Promise Made (The Callahan Series) (8 page)

It would be great to have a job to do. At least then, she wouldn’t be forced to watch the two of them.

When Dugan showed up, she wouldn’t be there. A circumstance that was both good and bad. Good, because she wouldn’t have to pretend he didn’t stir up unwanted feelings. Bad, because deep down she looked forward to his visits, and caught herself watching the clock to see if it was time for him to show up.

She’d had her chance with Dugan and blown it. The longer she was here, and the more she saw him, the more she wondered if she’d made a mistake.

But would she have her degree now if they’d married? Would she have that sense of accomplishment every time she took on a new case? And won?

She doubted it. Though Dugan had never asked or even hinted that she leave school, she knew what he’d wanted to do. She couldn’t have asked him to give up his dream to, at some point, take Ed Clark’s job. And she wasn’t about to give up hers to be a successful attorney.

They were older now. What if they took up again like half the town wanted them to? Why would he even consider it after the way she’d treated him? He wasn’t an idiot. Besides, he had another woman in his life.

Even if there was a way to rise above the pain of the past, she’d never hurt him again.

Five years ago, Gram had let her know in no uncertain terms how she’d broken his heart. Dammit, her heart had taken a beating, too.

Neither of them could go through that again.

Maybe she should give Erik a chance. He loved her, she was sure of it. He was a good person, and even though he was inconsiderate at times, he was an honest man. He would be devoted to her.

It was too bad she didn’t love him.

She couldn’t conjure up Erik’s face. All she could see were Dugan’s green eyes, and his devilish smile.

Chapter Six

Though Dugan had made his daily trip to check on Grace, he wanted to make another. Was he crazy? Grace was fine. If he was being truthful, it was Kate he wanted to see. Whenever she looked at him with those deep blue eyes, he wanted to kiss her.

How unreasonable was that? Kate was his past.

Yet, he wanted to be near her even if it was for a few minutes. Their brief conversations were never enough.

He was nuts.

Memories the sight of her dredged up gave him thoughts he shouldn’t have. He couldn’t forget the feel of her under him, the taste of her against his lips. And it was driving him crazy.

So why punish himself? There were no answers to the hundreds of questions in his head. The biggest of which was why she’d stood him up in the first place. She’d tried to tell him and he’d brushed her off.

Maybe, deep down he didn’t want to know.

It didn’t matter. They would never get back together. There was no way he’d subject himself to another heartbreak, or another embarrassment like that. He wasn’t a fool. If he put himself in the same position he was in five years ago he would be. There were times back then when he didn’t know if he’d survive. But, as Ed Clark’s deputy, he’d regained his sanity or at least some stability.

By the time Ed retired and Dugan was elected sheriff, he’d put his past behind him.

Or so he thought.

When he tried to analyze his emotional response to Kate, he couldn’t. Instead, he wanted to see her as often as possible. Even though the seeing brought back the hurt. Talk about a glutton for punishment.

Did she have memories of the two of them? She’d always been smart and savvy. When she’d stood him up, she’d known exactly what she was doing.

Still, when he unexpectedly caught her looking at him, he wondered. He shook his head and bent to his paperwork. The office was quiet, Piper’s snores the only sound breaking the silence. Normally, he liked nights like this. But tonight he was restless.

Gripping his pen, he brushed thoughts of Kate aside and concentrated on his work. An hour later he threw the pen across his desk, got out of his chair and grabbed his Stetson. Long strides took him to the door in seconds. Piper followed him out.

“Stay,” he said. But Piper had his own agenda and ignored the command.

“I’ll be back shortly,” Dugan told the dog, but Piper scooted out the door ahead of him.

When he opened the door to his cruiser, Piper jumped into the passenger seat. “You’ll be bored out here all by yourself,” Dugan warned.

But Piper was perfectly happy. Dugan would have sworn the stupid dog grinned again.

“At least you smell better,” he said, starting the engine. Earlier, he’d taken Piper to see Jane Parr, who raised Cocker Spaniels and occasionally groomed dogs.

Dugan had to admit Piper looked a hundred percent better. His black hair fairly gleamed. Even his toenails were clipped. “Don’t get used to it,” Dugan warned.

