Chapter 15
Liza had a headache and hadn’t eaten before leaving the house. Anger and fear had teamed up with that last smidge of morning sickness to torture her stomach.
Once inside the lobby at SLAM, four different people popped up from the sitting area. They had to be reporters. Phones rang incessantly. Glancing at the desk, she saw Sophie had a second person helping her. Both women looked frazzled. Sophie said into her phone headset, “I can give you her email to make a request. No she’s not in yet.” Sophie’s gaze hit hers, anger sharpening the colors in her hazel eyes.
Liza’s stomach turned over at the confused betrayal there. When she’d been an intern, she’d helped out at this desk with Sophie a few times and had occasional lunches with her. They were casual friends. Now Sophie must feel blindsided and hurt to find out that Liza was married and pregnant. She barely had a second to process that before other voices called out from the waiting area.
“Liza! What’s your reaction to the Gene Hayes video?”
“Miss Glasner! Is it true you trapped Justice Cade?”
“Mrs. Cade, will you recant?”
“Liza—”
Determined to keep her composure, she focused on the reporters. “I have no comment on my personal life. If you’d like to talk about SLAM, please go through the proper channels.”
A door opened, and a man strode out wearing a black polo shirt with SLAM SECURITY on the back. He stepped in front of Liza, facing the reporters. “Unless you have an appointment, you’ll need to leave.” He easily got control of the reporters and herded them out of the building.
She breathed out a sigh of relief then faced Sophie. “I’m sorry this has blown up. We were planning to announce our marriage and the pregnancy in a few weeks.”
Sophie looked away. “Sure.” She answered the next call.
Liza hauled her tired body and baggage of guilt into the elevator. She’d never thought about how her friends at work might feel when the news of her marriage and pregnancy came out. But then, she hadn’t thought it would come out like this.
The elevator doors slid open, and she walked out. “Morning, Tess.” She looked pretty in a teal shirt today, and her face was sympathetic.
“You okay? I can’t believe all the stations ran that video.”
She really didn’t know what she was at this point. “I’m shocked, I guess. Mad, upset, scared. Sophie downstairs in reception is angry, and I never thought about…” Liza trailed off. “Does she think I trapped Justice?”
“She’s surprised, Liza. She had no warning or inkling, but think about it. She’s protected you a few times by screening reporters and handling a few of Justice’s super fangirls trying to get to you for whatever reason their hormonal brains dreamed up.”
Guilt dug in deeper. When Liza first started here, there’d been a lot of curiosity and some suspicion about her. Over the weeks and months, people had gotten used to her and began to see Liza, not her past and Justice’s fame. They trusted her.
And now this.
“I’ll apologize again. I didn’t know this was going to happen. I’d never let them be blindsided.” This was how Justice’s band had felt when that first video came out.
“They’ll get past it. Right now everyone just feels a little…”
“Betrayed.”
Tess sighed. “It’ll blow over. But for now, you have a ton of messages from reporters calling to get your comments.”
Her phone had been buzzing nonstop. Oh! She needed to text Justice that she’d arrived at work safely. After pulling her cell from her purse, she winced at the sheer amount of calls and texts. Then she saw Justice’s message and called him.
“Hey,” he answered. “I only have a minute before we have to run to another interview.”
“Did you talk to the guys and Christine? Want me to book a flight?”
He paused. “Let’s keep our plan for you to meet me in Florida next weekend.”
Liza went into the small hallway that led to a kitchenette, trying to tamp down her irritation. “You don’t want to handle this together?” Why did this feel like she was being cut out, shoved aside and hidden?
“I don’t want you attacked by a crazed fan stirred up by Hayes and in some kind of crowd frenzy. That’s what I’m most worried about. I want you and our baby safe.”
His words rolled over her, calming the part that deep down worried his chase for fame would come before her and their child. And it made sense. “Next weekend then.”
“Christine brought up a good point about where Hayes is getting his information.”
Liza made some tea while listening as Justice explained what he, the band and Christine had discussed. “I had the picture of the ultrasound in a plastic photo sleeve in my wallet. So you think it was that groupie room crasher?” Who else would have seen it? She’d only shown it to Justice and a couple friends.
