I blink once, maybe twice. “No. Believe me, Sean, I’ve thought about it. I think maybe with time we—”
“Shh.” Smiling, he leans down and plants a soft, lingering kiss right on the lower part of my jaw. I hadn’t expected it, but it felt nice. “That’s all I needed to know,” he says, pulling back.
Then I stand in stunned silence and watch him walk away.
“You about ready?” I say to Chance, with a pat on top of his head. We’ve been living at the Westin in Scottsdale for about three months now, and it’s been rough on both of us. After I’d gotten out of the hospital I told them to get me a place that was pet-friendly. There was no way I was leaving my dog with Rachelle for all that time. He’d made that clear when he jumped into my arms, knocking the wind out of me on Rachelle’s tiled floor.
After nine additional arrests, and Isabel’s sworn testimony, I’ve received my keys to freedom. If Isabel weren’t such a hard woman to track, this investigation would’ve been wrapped up over a month ago. Turns out, she and her kids were in Mexico with a family friend, trying to start a new life. Starting over there probably made her feel safer.
I did spend a little time with Rachelle. Being holed up in this hotel made her feel sorry for me, so she came by a few times with dinner and played with Chance. He doesn’t seem to mind her, and I’ve learned she isn’t as bad as I made her out to be. I was pissed at what she said—that if I really cared about Reese I’d avoid her—but in all honesty, she was right. Her safety had to be my priority, so I had to keep away from her.
Chance sits back on his hind legs and watches me.
I stand in front of the mirror one last time, working over the details in my head. I’ve been dying to see Reese. I miss her and the way her big eyes light up when she looks at me, like I’m her favorite person in the world. I miss the curve of her mouth when she smiles, and the way it turns down when she’s frustrated with me. I miss everything that is Reese. I don’t want to lose her. How will she ever forgive me? Will she understand? I can’t even forgive myself for bringing her father into this mess. Will she look at me the same way? Or will the death of her father be all she’s able to see? I never expected things to come to this. And though it’s been a few months, I can still barely stand the sight of my own reflection.
I don’t know where her heart is at anymore. All I know is I can’t stay away from her any longer. I’m ready to go home.
“C’mon boy. Let’s go.”
This week has gone by in a flash. Tonight, Pam insisted I leave work early to take advantage of having my place to myself. Logan and Gia decided on a camping trip for the weekend, because the weather here is way too hot. I won’t have to deal with Logan’s dirty looks or snide remarks for a whole two days, which is enough to keep me smiling. I may end up buying a couple gallons of ice cream and plop myself down on the couch all night—watching chick flicks and getting fat.
As I walk toward my house I see several tiny lights twinkling through the window. That’s odd. Once I’m close enough I get a better peek. A countless number of candles flicker from everywhere inside. I unlock the door and open it, confused. “Hello?” I call out. “Is anybody here?” My eyes fall to the ground. Rose petals in every color line the floor.
I carefully step inside without an answer, hesitating as I walk through the entry. Trying not to crush the colorful petals, it’s hard to avoid them; they’re everywhere. “Logan?” Would he have planned something for Gia and not told me?
I check my cell phone for missed calls or messages, but there aren’t any. “Logan?” I call again, wondering if maybe they changed their minds about leaving. In the back of my brain I think of the possibility that this could be Sean’s doing. He’s never gone to this extreme, but things have started picking up between us recently.
I’d finally let him kiss me last week. We’d spent the whole day together. He’d walked me to my door, looking nervous like a boy on a first date. Something melted inside me. He’d been so patient with me, but I knew what he was battling with on my doorstep. He didn’t want to push me. “Kiss me,” I’d told him. And that’s exactly what he did. It was tender and sweet, but when he pulled away, I was breathless.
He grinned. “That was some kiss,” he’d replied, his eyes sparkling.
“Did I just walk into the wrong house?” I glance around, seeing my chair and my couch. This is definitely my house. “Hello!”