Out of Turn (29 page)

Chance ordered a round of margaritas to celebrate and I began quizzing the two of them on exactly when and how this had happened.

“When it’s The One, you just know,” Chance said, his face softening as he grasped Lucy’s hand.

Huh. I wondered if that was true for everyone. Was that how I’d felt about Blane? A soul-deep conviction that he was The One? Was there only one man for me and we’d blown our chance to be together? Or could a person have more than just one soul mate?

“Well, I’m so happy for you both!” I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

“The wedding was a quick, private ceremony,” Lucy explained.

“No worries,” I said. “I’m just so glad you found each other.” Lucy and Billy deserved someone who loved them and could take care of them, and Chance seemed to be that man. I also thought they’d be good for him, judging by the adulation in Billy’s eyes and the love shining in Lucy’s.

“So how long are you in town?” I asked.

“Actually,” Chance said, “we’ve decided to move here.”

My jaw dropped in surprise, but then I recovered and said, “Wow! That—that’s wonderful!” To have family close by again? I couldn’t imagine how that would feel. My eyes started to tear up.

“Now don’t start crying on me,” Chance ribbed good-naturedly while I dabbed my eyes with my napkin. “We just thought it would be good to be with family. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department approached me after the Summers case, so I decided to take it.”

I cleared the lump out of my throat. “I’m so glad you did.” My smile was watery but genuine.

“Plus, we have a built-in babysitter here, right?” he asked, grinning.

“You bet.” I ruffled Billy’s hair while he chowed down on a taco.

“So…,” Chance said, and from the tone of his voice, I knew what was coming. “Want to tell me why you’re living with Kirk?”

Lucy politely averted her eyes, murmuring something to Billy as she wiped a smear of sour cream off his cheek.

“It seemed the safest place to be right now,” I said with a shrug. “I told you about Gage.”

“You’re aware he’s being investigated in the murder of Kandi Miller, right?”

“No way would he do that, Chance,” I said. “Somebody else killed her. Not Blane.”

“Either way, do you really think being with him is the best thing for you?”

“I’m not ‘with’ him,” I protested. “He just needs someone to lean on. He rescued me, you know. Me, Lucy, and Billy. So how about cutting him some slack?”

“He also broke your heart and treated you like shit,” Chance shot back.

My appetite was gone and I took a gulp of my margarita. There wasn’t anything I could say to Chance’s accusation. It was the truth.

“And Dennon is there, too, huh,” Chance said, disgust in his voice. “He’s bad news, Strawbs. The stuff I’ve heard whispered about him would give you nightmares for a week. You wouldn’t listen to me before, but I’d hoped you’d listen to me now.”

“He’s my friend,” I said. “And I don’t care about what he’s done. He’s been there for me when I needed him.”

“Oh really? Where was he three months ago when his brother dropped you? Blood’s thicker than water, you know that.”

I felt cold suddenly, my hands clammy, and it wasn’t from the air-conditioning.

“Chance, give it a rest, will you?” Lucy’s gentle admonition had him glancing her way, the hard set of his jaw easing. She gave him a pointed look and he sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he said to me. “I just worry about you, that’s all. I love you and I don’t want to see you hurt any more.”

“I know.”

Lucy changed the subject, asking me about school, and we chatted for a while. She was going to start looking for a job once they got everything moved up from Atlanta. Billy would be in school in the fall and she thought a part-time job would help out.

After lunch, I gave Billy a kiss on the cheek and hugged Lucy good-bye. They were heading to meet a real estate
agent to look at houses and Chance would join them after he dropped me back off at Blane’s.

I hopped out of the car when we pulled up, but Chance got out as well.

“I’ll walk you inside,” he said.

“That’s really not necessary,” I protested, a sinking sensation in my stomach.

His smile was thin lipped. “It’ll be fine, Strawbs.”

I had no choice but to follow him to the front door. He watched as I fished out the key Mona had given me and unlocked the door. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the hallway was empty.

