Off the Grid (11 page)

He stopped when she refused to move. “I said I’d take care of it and I will.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not your car. Ergo, it’s not your job to
take care
of it.”

“This isn’t a conversation for the street.” People paused to stare or turned back to sneak a peek. A muscle jumped in his jaw when she neither budged nor answered.

“Fine.” He pried the word out between stiff lips. “I’ll drop you off at home and you can deal with it.”

Apparently, he was under the misconception she’d been born yesterday. “So you can go after Jason Drummond. I don’t think so.”

“I don’t have time for this.” He stepped away. “Deal with your car however you like.”

“Hold up there, Captain Marvel.” She hustled after him. “What are you going to do? Challenge him to a duel? Come on. Let’s take a moment and think this through.”

He wasn’t listening. He was pulling out his keys and unlocking the doors to his vehicle. She grabbed onto this arm.

“Caleb.”

“Get in.” He dragged his arm free and motioned to the passenger side.

“Okay.” She held up a finger. “First. Stop ordering me around. I don’t like it. Second. You’re not thinking straight. That’s going to lead to a mistake.”

“No. It’s not.” He made his way around to the driver’s side, opened the door, jumped in and slammed it shut.

She gritted her teeth, forced to scramble into the passenger seat before he put it in gear. “We don’t know for sure it was Drummond.”

His eyes on the rear-view mirror he checked traffic. “Then I’ll have to ask him.”

“Don’t get stupid on me, Caleb.” She clicked her seatbelt into place.

He spared her a glance before pulling out onto Hastings Street. “Excuse me for wanting to plant a fist in the face of the man who threatened you.”

She blinked at the possessiveness of his statement. His white knight act caused little flares of heat to ignite along her nerve endings. A small smile slipped out before she shut it down. “Look, I appreciate the concern. But I don’t think resorting to assault and battery is the best course of action.”

“Then you aren’t sitting where I’m sitting.”

He was gripping the gearshift. She put a hand over his. “Take me home. I’ll cook you dinner. We’ll talk.”

He kept his eyes on the road. “Tempting, but no.”

She should let them duke it out over canapés.

“Please.” The word stumbled out of her mouth tasting of frustration proving pleading wasn’t her thing.

He pulled his hand out from under hers. “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. You absolutely can.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Because I’ve got this extra expensive can of soup I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”

He snorted out a laugh, then sobered. “This isn’t funny.”

“I know.” She fixated on the traffic light about to turn red and gripped the armrest. “But I don’t want to have to worry about you too.”

He hit the brake, shifted in his seat after skidding to a stop. “I’m not letting this go.”

“No. But maybe we can come up with a smarter plan than storming one of Vancouver’s most upscale restaurants.”

“You eat canned soup. I’m in the mood for pretentious.”

“Then I’ll serve with it with the expensive Saltines.”

He stared straight ahead. “He’s going to pay for this.”

“Absolutely.”

“We’re ordering in. I’m buying. No arguing.”

“If you say so. Although it is gourmet chicken noodle so you may want to rethink.” Oh crackers, was she flirting? Hard to know since she’d never done it before.

His lips lifted.

“That’s better.” But she still needed to clarify a few things. Make him understand. “Don’t make me the reason you go after Drummond. I don’t want that. I don’t need that. What I want is Kellie and Quinn safe. Use them as your motivation. Not me.”

He ran a hand through his hair sending all those lovely dark strands poking out in different directions. She’d never seen him looking anything less than immaculate. Even after helping deliver a baby. This side of him was more interesting, more three-dimensional. Less charm more intensity.

“While we’re clarifying matters, know this.” He found her hand with his and threaded his fingers through hers. She didn’t resist the urge to twine her fingers with his. “You matter to me.”

His grip tightened when she tried to pull free. She let him have his way. Didn’t try very hard to dislodge him. “Let’s not get all sappy.”

“Is this what you’re like in bed? Practical with a little no-nonsense added in.” The light turned green and they were moving again.

She kept her mouth shut.

“Because I like it.” His grin had the power to scatter her common sense.

She tried to stem the blush heating up her skin. Didn’t succeed. “The jury’s still out on whether you’ll get the chance to find out.”

He settled back into his seat. “But I haven’t had a chance to present my closing arguments and I usually rock that part.”

