A Fresh Start for Two (3 page)

“That’s exactly what I keep telling both of them,” Mallory said.

Ryan leaned over and kissed his wife’s cheek, then smiled. “Jake and I are fine. Don’t worry about us.” He turned to his brother. “Right, Jake?”

And just like that, Jake couldn’t take it any longer. He took a huge bite of the meatloaf and said, “Sorry, but I’ve got to run.” He stood up and waved to everyone. “Thanks, Lorraine, see you all soon.”

He ran out the door before his father could stop him. Caitlyn had hit the nail on the head, but it hadn’t done a thing to help. Jake’s brother, whom he had always adored and idolized, seemed to have hated him ever since the service. And he had no idea why.

***

Jake whistled as he made his way around the college campus on Tuesday evening, excited to get going, to keep his mind occupied. The first night had been more of an introduction than anything else—an opportunity for the professor to go over the syllabus and ensure everyone was in the right place. Tonight would be the real start.

Based on what the professor had told them about their requirements for the class, they would be evaluated based on a few quizzes, several tests, and a project that would account for half their grade. The groans made by some of the students had put a smug smile on the instructor’s face. That was probably how he weeded out the lazy students—a project. The idea was that they’d form small groups and each group would pantomime starting a business, doing all the necessary accounting to demonstrate how they would handle its launch and lead it to success. Jake was actually excited by the prospect, as he’d dabbled with the idea of starting a business before.

He and his friend, Randy, both liked to race cars and had talked about a couple of ideas, but nothing that had ever come to fruition. Randy was also a mechanic, and was a magician with an engine. The two of them had gotten the money together and bought a couple of old cars. They’d worked together to refurbish them, but Randy had changed both engines, powering them up enough to race. Randy’s family owned an old track that they used. Maybe now would be the right time to think of how they could turn this into some kind of business. Restorations? He’d have to talk to his buddy.

He found a seat in the back and settled himself down to do his favorite pastime—people watch. It was like a game to him. He wanted to see if he could make correct guesses about the people around him. As each student entered, he pegged him or her based on his policeman’s training: nerd, troublemaker, smart, wise-ass, know-it-all, attention seekers, bullies, and so on. He had to admit, he hadn’t expected to see this many people sign up for a summer class, but it would only make things more interesting.

Besides class starting, only one thing could distract him from his idle venture, and she glided through the door. Every male in the room followed her with their eyes, and Jake was no exception. Julia Ross wasn’t the last to arrive today. She had on a flowery blue dress and strappy sandals, and was carrying one of those huge purple purses that tended to weigh more than a book bag. It seemed as though even the slightest of women managed to carry those things around.

She caught his gaze as soon as she headed down his row, and as soon as recognition lit her eyes, she backed out and headed to the far side of the room. He smiled at her as she peeked at him again from under her long lashes.

When she turned to sit, he couldn’t help but notice her nice ass. It was perfect in his opinion—just round enough to grab onto at the right moment. Her silky dark hair was pulled back, strands loose around her face. As if that weren’t enough, her breasts were exactly the size he preferred. Perfect, shit, she was as perfect as they came…except for her asshole fiancé.

Just thinking about how Vincent Nye had treated this woman at the restaurant made his blood boil. How he’d like to grab that pretty boy in the flashy suit by the collar and smash his fist in his face. Maybe he should try to catch her after class and talk to her, explain how quickly men like Vincent escalated to hurting their loved ones, how they tended to punch first and apologize later. Maybe he could teach her how to protect herself.

Would she listen to someone she hardly knew? It didn’t matter. He needed to do something, step up. She would not become another victim, not if he could do something about it. Besides, he felt a connection to her, one he couldn’t—and didn’t want to—deny. Did she feel it, too? As if on cue, she peeked at him again.

She sat a few seats in front of him and a few rows away, which meant she was directly in his line of vision. Her face lit up with a smile when another woman walked in the room. Clearly they were friends, because the Hispanic woman headed straight for Julia and took the seat next to hers. Jake didn’t remember seeing her the other night, but the professor had been right—a lot of students had dropped out, leaving room for a few add-ons.

The professor entered and called attendance, something he would only do one more day for drop/add purposes. Then he lectured for about thirty minutes before stopping to tell them more about the group project.

