Just One Kiss (22 page)

The man turned to the woman. “What do you want?” he asked.

While the question was normal, the tone wasn’t. There was a snide edge, a meanness.

“Maybe a latte?”

“Oh, sure. My wife always wants the most expensive thing on the menu. You’ll have a coffee.”

The woman flushed, then hung her head. Madeline, the twentysomething who worked the morning shift, looked from the man to his wife and back. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine,” the man snapped. “She’ll have a small coffee. I’ll have a mocha.” He turned to his wife and gave her a shove. “Get out the money and pay her.”

The woman trembled as she reached for her purse. The sleeve of her loose shirt fell back, exposing a huge, dark bruise.

Patience’s stomach tightened as she fought back nausea. She didn’t have to be a trained professional to figure out what was going on. She rose, then paused when she realized she didn’t know what to do or say. If the man was abusing his wife, she should step in and say something. But what?

Before she could figure out what was the right thing, Felicia stood and walked over to the couple.

“Hi,” she said, stopping beside the man.

He turned to her, looked her up and down, then gave her a leering smile. “You’re a tall drink of water.”

“And you’re a bastard.” She grabbed his wrist and twisted.

Patience couldn’t see exactly what she was doing but suddenly the man was falling to his knees and screaming.

“I’m using the word
bastard
in the vernacular. I have no way of knowing if your parents were married or not,” she continued.

“Get off me! Somebody call the cops.”

The thin woman took a step back and looked frantically around the room. Patience wasn’t sure if she was looking for help or an opportunity to escape.

“This is your
wife,
” Felicia told him. “She should be the most important person in your world. You need to treat her with respect and affection.”

“She’s mine and I’ll do what I want with her.”

Felicia twisted his arm a little more, then glanced at Patience. “Did you know that the joints in the shoulder are easily disconnected? It’s a common sports injury. With the right leverage, it pops right out.” She leaned closer to the man. “Would you like me to demonstrate?”

“Who the hell are you?”

Patience walked to the woman. “Hi,” she said quietly. “Do you need help?”

The woman stared at her, her eyes wide.

“It’s okay,” Patience murmured. “You’re safe here.”

The woman stared at Patience for a long time, then shrugged out of her shirt. She wore a tank top underneath, but what was most startling were all the bruises on her arms and shoulders.

“I want help,” the woman said, not glancing at her husband.

“Damn you, Helen,” the man yelled. “I’ll make you pay for this, you bitch.”

“You’re struggling,” Felicia said, her tone conversational. “I’m not going to be able to hold you without...”

There was a loud pop; then the man began to scream.

“Hmm, he seems to have dislocated his shoulder.”

Patience led Helen outside. The screams were muffled on the sidewalk. She fished her cell phone out of her jeans pocket and pressed one of her contacts.

“Charlie? It’s Patience.” She explained what had happened as quickly as she could.

“I’ll be right there.”

The few customers who had been in the store hurried out. A few seconds later, the screaming stopped. Madeline came outside.

“Felicia put his shoulder back in place. He’s really sweating and crying and I think he peed himself. Do I have to clean that up?”

Patience stayed close to Helen. “I’ll take care of it later.”

Helen still trembled, but she didn’t move from Patience’s side. Less than a minute later, Charlie drove up in her truck. She was out of the cab and around to the sidewalk nearly before the engine had stopped rumbling.

She walked right up to the woman and faced her. “You okay?”

The woman nodded.

“Any internal injuries?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Kids?”

Tears filled Helen’s eyes. “I was pregnant once. He beat me so bad I miscarried.”

“Why don’t you leave?”

Patience winced. She knew Charlie’s question was born from frustration, but from the little she knew about abused women, this probably wasn’t the time.

But Helen surprised her by raising her head and squaring her shoulders. “I did. Twice. Then he threatened my mama. She passed nearly four months ago and I packed my bag. He put me in the hospital. I told my doctor and he said for me to be a good wife and go back home.”

She turned back toward the store. “Sam has a way of convincing people he’s not the problem. I am.”

“Not in this town,” Charlie told her.

Two police cars pulled up, with an ambulance right behind it. Mayor Marsha hurried toward them.

