Fencing You In (9 page)

Tess frowned. “Even if I wanted to think of any kind of future with a relationship with Gage, who’s to say he’d settle for me?”

“It wouldn’t be
settling
for you.” It was Megan’s turn to frown. “He’d be lucky to have you and I’d bet he knows that.” Then she brightened. “Besides. I’d kill him if he hurt you.”

“Just like I threatened Ryan when you started seeing him,” Tess said with a grin.

“What’s a sister for?” Megan returned Tess’s grin. “Someone’s gotta help hide the body.”

* * * * *

It was past closing time and Tess was the last one out the door. In spite of the fact that she’d locked up alone many, many times before, tonight the night felt off. She almost felt as if she was being watched. Jo had left not long ago, after staying until closing just to talk. Because of the creepy feeling she had, Tess was wishing Jo were still here so that she’d have someone to walk out with.

She was so ready to head home to bed. The day had been draining after her mother’s angry outburst and she’d refused to talk with Tess in more than monosyllables the rest of the afternoon.

Tess had more than missed Gage today. He’d called her and told her he was out on an emergency pump service call with a new mother and father who had infant twins and no water. Tess had missed him, but he had something important to attend to.

With a sigh, she hauled a bag of garbage out the back door then paused to lock the door behind her. When she turned around she almost screamed when she saw a man behind her.

She held her hand to her thundering heart. “Harvey. You scared the crap out of me.”

“I’m sorry, Tess.” He didn’t look contrite though Instead, he grinned in an unsettling way. “Here.” He reached for the garbage bag. “I’ll toss this for you.”

She didn’t argue even though something about him being here felt off and she just wanted to climb into her car and get away.

“Thanks.” She did her best to smile.

He turned and carried the bag to the dumpster as she made her way to her vehicle. He was already walking back to her as she unlocked her car and opened the door.

She threw her purse onto the passenger side and was going to slide into the driver’s seat when Harvey caught her by her wrist.

In surprise, she looked at his hand on her wrist. She looked up at him. “Let go, Harvey.”

“I just want to talk.” He smiled but he didn’t let go. In fact, he squeezed tighter.

“Well, that’s not the way to talk to someone.” Fear made her heart feel like it was pounding in her throat. What did she really know about Harvey? “You’re hurting me.”

“I’m sorry.” He released her wrist and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He took her by the shoulders. “I just want to talk.”

She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but he was holding her tightly. “Harvey, let me go.”

He brought her up against him and her eyes widened as she felt his erection hard against her belly. He was turned on. Maybe his manhandling of her was exciting him.

The logical part of her knew she needed to keep calm and think her way out of this mess. But she didn’t know how when her fear was making her want to struggle and fight him.

“Harvey, please let me go.” She put strength into her voice. “I will scream if you don’t release me.”

“Baby, I just want a chance.” He pressed her up against the car as he squeezed her shoulders tighter. “You keep blowing me off.”

She tried to control her breathing. “I told you, I just want to be friends.”

“You don’t seem to have a problem with dating Gage McBride.” He sneered as he said the words. “You won’t go out with me but now you’re fucking him. So much for not dating because of your dead husband.”

Hair prickled at her nape and her skin flushed with heat. She was so furious she managed to jerk one arm from him, raise her hand, and slap him hard across the face.

“How dare you?” she said in a high, angry voice.

Fury flashed in Harvey’s gaze, and fear shot through her again. He raised his hand as if to strike her back when a voice called out across the parking lot.

“Tess?” It was Jo’s voice.

Relief shot through Tess as Harvey’s head snapped in Jo’s direction. She was walking across the parking lot toward them. She wore the same glittering green dress she’d been wearing when she was in the bar earlier tonight, and high heeled sexy ankle boots, the latest fashion. Brilliant stones glittered at her ears and throat, and on her wrist. Her red hair flowed down her back and over her shoulders in long waves.

“Right here, Jo.” Tess jerked herself away from Harvey.

“I came back because I think I left my iPad at the bar.” Jo frowned as she reached them. “Is everything okay?”

