Redeemed Hearts (Thoroughbred Men Series Book 3) (10 page)

Richard sat in the driveway for several minutes.
What the hell just happened?
He thought. She gave him a quick kiss and ran from him. He expected to at least walk her to the door. It would have been the polite thing to do! He turned off his rig and wondered if he should go up to the door or leave. Any other person, he would feel relieved- so why did this bother him? He felt raw and hurt. Was she using him?

Richard got out of the car and walked up to the door. He knocked gently, surprised that he was unsure if she would answer. Richard wondered if maybe it was better to give her some space. He turned, returned to his vehicle and left.

Teri never answered the door. She sat at the door, listened to him knock and turn to walk away. She heard the SUV start up and pull back down the driveway. She eventually got up and retreated to the bedroom. She silently undressed. She left her chiffon dress on the floor but folded his jacket nicely and draped it on the chair in her room. Teri realized her panties were missing and felt the wetness between her legs. She walked to the bathroom, got a shower and hid in bed, drawing the covers high over her head as if to protect herself from the world.

The next morning, Teri again was glad she had scheduled herself a free day from work. She had the phones from the office forwarded to her cell and still answered, but it was nice to be home to relax a bit. No appointments whatsoever and her body thanked her. She was tender this morning and smiled each time she thought of why.

With Daniel, she had always known where she stood-they were the best of friends. She had a confidant and someone to listen. Now? She had amazing friends who she turned to, however, she did not feel she could share this secret. It was killing her not to scream it to the world that she had finally “popped her cherry” and it was FANTASTIC.

Teri laughed at her own thoughts and perked up when she heard a car coming up the solitary street. She shook her head at her own silly musings, there was no way it was him. She continued wiping down the kitchen counters and moved to put dinner in the Crock-Pot. She planned on going out to get a bit of Christmas shopping done before it got too crowded. Shopping was an event since she lived so far out. The nearest mall to her was almost an hour away. She considered asking Danielle but didn’t want to chat really with anyone today. She wanted to keep busy and be alone.

Teri heard a knock at the door and jumped. What the heck? She opened the front door and stared at the man standing there.

Matt Geary grinned at Teri’s expression. “Hey Teri, how are you doing? Looks like you have an admirer. Wait until I tell Sarah!” he teased. He pulled open the screen door and handed her the clipboard. “All professional now,” he chided, “then you get your flowers.” Teri stared at her friend’s husband.

Sarah and Matt had gotten married suddenly downtown and had been connected at the hip ever since some weirdo had assaulted her in her own bakery. Matt took the clipboard back from Teri after she had signed her name. She took the massive bouquet from him and brought it inside, putting it on the dining room table.

“Would you like a coke for the road?” she offered. “What is Sarah doing today if you’re working?” she asked politely. She listened as Matt told her Sarah was catering some event and was going to be busy for the day but he would pass on that he had seen her.

Teri nodded. That was perfectly fine with her. She had stuff to do and did not want to feel like a third wheel with the couple. She waved as he returned back to his truck and left. Teri shut the door and looked at the crystal vase that held a dozen red roses. She plucked the card out and opened it.

Hey Sunshine,

Thank you for a lovely night. I missed having a chance to walk you to the door. Care to try again?

Call me,

Richard

Teri read the card several times. What was his game? She liked him a lot and had a great time, but she needed time to think. Thinking was something she could not do when he was around! She grabbed her purse and headed out to get away.

Richard waited patiently down the road for his phone to ring. He was a bit surprised when it did not. What was wrong? He never had women blow him off especially after sending them flowers. Was she a jewelry kind of girl? She did not seem like it with the boots and jeans he had seen her wearing. Maybe she would prefer something else? There had to be a way to sneak into her life. He put the SUV into gear and left to head back into town. He wanted to follow her but felt uncomfortable if she did not want to talk to him.

