Iwoke before he did. I was on my right side now and so was he, our bodies in a cozy spoon. I lay still, reveling in the feel of him against my back, his arm across my stomach. If I could only wake up like this every morning, I’d be one happy gal.
I squinted at the clock on the nightstand and saw it was seven o’clock. We’d slept almost ten hours.
I carefully slid out from under his arm and stood, stretching luxuriously. Sleeping with Jude—and I mean that in the most innocent way—definitely agreed with me. I felt well-rested and ready to take on the day.
He continued to slumber, so I quietly left the room, closing the door all but a crack. I went to my bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, then I changed into jeans and a T-shirt and padded barefoot down the hall to my office. I knew Ian would already be up and working, and I needed to call him.
Although he’d been interviewed extensively by the police last evening, in cooperation with our local sheriff’s office, he and I hadn’t had a chance to talk. I had no doubt he felt terrible about everything, and I could certainly relate to that.
He answered my video call on the first ring and I could see right away he was suffering. He apologized over and over, even though I assured him I didn’t blame him at all.
Like me, he was kicking himself for not realizing just how vindictive Abigail could be, and he was appalled that she’d retaliated against me instead of him. The cops had also told him about the cameras. He admitted to being upset that I hadn’t told him myself, but when I explained that I hadn’t wanted to come between him and Abigail, he said he understood the tough position I’d been in.
Overall, I think Ian felt even worse about everything than I did. Abigail had shown some worrying signs of being unhealthily attached to him, and her jealousy went way beyond normal, but never once had he thought she’d harm anyone. He assured me he’d told the cops everything he could think of that might help find her and would contact them if he thought of anything else.
When I told him I hadn’t gotten any updates on the case, he urged me to call the sheriff’s office today to see what was going on. I promised I would, even though I was sure I’d have gotten a call if there’d been any news.
After we hung up, I decided to make good on my promise right then, before the day got too busy.
I called and was connected to Deputy Clauson, one of the guys who’d come to the scene. The one who had given me his T-shirt, in fact.
He was very personable, although he didn’t have much to tell me. Andrew still wasn’t talking, not to them, or even to his state-appointed attorney. He hadn’t said a single word since they’d arrested him.
Andrew’s home address, according to his driver’s license, was in Hanover, Pennsylvania, and that made sense, as I knew Abigail had lived somewhere in Pennsylvania before moving to DC to be with Ian. Local police had checked Andrew’s house, but unfortunately, Abigail wasn’t there waiting for her brother to show up with me in tow, and there was no evidence she had been. The place was being watched around the clock, however, in case she showed up.
Her parents had been located, but they claimed they hadn’t talked to either of their children in more than eight years.
I asked the deputy what would happen if Andrew continued his silence, and he said the preliminary hearing was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and if Andrew didn’t start speaking before then, the judge would most likely enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf and schedule a trial.
I asked about bail and was told that wasn’t likely, since Andrew had been caught in the act and was considered dangerous. If nothing changed, the trial would most likely be scheduled within three months, and there was no reason to believe Andrew wouldn’t be found guilty.
That was good news, but of course Abigail remained a huge loose end. Deputy Clauson promised to let me know if anything came to light, big or small. All I could do was thank him and hope Abigail would make a mistake that led the cops—or Ian—right to her.
I hung up and typed out an email to Ian with a summary of everything I’d been told. I’d just clicked the send button when I heard footsteps coming up behind me, then warm hands settling on my shoulders. I smiled as Jude pulled my chair back so I was halfway reclining, which gave me an upside-down look at his very handsome face.
“What good is an expensive, impenetrable security door when you leave it wide open?” he drawled.
I reached up to grab onto his triceps. “I’ll never lock you out,” I told him. “How’re you feeling?”
“Stiff, but things will loosen up now that I’m up and around. I slept great, though.”
“Me, too.” I grinned and raised my brows. “Apparently, I liked sharing a bed with a hot guy. Who knew?”
