The motel was several steps above the normal places Jake stayed. If he talked Harmony into going to bed with him, he wanted a decent place to take her. He’d come to the unsupported conclusion that she was afraid of the reaction if her landlords overheard their activities.
Before leaving Atlanta, he’d called to tell her he was coming and to see if she could take time off. He had four days free and hoped to spend as much of the time with her as possible, courtesy of finally receiving payment for that emerald ring. When he returned home, he’d meet with Alex and figure out the next step to connect her with Marty.
Harmony had texted him a few days earlier to tell him the old house was on the market, giving him the excuse he needed for this trip. He had his business cards and bank account, thanks to a well-paid acquaintance with access to banking records. Everything was in place.
He’d taken his car to a different contact for maintenance. The oil needed to be changed, and the undercarriage checked for trackers. They’d found nothing suspicious, but he still assumed the man in black that Alex mentioned was from the FBI or another law enforcement agency.
Establishing himself as a legit business owner would provide additional coverage for his main alibi. In the last few weeks, he’d become addicted to those home repair shows and even gone to a big box store for a class in basic building repairs. He’d learned a few things, including how to get into a window with its frame painted shut.
He made it into town late because of road construction in West Virginia. Tonight, he’d hit up the Purple Onion and let her sleep. If he worked his magic correctly, she wouldn’t get any rest for the next two nights.
His favorite bartender was on duty, and Jake nodded to him while surveying the small assortment of customers. No Duane in sight, and the knot of tension in Jake’s back released. By the time he got to the bar, a whiskey waited for him.
“Didn’t get that job in Chicago?” the bartender asked as Jake paid for his drink.
“Nope. A friend of a friend got me a spot with another bar in Atlanta. At least I saw new parts of the country on the trip, so it wasn’t a total waste.”
“So, what brings you back here…?”
He knew the dance. “Jake,” he said. No handshake was expected. “My mom asked me to get her some more pictures. She got it in her head this would be a good place to retire.”
“Carl,” the bartender offered. “And unless your mother likes snow and lots of it, she might want to think again.”
“Thanks for the advice. I’ll tell her.” Jake nodded and strolled to the little table in the back corner to watch customers come and go. That was enough for the night. It was still too soon for him to be trusted. And anything illegal wasn’t likely to happen out here in the public area. He suspected the real action happened in a private office behind a locked door.
****
Jake shifted the flimsy cardboard box containing pastries from Oak Grove’s bakery under his arm. He’d timed his arrival with her normal schedule, even if she had the day off to spend with him. Softening her up with goodies was a good way to start it.
He didn’t expect to find Harmony in her robe, sitting on her steps, patting the dog, drinking coffee, and reading the local paper. She’d already pulled her hair into its characteristic bun, and he felt a twinge of disappointment that he’d missed seeing it undone. He cleared his throat and she looked up, almost spilling her drink.
“Jake! I didn’t think you’d be here this early.”
“I come bearing gifts.” He held out the box. “I’m told these are the best in town.”
“Stublers? Tell me you got your hands on an apple fritter.”
Jake pulled the box back before she could take it. “Sorry, no, but I got these cinnamon rolls. Do I need to return them?”
Her mouth formed an ‘O.’ “Who did you bribe to get those? Do you know how fast they sell out?”
He’d remember that for another day. “I only got three. That’s all they had. One for you, one for me, and one to share. Will that work?”
“We’ll want fresh coffee to go with them.” She stood, and, remembering her outfit, pulled her robe closed.
He wondered what more it would take to get it off her.
“I’ll be right back. You stay here and keep Piper company.”
The dog growled softly, but Jake put down the rolls and reached into his pocket. He’d brought along some doggy goodies, too. Bacon-flavored ones. He tossed one to Piper, hoping the pooch would find it irresistible.
It worked. By the time Harmony returned, fully dressed, Jake was sitting on the steps, reading the newspaper with Piper resting his head on Jake’s thigh, waiting to be patted. “I’d come help you,” he said, “but my new friend doesn’t want to move.”
“You’ve passed the test,” she joked. “But it’s time for him to go back in the yard so we can enjoy the rolls without him slobbering all over them.”
She set down the cups, swooped up the dog, and dropped him over the fence before Jake had a chance to move. The lady was stronger than she looked. Piper ran off to roll in a patch of grass.
After picking up her coffee cup and handing Jake his, she settled on the stair beside him. “Ready for a bit of heaven?” she asked, while reaching for the bakery box.
