One True Heart (30 page)

“There is not going to be a next time, and what part of ‘Don't say a word' did you not understand, Martha Q?”

“Shut up or I'll tie you back up and leave you to the fans. Did you learn your lesson, Beau?”

“What lesson?” All he knew for sure was that the rest of his dreams till they put him in his coffin would be about Lark touching him.

Martha Q looked flustered. “That she may love you, but you got to be the man she needs you to be.”

Rubbing his arms, he managed to say, “Oh, that lesson,” as if he'd thought of it.

Martha Q shook her head. “I can see she may have to repeat herself to get you to understand. I swear, if they can make mosquito spray for tiny insects with their tiny brains, the same can should work on men.”

Beau didn't have time to argue with Martha Q. “I need a pot of coffee and a shower if I'm going to meet Lark before dawn. I've got a feeling she's one woman I'll never keep waiting.”

As he rushed away he caught a glimpse of Martha Q tucking the leather straps in her jogging pants pocket.

Beau walked into the Blue Moon Diner as dawn sliced through the windows and lit the place up in golden hues. A few of the tables were occupied by people who looked like they'd been awake all night, but most were the early risers of the world. A group Beau had never trusted.

Lark, dressed in her banking best, sat at the center table where sunshine washed over her. She was so beautiful. All prim and proper. No one in the place would suspect she'd been a cute little dominatrix-in-training last night. He loved the different views of her and had a feeling there were many more to discover.

Beau was aware that everyone in the place watched him walk toward her table. When he sat down, the volume dropped by half. This wasn't going to be what he hoped for, a private conversation.

“Morning, Miss Powers,” he said as he slid in across from Lark. “Thank you for meeting with me so early.”

“You're welcome, Mr. Yates.” Her smile was no longer than a blink.

Most of the heads who'd been watching turned back to
their breakfast. The few still staring could no longer hear as conversations around the room picked up. They might have been interested in the gossip of Beau Yates and one of the Powers girls meeting, but if it was business, it was none of theirs.

Beau opened the menu that hadn't changed in years and turned over the coffee cup already on the table. At least this was his territory. He was comfortable here; she looked like she wasn't.

The waitress, twice his age, winked at him when she poured his coffee, then giggled when Beau winked back.

Lark looked like she was trying to pout, but her eyes were dancing with laughter. “You're one good-looking man, Beau Yates. When you clean up and put on that black hat you can stop a woman's heart. I'm surprised women don't just run up and kiss you.”

He shrugged. “It's the hat.”

“That's what my father said,” she agreed.

With the menu in front of him to hide his blush, Beau asked casually, “With the storm last night, I hope you slept well, Miss Powers.”

“There was no storm last night. And I didn't sleep at all, thanks to you.”

“Really, I could have sworn there was quite a storm blowing through.” Beau looked up at her. He had no trouble reading her thoughts. The memory of the way she'd touched him came back so strong he swore he could feel her fingernails on his skin even now.

“Your father was right about calling you Trouble, Lark. I have a feeling I'm going to have a great many sleepless nights while we're together.”

She played with her utensils as if considering them as weapons. “Are we together, Beau? I haven't heard the rumor.”

He went back to reading the menu, his voice so low no one but Lark could have heard it. “We're together, Trouble, but don't get confused. This is not my surrender breakfast. This is simply a peace negotiation, and I think we've talked
enough about your father for today, so leave him out of this discussion.”

“All right. If this is a negotiation, what do you want?”

“I want you to stop being afraid of me.” He began what he'd thought about saying all night. “You had no reason to be afraid when we were seventeen and you don't now. And, in answer to your comment about you not thinking we had
that
kind of thing going, as far as I'm concerned we always have and we do right now.”

He studied her, wishing he could understand her. “In light of recent events, maybe I'm the one who should be afraid of you. Not that I'm complaining, but I think it was you who attacked me last night.”

The waitress interrupted the negotiations. She took their order and walked away while Beau studied his very own Trouble. “What do you want, Lark?”

He half expected her to say that she wanted him to move a few tables down, but she didn't. She straightened. Her world was columns and numbers; she understood this kind of talk. She was in her element.

