Till the Break of Dawn (7 page)

I was just frustrated enough when Jesse stopped by the house to pick me up that I started complaining to him. It was really nice of him to be so patient. He seemed to understand that I was still hurting over the past relationship I had mentioned on our first date. So, we were taking things slow, which was fine with me. It was also very considerate on his part. As hot as he was, I wasn’t ready to just jump into bed with him or anyone else right now. For the first time I was looking for a serious relationship and when I slept with someone I wanted it to mean something. I could almost hear Jamie’s voice in my head saying, “Thirty will do that to you.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, realizing I’d been complaining for much too long while I looked for a comfortable pair of shoes.

Jesse was sitting at the foot of my bed, watching me ravage the closet with an expression close to amusement in his eyes.

“You think this is funny? I almost didn’t order booze because I was so busy trying to pick out flowers and catering!”

He sighed. “This friend of yours sounds like she’s all alone and she needs someone right now. I know it’s a pain in the ass, but you’ll hate yourself if you stop now.”

He was right. How could he know that about me in such a short amount of time?

“You’re right.”

I stepped in front of the full-length mirror beside the closet and looked at my short-sleeved red sundress again. It was simple, soft cotton, and it came to just above my knees. My hair was twisted up loosely, letting curls fall here and there over my shoulders. I hardly ever wore dresses and even if I looked cute I felt out of place in them.

“You look great,” Jesse said as if he could read my mind. “Why don’t you let me find the shoes?”

“Fine.” I gestured toward the closet. “Be my guest.”

While he rummaged around in my walk-in closet I took his place at the foot of the bed.

“Where did you say this friend of yours is from?” he asked.

“Well, she’s from here. But she’s been living in Texas for several years now.”

“And she’s back just to get married?”

“Yep.” I relayed as much about the situation as I knew, which wasn’t much. Of course I left out the part about Mandy being pregnant. I figured if she wanted anyone else to know, she would tell them. “It’s all kind of strange. She talks about this David guy all the time, but I really don’t know anything about him. Come to think of it, I didn’t even know his last name until I read the sample invitation I got today. I think they made a mistake in printing them anyway.”

He emerged from the closet triumphantly carrying my favorite brown sandals. I was really starting to like him. “Why is that?”

“Well, because they say the wedding is going to be at night. She has planned this whole thing outdoors with lots of flowers and stuff that won’t look as good at night.” I shrugged as I passed him the invitation. “I don’t know, it’s just weird.”

Something passed over his features as Jesse read the invitation. It looked like a mixture of recognition and pain. He ran a hand through his dusty blond hair and for once I didn’t focus on the way his biceps flexed with the motion. My attention was drawn to the way his brows knit together and the look in his eyes.

“Something wrong?”

He shook his head. “No.”

But from that moment on, he helped us plan the wedding. I wondered at first if he had recognized one of their names. Then one afternoon while we were taking one of our walks around the lake he started telling me about his little sister. It was mine and Jamie’s day off, so Jamie had decided to tag along for a little bit of exercise. Mandy came too. They hung back a bit from us, even though I insisted this wasn’t a date, we were just hanging out. Things weren’t really serious with Jesse, but that didn’t mean I didn’t like him.

“I’ve traveled a lot over the past few years. It’s just us and my dad. My mom died when we were kids. I wasn’t around when my sister got married.”

Well, that would make sense as to why he wanted to help Mandy.

“Where were you?” The question was out before I took time to think it through. The look Jesse gave me said I didn’t really want to know.

“I was tracking a bounty in Alaska. She still hasn’t forgiven me.”

After three weeks of spending time with Jesse, he was still a mystery to me. I had no idea what kind of bounties he hunted other than they were “dangerous”. Hell, that could mean anything. He rented an apartment across town, but he spent most of his time at my house. He loved chocolate ice cream, good coffee, and too much sugar in his sweet tea. He also cooked like a motherfucker and looked amazing in jeans. But as far as his past, the closest I’d come to that was learning he had a sister.

It wasn’t that I felt his life’s history was all my business. I simply wanted to know more about him. Isn’t it natural to want to know more about someone you’re attracted to?