Tess turned her gaze to Harvey as she pulled her other arm away from him and stepped away, putting some distance between them.

“We were just chatting,” Harvey said with a relaxed smile, looking like the charmer Tess had thought him to be. It was like something he could switch on and off.

“Harvey was just leaving.” She turned to Harvey. “I’m sorry you’re not planning on coming in for breakfast anymore or stopping by the bar. I understand you have a lot going on these days.”

Harvey clamped his mouth tight and she saw his eyes darken with anger. But then his expression evened out and he gave Tess and Jo one of his enigmatic smiles.

“Yeah, lots happening.” He backed up. “I’ll be seeing you around, Tess,” he added before he turned around and walked away.

Tess let her breath out in a rush and Jo came up to her side. Jo was still frowning. “What just happened?”

“Harvey just got physical with me.” Tess turned her gaze away from Harvey’s retreating back and gingerly touched one of her upper arms where he’d squeezed so hard she was sure he’d bruised her. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

“That bastard.” Jo’s temper matched the red of her hair. “Want me to kick his ass?”

Tess managed a laugh. “I think he got the point. I doubt I’ll be seeing him around again.”

“I hope not.” Jo crossed her arms over her chest. “I think you need to make sure you have someone to walk you out after work.”

Tess nodded. “At least for the next couple of weeks while I get my replacement trained.”

“Replacement?” The gorgeous redhead cocked her head to the side. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Tess pushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “Gage McBride offered me a job and I think I’m going to take it.” She hadn’t told him that yet, but everything that happened today pointed toward it being the right thing to do. Like she should be home right now with Jenny and not in a parking lot in the middle of the night.

“Wow, working for Gage.” Jo shook her head. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I think so.” Tess smiled. “Better hours, I’d get to work part-time from home so more time with Jenny, and medical, dental, and vision benefits.”

“Not to mention the benefits of working with a sexy boss.” Jo gave a sly grin. But then her grin faded. “As long as he doesn’t hurt you, that is.”

Tess didn’t have anything to say to that because it was one of her concerns, too. But her gut told her to take the job. Whatever happened, it was the right opportunity for her.

“You did leave your iPad in the bar,” Tess said and reached into her car to grab her purse again. “Thank God.”

“Now I’m glad I did.” Tess locked her car before they returned to the bar and Tess opened the back door. After they’d retrieved Jo’s iPad, they returned outside.

“Where did you park?” Tess asked.

Jo gestured toward the front of the building. “Just around there.”

“I’ll give you a ride.” Tess did not want to be left alone or leave Jo alone, for that matter.

After she dropped Jo off at her car and she was safely buckled in and pulling her car onto the street, Tess headed home.

A sick feeling settled in her gut. He’d scared her, badly. What if Harvey had done more than just manhandle her? He’d seemed like he was on the verge of being out of control and his anger had frightened her.

She knew one thing. She didn’t want to have anything else to do with him.

For a moment she wondered if she should tell Gage then decided not to. She didn’t need to introduce negativity into their new relationship. Nothing had happened and everything had turned out okay, thanks to Jo showing up.

Tess let out a rush of breath and drove the rest of the way home.

Chapter 13

It was still early in the day on Friday and Nectars was empty of patrons. Tess heard the door open and the sound of footsteps coming across the floor as she studied the paperwork she’d been attending to. She made another note before she looked up just as a large vase of colorful flowers in different shades of pink was set on the bar top. From where she was sitting, the brilliant bouquet was so big she couldn’t see who had set it down.

She got to her feet as a short man with a florid face moved around the flowers, the man wearing a green jumpsuit with
Angel’s Flower Shop
embroidered on the pocket. He held an electronic device in his big hand and extended it to her.

“Flowers for Tess Grady.” The man handed her a stylus as she took the device from him.

“I’m Tess.” She scribbled her name on the LCD screen, her curiosity piqued as she breathed in the fresh scent of the carnations, lilies, and roses. “Who are these from?”

“A card is right there.” With a thick finger he pointed to a plastic holder with an envelope that had
Tess
scrawled across it in decidedly masculine handwriting.