“I'd like you to come to dinner with my folks every time you are in town for a few days. I want you to hold me like you used to when we went driving. I'd like to fall in love with you slowly, Beau, one kiss at a time. I'm not looking for a hurricane; I'd prefer a gentle rain.”

He shook his head. “I can't do that, Trouble. I'd like going to dinner with your folks now and then, and holding you sounds great, but I can't fall in love with you slowly. Nothing in my life has ever come easy, and I don't figure love will.”

She looked like she might cry. “You can't or won't?”

He knew the third thing she'd asked for was a deal-breaker. She'd walk away if he didn't give her the kind of love she wanted and needed. “I can't fall in love with you slowly, honey. I'm already in love with you. I think I always have been. I may have to learn how to show you, but I've already taken the fall. How could you think otherwise? Half the songs I write are about you.”

To his surprise tears rolled down her beautiful face. He knew he was pushing the line she'd drawn, but he reached across the table and took her hand. “I've never had a real girlfriend and I've never had a love. You may have to knock some sense into me now and then, but I promise I'll try. We may live in two different worlds, but I swear, my heart only beats when you're near.”

She smiled and nodded. “Me too,” she said, pulling her hand back. “I've been thinking that you have a wild side, Beau, and maybe, if we scheduled it and I knew it was coming, I wouldn't mind it so much.”

He thought of telling her that scheduling a wild side didn't make sense, but he loved that she was trying to meet him halfway. He just wanted to love her and he didn't much care about the time or the place.

Beau couldn't stand being on stage any longer. The need to touch her was too great. “Are you hungry?”

“No,” she answered.

He dropped a twenty on the table and stood. This time when he offered his hand she took it, and they walked out with everyone in the place staring.

Without a word he climbed into her car and drove back to the bed-and-breakfast. They ordered coffee and ran upstairs to the second-story study. There, with the curtains drawn, they sat on a small couch in the half light. She'd pulled off her shoes and dress jacket. He opened his arms and let her come to him.

He just held her for a long while, and then they talked in whispers. As time passed silently he touched her gently, rationing light kisses now and then.

About nine Mrs. Biggs brought up fresh coffee and apple-cinnamon bread. Even as they ate, they touched each other. He decided he could get used to this easy kind of loving.

Beau was learning her slowly. What she liked. How she wanted to be touched. As they cuddled, a song about gentle rain came to his mind. Someday, when loving came easy for them, he'd sing it to her. They'd start with these gentle touches and, who knows, they might end with them in sixty
or seventy years, but in between there would be fire and wild nights to remember, to keep them warm.

At ten, her cell phone rang for the fourth time and she finally picked it up. After a short conversation, she dropped the phone into her purse and stood. “I have to get to the bank. Major things are happening there today. It seems one of our loan officers didn't report to work and his files are not in order.”

“You'll meet me for lunch?” he asked.

“At one,” she answered as they split the last bit of the bread. “I'll meet you at the diner. Same table.”

“I'll be there,” he said, then kissed her one quick time before following her down the stairs.

They didn't talk as he drove her to the bank, but when he stopped at the side door, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for this morning, Beau. It was nice.”

“It can get a lot better than nice.”

Her laughter was nervous, but her eyes darkened slightly with excitement. No fear. He was winning her over.

Three hours later Beau was almost late to lunch because he'd been writing. He rushed to the diner and ordered a couple of Cokes while he waited. After she'd left, he'd thought about how easy it would be to make Harmony his base. He could fly back and forth a few days a month, maybe even stay awhile when he wasn't touring. Maybe she could come to him on weekends?

At ten after one, she hurried in. “I'm sorry I'm late, but I got the problem at the bank solved and told everyone I was taking the rest of the afternoon off.” She gulped down a breath. “The staff was all shocked, but no one said a word.”

“You think they'll call your daddy?”

“No, but if he finds out, he'll call. I haven't missed an hour of work since I started. I've got weeks of vacation piled up.”

Beau grinned. “I got a few ideas of how you might want to spend it.”

They ordered hamburgers and talked while they waited. He couldn't stop staring at her. He was in a relationship. He
had someone who would notice if he didn't show up. Someone worried about him, someone cared.