“I’ll bet.” She copped a peek, made note of his curved lips and rolled her eyes.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, each lost in thought. He wasn’t going to let any of it go, not Jason’s intrusion, not her tires, not Liam. Sooner or later he was going to ask again. She was going to have to decide what to tell him.

****

Caleb held the front door of her street level apartment open hoping they’d find a little time to spend alone. They walked into chaos. Quinn was wailing. How something so small could make so much noise was confounding. But Quinn wasn’t the only one in tears. So was Kellie. Marnie rushed them the minute they stepped through the door, phone to her ear, cigarette dangling from between her stained fingers.

“Where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you answering your cell?” She stuffed her phone away in a pocket. Ashes spilled from the tip of her cigarette to the floor. When she spotted Caleb she pointed it at him. “What’s he doing here? Does he live here now or something?”

Kellie pushed past Marnie tears streaming down her face. “He won’t stop crying. I think he’s sick.”

Sophie shrugged out of her coat and passed it to Caleb. “Here let’s check things out.”

Kellie sniffed and hugged Quinn close. “He’s fed, changed, but he won’t sleep and all he does is cry.”

Sophie made her way into the living room and held out her arms for Quinn. “I’m pretty sure he’s fine. Just a little unhappy at the moment. Caleb, pass me the blanket from the back of the couch.”

She wrapped the baby up tight and signaled for Caleb to come closer like she was preparing to dump the screaming bundle of demon baby on him. He backed up. “No. No way.”

She came to him and literally shoved Quinn at him. “Like this.” She positioned one of his hands under the baby’s head and the other one under his tiny butt.

“It’s not working.” If anything he got louder.

“Give it a second. Come on, bring him in closer. Cradle him.” She nodded as he adjusted. “Just like that. In the crook of your arm with your other arm here. Easy peasy. Kellie, come with me.”

“Wait.”
What?
Quinn, as panicked as Caleb, increased his bawling. “Where are you going?”

“I’m taking Kellie. I’m going to run her a bath.” She motioned to Kellie who didn’t seem to want to leave Quinn with Caleb any more than Caleb wanted to be left. Finally, Sophie pulled her in the direction of the bathroom. “He’ll be fine. She needs a break. So do I. We’re taking ten.”

Caleb looked down at Quinn who was screaming, eyes closed tight. Caleb bobbed up and down.

“Really? You think bouncing is going to help?” Marnie brushed past him. “Like we haven’t been doing that for the last two hours.”

No one was more surprised than Caleb when Quinn quieted down a decibel. He added a rocking motion and Quinn dialed it back some more. Then it was no more than a whimper. Maybe this wasn’t so hard after all. He shot Marnie a smug smile.

“Ah, jeez. Men. Days old and they know to stick together.” She stabbed out her smoke in an overflowing ashtray. “But at least he’s quiet.”

“Now what should I do?”

“Why don’t we pause for a moment while I consult my ovaries?” She sneered at him. “I don’t know. Keep walking. Read him the sports section. Lactate. Do whatever it takes as long as the result is silence.” She placed a hand over her forehead and closed her eyes.

He paced. The kid was kind of cute when he wasn’t beet red. Caleb froze when Quinn screwed up his face and opened his mouth.

“What is it?” demanded Marnie.

Caleb relaxed when it turned into a yawn. “Nothing. False alarm.”

“Thank God. I can’t take anymore crying.” Marnie moved to stand in front of the picture window overlooking the street. She frowned, searching the dark. “Where’s Sophie’s car?”

Caleb went on alert, not knowing how much Sophie wanted her to know. He shrugged, kept his head down and his gaze on Quinn. “Tire trouble.”

“Shit.” Marnie shook her head and turned back to the window. “She’ll probably walk to work tomorrow. In the dark. I hate it when she goes out in the dark. She thinks she’s immune to all the crap going on around here.”

Surprised, Caleb lifted his head to stare at her back. Somehow Marnie had found a way to keep track of her little sister without Sophie knowing it. “If you take Quinn, I can phone someone to take care of it and have her car back here before she needs to leave for work tomorrow.”

Her eyes lifted to watch him in the black of the window. A second later she turned and held out her arms. “Fine.”

