Treasure on Lilac Lane: A Jewell Cove Novel (23 page)

“It’s nothing, just a few split knuckles.”

Josh gaped. “You managed to get in a fistfight going to the store for ice cream? Who the heck with?”

Rick met Jess’s gaze. How could they not answer questions? And yet answering them meant giving explanations. Was she ready for that?

Rick nodded a little, urging her on. “I think you need to tell them. They need to know what’s happening, and why.”

And all Jess wanted to do was pretend it
wasn’t
happening. But she knew he was probably right. It wasn’t like they were going to get out of the afternoon without some sort of explanation.

“There’s something I need to tell you all,” she said, feeling a little sick to her stomach from simple nerves. “Maybe Matt and Suzie can look after Alice for a bit?”

Meggie looked alarmed, and so did Aunt Barb. “Josh, why don’t you get the guys,” Rick suggested. “Sarah, why don’t we dish out the pie and sit down?”

Jess was grateful to Rick for taking charge. Barb went to get Mary and Jess heard her offer the kids a few dollars apiece for looking after the baby for a while. Before long everyone had pie and they were sitting around the table. But no one was eating. Jess sat at the head, and without saying a word Rick pulled up a chair and sat beside her in a unified show of support.

A long silence filled the room as Jess struggled to find the right words to say. Rick jumped in, leading off the discussion. “I busted up my hand today when I punched Mike Greer.”

Jaws dropped all around the table.

Rick looked directly at Bryce. “If he comes to you asking for an assault charge, it’s okay. But I don’t think he will. He was pretty threatening and I’m sure he’d like to keep things under the radar. Just giving you the heads-up.”

“Holy crap,” Tom said, frowning. “I never took you for the jealous type, man. I mean, Jess and Mike were over a long time ago.”

Jess’s fingers twisted beneath the table. Clearly everyone did think that she and Rick were a couple. She’d address that later. One revelation at a time.

“It wasn’t jealousy,” Jess said, her voice catching and she cleared her throat. “Mike got in my face. He tried to intimidate me.”

“But you’ve been broken up for years,” Meggie insisted. “Surely he’s over that by now.”

Jess looked over at Josh, whose eyes were soft with understanding.

Rick’s hand slipped over to her thigh and squeezed reassuringly.

She lifted her chin, determined not to look down this time. “When Mike and I were dating … when we moved into the cottage…” Big inhale, long exhale. She could do this. “He was abusive. I didn’t want to face it. I got used to making excuses for him. And he could be so charming. I actually started to believe things were my fault. But then there came a point where I knew I couldn’t stand it anymore. Problem was, I didn’t quite know how to get out of the situation. He was everywhere. My whole family is here. To escape him I would have had to leave Jewell Cove, and yet staying in the same town with him was unthinkable. We got in a fight one night and he…”

She broke off. Fought for air. There wasn’t a sound from the group around the table. They all seemed stunned into silence. Rick’s hand was still on her thigh, though, and when she looked at her brother he gave a small encouraging nod.

“He came at me with a knife.”

Those words unleashed a flurry of responses, both of dismay and anger from her family. She looked over at Rick. He looked down at her tummy and then back up into her face, questioning. He remembered, then. Remembered asking her about the scar the first night they’d made love. This was the part he hadn’t known. She gave a nearly imperceptible nod, and his gaze swiveled to Josh. Jess watched as the two men communicated silently. It wasn’t hard to figure out what was being said.

“Okay, okay,” she said, raising her hands. “Look, I’m fine now. That was the night Mike left town. Mom, remember how I called and said we’d broken up and I was with friends for a few days?”

Meggie nodded, her fingers over her lips. “You sounded so strange. I was relieved the relationship was over, you know. There was always something about Mike that didn’t sit quite right, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Oh, honey. I wish I’d known. I could have helped you…”

“Josh helped me. He interrupted us that night and took care of Mike. Josh is the reason Mike left town. Then Josh stitched me up and drove me to a shelter until I was ready to come home again.”

Rick didn’t know all of this either. She felt his gaze on her face as he asked, “The shelter … that’s the real reason you know the director there, right?”