Richard surprised himself and ended up in town. He wasn’t sure why he had stopped, but pulled in front of the real estate office Millie and Danielle owned. The sign read “closed” and he honestly had figured as much. He was at a loss and unsure how exactly to reach her. Was she a tomboy? She looked amazing in the dress last night and it seemed like it was made for her. He put his rig into reverse and headed back to the station to think for a bit before his shift started.

 
Richard returned to the fire station that had become his home away from home. He rented a room from one of the guys that had bought a home. It was more like three of them rented the house and it was a huge bachelor pad. He could see that now picturing his “home” versus Teri’s place. His felt cold, hers felt lived in. His was typically a mess, hers was inviting and bright.

He spent a lot of time at the station so he really hadn’t put much thought into actually creating a home. It was a place for him to sleep and eat. His shift at the station was twenty-four hours on, forty-eight off. It was exciting and rough depending on how many calls they had.

There was your typically slow day where you would clean the engines, roll out hoses and perform general maintenance on the equipment so you were ready to go at a moment’s notice. Other days were hell. One day he had seven traffic accidents, four fires, a carbon monoxide call and a cat in the tree… literally. He slept for fifteen hours straight once his shift was over. Traffic accidents were tough; screaming children, dodging traffic, prying injured people out of cars and occasionally a body. They were all cross-trained as EMT’s so they could all help in the blink of an eye.

Even though accidents were hard mentally, fires were terrifying like a roller coaster-sheer adrenaline. You were terrified on the way there, dreading the unknown. You arrived at the scene, assessed the situation and got busy. You never knew what was going to happen and if all your brothers would make it home alive.

The gear was heavy and hot, but nothing compared to the fire itself. He would gladly wear the gear if it meant saving someone. There was nothing more devastating for him than to hear a child crying for you and when you reach them, they are gone. The first time that happened to Richard, he pulled the body out and started CPR. When it did not work and the family was present, it almost destroyed him.

He could still hear the screams in his sleep and would wake with tears on his face. It was the joy he lived for in his job that kept him going. The screams of happiness when you got everyone out alive and they are just happy to be together. It was the “thank yous” that got him through it all.

After a really bad fire, it was not unusual to call in another shift so they could all get shit-faced drunk in order to cry together and talk if needed. Thank goodness it did not happen often, but when it did, they had measures in place to get them all through it mentally. They were family.

“Hey-a Dick! Was the wedding that bad?” he heard catcalled from his friend, Tony. He had known Tony for over fifteen years and they had become close after losing a “brother” in a fire. Tony had been strong while Richard had broken down and considered leaving the force. It had been too hard to see his mentor fall through a weakened roof to his death mere feet from where he stood. Richard could have died that day and it devastated him.

Richard clapped the older man on the back amicably. “Only you get to call me that, you know?” he teased. They joked around a bit and Richard opened his locker to store his personal items. “No, the wedding was gorgeous. Blue, black and white everywhere. The bride was pretty, Jacob was happy. It was okay,” he started and stopped, hesitating.

Tony picked up on the hesitation quickly. Something was bothering his friend. He had known him for years and when it struck a nerve, he had a tendency to either run or lash out. “It was okay, BUT…?” he prompted again. “Spill it. Old girlfriend? You slept with the bride? Groped by a grandma? What has you looking like you stepped in shit?” he teased.

Richard grinned widely, pointing at his clean shoes. “No shit, my friend. And it was not the bride,” he confided with a smirk. It was the most amazing and mystifying woman he had ever met, he thought. “Bridesmaid. I did not intend to sleep with her. She’s different,” he hedged.

Tony clapped him on the back. “I knew it Romeo, so how is she different? She got boobs? She’s pretty?” he quipped. “All your women are the same, Richard. Hot,” he continued. “So what is so different and special about this chick?”

Richard looked at his friend, a bit chagrinned. “Well, she’s gorgeous but not like what I normally date. She’s like a tomboy, sorta. She doesn’t like high heels and not into flowers apparently. I just don’t know what makes her tick,” he confessed. “Do you know Teri Jones?” he asked.

