Across the Creek (26 page)

Another tear rolled down her cheek. “I love you, Jesse.”

He pulled her into his arms. “And I will always love you.”

Jesse

After the cab pulled away, Sarah turned around and waved goodbye, just as Jesse had done from the back of a police car ten years ago. Letting her go was the only way to find out if they could be together, but it was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

Jesse decided to take a quick shower before opening up. The pups would have to wait another twenty minutes. He opened the door and saw his bed, looking as inviting as ever, especially after a night of sleeping on the ground, but he resisted the urge to nap and headed into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and was about to take off his shirt when he heard a knock at his door. Frowning, he turned the shower off. Maybe Sarah had changed her mind and decided she didn’t need a day to think about it.

“Didn’t want to wait—” Jesse froze with the door still in hand, a million dollar smile looking back at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Let’s just say that I’ve been waiting patiently for you.”

“What are you talking about?” The question escaped Jesse’s lips before he remembered the unlocked door when he had arrived. He hadn’t forgotten to unlock it. Kevin had broken in. “I should have you—”

Kevin held up a gun. “Were you going to say arrested? Because I don’t really think that’s necessary. I simply want to talk to you. In fact, I have a hell of a deal to strike. What do you say you let me in so that we can chat?”

Jesse didn’t know what to do. He’d been in many fights before and had even had a guy come at him with a knife once—but a gun? That was a new one. There was no telling how much Kevin had seen, and given the nature of his visit and the crazy look in his eyes, a talk sounded pretty good right about now. Anything to get rid of him.

Jesse opened the door and stepped to the side.

“Maybe we should have a seat,” Kevin said, waving the gun toward the couch. Jesse walked backward, careful not to take his eyes off of Kevin. “This place looks like shit,” he said, scanning the room. “It’s so small.”

“It’s enough.”

“Enough for whom? You and…” Kevin feigned thinking before saying, “Sarah?”

“Look,” Jesse said. “I don’t know what you saw, but I am sorry for—”

“Sleeping with my fiancé?”

That hadn’t been what Jesse planned to say, but it was as good a place as any to start. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not mad,” Kevin said, lowering his gun.

“Then what’s with the gun? What’s with breaking into my shop?”

“When you work in my profession, you get used to dealing with all types. Breaking into your shop was simply a way of gathering more information.” Kevin looked at his gun. “And this, well, this just ensured me that we’d have a little chat. So please sit down.”

Jesse sat carefully, and Kevin took the seat opposite. “I thought you were out of town?”

“Is that what she told you?” Kevin set the gun on his lap, but maintained a solid grip on it. “I got back earlier than I expected. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t find Sarah anywhere. Then I tried getting a hold of you, and what a surprise, your aunt didn’t know where you were either. It didn’t take me long to figure out what you two were up to.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Jesse snapped.

“Oh really? Because it sure looks like that to me. I mean, I sat down there, behind one of the aisles, and listened to you guys talk about how much you love each other.”

Jesse heard his rising tone. “Listen,” he said as calmly as he could. “I was visiting Sarah when she received a letter from her father. A letter he wrote before he passed away. He reminded her about a time capsule they had buried together about ten years ago and how important it was that she dig it up before the wedding.”

“Is that so?” Kevin’s eyes narrowed. “Well, that sounds awfully romantic for you two.”

“I understand you being upset. I do. But I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“Really?”

Jesse nodded. “That’s right.”

“Then why did you go to Sarah’s in the first place? I was perfectly clear about you staying away.”

Winning this wasn’t in the cards; Jesse knew that. “Listen, you’ve got your mind made up.” He rose. “So do what you came here to do and get it over with.”

Kevin pointed the gun at him and with a voice as calm as a preacher’s said, “Sit down.”

Jesse shook his head. “I think it’s time that you leave.”

Kevin pulled the hammer back on the gun. “I said sit down.”

His heart beating faster, Jesse started walking toward him.

Kevin’s hand trembled. He took a step back. “Look,” he said. “This isn’t me.” He pointed at the gun. Then he turned it around and held it out to Jesse, grip first. “Take it.”

