JO WAS GLAD OF THE comfort of Will’s chest that night, happy he simply took her in his arms and held her tight, not expecting anything in return. Simple human comfort. It went a long way to repairing the rip in her soul that had been there ever since Jack had taken everything from her. Love, trust, self worth.
`How can you have been with him for a year and not know he had that in him?’ Will asked suddenly and she tensed, tried to think of a reply.
`He’s very good at pretending. And very controlling, in a way that you don’t even notice until it’s too late.’
She smiled grimly. `And when you do notice it’s so damn obvious you wonder how you could have missed it. I don’t know. Maybe in some ways I was responsible.’
He snorted but she sat up, looked him in the eye.
`Honestly. I could have ended it earlier, I should have seen the signs earlier. I did, I simply didn’t want to face them so I pretended they weren’t there.’
`That doesn’t change what he did. You can’t possibly blame yourself for that.’
She stared at him for a long while then nodded, rested her head back on his chest. `No. I don’t blame myself for that,’ she said eventually.
He didn’t comment and she stared blindly at the TV, trying to force herself to think of something other than that awful night but somehow the memories wouldn’t stay buried.
Amazingly though, now she saw things almost from a distance, with a detached, formless feel. It was something that had happened to her, changed her forever but the wound didn’t feel quite as raw now, somehow Will had helped her to close a door on that part of her past, seal her off from it. Maybe this was what they called closure.
Smiling suddenly, she reached up and touched her lips to his.
His eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and something else, something deeper that she couldn’t label.
`What was that for?’
`Just a thank you,’ she said, leaning her chin on his chest and looking up at him as he ran his hands through her hair.
His lips twitched, finally giving up the fight and breaking into a grin.
`Pleasure, not sure what for, but maybe if I do a bit more of it I’ll get more thank you’s.’
`Oh yes? What sort of thank you’s were you thinking of?’
His grin widened. `Well …’
She laughed as he suddenly rolled on top of her, supported himself on his elbows as he bent to kiss her gently.
`You really did look amazing tonight Jo,’ he said after a minute, looking down at her. She reached up and traced a finger down the faint stubble on his chin, moved to the cleft at the top of his lip, laughing as he leaned his head back and bit her finger gently.
`So did you.’
His eyes darkened as she met his gaze and she was suddenly flooded with warmth, caring. She tightened her arms around his neck, pulled him back down to her and kissed him hard.
`I have to go into the pub today, Gus has covered way too many of my shifts this week already,’ Will said next morning, sitting at the kitchen table.
Jo took a sip of orange juice and leaned back in her chair.
`You should invite them round here, have a sort of thank you party for everyone.’
He paused then resumed sipping his coffee.
`Could do.’
She sent him an assessing look. `Why are you so wary of inviting your friends over?’
He shrugged. `I don’t know. I’m not really. I’ve just not ever had anyone round here like that. Not a huge gathering anyway.’
`You don’t have to. I just thought it would be a nice idea. You can invite your parents and Gus and Hayley, Julia and Shaun, Grant and Shelley. I mean they’ve all done so much for you. And me.’
He took another sip of coffee, obviously considering the idea. `Okay, well I guess that sounds like a good idea.’
She laughed, went to stand in front of his chair and he sat back, pulled her closer, circling her with his arms as she ran her hands through his hair. `I don’t mean to boss you around in your own house, I just thought it was a nice idea,’ she said again and he shook his head, leaned back to meet her gaze.
`No, you’re right. I should invite them round. Maybe next Sunday, we can close the pub for the day. Anyway, what are you planning on doing today?’
She smoothed a strand of hair away from his eye, pursed her lips. `I don’t know. Maybe I can start digging.’
He leaned back, lifted an eyebrow. `Digging?’
`Yeah, you said I could plant things so I may as well make a start on it. Maybe I can get it done before Sunday and we can set up a table and things in the back.’
He frowned and she bit her lip, wondering if perhaps she’d crossed a line. After all, it was his house and here she was taking over. `I mean, if you still want me to do that,’ she added, hesitant.
He met her gaze and after a moment smiled. `Go ahead, I’ll get Grant to give you a hand.’
`Are you sure?’
He nodded, pulled her down onto his lap. `Uhuh,’ he murmured, kissing her soundly.
She had to beat at his shoulder to get him to let her go and she sat up, laughing.
`Okay then. Well, I’ll start doing that this morning.’