She handed the man the electronic device before he turned and hurried out of the bar, probably on his way to his next delivery.

Intrigued, Tess plucked the card from the plastic cardholder, slid the card out of the envelope, and read it.

To a special woman, who’s on my mind every day.

Tess smiled. The flowers had to be from Gage. She hadn’t seen him since they’d spent the day putting the new pump in the well, but he’d called every evening after he’d sent her a text message to make sure it wasn’t too late to call. He’d been slammed by work all week, one emergency after another, and he’d had to work late hours. She’d had to work late, too.

They’d had so little time to talk that she hadn’t even had a chance to tell him that she’d decided to take him up on his job offer. It occurred to her that maybe he’d made the offer and had since thought better of it, but she didn’t think so. From what she knew about Gage, he didn’t do or say anything lightly. When he said something, he meant it.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out and looked at the screen. It was Gage.

“Hi there,” she said, smiling as she looked at the beautiful bouquet of flowers.

“Sorry, honey,” he said to Tess. “It’s going to be another hell of a day.”

“I understand. That comes with the territory of owning your own business.” Tess adjusted the cell phone at her ear. “We deal with one crisis after another at the Hummingbird and Nectars.”

“I doubt I’ll make it to the bar tonight so likely I won’t be able to see you.” Frustration was in his voice. “This time I’ve got to go up to Flagstaff for a problem that’s going to take some time to take care of. It will probably be late by the time I get back.”

A rush of disappointment seemed to come out of nowhere. “You must be pretty worn out.”

“We have had some long days over here.” He sounded tired. “I’ve missed seeing you this week,” he added more softly. “Have you missed me?”

“Maybe a little,” she said in a teasing tone.

“This weekend I’ll be free,” he said. “I’ve cleared my calendar and I have enough men to cover anything that might come up. How about dinner out tomorrow night?”

“That will work great. Jenny will be at Katie Sue’s birthday sleepover.” Tess bit her lower lip, wondering if she should just jump in with both feet. She braced her free hand on the bar beside the vase as if to help bolster her courage. “You’ve had a long week and probably want to relax. Why don’t we have dinner at my house?”

“A relaxing night in would be great.” A smile was in his voice and she imagined how sexy he must look right then. “It’s a date.”

“I’ll be dropping Jenny off at Katie Sue’s at six.” Tess ran her finger over a soft petal of a deep pink rose bloom. “How about seven?”

“Perfect.”

She looked at the bouquet and smiled as she spoke. “Thank you for the flowers.”

“Flowers?” he sounded puzzled.

Tess looked at the flowers with confusion. “Someone from the florist just delivered a bouquet of flowers. They’re not from you?”

“No,” he said, “they aren’t from me.”

“Oh.” Tess frowned at the bouquet and then a slow chill rolled over her skin.

Harvey Norton. They were no doubt from Harvey.

The thought gave a sick twist to her belly. After what he’d done, she couldn’t believe he’d sent her flowers.

“Any idea who they’re from?” he asked. She couldn’t tell if there was any jealousy in Gage’s tone, but she didn’t think so.

“There’s one man in the café who won’t leave me alone.” She didn’t want to bring up Harvey’s name, not after the way he’d behaved. “But it’s no big deal.”

“Can I help?” Gage didn’t sound jealous, he sounded concerned

“No worries,” she said. “I can handle him.”

“If he bothers you anymore, let me know, okay?” Gage had a hard edge to his voice, as if he meant business.

Tess thought about it a moment. “I will.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’ve got to get on the road,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye,” she said softly.

When she disconnected the call, she stared at the flowers for a long moment. The nerve Harvey had, sending her flowers.

To a special woman, who’s on my mind every day,
the card had read.

“Bastard,” she said with narrowed eyes.

She picked up the vase, walked to the garbage barrel. A crash echoed in the bar as she dropped the whole thing inside.

Chapter 14

Early Friday afternoon, Harvey walked around Tess’s home, looking for a window that wasn’t latched, or a door that wasn’t locked. He tried each window he came to, but they were all secured.