Against the Heart (4 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

Ian watched Meriwether Jones walk away.  With a will of its own, his gaze traveled over the round bottom hugged by her faded blue jeans.  His mouth edged into a smile at the pink sneakers on her feet.

In the week she had been there, everything had changed.  She had the house cleaned, all but the dining room, the upstairs rooms stripped and ready to paint, which he had hired a crew to do and planned to start tomorrow morning. 

Dinner was no longer a morbid affair of frozen TV dinners eaten in the dark in front of the TV.  They ate in the spotlessly clean kitchen around the old, claw-foot oak table, good wholesome family meals like spaghetti, and stew, and chicken and dumplings. 

One night, he picked up some steaks to grill outside, which turned into more work than he had expected since the grill hadn’t been used in years and when he lifted the lid found the whole thing greasy and rusted.

But cleaning it was worth it.  The steaks were great and the look on Meri’s face when she took a bite of medium rare filet, obviously a treat, made him glad he had gone to the extra trouble.

While he’d worked on general outdoor maintenance, like mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges and pulling weeds, Meri had worked miracles inside the house.  He admired her tenacity and grit.  He admired the way she took care of her little girl.

He admired a lot of things about Meriwether Jones.  He also found her sexy as hell.  He tried not to think of the perfect little ass filling out her jeans, the way her breasts plumped under her T-shirts.  He desperately wanted to see those long, mahogany braids unbound, wanted to run his fingers through the fine, silky strands. 

Instead of her work clothes, he wanted to see her in a sleek satin nightgown.  Then he wanted to strip her out of it. 

He wanted to take Meriwether Jones to bed and it was driving him crazy.

Fortunately, Meri had enough sense to realize what a mistake it would be and stay away from him.

Hell, he was only going to be in Spokane a couple of weeks, and the hard truth was, he wasn’t interested in a relationship.  He worked long hours and rarely had time for female companionship. 

Which wasn’t to say he didn’t have a lady or two he took out on the occasional date or called once in a while for a sleep-over.  He liked sex, and just because he was busy, didn’t mean he did without. 

Still, there was something different about the desire he felt for Meri.  It was a yearning deep in his bones.  Every time she smiled at him, he felt a little kick. 

He didn’t understand it.  Hell, he’d never felt anything like it. 

And he sure didn’t know how to deal with it.

And there was Meri herself.  He didn’t know anything about her, except that she was in trouble.  If he was back in his office, he’d run her name, see if she had a criminal record.  When he thought of the way she was with Lily, thought of the amazing mother she was, he had a hard time imagining it. 

And the truth was even thinking about digging into her past felt like a betrayal.

He was staying at least another week.  He had help coming in to paint the upstairs but he planned to tackle the kitchen himself.  Maybe he would just ask her what she was running from.

Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

Maybe if he gave her a little more time, Meri would come to trust him enough to tell him.

As long as she didn’t trust him enough to wind up in his bed.

In the end, they all went to see the foal.  Maybe she was a little overprotective, but Meri didn’t really know the Brodies well enough to let them take off with her little girl.  In her heart, she believed father and son were exactly what they seemed, good men who had problems to solve, just like everyone else.

The little bay colt named Dolly was darling, and of course Lily instantly fell in love with the filly. 

"Look, Mama, she likes me."  The colt butted her tiny head against Lily’s hand, then nickered softly when Lily started petting her.  "Can I have a horse, Mama?  A baby one like Dolly?"

"We’ll be living in the city, honey.  Horses need lots of open space to play in."

"But I want one."  Her face puckered up.  It looked as if she was going to pitch an old-fashioned crying fit, which was rare and never worked, but Meri figured this was a high-stakes wish, and Lily figured it was worth a try.

Ian must have recognized what was coming because he stepped into the breach, scooped Lily up against his chest.

"Mrs. Peterson loves visitors. I’m sure you can come out and visit Dolly anytime you want."  He glanced at the short, silver-haired woman who stood next to Daniel at the fence.

Mrs. Peterson smiled and nodded.  "Anytime, sweetheart."

Lily’s eyes lit up.  "Can we, Mama?"