“I heard,” the mayor said, smiling at Helen. “Hello, child. If you want to get away from this man, we can help. I know a safe house in another town. He’ll never find you. But you have to want it.”

Helen looked at the mayor. “I want to leave him. I want to break the cycle. I swear, I won’t go back. I swear.”

In a matter of minutes Helen was whisked away in a police car. Police Chief Barns drove up and got out.

“I heard,” she said by way of greeting. “Did Felicia really dislocate his shoulder, then put it back?”

Patience bit her lower lip, knowing she had to tell the truth but not wanting to get her friend in trouble. “I, uh...”

Police Chief Barns smiled. “Impressive. I’m going to need to write a report. I wonder if a man can slip and dislocate his shoulder. Then Felicia was being neighborly by putting it back in place. I’ll have to think on that.”

She walked into the store.

In less than a half hour, nearly everyone was gone. Sam had been taken to the hospital. The police chief had her statement from Felicia, who had insisted on telling the truth. Although Patience had a feeling that the actual report would say something slightly different.

“He’ll be arrested,” Charlie said as they stood by her truck. “More important, if Helen wants to stay gone, she can. Mayor Marsha knows people who can make an abused woman disappear into a new life. She’ll get counseling and help finding a job and an apartment. It’s a chance for her to escape. Let’s hope she takes it.”

“Thanks for your help,” Patience said.

“Happy to.” Charlie looked at Felicia. “You’re my kind of girl. Glad you decided to settle here.”

She got in her truck and drove away.

Patience looked at Felicia. “Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I had a lot of the same physical training as the guys. I just didn’t get to use it much. Until now.”

Patience impulsively hugged her. “You were terrific. I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I shouldn’t get involved, but you got right in that guy’s face.”

“I hate bullies. He was a jerk.” She brightened. “I wonder if he’s going to sue me.”

“That would mean admitting he was beaten by a girl.” Patience linked arms with her and led her back inside. “Just for the record, you
are
good with people. I’m just saying.”

* * *

“C
AN
WE
put flowers on the ribbons?” Lillie asked.

Justice glanced at Steve, who held up both hands.

“I’m hardly an expert,” the older man said.

Justice wasn’t, either, but he was good at solving problems. He stepped back and studied the bike. Tomorrow was the Spring Festival—yet another Fool’s Gold tradition. Kids rode bikes and were pulled in wagons all decorated with flowers and ribbons and bows. The festival took place over Mother’s Day so dads were supposed to do the work and the mothers were to watch and marvel. As Lillie didn’t have a father, he and Steve had volunteered to help her decorate her bike.

With the help of a glue gun and fasteners, there were pastel-colored ribbons flowing from the handlebars. A big bouquet of silk flowers sat in the basket. Now the question was how to make a garland they could weave through the spokes.

Lillie sat cross-legged on the grass by the driveway. Steve wove thin strips of plastic through the spokes.

“We could glue the flowers onto this once it’s secure,” he said.

Lillie nodded. “That would be nice.”

Justice studied her. She wasn’t her usual happy self.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, hoping she felt okay.

She looked at Steve. “You’re my daddy’s dad.”

Steve froze, then nodded.

“Did you like him when he was little?”

Justice sank next to her on the grass. That wasn’t the question she wanted to ask, he thought. She wanted to know why her father hadn’t loved her enough to stay.

Steve turned toward her. “I wasn’t there for him, Lillie. I left when your dad was small.”

“Why did you go away?”

“Because I thought work was more important. Because I wasn’t grown up enough to understand what I was losing and work things out with his mom. I regret what I did, but I can’t change it. When I left, I taught Ned a very wrong lesson. That it’s okay to leave your children.”

“It’s not?” she asked softly.

“No, it’s not.”

Justice put his arm around her. She leaned against him, watching Steve.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “How could you go?”

How could he go?

Steve turned away, but not before Justice saw tears in his eyes.

Justice kissed the top of Lillie’s head. “You take a dance class, right?”

She looked at him. “Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Some of the other students are better than you and some are worse, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“The ones who are better can do things you can’t do yet.”

“They can do a lot of things I can’t do. I’m scared to go up on my toes. It’s going to hurt.”

