Kitabı oku: «The Best Bride», sayfa 3

Chapter Three

Travis left Mandy at the sheriff’s office in the center of Glenwood and walked past his patrol car to Elizabeth’s white car parked on the street. The T-bird started instantly. He shifted into gear and checked the mirrors before pulling out and heading for the motel.

Within ten minutes, he stood inside the small rented room, staring at the suitcases stacked in the corner and at the personal items scattered around. A pair of high heels poked out from under the bed. A yellow blouse rested over the back of a chair. The faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. He sniffed appreciatively. He missed having a woman living with him.

His wife had left both him and Glenwood three years ago, returning to town only long enough to sign the divorce papers and wish him well with his life. He didn’t resent her or the split. He should have known better than to marry. Haynes men didn’t make good husbands or fathers. He came from a long line of men who failed at marriage. But he’d wanted to prove his father, brothers and uncles wrong, so he’d married the pretty, dark-haired woman he’d met in college. She’d been shy but quick-witted—and hot as hell in bed. All the ingredients had been there. Still the marriage had fizzled and he’d learned his lesson firsthand. Haynes men made great cops, but lousy family men.

Travis placed an open suitcase on the bed. He folded Mandy’s nightgown and picked up her toys. In the bathroom, an open cosmetic bag sat next to the sink. He collected the compacts, tubes and brushes on the counter and placed them into the bag, stopping long enough to pick up a bottle of perfume and sniff the cap. He would have thought Elizabeth Abbott to be the floral type, but the aroma was spicy. Not overpowering, just intriguing. He dropped the bottle in with the other cosmetics.

After checking the shower and behind the door for clothes, he returned to the bedroom and packed up the remaining items. A white cotton nightgown had been carelessly tossed over a dresser. He folded it carefully, noticing the row of tiny buttons up the front and the lace ruffle around the neck and arms.

He could see Elizabeth in something like this. It would fall about midcalf on her. Not the least bit sexy; the cotton wasn’t see-through. And yet—

He brushed his thumb over the soft cloth. There were always plenty of women around him. Just because he wasn’t good husband material didn’t mean he wasn’t a great date and an accomplished flirt. But he’d liked living with a woman. He missed the day-to-day familiarities, the verbal shorthand, the slow, sensual sex that could take hours. There’d been no need to hurry; he and Julie were supposed to have had a lifetime.

“Getting soft, Haynes,” he muttered, then shoved the nightgown into the suitcase.

He opened drawers and pulled out clothes, ignoring the feel of the lacy panties and bras, quickly filling the luggage. When everything was packed, he loaded the trunk of the car and paid the motel bill. Then he headed for the hospital.

He didn’t know what he was going to say when he saw her. If she’d made other plans, he would drive her to where she was going and be done with her. If she hadn’t, she was coming home with him. There was no way in hell he was going to let her and Mandy tough it out in that tiny motel for the next three weeks. Tough it out, hell. They would starve.

As Travis walked down the hospital corridor he wondered which it would be. He’d left her sputtering yesterday when he’d made his announcement that he intended to take her to his place. Last night, when he’d called to let Mandy talk to her mother, Elizabeth had been coolly insistent that she was not his problem. Louise had told him to use the famous Haynes charm, but he hadn’t felt right about sweet-talking Elizabeth into anything.

He reached her door and pushed it open. She sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in the same shorts and tank top she’d been wearing Friday. Her hair was freshly washed and hanging loose about her shoulders in a mass of shining brown waves. A wisp of bangs reached almost to her eyebrows.

She was trying to pull on socks and didn’t see him in the doorway. She bent down to slip on her socks, but she only got halfway there before grunting in pain and straightening. She raised her left foot toward her right knee, but that action caused her to clutch her side.

“Of course you’d rather rip out your stitches than ask for help,” he said from his place in the doorway. He pushed back his Stetson and walked into the room.

She looked up and stared at him. Faint color stained her cheeks. “I’m not leaving with you,” she said flatly.

“Fine. Where are you going?”

“Back to the motel.” Fire flashed in her brown eyes. “I’ve already called for a cab.”

He walked forward slowly, stopping when he was in front of her. Even sitting on the hospital bed, she had to tip her head back to meet his gaze.

