Page 41 of Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat
Chapter Nineteen
Fee exhaled a long, deep breath as they emerged from the sheriff’s office. He’d asked them every possible question, filled in enough paperwork to destroy a forest of trees and warned them they’d be needed as witnesses when Kemp and Watling were brought to court.
‘Your father doesn’t stand any nonsense,’ she observed with a wry smile.
‘Neverhas done. Imagine being one of his children.’
Tom’s laconic comment made her smile but underneath she was envious. She couldn’t imagine how different her life might have turned out if she’d had a real father instead of whatever figment of imagination her mother dreamed up that particular week.Or if she’d accepted Allain Dupre’s proposal?
‘You’ve no idea how lucky you are,’ sheblurted out. Tom stopped walking and turned to face her.
‘Oh, trust me, I know,’ he murmured and cradled her face with his large hands, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers. ‘I might not be alive today if it wasn’t for Pop.’
This was hardly the place for serious conversation but if Tom was willing to open up she would seize the moment. ‘What do you mean?’
He pulledaway and shifted from one foot to the other, kicking at a stray stone with the toe of his boot. ‘After Gina died I fell apart.’ Tom held up two fingers an inch away from each other. ‘Came this close to ending it all. I couldn’t see the point in anything.’
Fee couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of this strong man considering such a terrible solution to his problems.
‘It’s thetruth.’
‘I never said it wasn’t,’ she protested.
‘Pop knew the memories around here wouldn’t leave me alone so he got me a job with a security firm in Iraq. I managed to hack it for a couple of years and by the time I came back…’ He hesitated and Fee wished she could make this easier on him. ‘He knew I couldn’t be a cop anymore and gave me the idea of renovating the derelict cabinson our old family land. They’d fallen into disrepair and we only ever went there to fish in the lake and have the occasional picnic.’
‘He’s a smart man.’
‘Yeah. I wish I could be half as shrewd.’
You are. Fee held the thought in her head. ‘How about we get some breakfast? Or is it lunchtime by now?’ They’d wanted to get the interview over with so hadn’t bothered to eatwhen they arrived.
‘Who cares? Aunt Ina will feed us anyway.’ Tom laughed. ‘Have you thought anymore about contactingyourfather?’
The sudden question took her by surprise and for a moment Fee held back. She’d never discussed her absent father with anyone before.
‘Plenty.’
Tom slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Glancing over his shoulder shesaw Mary-Jo staring at them from across the street with her mouth gaped open in shock. ‘Oops, we’ve been outed.’
‘What’re you talkin’ about?’
‘Don’t look now but your dear cousin is watching us with her eyes out on stalks. Any second now she’ll go into the cafe and tell your Aunt Ina and anyone else who’s in earshot. I’m guessing your mother will get a phone call in the next fiveminutes.’
A slow, sexy grin spread across Tom’s face. He lowered his mouth to hers and drew them into a long, knee-buckling kiss and when he pulled away his smile held a distinct tinge of satisfaction. ‘Might as well give her something exciting to report.’
Fee tried to pull away but he clutched her tighter.
‘Do you honestly care?’
Put on the spot she refused tolie. That was no basis for any honest relationship. ‘No, I don’t.’
‘Good, neither do I. We’re both over the age of consent unless you’ve been lying to me.’
Tom’s cheeky comment gave her the nerve to kiss him back. ‘There. That should establish the fact it’s mutual.’ She smoothed back a rogue strand of auburn hair from his forehead. ‘I do believe we’re both in need of food. Let’seat.’
‘You didn’t answer my question about your father.’
‘Later. When we’re on our own.’ Tom never let her get away with anything. ‘I wish I could put off deciding forever.’ Fee gave in to a heavy sigh.