He grinned. `I’ll ask Grant to come over, maybe Shelley will come have a chat too. But seriously Jo, I don’t want you alone out there. You go where Grant goes, and don’t go wandering off into the fields by yourself.’
She shook her head. `I won’t. I’ll go get Nemo this morning too, he’s ready to come home now.’
`Really? Great.’
He grinned like a little boy and she smiled. `Yes, the wound is healing nicely and there’s no infection. He’s still limping a bit but he’ll be back to normal in a few weeks.’
Hours later, Jo sat back on her heels, ran the back of her hand over her forehead and squinted up into the sun. God, she was thirsty. She pulled the gloves off her hands and set down the trowel, stood up and stretched her back then scanned the yard.
Will had gone with her to fetch Nemo and dropped her back at the farm before heading over to the pub. Grant had walked out back with her and helped dig out two medium-sized oval beds in the middle of the yard.
Now she was preparing the soil, getting it ready for planting while Grant fiddled with an engine over under the tree, Nemo and Jess curled at his feet.
She looked over at him, not sure what he was doing, almost certain he was simply whiling away the time on orders from Will to keep an eye on her. For some reason that made her smile, even though a part of her bristled at the thought.
`Hey guys,’ came a light voice from behind her and she turned to see Shelley with a tray of drinks.
`Hi,’ she replied, heading over to take the tray.
`Thanks,’ Shelley said with a smile, sitting down next to Grant with a groan. `It’s getting a bit difficult to get around nowadays,’ she said, smiling as Grant squeezed her hand.
`When’s the baby due?’ Jo asked, taking a sip from a glass, enjoying the cool tang of fresh lemonade.
`Three weeks. About bloody time too,’ Shelley said wryly and Jo grinned.
Grant patted Shelley’s knee and stood up, grabbed a glass of juice from the tray Jo had placed on the floor. He shooed Jess away as she stretched, yawned and stuck her nose in between the glasses.
`You won’t even remember this when it’s over,’ he said, draining the liquid in a single gulp and wiping his hand over his mouth. `Darn good. Thanks,’ he continued, bending down and kissing Shelley.
Jo looked away, embarrassed, focused on her drink, feeling distinctly like a third wheel.
Finally, Shelley pushed Grant away with a laugh. `Go on now, you’re embarrassing Jo,’ she said and Grant grinned.
`She’s used to it. I’m sure young Will keeps her on her toes.’
Jo’s flush deepened and Grant let out a loud, booming belly-laugh, patted her shoulder.
`Nature calls. Back in a minute,’ he said and Jo watched him walk into the house, turning to see Shelley’s eyes on her.
`How are things with Will then?’ she asked.
`Oh, um. Good, thanks,’ Jo replied, not quite sure what else to say.
Shelley nodded, pointed at the beds. `Must be better than good if he’s letting you do this. I’ve been nagging him for months to pretty it up some but he’s dug his heels in. Said he hasn’t the time to keep it maintained.’
`Hmmm. That’s a good point actually, I’m going to have to think of what to put in there that doesn’t need much looking after.’
Shelley sent her an assessing look but went with the change of subject.
`Well most anything will grow here, it’s sheltered, weather’s not too bad and the soil’s good. I’ve noticed with my garden that geraniums tend to do quite well. They’ll add a lot of color too.’
`Hmmm, yeah, good idea. They’re pretty low maintenance really,’ Jo replied.
They sat in silence for a minute before Shelley spoke again.
`Jo?’
`Yes?’
`Who is this guy that’s after you?’
Jo sighed, sat down and crossed her legs. `It’s an ex boyfriend. Actually, he’s the reason I moved here, I was trying to get away.’
She started fiddling with a lace on one of her sneakers, not wanting to look Shelley in the eye, have to explain yet again how she could have been stupid enough to get involved with a guy like that.
`I had the same problem once,’ Shelley said suddenly and Jo looked up, surprised.
`Really?’
Shelley nodded. `Well, not quite as bad, he never resorted to violence, but he followed me everywhere, kept phoning me, talking to my friends and family. It went on for ages, I felt too guilty to tell him to stuff off, you know. Anyway, point is, although mine wasn’t as bad I have some idea about how you must feel.’
She looked Jo in the eye then, smiled, reached out and patted her on the shoulder awkwardly.
`I just want to say you’re lucky you’ve got Will. He won’t let anything happen to you. He’s …. well he’s had a bit of a bad history himself, you know.’