She nodded. “That’s right. Catherine looked after me and got me the help I needed.”

Josh leaned forward and interrupted the group. “Getting back to Rick. I’m assuming you ran into Mike today?”

Jess nodded. “We all know how sick his mother is and that they moved her back here for her last days. Mike and Pam are both home for the holiday. I was hoping to avoid seeing him at all, but no such luck.”

“He was a total asshole,” Rick put in. “All charm and smiles and veiled threats. When it was clear he was trying to intimidate Jess, I stepped in.” He lifted his hand. “It was worth it. He needs to know she’s not alone this time. This is why you all need to know what happened. Maybe he was just blowing off steam. But I think it would be good if Jess’s family had her back.”

There were murmurs of approval around the table. “Of course we will,” Abby said staunchly. “Whatever you need, Jess, you let us know.”

“Thanks, everyone,” Jess answered, overwhelmed by the love and support around the table. “I’ll be fine, though. No need to fuss over me.”

“There’s every need,” Mark replied, and everyone around the table nodded. “Don’t minimize it, Jess.”

Aunt Barb nodded. “You don’t have to be strong all the time, you know.”

Jess’s lip wobbled a bit. Why had she waited so long? She should have had faith in her family. Should have trusted them to stand beside her.

Should have been less ashamed.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I love you guys.”

A few throats were cleared discreetly, and then Bryce folded his hands on top of the table in front of him. “Do you want a restraining order?”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Rick nodded in agreement.

Jess shifted in her chair and folded her arms. There was support and then there was taking over and that was exactly what she didn’t want. “Look, we all know how effective restraining orders are. It’s just a piece of paper.”

“But if there’s a restraining order, he’ll get busted if he comes around you and I doubt he wants to get arrested. Imagine how his mother would feel knowing her boy was in lockup for that?”

Jess waffled a bit. “That’s true, and I’m not saying I’m not open to the idea.” Indeed, the idea of taking proactive steps was bolstering. It felt better to be in control of a situation. But there were other things to consider. “I wouldn’t want to do that to Karen. She’s got enough on her plate with her illness, and this is about Mike, not her. Besides, I don’t feel like shouting my history around town like a town crier, you know? I’m sure Rick’s reminder was enough to make him back off. Let’s face it, it’s been years since we were together. He’s not really interested in me…”

“You think this is about interest?” Bryce interjected, his brows a hard line. “It’s not and you know it. It’s about control. He lost that control once. He could be really pissed about that.”

If Bryce was trying to scare her, it was working, no matter what she said out loud. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea …

“I’ll think about it,” she repeated. “Besides, I don’t think he’s home for long. There’s probably not much point.” At least that’s what she would continue to tell herself. She wouldn’t let him get to her again.

As she looked around the table, she saw ten members of her family with set expressions of resolve. Suddenly she didn’t feel so alone. Support was close by if she needed it. All those years ago she hadn’t wanted to worry anyone. Besides, her silence was part of the bargain for Mike leaving. It had been worth it.

That agreement no longer held up. Even if she understood the reason, he had come back to town and keeping quiet was no longer a requirement.

“Let’s just eat some pie, okay?” She forced a smile and picked up her fork, though eating was the last thing she wanted to do. “It’s Thanksgiving. We’re all healthy, we’re all together for the first time in ages, and it’s going to be fine.” She scooped up a bit of pecan pie and popped it in her mouth with far more enthusiasm than she felt.

For some reason she felt like she needed to make this okay for her family. That she had to show them that she was all right and could handle it.

The conversation was far more hushed, but they followed her lead. In the midst of the noise Rick leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Good job,” he said.

“Thanks.” Oddly enough, she did feel better. Maybe the old saying was right. Maybe confession was good for the soul.

C
HAPTER
17

It was six o’clock and dark by the time they finally left Sarah’s house. Rick’s hand was throbbing now; the ice pack long gone and the swelling in his knuckles back with a vengeance. Hitting someone in the face with bare knuckles was a lot different than in the movies. Jess pulled into his yard and put the car in park. “Sorry about this afternoon,” she said quietly.