Jesse froze. As much as he preferred not being on the business end of that revolver, he didn’t want the gun either. “Take it!” Kevin shouted.

Jesse grabbed the gun, but didn’t point it at Kevin. “Just get out of here.”

Kevin started laughing. The look in his eyes said that he wasn’t about to go anywhere. Then he brought both arms out spread eagle. “Go ahead,” he said. “Shoot me. Shoot me!” Jesse took a step back and Kevin lowered his arms. “You’re a coward, Jesse Malone. You don’t have the balls to put me out of my misery.”

Jesse placed the gun on the coffee table. “That’s not how it is.”

Kevin straightened his jacket and tie and let out a sigh, as if feeling better for having let off steam. He walked over to the gun and picked it up, pocketing it. Then he looked at Jesse. “I have a deal for you.”

“I don’t want anything from you.”

Kevin smiled. “There might be something.”

“And what’s that?”

“I have friends in the DA’s office. And I can get your brother out of trouble.”

Jesse studied Kevin. Was this a bluff? Could he really get Robbie off? If that were true, then Robbie wouldn’t have to spend the next ten years in prison while his child grew up without a father.

And then Jesse saw it. The white teeth grew larger as the curve of his lips grew wider. The catch. “How can I trust you?”

Kevin held up his right hand. “Scout’s honor? Pinky swear? You tell me what I have to do to convince you. But if you don’t believe me, then I guess we have nothing else to talk about.” Then he turned and headed for the door.

“Wait!” Jesse shouted. Kevin turned back around. “And what would I have to do in return?”

“It’s simple,” he said. “Tomorrow, when you’re supposed to meet Sarah, simply don’t show up.”

Jesse looked away. The rage filling his veins summoned the monster from the past. The one who killed the spider more than a decade ago. The one who wanted to kill Kevin now.

“Do we have a deal?”

Jesse closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Do you really love Sarah?”

The smile faded from Kevin’s smug face. He looked Jesse in the eyes and said, “I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love her. I’d do anything for her.”

And in that moment, Jesse absolutely believed him.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with her,” Kevin said.

Jesse nodded without speaking.

“Like I said, your brother’s freedom for Sarah’s love. It’s up to you.”

Jesse

The next day

When Jesse arrived, his watch read 12:00 p.m. After closing the store last night, he had lain in bed thinking about Sarah and Robbie and the decision before him. Then he thought about his mom, wishing she was there now. She had a way of making the worst of situations better. Like the day when they had first arrived at their trailer in Clear Creek and found it filled with piles of garbage, a gift from the previous owners. His mom looked at him and Robbie and, reading sadness on their faces, put her arms around their shoulders and took them to a nearby lake, where they spent the day swimming and enjoying a picnic of ham and cheese sandwiches. The next day, while her sons were at school, she cleaned and scrubbed the trailer. And if she was there now, Jesse had no doubt that she’d know just what to say to make things better.

Sarah walked up the steps of Caffeine Corner and Jesse rose to his feet. Her long blond hair blew to the side, revealing her sun-kissed skin. Never had he seen a woman as beautiful. Her beauty didn’t stop with her hair and flawless skin, or the crystal blue eyes and perfect lips; it ran right down to her core. Kind, passionate, loving, caring, funny, and intelligent. He wanted to run to her. To push what Kevin had said out of his mind and follow his heart, wrapping her in his arms and spending the rest of their lives together.

Sarah paused before walking into the coffee shop. He watched as she scanned each table.
I’m right here
, he wanted to tell her. But the shade from the tree across the street prevented her from seeing him.

She walked to the open tables in the back and chose a seat at a table where they had met for lunch together just a few short weeks ago.

Time is a funny thing. For ten years Jesse had focused on living his life without getting close to anyone and avoiding the consequences of love. And in a matter of a few weeks, his life had been turned upside-down, challenging him to question everything he thought he believed.