“Thanks for lunch,” I said.

“You’re not going to invite me in? What, he doesn’t allow you to have company? Just wants to cut you off from everyone who cares about you?”

I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at him, stepping back so he could come inside.

“So, you’re inside,” I hissed. “Happy now?”

“Kat?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. Damn it. Blane was here.

The man himself stepped out of the den, halting when he saw Chance and me in the hallway.

“Chance,” he said, smiling a bit and coming forward with hand outstretched. “Good to see you again.”

Chance ignored Blane’s proffered hand. “Wish I could say the same, Kirk.”

I winced as Blane lowered his arm. “Can I do something for you?” he asked, his expression a polite mask now.

“You can stay the fuck away from Kathleen.”

“Chance!” My temper soared, but he wasn’t done yet.

“You and Dennon,” Chance continued. “I’m glad you were able to get her back from Summers, but she doesn’t need the shit you’re dealing with and you know it. And hanging out with Dennon will only get her killed—”

“I completely agree,” Blane calmly interjected, stopping Chance mid-tirade.

“You do?”

“Absolutely,” Blane said. “However, I’m not going to make Kathleen leave if she doesn’t want to. She’s welcome here for as long as she likes.”

“That’s what you say now,” Chance retorted. “But you can’t be trusted. I know it and I hope to God she does, too.”

That seemed to have struck its mark, the barest hint of a wince crossing Blane’s face.

“That’s enough!” I shoved my way between them. “Don’t you dare start in on this, Chance,” I said, poking my finger hard at his chest for emphasis. “You were out of my life for years. Just because you’ve suddenly reappeared does not give you the right to tell me how to live it, no matter how much you care about me!”

“You’re blinded by your feelings for these guys,” Chance hissed at me.

My face heated with embarrassment, but I stood my ground. “I’m a grown woman and I make my own choices. Now go. Lucy and Billy are waiting for you.”

Chance gave one last glare to Blane, then headed for the door. I followed him, sullenly allowing him to give me a kiss on the cheek before he left.

I sighed. Maybe having family nearby wouldn’t be such a great idea after all.

I could feel Blane behind me and I turned around. “Sorry about that,” I said.

Blane was wearing gray slacks and a light-blue button-down shirt with the cuffs turned back. All that was missing was the jacket and tie. His hands were in his pockets, his feet shoulder-width apart as he surveyed me. I squirmed under his gaze.

“It’s fine,” he finally said with a shrug. “He cares about you. Doesn’t want you hurt. I get that.”

“He doesn’t understand why I’m staying,” I tried to explain.

“Neither do I,” Blane said bluntly. “I’m just glad you are.”

Time for a change of subject. “How’s the investigation going?” I asked.

“As well as could be expected.”

Vague much?

My cell phone rang. I dug it out of my purse. “Hello?”

“Hi, Kathleen?”

I didn’t recognize the number or the male voice. “Yes. Who’s this?”

“It’s Luke, ah, from the grocery store?” He huffed a nervous laugh. “Wow, that sounded awful.”

And it clicked. “Luke, yeah, from the produce aisle.” Luke with the sun-kissed surfer blond hair and blue eyes.

“Oh, good, you remember,” he said, sounding relieved. “You said to give you a call, so I was hoping, if you aren’t busy, that you might want to have dinner tonight? I know it’s last minute…”

My instinctive reaction was to say no, especially with Blane standing there staring holes into me. His arms were
crossed over his chest now and I glanced away. But a night out sounded like just the thing, especially with a cute guy who knew nothing about my life and had no prior relationship baggage with me. Maybe I could just relax and have a good time.

All this went through my head in the span of a second or two. “Absolutely,” I said, making a decision. “I’d like that.”

“Great! Can I pick you up?”

After a brief hesitation, I gave him Blane’s address because, obviously, he couldn’t pick me up at my place. We decided on a couple of hours from then and I said good-bye.

