telling him things . “Mr. Webber?”
“What is it?” His voice was gruff and his eyes wary.
“I'm sorry I had to bring Alder again this week.”
He shrugged, brushing a hand through his hair. “I was surprised to see him.”
She continued chopping garlic, fully expecting him to say something nasty. But she wouldn't care this time. Compared to her problems this bitter and strange man was nothing to her.
“I didn't think he'd set foot on my property after last week,” said Drake. “The kid has guts. And a fierce loyalty to his mother.” He paused, picking up another tomato and bringing it to his nose. “I was the same way about my mother when I was a kid—she raised us alone—worked two jobs to keep us fed and clothed. Used to drag us all over the place when school was out. Until I was old enough to stay home with my baby sister.”
Then why did you give me such a hard time about it last week? she wondered.
“I felt like an ass after last week,” said Drake. “I don't want to be a guy that scares a little boy.”
Had she spoken that last part out loud or had he just read her mind?
“Like you said, how you run your home is your business.”
“Did I say that?”
“Something like that.”
He rolled the tomato on the counter like he was making a roll out of dough. “He's welcome here anytime. I'm sorry if I came off otherwise.”
Another apology? This time to her? Had she misjudged him?
“I appreciate it, more than you can imagine, actually. I havesomeone who watches him normally. But I have a situation. Somewhat serious, I guess is how you'd say it. And I don't want to leave his side until I figure out what to do.”
Something akin to curiosity but more intense crossed his face; his eyes were piercing, like a wounded animal peering out at the enemy from behind a bush. “What is it? Are you in danger?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to cry. “Yes,” she whispered. “How did you know that?”
“Tell me,” he said, his voice gentle. “Maybe I can help.” She stared at him. He'd transformed, suddenly, from the cold man she'd first met to someone different. Entirely different, even; he'd changed from a nasty and sarcastic man to one at ease with a child. And here now was yet another aspect to this man, a man concerned over the safety of a woman: protective, alert. Like a man who understood about how dangerous other men could be.
“It's bad,” she said. “And embarrassing.”
He cocked his head to the side. “My life has been more difficult than anyone could imagine. Nothing you tell me will shock me or offend me. And no woman should be afraid. No child should be in danger.” His voice wavered, and he paused for a moment. She watched his Adam's Apple go up and down, as if he swallowed hard. “Just tell me what happened. Is it something recent?”
“Yes. Last week.” She fought tears, brushing hastily under her eyes. “My world blew up.”
His eyes were soft now. With a wide gesture of his arm, he indicated the table and chairs near the window. “Come. Sit for a minute.”
She did so, her legs shaking. “I got a call from Alder's father. I haven't seen him since I was eight weeks pregnant. He beat me regularly for two years. The night before I left, he almost killed me.”
“Go on.”
“After he was arrested for almost beating me to death and having a package of meth on him, he was sent to jail for ten years. But even before his trial, I packed what I could fit into my suitcase, filled up his car with gas, and drove north until I reached Oregon.”
“Here?”
“No, I lived on the coast for a few years—a little town calledLegley Bay—and then up to Manzanita to a culinary school there—before I moved here. Small towns in Oregon no one's ever heard of are good places to escape and hide out. Until the press starts writing up your restaurant.”
“That's how he found you?”
“That's what he said. I feel so stupid. I never worried about it because
“What is it?” His voice was gruff and his eyes wary.
“I'm sorry I had to bring Alder again this week.”
He shrugged, brushing a hand through his hair. “I was surprised to see him.”
She continued chopping garlic, fully expecting him to say something nasty. But she wouldn't care this time. Compared to her problems this bitter and strange man was nothing to her.
“I didn't think he'd set foot on my property after last week,” said Drake. “The kid has guts. And a fierce loyalty to his mother.” He paused, picking up another tomato and bringing it to his nose. “I was the same way about my mother when I was a kid—she raised us alone—worked two jobs to keep us fed and clothed. Used to drag us all over the place when school was out. Until I was old enough to stay home with my baby sister.”
Then why did you give me such a hard time about it last week? she wondered.
“I felt like an ass after last week,” said Drake. “I don't want to be a guy that scares a little boy.”
Had she spoken that last part out loud or had he just read her mind?
“Like you said, how you run your home is your business.”
“Did I say that?”
“Something like that.”
He rolled the tomato on the counter like he was making a roll out of dough. “He's welcome here anytime. I'm sorry if I came off otherwise.”
Another apology? This time to her? Had she misjudged him?
“I appreciate it, more than you can imagine, actually. I havesomeone who watches him normally. But I have a situation. Somewhat serious, I guess is how you'd say it. And I don't want to leave his side until I figure out what to do.”
Something akin to curiosity but more intense crossed his face; his eyes were piercing, like a wounded animal peering out at the enemy from behind a bush. “What is it? Are you in danger?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to cry. “Yes,” she whispered. “How did you know that?”
“Tell me,” he said, his voice gentle. “Maybe I can help.” She stared at him. He'd transformed, suddenly, from the cold man she'd first met to someone different. Entirely different, even; he'd changed from a nasty and sarcastic man to one at ease with a child. And here now was yet another aspect to this man, a man concerned over the safety of a woman: protective, alert. Like a man who understood about how dangerous other men could be.
“It's bad,” she said. “And embarrassing.”
He cocked his head to the side. “My life has been more difficult than anyone could imagine. Nothing you tell me will shock me or offend me. And no woman should be afraid. No child should be in danger.” His voice wavered, and he paused for a moment. She watched his Adam's Apple go up and down, as if he swallowed hard. “Just tell me what happened. Is it something recent?”
“Yes. Last week.” She fought tears, brushing hastily under her eyes. “My world blew up.”
His eyes were soft now. With a wide gesture of his arm, he indicated the table and chairs near the window. “Come. Sit for a minute.”
She did so, her legs shaking. “I got a call from Alder's father. I haven't seen him since I was eight weeks pregnant. He beat me regularly for two years. The night before I left, he almost killed me.”
“Go on.”
“After he was arrested for almost beating me to death and having a package of meth on him, he was sent to jail for ten years. But even before his trial, I packed what I could fit into my suitcase, filled up his car with gas, and drove north until I reached Oregon.”
“Here?”
“No, I lived on the coast for a few years—a little town calledLegley Bay—and then up to Manzanita to a culinary school there—before I moved here. Small towns in Oregon no one's ever heard of are good places to escape and hide out. Until the press starts writing up your restaurant.”
“That's how he found you?”
“That's what he said. I feel so stupid. I never worried about it because
Similar Books