“Jones Inspections?” Tony said shocked. “Yeah, I taught the kid CPR and she has done inspections and presentations with me. You and Teri? Seriously?” He was stunned.

Teri Jones was a really good woman that had a tough life. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea that Richard was fooling around with her. “Listen man, you be good to Teri. She has had it rough. I have never seen anyone pick themselves up after losing a loved one and come out ahead. She is tough as nails under that sweet exterior. You play nice with that one or you will have half the city beating your ass up.
Comprende
? Most people either know her from volunteering, inspections or they knew Daniel. If you are into her, great. If you are not and looking for another easy lay… dude, find someone else,” Tony said irritated.

Richard sat down on the bench, offended that his friend thought so badly of him. “Really, Tony? You, too? I have already had one friend send me a nasty text message telling me to stay away from her. I like her, a lot. I am just not sure she is that into me. I sent her flowers and asked her to call me-nothing. She ignored it. She is blowing me off,” he said frustrated. It was going to be tough to date her if everyone was going to give him crap about how “she was too good for him”.

“Look, I came looking for advice from a friend. I like Teri a lot and would like to get to know her, but I don’t know what makes her tick,” he confessed finally. “What does she like? What does she do for fun?” he asked.

Tony grinned at Richard’s befuddled expression. This would be good for Richard to get knocked down a peg or two. The man had an ego the size of the state when it came to women. He was not surprised it would end up being a good woman to slow his friend down around town. Teri Jones was about as good as they came, if Richard could hang on to her and treat her right.

“Look, my friend, Teri doesn’t have a lot of hobbies that I know of. She is a feminine little thing under that exterior. I saw her get excited over a pink hammer one time at the hardware store. She may be a tomboy, but she’s all woman. A very practical one at that. She is a giver and donates her time all over town. She works the Angel Tree, she does March of Dimes fundraising, inspections, helps at the nursing home, and picks weeds at the cemetery when she is out talking to her fiancé that died. You want to get to Teri, you are going to have to appeal to her feminine side and put yourself out there,” he said grinning from ear to ear, knowing that it would be a stretch for his friend.

Richard sat there stunned. He had slept with the entire town’s favorite woman. He was screwed.

Teri spent the day shopping in Frankfort gathering all sorts of goodies and items for stockings. She picked up a few little feminine gifts for the girls as presents and a candy apple for herself to snack on when she got home. She had several little gifts to put together in decorative bags and the passenger side of her truck was stuffed full with bags of bows, ribbons, candy canes and marshmallows.

She decided this year she would be putting together hot cocoa jar gifts to hand out and hosting a “cocoa bar” at the nursing home. She loved the season. She just hated celebrating it alone. To her, there was nothing more heartbreaking than sitting home alone and having no one to share it with. It had gotten easier over the years, but she still spent Christmas Eve watching the Hallmark Channel and having a good cry.

Teri pulled up the gravel driveway to her house, put the truck into park and stared at the front porch of her house. There was a pink, sparkling bag sitting on the porch glittering at her. She got out of her truck, walked to the passenger side to begin unloading when she looked over her shoulder again at the pink bag. She left everything in the truck with a sigh and walked over to the steps. Teri sat down and grabbed the bag with a smile. She truly loved the color pink!

Teri pulled the bag onto her lap, surprised at the weight of it. She pulled the pink tulle paper off the top and sat stunned. Inside the pink bag lay a pink hammer on top of something satiny. She held up the hammer grinning from ear to ear and tore into the pink bag with a flourish. She pulled out a pink satin slip and some sparkling flat shoes which elicited a loud chuckle from Teri. She knew exactly who it was from without even having to look at the card. It was definitely thoughtful and she felt bad she did not call him earlier when the roses arrived. Teri opened the small card inside, reading for a moment and pushed her hair off her forehead.

Sunshine,

I missed you today. Think of me when you wear these.

Richard