The sun was already resting along the tree line, ready to say good night, when Carissa pulled into Felicia’s driveway. Although Felicia had enjoyed the afternoon with the girls, she was eager to return home.
“So are you glad now that we kidnapped you for a few hours?” Carissa drove to the front of the house and took the spot where Felicia’s truck normally sat. Great. She hoped Lacey hadn’t snuck off to see Jason.
“Yes, it was nice.”
“Nice?” Carissa put the car into park and sighed. “Listen, I know Jackie gave you the third degree, but in the end, she came around about Declan.”
“Did she?” Felicia tilted her head down and looked up with her best you’re-joking expression.
“Okay, well, she took a step in the right direction.”
“Was that before or after she summoned Davey inside Maple Grounds and told him to get the tar ready?”
Carissa smirked. “But then when he went to get the Elders together to run Declan out of town, Jackie calmed him down. She likes to make sure everyone believes she’s in control, that’s all.”
“I get it. I do.”
“Only you, Felicia.” Carissa chuckled. “You’re a saint. I would’ve been stomping off or avoiding her. Not you. Always the diplomat.”
“I know she acts this way because she cares about me. It’s just that I want all of you to like Declan. Could you convince them to come here for dinner one evening? I know he’ll win them over if they spend some time with him.”
Carissa nodded. “Sure. I can do that. Are you ready for Jackie to be near Declan, though?”
“I’ll prep him. Don’t worry. Have you seen the guy? I think his great-grandfather was a giant.”
“A giant underwear model with muscles, amazing hair, and broad chest. There’s no doubt to any of us about his physical appeal.” Carissa waggled her brows.
“I saw him in boxers once. Will I ever live that down? He’s more than just attractive in a carnal sense. He’s deep, thoughtful, attentive, and puts me before himself. That’s what this is all about. I know it is. He’s protecting me from people’s prejudice. He doesn’t seem to understand I’ve dealt with that my entire life.”
“I know. But that’s what’s made you so strong and diplomatic.” Carissa traced the stitching in the steering wheel. “How are things between you? Is he still being cold and distant?”
“He says he’s working on something so we can be together, but each time we’re near each other he’s like an iceberg on Mars.”
“Ouch.” Carissa continued her study along the leather until she dropped her hands to her sides. “You sure he’s going to come around? I mean, I don’t want you pining for someone who will never be available. You’re too good for that.”
“Now you sound like Jackie.”
“She has a point.”
Felicia threw her hands up. “Great, the world is coming to an end. You just sided with Judas Jackie.”
“That’s all behind us now.”
“Really? So if you saw her talking to Drew alone in a dark alley, you wouldn’t plot her demise?”
Carissa gripped the steering wheel again, this time as if she were going to bolt across town and run Jackie down. “I might order some tar myself.” She took a long breath. “But she wouldn’t do that. Her fiancé-stealing days were a youthful indiscretion that she won’t repeat. She’d never even flirt with Drew.”
“That sounded like a quote straight from Ms. Horton.” Felicia opened her door, eager to find Declan and tell him it was time to let go of his fears and give them a chance. He was ready to hear it now—or at least she was ready to make him hear it.
“Wait.” Carissa touched her arm to stay her movements. “You know I’m on your side, right? I’ll bring the girls over for dinner whenever you want.”
“I know. Thanks.” Felicia slid out of the car and shut the door, offered a friendly wave bye, and then darted to the house to face Declan. After a moment to collect her courage, she opened the door and found the room dark. No sign of him or anyone. No delicious aroma, no sizzling meat, no smiles. “Declan? Nana? Lacey?”
No one answered. She made her way into the living room and shut the door. “Hello?”
Lacey stepped out of her room into the hall. Felicia was relieved to see her. Maybe she really had given up on Jason.
“Where is everyone?”
The light flooded out of Lacey’s room, showing her eyeing the floor. “Nana’s asleep, has been since I came in from work.”
“And Declan?”
Lacey slid her toes back and forth on the carpet. “I don’t want to say.”
Felicia stiffened at Lacey’s serious tone. “Just tell the truth. That’s all that matters.”
“The truth is, I don’t know. One minute he was on your computer. I think he was digging into the finance stuff like I’m sure you asked him to, but I’m not positive. When I walked in, he shut the computer off fast and then took off in the truck without a word.” Lacey inched closer. “I’m sure he’ll be back any minute. He’s been gone for hours.”
“Hours?”
“Yes.”
Felicia eyed the door. “Okay, well, thanks for letting me know.”
“I’m sure he has a good reason. I mean, he’ll tell you when he returns. Just make sure you listen between his words and watch his expression. It’s something I learned from your grandmother. When a man is lying or keeping things from you or he doesn’t want to tell you too much. I’m sure Declan will explain, though. You trust him, right?”
“Yes, of course I do.” Felicia didn’t like where this was going, probably based on some jealousy on her part, and she’d punished Lacey enough. “Listen, tomorrow I’ll need you all day. If you could run out and purchase some things for me, I’ll leave the list on the desk along with the company card.”
