Kisses to Remember (32 page)

Holden, on the other hand.
Johanna shimmied out of her skirt and pulled her shirt over her head. She’d bet her life he was a man who could manage it all. A job, hobbies, family,
and
an intimate relationship. She was looking forward to trying with him.

She slipped the royal blue number on, and Ava had been right. The top revealed just enough creamy white skin between her breasts and the hemline hovered at mid-thigh. Her legs looked long, her breasts perky. Maybe the mirrors were magic.

She imagined Holden slipping his hand underneath this piece to tease her skin. In that instant, she decided to buy it. After trying on the other garments, she bought two of them as well. Ava and Cindy prattled on and on at the register, pleased Johanna had found the merchandise to her liking. Johanna was surprised that her initial discomfort at being in the lingerie department had turned to a sense of liberation, of adventure instead.

Sensible cotton was about to take a vacation.

****

After a quick stop back at his house for his bag, Holden had pushed his rental car to its limits to get to the airport. He would have liked to hop into a cockpit and zip to Nebraska on his own, but men who frantically wanted to rent small planes immediately aroused the suspicion of Homeland Security. Instead he boarded the first flight he could find and now sat in the twelfth row, fingers gripping the armrest, as clouds whizzed by the window.

Of course Sabrina knew where the plane had crashed.
She had ordered the hasty clean up. Not to mention being the one who had ordered the crash in the first place. A full body shudder wracked Holden’s body as he thought about nearly dying because of what he and Vaughn had found out. Another shiver when he recalled that Vaughn
had
died.

The young woman sitting next to him touched his forearm. “Are you okay, sir?” She had on a Harvard sweatshirt and looked about college age with straight, blond hair pulled back in a high ponytail.

“Yeah, thanks. Just hate flying,” he lied.

“It’s safer than driving your car, you know.” She offered him some M&Ms.

Holden took a few, recalled Johanna’s apocalypse stash in her basement, and the urgency to get to Nebraska increased tenfold. Would Sabrina hurt Johanna? Or Kam? Or Ted? God, he had to get there like now.

“I’m Tammi,” College Girl said.

“Holden.”

“That’s a fun name. Don’t know anyone named Holden.” She lowered her voice when she said his name. “Are you heading home, Holden?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” He hoped he made it there before Sabrina did. If anything happened to Johanna or Kam…

“Me too.” She paused for a second. “Is any of this small talk taking your mind off our current altitude?”

Holden looked at her now. “It is. Thank you.” He pointed to her sweatshirt. “Do you go there?”

Tammi nodded. “I’m almost done with their law program. Need a lawyer?”

Do you take attempted murder and international weapons manufacturing cases?

“I’ll keep you in mind if I do.”

“Wonderful.” Tammi wrote her name and email down on sheet of paper and handed it to Holden. “I plan to set up an office in Ainsworth, Nebraska. I know it won’t be like setting up in D.C. or New York, but I think small town law will be fun too.”

“You never know what cases will cross your desk.” Holden folded the paper and put it in the pocket of his dress shirt.

“Take another handful of these,” she wiggled the M&M bag, “and you let me know if you need more small talk.” She massaged her temples. “I’ve got to get this paper done. My mother will kill me if all I do is work while I’m visiting her.”

While Holden popped M&Ms into his mouth, Tammi’s fingers flew across her laptop. The only thing he had to work on was what to do when he found Sabrina in Nebraska. Obviously, she wanted him dead. She’d sent Vaughn and him out on a faulty plane, one she’d had someone tamper with. She’d thought she’d protected her company, her secret weapons dealings, herself.

But here I am
.
A loose end with the ability to blow the whistle. Of course he didn’t have the invoice. They’d turned that over to Sabrina. He didn’t have a crashed plane. She’d cleaned that up. He didn’t have a witness. Vaughn was dead. All he had was his word and a newly returned memory. Not the best of evidence. He didn’t even know what to say if he called the police.

He shook his head. His first concern was Johanna and Kam. Nothing could happen to them. He’d figure out how to prove Sabrina’s crimes later when he knew the people he loved were safe.

