Just One Kiss (Fool's Gold #10)(81)

While he could have found his way himself, he liked having her around. Liked being with her.

She pointed to the clearing. “The land you’re interested in starts over there. I remember a fence, I think. It was old back then, so it might not be standing now.”

He walked next to her, shortening his stride to match hers. She grinned.

“We used to play truth or dare.”

He laughed. “Which did you pick?”

“Mostly dare, which was silly considering I’m not very brave. One time the dare was to run around the camp naked, but I couldn’t do it, even though there were only girls here. I kept my underwear on.” Her gaze settled on his face. “You would have run naked.”

“Probably.”

“It’s a guy thing, right?”

He stopped. She did the same.

“What?” she asked.

He touched her cheek, then her mouth, brushing his thumb across her lower lip.

She might be close to thirty, a single mother and a successful businesswoman, but she was still so damned innocent. Untouched by horror. She’d been through tough times, but the very essence of who she was remained pure. He drew back, aware there was blood on his hands. Perhaps sanctioned, perhaps necessary, but the stains would never wash out.

“Justice? Are you okay?”

“No.”

He wasn’t worthy. A ridiculous concept, yet completely honest. He would never be worthy, never be right. She deserved so much more. He wondered about Felicia’s question. Did Patience love him? Could she? Not if she knew the truth.

“There are things in my past. Things I’ve done.”

“I know.”

“You don’t. If I told you, everything would change.”

She placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. “You killed people. You’re right. I don’t know the details and I don’t have to. I know you.”

“It can’t be that simple.”

She smiled. “Of course it is.”

* * *

PATIENCE PICKED UP her glass of wine and took a sip. The day had been long, but happy. Her feet hurt and her back ached, but all the discomfort was worth it. She was doing forty percent more business than she’d projected. The merchandise had become a significant part of her bottom line. With the tourist season just beginning, she would have several months of excellent sales to carry her through the quieter months.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and figured her mother would be home any minute. Justice was still out with Angel and had told Patience he would be late. Lillie was spending the night with a friend. So for now, it was just her.

She leaned back against the sofa, enjoying the quiet. There wasn’t much silence in her life. Between work and her daughter and everything else she had to get done, she was running all the time.

Busy, she thought with a smile, and happy. So happy. She was in one of those perfect times, when her family was healthy and doing well. She had the store and she had Justice.

Loving him was a little scary—she knew he might not feel the same way, and even if he did, there was no guarantee, but that was okay. She liked that she’d fallen in love. It meant she’d healed enough to give her heart again. That she was willing to trust a man with her world. Even if he broke her heart, she would always have this mental health moment, and that was very satisfying.

She’d been through a lot. From her disastrous relationship with Ned, to figuring out how to be a good mom to Lillie and a good daughter and occasional caretaker for her mom, to having her dream come true. She remembered reading somewhere that luck was all about opportunity and preparation. She’d never gotten that before, but she understood it now. While Great-Aunt Becky’s bequest had provided the money to start her own business, Patience had been ready. She’d taken classes and built her business plan. She knew exactly what she wanted to do, and when she had the chance, she simply had to take the steps. She was proud of herself, she thought happily.

So many of her friends were accomplished. Charlie, who excelled in what was traditionally a man’s world. Annabelle, who last year had put her mind to raising enough money to buy the library a bookmobile and then had done it. Heidi, who had started with nothing and grown a goat-based empire and now sold her soaps and cheeses all over the world. Isabel, too, recovering from a divorce and still planning to fulfill her dreams.

Her new friends, Noelle and Felicia, were just as strong. She was surrounded by women who knew how to achieve their dreams. Patience was pleased to be in a place where she felt as though she had done the same.

The front door opened and her mother walked in. Ava used her cane tonight, but was still smiling happily as she stepped into the living room. She spotted the second glass of wine by the bottle and sighed.

“I raised you right, didn’t I?”

Patience laughed. “Yes, you did. How was your date?”

“Lovely. We had a quiet dinner at Angelo’s. If my metabolism would support it, I would have pasta every single night.”

Patience was about to ask what she’d ordered when she realized there was something different about her mother. Not in her physical appearance, she thought. Ava was wearing exactly what she had been when she left, but there was a light...no, a glow. She straightened.

“What is it?” she asked as her mother approached the sofa. “What happened?”