“You hungry?” he finally asked when she finished telling him about this guy at the bank who'd been embezzling.

“No,” she answered. “Want to go back to the bed-and-breakfast? Maybe we could take a nap.”

He stood so quickly his chair tumbled over. “Let's go. A nap sounds great.” He dropped two twenties on the table and took her hand. “This is getting to be a habit.”

For the second time everyone in the diner watched them leave.

No one was around a few minutes later when they climbed the stairs to his room. Beau locked the door while she pulled off her jacket and shoes. Then, as if she were perched on the edge of a cliff, she stood next to the bed staring at it.

Beau tossed his hat and tugged off his boots as he watched her. When she hadn't moved by the time he stood at her side, he took her hand. “We can go back to the study if you'd feel more comfortable.”

“No. I want to be with just you.”

He picked up his guitar and sat at the foot of the bed. “How about I sing you to sleep?”

As he played with the strings, she carefully lowered herself among the pillows and stretched her feet until they brushed against his leg. He sang his songs low, loving that she closed her eyes and breathed them in like air.

After a while, her foot relaxed against his thigh and her breathing slowed in time to the music. He sang one last song, then lowered his guitar and spread out beside her. His arm rested lightly across her waist, where he could feel her breathing as he went to sleep next to her.

He'd give her time to fall in love, but he'd never give her up. She'd always hold his heart.

W
EDNESDAY

Millanie woke to the sounds of birds. For a moment she didn't know where she was. If the idea wasn't impossible, she might consider that she'd been wrapped on both sides in a huge taco shell.

Slowly, she opened her eyes a bit more. An old mattress ran up the sides of the bed of Johnny's pickup. She was cuddled amid blankets in the middle with her leg in a sling tied down on either side of the truck by bungee cords.

Slowly, the memory came back. The sheriff's husband had driven out to the old homestead after dark and delivered mattresses from the fire station along with camping equipment. Somehow, while she and Kare put together sandwiches, the men decided Millanie couldn't just sleep on the floor of the old house. She might hurt her leg and with the swelling, they needed to figure out how to elevate it.

Looking down at what the men came up with, Millanie rolled her eyes. They'd rigged up a bed and a sling in the
pickup, making her feel very much like a cheap float in a small-town Halloween parade. She was so tired by the time Drew lifted her up she hadn't protested. In fact, she was asleep before Kare finished covering her up.

Now, in the early light she smiled at the plan. The bed was safe and warm, and her leg was quite comfortable raised in the sling. Of course, if the bad guys found them, she'd be the last one killed because they'd think that she was already being tortured.

“Morning, Millie,” a familiar voice whispered.

She twisted her head enough to see the trousers of her professor. “Morning.” He must have spent the night sitting in the front of the pickup watching over her. “Move down here so I can see you. I'm kind of tied into one place.”

He carefully moved down, barely fitting in the space next to her.

“You must be freezing.” She flipped one of her blankets over him.

“No, after the adrenaline rush yesterday, I think we were all exhausted. I was too tired to be cold.”

He kissed her lightly on the mouth. “The few times I woke up all I had to do was think of you sleeping a few feet away and I warmed right up.” He combed his long fingers through her hair. “You're so beautiful in the dawn light.”

She brushed his sand-colored stubble. “Did you mean it when you said you haven't been with a woman in five years?”

“Yes, but I'm not interested in sex if you just feel sorry for me.” He grinned. “Well, not too interested. If you're offering, I'm not turning you down.”

“I'm not offering.” She paused just long enough to keep him guessing. “At least not more than once or twice.”

“You're in luck. I'm available both times or right now if you're in the mood.”

She giggled. “We're not doing it in the back of a pickup with my leg in a sling and your sister probably watching from the upstairs window. I had something far more romantic and comfortable in mind.”

“All right, Millie, but I'm telling you I think I may have reached the limit of my shelf life. I could go bad at any moment.”

“I'll take my chances.”

He fell backward, bumping his head on the side of the pickup. The old rusty truck made a dull gong sound. She laughed until she cried.