The groups would be comprised of three people apiece. They could create whatever businesses they wanted, whether retail or online, but they had to build the accounting system from the bottom up using the online simulation included on the CD for the course.

Once he finished explaining the key concepts, he held out his arms and said, “I’m giving you the rest of this class to find your partners and decide on a business idea. This is the only class time I will give you for the project, but you’ll have the next four weeks to complete it. I suggest you find a common time to meet in the library or wherever. Consider this before you join groups.”

Jake stood and approached a couple of people nearby, but they were all full-time students, so they planned to meet in the afternoon, which wouldn’t work with his job schedule. He scanned the room and noticed that Julia and her friend were still sitting alone.

He strolled over and, flashing his trademark smile, said, “Ladies, may I join your group?”

Julia’s friend responded before she could say a word. “Absolutely,” she said, returning his smile. “My name is Lucia Ramos and this is Julia Ross.”

“Jake Ramsay. Nice to meet you both.”

They were able to settle a mutually agreeable meeting time, so he pulled a chair up and settled in right next to Julia.

Based on the glare she gave him, he was glad he hadn’t said anything to reveal the fact that they’d already met.

Chapter Three

Julia glared at Lucia as soon as Jake sat down with them. What the hell? Why did he, of all people, have to join them? Her skin overheated as soon as he came close to her, and she knew what that meant—her face had gone a deep shade of pink. Why?

Because he was hot. There was no denying he had the raw sex appeal of a movie star. Dark hair, green eyes that glittered with mischief, and the whitest teeth she had ever seen smiled at her, causing her to flush to her core. He was big like Vincent, but while her fiancé was solid, this man was muscular. She would bet anything that he had a six-pack, and to her horror, she found herself wanting to touch it.

Men did not usually affect her this way. Why was her reaction to him so physical? Yes, she appreciated good-looking men, but never like
this
.

“Julia! He asked you a question,” Lucia barked.

She jumped, embarrassed to have been caught day-dreaming. “Sorry. What did you say?”

His voice came out in a deep husky tone, almost a whisper, that sent a shiver down her spine. She forced herself to sit up straight as she played with the end of her scarf.

“What kind of business would you start if you had enough money?”

She glanced at Lucia. “I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

Lucia’s mouth fell open. “Yes, you do. You’ve always said you would love to open a shop for accessories or a woman’s clothing boutique, right here on Main Street in Summerhill. You have such exquisite taste. I wish you had the money. You would make a fortune, especially if you had a website to go with it.”

Julia was too embarrassed to confess she had dreamed about owning her own shop for a long time. She had three separate Pinterest boards, one for each kind of shop she would love to open. One was just for shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Then she had thought of selling clothing together as matched outfits with accessories included. Her third creation was about decorating your home.

Jake crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Really? A fortune? Huh. We don’t have anything like that on Main Street for young women, do we? Maybe it would sell. Well, I’ll leave it to you ladies to decide. Accessories or clothing? Let’s not do both until we can afford to expand.”

Forcing herself to look at him, she gazed into his green eyes. Sitting this close, she could see they were flecked with gold. He wouldn’t be interested in opening a shop for women, best they did something else. “What about you? Maybe we should do what you want.”

His chin jutted out, the smile gone. “Why? Because I’m a man? You don’t have to do what I want just because I’m a guy.”

His voice held her attention like nothing else ever had. He said it like he meant it, like her opinion truly mattered to him. This was a new experience for her. Her opinion never mattered to her fiancé or her mother. And perhaps Jake knew that…after all, he was the officer who’d come to help her last weekend, after Vincent had publicly shamed her for trying to order a wine he didn’t like.

Julia swallowed as he waited for her response. His gaze never left hers, and he nodded in encouragement. Confidence soared through her as he held her gaze, and she found herself telling him about the idea that had hatched in her mind so long ago. “I think accessories. Being a vacation spot, we could have all kinds of bracelets, fun jewelry, sandals, hats, and scarves. Maybe even some candles, purses, and beach bags.” Unable to pull her gaze from his, she jumped when she noticed her notebook had slid off the desk and onto the floor. “Oh!” She leaned over to retrieve it and butted heads with Jake. His hand covered hers and a jolt of electricity shot up her arm. His touch was warm and tender, not rough like Vincent’s.

