“You made it,” she said.
The sound of her voice was enough to break the spell, but Alex continued to stare. He knew he should saysomething witty, something charming to break the tension, but instead he found himself thinking, I’m in trouble.
Serious trouble.
He wasn’t exactly sure when it had happened. Or even when it started. It may have been the morning when he’dseen Kristen holding Katie after Josh had fallen in the river, or the rainy afternoon when he’d driven her home, oreven during the day they had spent at the beach. All he knew for sure was that right here and now, he was fallinghard for this woman, and he could only pray that she was feeling the same way.
In time, he was finally able to clear his throat. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess I did.”
16
The early evening sky was a prism of colors as Katie led Alex through the small living room and toward thekitchen.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a glass of wine,” she said.
“Good idea,” he agreed. “I wasn’t sure what we were having, so I brought both a sauvignon blanc and azinfandel. Do you have a preference?”
“I’ll let you pick,” she said.
In the kitchen, she leaned against the counter, one leg crossed over the other while Alex twisted the corkscrewinto the cork. For once, he seemed more nervous than she was. With a series of quick movements, he opened thebottle of sauvignon blanc. Katie set the glasses on the counter next to him, conscious of how close together theywere standing.
“I know I should have said it when I first got here, but you look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said.
He poured some wine, then set the bottle aside and handed her a glass. As she took it, he could smell thecoconut-scented body lotion she’d used.
“I think you’ll like the wine. At least, I hope so.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” she said, raising her glass. “Cheers,” she offered, clinking her glass against his.
Katie took a sip, feeling inordinately pleased about everything: how she looked and felt, the taste of the wine,the lingering scent of the raspberry sauce, the way Alex kept eyeing her while trying not to be obvious about it.
“Would you like to sit on the porch?” she suggested.
He nodded. Outside, they each sat in one of the rockers. In the slowly cooling air, the crickets began theirchorus, welcoming the coming night.
Katie savored the wine, enjoying the fruity tang it left on her tongue. “How were Kristen and Josh today?”
“They were good.” Alex shrugged. “I took them to a movie.”
“But it was so pretty outside.”
“I know. But with Memorial Day on Monday, I figure we can still spend a couple of days outside.”
“Is the store open on Memorial Day?”
“Of course. It’s one of the busiest days of the year, since everyone wants to spend the holiday on the water. I’llprobably work until one o’clock or so.”
“I’d say I feel sorry for you, but I’m working, too.”
“Maybe we’ll come in and bother you again.”
“You didn’t bother me at all.” She peered at him over the top of her wineglass. “Well, the kids didn’t bother me,anyway. As I recall, you were complaining about the quality of service.”
“Us old guys will do that,” he quipped.
She laughed before rocking back in the chair. “When I’m not working, I like to sit out here and read. It’s just soquiet, you know? Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one around for miles.”
“You are the only one around for miles. You live in the sticks.”
She playfully slapped his shoulder. “Watch it. I happen to like my little house.”
“You should. It’s in better shape than I thought it would be. It’s homey.”
“It’s getting there,” she said. “It’s a work in progress. And best of all, it’s mine, and no one’s going to take itaway.”
He looked over at her then. She was staring out over the gravel road, into the grassy field beyond.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She took her time before answering. “I was just thinking that I’m glad you’re here. You don’t even know me.”
“I think I know you well enough.”
Katie said nothing to that. Alex watched as she lowered her gaze.
“You think you know me,” she whispered, “but you don’t.”
Alex sensed that she was scared to say any more. In the silence, he heard the porch creaking as he rockedback and forth. “How about I tell you what I think I know, and you tell me if I’m right or wrong? Would that be okay?
”
She nodded, her lips compressed. When Alex went on, his voice was soft.
“I think you’re intelligent and charming, and that you’re a person with a kind heart. I know that when you wantto, you can look more beautiful than anyone I’ve ever met. You’re independent, you’ve got a good sense of humor,and you show surprising patience with children. You’re right in thinking that I don’t know the specifics of yourpast, but I don’t know that they’re all that important unless you want to tell me about them. Everyone has a past,but that’s just it—it’s in the past. You can learn from it, but you can’t change it. Besides, I never knew that person.
The person I’ve come to know is the one I want to get to know even better.”
As he spoke, Katie gave a fleeting smile. “You make it sound so simple,” she said.
“It can be.”
She twisted the stem of her wineglass, considering his words. “But what if the past isn’t in the past? What if it’sstill happening?”
Alex continued to stare at her, holding her gaze. “You mean… what if he finds you?”
Katie flinched. “What did you say?”
“You heard me,” he said. He kept his voice steady, almost conversational, something he’d learned in CID. “I’mguessing that you were married once… and that maybe he’s trying to find you.”
Katie froze, her eyes going wide. It was suddenly hard to breathe and she jumped up from the chair, spilling therest of her wine. She took a step away from Alex, staring, feeling the blood drain from her face.
“How do you know so much about me? Who told you?” she demanded, her mind racing, trying to piece ittogether. There was no way he could know those things. It wasn’t possible. She hadn’t told anyone.
Except for Jo.
The realization was enough to leave her breathless and she glanced at the cottage next door. Her neighbor,she thought, had betrayed her. Her friendhad betrayed her—
As fast as her mind was working, Alex’s was working as well. He could see the fear in her expression, but he’dseen it before. Too many times. And, he knew, it was time to stop playing games if they wanted to be able to moveforward.