Lacey bolted forward. “Thank you. I really appreciate this. I’m so glad we’re friends again. It means everything to me.” She bit her bottom lip then looked up at Felicia with the most honest expression she’d ever seen in her cousin. “I miss you. I miss the way things were between us.”
“Me, too.”
Lacey launched into a hug and clung to Felicia. They stood there for a minute or two as if her hug meant the end to all the drama and a hope for a better relationship between them. It felt right, like the way it used to be between them.
Lights flashed through the house from the end of the driveway, drawing Felicia to the window. Her truck bounced along the gravel and stopped in her spot. She swallowed the feeling of suspicion. “I’m sure you’ve worked hard. Why don’t you go get cleaned up while I get dinner ready.”
Lacey eyed the window. “Right. Sure. I’ll give you two some privacy.” She darted to her room and shut the door. It was nice to have the old, sweet, caring Lacey back. Felicia had always known separating her from Jason would make all the difference in her attitude.
Felicia couldn’t stand still, so she went to the refrigerator and pulled out some hotdogs and tossed them in a frying pan. The front door opened, and before he even said a word, she could smell the aroma of men’s cologne. A scent he hadn’t worn around her before. It was cedar with an undertone of allure.
“I’m sorry I’m late. It took longer than I thought. You don’t have to cook. I’ve got it. I’ll whip something up quick.”
She grabbed a fork out of the drawer and flipped the hot dogs. “No need. I just arrived home and found my truck gone and didn’t know where you went or when you’d be home, so I figured I better get some dinner ready.”
“You didn’t get my note?” Declan eyed the kitchen table. “I left it here.”
“There wasn’t any message that I found.” Felicia heard the air of agitation in her voice, but she couldn’t help it.
He searched the table and then the counter. Brushing past her, he ignited the hair on her arms to full attention. “Here it is. Weird. It’s behind the bills on the stand. Who would put it there?”
“What did it say?” she asked. A hint of comfort that he’d cared enough to leave her a message helped ease her nerves.
“It said that I was going out and borrowing the truck. I hoped that was okay and that I’d be back by dinner.” Declan moved behind her, close, so close, his hands on her shoulders. “I’m so sorry if I worried you. Didn’t Nana tell you I’d left?”
“No, she’s asleep.” Felicia knew she had no reason to be mad at him. He’d left a message and told her grandmother. “Where did you go?”
Silence.
Felicia moved the pan away from the flame and turned off the burner. “I think I have a right to know where you took my truck. I’d thought Lacey had stolen it to go visit Jason.”
“No. I borrowed it.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “What’s wrong? You sound different.”
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. I just wanted to know where you went, but if you’re going to keep it from me…”
“I’m not. I mean, I am for a few days.” He turned her into his arms, his eyes longing and searching. “I told you that I couldn’t be with you because I can’t be the man you deserve, but something’s changed. No, you changed me. I’m working on something, and I want to tell you when I have it all worked out. As for today…” He blinked and looked away. “I went to Riverbend. I needed to see someone.” He released her and retrieved the plates from the cabinet.
“Who?” Perhaps it was her frustration about how far he’d been from her for weeks, or maybe it was Lacey’s words haunting her about spotting signs when a man was doing wrong. Either way, she wanted answers.
He set the plates onto the table and leaned over with his palms pressed to the wood top. “I…I went to see my mother.”
“Your mother? I thought you two weren’t on speaking terms.” She flinched at how insensitive her words were.
“We’re not. I mean, we weren’t, but we spoke, and now we’re not speaking again.” Declan pushed from the table and set a plate at each seat. “Can we not talk about that right now?” He sounded wounded, lost, and it tugged at her heart. She wanted to race over and hug him, but something still stood in the way.
“I just need a few days to work some things out, and then if everything does, I want to ask you out on a real date.”
The way he said he wanted to ask her on a date sounded distant, hollow. “I’m not forcing you to ask me out. Don’t do me any favors.”
“You know I want to be with you, Felicia,” he said in a deep, wanting tone.
“How would I know that?” Her patience snapped, and she had no diplomacy left. “I feel like a rubber band being stretched between two realities. One, you want me and one you don’t. First you say you can’t be with me, then you act like you do, then you don’t, and now you do. It’s been weeks of tiptoeing around with desire floating in the air between us. A brush of your arm against my skin, a breath over my cheek, a longing glance, but not one kiss not since the one you planted on me that spun me around and had me believing you were opening up to me. Now you’re closed off more than ever.”
“I do want you. More than anything.” He grabbed hold of her and held her tight against his chest, looking down at her with fire in his eyes. “I know I haven’t been fair to you. It’s been complicated, but I wanted to wait until I had everything worked out before I told you how I really felt.” He took in a deep, stuttered breath and slid his fingers into her hair, clutching the back of her neck. “That I am falling for you. That you’re the most beautiful, accomplished, talented, giving, lovable human being I’ve ever met. And there is nothing more in life that I want to do than kiss you.”