A waitress took Sarah’s order. He wondered if she would get the same green tea. Then her eyes fixed on the entrance as if expecting to see him walk through at any minute. She looked down at her watch, causing Jesse to check his. 12:10. Her shoulders slumped and her expression softened. Jesse’s chest ached and his stomach filled with a pit of sadness.

As he sat beneath the tree, the last day they had shared ten years ago came back into his mind. On that day he had had no idea that it would be a decade before he’d see her again, but now, staring at her through the window of the coffee shop, he knew that parting ways now might mean a lifetime without her.

Then he thought about Robbie sitting behind bars and facing a decade without Felicia. But Felicia wasn’t the only one he risked losing. There was his baby, born into a world without a father. Jesse couldn’t do that to Robbie. Jesse owed him, not just because he was his brother, but because Robbie had spent the last ten years owning the darkness that Jesse had run from.

Simply don’t show up.
Kevin’s words played in Jesse’s mind like a broken record skipping on the worst part of a song. But Jesse had to at least see if she would come. To see for himself if she had chosen a life with him. And although he couldn’t risk her seeing him now, he had every intention of showing up to her apartment, once Robbie had been freed, with a few dozen flowers, an hour-long speech about how sorry he was for not being at the coffee shop, and ending with how he planned to spend the rest of his life making it up to her, if she’d still have him. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was the only way.

Another twenty minutes passed and Jesse spent every one of them in pain with Sarah. Then finally she stood up, laid some money on the table and headed for the door. It was over. Jesse had lived up to his end of the bargain.

Just as Jesse was about to part for home, someone caught his eye: Kevin. He walked through the doors of the coffee shop just before Sarah left.

Sarah stopped in front of him. Kevin’s hands were animated as he spoke.
What are you saying to her?
Sarah looked down and then walked past Kevin toward the doors. The pit in Jesse’s stomach shrank as he exhaled, not realizing that he had been holding his breath.

Kevin’s head dropped and he took a seat while Sarah made her way out of the coffee shop.

That’s it, keep going.

But she stopped. Stood frozen on the sidewalk as if weighing an important decision. She turned around and walked back into the shop. Kevin stood up and met her halfway. They talked for what seemed like forever. Then he dropped to one knee and pulled out a small box.

The pit in Jesse’s stomach turned to fire as he watched Sarah nod and hold out her hand. Kevin slid a ring onto her finger, rose, and then drew her into a kiss.

And once again, Jesse had lost Sarah—but this time it would be forever.

Jesse

Three months later

Jesse grabbed his suitcase and took one last look around the apartment that had been his home for four years. Then he noticed the wooden turtle Sarah had given him when they were kids. He picked it up from the end table and thought about that day. About the willow tree where they had spent the night together, wrapped in each other’s arms.

He shut the door and walked down into the pet shop for the last time, not looking forward to the goodbyes. Of course he doubted that it would go as badly as it had with Kate. When he told her that he was moving to New York, she cried for an hour straight on his living room couch. But they talked it out and she had left on good terms. He was glad for that. She was a sweet girl and well intentioned, just not the girl for him.

Robbie stood at the counter, ringing up a customer. Kevin had honored his end of the deal, and one week after he got on one knee for Sarah, Robbie was released. Jesse still wasn’t sure how he pulled it off, but he wasn’t about to ask questions, and neither was Robbie.

Jail had changed Robbie’s perspective this time around. The thought of not being there while his child grew up really got to him. He gave up all of his old friends and even gave up boxing to focus on the pet shop.

“He’s going to miss you, you know.”

Jesse turned to Felicia. She’d been helping out more and more at the pet shop. Aunt Sherry told him that it was because Robbie needed the assistance, but he suspected that she wanted to keep an eye out for him. “He’s going to be just fine.”

Felicia smiled. “Thank you for everything.”

Jesse shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t done anything.”

She placed a hand on her swollen abdomen. “Jesse, I know you claim to have had nothing to do with Robbie getting out of the jam he put himself in—” She leaned in closer and whispered, “But I know better.” She looked over at Robbie. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”