Tiffany Snow - Out of Turn

“Sure.”

I told him about William Gage and his obsessive vendetta against me as he drove. “But Kade paid him a visit yesterday,” I said, “and I’m hoping that’ll be enough to get him to stop.”

“What kind of visit?” Chance asked.

I hesitated. Chance was a cop and I didn’t want to get Kade in trouble. “It’s not important,” I said, brushing off his question. “So tell me what’s been up with you?”

Chance shot me a look, but I just blinked innocently back at him. He sighed.

“Well, actually, I do have some news,” he said, parking the car in the lot of a little restaurant.

“What is it?” I asked after I got out of the car.

He held up his left hand and I gasped.

“You got married!”

I threw my arms around Chance again. “Oh my God! You’re married! That’s fantastic! Wait a minute—” I abruptly pulled back, frowning. “Who did you marry and why wasn’t I invited?”

Chance didn’t answer, he just smiled and pointed behind me. I turned.

Lucy and Billy stood at the entrance to the restaurant. She waved when she saw me and Billy took off toward us. I grabbed him up when he reached me, his little arms going around my neck.

“Billy!” I exclaimed, hugging him tight. “It’s so good to see you!”

He pulled back so he could talk to me. “I got a new Batman. Wanna see?”

“Absolutely.”

Billy squirmed and I set him back on his feet. He dug in his Spider-Man backpack, pulling out the famed caped crusader. “See?”

“He’s fabulous,” I agreed.

“C’mon,” Chance said, taking Billy by the hand. “Let’s eat.”

I gave Lucy a hug, too, before we sat down at a table. She and I hadn’t known each other as more than passing acquaintances before we’d both been taken by human traffickers. An experience like that tends to form bonds, though, and it was good to see her again. She looked healthy and happiness practically beamed from her.

A tiny brunette, she made an attractive partner to my cousin, who was tall and broad shouldered, his hair a thick, wavy chestnut. Chance and I didn’t look much alike except for the Turner family blue eyes.

Chance ordered a round of margaritas to celebrate and I began quizzing the two of them on exactly when and how this had happened.

“When it’s The One, you just know,” Chance said, his face softening as he grasped Lucy’s hand.

Huh. I wondered if that was true for everyone. Was that how I’d felt about Blane? A soul-deep conviction that he was The One? Was there only one man for me and we’d blown our chance to be together? Or could a person have more than just one soul mate?

“Well, I’m so happy for you both!” I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

“The wedding was a quick, private ceremony,” Lucy explained.

“No worries,” I said. “I’m just so glad you found each other.” Lucy and Billy deserved someone who loved them and could take care of them, and Chance seemed to be that man. I also thought they’d be good for him, judging by the adulation in Billy’s eyes and the love shining in Lucy’s.

“So how long are you in town?” I asked.

“Actually,” Chance said, “we’ve decided to move here.”

My jaw dropped in surprise, but then I recovered and said, “Wow! That—that’s wonderful!” To have family close by again? I couldn’t imagine how that would feel. My eyes started to tear up.

“Now don’t start crying on me,” Chance ribbed good-naturedly while I dabbed my eyes with my napkin. “We just thought it would be good to be with family. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department approached me after the Summers case, so I decided to take it.”

I cleared the lump out of my throat. “I’m so glad you did.” My smile was watery but genuine.

“Plus, we have a built-in babysitter here, right?” he asked, grinning.

“You bet.” I ruffled Billy’s hair while he chowed down on a taco.

“So…,” Chance said, and from the tone of his voice, I knew what was coming. “Want to tell me why you’re living with Kirk?”

Lucy politely averted her eyes, murmuring something to Billy as she wiped a smear of sour cream off his cheek.

“It seemed the safest place to be right now,” I said with a shrug. “I told you about Gage.”

“You’re aware he’s being investigated in the murder of Kandi Miller, right?”

“No way would he do that, Chance,” I said. “Somebody else killed her. Not Blane.”

“Either way, do you really think being with him is the best thing for you?”

“I’m not ‘with’ him,” I protested. “He just needs someone to lean on. He rescued me, you know. Me, Lucy, and Billy. So how about cutting him some slack?”

“He also broke your heart and treated you like shit,” Chance shot back.