“Maybe. Either Hayes or Ace could have put her up to it. And clearly he timed this video release to coincide with our Chatterbox appearance to put a wrench in our climb up the charts.”
And using her to do it. “I haven’t looked since I got up this morning. Where are your numbers on the single?”
“Holding at seventy-eight.”
She blew out a breath. “That’s good, right? There’s no loss of momentum. Hayes isn’t having an effect.”
“Too soon to really tell. I have to get to the local radio station. You’ll be okay? I don’t want you scared. If you can’t handle things there, I’ll figure something out.”
She stared into her tea. Be strong, you can do this. “No. I’m fine. Go, and good luck. Keep the momentum going.”
“Love you, later.” He hung up.
She grabbed a health bar from the drawer of samples they always had from distributors, opened it and took a bite. Ugh. It tasted like dried bran cereal. She made herself take another couple bites while she accessed her work email on her phone. She repressed a groan at the sight of her mailbox.
Tess came in and poured some coffee in her cup covered in bright yellow daffodils. “More problems?”
“There’s twenty-five media requests in just the last hour.” She tossed the remainder of the health bar in the trash can. “I need to talk to Sloane, then deal with this.” It was going to be a long day.
Tess touched her shoulder. “Let me know if you need help or a place to stay.”
She appreciated that. “Thank you. But you have kids, and I’m not putting them at risk.” She rubbed at the scar behind her neck, then realized what she was doing and stopped. “I’ll be fine.” After quickly dropping off her purse and tea in her office, she hustled to Sloane’s office. She knocked then stuck her head in. “Now a good time?”
He shut his laptop. “Come in.”
She tried to read her boss’s face, but better people than her had attempted that feat and failed. He was dressed in his usual dark suit, with his hair combed and jaw set. Going to the chair in front of his massive desk, she stood there awkwardly. “I had no idea that Hayes would release that video.”
He held up a hand. “Don’t waste time with the obvious.” His dark eyes flickered with something raw and ruthless. “Hayes is a predator trying to discredit his victim. He’s not the first or the last scumbag rapist to try this blame-the-victim shit.”
The anger vibrating there wasn’t only about her. It was his past, and yeah, she’d Googled him, but it wasn’t her place to bring it up. This had clearly touched a nerve for Sloane personally as well as professionally. However, her boss wasn’t the type of man to swap stories on their pasts, so she focused on business. “Thanks. How do you want to handle this?”
“Draft a statement that makes it clear you keep your personal and professional life separate. You will, as always, be available to handle any media questions or inquiries directly related to SLAM Inc. We’ll post that on our website and send it in release. Otherwise, do your job.” He leaned forward. “Am I correct that you can handle this job even when it’s personally challenging?”
In other words, suck it up. It wasn’t that Sloane didn’t care, it was that he didn’t fold. He fought back. Much like Justice did. Her husband was going out to give radio interviews and fight for his spot on the music charts.
Liza wouldn’t fold either. “Absolutely,” she answered, already feeling better with a plan. “I’ll get to work on the statement. Once we have that finished, I’ll use that in response to the emails, etc.” She pulled up Sloane’s schedule on her phone, although she already knew this one. “You have a lunch meeting with the writer pitching the reality TV show at 1:00 p.m. at Opulence Dining. Portia from SLAM Entertainment has it on her calendar as well.” She lifted her gaze. “Will I be going with you?”
“Yes.” He opened his laptop, clearly finished.
Liza walked out. Okay then, time to tackle her job, because she wasn’t letting Hayes destroy her life.
* * *
“The adult-diaper business must be picking up.” Liza looked around the pretty condo Nikki had just moved into.
Nikki snorted. “Nope, my dad helped me out, and I’m renting. I had to suck up to the stepwitch, but it’s worth it.”
Liza walked through the living room, and damn, she loved that red chair paired with the gray couch and a red-and-gray rug. To the left was a small formal dining room, and ahead a kitchen done in gray quartz countertops, white cupboards and stainless-steel appliances. “This all happened so fast, I guess I haven’t caught up. So what made you decide to reach out to your dad and stepmom?”