He gave me the smile I loved, then leaned down and gave me an exquisite, upside-down, minty-fresh kiss.
Mmm. I also liked sharing kisses with a hot guy who took the time to brush his teeth in the morning.
When he straightened back up and let go of my chair, I spun it around to face him, enjoying the sight of him in low-slung sweatpants and a loose-fitting T-shirt. I might have been a little dazed from his kiss, but I distinctly heard his stomach growl. I laughed and got to my feet.
“I can take care of that,” I said, patting that hungry stomach as I walked past. “Come keep me company.”
***
While we ate blueberry pancakes and sausage, I filled Jude in on what Deputy Clauson had said. Like Ian, Jude was extremely frustrated knowing Abigail was still out there somewhere, still posing a threat. We had no clues whatsoever, and if Andrew didn’t start talking, she could probably hide indefinitely.
“Ian doesn’t know of any other friends she might get help from?”
I poked at a sausage link. “He didn’t even know about Andrew.”
Jude put down his fork and reached across the table for my hand. I looked at him, tilting my head curiously when I saw his serious expression.
“Ava, we can’t make the mistake of underestimating this girl again. I need you to promise me you’ll be careful. You can’t take any risks—not one. Stay out of the woods unless I’m with you. Don’t go anywhere after dark, unless I’m with you. If you go into town during the day, be constantly aware of your surroundings. Make sure there are other people around. Never leave the house without arming your security system, and when you’re here, keep the perimeter armed, so you’ll know if there’s any exterior activity at the doors or windows. And lock your security door when you’re working. Every time.”
I turned my hand over and laced my fingers through his. “Unless you’re here.”
“Yeah.” He looked at me searchingly, then gave me a relieved smile. “I was afraid I’d make you mad with all those demands.”
“How can I be mad when you’re trying to keep me safe?”
“Because you’re an independent woman used to making your own decisions, and I’m telling you what to do in no uncertain terms.”
“At least I know you care.”
He raised a brow. “I hope you knew that long before now.”
I shrugged and tried not to smile too big. I adored the way his blue eyes sparkled when he looked at me like that. I wanted to see that sparkle every single day for the rest of my life—but that was getting a bit ahead of myself. Or, rather, ahead of him. I was hopeful he’d get there, I just had to be patient.
I let go of his hand so he could finish eating.
“I promise to be careful, but you need to be on guard too, Jude. She might have found out you were the one who took Andrew down.”
“I’ll be on the lookout,” he said, taking another pancake from the platter. “These are great, by the way. I really love your Grandma’s recipe book.”
I was glad to see his appetite was back, because yesterday he hadn’t eaten much. A good night’s rest had done wonders; you’d never know from looking at him this morning that he’d been shot less than two days ago.
His quick recovery meant he’d be going back to work—and his own house—soon. That was probably for the best. Before I got too used to having him around.
He finished his breakfast and sat back with a satisfied smile.
“Not a bad way to start the morning,” he said, raising his arms overhead in a careful stretch. “I like waking up to you, good coffee, and blueberry pancakes.”
“Kinda like an old married couple,” I said, and immediately felt my face flame hot. Darn it, Ava—now he’s going to think you’re hinting. I quickly hopped up and grabbed our plates, carrying them to the sink while I tried to think of something to say to make him forget my comment.
Before anything came to mind, Jude walked up behind me, one hand settling on my waist and the other swiping the hair off my neck so he could press his mouth to the sensitive spot below my ear.
He spoke against my skin, his low voice stirring every nerve ending in my body. “If we were married, Ava, we wouldn’t have made it downstairs yet.”
I shivered and closed my eyes, wishing….wanting. I leaned back against him, and his arm slid around my stomach.
“I like having you here,” I said, sounding a little short of breath. Not that that was unusual around Jude. “You can stay with me as long as you want, you know.”