Piper kept on grinning.

It took only a few minutes to get to Grace’s. Something was different tonight. Kate’s car wasn’t in its usual spot. Dugan looked at his watch. It was eight-thirty.

Had she left town? His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach.

No. She would never leave Grace as long as Grace needed her.

Maybe she’d been called back to Austin on some kind of emergency. But even then, she wouldn’t leave Grace.

A dim light shone in the rear of the house, nothing in the front. Would they leave a light on if Kate had taken Grace with her back to Austin?

Probably.

What if she had car trouble or the car was in the shop and she was inside watching TV with Grace?

Only one way to find out, you idiot, go to the door and knock.
His insides tightened. This was stupid. Why did he care so much anyway? Kate meant nothing to him now. No matter how he preached that to himself, he couldn’t stop the questions.

His legs heavy, Dugan slammed the door of the cruiser and started down the walk. Piper barked his disappointment. “What did I tell you?” he mumbled as he rang the doorbell.

In the back, lights flared a little brighter. Footsteps hurried to the door and Yogi barked his head off.

“Did you forget…?”

Ed stood there, his white hair slightly tousled, a startling gleam in his eyes. What had he interrupted? Was Kate right? Were Ed and Grace involved in a romance? He couldn’t quite wrap his mind around it.

Weren’t they
old
?

But Ed’s jaunty step plus the look on his face belied any argument Dugan could come up with.

“Figured it was Kate and she’d forgotten her key,” Ed explained, running a hand through his hair.

“Just me,” Dugan said.

“Come in.”

Ed held the door open. Dugan stepped around him and into the foyer. From the back, Grace called out, “Is that you, Katie-Girl?”

“It’s Dugan, Grace,” Ed called back.

Dugan followed Ed into the den and took in the situation immediately. A kick in his rear that sent him right out the door would be appropriate about now. A candle burned low on an end table where two glasses of wine sat next to a plate of cheese and crackers, a bowl of fruit next to it.

How dumb could he be?

“Sorry. Just wanted to see how you were, but I can see you’re just fine.” He backed up, ready to run.

Grace laughed. To Dugan, it sounded young and flirtatious, not old at all. She looked festive in her pink cast and brightly polished nails.

The back door slammed. Kate! Yogi barked again and ran to greet her.

Too late to run, but he’d give it a try.

“I’d better go. Piper’s in the cruiser.”

“You should have brought him in,” Grace said. “Introduce him to Yogi.”

“Not a good idea, Gram,” Kate disagreed, as she walked in and gave Grace a kiss on the cheek. “He smells.”

“Does not.”

“Last time I saw him he looked as if he could use some help.”

“Had him groomed,” Dugan growled.

Kate dipped her head, but not before he saw the smile.

Okay, he was a sucker.

She looked wonderful. A sense of purpose about her he hadn’t seen before made him look again. In her arms she held a laptop computer plus a file of some kind. What was she up to?

“Katie-Girl has found a way to stay busy. She’s happier when she can work.”

“Work?” In Austin? If not, what happened to her job there?

Kate flipped on the light in the unused living room that didn’t look like a living room anymore. A desk sat against the far wall and faced the room. She dropped the file and computer on it. The couch was shoved against the opposite wall; a couple of chairs, separated by a small table were in the corner.

She’d hung a copy of her law degree on the wall. He’d bet it was the same one Grace showed everyone for months after Kate passed the bar.

“Do you plan to practice law in Oaktree?” Kate was staying? His heart thudded so hard he hoped he didn’t pass out.

This wasn’t good. He wanted her to leave so he could get back the life he was used to. Then he could forget her. Forget he wanted to see her, be with her. It would be impossible if she stayed.

“It’s temporary. I wanted to make myself useful while Gram recuperates.”

“Katie-Girl can’t sit still. I’m the same way. I’m getting lazy with nothing to do. I’m ready to do a few things around here.”

“Not anytime soon,” Ed warned.

“Just because I ran an ad doesn’t mean I’ll be too busy to take care of you, Gram.”

Kate was hanging out her shingle?

Damn.