“Not while I’m around,” he said, folding his arms over his chest. “This isn’t Los Angeles, Elizabeth. It’s a small town, and it’s Labor Day weekend. Most of the businesses are closed, including the restaurants. How are you going to feed Mandy? There’s no kitchen in your motel room. Is she registered for school?”

Elizabeth slowly shook her head.

“Who’s going to do that? Who’s going to walk her to her class on the first day? Even if you find take-out places to deliver food, do you have the cash to pay for it, or are you going to have Mandy go to the bank to get more money?”

“Stop it,” she said softly. “Just stop it.”

Defeat darkened her eyes and made her shoulders slump forward. He felt like a heel, but there was more at stake here than her pride.

“You’ve got to think of Mandy,” he said, perching next to her on the bed.

“She’s all I have thought of. I’ve lain in this bed thinking about nothing else.” She brushed her bangs off her forehead. “I just wanted to make a fresh start.”

“You have. So things aren’t going exactly as you planned them. It could be worse.”

“Yeah?” She turned her head to look at him. “How?”

He grinned. “It could be raining.”

A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. “I happen to like rain.”

“Sit back,” he said, jerking his head toward the pillows.

“Why?”

He leaned forward until his face was inches from hers. He was close enough to see three faint freckles on her nose, close enough to inhale the scent of her body. It wasn’t that spicy perfume, but it was still mighty appealing. Close enough to see the rise and fall of her breasts under her red tank top. Close enough to study the shape of her full mouth and feel the stirrings in his body. Women of all ages, shapes and sizes got his attention, but when the lady in question came in a package this tempting, it was hard to think about anything else.

It was part of his job, he told himself. He would have taken her in if she’d been a fifty-year-old man with grandkids. Yeah, he would have taken her in, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.

“Do it,” he growled.

She scrambled away from him and leaned against the pillows, drawing her legs up onto the bed. He grabbed one ankle and set her heel on his thigh. She started to pull away. He clamped down.

“You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met,” he said, slipping the sock over her foot.

She had small feet, and her toenails were polished a bright pink, he noticed as he slid on her athletic shoe and tightened the laces. Trim ankles and a nice tan. He thought briefly about tan lines, where they would start and end and what color her pale breasts would be, then he told himself he was on duty and to can the sexual interest.

He put that foot down on the bed and grabbed the other one. When he pulled the sock over her instep, his thumb brushed against her skin. She jumped and giggled. He looked up. “Ticklish?”

“Very.” Her smile faded. “Thank you for everything.” He studied her for a moment. “I live in a big old house on the edge of town. Six bedrooms. I’m restoring it. There’s a yard and a playroom and a lock on the bedroom door. I’ll charge you twenty bucks a night if it makes you feel better. When you can move around, you can cook me dinner on the nights my housekeeper doesn’t work, because I’m damn tired of frozen dinners zapped in my microwave. If you still feel guilty, you can even do my laundry. Louise will be thrilled. In three weeks, when you can drive, you can move into your own place and we’ll part friends. Deal?”

She searched his face as if trying to see what he got out of the offer. He wanted to tell her it was just his job, but he knew deep in his heart he would be lying. He would have made the offer if she’d been old and bald and male, but he wouldn’t have wanted her to say yes so badly. It was, he realized with a touch of chagrin, his way of playing house. He would never have a family of his own, so for three weeks, he could pretend.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” she said slowly, “it’s just that—”

“You don’t trust me.”

She stared down at her hands. “I’m sorry. It’s not personal.”

“You don’t have a choice, darlin’. I’m the best of a bad situation. Where else are you going to go?”

She bit her lower lip, then looked at him. The raw pain in her eyes made him straighten. It wasn’t about physical discomfort, he thought, wanting to turn away, but unable to tear his gaze from hers. It was about some secret in her past. She’d said she’d come to Glenwood to make a fresh beginning. He understood that. Lots of people left places to start over. But she’d left something mean and ugly behind. Something big enough to make her not trust anyone. A man. He wondered what the bastard had done to her.

She nodded once. “If it wasn’t for Mandy, I’d say no, but you’re right. I don’t have a choice. She’s the most important part of my life. I accept your offer.” She held out her hand, then drew it back. “But I won’t do your laundry.”

He laughed. “Deal.” They shook hands. He finished putting on her other shoe, then stood up. “I’ll tell the nurse you’re ready to go.”