The clear blue skies, the scent of fresh coffee, the pretty girl sitting next to him. It was so sitcom-perfect that Jake wondered where the TV cameras were hidden. “Sure. But I don’t expect they’ll taste as good as you look.” He’d decided to try a constant string of compliments to soften her up. Had any of her previous boyfriends ever treated her the way she deserved?
A reddening of her cheeks was his reward. That, and the cinnamon roll she plated and handed to him. “I can warm it in the microwave if you want,” she said.
Based on the amount of sticky goop that dripped over the top, heating up the pastry wouldn’t be needed. “It looks delicious.” He’d eaten his share of rolls from vending machines and convenience stores. This one didn’t need help.
They sat side by side, drinking their coffee, eating their rolls, reading the paper, occasionally discussing an interesting article. Twenty minutes later, Jake realized he hadn’t heard a single siren the whole time. Listening for sirens was part of his nature. He could tell a police car from an ambulance within a few seconds. The total lack of their wailing was an unexpected luxury.
“I see they’ve hired Coach for another year,” Harmony said.
“Is that a good thing?”
“Oak Grove is too small to have a decent team.” She closed the sports section and laid it on the stair behind them. “We haven’t had a winning season in years. But the alumni and school board don’t want to give up on it. And every year, at least one boy gets a college scholarship, so they keep the team going. In a good year, two or three boys will get scholarships, even if they are to colleges no one ever heard of.”
Was it possible that the entire town was as innocent as she was? Or was theirs a fantasy world that pretended people like Duane and the others at the Purple Onion didn’t exist? “Wouldn’t it be easier to put the money into a scholarship fund for all the kids in Oak Grove?”
“Oh, we have one of those, too. In fact, some of the money for it comes from the sales of food at the football games.”
And he was about to destroy the innocence.
A stroll in the park topped off the morning. Harmony claimed that she needed to burn off all the calories from the cinnamon roll, but Jake suspected she wanted to get away from her place. His theory of why involved avoiding the bedroom and lots of sex, but that was wistful thinking. He kept up his stream of little compliments, not just of her, but the town. How clean the park was, how nice the sidewalks weren’t full of cigarette butts, how even the local geese behaved themselves.
That one made her giggle.
“The city council members fight about the geese constantly,” she grinned. “Half the town thinks they show how well the town is doing in preserving parks and green areas, the other half thinks they stink, their poop is messy and they don’t like them chasing their dogs. Truth is, we’ve tried limiting their numbers, and it’s too darn expensive.”
As they watched the geese dive for fish in the park’s little lake, he slipped his arm around her waist. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder.
“I’m glad you came,” she said.
He kissed the top of her head. “I tried to stay away, but can’t resist you.”
“You’re such a flatterer.”
He pulled her tighter. “You make it easy.”
“Why, Jake?”
“Why what?”
“You travel all over. Big cities. Fancy places. How many women do you meet for business? Why me?”
“Because you aren’t like those women. You’re real.”
“I always figured that’s what scares men away.”
“They’re fools.”
“And you’re sweet.”
He anticipated her next move. Harmony tilted her head and aimed to kiss him on the cheek. With impeccable timing, he turned so their lips met instead. He intended it to be a soft kiss, a prelude to intense kissing later, but she surprised him by turning it into more. As tightly as their mouths were pressed together, so were their bodies. He fought his own desires to restrain himself from taking it farther.
There weren’t many people in this part of the park, although Jake could hear the cheerful voices of children on the playground beyond the trees. And as much as he was enjoying himself, he didn’t think she wanted to shame herself if someone walked by. He pulled away after one more soft kiss.
“We can pick this up later, Angel.”
Her face turned red. “That’s not like me. Sorry if I embarrassed you.”
He laughed. “Not me. I’m trying to preserve your reputation but am totally in favor of taking this back to my room.”
“Is that the only reason you came to see me?”
If all he wanted was sex, he had plenty of ladies available to share a bed with him. “I would love to strip your clothes off and show you how beautiful you are. But I’m happy to just spend time with you. You’re more than a pretty face. You’re smart and down to earth and fascinating.”
It was true. He was regretting knowing about the book. It ruined the chances for this to be anything more than a job, no matter how much he cared for her.
Her gaze scorched his rotten soul as she studied his face, seeking the truth. He widened his eyes and parted his lips, trying to appear innocent. She wasn’t hard to fool, to his regret.
“Let’s go get lunch, Jake,” she said softly.