“Yeah, I’m curious too.” Em handed over a bottle of wine she’d brought with her and sat next to Liza at the bar.
Nikki pulled out a corkscrew and got to work on the bottle. “I got a notice that my landlord was raising the rent. I had enough, you know? So I ate my pride and made the call.” She popped the cork.
“None for me.” Liza got up and grabbed a bottle of water from Nikki’s fridge.
“Must have been an awkward conversation,” Em said.
Liza had to agree, given all the shit Nikki said about her stepmom.
Nikki shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about it. We do what we have to, and move on.”
Seeing that Nikki was uncomfortable, Liza felt for her. After all, Liza rarely talked about her mom in prison, and she never talked about her dad.
Retaking her seat at the bar, she changed the subject. “I love this island.” She smoothed her hand over the cool gray surface. “You know the wall between the kitchen and dining room of my house? We could take that out and do an island like this. Then put in wood floors and paint.” But she’d keep all the chickens. She wanted to update while retaining some of the character and connection to Justice’s grandmother.
Nikki leaned on the counter across from them. “Justice is doing great. You can probably buy a new condo or house soon. Maybe even in someplace swanky like Malibu.”
Her heart tugged at the thought of leaving their home. “I don’t want to move. I love that house.” And they needed to be there for Noah.
Nikki’s phone trilled, and she picked it up, listened and answered with, “Okay, buzzing you through.” Hanging up, she explained, “Pizza guy at the gate. He’ll be here in a minute.”
“I’m starved,” Em said. “Pizza’s on me.” She pulled out her card and handed it to Nikki.
“No, I can’t let you do that.” Liza reached for her purse. Her friends had given up their Friday night to commiserate with her over the Hayes video, and both had offered to have her stay with them. “I’m paying for the pizza.”
After relinquishing her card, Em tugged Liza’s hand away from her purse. “Probably the last one I’ll be able to buy for a while, so enjoy it.”
Confused, she eyed her best friend while Nikki answered the door. “Why? Is something wrong? Did you have an unexpected bill or some big expense coming up?”
Em made a face. “I’ve been ordered to use my connection with you to get the TV station an exclusive interview for the San Diego Morning Show. I refused.”
“What?” Nikki returned and set the box on the counter. “They expect you to betray a friend for a story?”
Liza blurted out, “You’ve been getting pressured? You never told me that.” That hadn’t occurred to her, but it should have. “Why didn’t you say anything the two times I talked to you today?”
Anger sparked in Em’s eyes. “Because I told them no. And this afternoon, I quit.”
“Oh my God. No! If you need a story, we’ll figure something out.” She’d do anything for Emily.
She dropped a piece of pizza on a paper plate. “My boss accused me of knowing you were married and pregnant. She said I had a golden opportunity to use that to break into reporting. When I refused, she said I’m not cut out for this job.” Em picked up her glass of wine. “She’s right. I’m not using you for a story.”
All through college, Em had been hell-bent on becoming an investigative reporter. But after witnessing Liza’s attack, she’d begun having second thoughts. Seeing a crime up close had shifted her perspective and caused her to doubt her ability to deal with that kind of brutality as a reporter. Liza didn’t want to be the catalyst that pushed Emily into a choice on her career before she was ready. “Did you tell Ben?”
“Of course. He’s okay with it.” She took a sip and added, “He knows I hated it.”
“It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out together. In the meantime, I know I can help you find a job.” Ben was doing his residency, so he wasn’t rolling in money either. They had a nice condo, but it was a tiny one-bedroom.
“You’re right. I’ll get a job somewhere and then worry about my next step.”
Liza stood and hugged Em. “I never thought about what it cost you to keep my secrets.” Releasing her, Liza sat down and took a bite of her pizza while mentally reviewing her business contacts. “What do you want to do for work?”
“Something that pays my bills. I don’t want to mooch off Ben.”
She totally understood that. “We’ll get you something.”
“Thanks, I feel better just talking.” Emily scooped up another slice of pizza.
“Hello? What about what I want?” Nikki asked, her voice aggrieved in a teasing way. “I’ve been keeping Liza’s secret. I’m an awesome friend too.”