“Some people are better at relationships than others. Some people have a natural ability. Like dance. Others have been hurt along the way and are afraid to try. Your dad was hurt by his dad. That’s not an excuse,” he added quickly, knowing he was giving Ned more of a break than he deserved, but this wasn’t about him. This was about Lillie.

“He’s right,” Steve told her. “My dad was a—” He stopped, then swallowed. “My dad wasn’t a great guy, either. So I never knew what a good dad was like. I walked out on my son and my son walked out on you.”

“Am I going to be like that, too?” Lillie asked, sounding worried.

“No.” Justice held her tight. “You’ll be like your mom, because that’s what you’ve learned. You’ll be loving and kind and you’ll always be there.”

Lillie considered that. “I’d rather be like my mom than my dad.”

“Your dad left because of me and because of who he is,” Steve said. “Not because of you. He’s missing out on a great daughter. I know he’s going to be sorry one day, just like I’m sorry about what I did. But I’m very grateful I’ve had the chance to get to know you.”

“Me, too,” Justice said.

Lillie hugged him, then rose and hurried to her grandfather. She flung herself at him and he held on tight.

Justice stayed where he was, a part of what was happening and still separate.

This was something he would always remember. The warm spring morning, the bright blue sky and the half-decorated bike. But mostly what he would remember was the beautiful girl who gave her heart so easily and asked for so little in return. Ned was an asshole. Worse, he’d hurt his daughter. But Justice had been given a chance to be a part of her life.

Was he willing to put the past behind him and move on? Was he ever going to be at peace when it came to his father, or should he accept that the ghosts were a part of who he was? Accept and finally reach for that which was most precious?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“G
O
,”
Ava told her daughter. “You need to see the parade. Lillie had poor Steve and Justice working on her bike for hours yesterday. Be impressed.”

Patience laughed. “I promise I will be.” She’d seen the scattered remains of their “art” project on the lawn. Bits of flower and twist ties. “I never thought of Justice as the help-at-home type.”

“Steve said he was very good with a glue gun.” Her mother’s eyes twinkled. “An excellent quality in a man.”

Patience knew she didn’t need help falling for Justice. Just thinking about him was enough to get her heart beating faster. She’d started out determined to play it safe, which had gotten her exactly nowhere. Over time she’d learned that being around him made her feel safe, and at the same time she was stronger in his presence.

Felicia walked into the store. “What are you two doing here?” she asked. “The parade is about to start.”

“I was just leaving,” Patience said. “Lillie’s riding and I want to see it.”

Felicia looked at Ava. “She’s your granddaughter. You should go, too.”

“I’ll be there. We’re closing the store for the actual parade. Steve’s saving me a seat by the fire station.”

Felicia shook her head. She walked over to Patience and untied her apron.

“What are you doing?” Patience asked with a laugh.

“Taking over. Go, both of you. I’ll keep the store open until the parade, then close it.”

Patience was tempted. There weren’t any customers, and business would be light until the parade was over. “I don’t want to take advantage,” she began.

“I don’t mind, so you shouldn’t, either.”

Ava studied her. “Do you know how to work the equipment?”

Felicia smiled. “I think I can figure it out. I’m good with machines.”

“I heard the same about men’s shoulders,” Ava said, already slipping off her apron. “You don’t have to make your offer twice to me.” She grabbed Patience’s hand. “Come on. We both have handsome men waiting for us. We’d be fools to be late.”

Patience nodded at Felicia. “Thank you. I’ll be right out front and I’ll save you a spot.”

“I’ll be there.”

Patience and her mother went out onto the sidewalk in front of the store. The crowd was already three people thick in places. The area directly in front of Brew-haha had been roped off so Patience would be able to see Lillie as she went by.

“Did I tell you Lillie wouldn’t let me see her bike this morning?” Patience asked. “She wants it to be a surprise.”

“I’m sure Justice and Steve helped her do a lovely job.”

Patience saw the anticipation in her mother’s eyes as she searched the crowd.

“He said he’d be on the corner by the fire station,” Ava murmured. “Oh, there he is.”

Patience touched her arm. “Mom, I’m really happy for you.”

Ava turned back to her. “Thank you. I’m happy, too.”

“Steve’s a nice guy and you’ve waited a long time for one of those to show up.” She hesitated. “I’m glad you let him get to know you, and I’m glad he’s in Lillie’s life.”