He chuckled. “I’ll stay tonight yet, so you and Mom don’t nag me for rushing my recuperation. After that, I don’t think it would be a good idea.” He paused, then added, “I’m discovering my hard limits aren’t as hard as I thought—not with you. Last night was proof of that.” He kissed my neck again. “It would’ve been so easy to cross the line.”
I wiped my hands on a nearby towel before turning to face him. I looked up a little uncertainly, running my hands over his chest.
“I get it. I know we need to be careful.” I rolled my lips together, trying to find the words to tell him what I was feeling. “The thing is, I’m not unhappy that you tempt me more than I ever thought possible, and I also like that I test your limits.”
His brows rose and a corner of his mouth curled up. “I assume you’re going to tell me why?”
I grimaced. “Only if you promise not to think I’m trying to pressure you into anything.”
“Promise.”
I smiled tentatively, hoping he meant it. “Okay, well, I’m glad about those things because if we ever do, um, you know…..get to the point where we don’t have to exercise restraint…..then that’s exactly what I want. The feeling that we can’t ever get enough of each other. That I can’t wait to get my work done for the day and have you come home, so I can show you how much I missed you.”
His half smile slowly stretched into a teasing grin. “And by that, you mean making me a gourmet dinner and asking all about my day, right?”
I nodded and smiled back. “Of course. But the gourmet supper might be served a little late some days.”
He’d already made a similar comment, but he seemed to like hearing it from me. His eyes were molten blue as his mouth came down on mine.
Neither of us thought about Abigail for a while. Which suited me just fine.
***
The first visitor of the day arrived soon after we had the kitchen cleaned up from breakfast—which we’d finally gotten around to doing after that toe-curling kiss. Jude had just gotten settled in the recliner in the living room when the doorbell rang. He gave me a pained “oh no, not again” look and I chuckled.
“Face it, you’re a popular guy,” I said with a laugh. “You stay put. I’ll usher your fans in and out.”
I went to the front door and opened it to none other than Priscilla, who was a vision in pale pink from head to toe. She was bearing a coffee cake and tapping her foot on the porch, as if I’d kept her waiting more than the actual fifteen seconds.
“Good morning, Ava Ann. Is Jude up yet?”
“He sure is. We just had breakf—”
She didn’t wait for me to finish before she handed off the cake and went directly to the living room. I hurried after her, wondering what her urgent mission was.
“Good morning, Jude,” she said, standing over him, back straight and arms folded in what I was pretty sure was meant to be an intimidating stance. “You’re looking much better.”
“I’m feeling much better,” he replied, looking a little wary.
“I heard you….spent the night here,” she announced, her face showing her distaste for the scandalous arrangement. “Now, I know you’re an invalid at the moment, so I’ll cut you some slack. But this situation won’t work indefinitely, you do realize that, right? We don’t want anything to tarnish Ava Ann’s good name so soon after she moved here.”
Jude glanced at me as I stood there at the end of the room, awkwardly holding the coffee cake, my eyes wide and jaw slack. I knew I should come to his rescue, but I was stunned speechless by Priscilla’s totally unexpected onslaught. When Jude realized I wasn’t going to be any help, he smiled sweetly at Priscilla as she settled onto the end of the couch, facing him.
“I can assure you, tarnishing Ava’s good name is the last thing I want to do. I sure do appreciate her allowing me to stay in her guest room last night, however. As it turns out, she’s a pretty good nurse.”
“And just how long do you think you’ll be in need of a nurse?” Priscilla wondered. “Your color is much better today, and your eyes much brighter. I’d say you’re almost good as new.”
I finally found my voice. “Priscilla, I don’t think—”
Jude held up a hand and shook his head. “It’s okay, Ava. I understand her concern.”
I put the cake on an end table and sat down across from Priscilla, glaring at her.
She was unfazed and returned her gaze to Jude. “I know it’s not technically my business, but Gwen was my best friend, and nothing was more important to her than her dear Ava. So I’m simply raising the issues and asking the questions Gwen would have raised and asked herself.”