He looked over at her. She was bundled into her fall coat with a soft scarf looped around her neck and matching gloves on her hands. When she’d invited him to dinner he’d had no idea that there’d be so much excitement.

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad I was there.”

“I’m glad you were, too.” She hesitated and then met his gaze. “Rick, I’m really sorry about how I acted last spring and stuff.”

He shook his head, pleased with the apology even though it wasn’t necessary. “I deserved it. I was a mess. Some days I still am.”

“But you’re handling it better.”

“Yeah, I am. I deserved the things you said, Jess. You were right. I think I just had to work through it.”

“I should have helped rather than criticize.”

He smiled then. Did she know how amazing she was? “And you think I would have taken help? I thought you knew me better than that.”

It got a smile out of her anyway. She laughed a little and agreed. “You’re right. Anyway, thank you. For standing up for me. For being beside me when I told everyone. Your support meant a lot.”

He ignored the pain in his hand and reached out, touching the side of her face. “I’ll always be there when you need me,” he replied.

“Rick, I…”

“Do you want to come in, Jess?”

Their gazes clung for a long moment. The heat in her gaze told him she understood what he was asking. What it meant. Something had changed between them today. Sex was one thing. Opening up to someone, having a relationship … that was something else entirely. But this was Jess. She already knew most of his secrets. And she was still sitting here. With him. What surprised him most was that he felt ready to take this next step.

“I think I’d like to come in. I think I’d like that very much.”

“Even after today? Even after seeing Mike? It had to bring back memories.” He understood that better than she might think. He had plenty of moments where the past snuck in and knocked him flat. Dreams about Kyle and the night he’d been beaten so badly. Dreams about the day of the firefight, right up to the moment when the grenade exploded and everything went dark. He knew it was all in the past, but it didn’t stop the reactions. They called it PTSD. He knew it wasn’t limited to soldiers.

Jess lifted her hand, too, and placed it on his face, mirroring his touch. “It did, yes, but you’re not him. I know that.” She paused. “You know, I didn’t want to tell the family. I guess I thought I deserved to deal with it on my own, kind of a punishment for being so stupid … so weak. By the time I understood it wasn’t my fault, I didn’t see any need to worry them. But you knew I needed to and you were right.” Jess leaned over the console and kissed him. “Thank you,” she murmured against his lips. “I feel so much better now.”

“Your family is pretty great.”

She smiled. “Yes, they are. And they care for you a lot.”

It was all the urging he needed. He got out of the car and went around to open her door. She left her empty and washed dishes in the back and only grabbed her purse, then took his hand as they walked to the house.

He let go of her hand long enough to get the keys from his pocket, and unlocked the door. Stepping into the kitchen, he flicked a switch, letting light into the darkened room.

It was barely seven o’clock. They hadn’t eaten dessert until four, after a huge meal midafternoon. He could suggest turning on the television, he supposed. Offer her something to drink. Tea. She liked tea, he remembered. Maybe he imagined sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to his bedroom, but the last thing he wanted was for her to think that was the only reason he’d asked her in.

“I can put on some tea if you like.”

She put down her purse and smiled softly at him. “Tea? Is that why you asked me in?”

His cheeks felt hot. What the hell? He was nervous and she looked as cool as a cucumber, smiling at him that way. He had no answer for her. Nothing that he could think of that didn’t sound utterly stupid or inappropriate.

She stepped up to him so they were face-to-face. “Are you nervous, Rick?”

“I shouldn’t be.”

“I’m glad you are.” She leaned forward and kissed him again, a feather-light touch of lips that stole his breath. “I’m glad you don’t take anything for granted.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself to take it slow and not rush anything. “Nothing should ever be taken for granted. It can disappear in the blink of an eye.”

“I know,” she murmured, her fingers teasing the hair at his temples. “But we’re here now.”

He swallowed. “I guess I wanted you to know that for me, it’s more than just sex. I just want to be with you, Jess. In whatever way you need.”

“I need to feel alive, Rick. I need to feel alive and strong and secure. I was hoping you could help me with that.”