“Thank you for saying that. Steve made a lot of mistakes. I’m not saying he didn’t, but he’s learned. I believe he wants to be different now.”

“He already is.”

They hugged, and then Ava excused herself. Isabel strolled up, a couple of cookies in her hand. She passed one over to Patience.

“Chocolate chip,” Isabel said, then took a bite.

Patience inhaled the sweet scent of chocolate and felt the warmth through the napkin. “Are these fresh out of the oven?”

Isabel nodded as she chewed. “Over there.” She pointed to the crowded park where dozens of vendors had set up booths. “It’s impossible to move by the booths, what with everyone buying food, but it’s worth it. This town.” She shook her head.

“What?” Patience asked.

“It’s horrible. It sucks you in with its niceness. All friendly and caring, like they want people to stay.”

Patience laughed. “You’d prefer a town that was hostile?”

“No, but I don’t want to like it here.”

“Because you don’t want to stay.”

“Right. But people are stopping in the bridal shop to say hi and make me feel welcome.”

“The bastards!”

Isabel laughed. “I get your point. I shouldn’t complain that I like where I’m living. But I want to be clear. I don’t care how good the cookies are—I’m not staying.”

“Which is too bad. I’d like having you stick around.”

Isabel sighed. “I’d like that part, too. It’s been fun to go to lunch and hang out. But I have a plan and it’s not going to happen here.”

Patience smiled. “Not even for Ford Hendrix?”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “He was so fifteen years ago. I’m completely over him.”

“You say that now, but you haven’t seen him. What if there’s chemistry?”

“There won’t be. Too much time has passed. We’re different people.”

Patience didn’t say anything, but she was less sure. She hadn’t seen Justice in fifteen years, and there had still been plenty of chemistry between them.

Noelle joined them, a large dish of ice cream in her hands. “I never thought I would say this out loud, but OMG! Have you tried the ice cream? It’s the most delicious thing ever.”

“No way,” Isabel said. “The cookies are spectacular.”

“As if.” Noelle held out a plastic spoon with some ice cream on it.

Isabel broke off a piece of cookie and handed it over. They each tasted the other’s offering, and then both moaned.

“That’s better,” Isabel said, pointing to the ice cream. “I didn’t think it was possible, but it is.”

“No, yours is better,” Noelle said.

They stared at each other for a second, then exchanged treats.

“So good,” Isabel said, scooping ice cream.

“You’re both weird,” Patience said. “And blonde. As a natural brunette, I’m offended by that.”

“She might be a natural blonde,” Isabel told her friend. “I pay to have my hair this color. I was thinking of going red, but then I saw Felicia and frankly she’s too beautiful. I don’t want to compete.”

Noelle smiled smugly. “I
am
a natural blonde. My mother and grandmother were, as well.”

“And you’re pretty,” Isabel said with a sigh. “Why do I like you?”

Patience laughed.

“Is Lillie in the parade?” Isabel asked.

“Yes, she has her bike all decorated. She’s riding with her friends. Apparently they’ve been working on a little routine together.”

Isabel finished her ice cream. “Kids were one of the perks of marriage I was really looking forward to.” She glanced at Noelle. “Did you know I’m recently divorced?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“It happens. I wish I could say I hate him, but I don’t. We’re still friends. It’s all very civilized, which tells you how bad things had gotten.”

“It’s better than the alternative,” Noelle said. “Breakups are never easy.”

The way she said it made Patience wonder about her friend’s past. Not that the middle of a parade route was the place to get into it.

“Ladies.”

She turned and saw Justice had joined them. He moved to her and put his arm around her.

“Hi,” he murmured.

The feel of his body against hers was warm and made her tingle all over. Just being around Justice brightened her day. She had it bad, she thought, accepting the inevitable. That she had totally and completely fallen for him. Foolish, perhaps, but it was done now.

“Hi, yourself.” She smiled at him, then turned to her friends. “Has everyone met Justice?” She glanced back at him. “You know Isabel and Noelle?”

“Sure. Are you enjoying the festival?” he asked.

“Every part of it,” Noelle told him.

“You remember that I’m meeting someone?” he asked.