“Sorry,” he whispered. And she couldn’t help but notice that their faces were close enough for a kiss.

“At this time, class, you should have an idea of what business you’d like to start.”

She sat up and pulled her hand from Jake’s, subconsciously rubbing it where he had touched her. They gave their attention to the professor, but she couldn’t stop herself from peeking at him from her peripheral vision. Why couldn’t Vincent have an ounce of this man inside him?

“Make sure you review the different parts of the assignment online. As a reminder, I’ll be looking for an opening balance sheet, then three income statements and balance sheets for the first month, third month, and sixth month, including any necessary journal entries. Good luck! I hope you have chosen a successful business. See you next time.”

Jake stood up. “Julia, Lucia, nice to meet you. I’ll see you in the library tomorrow. Sorry, but I have to run.”

He left and Lucia’s face broke into a huge grin. “Ooh, chica! He is hot for you.”

Julia glowered at her friend. “What are you doing here, anyway? I didn’t know you wanted to take accounting.”

She shrugged. “It sounded like a good idea to me once you mentioned it. I would love to open my own store someday. Why not learn how to handle the accounting?”

“And the real reason?” Julia stood and stuffed her notebook into her bag, then planted her hands on her hips.

“All right. I’m here to protect you. I don’t trust your stupid boyfriend. He’s going to beat the crap out of you some day, and your family won’t care. You need somebody to stand up for you, though I think I might have just found the guy for you.”

“And what guy would that be?”

“Jake.”

“Are you out of your mind? I’m engaged.”

“Yeah, to a man who cannot be trusted. You can’t marry him. What’s wrong with Jake? He’s more your type.”

“Jake! It just so happens that he is the cop I told you about. He’s the one who almost arrested Vincent. If Vincent ever sees us talking, I’ll be in deep trouble. That’s why I didn’t want him in our group.”

“Oh, destiny. I see destiny right in front of my face. That’s the same guy, the cop?” She grinned from ear to ear, her eyes dancing with delight.

”We just met. Why would he want anything to do with me?”

“Oh, he wants a lot to do with you, trust me,” Lucia said, standing up. “He was thinking of all the things he wants to do with you through the whole class. Caliente, muy caliente.”

“Stop that. Even if it is in Spanish, most people know that caliente means hot. I don’t want anyone overhearing us,” she said in a harsh whisper. “Be careful. You know I have to be.”

“I do know it. But when are you going to realize you shouldn’t have to live your life like that?” Lucia picked up her book bag and swung it over her shoulder. “You need to find someone like that,” she pointed out the door, “and get rid of the one you have.”

“That’s not going to happen, and you know why.”

“Si, but your mother is wrong. Someday she’ll figure that out. Let’s hope it’s not too late for you when she does.”

They walked into the hallway in silence, following the rest of the class to the front door.

“Jake said something else to me that made me nervous,” Julia admitted as she stopped before heading outside.

“What?”

“He called Vincent a bully, and he said bullies rarely change. Do you think he’s right?” Julia fussed with her hair and kept a close watch out the door. Vincent would be picking her up shortly and she didn’t want to anger him.

“I do.” Lucia rubbed Julia’s shoulder. “He’s not going to change. He will get worse. You need to listen to the police officer.”

“But he never used to be like this. He was always so good to me. Why did he change?”

“I don’t know, amiga, but I’m afraid what you see now is the real Vincent. You must be careful. Promise me.”

They were just starting to head down the sidewalk when a car pulled up alongside of them and the window rolled down. “Get in.” Vincent’s arm was slung out the window and his fingers drummed the side of the car. He didn’t so much as glance at Lucia, let alone offer her a ride.

Julia turned to her friend. “See you later.” She walked around to the passenger side and climbed in, feeling a gilded cage descend on her once more. Ever since that incident at the restaurant, it was becoming harder and harder to tolerate Vincent and remember how she’d once felt about him.

“What took you so long?” Vincent bellowed. And without giving her any other greeting than that, he stepped on the gas pedal, squealing his tires.