Tammi had sparked up a conversation with the man on the other side of her. He appeared to be flirting with her, and from the sound of her giggle, she liked it. Holden was reminded of Vaughn and his pursuit of all things women. Then he remembered Vaughn’s obsession with Sabrina. Hadn’t he once said he’d kill to be with her?

Looks like she got you instead, buddy.

Holden gazed out the window, wishing he could flap his arms and fly. He’d tried calling Johanna when he’d gotten to his house, but she didn’t answer her house or cell phone. What was he going to say to her anyway? Run? Hide? Don’t let Sabrina Donovan into her house? He didn’t know how much of a lead Sabrina had on him. He should have shook Aaron down for more details.

And why had it taken Sabrina all this time to come hunt him down? He’d been with Johanna for nearly a month. Both Johanna and Dr. Sakala had called DE with questions about him immediately after the accident. Wasn’t shutting him up permanently high on Sabrina’s to-do list? He wondered if she’d taken the extra time to more carefully map out his death.

He sipped the water the flight attendant had given him, but it did nothing to calm him. He wouldn’t relax until he knew Johanna and Kam were okay. Then he’d worry about finding Sabrina and…dealing with her.

When the plane landed, Holden said goodbye to Tammi and darted through the small mob of other passengers. With his carry-on bag secure on his shoulder, he found a pay phone and tried calling Johanna again with no luck.

Where is she? Where are Ted and Kam?
Not being able to reach any of them caused a coil of fear to unwrap in his gut. He hailed a taxi and gave Johanna’s address, tossing extra money at the driver if he’d be quick about getting to the destination.

The landscape passed in a dusty blur. What had seemed so beautiful days ago was now in his way of getting to Johanna. To Kam. To Ted. To the people who meant more to him than anyone else on the planet. Having regained his full memory, he had been a little shocked to learn that aside from his parents and Vaughn, he hadn’t connected with a ton of people. He recalled a few acquaintances, but no one he would say he couldn’t live without.

No one like Johanna or Kam.

He had basically lived a life of flying, racing, and staying at home when he wasn’t doing those two. He and Vaughn had had some adventures, but it was almost as if he had been waiting to meet Johanna for his life to begin. He’d needed an attempt on his life and amnesia to find her, but he supposed that was Destiny at work.

Now that he had Johanna, he’d do anything to keep her.      
 

****

Johanna left Golden Dragon with a bag of Chinese food and hopped into the Bronco. She hadn’t been able to get in touch with Ted and Kam, because her phone battery died after the lingerie spree. She’d meant to charge it this morning, but had forgotten while rushing out to her meeting. No biggie. It wasn’t like Ted or Kam ever said no to Chinese food.   

Singing along with the radio, Johanna coaxed the Bronco home. It sputtered and coughed as usual, but the noise was familiar. She knew Holden would want something better than the Bronco if he were going to stick around.

“Holden versus Bronco,” she said. “Sorry, Bronco.” She patted the steering wheel. “You know I love you, but I love that man more.”

She glanced at her purse where all the lingerie hid. A little embarrassing that it all fit in her purse, but a little exciting too. “I must love him if I spent all that money on such a small amount of fabric.” She rolled her eyes and turned onto the dirt road leading to her farmhouse.

As she got out of the Bronco, she scanned the yard and the closer field, but didn’t see Kam or Ted. She made a few kissing sounds and called for Miles with no results either.

“Where is everyone?” She pulled open the screen door of the house, toting the Chinese food and getting hungrier by the second. She wouldn’t eat too much though. She had some lingerie to look good in after all. “Hello? Anybody here?”

She set the food on the kitchen table and poked her head into the living room, Kam’s bedroom, the guest room, even downstairs.

She found no one.

Sighing, she set the table for three, changed into jean shorts and a tank top in her bedroom, and stepped into her sandals at the back door. Outside, she headed for the barn first. Only the cows stood milling about, making a little extra noise than usual, but otherwise going about their normal business. A few loose feathers floated around the chicken coop, but still no family members. She headed for Ted’s cabin site, figuring maybe Ted and Kam were daydreaming about when it was finished. When she got, there all she found were three of her ducks waddling toward the stream behind the cabin skeleton.