“Yes,” Patience told him. “And it’s fine. Just make sure you see Lillie in the parade. Otherwise, she’ll be crushed.”

“She wouldn’t be the only one. Of course I want to see her.” He looked past her and then kissed the top of her head. “Angel’s here. I’ll see you later?”

She nodded as he stepped away. Justice was still staying at the house. He was well enough that they were running out of excuses, but she really didn’t want to let him go. Once everyone was asleep, he usually slipped into her room and they made love. Everything about being with him was perfect, she thought dreamily as he cut across the parade route to the other side of the street.

“He’s good,” Isabel said, watching him go. “The right combination of kick-ass and sweet.”

“I know,” Patience said with a sigh. “He’s dreamy.”

Her friends laughed.

“Who’s he meeting?” Noelle asked.

“I want to know, too,” Isabel said. “And is this Angel person a man or a woman?”

“A man. One of his business partners. Along with Ford.”

Isabel tossed her ice cream cup into the trash can by the entrance to Brew-haha. “Don’t start.”

“Who’s Ford?” Noelle asked. “I’m never going to be able to keep these names straight.”

“Ford used to live here. Isabel was insanely in love with him.”

“I was fourteen,” Isabel grumbled. “It was a crush. Get over it.”

“Tell her about the letters,” Patience teased.

“There are—” Noelle’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my.”

The other two turned and saw Justice standing next to a tall man with dark hair. The stranger shifted slightly so they could see his pale gray eyes and a jagged scar on his neck.

Isabel took a step back. “Is that for real? It looks like someone tried to slit his throat.” She shivered. “He’s scary.”

Patience had to agree. Somehow she’d imagined that Angel would look more, well, angelic.

“I agree,” Noelle said. “Way too dark-side for me.”

“He could be a kitten on the inside,” Isabel said, “but he looks like a crazed killer.”

“I take it neither of you wants to be set up with him?” Patience asked with a grin.

“Not brave enough by half,” Isabel admitted. “I wonder what kind of woman would be willing to take him on.”

“An interesting question,” Noelle said, licking chocolate off her finger. “Because you know all that intensity has to mean he’s great in bed.”

* * *

“W
HAT
THE
hell is this?” Angel demanded even as he shook Justice’s hand. “All this town needs are the Munchkins from
The Wizard of Oz
and some goddamn fairy in a bubble.”

“You don’t like Fool’s Gold?”

Angel gave his friend a slow smile. “I didn’t say that. I can do cheesy, same as you.”

“Then you’re going to like it here. How was your trip in?”

Angel stared at him. “You gonna ask me about the weather next?”

Justice chuckled. “Sorry. I’m getting used to being around regular people. You’re going to have to do the same.”

“I’ve always been able to blend in.” Angel surveyed the crowd. “What’s the parade?”

“Something about Mother’s Day. The Spring Festival, I think. Lillie is in it. She’s ten.”

Angel’s shrewd expression didn’t change. “Let me guess. Her mom is one of those three women across the street. The ones pretending they’re not watching us.”

“Yup.”

Angel turned to stare at the women. They immediately began talking intently to each other, as if they hadn’t noticed him at all.

“The brunette,” Angel said.

“How do you figure?”

“She’s looking at you, not at me. If I were a less cynical man, I would say she’s in love with you.” He raised his eyebrows. “How’d you let that happen?”

“I have no idea.”

Justice waited for the sense of being trapped. For the need to run. But it wasn’t there. He still didn’t know if he could be what Patience needed, but he was willing to admit that having her love him went a long way to healing any lingering wounds. Maybe it was wrong or selfish of him, but if Patience cared, he couldn’t be all bad.

Angel glanced around, then swore under his breath. “We have to stay for the parade, don’t we?”

“I helped Lillie decorate her bike.”

“You couldn’t have arranged the meeting for an hour from now?”

Justice slapped him on the back. “It’ll be good for you.”

Angel shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “Can we at least talk about business while we’re waiting?”

“Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Why you dragged me here when I had a good thing going where I was.”

Justice wasn’t put off by Angel’s attitude. “If you liked it so much, why did you agree?”

“Hell if I know.”

In the distance, they heard music.

“There’s a marching band?” Angel asked, his voice incredulous.