Before they could settle back into being adults, Johnny called from the porch. “You two want some coffee? I figured out how to boil a pot in the fireplace. It smells about ready.”

Millanie raised her head and saw the big farmer, barefooted and bare-chested, rummaging through the boxes of supplies Hank Matheson had delivered.

“I found the flashlights”—Johnny stood, showing them off as the sun sparkled across the porch—“and the bug spray.”

“Any food to go with the coffee?” she yelled back.

“Health food bars and Baby Ruths. I'll sacrifice myself and eat the bad-for-you candy bars and you guys can have the healthy food.” He hunted a little more and yelled, “Oh, I found some apples. Like we don't have enough on the tree fifty yards away.”

Drew rose beside her and opened his mouth to say something, but before his words were out, Kare stepped out on the porch wearing nothing but Johnny's shirt. Her wild curly hair was bouncing to her waist.

Millanie almost laughed at the anger in Kare's big brother's face, but before he could say anything, Millanie jabbed him in the chest and yelled toward the others, “Drew loves apples.”

He frowned at her, but his anger had disappeared. “I don't,” he whispered.

She rested her hand on his heart and asked, “Help me out of this pickup bed. Before you make your sister mad by treating her like a kid.”

“I would never—” He stopped. “You're right. She's twenty-four.”

“Remember that, Drew.”

He nodded, still frowning.

By the time Drew got Millanie down from the truck, Kare had changed into her own clothes but Drew's mood hadn't brightened. While he moved to his sister, Millanie slowed, taking in the beauty of her place. Her place, she repeated, with a million-dollar sunrise and a sky that doubled its beauty. Here she could heal. She could rest. She could put the pieces of her life together. She'd finally found home base.

In reality she might be limping toward the house, but in her mind she was twirling around with her hands outstretched.

“You all right, Millie?” Drew asked as he waited to help her up the porch steps.

“I'm wonderful.” As his hand circled her waist, she leaned close and kissed him.

When she pulled away, Drew smiled and whispered, “Yes, you are,” before Johnny and Kare invaded, bringing apples and laughter of their own.

After they ate, Kare helped Millanie to the new half-finished bathroom. When she'd called in different cousins to do the needed work, she'd insisted the bathroom and plumbing be a first priority. Electricity might take a few weeks to get, but as soon as she had water and the windows fixed, she wanted to spend her nights out here. From the looks of it, building supplies were stored in every room. The credit card she'd left at the lumberyard must be wearing out.

Though the tiny bathroom window was covered by a towel, they heard the two men talking on the porch as Millanie tried to wash her face.

“I thought I told you to stay away from my sister.” Drew's voice didn't sound friendly, but at least he wasn't yelling.

Johnny's low tone came through the window loud and clear. “I'm afraid I can't do that, Professor. I'm crazy about her.”

Millanie moved to the side of the window where she could see through the curtain, and Kare did the same.

“So you're not leaving?” Drew complained. “You're the
one with a truck. No one's looking for you. We'll be all right here. You probably need to go farm. Aren't farmers supposed to work from sunup to sundown? Looks like you're already running late.”

Johnny fisted his big hands. “I'm not leaving Kare, Professor. Not now, not ever, if I have anything to say about it. But feel free to go back to your books and research. Nobody's looking for you either. I wouldn't mind taking you back to your Jeep.”

“Well, you don't need to do that, Johnny. She's my sister, I'll look after her, and by the way, Kare's got better sense than to get involved with you no matter how crazy you claim you are about her.”

Millanie choked down a laugh. She couldn't tell if Drew was serious or just playing around. She'd never heard the man say a bad word to anyone. It was almost as if they were putting on a show, but for who?

The answer to her question stood one foot away.

Kare leaned her head out the window and yelled, “Stop that right now, Andrew Cunningham.” She giggled as if realizing she sounded just like a mother. “For once I don't need a big brother, I just need a brother. I'm crazy about Johnny too, you know, so quit pestering my new boyfriend. I've seen the future and I'm going to marry him Christmas Eve.”

Both women watched from the window as the two men faced each other.

Drew took off the glasses he'd just cleaned and put on. “Are you telling me I'm going to have to put up with a farmer for a brother-in-law?” His question was for Kare, but he never stopped staring at Johnny as he said the words.