Jo frowned. `I know. I haven’t asked him about it though, he clams up. Do you know what happened?’
Shelley sighed, leaned back against her chair. `I probably shouldn’t tell you but I doubt he’ll say anything himself. He was in the Navy, you know that?’
Jo nodded, sat forward, her heart pounding. She wasn’t sure what she expected to hear but it certainly wasn’t what Shelley said next.
`Well, he got shot down in Iraq.’
Jo sat back, stunned. `Oh my God.’
Shelley nodded.
`Yeah, it was bad. There were twelve on the helicopter, I think seven survived the crash and most of them got out of there thanks to Will and one of his friends. Somehow they managed to get everyone away from the wreckage and keep the guys who had shot them down away long enough for rescuers to get there. I know he had some pretty terrible injuries himself but I’m not sure what kind. I only met him a few years ago, Grant told me all this.’
She paused, took a sip of juice, met Jo’s eye again. `They gave him a medal for bravery.’
Jo shook her head in disbelief. `Wow. You hear about this sort of thing but you don’t ever expect to actually meet people who’ve … well … been there.’
Shelley grimaced. `It gets worse, I’m afraid. That friend of his, the one who’d helped him after the crash, well apparently he’d done some major damage to his back, lost the use of his legs and um, well, he couldn’t handle it. Shot himself.’
Jo drew in a deep breath, winced and Shelly nodded. `Will had been to see him the day before and the guy had started screaming at him, saying things like why didn’t Will just leave him to die … I don’t think he’s quite gotten over that, he moved up here after that happened, hid away. You’re about the only person he’s had staying here since I met him.’
`God, that’s awful. No wonder he clams up.’
Shelley nodded and they sat in silence, both of them trying to imagine what Will must’ve gone through. A few minutes later, Shelley looked back up at the house. `Grant’s on his way back, I’m going to go home and do some baking. Bread, I think, I love the smell. I can bake you a loaf if you like?’
Jo nodded absently. `Yes, thanks, that would be great.’
She watched as Grant gave Shelley another kiss then she headed back over to the newly dug beds, went back to turning the soil, not really concentrating on what she was doing as she mulled over what Shelley had told her.
`Why didn’t you call me last night?’ Shaun asked, his face red with annoyance, and Will sighed, sat down in the chair and crossed his ankles on the desk, knew he was in for the long haul.
`Like I said, the guy knew I was onto him. He’d have hightailed it out of there before you could get anywhere near him. There wasn’t any point. And Jo was upset, I thought it better to help her first.’
Shaun cleared his throat, stared pointedly at Will’s boots.
Sighing, Will took his feet off the desk and sat with his legs apart, elbows leaning on his thighs instead. `Look, I’m telling you now aren’t I? Besides, there’s something else. He was with a woman, she looked vaguely familiar but I only caught a glimpse of her. Point is, he’s not alone … I thought Julia would tell you, in any case.’
Shaun sighed. `She was asleep when I got home and I got called out early this morning. I haven’t had a chance to talk with her yet.’
He rubbed between his eyes with a thumb and forefinger and sighed. `Anyway, we have a lead on the guy. There’s a cottage up in Widegates that is let out for the summer but we can’t get hold of the tenant. Someone’s been round to check it out a few times, last time they were sure they saw movement in the top room but nobody answered the door. With the owner’s permission, we went in earlier today, found these,’ he pushed a manila envelope over the desk at Will.
`God,’ Will said, opening one of the folders and flicking through a collection of photos, mostly shots of Jo but there were a few of him, the farm, Jo’s house in Hannafore road.
`He’s done his homework hasn’t he?’ he said grimly.
Shaun nodded. `I’m afraid so. Jo’s in serious trouble, Will. Where is she now?’
Will looked up, barely heard the words as he tried to ignore the bile rising in his throat at one of the photographs, an image of Jo asleep in her bed in Hannafore road.
`Bastard was in her house.’
`Where is she?’
With a great effort, he forced himself to answer the question. `With Grant and Shelley. At the farm. I’m heading back there now. Do you think he’ll go back to the cottage?’
Shaun shook his head. `I doubt it. All his clothes, luggage, that sort of thing were gone. We couldn’t get any prints off anything either, he’d wiped it all clean. We already know who he is but this makes it harder to tie him to anything; he also used a false name on his tenancy agreement. The folders were sitting on the dining room table …’ he paused `… to be honest, I think he left them there deliberately.’