Lethal Legacy: A Novel (Guardians of Justice) (14 page)

Because once again, Mitch’s intuition was dead-on.

“Thank you again. This was much better than eating alone.” Cole wiped his mouth on one of the Irish linen napkins Kelly reserved for special occasions and smiled as he set it on the damask tablecloth beside his plate. “And I appreciate all the nice touches.” He gestured to her small dining room table, set with her best china and the Waterford crystal goblets her dad had given her for her twenty-first birthday.

At his husky tone, she dipped her head and made a pretense of brushing some crumbs into a pile on the snowy cloth. “I don’t get to use my nicer things very often. Company gave me an excuse to get some mileage out of them.”

True, but not the only reason. She’d originally intended to serve in the kitchen, until Lauren’s advice had echoed in her mind as she’d whipped up a batch of her homemade biscuits.

It doesn’t hurt to lay the groundwork. Let the man know you’re interested.

And she was interested. Very. So in addition to pulling out the stops on the meal, she’d exchanged her usual jeans for a pair of black wool slacks and a forest-green V-necked angora sweater that matched her eyes.

“Well, anytime you want an excuse to break out the family silver, give me a call. I’ll be glad to volunteer as a taster.” Cole grinned and nodded toward her plate. “Finished?”

She checked it out. Funny. She couldn’t remember eating, but her food had disappeared sometime during the animated conversation that had started with practical matters—like locks and a case update—and evolved into a discussion of politics, hobbies, and family.

“I guess I am.” She pushed back her chair and rose. “Did you save room for dessert?”

“Always. A sweet tooth is one of my weaknesses.” He picked up his plate and stood. “I’ll help you clean the table first.”

A man who helped with kitchen chores. That definitely went into the “strengths” category. “I can’t say I’ve spotted many faults.”

“Oh, I have plenty. Just ask my sister.” He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. “She’s very outspoken on the subject.”

“Name one besides the sweet tooth.”

“True confessions, hmm? Okay, let’s see . . .” He set his plate beside the sink. “She claims I have no tact.”

Kelly deposited her plate next to his and appraised him. “Maybe it’s a sister thing. Family members sometimes see shortcomings no one else does.”

“Nope. She’s right. Not that I’d ever admit it to her face, you understand. Which brings up another one of my flaws. Stubbornness.”

A smile teased her lips. “I’m guilty on that score too. But I prefer to think of it as tenacity or persistence. And that can be a positive quality.” Her smile faded. “It paid off with my dad’s case.”

“True.”

She opened the cabinet and pulled out some cups and saucers, determined not to let the lingering questions over her father’s death ruin what had turned out to be a most enjoyable evening. “Coffee?”

“That would be great. I’ll grab some more stuff off the table.”

He disappeared into the dining room while she started the coffee, returning with the butter dish, salt and pepper shakers, and the empty bread basket.

“We made short work of these.” He lifted the basket, grinning as he set it on the counter. “Or I should say, I did. You’re a fabulous cook.”

She shrugged off the compliment, but the warm glow in her heart remained. “Learning to cook was a matter of survival. My mom died when I was twelve, and cooking was
not
among my dad’s many talents. We subsisted on macaroni and cheese and frozen dinners for weeks, until I finally dug out my mom’s recipes. In the beginning we ate a lot of charred mystery meat, but my technique improved with age and practice. Are you ready for those pumpkin bars?”

“Yes. Do you take cream with your coffee?” He indicated the refrigerator.

“And sugar. The bowl’s inside the cabinet on your right.”

“I hope not as much as Alison. She ends up with syrup instead of coffee.”

Kelly smiled at him as he withdrew the items. He might complain about his sister, but the affection in his voice when he spoke of her was unmistakable. “I use half a teaspoon. Just enough to cut the bitterness. And if that’s her biggest fault, I envy her.”

“Oh, she has other quirks.” He set the sugar and cream on the counter. “Not only does she oversweeten coffee, she can’t brew a decent cup. Tea is her thing, so when we eat at her place we always opt for instant. It’s safer. She’s also stubborn. Must be a family trait.” He flashed her another grin. “Plus, she takes far too much interest in my personal life and my relationships—and is very vocal in her opinions.”

Relationships. Plural.

Kelly turned away to remove the plastic wrap from the pumpkin bars as she wrestled with that concept. The news didn’t surprise her, but hearing it put into words was a bit disconcerting. With his good looks and engaging personality, though, Cole wasn’t likely to spend many Saturday evenings alone. Even Lauren had hinted as much—and suggested he might be on the fast side. Perhaps his sister agreed.

“Want to sample one while we wait for the coffee to brew?” She held out the plate, trying to come up with a diplomatic approach that would allow her to dig a little deeper into the subject.

He eyed the frosted bars. “I could be persuaded.” Leaning forward, he took one.

“So are you saying your sister is nosy?” She retrieved dessert plates from the cabinet and put two pumpkin bars on each, easing into the subject.

“Yes.” He swallowed the bite he’d taken before continuing. “But she also has many fine qualities. Ones I never fully recognized until she was in a serious car accident a couple of years ago and we almost lost her.” His voice hoarsened, and he cleared his throat. “She’s a fighter, though, and she was determined to not just survive but make a complete recovery. These days, the only visible evidence of the accident is a slight limp when she overdoes things—which she often does. Alison isn’t the type to do any task halfway.” He weighed the remaining half of the pumpkin bar in his hand and studied her. “She kind of reminds me of you in that regard.”

The comment took her off guard, and she slid her hands into the pockets of her slacks. “Thanks. I think.”

“I meant that as a compliment. In case you haven’t figured it out, I admire strong, determined women.”

“Even nosy ones?”

“You aren’t nosy.”