"For now, why don’t we just enjoy Dolly while we’re here?"

The colt neighed and Lily returned her attention to the tiny horse, satisfied at least for the moment.

"She’s such a sweet little girl," Mrs. Peterson said, smiling down at Lily with a soft look in her eyes. 

"Thank you."

"I remember when my daughter was that age.  Seems like only yesterday.  Ashley’s all grown up now with kids of her own."

Heddy looked over at Daniel, who seemed to be looking everywhere but at the woman beside him.  "I’m glad you came over, Daniel.  It’s been way too long."  There was something in her eyes, something Meri recognized.

Daniel just nodded.  He was an attractive man, she realized, now that he was standing a little straighter, had gotten a haircut and shaved. 

"We’d best be getting back," he said.  "Ian’s got the painters coming in tomorrow morning." As Daniel started back down the road toward the farmhouse, Mrs. Peterson turned to Ian.

"I’m so glad you came home.  I can see the difference in your father already."

"I should have come back sooner.  I won’t stay away again."

Heddy Peterson smiled, but her gaze strayed toward the man walking off down the lane.  Another woman attracted to a man she couldn’t have.

Meri understood completely.

Taking Lily’s hand, she walked next to Ian back to the house.  Once they got there, Ian took Lily out to the barn to watch the kitchens.  Meri walked into the kitchen just as her cell phone rang.

Pulling it out of the pocket of her jeans, she looked down at the caller I.D. but didn’t recognize the number.  She pressed the phone against her ear.  "Hello."

"Hey, baby, I guess you forgot our appointment."

Her stomach curled.  Nausea rolled through her.  "How...how did you get this number?"  She’d changed it after Joey had conned one of the girls in the secretarial pool where Meri worked as a temp into giving it to him.

"You can’t keep secrets from me.  You should know that by now."

Her mind spun.  Only a few people had this number.  Her friends knew what Joey was like.  No way had it come from one of them.  "What do you want?"

"You know what I want, you little bitch.  I want that money old lady Vandermeer left you."

"I don’t have it, Joey.  It’s all gone.  I tried to tell you that."

"You’re lying.  You packed up and left so you wouldn’t have to give me my share.  You think I couldn’t figure out where you were headed when you left?  Your friend Pam Haskins was with you the night we met.  Remember?  She said she was moving to Portland.  She wasn’t that hard to find.  Me and Kowalski paid her a visit and we had a little chat."

Dear God, Joey was in Portland!  And he was with that big bruiser friend of his, the one he called Ski.  "You and Kowalski...you didn’t hurt her?"

"All I did was slap her around a little.  It’s your fault.  I wouldn’t have had to do it if she’d given me your number the first time I asked."

She couldn’t think of anything to say.  Her heart was hammering, her palms slick with fear.

"Where are you, you little bitch?  I spent a fortune in gas driving up here.  I had to sell some of my personal stash to get enough money to make the trip.  I want it back."

"You...you should have stayed in L.A."

"Bullshit.  Pam says you changed your mind about Portland, says you’re taking the kid somewhere else.  I want to know where the hell you are."

Meri hung up the phone.  With shaking hands, she hurriedly pressed Pam’s number, ignored the frantic beeping of Joey calling her back.  Pam picked up on the second ring. 

"Are you okay?" Meri asked.

"I’m okay.  That bastard scared the hell out of me, but I’m fine.  I had to give him your number to get him and that big behemoth to leave."

"Oh, God, Pam, I’m so sorry.  Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?"

"He slapped me a couple of times.  I hit my head when I fell, but I’m okay.  I didn’t want to give him your number, but--"

"No, you did the right thing."

"Don’t come here, Meri.  I told him and that bald creep I didn’t know where you were.  Since it’s the truth, I’m pretty sure he believed me.  But, Meri...Joey’s crazy.  He’s taken too many drugs or something.  He isn’t thinking straight."

"I just talked to him.  Will you be okay?"

"I’ll be all right.  I told him if he came back and bothered me again, I’d call the police.  He could tell I meant it.  Besides, it was obvious you weren’t here."

"I’m changing this number," Meri said.  "Once I have a new one, I’ll call you."

