The next morning, Jeremy was under the sink with dirty water dripping on his face and the edge of the cabinet digging into his back. The TV was on in the living room and he could just barely make out what the news anchor was saying. He’d heard the telltale dripping under the sink when he came down to the kitchen to make coffee, and he figured that there was no time like the present to start earning his keep. He intended to make sure Chelsea had no valid reason for kicking him out, since he was exactly where he wanted to be. Sooner or later, she would trust him again and tell him the truth she was trying so hard to hide. Footsteps approached, and he torqued the wrench harder. “Morning, Chels.”
The footsteps stopped at his side. Though he couldn’t see her, he could easily picture her frowning down at him, arms crossed. “What are you doing under there?”
“Admiring the old lead pipes.”
“Ha-ha,” she muttered. “So funny.”
He pushed out from under the sink, swiping his forearm over his forehead as he eyed her. She wore a loose pink shirt and a pair of leggings that hugged her curves. “There was a leak in the pipes where they joined.”
She frowned, and he glanced down at her soft lips. “Since when?”
“I don’t know. I just got here, but judging from the damp wood under me, I’d say a long time. But it’s fixed now.” As Jeremy stood, Chelsea’s eyes drifted down his shirtless torso. “Neighbors brought pie, casserole, and those.”
She eyed the red roses he’d deliberately thrown away. “And questions about Paul?”
“Of course.” He grabbed the mug off the counter, filled it with coffee, and handed it to her. “Still like it black?”
“Yeah.” She took the mug and her fingers brushed his. It was just like old times, when he used to bring her coffee every day before class, since they had gone to the same college. She could’ve gone away to school, but when he got a baseball scholarship for the state university, she followed him there. As her fingers left his skin, he swallowed hard. Just that simple touch was enough to make him want to pull her in his arms and kiss away the worry he could see in her eyes. “Some things never change.”
“Guess not.”
She set the coffee down, leaned on the old maple cabinets, and stared at him. Chelsea had a way of staring at a guy that made it feel like she saw all the way to the bottom of his soul. It was enlightening and scary all at once. “Why didn’t you marry Mary? After all those years together, telling me that she was the love of your life, you just…left her behind.”
“I was wrong. I didn’t love her,” he said simply. “Why’d you marry that guy?” He was curious to see what she’d say, since they both knew she’d never been married. “I gather from what you’ve let slip that he was a dick.”
“I don’t know. I keep asking myself that question.” She tapped her fingers on the counter. “Why did you take the boring desk job?”
“I was looking for something different. A change.” He shrugged. “Why’d you run away?”
“Same reason. I didn’t want to be the girl who was in love with a boy who didn’t love her back. And I definitely didn’t want to be known only as Johnny O’Kane’s daughter anymore.”
Her words touched him. He’d always told her that she could be more than her family. He couldn’t help but feel that even though she’d done her best to leave him in the past, there was still a small chance he’d be in her future. “I always loved you. I just didn’t know the truth until it was too late. After I canceled the wedding, I went down a dark hole. Drank too much. Slept too little. Was angry at the world.”
She turned away. “Yeah. I know the feeling all too well.”
“Fixing up this place with you, I think it’ll be good.” He glanced around the kitchen, seeing it as it could be, not the cracked wood on the cabinets and the peeling wallpaper. “For both of us. What do you think of white cabinets?”
“Love them.” She came alive at the mention of the renovations, no longer looking as if she’d rather be somewhere else. “I think they’ll brighten this place up, especially if we do a blue-and-white backsplash, too. I’d like to have pastries and coffee in the living room, over there, for guests who don’t want room service. Or they could eat in the formal dining room with the other guests, and I could have a buffet-style breakfast in here.”
“That’s a great idea.” He rubbed his chin. “You seem pretty experienced at this stuff. Where have you been? I heard you were down in Florida.”
“I was,” she said hesitantly.
“Were you in hotel management down there?”
Just like that, the excitement died in her eyes. “No.”
“So what did you do?”
Chelsea stiffened the second he pried into her past. It was infuriating. What would it take to get her to open up to him? “I was an assistant district attorney.”
“And now you’re back here…fixing up inns?” He worked his jaw. “It takes guts to walk away from that degree, if you ask me. Why leave all that?”
“I didn’t.” Leaving her coffee untouched on the counter, she bumped shoulders with him as she started to leave the room. Escape was more like it. “I’m going on a few errands. Won’t be back till later tonight.”
“We’ll continue this conversation later,” he called out.
She didn’t reply. Just banged the front door shut behind her.
Jeremy trailed after her, watching her from the window as she got in her beater. He wanted to tag along to keep her safe, but he knew he’d be pushing his luck. He’d already wormed his way into her home. If he pushed any harder, she’d snap. If this was going to work, he needed to stay close to her.
“And in other news, a district attorney is the latest victim of increased gun violence in Miami. Dental records have confirmed that Richard Seville, who was a popular candidate for the mayoral office in Miami due to his generosity with the people of the city and his conservative political leanings, has been murdered. Authorities say someone broke into his home late Monday night, killing him. Police are looking for help to identify and locate the woman seen fleeing the scene, who is described as…”
He stopped listening, pulling out his phone and quickly dialing. “The story went national,” he said, as soon as the other person picked up. “We need to move faster.”