Trust No One (53 page)

It was very tidy and dust free, considering he lived in another state. “When’s the last time you’ve been here?”

“Other than last night when I was here cleaning?”

“That would explain the lack of dust.” She turned and studied him. “You know how to clean too.”

“I’m handy to have around.”

“Maybe . . .”

“Sounds like you need some more persuading . . .”

In spite of Ben’s persuasive techniques, and another round of good sex on his comfy full-sized bed while Angelina napped on a makeshift pallet of blankets on the floor of his bedroom, MJ and Angelina checked into a hotel later that night.

She visited Tasha in the mornings and in the evenings. Three days later, Tasha moved to a real room and MJ could spend more time at the hospital since there always seemed to be someone willing to watch Angel, including Ben.

One afternoon, though, Tex called, and his news sent MJ into a downward spiral.

Ben noticed that evening as they lay together naked in one bed, while Angel slept in the crib the hotel supplied.

“What’s up?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You seem pensive. Anxious to get back?”

“I need to go back, yes. Earlier than I might want.”

“Does that mean you’ve been enjoying yourself here?”

“Yes.”

“So why do you have to rush off? Is Tex opening back up and there’s a backlog of work?”

“Actually, Tex is selling the business, and he wants to give me first choice to buy it.”

“What?”

“Dottie was too traumatized, she wants Tex to retire and move out to the country.”

“Move away from the town?”

“Yep. Not too far out, but Tex doesn’t feel he can abandon her. They’re ready to retire.”

“Will you buy it?”

“I don’t want that kind of responsibility. And yet I need a job, at least until the adoption is finalized.”

“So does it have to be that job, in that town?”

“I have a life established there.”

“And nowhere else?”

“It’s just easier, and where else? It’s not like I have family or roots anywhere else.”

“What about here?”

“What’s here for me?”

She stared. He kept quiet.

“Not you!”

“I thought you rather liked me.”

“You don’t live here.”

“That could change.”

“Just because we’re great together in the sack, that’s no reason to change your whole life.”

“My life is ready to be changed. You think I could go back to working for Jeff, knowing what I know.”

“Ben, I don’t think I could make that kind of commitment.”

“Am I asking you for commitment?”

“What would you do if you moved back here?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” He smoothed her hair back and smiled. “Ranching?”

“Thought you didn’t like mucking out barns.”

“Well . . . I have a couple of contacts in the Tulsa police department.”

“A cop? After working for Vista outside the law?”

“PI? Bounty hunting?”

“And what am I supposed to do if I move here?”

“We have repair shops here.”

“But there’s no Dottie for Angelina . . . .”

“There’s no Dottie, no. Of course from what you’ve said, there’s no Dottie for Angel back in Texas either unless you’re going to drive to the country every day. My mom or some nice church lady she could find is here. Hey, I know, we can open a repair shop together.”

“If I’m gonna own a repair shop, I might as well buy the one in Texas. It already has a good business.”

“So you’re just going to walk away?”

“Walk away from what? Good sex?”

Ben blew out a breath. “It’s more than that, and you know it.”

“No, I don’t.”

“If that’s true, then good sex is a great place to start.”

“Start what?”

“A relationship.”

“Are you crazy?” She rolled her eyes to make him believe he was definitely on the wrong path. “Haven’t you suffered enough?”

“Life comes with pain. Without the bad, how can you appreciate the good?”

She didn’t want to admit he had a point. Despair, hope, betrayal, love, and any other number of emotions ran in a confusing loop through her mind. “Now, you’re a philosopher?”

He held her gaze, and she felt herself drowning in his liquid chocolate gaze.

“I’m only speaking the truth.”

What he said made some sort of weird sense, and she had to look away to break the spell he was creating. “I have to talk to Tex.”

“When?”

MJ took a deep breath and considered. Of course she’d rather stay, but there was no need to linger. And Tex needed an answer. “I’ll leave in the morning. I’ll go by and see Tasha first, then head back. I have to see if I can talk him out of selling, at least a little longer.”

“What does time have to do with it?”

“I need a job until the adoption is final.”

“And then?”

“Then . . . ?” She shrugged. “After the adoption? I don’t know. I’d been considering staying in Whiddon.”

“Then why not buy the business yourself?”

“That’s a lot of responsibility.”

“So is raising a baby.”

“Yeah, and instead of one thing to be responsible for, that’s two.”

“But one will provide for the other,” Ben pointed out in a practical way.

Why did it suddenly seem as if everything he was saying sounded logical? “I suppose. . .”

“Or you can come back here.”

“I don’t see that as an option really. I don’t know anyone here.”

“You know me. Quite well,” he added with a grin.

“I know parts of you quite well.”

“Conceded. But you could get to know the rest of me. It’s all good.”

She snorted. “That’s quite conceited. You want me to pack up, move up here, look for a new job, just to get to know you better?”

“Sounds good to me. What else do you have?”

“A life back in Texas.”

“Too much to start another one?”

She took a breath, held it, considered. “Possibly. I feel secure there. I know the people.”

“Yeah, Cindy at Lamplighter, and Julie the realtor.”

She was surprised he’d remembered. “Don’t forget Paula at the café.”

“Ah, who could forget Paula? I can’t believe you sent me there. That woman is non-stop talk.”

MJ laughed, taking a perverse satisfaction at setting him up. “But the chicken fried steak is great.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “That steak alone is probably worth going back for.”

