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Authors: Rachel Brimble

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“So what did he tell you?” Jay asked.

Cat looked up from her phone, her heart picking up speed. “Not
much. His reception to my involvement was as frosty as I expected.”

He glanced at her. “So going to see him hasn’t helped us at
all.”

Feeling like a fraud but not having any other choice, Cat shook
her head. “Not really, but that’s okay. We’ll do this on our own if we have to,
right?”

He nodded and stared ahead. “Right.”

A few seconds passed in silence as Cat looked out of the side
window. He would’ve heard the lie in her voice as clear as day. It couldn’t be
helped. The last thing she wanted was to give Bennett a reason to bar her from
the investigation.

Jay coughed. “Do you want to head straight back to the Clover
Point now?”

Cat turned. “Soon. Do you think we might grab something to eat
and drink first? I ran out of the house—”

“Yeah, you did. Why?”

Heat assaulted her cheeks. His irritation was palpable. She
lifted her shoulders, forcing breeziness into her voice. “I couldn’t sleep so I
went out for a run. When I saw the time, I thought it was easier to get a taxi
than wait for you to get showered and dressed.”

“Liar.”

Damn it. Denying the accusation was futile so she said
nothing.

He stared straight ahead. “You were avoiding me. Admit it.”

She grappled to find a plausible lie that might have a chance
of appeasing him, but couldn’t. Jay was the person she’d always struggled the
hardest to deceive and now it seemed that, even with all her police training and
experience, her poker face was as effective as a toddler lying to her
mother.

“Fine. I’m lying. I left because I wanted to do this alone
without a big recap about our conversation last night to distract me. Okay?”

He lifted his hand from hers. “I wasn’t accusing you of
anything. I’m not surprised you don’t want to talk about it. I’m just happy
you’re talking to me at all.”

Guilt seared like a brand across her chest. She was more than
talking to him. She still suspected him. An overnight think on their
conversation had left Cat’s sheets knotted around her body from the constant
tossing and turning. He’d shared something so painful, so full of misplaced
responsibility, that her anger had soon abated and become something worse. Fear.
Fear that if Jay was brave enough to tell her his secrets, he would expect her
to do the same.

The thought of telling him about the current state of her mum
sent chills down her spine. She didn’t want his pity and she certainly didn’t
need him to take on the role of understanding ex-addict. Which was exactly what
he’d do. He’d want to help her mum, and Cat. She drew in a shuddering breath and
released it.

“Jay, listen to me. There are things—”

“Do not say there are things we all regret. I know you mean
well, but I’m a million miles away from platitudes and understanding. I wanted
you to know how I let Sarah down and how guilty I feel about not being able to
make it up to her. That’s it. I don’t want your sympathy.”

Cat swallowed her confession with difficulty, but managed it.
“Right.”

“The most important thing is that you know how sorry I am and
that I will never ever let anyone down like that again. Not ever. Especially
you.” Their eyes locked. “Do you understand?”

She nodded. “You’ll always be there for me. I get it.”

After a moment, his brow smoothed and he smiled. “Good, because
now we’re back together, Miss Forrester, there’s little chance of you
disappearing from my life again.”

Her heart kicked. “What do you mean back together? We’re not
back together, we’re friends who are looking—”

“If you want something to eat and drink, I know just the
place.”

Any further words dissolved helplessly on her tongue. She
silently berated herself. Coward. Turncoat. Selfish, borderline masochist. Cat
fumbled her fingers along the door panel beside her and pressed the button to
lower the window. She inhaled deeply. The air was cool against her hot face and
slowly her heart rate slowed.

She concentrated on the passing view as Jay maneuvered the car
farther along the sunlit promenade of Cowden Beach. The glorious white-gold sand
of the beach with its stacked charcoal-gray rocks sent a barrage of memories and
emotions from happier times surging to the surface. Smiling, she sat straighter
in her seat to watch the kids tossing balls and Frisbees back and forth, dogs
running and playing, and couples walking hand in hand along the shore.

Cat turned away as a rush of longing rose inside of her. A
longing for days gone by when she was oblivious to the heartbreak of her nearby
future.

“Where are we headed?”

“We need a pit stop at Marian’s.”

Cat smiled. “Ah, the famous Marian.”

He turned and winked. “The one and only.” His grin was wider
than the ocean.

“You really like this woman, huh?”