She crossed to the coffeemaker and fiddled with the handle of the pot. “Okay. But I am curious.”

“About what?”

Turning toward him, she folded her arms over her pounding heart. “Can I be honest with you?”

“Sure.” He lowered the pumpkin bar instead of popping the rest in his mouth, his expression sobering at her serious tone.

“I know you want to keep things strictly business between us until my dad’s case is resolved. I understand that—and agree with it. But you also said you’d like to explore a different kind of relationship once things are settled. So I was wondering if . . . well, you said your sister is vocal in her opinions about your relationships—plural—and . . .” Kelly’s cheeks began to burn. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she huffed out a breath. “I am
so
not good at this. Forget it, okay? We can talk about this later, after the investigation is finished.”

Twin creases appeared on Cole’s brow. “No. This is important, and it’s a fair concern.” He set the half-eaten pumpkin bar on the counter and faced her. “You want to know if I sleep around.”

At his blunt but accurate assessment, the flame in her cheeks grew hotter. “See, I am nosy.”

“I look on it more as your self-preservation instincts kicking in.”

“That’s a generous take.” She tried for a smile, but her unsteady lips wouldn’t cooperate. “The thing is, I don’t operate in the fast lane, Cole. As my friend Lauren would be the first to testify, I’m a slow mover. I like you a lot already, and I think I could like you a lot more. But I don’t want to get too far down that road if you’re only in the market for a superficial relationship.”

He looked at her for a moment, as if debating how to respond. Then he leaned back against the counter and gripped the edge. “For the past few years, my relationships with women have been superficial. But I can tell you with absolute honesty that I’m not looking for that with you.” One side of his mouth hitched up. “And for what it’s worth, my sister would approve of this relationship. She’s been after me to find a churchgoing woman to date.”

His last comment brought up a whole different issue. One that had been on Kelly’s mind for a while and was just as important—if not more important—than the first one. As long as they were tackling the tough stuff, she might as well put this on the table too.

“Why does she want you to date a woman who attends church?”

His knuckles whitened and his features grew taut. “Because I walked away from God a few years ago. When I said before that Alison is vocal about my relationships, that includes my relationship with him.”

A sudden hiss from the coffeemaker intruded on their quiet conversation, and Kelly jerked.

“The coffee’s ready.” He took a step away from the counter. “Would you excuse me a minute while you pour?”

“Sure.”

He exited the room into the hall, and a few seconds later she heard a quiet click as he closed the bathroom door.

Slowly she let out her breath. Was he closing the door on their discussion too? Did he regret revealing so much personal information? Was he aggravated that she’d delved into such private subjects?

His reaction to the subject of faith also troubled her. A lot. While he’d been quick to acknowledge his dating history and told her he wanted to make a change, he’d made no such claim about his relationship with God. In fact, he’d shut down when that subject came up. Walked away.

And that kind of attitude could be a deal breaker.

Spirits plummeting, Kelly picked up the coffeepot, filled her cup, and gazed into the black depths. It was better to know Cole’s feeling on the subject now, of course. Before she lost her heart completely.

As for the part he’d already claimed . . . she had a feeling that would be his forever.

Hands braced on the bathroom sink, Cole stared into the mirror. How in the world had he and Kelly gotten into such a serious discussion?

And where did he go from here?

He hadn’t minded answering her questions about his social life. He’d known from day one she was a woman with rock-solid values, and meeting her had been the kick he’d needed to get his act together on that score. Far more effectively than Alison’s badgering or Jake’s more subtle prodding, her sweet goodness had made him take a hard look at himself and convinced him he wanted to be worthy of someone like her.

No. Scratch that. Not
like
her. Her, specifically. He was becoming more and more certain of that with each day that passed.

But the faith issue—that might be a stumbling block unless they could talk it through, come to an understanding.

Except he’d never discussed that painful piece of his history with anyone.

Maybe, though, it was time. Since he’d turned his back on the Lord, lost his way spiritually, the emptiness in his soul had intensified. And Kelly, with her quiet faith and absolute trust in God, had forced him to acknowledge that lapse as well.

Could she perhaps help him rectify both his social life and his spiritual life?

With sudden decision, he opened the door, flipped off the light, and returned to the kitchen. It was deserted. He found her at the dining room table, hands wrapped around her coffee cup, her pumpkin bars untouched on the plate in front of her.

As he slid into his seat, he forced his lips into a smile. “Sorry to keep you from your dessert.”

She lifted one shoulder. “I’m still full from dinner.”

The subtle wariness in her eyes, the caution in her tone, told him she was afraid she’d overstepped and annoyed him the same way his sister often did. He needed to put those fears to rest.

“Me too. But these are excellent.” He tapped the half-eaten pumpkin bar she’d retrieved from the counter and placed on his plate, along with the two whole ones.

“Look, Cole, I’m sorry if—”

“Don’t apologize.” He touched her fingers, cold despite her grip on the coffee cup. “The issues you raised are important to you—and to how you perceive the future of our relationship. That makes them important to me too. Although I’ll admit I didn’t expect them to be on the menu tonight.”

His attempt to tease her into a smile didn’t work.

“But now that you’ve put them on the table, let’s talk about them. Starting with my recent dating history. I can’t change the past, but I can shift gears and move to a slower lane in the future. And I promise you I will. Is that good enough to make you feel comfortable about moving forward with this relationship when the time comes?”

He held his breath as she searched his face. For someone like Kelly, it might not be good enough. But he hoped she could find it in her heart to forgive his past mistakes and trust his promise for the future.

She nibbled at her lower lip, her expression conflicted. “I think so. I’m still processing everything you told me, but to be honest, the faith issue is an even bigger hurdle.”