Caleb handed over Quinn and dug out his cell phone. Out of earshot in the kitchen, he made arrangements. When he was done he turned to head back into the living room and almost ran into Marnie.

She was still holding Quinn. Her voice low and softer then he’d ever heard it. “What kind of tire trouble did you say it was?”

Caleb pursed his lips. He didn’t break eye contact and neither did she. “I didn’t.”

She opened her mouth, then shut it. Quinn squirmed in her arms. Caleb backed up because he’d seen that look before, in Sophie’s eyes right before she’d dumped Quinn on him. Marnie glared at him. “He wants his Daddy back.”

“If the shoe fits…” Caleb backed up another step.

“Asshole.” But it was missing any serious heat.

Caleb countered. “I’ll tell you if you do me a favor?”

“She’s my sister. If something’s happened I want to know.”

Caleb stood silent and waited.

Marnie advanced, baby and all. Her voice was still low, but her eyes flashed fanatical fire. “I protect what’s mine.”

He went with his gut. “You care about her.”

“Of course, I care about her.” The long line of her scar contracted as her jaw tightened. “She’s my sister.”

“Pretty standard line. Could mean everything or nothing.”

Marnie stared at him. “What’s the favor?”

Caleb had a clear line down the hall. No sign of Sophie. “I need you to stay here tonight and I need you to stay…alert. Call the police first and me second if anything happens or you think something is going to happen.”

Her eyes glittered. “What happened to Sophie’s car?”

“Someone slashed her tires outside the Empress.”

“Someone?” And once again his arms where full of baby. Marnie paced out of the room and back in again. “What were you doing at the Empress? She shouldn’t be at the Empress. She shouldn’t be anywhere near this hell hole of a place at all.”

Interesting.

Caleb added, “We stopped in to have a drink.”

Marnie mocked, “I’m guessing the drink was your idea and the Empress was Sophie’s?”

He neither confirmed nor denied. “Jason Drummond happened to stop in while we were there.”

He had to look twice, but he was positive it was relief he saw in her eyes. “Wait a minute, who were you expecting—”

“That son of a bitch.” She headed in the direction of the front door and Caleb scrambled after her Quinn half asleep in his arms. His gaze landed on the little temporary crib set up in the corner. As gently as possible, as quickly as possible, he settled Quinn in it. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Out.”

“No, you’re not. You’re staying here.”

“You stay here. Play watchdog or whatever. I’ve got things to do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Look at the bright side. Here’s your chance to have a sleepover.”

“Nice.”

“What? I’m supposed to be ignorant of the fact you’re trying to bang my sister?”

“You have a real way with words, you know that?”

“Whatever.”

“Sit down. Now.”

“Or what?”

“Sophie’s not ready to let me stay here. You’ll be leaving them unprotected. Vulnerable. Is that your idea of looking after your own?”

“Fine.” She stormed over to the couch and plopped down. “We’ll all sit around watch Oprah reruns and wait for our periods to sync.”

“That’s the spirit. For the record, I respect the hell out of your sister. I not looking to take advantage of the situation nor am I helping her in the hopes it will lead to more.”

“Did I ask you your intentions?” She settled back against the couch. She propped an ankle over her knee.

“I need to know I can count on you.”

“Count on her for what?” asked Sophie. He glanced over his shoulder to see her standing there, arms crossed, brows raised, and her hip cocked.

Before Caleb could open his mouth, Marnie snorted and opened hers. “To babysit you tonight.”

“Really?” Sophie uncrossed her arms and came to stand between him and her sister. “I’m getting damn tired of having this conversation.”

Caleb rubbed a hand over his throbbing forehead before stabbing a finger in each of their directions. “The two of you? You’re more alike than you know. I only thought with Kellie and Quinn here and after what happened earlier you’d appreciate the extra security. An extra set of eyes.”

“And as much as it pains me to say this: He’s right.” Marnie made eye contact and her promise to him was in the hard glint of her eyes. “So, I’ll be staying.”

He nodded his thanks. “Great. So, how about some dinner? Chinese or Pizza?”

Sophie put her hand out. “Not so fast. You may think you’ve dodged a bullet, but keep this in mind.”

He’d do anything to see she didn’t get hurt. Caleb reached up and when she didn’t back away he smoothed a thumb over her cheek. “I’m waiting.”