“I love this woman, and so will you. Guaranteed. She’s my
savior, the one Dad put me working with when I first came out of rehab. There
was no way I was going to stray from the straight and narrow path with Marian
watching my every move. Believe me.”

Cat snorted. “You sound almost scared of her.”

He glanced at her. “Laugh all you want. You haven’t met her
yet. Once Marian wants something from you, she pulls out one of her lattes with
a honeycomb muffin on the side...” He blew out a low whistle. “Then you’re
hers.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

J
AY
GLANCED
AT
C
AT
AS
they walked toward the bakery.
The distance between them was tantalizingly close but no matter how strong his
urge to take her hand, he wouldn’t. He meant what he’d said in the car. He had
no intention of letting her go or letting her down now they were reunited. It
had been hard telling her about his appearance at Sarah’s school, the
estrangement between them and his ensuing journey down hell’s path, but the
relief it was out there lifted a ten-ton weight from his shoulders.

His breath flowed easier from his lungs and his optimism soared
for the first time in a long time. Cat was still there, and even better, she was
talking to him. Anything less and he wouldn’t have blamed her. Her silence would
have just been another blow he deserved to suffer.

Ten years ago he’d told his mother he’d marry Cat Forrester,
and now she was back in the Cove, all his feelings for her came crashing back.
From the minute he saw her on the train, he’d struggled to keep his eyes off of
her, wondered if he’d ever take her in his arms and kiss her again. It was
pathetic and fruitless. He saw the suspicion in her eyes—sensed her
distance.

He would be stupid to think or expect differently. At least,
for now.

Once they found the real killer, maybe some of the love in her
eyes would return. Maybe she would trust him again. Give them a chance. One
thing Jay was sure of, he wouldn’t let her leave without telling her how he
felt. His life would not veer off-kilter in such a massive way, as it had a year
after she left. God willing, in time, he’d get his girl and they’d be happy.

Jay smiled as he watched her denim-clad butt sashay closer to
the bakery. She made him feel amazing, capable of anything and, more important,
capable of making her happier than she ever imagined. Okay, so he hadn’t been
happy to find the guest bedroom empty when he woke that morning, but since when
had Cat ever done anything he’d expected? Never. It was just something else that
attracted him to her. Her independence and strength made her sexy as hell.

But now was not the time for dwelling on rekindled love
affairs. They had a job to do. Looking around, Jay pondered the lunchtime rush
of people that entered Marian’s Bonniest Bakery like an endless stream of
hypnotized ants. He had no idea how Marian would react to Cat or vice versa.
With two women as fiery and strong as they were, it could mean a whole lot of
trouble.

When Cat stopped outside the open bakery door, Jay stepped
beside her and leaned toward her ear. “Ready?”

She turned and arched an eyebrow. “She’s one woman. One woman
who runs a seaside bakery that you happen to own. What’s the matter with
you?”

He huffed out a dry laugh. “I own this place on paper only.
Marian runs the show. If I so much as tried to exert my authority, she’d yank
down my trousers and spank my ass without giving a damn who saw her.”

Her disdainful expression changed as her mouth stretched into a
gleeful grin. “I’m liking her already. Seeing your ass being spanked is way up
there on my to-do list.”

He winked. “Hey, anytime you want to spank it, just shout.”

She shoved him playfully. “Very funny. Clearly the woman scares
you to death. As for me? I’m used to entering crime scenes. One woman and a
bakery aren’t going to scare me.”

He opened his mouth to protest when her cell phone rang.
Lifting a finger to his lips, she pulled the phone from her pocket. “Number
withheld.” She pressed the talk button. “Cat Forrester.”

A dart of concern shot between her eyebrows and her finger
slipped from his mouth. Her gaze flew left and right along the street. “You’ve
got my number? What’s that supposed to mean? Who is this? Hello?” She snapped
the phone shut and fisted her hand into her hair. “For God’s sake.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s started.”

“What has?”

“Our first crank call.” She looked around again as though
scanning for watching eyes. “I’d better let Bennett know.”

“What did he say? I’m assuming it was a man?”

She met his eyes. “Yep, but I very much doubt it was the one
we’re looking for. It’s probably nothing.” She paused to look around once more.
“What I don’t understand is, I haven’t advertised I’m a cop and I’ve only been
here two days. If that was Sarah’s killer, which I doubt, how the hell does he
know I’m here and how did he get my number?”

