Heat of the Moment (8 page)

Pete chuckled. “That was quite a party.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Who’d have guessed that you’d end up in Iraq on the same base as Shane?” Pete mused, sipping his coffee. “Quite a coincidence, don’t you think? And then to
both
be injured in the same battle?” He shook his shaggy head. “Unbelievable. It’s almost like you were meant to be there, Holly. If you hadn’t been there, Shane might not be here now.”

Holly was silent, her fingers absently rubbing the edge of the counter. She didn’t dare look at Shane. If she hadn’t been there, Shane never would have been injured. He’d only abandoned his turret gun because he’d thought she was in danger.

Oblivious to the sudden tension in the room, Pete blundered on. “I hear the town of Chatham is planning a parade in your honor.”

She raised shocked eyes to his. “
What?
No, that can’t be right. Why would they do that? I didn’t even do anything!”

“You saved this man’s life, didn’t you? As far as the town is concerned, you’re a local hero.”

Holly’s head was spinning. This had to be a mistake. Anyone who knew the facts could see that she wasn’t a hero. Just the opposite, in fact. She’d almost gotten Shane killed!

“When is the parade scheduled?” asked Shane mildly.

Holly looked at him, but if he was upset about the news, nothing showed on his face.

“Hell, from what I hear, it’s more than just a parade; it’s a whole day of festivities,” Pete continued enthusiastically. “The parade just kicks the whole thing off, next Saturday.”

“Wait. Next Saturday? As in a week from tomorrow? That can’t be right. My parents would have told me. Someone would have told me. There’s no way they would try to keep this a secret and then spring it on me at the last minute.” She turned anguished eyes to Shane. “Would they?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Shane drawled. “Maybe they thought you’d split town if you found out. Maybe they thought you’d take off and go hide out at the lake house.”

Holly groaned. “My dad called this morning and asked if I’d consider coming home for the weekend. He said that Mom had something special planned.”

Pete chuckled. “I guess the hell she does. There’s going to be a barbeque on the town common, and they’ve organized all kinds of activities including a bake sale, a pie-eating contest, a dunk tank, and that’s just what I can remember from the fliers. There’ll be a barn dance that night with live music, and more food.” Pete chuckled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn it into an annual event…
Holly Durant Day.
Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

“No,” Holly grumbled.

“I think it has an excellent ring to it,” Shane protested. “And I personally think you deserve the recognition.”

Holly stared at him. A muscle worked in his lean jaw, but there was no denying the sincerity in his voice.

“You do?” she asked.

“Holly, you were shot and nearly blown to bits trying to save me. What you did was incredibly brave.” He was staring hard at her now, twin patches of color riding high on his lean cheeks. “When I think what could have happened—”

The expression in his hazel eyes mesmerized Holly. She could hardly breathe. He was looking at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

“But I’m here,” she said softly. “And so are you.”

“And that’s my cue to leave,” declared Pete, looking embarrassed. He took a hefty swig of his coffee and rose to his feet. “Good seeing you kids. I’ll just leave that bag of groceries on the front steps, but don’t forget about it. Feel better. I’ll see you at the parade.”

Holly barely noticed him leave. “We haven’t talked about it,” she said to Shane. “The attack, I mean.”

Shane had been unpacking the grocery bags and now his fist tightened around a hapless bunch of asparagus. Moving around the counter, Holly covered his hand with her own.

“I know you blame yourself for what happened that day, but don’t. None of it was your fault.”

Dropping the vegetables, Shane turned to her and Holly saw the stark vulnerability and frustration in his eyes. “But that’s just it. I don’t
remember
that day. I can’t recall a single goddamned detail of what happened.” He gave a bitter laugh. “I can’t tell you why I left my gun or why I thought I needed to save you—if that’s even what I was doing.” He ran a shaking hand over his face. “But Jesus, at night…”

Holly laid a hand on his chest, feeling the heavy thump of his heart beneath her palm. She didn’t need to ask what kept him up at night; if his nightmares were anything like the ones she’d been having, it was a wonder he could even close his eyes.

He turned abruptly away and began shoving items into the refrigerator. Holly watched him for a moment.

“The tango, huh?” she finally asked. Anything to get his mind off his own tormented thoughts.

“What?” He glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression confused.

“You said to Pete that he should see us do the tango.” She waggled her eyebrows at him. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

He closed the fridge door and turned back to her, bracing his hands on the counter. He didn’t return her smile. “How bad is the arm?” he finally asked. “And I want the truth.”

For a moment, Holly felt off-balance. She couldn’t find the words to answer him. Didn’t want to answer him. Didn’t want to admit to herself that her injury limited what she could do.

She shrugged and strove for a casual tone. “It’s not that bad. I mean, it’s only been a month, so I shouldn’t expect a full recovery so soon. I have a follow-up appointment in a couple of weeks. Maybe the doctors will have better news then.”

“Let me take a look.” His voice was low and brooked no argument, and before she realized what she was doing, Holly extended her injured arm toward him. He took it in both of his hands and very carefully turned it toward the light.

Holly looked away. The scars were angry red and there was still some residual swelling where the bullet had ripped through her flesh. Because of the location of the break, the doctors hadn’t been able to put a cast on her arm. Instead, they’d pieced her bone back together with a metal plate and a series of screws, which would remain permanently in her arm. There was no question the area was ugly to look at, and Holly wished she had the courage to pull her arm free from Shane’s grasp.

“Another inch higher and your shoulder socket would have been destroyed,” Shane murmured, stroking his fingers lightly over the damaged area. “Does it hurt?”

