Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(37)

Chapter 24


Piper


Piper and Colby spent two hours moving cots into the study of the Widows Park home so the fishermen would have a place to sleep. The water was starting to recede, but not enough for the old men to go home for a day or two.

The widows had figured everything out. The men would all sleep in the study. That way only one room in the manor would need to be thoroughly cleaned and fumigated when the men left.

Surprisingly, none of the men was offended by the announcement.

Colby had laughed when he’d asked if they had enough food for everyone. The widows had shown him their freezer and the pantry. “We’re from pioneer stock. We plan for trouble. We keep stuff we don’t even need, just in case. If we drive somewhere, even for a day, we pack enough food to last the journey, just in case the stores and Dairy Queens are closed.” Aunt Dee laughed. “I fear the habit is cell memory from the covered-wagon days.”

Colby didn’t argue. “My mother is the same way.” He turned to Piper. “I think I’ll go back to the station and check things out. You want to come along?”

“No,” she said, feeling like she was half-asleep and still standing. “I think I’ll eat an early supper and crash here. You’re welcome to come back and sleep in the study with the men.”

Colby frowned. He seemed to be listening to what she was not saying. This was his last night in Honey Creek and they were not sleeping together. Obviously not the way he’d planned, but she’d watched them slowly falling away from each other for two days.

I won’t be sleeping with him tonight circled in her mind like drain water. He’d had three nights to be with her. The first was great. Last night was duty. And now she felt she had to step out of the game they’d been playing. Maybe for a night. Maybe for good.

She was too tired and too upset to talk about it. “We’ll talk tomorrow morning. Stop by before you take off.”

“I’m heading back to Austin by dawn.” His words fell like a hammer.

She knew there was so much neither said. They’d argued earlier, but she couldn’t remember about what. Her being busy yesterday? Not saying goodbye when she’d left him sleeping? Not calling? Her driving? Him not coming home in three months?

None of that mattered really. How could such little things change anything between them? Their relationship was dying, not by a cannon shot, but by pinpricks.

Then one more little thing walked into her thoughts. He’d never said he loved her. He’d said he loved her body. He loved making love to her. He loved her laugh. But he’d never even whispered that he loved her.

“Good night, Colby,” she said as she opened the door. “Call if you have time for breakfast before you go.”

“Good night, Mayor.” He bowed slightly but his words seemed colder than the night air.

Piper watched him walk away, splashing water as he moved toward town. It was only a few blocks. She could have driven him. But she didn’t offer. She had too much pride. She didn’t even know what she’d done wrong, and somehow she had a feeling Colby felt the same way.

He was right about one thing. They both were their careers. Maybe that was why he never said the words she wanted so dearly to hear. He thought it would be easier when they had to walk away. He was a Texas Ranger. It wasn’t just his job. And she was the mayor.

But tonight, if only for a moment, she wanted to be his. Just his. She wanted him to be all hers with nothing between. One man and one woman who could get lost in each other.

Maybe it was pride or maybe a strong independence that wouldn’t allow her to let go and fall into his arms. She wanted to tell him she needed love as much as any woman, maybe more. He’d run through fire to save her but he couldn’t seem to talk to her.

No tears fell as she drove home. It was too late. Something inside her had already died.

The next morning when she drove past the fire station, his Harley, which had been parked at the back of the bay, was gone. She didn’t have to ask. She knew he was gone too.





Chapter 25


Jesse


As he picked up from the storm and welcomed horse after horse into his barn, Jesse’s thoughts were on Adalee. He wondered if she’d been afraid last night during the storm. The bakery was in the heart of town, but winds could have blown out windows, or her roof might have leaked. He could call the business number, but somehow that didn’t seem right. She might be with a customer or busy baking.

Besides, they were barely speaking friends. More like kissing friends.

He knew of no other way to check on her other than driving to town and walking into her bakery.

Jesse had spent two days trying to figure out what exactly had happened in the stairwell of the church. He felt like nothing strange had ever occurred in his life before Adalee came along, so he had to assume that she was the catalyst, not him.

He knew the facts of what had happened. He’d kissed her and she’d kissed him back. The kind of kiss that made him believe his ear might let out steam.

The why part was a bit more confusing.

Was it the start of something, or some kind of freak thing that just materializes when a man and a woman bump into one another in a stairwell known as purgatory? Like lightning in a snowstorm.

Maybe it was animal attraction. You know, like two rabbits bump into each other in the field and they start mating. But that didn’t make sense, he was a human. There is a way these things are done among people. A man and woman meet, they talk, they talk some more, then they meet for coffee or something, then they talk some more. Then, they have a few dates. Talk about where their relationship is going. The guy thinks of feeling her up and the girl thinks of names for their children.