Liza had to agree. She was damn lucky to have such good friends. And Nikki was clearly trying to lighten the mood. Getting into the game, she said, “What do you want?”
“A rich rock-star boyfriend or husband and a cool little dog I can dress up and take with me everywhere.” She took a bite of her pizza.
Liza pretended to consider that. “Do you have a rock star in mind?”
“Nah, as long as he’s not old, I’m good.”
Em rolled her eyes. “Girl, we need to work on your standards.”
“I know, right? But I’m tired of being the fifth wheel.” She dropped her pizza crust and leaned on the counter, cradling a glass of wine. “You have Ben, and Liza has Justice. I’m just the perky girl with no date.”
“And really bad first dates,” Em added.
“Last guy?” She shook her head. “He just wanted me to be the designated driver for him and his drunktard buddies. I found out when I ordered a beer and he flipped out. He assumed I was underage.”
Emily burst out laughing. “Only you.”
“True story.” Nikki sighed. “Which is why I don’t sign up for dating services. Can you imagine? I’d end up as the getaway driver for a robbery and be totally clueless.” She dumped her remaining pizza in the trash. “How about a movie? We need a comedy.”
An hour into the movie, Liza’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it and frowned in surprise. “It’s the San Diego Police Department.”
Nikki muted the movie.
“Answer it,” Em said.
Was someone hurt? Or had her house been broken into? She’d set the alarm, so wouldn’t the company have notified her? Putting her phone to her ear, she answered, “Hello?”
“This is Officer Claremont of the San Diego Police Department. Is this Liza Glasner?”
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
“Your father-in-law is Noah Cade, correct?”
Her heart slammed into her throat. “Yes, is he okay? Did something happen?” He was at the PTSD transitional center. Wouldn’t they call her if he was sick or hurt?
“There’s been an altercation at your house. If you’re close by, we can attempt to sort this out now. Or I’ll arrest both men and transport them to the station.”
Confusion trapped her brain. Altercation? Like a fight? Wait, both men? “Who is the other man?”
“Dillion Gibbs.”
Her ex-boyfriend? Surging up from the couch, Liza shoved her feet into her shoes. “I’ll be right there. Give me ten minutes.”
What the hell was going on? Why would Dillion be at her house? And why had Noah left the transitional center?
But most importantly, was Noah okay?
* * *
Liza stared in absolute disbelief as the cop drove off, leaving her with the two men. One drunk and stupid, although he was rapidly sobering up. The other wary and uncommunicative.
What exactly was she supposed to do now?
“Dillion.” She turned to him first. “Why are you here?”
Dillion shifted the bag of frozen peas he had pressed to his left cheek. Grass and dirt stained his dress shirt, his tie hung destroyed around his neck, and his eyes were bloodshot. “You didn’t return any of my calls or texts. I came over to talk to you.”
Noah crossed his arms, stood back by the driveway, and muttered, “That’s not an answer.”
Oh look, now her father-in-law could speak in complete and coherent sentences. When the cop was talking to him, he’d mostly grunted. Although he had told the officer his name, that Liza was his daughter-in-law, and even gave the man her phone number. So that was something. “I’ll handle this, Noah.”
The older man leaned back against Justice’s Jeep sitting in the driveway, a stubborn expression on his bearded face that was almost exactly like his son’s. Noah was pissed. Well join the freaking club.
Liza swung her gaze back to Dillion. “I didn’t answer your texts or calls because I didn’t want to talk to you. Do the math.”
“Do the math? How about you show some gratitude. I could have had that lunatic arrested.” He pointed the bag of peas at Noah.
Lunatic? Her fury notched up. “That’s my father-in-law. He has every damn right to be here any time he wants. This is his house!” God she was just so mad. This morning, she’d been sleep-deprived but happy, typing so fast on her book, the letters had raced across the screen trying to keep up with her. And Justice’s song was in the top one hundred on the charts. She missed him, but they were both working toward their goals and managing to stay close while physically separated.
Then Hayes dropped his video and her day was screwed from there.
She stepped in closer to the man annoying her. “You ever call him a lunatic again, the cops will be arresting me.”