“I get it, and I’m glad to know you have Ava’s back,” Jude said, giving me another brief glance. “As her stand-in grandmother, what questions would you like to ask me, Priscilla?”
She shifted in her seat and smoothed her pink slacks self-importantly. “I’ll cut right to the chase. It’s quite obvious that our Ava has some serious feelings for you, very serious feelings if I’m not mistaken, and quite simply, I want to make sure you aren’t the type of man who would take advantage of that and string her along.”
My jaw dropped again. “Priscilla!”
“What, dear? We need to make sure he’s a man of character and not just a handsome charmer.”
I held up my hands in disbelief. “He charged at a man with a gun for Donna and me, Priscilla! I can’t think of a much better way to prove his character.”
“Well, yes, of course, that certainly shows he’s the kind of man who would risk his life for others, but it’s your heart I’m worried about.” She turned her attention back to Jude.
“Because I suspect that, in the heat of the moment, it might actually be easier to jump in front of a bullet than commit to spending an entire lifetime with the same person.”
I closed my eyes, mortified, and when I opened them again, I made the mistake of looking over at Jude. He’d been looking at Priscilla, but his eyes slid to meet mine, one dark brow arching upward.
I shook my head in apology, then addressed the woman I wished had kept her pink-clad self at home. “Priscilla, no one’s asking Jude to commit to that.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “No? Well, excuse me for being blunt, young lady, but Gwen would have never approved of you seeing a man who isn’t husband material,” she huffed.
“He is—I mean, he could be, we’re just not—”
“It’s okay, Ava,” Jude said for the second time. He brought the recliner to the upright position and almost managed to hide the accompanying wince of pain. “Look, Priscilla, you and the other ladies have been good friends to Ava, and I know you’re just trying to look out for her.”
“It’s the least we can do,” Priscilla said primly. “She’s very dear to our hearts.”
Jude threw me a quick smile. “To mine, too.” He focused his gaze back on the older woman. “Rest assured, Priscilla, I have completely honorable intentions when it comes to Ava. I wouldn’t be dating her if I wasn’t serious about her.”
“You don’t have to defend your intentions, Jude,” I groaned, miserable about putting him in this position. “And Priscilla, I’m going to tell you what I’d tell my grandmother if she was alive, and it’s very simple.” I moved to the edge of my seat and looked at her sternly. “Trust me, okay? I’m a big girl, and I’m totally capable of making good decisions. I’m right where I want to be, with who I want to be with. That’s really all you need to know.”
Her eyes darted between Jude and me. I wanted to look at him too, but I was afraid. If Priscilla’s questions caused him back off because he thought he was being pushed to commit, I was going to have to reconsider hers and my friendship.
“Okay, dear,” Priscilla finally said. “I’ll trust you, as you ask. Just know if you ever need anything, I’m here for you.” Her eyes softened and she gave me a conspiratorial smile. “And if you two ever have any announcements to make, I would hope you’d inform me before Donna. She’s had quite enough attention, courtesy of the two of you.”
I rubbed my temples, still not looking at Jude. I couldn’t believe this. I’d been so careful not to make him feel any pressure, and been doing so well—up until today. I’d already screwed up once myself by accidentally mentioning marriage during breakfast. And now my blue-haired friend had painted me as desperate and vulnerable. Thanks a lot, Pricilla.
The doorbell rang and she and I stood at the same time.
“I’d best be going,” Priscilla declared, about five minutes too late as far as I was concerned. “I’m meeting the girls for coffee.”
I forced a smile. “I’ll walk you to the door, since I’m going there anyway,” I said, still refusing to look at Jude.
When we got to the door, Priscilla reached over and patted my arm. “I feel much better about things, Ava dear,” she said, as if she’d done me a huge favor. “Jude was very sincere just now. I could see in those fine blue eyes how much he cares for you. Just remember what I said about announcements, okay, dear?”