My appetite was gone and I took a gulp of my margarita. There wasn’t anything I could say to Chance’s accusation. It was the truth.

“And Dennon is there, too, huh,” Chance said, disgust in his voice. “He’s bad news, Strawbs. The stuff I’ve heard whispered about him would give you nightmares for a week. You wouldn’t listen to me before, but I’d hoped you’d listen to me now.”

“He’s my friend,” I said. “And I don’t care about what he’s done. He’s been there for me when I needed him.”

“Oh really? Where was he three months ago when his brother dropped you? Blood’s thicker than water, you know that.”

I felt cold suddenly, my hands clammy, and it wasn’t from the air-conditioning.

“Chance, give it a rest, will you?” Lucy’s gentle admonition had him glancing her way, the hard set of his jaw easing. She gave him a pointed look and he sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he said to me. “I just worry about you, that’s all. I love you and I don’t want to see you hurt any more.”

“I know.”

Lucy changed the subject, asking me about school, and we chatted for a while. She was going to start looking for a job once they got everything moved up from Atlanta. Billy would be in school in the fall and she thought a part-time job would help out.

After lunch, I gave Billy a kiss on the cheek and hugged Lucy good-bye. They were heading to meet a real estate agent to look at houses and Chance would join them after he dropped me back off at Blane’s.

I hopped out of the car when we pulled up, but Chance got out as well.

“I’ll walk you inside,” he said.

“That’s really not necessary,” I protested, a sinking sensation in my stomach.

His smile was thin lipped. “It’ll be fine, Strawbs.”

I had no choice but to follow him to the front door. He watched as I fished out the key Mona had given me and unlocked the door. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the hallway was empty.

“Thanks for lunch,” I said.

“You’re not going to invite me in? What, he doesn’t allow you to have company? Just wants to cut you off from everyone who cares about you?”

I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at him, stepping back so he could come inside.

“So, you’re inside,” I hissed. “Happy now?”

“Kat?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. Damn it. Blane was here.

The man himself stepped out of the den, halting when he saw Chance and me in the hallway.

“Chance,” he said, smiling a bit and coming forward with hand outstretched. “Good to see you again.”

Chance ignored Blane’s proffered hand. “Wish I could say the same, Kirk.”

I winced as Blane lowered his arm. “Can I do something for you?” he asked, his expression a polite mask now.

“You can stay the fuck away from Kathleen.”

“Chance!” My temper soared, but he wasn’t done yet.

“You and Dennon,” Chance continued. “I’m glad you were able to get her back from Summers, but she doesn’t need the shit you’re dealing with and you know it. And hanging out with Dennon will only get her killed—”

“I completely agree,” Blane calmly interjected, stopping Chance mid-tirade.

“You do?”

“Absolutely,” Blane said. “However, I’m not going to make Kathleen leave if she doesn’t want to. She’s welcome here for as long as she likes.”

“That’s what you say now,” Chance retorted. “But you can’t be trusted. I know it and I hope to God she does, too.”

That seemed to have struck its mark, the barest hint of a wince crossing Blane’s face.

“That’s enough!” I shoved my way between them. “Don’t you dare start in on this, Chance,” I said, poking my finger hard at his chest for emphasis. “You were out of my life for years. Just because you’ve suddenly reappeared does not give you the right to tell me how to live it, no matter how much you care about me!”

“You’re blinded by your feelings for these guys,” Chance hissed at me.

My face heated with embarrassment, but I stood my ground. “I’m a grown woman and I make my own choices. Now go. Lucy and Billy are waiting for you.”

Chance gave one last glare to Blane, then headed for the door. I followed him, sullenly allowing him to give me a kiss on the cheek before he left.

I sighed. Maybe having family nearby wouldn’t be such a great idea after all.

I could feel Blane behind me and I turned around. “Sorry about that,” I said.

Blane was wearing gray slacks and a light-blue button-down shirt with the cuffs turned back. All that was missing was the jacket and tie. His hands were in his pockets, his feet shoulder-width apart as he surveyed me. I squirmed under his gaze.

“It’s fine,” he finally said with a shrug. “He cares about you. Doesn’t want you hurt. I get that.”

“He doesn’t understand why I’m staying,” I tried to explain.

“Neither do I,” Blane said bluntly. “I’m just glad you are.”