Noah made a noise low in this throat, a snorty-growl thing that Liza pointedly ignored.
Dillion, however, jerked his gaze to Noah, the flash of fear evident in his eyes. Clearly her ex was way more afraid of Noah than her. Dillion slapped the bag of peas against his face. “Fine. Whatever.”
“Well? You’ve obviously been drinking, then you drove—” She looked around. “Where’s your car?”
“I don’t drive when I’ve been drinking.” Some of his petulant arrogance drained. “Stacy Jo and I had a fight. We were out to dinner, and I kept checking my phone, and she got all bitchy and stormed out. I had a couple more martinis while waiting for an Uber.”
Liza closed her eyes, fighting for any scrap of patience. “So you came here?” He and his fiancée had a fight, so of course the best way to fix that was to go see his ex. Totally rational.
“You don’t understand. I was worried about you, Liza. Stacy Jo is jealous of you and got her panties in a bunch.”
“Wait, what? Jealous of me?” She narrowed her gaze. “You dumped me, doesn’t she know that?”
He dropped his gaze to the grass beneath his feet. “I broke up with her to see you first.”
“You…what?” That last word came out like an owl screech.
“We were sort of engaged when I first met you.”
“Sort of engaged?” She sucked in a lungful of cool night air. “You know what? I don’t care. You dumped me in a hot second as soon as you found out who I am. And then you thought I’d still sleep with you.” She whipped her head around to see Noah’s blue eyes harden on Dillion.
Perfect. She was handling this like a real champ. Now her father-in-law knew that disgusting little morsel from her past.
“You need to protect yourself. Gene Hayes has a powerful legal team. I don’t know what their plan is, but you need legal representation.” Dillion fished his wallet from his pocket and slid out a business card. “This is the law firm I work for. If you aren’t sure where to go for representation, this firm is good.”
“Oh.” The underlying purpose of his actions was clarified. “You’re here to drum up business for your firm.”
“I’m here as your friend. Get a lawyer, Liza. A good one. If you don’t want this firm, I’ll put together a list of reputable candidates.” He waved the card at her. “No one there knows we used to date or that I even know you. I’m trying to help.”
And she’d believe him why?
“Look, I’m sorry I handled this badly.” He flashed another sullen look at Noah. “I’m not trying to start trouble, I just…” He twisted his mouth and looked away.
“You what?”
“I was an ass when I broke up with you, but I was hurt. You hadn’t told me who you were. I was angry that I’d broken up with my girlfriend—”
“—who’d been your fiancée.” A plot twist Liza hadn’t known about. Until tonight, she’d have sworn Dillion hadn’t liked her that much. But he’d broken up with his fiancée to date her. “You never mentioned to me you’d been engaged.”
He thinned his mouth. “Right. And you didn’t tell me that your mom was in prison. Or that you’d been raped. I mean…Jesus, Liza, we slept together.”
“Shut. Up.” She glanced at Noah. The man pushed off the car, his entire body damn near twanging with the need to attack Dillion.
Could this get any more unreal?
“Sorry.” Dillion blew out a breath. “Let me get this off my chest. After you were attacked last June, I finally got what you were living with and that you didn’t tell me because you didn’t trust me.”
Was he for real? She opened her mouth to set him straight.
He held up a hand. “I know you’re going to say I broke up with you when I found out, but I was hurt. Really hurt. I had to hear it from my dad? He was livid and made me feel so stupid. I felt betrayed. I thought we had something only to find out you had a whole secret identity.”
She’d have more sympathy for him if he’d told her that then instead of treating her like trash and wanting to keep her his dirty little secret on the side. Before she could form a response, he went on.
“I never told anyone who you are, Liza, not a soul. Including Stacy Jo. She found that out on the news like everyone else. She went ballistic, realizing…” He dropped his hand, his shoulders bowing. “I’m still in love with you. I can’t do this, I can’t marry her. It’s you I love.”
He what? Her feet grew roots, anchoring her to the grass, while her mind screamed denials. This wasn’t happening. Dillion was a child, wanting what he couldn’t have. The moment daddy told him no, Liza became the forbidden fruit.