Not caring whether it earned him another shove, Jay slipped his
arm protectively around Cat’s waist. “I don’t know.”

She gave a soft smile. “Hey, I’m used to this sort of thing.
Don’t worry about it. The likelihood is he saw me coming out of the station and
thinks I’m some kind of specialist Bennett brought in.”

“You going to ring Bennett now?”

“Uh-huh.” She stepped away from his arm and dialed. After a
moment, she shook her head and mouthed “voice mail.” She cleared her throat.
“Inspector Bennett? Sergeant Forrester. Just had a crank call and thought you
should know. Some idiot saying he had my number and I’d be hearing from him
again. Clearly, he watches far too many cop shows on TV. The number’s withheld
but I’m betting it’s a throwaway phone of some sort. The voice was muffled,
amateurish. No techno stuff. I’ll try you again later.”

She shut off the phone. “Hopefully Bennett will ring me back
soon, but I doubt it will lead to anything.” She slipped her phone back into her
pocket. “This may well be the first of many, so you can stop looking like you
want to punch someone.” She smiled. “It wasn’t our man, Jay.”

Jay stared as he uncurled his hands. His knuckles throbbed.
“How can you be so sure?”

She lifted her shoulders. “Instinct. Come on. I can’t wait to
meet the woman who has you scared of her.” She stepped inside the bakery.

Jay shook his head. The woman’s spine looked straight enough to
snap in two. This wasn’t good at all and if she thought for one minute he’d let
anyone come within ten feet of her, she was wrong. However, now wasn’t the time
to tell her he wouldn’t be leaving her alone anymore or that he wanted her
sleeping in his bed from now on. She’d more likely check into a
bed-and-breakfast to prove a point.

He inhaled the smells of freshly baked bread, sugar icing and
fruit jam of every imaginable flavor as they walked farther into the shop.

“Oh. My. God,” Cat murmured and pressed her hand to her
stomach. “What is that smell?”

He smiled, pushing his concerns to the back of his mind. For
now. “That, my dear, is the sweet smell of heaven.”

“God above, if I worked here, I’d be rolling back home every
night, not walking.”

He laughed. “Which is exactly why Dad started me working here
after I came out of rehab.”

“As punishment?”

“No, because if I could concentrate on work here, I could
pretty much concentrate anywhere.”

Her green eyes pierced him to the spot. “You really worked
here? I thought you were joking. I can’t picture you behind the counter in an
apron. Whatever you’ve done.”

“Well, you’d better picture it because it’s the truth. Marian
and George are a phenomenal couple. Between them, they helped save my life.”

She pressed a hand to his chest. “Wait. George and Marian are a
couple? Wow, the naughty old dog.”

Jay would’ve paid a hundred thousand pounds just to keep her
eyes shining the way they were right then. “It all happened after...after your
dad died. They got married about five years ago, after meeting each other when
George was visiting one of his army pals in Bristol. He came back with Marian
and the two of them lived in separate places while they...courted.” He smiled.
“Got married two years later.”

She grinned. “That is so sweet. Well, good for George.”

“Exactly. They’re funny as hell together but their love is
obvious. Nothing gets past them. George took me straight home to my dad after
Sarah rang him, and when I came out of rehab, Marian took me under her wing and
worked me from the bottom up.” He pulled his shoulders back with pride. Her gaze
tipped to admiration—a welcome change from the lasers of disappointment they’d
shot at him last night. “I swept the floors and baked bread, cleared tables and
served behind the counter. It wasn’t until I could ice a birthday cake fit for a
king that Marian told Dad I was ready to move on to something else.”

She grinned. “I love it. Jay Garrett learning the ropes.” She
looped her arm through his and the contact sent a bolt of electricity straight
to his gut. “Maybe I need to repaint my growing picture of you.”

“Was it that bad?”

Her smile wavered and she looked away across the shop. “Not
bad. Safe.”

“What do you—”

“Forget it.” Yanking on his arm, she pulled him toward the
counter. “Come on, I want to meet my new friend Marian.”

Hope vibrated inside him and he tried to keep a handle on it,
but her insinuation that she was protecting herself spoke volumes. He smiled.
She sensed the renewed attraction between them. How could she not? It was strong
enough that neither of them could possibly ignore it.