Elizabeth watched him leave. In his cowboy boots and Stetson hat, he looked more like a cow town lawman than the sheriff in a sleepy California town. She wanted to trust him. Desperately. She sat up straight and shifted to the edge of the bed. It wasn’t possible. She would never trust any man again. Worse, she would never trust herself.

Travis was right. He was her best choice. Right now her options were extremely limited. But when she could drive and move into her rented house, she would pay him what she owed him and disappear from his life.

She heard conversation in the hall. Travis came in, followed by a nurse pushing a wheelchair.

“All set?” he asked.

“Yes.” She stood up and stepped toward the wheelchair. When she was settled, he put the small bag containing her personal belongings on her lap and pushed her out of the room.

She was surprised to see the T-bird parked in front of the hospital. “This is my car.”

“I know. Did you want to go home in the patrol car? You’re just like your daughter. She’s always trying to trick me into using the siren.”

She laughed. “I don’t need a siren. I’m just surprised. I was afraid my car was still parked on the side of the road.”

He set the brake on the wheelchair and opened the passenger door. “I had it moved to the sheriff’s station. Not that we get much car theft up here.”

She stood up slowly. He offered his hand and she took it. His fingers felt warm and strong as he guided her toward the car.

“Watch your head, darlin’,” he said, wrapping his other arm around her waist and easing her down.

The incision pulled slightly and she winced. “I’m fine,” she said, before he could ask. She looked up at his eyes and the thick, dark lashes framing them. For a heartbeat, his gaze dropped to her mouth. She had a fleeting thought that he was going to kiss her, and her body tensed in anticipation. Then he stepped back and the feeling disappeared, leaving her surprisingly disappointed.

What was wrong with her? she asked herself as Travis gave the nurse the wheelchair, then came around to the driver’s side of the car. She wasn’t interested in him or in any man. Dear God, hadn’t she learned the biggest lesson of all?

Travis didn’t glance at her as he slid inside. She wondered if he’d seen the expectation in her face. Embarrassment filled her. She slumped in the seat and closed her eyes.

Something warm brushed across her breasts. She jumped and her eyes flew open.

“Seat belt,” Travis said, pulling the belt down and locking it into place.

She stared at him and her heart fluttered foolishly. He’d simply bumped her when he’d grabbed for the restraining device. Why me? she wondered and sighed.

“I thought we’d go straight to the house,” he said, tossing his Stetson to the back seat. “I want to get you settled. Mandy is at the park with Kyle.”

“Kyle?”

He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. “One of my deputies and my youngest brother. She’s already twisted him around her little finger.”

“How do you know?”

Travis shot her a grin. “When he left the office, he turned on his siren. Something tells me that was Mandy’s doing.”

“She can be stubborn.”

“I guess she gets that from her mother.”

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but he was staring at the road. She relaxed in the seat and watched as he drove through the small town. As they neared the park, traffic became heavy. She saw families walking together. Her stomach clenched, not from the surgery, but from envy and regret. She and Mandy should have been part of a family like that. It had all been taken away from them. Stolen. She stared out the window and willed the tears away. No. Not stolen. They’d never had it in the first place. It had all been a lie.

As they passed the duck pond, she saw the motel. “Wait, I have to get my things.”

“Already done,” he said, not bothering to stop. “I went there this morning and checked you out. Your suitcases are in the trunk.”

She didn’t know whether to thank him or yell at him for invading her personal space.

“Before you get huffy and start hollering at me,” he said, as if he could read her mind, “I knew you would want your things with you even if you’d made other plans. So I didn’t assume you would take me up on my offer.”

It took too much energy to get angry, so she simply leaned back in the seat and went along for the ride. He’d been right. She couldn’t have made it work at the motel. They passed a sheriff’s car parked on the side of the road by the park. Elizabeth looked around but she didn’t see Mandy.

“When will Kyle bring her back?” she asked.

“I’ll bring her home about four-thirty. There’s a parade today, and a big barbecue. Games for the kids. I thought she might enjoy it and you need the rest. I’m going to have to drop you off then head back to the park myself. Have to make an appearance. Between Kyle and myself, we’ll keep an eye on Mandy. Louise is off until Monday so you should have plenty of peace and quiet.”

He entered a tree-lined residential area. Elizabeth recognized it from her house hunting. He drove around the high school and along a narrow two-lane road she’d never been on before. The houses got larger and farther apart from each other on oversize lots.

“You mentioned Kyle was your youngest brother,” she said. “How many are there?”