"Take care of yourself, Meri.  And take care of Lily."  Pam ended the call.

With trembling hands, Meri turned off the phone so Joey couldn’t call her again, then she sank down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. 

You’re safe,
she told herself, trying to calm her nerves. 
Lily’s safe.  Everything’s going to be okay.
Joey had called, but there was no way he could find them.  As long as they were in rural Spokane, they were safe. 

Still, she couldn’t stop shaking.  She gasped when she looked up to see Ian standing in the kitchen doorway, his jaw set, his face as dark as a thundercloud.  She wondered how much he had overheard.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

Meri forced herself to smile.  "I...ah...saw a mouse.  Silly, I know, but those things really scare me.  Sorry."

Ian didn’t look convinced.  "You’re shaking.  Are you sure that’s all it was?  If something’s wrong, you can tell me, Meri.  You can trust me to help you."

She took a steadying breath, managed to control her voice.  "I was talking to one of my girlfriends.  The mouse caught me a little off guard.  I’m fine."

Ian’s eyes remained on her face a few seconds longer, then he grabbed something in the mudroom and stalked back out of the house. 

Meri took a deep breath.  She still had a job, still had a lot of work to do. 

And she refused to let Joey Bandini interfere in her life again.  Meri grabbed the broom and started sweeping.

Ian carried the wrench he’d been looking for back to the barn.  He didn’t know if he was more angry at Meri or whoever had been on the other end of her phone.

Dammit, why didn’t she just tell him?  He could help her if she would just let him.

With a frustrated sigh, he walked over to check on Lily, who sat in the stall with the kittens.  She seemed mesmerized by the tiny little gray-and-white creatures, content to watch them for hours on end.

Satisfied that she was okay, he returned to the tack room he had been cleaning, putting away old saddles that needed oiling, headstalls, reins, and miscellaneous feed bags and water buckets.  The smell of hay and manure brought back memories of his youth, a time when he had imagined working with his dad to raise quarter horses.  At least a few of them, more a hobby than for the money they might earn.

At the moment those memories were overridden by the scene he’d stumbled onto in the kitchen, which refused to leave his head.  He didn’t know what had happened, but he’d seen Meri turn off her cell phone, seen the pallor of her face. 

Someone Meri didn’t want to talk to had called, someone she didn’t want to talk to again. 

As much as he hated to go behind her back and check on her, Ian figured it might be in her best interest if he did.  Maybe the trouble she was in had nothing to do with something Meri had done, and everything to do with someone who might intend to do something bad to
her.

He’d give it another day, see if he could get her to talk to him.  If he couldn’t, he’d phone his office, get one of his investigators to do some digging for him.

Ian found himself walking back out of the barn over to his Jeep.  Though he owned the company and rarely took cases anymore, he was a licensed private investigator, and as such, licensed to carry.   

His Glock nine mil rode in a locked compartment in the center console.  He couldn’t leave it lying around with a child in the house, but the gun safe was portable.  He could make sure his weapon was loaded and in easy reach if he needed it in a hurry.

Ian carried the gun safe into the barn.

CHAPTER FIVE

The painters arrived the following day.  Ian put them to work upstairs while Meri did a last minute check of the kitchen to be sure it was also ready to paint.  Lily was in the den watching cartoons with Daniel.

Meri found herself smiling at that.

She felt better this morning, more optimistic.  So Joey had been looking for her.  So what?  Pam didn’t believe Joey would be back to bother her again.  He hadn’t found Meri and he wasn’t going to.

She took a last look around.  The ratty old kitchen curtains were down, everything was put away or draped with a cloth.  Ian was on his way out the door to buy the paint when she caught up with him.

"Ian, wait!"

He turned and smiled down at her.  "What is it?"

The man was so handsome for a second she forgot what she was going to say.  "I was...just thinking.  I know the kitchen was white when you were a boy, but with all the white cabinets and counters, it’s going to look awfully stark in here.  How would you feel about a soft, butter-cream yellow?  I think it would really warm the place up."

He glanced around the room, probably seeing it as it was when he was a kid.  "My dad would probably have a fit."