“No one told me,” he assured her. “But your reaction makes it clear that I’m right. That’s not the importantquestion. I don’t know that person, Katie. If you want to tell me about your past, I’m willing to listen and help in anyway I can, but I’m not going to ask you about it. And if you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay, too, because, again—Inever knew that person. You must have a good reason for keeping it secret, and that means I’m not going to tellanyone, either. No matter what happens, or doesn’t happen, between us. Go ahead and make up a brand-newhistory if you want and I’ll back you up word for word. You can trust me on that.”
Katie stared at him as he spoke, confused and scared and angry, but absorbing every word.
“But… how?”
“I’ve learned to notice things that other people don’t,” he went on. “There was a time in my life when that wasall I did. And you’re not the first woman I’ve met in your position.”
She continued to stare at him, wheels turning. “When you were in the army,” she concluded.
He nodded, holding her gaze. Finally, he stood from the chair and took a cautious step toward her. “Can I pouryou another glass of wine?”
Still in turmoil, she couldn’t answer, but when he reached for her glass, she let him take it. The porch dooropened with a squeak and closed behind him, leaving her alone.
She paced to the railing, her thoughts chaotic. She fought the instinct to pack a bag and grab her coffee can fullof money and leave town as soon as she could.
But what then? If Alex could figure out the truth simply by watching her, then it was possible for someone elseto figure it out, too. And maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t be like Alex.
Behind her, she heard the door squeak open again. Alex stepped onto the porch, joining her at the railing. Heset the glass in front of her.
“Did you figure it out yet?”
“Figure what out?”
“Whether you’re going to take off to parts unknown as soon as you can?”
She turned to him, her face registering shock.
He held open his hands. “What else would you be thinking? But just so you know, I’m curious only because I’mkind of hungry. I’d hate for you to leave before we eat.”
It took her a moment to realize he was teasing, and though she wouldn’t have believed it possible consideringthe last few minutes, she found herself smiling in relief.
“We’ll have dinner,” she said.
“And tomorrow?”
Instead of answering, she reached for her wine. “I want to know how you knew.”
“It wasn’t one thing,” he said. He mentioned a few of the things he’d noticed before finally shaking his head.
“Most people wouldn’t have put it all together.”
She studied the depths of her glass. “But you did.”
“I couldn’t help it. It’s kind of ingrained.”
She thought about it. “That means you’ve known for a while, then. Or at least had suspicions.”
“Yes,” he admitted.
“Which is why you never asked about my past.”
“Yes,” he said again.
“And you still wanted to go out with me?”
His expression was serious. “I’ve wanted to go out with you from the first moment I saw you. I just had to waituntil you were ready.”
With the last of the sunlight fading from the horizon, twilight descended, turning the flat, cloudless sky a paleviolet. They stood at the railing and Alex watched as the southern breeze gently lifted wayward strands of her hair.
Her skin took on a peachy glow; he saw the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She gazed into thedistance, her expression unreadable, and Alex felt something catch in his throat as he wondered what she wasthinking.
“You never answered my question,” he finally said.
She stayed quiet for a moment before a shy smile finally appeared.
“I think I’m going to stay in Southport for a while, if that’s what you’re asking,” she answered.
He breathed in her scent. “You can trust me, you know.”
She leaned into him, feeling his strength as he slipped his arm around her. “I guess I’m going to have to, aren’tI?”
* * *
They returned to the kitchen a few minutes later. Katie set her glass of wine aside as she slid the appetizer andstuffed peppers into the oven. Still reeling from Alex’s disturbingly accurate assessment of her past, she was gladfor tasks to keep her busy. It was hard to fathom that he stillwanted to spend an evening with her. And moreimportant, that she wanted to spend an evening with him. Deep in her heart, she wasn’t sure she deserved to behappy, nor did she believe that she was worthy of someone who seemed… normal.
That was the dirty secret associated with her past. Not that she’d been abused but that somehow she felt thatshe deserved it because she’d let it happen. Even now, it shamed her, and there were times when she felthideously ugly, as though the scars that had been left behind were visible to everyone.
But here and now, it mattered less than it once had, because she somehow suspected that Alex understood hershame. And accepted that, too.
From the refrigerator, she pulled out the raspberry sauce she’d made earlier, and began spooning it into asmall saucepan to reheat. It didn’t take long, and after setting it aside, she pulled the bacon-wrapped Brie from theoven, topped it with the sauce, and brought the cheese to the table. Suddenly remembering, she retrieved herwine from the counter and joined Alex at the table.
“This is just to start,” she said. “The peppers are going to take a little longer.”
He leaned toward the platter. “It smells amazing.”
He moved a piece of Brie to his plate and took a bite. “Wow,” he said.
She grinned. “Good, huh?”
“It’s delicious. Where did you learn to do this?”
“I was friends with a chef once. He told me this would wow just about anyone.”
He cut another piece with his fork. “I’m glad you’re staying in Southport,” he said. “I can easily imagine myselfeating this regularly, even if I have to barter items at my store to get it.”
“The recipe isn’t complicated.”
“You haven’t seen me cook. I’m great with kid food, but after that, it starts going downhill fast.”
He reached for his glass and took a sip of wine. “I think the cheese might go better with the red. Do you mind if Iopen the other bottle?”
“Not at all.”
He walked over to the counter and opened the zinfandel while Katie went to the cupboard and removed twomore glasses. Alex poured wine into each and handed one to her. They were standing close enough to brush upagainst each other and Alex had to fight the urge to pull her close and wrap his arms around her. Instead, hecleared his throat.
“I want to tell you something, but I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.”