“Four, counting me. Craig is the oldest, then me, then Jordan and then Kyle.”

“So Kyle is a deputy. Are you all cops?”

“It’s a family tradition. My dad used to be the sheriff in Glenwood. All his brothers are in police work. Jordan is the only rebel. He’s a fire fighter up in Sacramento.”

“A real black sheep.”

Travis grinned. “We give him a hard time about it. Yup, the Haynes family grows boys and cops. Not a girl in the last four generations. What about you?”

“I’m an only child.”

“Too bad.”

“Why? It’s all I know. My parents were older when I was born and they only wanted one child.”

“They got a pretty one.”

Elizabeth chuckled. This man could charm milk out of a snake. She would do well to remember talk was cheap. But she had to admit Travis Haynes had a certain amount of style to recommend him, and his heart was in the right place. She resisted glancing at his firm body so close to hers in the confines of the car. From what she had seen, everything else was in the right place, too. But the last thing she needed was to get involved with a heartbreaker. Her heart hadn’t recovered from what Sam had done.

They pulled off the road and onto a long driveway. Maple trees and oaks grew on either side of the path. Up ahead she saw a peaked roof, and more trees. Then the path curved around and they drove up into a clearing and parked in front of a beautiful three-story house.

He’d told her he was restoring an old house, but he hadn’t said it was a mansion. Big windows opened up onto a wide front lawn. A porch wrapped around the front. The columns holding up the porch covering had been painted white, as was all the trim. The rest of the building was dove gray, soft and light in the morning sunshine.

“You could get lost in there,” she said, staring at the masterpiece.

“I did, the first couple of days. Stay in that seat and don’t even think about moving.”

He got out of the car and came around to her side. He opened the door, then helped her to her feet. Before she could take a step, he bent over and slid one arm behind her back and the other under her thighs.

“What are you doing?” she asked even as he lifted her against his chest. Elizabeth grabbed his shoulders to maintain her balance.

“And here I thought you were smarter than that.” He started toward the house.

Her face bumped against his shoulder, and she could smell his masculine scent. He’d shaved only a couple of hours before, so his neck was smooth. She fought the urge to nestle against him. “Travis, put me down. I can walk.”

He ignored her. There were four steps up to the porch. He climbed those easily and headed for the front door. She held on, ignoring the way her right breast flattened against his chest and the heated strength of his body. She was wearing shorts so the arm under her legs touched bare skin. Each of his fingers seemed to be leaving a warm imprint on her flesh. She thought about struggling, but her side hurt and she was tired of fighting. Instead, she gave herself up to the feeling of being safe and protected.

When he opened the front door and stepped inside, she stared at the beautiful interior and caught her breath. He had told the truth when he’d said he was restoring the house. Several of the walls had been stripped but not painted or papered. There wasn’t a rug on the wooden floor, and she could see the pile of tools next to the front door.

But none of that mattered. He released his arm and she slid to the ground. Instead of moving away from him, she leaned against him and looked around. A crystal chandelier hung in the foyer. The cut glass caught the sunlight and diffused it into a hundred tiny rainbows. The long staircase swept up to the second story where it split and circled around both sides. Arched doorways led to high-beamed rooms. A giant fireplace filled one wall of the parlor to her left, while on the right, a study with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves held sheet-covered furniture.

“Wow.” She looked at him. “You live here?” He shrugged. “Yeah.”

“All by yourself?”

“I do now. I was married when I bought the place. Some people have a baby to try and save their marriage. Julie and I bought this house.” The humor left his brown eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “Don’t be. There were no hard feelings. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. Julie and I kept bumping into each other on the curves. Hell, it was no one’s fault. Cops don’t make good husbands and neither do Haynes men. I had no business trying.”

She was about to ask why when he collected her in his arms again and started down the hallway next to the stairs.

“I’m going to put you in here,” he said, using his shoulder to push open a door. “There’s an attached bathroom. It’s small, but I didn’t think you’d want to hassle with the stairs.”

Even though she hadn’t moved much since leaving the hospital, her side was already aching. “You’re right.”

A double bed stood next to a window looking out on the side garden where roses had grown into a tangled disarray of blossoms. A single nightstand and a long dresser took up the rest of the space in the room. There was a half-open door and she could see through to a bathroom.

“This will be perfect,” she said.