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out, wondering if Dillion was drunk enough to forget that fact. He hadn’t wanted her when he found out about her past, so why would he want her when Hayes loomed threateningly, her reputation was smeared more than ever, and she carried another man’s child? And Noah, oh my God, what was her father-in-law thinking after hearing all this? His opinion meant so much more than Dillion’s ever would. “Justice is—”
A car screeched up and swerved into the driveway, the front wheels plowing into the grass.
Liza swung around and squinted in the beam of the headlights. What fresh hell was this?
A woman jumped out and stomped up to them.
“Stacy Jo,” Dillion exclaimed, his brows knitting in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
The lights illuminated Dillion’s fiancée’s shoulder-length brown hair around a beet-red face. She jammed her hands on slender hips, the massive diamond glinting on her left ring finger. “I knew you’d run here to the gold-digging slut!”
She jerked back, outraged at the audacity of the woman. “What is wrong with you people? I haven’t done a damn thing. You’re the ones making a scene on my front yard.”
“You’re the one who lured him here!”
Dillion blanched and tried to grab Stacy Jo’s arm. “Calm down.”
She slapped his hand away and stabbed her finger at his chest. “You swore it was over! You already left me once for her, and now you’re doing it again. You’ve been screwing her the whole time, haven’t you? You’re a liar and cheater.” She whirled around, rage twisting her face. “And you’re a gold-digging, scheming whore. You’re married and still fucking my fiancé.”
Too many years of having people scream insults at her and not being allowed to fight back stretched Liza’s temper. “Get out of my face. And while you’re at it, take your fiancé and get your damned car off my lawn. I was done with Dillion a long time ago. You can have him.” Liza spun around and stalked toward the house. She got three steps when something hard and cold struck her in the back.
“Stacy Jo, no!” Dillion yelled.
That woman had just attacked her? Oh hell no. Liza’s gaze caught on the hose lying in the grass. She scooped it up and pivoted. At her feet lay the broken bag of frozen peas.
Stacy Jo stalked toward her. “Don’t you walk away from me. You’re trash, just like your mother. You’ll probably end up in prison like her. Oh I know all about it. I found the private investigator’s report Dillion’s father gave him when he told Dillion to dump your fat ass.”
Liza heart beat too fast, her temper stretched too thin. “Shut up.”
“Do you even know whose kid you got knocked up with?”
Her temper snapped. Liza twisted the nozzle of the hose. Water streamed out right into Stacy Jo’s face.
“Argh! You bitch!” She lunged, grabbing Liza’s arm, forcing it up.
Cold water blasted her face, knocking her glasses to the side. It burned up her nose, making her cough as she fought for control of the hose.
“Enough!” Noah roared.
Dillion grabbed Stacy Jo, lifting her off her feet.
Dropping the hose, Liza trembled from cold and adrenaline as water dripped off her face and glasses. Through the film, she saw Dillion dragging a quieter Stacy Jo to the car. Huh, getting doused with cold water iced both their tempers.
Had she really just done that? Gotten in a fight on her own front yard? This whole day was so ridiculous and twisted, she didn’t know if she should laugh or cry.
Where was the hose anyway? She spun around and spied Noah by the front door, coiling the hose on the ground with his good arm. Another issue to deal with. Why was Noah here instead of at the transitional center?
As she wrung water out of her hair, she caught sight of Em coming out of the house with a towel that she tossed to Liza, then moved to stand by a stunned looking Nikki. Hell, she’d forgotten all about Emily and Nikki. They’d shown up a minute after Liza had arrived. Em had gone in the house to get the frozen peas for Dillion’s face, and then taken Liza’s purse inside. Nikki must have remained outside to watch the show.
After wiping her face and wrapping her hair in the terrycloth, she walked by her friends, opened the screen door and said, “Everyone in the house.” She appreciated Em and Nikki’s support, but they’d given the neighbors gathering outside enough of a show.
Nikki and Emily filed past her. When Liza turned, Noah finished with the hose and limped the few steps toward her. She guessed his hip was hurting, which happened when you jumped a twenty-something man, pinned him to the ground and punched him.