She shrugged. “A little.”

“Liar.”

Holly raised her eyes to his and saw humor and compassion and something else lingering in their moss green depths. Her heart began to drum faster in her chest.

“What do you mean?”

“You massage your arm whenever you think nobody is watching, and last night you made little moaning sounds in your sleep.” He continued to rub the area with his thumb, as if he could work the pain out.

“I do? I did?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He turned her arm, examining it from different angles. “Do you remember getting hit?”

The way he was stroking her skin and talking to her in that low, sexy voice, it was a wonder Holly could remember her own name. She shook her head. “Not really. I remember feeling a hard slap against my arm, and then a second later the explosion knocked me off my feet. You have a strange expression on your face right now. What’s wrong?”

Shane lowered her arm and swiped a hand across his eyes. “I don’t know. It’s probably nothing. I just wish I could remember. I don’t recall being shot. I have no memory of the explosion or of you dragging me to safety, or being airlifted out of there.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s like someone took a giant eraser and just wiped the slate clean for that day. But there’s something there, I can feel it. Something important about that day, if I could just freaking
remember.
”

Reaching out, Holly laid a hand on his arm. “You will. Eventually. This is just your body’s way of dealing with the trauma, but eventually I’m sure you’ll recall what happened that day.”

“The worst part is knowing that I’m responsible for what happened to you.” His voice was low and Holly could hear the self-loathing in his tone. “I deserve to remember what happened, if only to replay it again and again in my head.”

Holly stared at him in disbelief. “Why? As a form of punishment?” She gave a bitter laugh. “Trust me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I relive that day enough for the both of us. I wouldn’t wish that kind of self-flagellation on anyone.”

“Tell me what happened. Tell me everything that you remember about it.”

Holly shuddered. “I’d rather not.”

To her surprise, Shane gathered her close, his hands stroking over her back. “I’m sorry. I’m a bastard to even suggest it, but I thought if I could hear it in your words, that maybe it would trigger something. Maybe I would finally
remember.
”

Holly nuzzled into his strength and warmth, relishing this new closeness to him. She didn’t want to ruin it by dredging up the events of that horrible day. “Maybe later,” she hedged. “But not right now.”

He made a sound that could have been either frustration or capitulation. “You’re right. This isn’t the time or place.”

“What were you doing in the boathouse, before Pete showed up?”

“I thought if I could get the boat running, I’d take you out on the lake, but I think the spark plugs need replacing. I asked Pete to bring some out with him.” He fished through the nearest grocery bag and pulled out a small packet, holding it triumphantly. “Give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll have the motor purring like a kitten.”

Holly brightened at the prospect of spending the day with Shane on the lake. Her parents kept an older boat that Mitch and Shane had often used when they were younger. The motor was temperamental, but Shane had always managed to keep it running.

“Sounds wonderful. I’ll pack us a lunch.”

Shane took the new spark plugs and left, while Holly pulled out the makings for sandwiches. She looked up, surprised, when Shane reappeared a few moments later.

“That was fast,” she began, but broke off when she saw Shane’s face. “What’s wrong?”

He wore an expression of deep concern, and Holly saw that he still carried the spark plugs in one hand. “I know this is a stupid question, but were you down in the boathouse by any chance?”

“Me?” Holly asked in surprise. “No, why?”

In fact, the last time she’d been inside the boathouse had been at her college graduation party, when she’d followed Shane to bed. Unless he was there, Holly had no reason to enter the little building.

Shane scrubbed a hand across his head. “Jesus.”

Holly frowned and set down the utensil she’d been holding. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Yeah. I was messing around with the boat motor yesterday, trying to get it running. I realized it needed new spark plugs, so I put the cover back on and I haven’t looked at it again until just now.”

“So?”

“So if I hadn’t opened the engine compartment to replace the plugs…if I’d just inserted the key and tried to start the boat…”

He looked a little sick and Holly came quickly around the side of the counter. “What? What would have happened?”

“Someone tampered with the engine, Holly. I swear I left everything exactly the way it should be, but when I opened the engine compartment just now… Someone had disconnected the fuel line and put it up on the engine block. Then the electric coil was disconnected from the distributor, and was lying up against the block.”

Holly shook her head helplessly, but something tight and fearful fisted in her stomach. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow. What does that mean?”

“If I had tried to start the engine, electricity would arc right to the block and cross over the gas line, causing an explosion that would probably destroy the boat, level the boathouse, and seriously hurt or kill whoever was in there.”

Holly stared at him, unable to process the words. “What are you saying? That someone tried to kill you?”

Shane gripped Holly’s good arm. “Do you know anyone who might have done this?
Think,
Holly.”

Holly shook her head. “I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone. It’s been so long since I’ve been out here…there’s a family farther down the lake who had a bunch of young boys. They’d be teenagers now. Maybe one of them did it as a prank.”

Shane released her and turned away to rake a hand over his hair. He looked a little wild-eyed and every muscle in his body was tightly coiled. “If this was a prank, it was in pretty poor taste. Someone could have been killed.”

“You didn’t notice anything unusual about the engine when you were down there this morning, before Pete showed up?”

Shane shook his head. “I didn’t even look at the engine. I was just washing the boat out so that we could use it later.”

“So this happened sometime during the last twenty-four hours?”

“Yes. I didn’t even think to lock the boathouse overnight. This property isn’t easy to access, so someone would have to deliberately go out of their way to get to the boat.” His voice was grim. “My guess is that whoever did this came in by water; I checked the entire area around the boathouse and found no trace of footprints. How many people do you know who might come to visit the lake house on their boat?”