She smiled. “So then I better go.”

He kissed her. This time his lips didn’t linger, but they still held the promise of more to come at a later date. “Think about coming back.”

Her lips tingled, but strangely enough so did her heart. “I will.”

And she actually would consider it, she realized.

Chapter 31

MJ took the leisurely route home, so Angelina and Cy could get out and play every couple of hours. MJ brought Tasha’s dog back with her, although Ben’s mother had offered to keep him until Tasha checked out of the hospital. But MJ knew her sister would rather her dog be with family.

Still with all the stops, they made it back to Whiddon by early evening. Instead of heading to Tex’s right away, she chose to let Angelina run around on the indoor play yard, planning to see Tex first thing in the morning. She didn’t feel like any sort of decisions after such a long day. Cy rested calmly on the floor, patiently waiting. The little dog did grow on you, MJ realized.

She was glad to be home, though it did seem as if home had a more hollow feeling. Too many changes had happened in such a short amount of time, and many more changes to come. There was a little ache in her heart knowing that she wouldn’t be going into work to see Tex’s face every day. And Angelina, how would the change affect her? Finding a new caregiver for her after she’d been so happy at Dottie’s? Well, the little girl was tough and resilient. And so was MJ. They would survive just fine.

When morning came, MJ put on her cover-the-now-fading-bruises make-up, but she was moving slowly. She told herself she was tired and let down from the recent excitement in her life. In contrast, Angelina seemed fine and full of energy.

MJ had managed to consciously avoid thinking about Ben’s offer, but it was there, clacking on the edge of her consciousness like a car with a bad valve. She did her best to ignore it, trying to clear her mind to make logical, practical decisions.

The southern air was warmer than in Tulsa. MJ decided to walk. With a warning to Cy to be a good dog, she left him behind, put Angel in the stroller and headed toward Tex’s house.

The streets were busy with people heading to work, starting their day opening the shops downtown. MJ smiled and greeted the people, most of them she knew by name. All she knew by sight.

When she made it to Tex’s, he opened the door and welcomed her with a hug. Dottie did the same, then took Angel out of the stroller.

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry,” Dottie said, squeezing Angelina. Tears streamed down Dottie’s face. Angelina seemed fascinated and traced the wet paths with her finger.

Tex took a hard look at MJ. “Face still a little swollen. Doesn’t look too bad.” Then before she could answer, he added, “I just tried to call you.”

“I should’ve called first, I’m sorry. I hope this isn’t a bad time?”

“No, no. I just wanted to ask if you’d thought anymore about what we’d discussed.”

Dottie wiped her face, smiled at MJ and scolded her husband, “Tex, give her a chance to catch her breath.”

MJ did feel a little rushed, though she’d been thinking of little else.

Tex rubbed his hand through his bushy head of hair. “I might as well tell you, I’ve had an offer. Last night. And if you don’t want to buy the business, then you might want to come down and meet the guy and see if you two could get along to work together.”

MJ opened her mouth to speak but found no sound came out.

“Oh, Tex is messing that all up,” Dottie said. “He’s worried about me, knows I don’t really want to stay in this house a minute longer . . . ”

MJ turned to stare at Dottie.

“But of course we don’t want to rush you into making any decision.”

“Meet the guy? He’s . . . where? At the shop?”

“I met with him last night. He’s supposed to be at the shop in a half an hour, yes. Wants a grand tour.” Tex chuckled.

“I suppose, by all means  . . . ” What else could she say?

“I’ll watch Angel,” Dottie said, “unless . . . well, maybe you don’t trust me.”

“She’ll be fine with you,” MJ said. “She’s in no danger at all anymore. Promise.” MJ gave Dottie a hug and kiss for comfort.

“I wish I understood what happened.”

MJ took her hand. “What happened wasn’t your fault at all. Just relax.”

“We won’t be long, sugar,” Tex said, gave Dottie a kiss, then held open the front door for MJ.

Tex and MJ walked to the shop. She made note how little things had changed inside the shop, pretty much the same jobs needed completion. She realized that Tex had closed shop soon after she’d left. It seemed a lifetime ago.

In the corner, her tool box stood neatly closed. She’d have to load them up and find a place for them if Tex closed down, or if she decided not to work for this new guy. And in all honesty, could she work for anyone else?

Or would she really consider moving and starting a new life when she had one here she was happy with? Still, with Tex closing down and he and Dottie moving, things would necessarily change. Who would keep Angel? Should she stop working until Angel was in school? She had the money; she could be a full-time stay-at- home mom.

Questions peppered at her.

Before her brain worked around to any solution, she saw a truck drive up. A very familiar truck. A 1966 Chevy.

Even more surprising, Tex walked out to greet the driver, and not as a customer. The two men clasped hands. An ugly suspicion formed.

When Tex and the other man started walking back toward the shop, Tex obviously marking the amenities of the old business, MJ found she’d again lost her voice. Was he kidding?

She moved onto the sidewalk just outside the front door. Tex was still talking, she could hear his voice as they drew nearer, but her brain couldn’t register a single word. It was soon obvious the other man wasn’t listening either, but only had eyes for her. Eyes she’d seen in her dreams for over a year she realized. The nightmare ending when the strange man with the exotic chocolate eyes, would say, “Hang on, MJ.” And got her on the helicopter to save her life.