accompanied her glare, but it would be pointless for him to argue.

“Come on and sit in my car with the heater. The weather’s too cold for you to be sitting outside. I need to help sort this out since I was a witness. Then we’ll go home. Do you think you can answer some questions?”

She nodded as he helped her stand. He settled her inside his truck and left. An overwhelming panic caused her chest to hurt while she prayed.
Please let everyone else be okay
.

Steve arrived and came toward her as a wrecker service picked up her car. His shaggy blond hair and deep tan reminded her of the surfers on television, but at present, he appeared all business.

She tried humming, hoping to calm down before he reached her. He opened the door and squatted down to be level with her.

“Hey, Steve, when did you get here?”

He grinned. “I was on my way to meet an exquisite jewel when I heard there was an accident on the radio. Imagine how surprised I was to see you and Bode right in the middle of the action.”

“Yeah, surprise. Sorry we interrupted your treasure hunt,” she tried for a teasing note but grimaced when it fell flat.

“Kelsey, can you tell me what happened?”

It didn’t take her long to detail the scary experience, from leaving the hotel to ending up in a multiple car pileup.

He wrote down notes in a small notebook. When she finished, he frowned down at her. “Are you sure you didn’t see anything else?”

“What else would there be? It was just a fluke mishap.” Her voice broke on the last word.

“Calm down, Kelsey. I’m going to send Bode over to explain.”

Her stomach lurched. What did he need to explain?
What if someone had died?

By the time Bode came back toward her, she’d worked herself into a panic and on the verge of tears. When he opened the door, she started sobbing.

He wrapped his arms around her, whispering soothing words of comfort. “Honey, what’s wrong? Where are you hurt?”

She hiccupped while she tried to stop crying. “I’m . . . I’m not, but I swear it was an accident. I couldn’t stop. Please tell me no one died.”

His cop’s face didn’t tell her a thing. Which told her all that she needed to know. There was something wrong.

“Just tell me.” She hated how defeated she sounded, but she was too wrung out to put on a brave front.

“Baby, we know this wasn’t your fault.” He was silent a moment before continuing. “But it wasn’t an accident. It looks like someone may have cut your brake line.”

Bewilderment seeped into her at his words. “All this destruction was done on purpose?” She wiped away tears. “It was him wasn’t it? I knew he wouldn’t leave town without finishing what he started.”

“I’m not sure yet, but we’re going to figure this out. I’m going to stick with you like glue until we find him.” He gentled his tone. “Let’s get you home.”

He reached across to lock her seat belt and then strode around to the driver’s side. The other wrecked cars still littered the road. Numb, all she could do was stare out the window as icy fear swirled in her chest. Someone wanted her dead.

Again.