Distant Obsession (10 page)

“The changes in temperature will ruin the paintings if I leave them too long in the trailer.”

“Oh.”

Her sister tossed the towel on a chair and lent a hand. Together they had the merchandise unloaded and stored in short order. As soon as they finished the chore, Lilah offered Ash a cold beer. She hesitated then nodded her head. “I’m planning to leave in a little while, but one brew won’t hurt.”

Lilah immediately propped her feet on the coffee table and sighed. “I’m not used to standing the whole day.”

“Did you sell many?”

“Just two, but that’s pretty good for that type of show. I usually just make contacts who purchase paintings later. So what did you do today?”

Ashley’s face lit like a tree on Christmas morning. “I spent my time on the computer applying to three different schools. I’ve decided to go back for my masters.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

“I took the GMAT last spring for grins and scored high. A Masters in business should take me places.” She curled her legs beneath her and leaned back in the overstuffed brown leather armchair. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Detective Ames called looking for you.”

“You must have given him my cell number. He found me.”

“And?”

“A witness placed a known hit man in the vicinity on the night of Ben’s murder.”

“Hit man? As in the mob?” Ashley’s mouth gaped.

Lilah snorted beer from her nose and quickly brushed it aside. “Let’s not get melodramatic. There was no mention of mob activity. But he did want to warn me in case I see a man fitting the description.”

“Let me guess. Black hair, beady eyes, and a scar across his face.” She wiggled her brows and hummed scary music to emphasize her comment.

“Close.” Lilah chuckled. “He’s tall, medium build, and – oh drats, I can’t remember the rest. No, wait. Dirty blond hair.”

Ashley snickered. “The only dirty blond I know is Scott.”

Lilah dug for her cell phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling Detective Ames.” She made an exaggerated show of punching numbers.

“Quit funning. You haven’t even met Scott and already you don’t like him.”

“Why should I? No man will ever be good enough for my baby sister.” Lilah put the phone away and lifted her half empty beer bottle high. “A toast.”

Ashley followed suit and lifted hers as well. “To?”

“To being here together. To men we were smart enough to leave alone and to our future happiness with those we’re destined to love.”

The toast had a bittersweet ring, but Lilah meant every word. Even Ash seemed to understand the poignant meaning behind her verbal wish. One day soon, they would both find the life they were destined to live.

“I’m so glad I came.”

“Me, too.”
Having you here makes the loneliness bearable.

Ashley set the glass down as if just remembering something she’d forgotten. “By the way, I’m headed for Knoxville tonight to spend a few days. Monday, I plan to check out the University of Tennessee’s grad programs. I’ll be back on Tuesday.”

“It’s almost ten on a Saturday night. Why not wait until tomorrow?”

Ashley shrugged. “You know me. Always on the go. At least I told you this time where I’m going. I figure to do a little bar hopping, take in the nightlife, enjoy the scenery. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, but what about Scott? I thought you were considering going out with him again.”

“Sure, but this has nothing to do with Scott. Besides, he’s just too – gung-ho. I figure time away will slow him down a bit or scare him off. If he’s still around when I get back, then I’ll consider another date with the man.”

“I wish I had your devil-may-care attitude.” Lilah envied Ash’s ability to enjoy life without stressing over little things.

“No you don’t. If you did, you’d lack the commitment needed to be such a great artist.” Ash gave her a hug before snatching the discarded towel. “I’ve got to pack.”

Lilah snorted, used to Ashley’s erratic behavior at times. After all, she’d chosen an odd time to be heading out. But then, Lilah understood some of Ash’s restlessness. Being stuck in the country with little to occupy time took getting used to.

Ash stopped midway to her room and turned with a wink. “I expect you’ll be thanking me after today.”

“For what?”

“It’s a surprise, something I think you need. Not sure when it will arrive, but I’ve no doubt the gift will make an appearance soon.” She wore a speculative grin, an expression that didn’t necessarily bode well for Lilah.

Lilah frowned, wondering what devilment her sister planned this time.

Eleven

Reece followed Crane road around the lake until he reached Bear Creek Lane and turned left.

Wonder why she never came back for our scheduled rendezvous.

Maybe second thoughts? Cold feet? A dozen reasons could have made his secret aficionada not appear in the window for their second scheduled encounter. Above all else, the one characteristic he possessed was tenacity.

Unless she slams the door in my face, I won’t give up that easily.

With all the roadblocks in his life – the broken hearts, the near failure out of flight school, the attempts to break his spirit by his father and sibling – he refused to succumb to adversity.

What is a man without fortitude and grit? A pussy.