“You think you got it bad,” Johnny answered back. “I've got to put up with a professor. We've never had one of them in the family. I don't know how the relatives will take it.”

Kare squealed again.

Both men laughed and turned to the window as Millanie tugged the towel down. Kare had hidden her face with her hands, obviously fearing the worst. Now her big brown eyes peeked out between her fingers as she leaned her head out.

Johnny stomped across the porch and looked up at her. “You can't know we're getting married Christmas, Kare. I haven't even asked you yet. But after last night—”

“What happened last night?” Drew played his part.

Both Kare and Johnny said “Nothing” so fast it had to be a lie.

Millanie didn't say a word as she watched the men move to the big living area. Suddenly, they were both laughing. She and Kare joined them a few minutes later.

The men resumed frowning at each other as soon as Kare appeared. She patted on each as if she now bore the great burden of patching things up between the two men.

“Let's have some coffee.” Millanie tried to break the silence as Kare poured.

Drew took a drink and coughed. “This coffee tastes terrible. It's full of grounds.”

Johnny took a drink and shrugged. “Just drink it with your teeth closed. That'll catch most of the grounds. There's not a Starbucks around the corner out in the country, Professor.”

Millanie elected to have water for breakfast. Coffee that didn't even slosh in the paper cup seemed a little strong. Funny, they were all tired and dirty and probably dying for a good meal, but she felt almost like they were a family.

Johnny suggested that since everyone was stuck here until the bad guys were caught, they might as well work on the place. Kare got all excited about drawing up plans. They all went to work.

Millanie was amazed at how good Drew was with his hands. She'd guessed that he wouldn't know how to hammer a nail, but he not only worked but thought of more efficient ways to do things. Every time she stood, one of the three walked by and told her to sit like she was the family dog. Finally, the captain showed her well-developed temper and ordered them all to stop.

From then on they flooded her with chores she could do sitting down. Johnny even rigged her up a table between two folding chairs Hank had brought.

Millie gave in and did her work from a stool with her leg propped up on a paint can.

Two hours later, Hank delivered real coffee and breakfast burritos. While they ate he gave the news. Everyone in town thought Johnny and Kare had run off, except Scarlet, who claimed the quickie divorce she'd decided to get online wouldn't be final until Wednesday. She wanted the sheriff to arrest him for bigamy. Apparently, she didn't want Johnny, but she didn't want anyone else to have him either.

Hank explained in great detail how Max had just proposed to Scarlet a few minutes before the sheriff took him in for questioning. He'd shoved a huge diamond ring on her finger about the time Alex clicked the handcuffs.

Millanie tried to think positive. “If he gives up the other guy's name, we could be back at Martha Q's for lunch.” She couldn't imagine a man like Max Dewy confessing to any crimes, but he might point the finger at someone else.

Hank shook his head. “I don't think it will be that easy. Whoever kidnapped Kare is probably already out of the state. We found your laptop broken against the back door of the bookstore this morning. If he got into your files and found what he was looking for, he's running. If he couldn't get in, he must have given up but he's probably still running. If he can fly a plane, there's no way to stop him.”

Drew had been pacing. He stopped and faced them all. “The answer for now is we all stay here. At least until we know something.”

“I need to get in and collect my backup drive,” Kare cried. “Alex said she couldn't find it in my office.”

“It's too dangerous,” both Drew and Johnny said at the same time, then nodded at each other.

Millanie didn't comment. She tended to agree with Kare. The danger might be worth the risk. If her files got into the wrong hands, it would do a great deal of damage.

Hank added a strong argument. “If Alex couldn't find your secret place, Kare, and you told her where to look, the man in league with Max Dewy won't have a chance. Mr. Hatcher is within sight of your door all day and Alex is
having any deputy leaving the office drive by the bookstore. Your files are far safer in your office than they would be out here.”

Kare nodded, but Millanie doubted she believed him. Highly trained researchers tend to protect their files with their lives. She'd once seen a programmer from one of the embassies tape a flash drive to his chest so he'd have all his files on him if a hurricane took out the island he'd been stationed on.