Chapter 22

The sun was just dropping behind the western mountain peaks when Theo came around the final curve of the rutted driveway and saw Jules on the porch steps. Dee and the two younger boys were running around the yard, playing some kind of game that seemed to be a mix of rugby, lacrosse, and freeze tag. They shouted hello to Theo and welcomed Viggy into their game.

Stopping a few feet from the bottom step, Theo paused, looking at Jules. The red-gold light of the sunset warmed her face and hair, and she smiled at him. It was as if she controlled something in him, and he had to smile back. Not that he fought it…at least anymore.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” Theo took the last few strides he needed before sitting next to her on the step. “How are you?”

“Okay, surprisingly,” she said, leaning into him. “How about you?”

She still wasn’t close enough for his liking. Theo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in tight. “I’ve got another week of mandatory leave and a whole new round of critical incident debriefings, but I’ll live.” It felt good to say that. “Gordon Schwartz skipped bail. I don’t think he’ll come here, but stay alert. Call me if you notice something suspicious, have a bad feeling, notice anything off at all.”

“I will,” she promised, and then gave him a slow smile. “You could stay here, too, if you like. Keep a…personal eye on things.”

He smiled back, feeling a surge of relief so intense it was almost painful. He’d almost lost her again.

Reaching up to the hand dangling over her shoulder, she caught his fingers in hers. “It’s nice to have you here.”

It was nice to be there, to feel the bite of fall in the air with Jules pressed close to his side, watching the kids and his K9 partner playing against the backdrop of the mountains. Theo realized that, for the first time in months, he was glad to be alive.

“Want to go see a movie tomorrow?” he asked, trying to play it off as casual even as his body tensed.

She stiffened, as well, turning to stare at him. “A date?”

“Yeah.”

“A real date?”

“Uh…” He sent her a sideways look. “What’s the other option? A fake date?”

Her laugh had a sharp edge to it. “I don’t know.”

“When I saw your SUV, and I knew you were in the diner…” He blew out a harsh breath as the remembered fear flooded through him. “I’ve never been so scared. Ever.”

Her fingers tightened around his.

“If something had happened to you, I would’ve been so pissed at myself for all the time I wasted. I should’ve asked you out that first time I saw you at the diner.” He stared at Viggy, who was dancing circles around the laughing kids, before meeting Jules’s eyes. “I don’t want to waste any more time. I love you. I want to be with you.”

“I love you, too. And I want to be with you, more than anything. It’s just…” She paused before words burst from her. “I can’t tell you everything.”

“You mean about your past.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes.” Shifting around so she faced forward, she leaned against him again. “I can’t.”

“Because of them.” Again, it wasn’t a question. He gestured with his free hand to the playing kids.

She was quiet for so long that he didn’t think she was going to say anything, but then she admitted, “Yes.”

It was his turn to be silent for a moment. “Okay.”

“Really?” She swung around again to stare at him, and he smiled.

“I know you’re a good person, Jules,” he said. And he did. As much as it went against his nature not to ask questions, not to snoop and grill and do whatever it took to find out the truth, he believed she was doing what she felt was right. He didn’t have to hear the details to know that was true. “Whatever happened, I’m sure you did the right thing.”

“I did.” Her body softened into his. “Thank you. I know you don’t know the specifics, but it’s still good to hear.”

Sam came into view as he rode a beat-up bike around the final curve of the driveway. Although he slowed when he spotted them, he kept his bike pointed toward the porch. When he got close, he climbed off and walked the bike to the bottom of the steps. He stood there quietly for a minute, his eyes on Theo.

“I g-got the j-j-job,” he said finally.

“So I heard.” Theo tried to keep his voice gentle. It wasn’t a natural thing for him, since he generally sounded a little gruff, but something about Sam made it easy to be kind. “Congratulations. Nan said you’re a natural with the dogs.”

Sam’s smile was so quick, Theo would’ve missed it if he’d blinked at the wrong time. Next to him, he felt, more than heard, Jules’s inhale. Theo guessed it was her happy reaction to her brother’s rare smile.

“Of course he is,” she said, almost able to cover the choked note in her voice. “Sam’s awesome in all ways.”

Although he rolled his eyes at his sister, he looked even more pleased. “Th-thank you,” he said to Theo.

Theo waved off his thanks. “All I did was give you the number. You got the job, and it’ll be up to you to keep it.”

“I kn-know.” He turned his head toward his younger siblings, who were calling for him to join them. “B-b-but th-thank you anyw-way.”

“You’re welcome.” He watched as Sam propped his bike against the porch and then jogged over to join the other kids.

“Is it strange,” Jules asked quietly, “that when you’re sweet to my sister or brothers, it makes me want to drag you to my room and have my wild way with you?”

That startled a laugh out of him, one he cut off quickly. It still felt odd to be happy. “I don’t know if it’s strange, but you can drag me to your room anytime.”

Snuggling closer, she gave a melodramatic sigh. “I suppose we should wait until the kids are sleeping.”

“Probably a good idea.” Now that she’d mentioned it, though, it was all he could think about.

They sat there quietly for a few moments. “Want to join them?” Jules asked, nodding toward the kids.

“In their game, you mean?” It hadn’t even occurred to him. It’d been a long time since he’d played any sort of game.

“Sure.” Standing, she grabbed both of his hands and dragged him to his feet. “Let’s go. It’ll be fun.”

“Okay.” He didn’t think he could deny her anything. In this, he didn’t think he wanted to. They walked toward the kids and Viggy. “What are the rules?”

She laughed, making him want to kiss her. “We kind of make them up as we go along.” With that, she ran over to Dee, scooping her up and twirling her around, making her shriek with laughter.

“Heads up!” Ty threw the ball to him, and Theo caught it. Turning, he tossed it to Tio, who took off for the big evergreen that was apparently some kind of goal or home base or end zone. Everyone tore after him, and Theo joined them.

For Jules, for this family, for once in his life, he could do it. He could make up the rules as he went along.