Reece pulled into Carmen’s circular driveway, stepped from his pickup truck, and advanced twenty paces along the winding gravel sidewalk lined with purple-stemmed liriope.

He returned to the last time he’d walked down this particular cottage, two years ago before the previous occupant, Mrs. Johnson, had passed away. Full of stories, especially those about her two daughters, she’d invite him to sit on the back porch and enjoy both company and homemade desserts.

What a sweet old lady. Loved her chocolate chip cookies.

 A melancholy thought flickered by; so many older women left solitary around the lake, divorced or widowed, never again connecting with another. He snickered at his musing.

Hell, could be me in twenty years.

The likelihood of such a scenario caused ripples to dance across the back of his neck.

At the porch, he shifted, first on his left foot then his right.

Why am I so damned nervous? Not like it’s a date.

The chance of a fresh start, the possibility of what lie beyond the door, that was the thrill, seasoned with a sprinkle of anxiety. None of his attempts to connect with another, not even his wife, had materialized into what he really wanted; the joint exchange of everything to become a unified spirit traveling the same path. Yet, with all the dead ends, the encounters with those more about the peripherals of marriage than the union itself; he never stopped, and he never would, until his course intersected with
the one
.

He gathered another breath then knocked twice on the door. Someone approached from the other side. He moved closer so only his chest would appear through the peephole.

“Who is it?”

He deepened his pitch. “Your neighbor, Reece Edwards, the guy with the boat.”

When no answer came, he leaned on the door jam. “You know, the one you keep painting from afar.”

~ * ~

A thundering blossomed in the region of her heart, sounding loud enough to bust an eardrum.

Caught.
What should I do?

Confound it all. How had he found her?

“What do you want?” She prompted in a curt tone.

 “After our encounter yesterday, I wanted to clear the air in person, maybe chat for a minute.”

Encounter? What encounter? He must have seen her at the show and realized she was the one he’d bumped into at the donut shop. Thick silence consumed each second until an eternity passed while she thought of something clever to say.

 “It’s okay, Carmen. My intentions are innocent as a puppy. Just figured instead of eyeing each other always from a distance, maybe this time we could meet face to face; that’s all.”

Five seconds ticked by then five more, before she gained the courage to slip the bolt free and crack open the door with the safety chain still attached.

 “Hi Carmen. See,” Her sailor-slash-pilot spun in place and pulled his pockets inside out, “no knives or guns or hand grenades. I promise, you’re totally safe. Can we at least look at one another? I mean, you looked great yesterday, but I never really got to see your face.”

Two striking blue irises blinked three times before she pulled the door opened, proclaiming him quite harmless. God, he had beautiful eyes. Still, she continued to stall. Maybe Detective Ames’ call put her on edge. Or perhaps her inept handling of this man from the beginning was the seed to her current anxiety. Whatever the case, her heart continued to hammer painfully at this awkward meeting.

 “Just as I expected, you’re beautiful; and I like the flashy sweat shirt. Nice casual touch.”

She smiled in spite of herself. Was that corny come-on phrase designed to put her at ease? Or was he just as nervous as she? His actions and words seemed to imply he knew her, as if they’d met before. She frowned. “You’re taller than I thought.”

“You always paint me sitting at the helm.”

“True.”

 “I was starting to think I had fangs the way you looked when you first opened the door. But I’m all gentleman. Well, at least until given the green light,” he gave a flirtatious chuckle, “then watch out.”

Her guard slipped, thinking him quite charming. Perhaps she had nothing to be embarrassed about after all. “My name’s not really Carmen. It’s Lilah. I just use it as an alias for painting.”

 “Lilah, I like that. It’s a traditional name, yet it has style and personality. I’m Reece. Reece Edwards.” He held out a hand.

She stared a moment longer than necessary before clasping his extended show of friendship. The moment her flesh touched his, a delicious sizzle slid along her skin, awakening nerve endings she thought long dead. She quickly dropped his hand, confused by the sudden spark to her libido.

 “Are you an Orioles fan?”

“What? Oh, the shirt. No, it was a gift from a friend where I used to live before... It brings me comfort when I paint.”

“Are you originally from Baltimore?”

She hesitated. “Close.”

He cleared his throat and his expression became more serious. “About your paintings of me and my
Jenny May
…”

She stepped forward and broke through the invisible protective barrier of her doorframe. “I’m really sorry about all that. I guess—the right thing would have been to ask first. It’s just—I started sketching you, I mean your sailboat, one morning, and the canvas took on a life of its own right in front of me.”

Lilah hesitated for a moment then offered a partial attempt at humor, seasoned with a flirtation twinkle and twitch around both eyes. “You’re not planning to sue, are you?”