“You’re rushing things, Priscilla. Please stop.”
Something in my tone must have finally gotten through to her. Her eyebrows drew together and she delicately adjusted her glasses.
“I get the feeling you believe I overstepped a bit.”
I nodded. “Maybe more than a bit. You really put him on the spot in there.”
She gave me a wrist flick. “He handled it admirably. Don’t you worry, Ava, he’s a keeper. I’ve been a little worried because the man is almost too charming for his own good. I was afraid we girls were so bowled over by that charm, not to mention his good looks, that we might have overlooked the fact that he isn’t as serious as you are about this whole thing. But he is, so it’s fine. I’m very happy for you.”
The doorbell rang again, ending the discussion.
“Thanks for the coffee cake,” I said.
“You’re very welcome. And I’m only being nosey because I care about you so much,” she added.
I gave her a wry smile as I opened the door, revealing Camilla and Janna.
“Ava!” Janna said, giving me a tight hug. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry to hear what you’ve gone through.”
I hugged her back. “And I’m sorry for dragging your brother into it.”
Naturally, Priscilla’s ears perked up at the word brother, and before I knew it she was introducing herself to the other two women, informing them she’d been my grandmother’s dearest friend and had known me since I was a little girl. She then spent a few seconds gushing about how much she adored Jude before hurrying off—no doubt to inform the ladies at the coffee shop that she’d had the privilege of meeting Jude’s mother and sister, and they were perfectly delightful.
“Jude’s in the living room,” I said, motioning for them to go on in. “Would you ladies like some coffee? And coffee cake? Priscilla just brought one, and she’s a pretty phenomenal cook.”
“Yes to both,” Janna said eagerly. “I skipped breakfast to get on the road early.”
“Just coffee for me,” Camilla said. “Thank you, Ava.”
We entered the living room, where Jude was getting slowly to his feet. Janna hurried to him, but stopped before she bowled him over and very carefully leaned in to hug him.
“Hey, big bro. I’m so glad to see you up and around. How’re you feeling?”
I picked up the cake and escaped to the kitchen, which gave me another few minutes’ reprieve before I had to face Jude. I made a fresh pot of coffee and plated a slice of cake for Janna, then made two trips to carry that and four mugs of coffee to the living room.
It wasn’t until I handed Jude his coffee that I finally met his gaze. I was grateful to see the usual warmth there—along with a bit of a searching look. I couldn’t apologize for Priscilla’s cross-examination with Camilla and Janna there, but I did give him a rueful smile before taking a seat beside Janna on the couch.
We all chatted for ten minutes or so, then I refilled their coffee mugs before excusing myself to go up to my office. I wanted to give them some time alone with Jude so they could talk freely about what had happened without fear of upsetting me.
For a while I just sat and stared out the window, hoping I was making a bigger deal out of the conversation with Priscilla than was warranted. After all, it seemed like I’d been far more uncomfortable than Jude during the whole thing. Unless he was just being his usual kind self and hiding his discomfort.
I sighed and leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes as I prayed for guidance. I was so afraid of Jude pulling away if he felt I wanted too much from him, and yet I did want a lot. I wanted him to be mine….forever.
A big part of me felt that was entirely possible, because things had been going so well. Our relationship was still awfully young in terms of time, though. Most people dated a year or more before taking the next step and getting engaged. If that was the timeline Jude had in his head—if he was even thinking along those lines yet—then we had a long way to go. And Priscilla practically ordering him to commit might make him think twice.
I stared out the window, wishing I could see our future. I knew I didn’t need a year myself to determine what I wanted. I didn’t even need another day. But I had no idea where Jude stood. I didn’t doubt he had strong feelings for me, but were they strong enough to make him think seriously about marriage?
I stewed about it for a little while longer, then told myself worrying wasn’t going to solve anything. I simply needed to take comfort in the fact that God, Jude, and I were in this together, for better or worse.
I sure was hoping for the “better” option.