Almost every one of the eight booths was taken and another ten
or so people waited to be served. The cottage-style bakery, with its pine tables
and chairs set with navy-and-white gingham napkins and tablecloths, drew people
of Templeton Cove like bees to honey. Marian rushed from the ovens to the
counter, shouting out good-hearted reprimands to anyone not waiting their turn,
while two young girls helped serve.

Cat wore an expression of pure astonishment as she watched
Marian work. Jay’s smile stretched to a grin. He knew exactly what she was
thinking—how was it possible for someone to move their hands so fast they
actually blurred?

“Meet Marian Cohen née Ball,” he whispered against her ear.

Cat’s smile faltered. “She looks like the mother every kid
dreams of.”

Jay frowned. She sounded so wistful. The impression he got of
the adult Cat was all work and very little play but the hunger in her gaze as
she watched Marian had nothing to do with work. She looked envious. No. Sad.
Wanting.

“Hey, you okay?”

“I’m fine.” The skin at her throat shifted. “She looks friendly
enough.”

“She is. Sometimes.” He shifted his gaze from the top of Cat’s
head to Marian. “I suppose seeing Marian is a shock for someone who has the
mother all the Templeton teenage boys grew up fantasizing about...even if,
personally, I was more into the daughter.”

“Yeah, well, that was then, this is now. Things change but
Marian looks like the type who would stay...I don’t know, constant.”

He had expected a quick comeback to his teasing, looked forward
to the normal, sharp-tongued Cat Forrester response. This reaction was new.
Something wasn’t right and he was sure that something was connected to Marian’s
motherly appearance.

She met his eyes. “Did Marian know Sarah, too?”

Jay studied her for a moment longer before facing Marian. “Not
like George did, but Sarah came in here as much as everyone else in the
Cove.”

“They liked each other?”

“Sure.”

Her jaw tightened as her stare remained fixed on Marian. Jay
followed her gaze. Cat was right. Marian epitomized motherhood. With her
steel-gray hair caught up in a net, her ample bosom encased in a floral blouse,
flour and vanilla frosting spattered across a once-white apron, she could be
every kid’s favorite cartoon mum. He glanced at Cat. Why would that put such a
look of longing on Cat’s face? Julia Forrester idolized her kids, always
had.

“Well, good morning, Jay.”

Marian’s voice broke through the raucous noise of the happy
customers. Jay turned. Marian’s miss-nothing gaze shot from him to Cat—and
lingered. After a long...long moment, she tipped Cat a wink before turning back
to the ovens.

Jay smiled. “See? She likes you already.”

“Yeah, and she just managed to make me feel more noticed than
my mother has in years. Now, what about that coffee and muffin you promised
me?”

She walked across the white tiled floor and slipped into a
booth by the window, turning her face away from him and Marian to look outside.
Jay frowned. What just happened? He remembered Julia openly saying to anyone who
would listen that Cat and Chris were the center of her universe—well, after
Cat’s father, of course.

Now Paul Forrester was dead....

Was it grief for her father putting that look on Cat’s face?
Jay berated himself for going on about his dad and not once acknowledging and
commiserating with Cat for the horrific way she lost hers the autumn after her
last holiday at the Cove. Julia never accepted any of the ensuing invites to
come back to the Cove the following three summers. By year four, Jay was missing
in action and the families drifted apart.

“I am such a selfish bastard,” he muttered.

“Yep, that’s simply the way some people are born.”

He snapped his head round. Marian grinned at him from behind
the counter, her brown eyes shining with undisguised mischief.

“Do you mind?” He closed the few feet between them in four easy
strides. “I was having a private conversation with myself.”

She gave an inelegant sniff. “Well, I suppose it’s better than
being lonely.” Her gaze left his and moved to Cat. “Who’s the girl? She’s a
looker.”

Jay’s heart kicked. He couldn’t agree more. But he wouldn’t
give Marian the satisfaction of telling her that—at least, not until he knew
what Cat had going on with Julia. He still loved her, but it was based on so
much more than a burning attraction. It was based on experience, trust and the
simple companionship between them.

He just hoped to God she trusted him as he trusted her and
would tell him what was going on back home. He thought his confession about his
drug addiction and estrangement from Sarah had slammed the door on any hope of
Cat still wanting him, yet every now and then her eyes betrayed something
deeper. Something that brought joy to his heart and gave him hope.

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