In his defense, Dillion had been pounding on the door and screaming her name. Neighbors had called the cops. Then Noah pounced on him, apparently believing Dillion was there to harm Liza.
Un-freaking-believable.
Dillion had been pretty toasted, but the fight sobered him up some. Well, that and the threat of getting arrested. Not a good thing for a man getting ready to take the bar exam. What a dumbshit. Seriously. But she didn’t care about Dillion, she cared about Noah. “Why aren’t you at the transitional center? Is something wrong?” He could have texted her if he needed something.
“I saw the video. I was watching the house.”
She stared into his blue eyes, feeling that weird zing at the similarity to Justice’s gaze. Something really thick moved in her chest, and her anger drained. She wasn’t mad at Noah, it was her idiot ex and his psychotic fiancée who infuriated her. But Noah… “You were protecting me. Again.” No tears. She wasn’t going to cry.
He shrugged. “Justice isn’t here, and I’m not letting anyone hurt you again.” He pivoted slowly.
She called out, “Noah, where’re you going?”
He shrugged and took another lumbering step, clearly favoring his left hip.
She rushed out. “Wait, please.”
Pausing, he kept his head down.
Liza hated the shroud of loneliness around him. It hurt her heart. “Thank you.”
He gave her a barely perceptible nod.
“You don’t believe the things Stacy Jo said, do you?”
He lifted his head, and for a moment, a tiny glitter of humor danced in his eyes. “I hate peas.”
“Uh…” What exactly could she say to that? “Justice hates them too.”
“Can’t trust the judgment of a woman who chooses peas as her weapon.”
He didn’t believe Stacy Jo. And he was making a joke. How could she not grin at him? “If I promise not to let the peas back in the house, will you come in? Your hip is hurting, and I still have some of the pain pills from your broken arm.” She touched his arm, keeping her movement slow and gentle. “This is your home. You have your key, right? And the code to the security alarm. You can leave anytime you want to.” She was the one always preaching to Justice about building trust with his dad.
“I’ll stay the night.” He glanced in the opened door to the house, frowning. “But I’ll stay out here. Keep watch.”
Over her. Had he been doing this? Leaving the center to check on her? Liza had no idea. She looked over to the door and saw her two friends standing there. Were they the reason he wanted to stay outside? “They’re my friends, Emily and Nikki. They aren’t staying the night.” She wasn’t sure how much to push him, but it was February and cold at night. “If you stay out here, I’ll worry and won’t be able to sleep.”
His mouth twitched on one side. “Emotional blackmail?”
She grinned. “Impressive, right? I’m practicing for when I’m a mom. Also it works with Justice most of the time. And when that doesn’t work, I threaten his chickens. You know, all the chicken decorations in the kitchen?”
His eyes crinkled. “I guess I’ll come in.”
Liza led him in, locked the door and rearmed the security. She could hear Nikki and Liza talking in the kitchen. The smell of popcorn told her they were making themselves at home. Turning to Noah, she said, “You hungry?”
“No.” He headed toward the hall.
“One second.” She rushed into her kitchen.
Nikki was dumping freshly popped corn into a bowl and asked, “That’s Justice’s dad?”
“Yeah, he’s staying the night. Let me get him settled.”
Nikki frowned. “With you? Alone? I mean…” She glanced at the doorway to the dining room and back. “Is that safe? I can stay the night if you like.”
She grabbed the bottle of pain pills, dumped out two, then got a water from the fridge. Shutting the door, she faced Nikki. “That man saved my life. The only person I’m safer with is Justice.” She stalked out, trying to calm that spike of anger.
Noah waited for her by the hallway. “Your friend worries about your safety. Don’t be mad.” He took the pills and water, shuffled to his room and quietly shut the door.
Liza stared after him, her heart swelling. How could she not love her father-in-law? Even with his issues, he was a million times a better man than her dad had ever been.
For the first time since she was fourteen, she had a family. Justice and Noah, as well as a job and friends who, as Noah had pointed out, worried about her safety.
And her baby. As she settled her hand over her belly, more love and hot determination spread and cemented. She had too much to lose now.
This time she wasn’t letting Gene Hayes destroy her family or life.