Turning in a circle, Johanna shielded her eyes and again scanned her property. Maybe she’d missed a note inside. Maybe Nurse Nancy came early and took Ted and Kam, even Miles, somewhere.

Liking that rationalization and pushing aside the nervous flutter growing in her belly, Johanna jogged back up to the house. She searched the kitchen, but no notes graced the refrigerator or kitchen counter—the usual spots Ted would leave a message. She went into her office and checked the answering machine, but the light wasn’t blinking.

Don’t panic
. There was no reason to. The boys were simply out and would probably be back any minute. Johanna went into the kitchen and rolled the Chinese food bag closed more securely. She didn’t want it to get cold, but the microwave was always kind to lo mein. No big deal if the guys didn’t come back right away. Hopefully, they were having some fun.

She went back to the Bronco and pulled the lingerie bag from her purse. Something dropped onto the passenger side floor, but she couldn’t find it. Shrugging, she took the bag and her purse into the house. In her bedroom, she spread her purchases out on her bed like a lace and silk rainbow. Royal blue, sea foam green, and ruby red. The red one was no more than a mesh of lace, almost net-like. She hoped to thoroughly catch Holden with it. Again, she wished she could contact him. Why hadn’t she bought the man a cell phone? Then she could make sure everything was going well. Make sure he still intended to come back to Nebraska. Being this insecure was so adolescent, but Johanna couldn’t believe she’d found Holden. Or he’d found her. Whatever the case may be, she’d be absolutely crushed if he didn’t return. If he changed his mind. If…

Stop it, Ware.
She shook the doubts off. He had said he loved her. He had said he wanted to call Nebraska home. She had to believe him.

After tucking the lingerie into her underwear drawer, she went back out to the kitchen and decided to make chocolate chip cookies for dessert. While those were baking, she retrieved her laptop from the Bronco, kicked off her sandals, and got to work on the paperwork for Evan. She’d be meeting him again tomorrow and wanted to be ready to talk serious business this time. She said a quick prayer that things would go well between Evan and Meri. If they didn’t, that might affect her professional relationship with Mr. Salisberg and his Peppers restaurants. That would suck. Royally.

Be positive. Evan and Meri will hit it off.

By six o’clock, Ted, Kam, and Miles had yet to make an appearance. It wasn’t like Ted to keep Kam out without checking in with her. And how far would Ted go with his leg still in a cast? He was healing, but she caught him wincing uncomfortably from time to time. He wasn’t as young as he used to be and though he didn’t complain much, she knew this leg break, coupled with the destruction of his cabin, knocked out some of Ted’s steam.

Johanna put the Chinese food in the refrigerator. On her way to the front window to peek outside, she stepped on something sharp.

“Youch!” She popped her foot up and glared down at a Lego piece. “Kameron Ware, it’s a good thing I love you.” She bent to pick up the Lego, then noticed another by the front door. She picked that one up too. Jiggling the blocks in her palm, she opened the door and stepped onto the porch. Two more Legos sat on the front steps, a third on the walkway, a fourth by the mailbox.

Johanna ran back into the house for her sandals, then walked to the mailbox. Kam rarely took his precious Legos outside. What were they doing out there?

She squinted toward the dirt drive leading to the main road. No Legos that way. None by the Bronco either. Past the mailbox to the left, however, more yellow blocks dotted the gravel path leading to the back field.

“What kind of game is this?” She huffed out a breath, wondering how long Ted and Kam planned on staying out in the farthest field. What the hell were they doing there anyway? What if she had never found the Legos?

Her stomach growled like a lion. “I should eat without you two goofballs.”

Instead, she went back into the house to get her keys then hopped into the Bronco. She’d drive down to the back field and bring Kam and Ted back to the house. She’d tease them about eating all the Chinese food while they’d been wasting time hiding out.