I let Jesse walk ahead of me a few paces so that I could shamelessly admire his ass. It was in that moment I realized I had stopped comparing him to Marcus. Even though it had been seven years and I had made the decision that we should stop seeing each other, I often thought of Marcus. If I had to put a number on it, I’d say about once a week he still crossed my mind. But as I watched those jeans, molded to the curve of Jesse’s perfect ass I realized this was the first time I’d thought about Marcus since mine and Jesse’s first date. That was a good thing, right?

I looked back at Jamie walking along behind me and she smiled. She looked pleased with herself. Maybe it was because she’d been teasing me about the way I looked at him. And something told me I’d just been caught again.

Not thinking of Marcus for almost three weeks was a good thing if I was trying to move on, right? Then why did my chest ache? Why did not thinking of him until now feel like I’d lost something?

The afternoon was cloudy and the air smelled like rain. The cool breeze blowing in from the north made our walk tolerable during the day. Otherwise I would have waited till dark. I’m still not sure why I’d started to include Jesse in my walks. Spending time alone by the lake had always been peaceful to me. And now I had invited three people to join me. Guess I was tired of always being alone.

We had almost come full circle when I decided to stop and sit underneath a big oak tree. Everyone else sat down around me, stretched out their legs and took off their shoes.

“I forgot how pretty this part of the country is,” Mandy said, sighing. “Guess I might have been getting a little home sick.”

Without warning Jesse took hold of the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. My jaw dropped. Damn he was gorgeous. He had an amazing golden tan and every inch of his skin glistened with a fine sheen of sweat. The ridges of his abs flexed as he leaned back and propped on his elbows, seeming completely oblivious to the way we were all watching him. His sexiness was effortless and I think that’s what made him so appealing.

With considerable effort, I closed my mouth. Mandy cleared her throat and started asking Jamie about the flower arrangements for the wedding.

“So, what’s the rush?” Jesse asked. “You seem to be putting this together awfully fast.”

Mandy smiled. “Didn’t Dawn tell you?”

As he shook his head I answered, “It wasn’t my business to tell.”

“I’m pregnant,” Mandy answered, beaming. “We want to hurry up before it becomes obvious.”

“Oh,” Jesse said. “Well, congratulations. How far along? That is if you don’t mind me being nosy?”

The way he smiled I think he could have asked anything and she would have answered. Couldn’t say I blamed her.

“Three months this week.”

He laughed softly. “Should we add pickles to the catering menu?”

Mandy laughed and tossed a clump of grass in his direction. She missed horribly, but it was fun to watch. It was nice to have a boyfriend that got along so well with my friends. Wow. Did I really just call him my boyfriend?

*****

The next day I was up early to cook breakfast. Jesse was supposed to stop by and have coffee with me out on the deck, another ritual I’d started to share. This whole being with a normal guy thing did have its perks. Like going out in the daylight to share coffee. As I took some eggs and milk out of the fridge I made up my mind about something. I was going to ask Jesse to spend the night with me. It wasn’t that I hadn’t slept with guys since Marcus. It was just that this meant something more. I was actually looking to get serious and I felt like Jesse was the kind of guy I could get serious with.

I was in the middle of scrambling some eggs when I heard a knock.

“You’re early,” I said, opening the door.

Jesse was standing there looking as good as ever, only he wasn’t wearing his usual smile.

“Dawn, I’m afraid we’ll have to cancel our plans for today.”

He put his hand on my shoulder and something in his touch gave away his nervousness. Okay, now I was worried. The tone of his voice didn’t sound right and as he reached to brush back a loose strand of my hair his hand shook.

“What’s wrong?”

He frowned. “My father is not doing too well.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“I’ve got to leave immediately for Texas. He’s in the hospital with pneumonia. I’m sorry to leave in a rush like this. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. It’s just that—”

“Go,” I said, cutting him off. “Your dad is more important than having breakfast with me.”

“Thanks.” He kissed me softly before turning to leave. “I’ll call you once I know something more.”