“Mandy’s been sleeping upstairs.” He set her on her feet. “She can stay there, or I can dig up a cot for her in here. It would be a little crowded, but—”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Mandy is happy where she is.”

“I’ll go get your luggage.” He disappeared back the way they’d come.

Elizabeth settled on the bed and touched her healing incision. Just three days ago she’d arrived in Glenwood, hoping to make a fresh start. Many things hadn’t worked out the way she’d planned, but they were getting better. She could feel it. She had to get on with her life. It was the only way to put the past behind her.

* * *

Travis looked at the empty plate on the table, then at Elizabeth. “Are you done?”

She laughed and patted her stomach. “Yes, thanks. It was wonderful. Here you had me believe you didn’t know how to cook.”

“I’m okay with omelets,” he said, and carried the plates over to the counter. “And I know my way around a barbecue, but other than that, it’s just me and the microwave.”

“I can make French toast,” Mandy announced proudly from her place opposite her mother.

“I know, darlin’. You made it for me this morning.”

“How long did it take you to clean up the mess?” Elizabeth asked.

Travis rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. “About an hour.”

She looked at him and smiled. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

“I found eggshells everywhere.”

“He ate four pieces,” Mandy said.

“Good,” Elizabeth said, but he could see she was more tired than enthused. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her smile wasn’t as bright as it had been that morning when he’d brought her to the house.

He wiped his hands and turned toward the table. The kitchen had been the first room he’d remodeled. That had been before Julie had left. She’d picked out the cream tiles edged in blue flowers, and she’d been the one to insist on bleached oak cabinets. He’d wanted a more traditional kitchen but he had to admit her taste had been better than his. The rectangular room was bright and airy, despite an overabundance of storage and the large subzero refrigerator and six-burner range.

“Mandy, let’s put your mama to bed. Then you can help me clean up.”

“But it’s early yet,” Elizabeth said.

“You’re dead on your feet.”

“I can’t be. After you left, I had a nap. I’ve only been up for—” she glanced at her watch “—three hours.” She punctuated her observation with a yawn.

Mandy laughed. “You’re tired, Mommy.”

“I guess I am.” Elizabeth braced her arms on the table and slowly pushed herself to her feet. Travis moved closer, but she waved him off. “I made it to the kitchen under my own power, I think I can make it back.”

“Have it your way.”

She took small steps. Mandy dogged her heels, and he brought up the rear, ready to jump to the rescue in case she slipped. Her nap wasn’t the only thing she’d done while he was gone all afternoon. She’d also showered and changed clothes.

The shorts and tank top had been replaced by a loose-fitting summer dress. It dipped low in front and back and, as he had served his famous vegetable omelet, he got a flash of cleavage. He hadn’t seen where the tan ended and her pale skin began, but the peek had more than stirred his interest. He’d spent most of dinner giving himself a stern talking-to.

Elizabeth was his guest. Despite his claim to want to be paid for the room, he would no more take her money than he would hurt Mandy. He was simply temporary shelter and the only friend she had in town. He couldn’t take advantage of her, or the situation. It wasn’t right. If he wanted a woman, there were plenty in town to oblige him. He’d never once had a problem finding company.

As she turned down the hallway, the last rays of sun caught the thick braid hanging down to her shoulder blades. Her hair gleamed with rich color, brown and gold with a hint of red, so different from Mandy’s pale blond hair. Had Elizabeth’s hair once been that color, turning darker with age, or had Mandy inherited her hair color from her father?

They reached the bedroom. Elizabeth sank onto the bed and smiled at her daughter. “I’m going to rest here for a few minutes before I get ready to sleep. Why don’t you kiss me good-night now and then go help Travis in the kitchen.”

Mandy reached up and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you, too, honey.”

“I’m glad you’re not in that old hospital anymore. Tomorrow can you come upstairs and look at my room?”

“We’ll see.” Elizabeth stroked her daughter’s head, then glanced at Travis. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.”

“Just being neighborly,” he said from his place in the doorway.

“Hardly, but I do appreciate everything.” She motioned to the room, and then smiled at her daughter. “I don’t know what I would have done—”

He cut her off. “All you should worry about now is getting better. Leave the rest of it alone. Come on, Mandy. Your mother needs to sleep.” He held out his hand.

Mandy looked from him to her mother. “But, Travis, aren’t you going to kiss Mommy good-night, too?”