***

Jake sat at his desk before his shift started the following morning, his arms crossed in front of him. He might physically be present, but his mind was on Julia Ross. His older brother, Ryan, sat at his desk next to his. The two of them were often the first to arrive for their shift.

“You know a Vincent Nye?” Jake asked.

“No, why? Should I?” Ryan’s gaze stayed focused on the computer screen in front of him.

“Naw, just a bully I met on a little domestic call the other day at a restaurant. He seemed to think his daddy was someone special.”

Ryan actually turned to look at him. “This one got your attention like the other one?”

“It wasn’t as bad. He backed off when we arrived, but it still hit me pretty hard.” Jake shoved his chair back and strolled over to stare out the window overlooking Main Street in Summerhill—the town he loved, the town that had been his home since he was born. He had only left Summerhill to enlist in the army. He glanced at his brother, wondering if he should mention Julia to him, ask him how he had felt when he first met Cait.

“Did you control yourself?” Ryan asked.

Jake glanced back at his brother. “Yeah, I’m not an idiot. I like this job.” Since they were alone, Jake decided to take a chance. “Ryan, about you and me…”

“Never said you were stupid, just a hot head.” Ryan turned back to the screen in front of him.

Ryan ignored him, just like always. What the hell had happened in the service that he didn’t remember? He had thought Ryan changed because of his amputation, but Cait had turned his life around. Ryan was happy whenever Cait was around, but things had never improved between the two of them.

Shit, how he missed his brother.

A few moments later, Ryan’s partner, Dave, came in through the front door.

“Morning. Oglesbee, you ever heard of Vincent Nye?” Jake barely gave him a chance to step inside before posing the question.

“Huh?” Dave wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Nye? Well, not a Vincent, but I’ve maybe heard of his old man.”

Jake turned around and leaned against the windowsill. “Anything good?”

“Rich, arrogant, owns several successful restaurants in Rochester. And you don’t want to mess with him.”

“Why?”

“No proof, but his way of doing business is a little…unsavory, let’s say. Arthur Nye. Probably not the mob, but he’s not anyone you’d like to call a friend…or an enemy for that matter. Why?”

“There was a domestic call at a restaurant with a Vincent Nye and his fiancée the other day. Wonder if it’s the same family.” Jake headed back over to his computer and turned it on.

“And how’d you handle that one, big guy?” Oglesbee smirked, pouring himself a coffee before he sat at his desk. He was quite a bit older than Ryan and Jake, so he treated them like little brothers.

“Fine. And I don’t want to talk about bad memories.” He ignored Oglesbee’s teasing.

Dave chuckled. “Let me know when you do. Love telling that story. Priceless. One of the best Summerhill PD stories we have. That and the story about Ryan’s wife. You Ramsay boys are always drawing trouble.” He grinned and winked at Ryan. “I bet another good one is coming, Ryan. Don’t you?”

Ryan pushed his chair away from his desk and grinned. “Not betting against you, Dave.”

Jake cracked his knuckles and grabbed his water bottle. That’s what he got for saying anything. At least they didn’t know he was due to meet with Julia later that night for a discussion of their project. Then the teasing would never have ended.

***

That evening, Jake sauntered into the library to look for Julia and Lucia. Their first task was to create their beginning balance sheet. Spotting Lucia out of the corner of his eye in the back of the main seating area, he waved to her and headed in her direction.

As soon as he sat, he scanned the area around them. “Julia not here yet?”

“No, she’s arguing with her boyfriend about taking this class. He wants her to drop it, but she wants to stay.”

“Have you met her boyfriend?”

“That asshole?” Lucia stared at the door, probably looking out for Julia.

“Yeah. You don’t like him, I take it.” He had to admit that the venom in her voice surprised him. So the incident at the restaurant hadn’t been an isolated event. It didn’t surprise him, but it made him even more worried about the situation.

“No, I hate him. Bastard’s going to beat her someday, and she’s too foolish to realize it,” she whispered, keeping her eye on the door.

“I think you might be right, but if that’s the case, she should just leave him.” He leaned back in his chair and chewed on his pencil.

“That’s what I keep telling her, but she doesn’t listen to me.” Lucia opened up her book.

“Has he hit her yet?” Jake knew he was pushing his limits by asking her this, but he couldn’t stop. He had to know.