“What was that about?” Blane asked as soon as I hung up.

“I, um, have a date tonight,” I said, giving him a sideways glance as I brushed by. “That guy from the grocery store, remember?”

“Yes, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go out with him,” Blane said, clearly irritated.

“I’m not dating anyone, Blane,” I said. “So I fail to see the problem.” I headed upstairs.

“You don’t even know his last name,” Blane called after me, and now I could hear anger in his voice. “Do you really think you should be going out alone with him?”

I paused, retorting, “Who are you, my father?”

“No, I’m your brother, remember?” he bit out.

This time, Blane got the last word, disappearing back into the den, the door slamming behind him with enough force to shake the house.

I crept by the closed door of the den when I came back downstairs. I really wanted to avoid another confrontation with Blane. We were over. There was no reason why I shouldn’t have dinner with a nice guy.

Right.

But it might be a good idea to wait for Luke outside.

My relief at Blane’s absence was abruptly crushed when the door to the den flew open just as I neared the front door, startling a cry from me.

“You scared me!” Surprise made me snappish and I held a hand to my chest as though to get my hammering heart under control.

“Sneaking out, Kat?” Blane asked, one brow raised.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I spluttered. “I just didn’t want to… distract you.”

“Is that what you’re wearing?” he asked, nodding at my clothes.

I had on a strapless dress, backless except for laces that crisscrossed my back to hold it on. It was made of a filmy aqua material, the skirt fitted to a couple of inches above my knees and with a short slit up one side. My hair was up in a ponytail.

“Aren’t you pushing the whole ‘father’ thing a little far?” I quipped. “It’s creepy, even for you.”

Blane was in front of me in two long strides. I gasped, automatically retreating until my back hit the wall. Blane followed, pressing his palms against the wall on either side of my head. He leaned down.

“Let’s get one thing clear, Kat,” Blane said, his voice low and dark. “I’m not your brother, or your father. I love you and want you”—he paused before adding—“to be safe.”

“Your version of me being safe feels an awful lot like controlling every move I make.”

The doorbell rang and neither of us moved, our gazes locked. It rang again.

“I’d like to get that,” I said.

Blane eased back but didn’t go far. I pasted a smile on my face and opened the door.

Luke looked as good as I remembered—slightly better, actually—and he was dressed in khakis and a polo.

“Hi,” I greeted him, holding the door to hide Blane. Unfortunately, I felt Blane moving the door inexorably out of my grip, opening it wide.

Luke’s smile faded a bit when he saw Blane and I winced, guessing Blane had put on his best I-could-crush-you face.

“You remember my… brother?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Luke said. “Nice to see you again.” He directed his attention back to me. “Are you ready?”

“Yep!” No one was more chipper than me. My cheeks hurt from smiling. “Let’s go.”

Luke settled his hand on the small of my back as we walked to his very shiny black pickup truck. It took a little doing to get into the cab with the short dress I was wearing, but finally Luke just picked me up around the waist and gave me a boost.

He took me to a little restaurant that was small and cozy. I found out Luke had graduated from IU with a finance degree and was working at a place downtown, doing something with money and the stock market. I was a little fuzzy on the details, but that may have been because of the wine.

“So,” he began once we’d ordered, “your brother seems like a, ah, real protective guy.”

I was glad politics must not be Luke’s thing, since it seemed he hadn’t recognized Blane.

“Yeah. A little too much, if you ask me,” I said.

“You live with him?”

I broke off a piece of the bread the waiter had brought. “Just for now. My apartment is being repaired from some… water damage.”

The lies were kind of stacking up and I covered my discomfort by asking for another glass of wine.

Luke liked to talk about himself. A lot. So not much was required of me except to smile and nod every once in a while. But he was real pretty to look at, so I didn’t mind. It was relaxing, in a way. I had to be so on guard with Blane, not to fall under his spell again, not to give in to how easy it would be to go back to the way things were.