He looked at her, at the confidence in her stance, her beauty. Her dark hair wasn’t as straight and polished as it had been when she arrived, but curled around her face like it once did. The look on her face told him she looked forward to this venture. Would it become permanent? Would they be forced into each other’s orbit once more? Mentally, he shook his head. Right now, he didn’t know how he felt about it.

Seeing each other on a regular basis could be a disaster.

****

Ed kissed Gram goodnight and left right behind Dugan. When the two women were alone Kate helped Gram get ready for bed. “Ed makes you happy, doesn’t he?”

“Umm…hum.”

“Once upon a time, Dugan made me happy. I’m not proud of it, but I ran from his love. You’re not going to drive Ed away, are you?”

Gram turned troubled eyes to Kate. Uncertainty stared back. “I’ve thought about it.”

“Why? It’s obvious you love one another.”

“You and Dugan still love one another and look at the two of you. It’s as if you’re on opposite sides of a cliff. You want each other, but can’t seem to connect.”

What? She still cared for Dugan. But love? It wasn’t a big leap. However, it was one she wouldn’t even consider—couldn’t.

Her earlier thought that she could give Erik another chance and say yes to his proposal was a delusion. She didn’t love him. Period. So she’d just as well be honest with herself and with him. As soon as he got here, she’d do just that.

“That’s different. Besides, Dugan and I are just friends.”
Trying
to be friends again would be more truthful.

“Not so, but to your question. I like the way things are. Ed makes me feel like a queen. I’m not sure I want to take the next step at my age.”

“Poo! Who said age had anything to do with love?” Every negative thought disappeared in the face of what was so evident between Ed and Gram.

“What would the town think? Their former sheriff and Grace Stockwell? We’d be the talk of the town.”

“So? Be the talk of the town. Do them good to have something nice to talk about for a change.” It would also take their minds off her and Dugan. If one more person asked if the two of them were getting back together, she just might lose her manners and yell. Didn’t they realize Mary Jo was still in the picture? Didn’t they know how angry Dugan was at Kate? How she had a strong feeling he wanted her to leave his town?

Since Molly had told her how the town was taking sides, Kate would love to give them a real romance to talk about.

She tucked Gram into bed. “You’re all set; glass of water, Tylenol if you need it, remote if you want to watch TV. What else?”

“I’m good, Katie-Girl. Go to bed. Don’t worry about me.”

She bent, kissed Gram’s cheek. “I love you, Gram. I just want you to get back to yourself.”

“So you can leave again?”

“Austin is where I live, Gram.” She wasn’t sure though. Wasn’t sure she wanted to step back into the turmoil Erik was sure to create. Actually, she wasn’t sure about anything. How could she explain her uncertainties to Gram when she couldn’t explain them to herself?

“You like it here, don’t you?”

Kate forced her mind back to the present. “Of course I do.”

“Then think about staying.”

“I will. If you want anything or need me, just call out, I’ll hear you.” Gram was being insistent, but could she stay? Could she see Dugan every day—see that anger and hurt simmering beneath the surface? Be reminded every day of what she’d done to him?

“Think about what I said.”

Kate went to her office.

One client already and there was a deeper sense of accomplishment than at Walton and Associates after dozens of cases. Was it because she was on her own?

Or was it because she was in Oaktree where her heart was?

Or was it because Dugan was right down the road?

An hour later, she shut off the light and went to her room. Before she made it to the bed, Yogi and Heidi were waiting for her. “You two,” she said with affection. “What would I do without you?”

She curled under the covers, hoping she could make Erik understand. The last thing she wanted was to create another wrong.

Chapter Seven

Erik rang the doorbell at eleven o’clock the next morning. Earlier, Kate had put on jeans and a T-shirt, brushed her hair and applied a little lipstick. Maybe if he saw the real Kate, he wouldn’t be so upset when she told him she wouldn’t marry him.

She opened the door and ushered him inside. Yogi jumped and barked until she made him leave the room.

“Don’t think your dog likes me.”

Kate chuckled. “She doesn’t like strangers. Period.”

“You don’t look the same, Kate. How could you change that much in nine days?”

“This is the real me, Erik. You’ve only seen the professional me.”

At the entrance to her office, he stopped. “What’s all this?”