Considering the grimness of the situation I averted my gaze when I caught myself admiring his ass yet again. I knew that Jesse and his father weren’t on the best of terms and hoped for both their sakes that this didn’t turn out badly. At least my mother and I had made a sort of truce. She didn’t tell me how to live my life and I tried not to do anything that she would disapprove of too badly.

The smell of something burning reminded me about breakfast. “Shit.” I ran back inside and stirred the eggs. Luckily only one small section had started to burn. I was so caught up in my thoughts, worrying about Jesse, that I didn’t realize Jamie was in the house until she said something.

“Saw Jesse leaving just now. Did you guys have a sleepover?”

I couldn’t help laughing at the way she raised her eyebrows, giving me a suggestive look. She sauntered into the kitchen, her boots echoing on the hardwood floor. She’d picked up the habit of wearing cowboy boots with short skirts from me and I smiled when I noticed her outfit. What can I say? Country girls have their own sense of style.

“No. He was supposed to have breakfast with me, but he’s got to leave for Texas.”

Jamie walked over and snatched a piece of bacon from the plate beside me. She was wearing a blue tank top that brought out the color of her eyes.

“Texas?”

I sighed, stirring the eggs again. “Yeah. His dad is sick. He said he was in the hospital with pneumonia.”

She frowned. “That’s awful. Not to sound insensitive, but could I join you for breakfast then?”

I gave her a skeptical look.

“What? I’m starving.”

I laughed. “Of course. You know you don’t have to ask to stay.”

My hair was still wet and as I turned to take up the eggs I tossed my long braid over one shoulder. Jamie gave me an appraising look.

“Yep, you look too well organized for just having had a sleepover. Makeup all done, faded jeans and a cute little t-shirt. I should have noticed.” She took another piece of bacon. “By the way, yellow looks good on you.”

While I got out some plates she said, “That’s terrible about Jesse’s father. Didn’t you say they didn’t get along?”

“Yeah. Kind of like me and my mom, except worse I think.”

Jamie got out the orange juice and sat it in the middle of the table. “Well crap.”

“You were hoping for fresh squeezed?” I drawled.

“No, I wanted to show him the menu before taking it over to Mandy.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really? He has only been around for a few weeks and you think you have to have his opinion on the menu before taking it to the bride-to-be?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Duh. He cooks like a motherfucker.”

I laughed at her choice of words. My thoughts exactly.

Chapter Eight

When Mandy didn’t answer the door after a couple of minutes we thought she must be busy. So, Jamie and I sat on the front porch swing and decided to relax. After about five minutes Mandy’s brother Bill came pulling into the yard. His old pick-up truck was going so fast he almost hit the bushes before coming to a stop.

Bill looked just like Mandy. Same tall, slender build and same light blond hair. He got out of the truck and rushed up the steps.

“Whoa, Bill. What’s the hurry?” I asked.

“Have you guys seen Mandy? She’s not answering the home phone and I can’t get her on her cell.”

“Maybe she’s taking a nap,” I suggested.

He seemed really worried. I reached to take his hand, but realized he was still covered in grease. He and his dad owned a mechanic shop in town. He must have come straight from work. I placed my hand on his arm instead and gave what I hoped was a reassuring pat.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve been trying to reach her for the past two hours.”

I knew that Mandy was staying with her brother while she was in town. The fact that he was so anxious about her not answering the phone was strange to me.

“Didn’t you see her this morning?” I asked.

He blushed as he dug a key out of his pants. “I spent the night at Maggie’s.”

Jamie’s mouth fell open. “You and Maggie? I never would have guessed that.”

“Doesn’t your dad stop by here before work too? I heard Mandy say before that you always ride together.”

He turned the key and pushed the door open as he answered, “Dad is in Panama City visiting his sister for a couple of days.”

“Oh.”

Bill ran a hand through his hair, smearing grease across his forehead. “I’ve just got this awful feeling. I know it sounds stupid, but if I could just see her.” He searched the house frantically as he spoke and I walked fast to keep up with his long legs. When each room gave no trace of Mandy, I started to become worried myself. Her car was in the driveway. She had to be here.