Song of the Surf (Pacific Shores Book 3) (7 page)

Justus scrubbed a palm across his forehead and forced his thoughts back to the present.

Was there hope for a woman like Riley? Certainly not without the mercy of God.

Considering the cast on Riley’s arm, her bruised eye, and the fact that she lived at House of Hope, it was obvious she’d suffered some sort of domestic abuse. If he remembered right, when he’d first met her last summer he’d had the impression she was expecting too. Based on all that, it was totally understandable that she’d be reluctant to ride alone in a car with a practical stranger – especially a man.

But… he frowned… She’d ridden with Jalen to House of Hope to get her things, and then to the church to help him look over the sound system. Justus darted a glance at Jalen. Had he said something to make her uncomfortable? He knew the man wouldn’t have done anything to hurt her, but she certainly seemed a bit reluctant to go with him today.

Dakota leaned forward. “Maybe I should ride with Riley, and Jalen can ride with Justus?”

“No. It’s okay.” Riley shoved her hands into her lap, but not before Justus noticed they were trembling. “It will be fine.” She tossed a tight little smile in Jalen’s direction without actually meeting his gaze, then focused on a spot on the tablecloth in front of her.

Marie leaned forward to see Riley better. “As long as you’re sure, Riley?”

Riley nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”

Dakota didn’t say anything more, but there was a distinct sheen of moisture in her eyes that she quickly blinked away.

Justus eased back in his chair and folded his arms, swallowing hard. He hated seeing her hurt and yet loved her heart to help Riley all at the same time.

Dakota Trask was definitely a woman worth risking his heart for.

Decision made.

She might tell him to take his sentiment and go back home, but sometime today he would quit being a coward and just tell her he wanted to get to know her better.

Jalen rose a couple notches in Dakota’s estimation when he held his silence and actually looked like he was happy they were making sure Riley was comfortable riding with him, instead of insulted that they might not trust him. She offered him a smile to let him know they weren’t suspicious about him.

He gave her a nod of understanding and a subtle thumbs-up.

Marie glanced at a list lying in front of her. “Okay, good. So Justus and Dakota, if you don’t mind, could you swing by Connie’s Floral and pick up the swags and all the flowers? Reece and I are supposed to meet Pastor Mark for a few minutes this morning, and we also need to run by the bakery, because she wanted us to give the final okay on the cake before she delivers it tomorrow. Then we can all meet at the church at eleven thirty?”

Everyone agreed to their respective tasks, and Reece dismissed them all with, “Ready? And BREAK!”

Chapter 5

Riley pulled her car keys from her purse and subtly glanced at the guy who’d been saddled with babysitting her. Again.

A familiar roil of anger surged through her as she once again pondered how much she hated where she was in life right now. Nate had stolen so much from her. But not only from her. Also from those who were now putting themselves out to help her. From innocent guys like this one – what was his name again? – who suffered her insecurities without question and seemed fine with it. Why hadn’t he gotten angry when they’d asked her that back there? Nate would have been beside himself if anyone had dared question whether she would be fine if she left with him – and strangely, no one had questioned her when she was with him, when in reality she’d have welcomed a lot of questioning. No one, that is, until Marie. Marie had questioned. Marie had made
her
question. And it was one of those questions that had raised Nate’s anger to the point that he’d—

Pain shot across her palm and she realized she was squeezing the keys much too tightly. She eased her grip. Glanced again at the guy over the top of her car. How long had they been standing here with her staring into nothing?

He was waiting quietly, studying her with those seemingly all-seeing brown eyes of his. But not saying a word while she’d been spaced out for who knew how long.

Her brow slumped. “I’m sorry.” She glanced down at the keys and then back to him. “Would you mind—” Her brain seemed incapable of creating full sentences.

But he’d apparently understood her because he appeared quietly at her side and reached out one hand, palm up, without touching her. “I’d be happy to drive.”

She looked up into his eyes. And for some reason, the fear she’d expected to bloom instead wilted and slipped away. “I’m sorry about that back there.” She gestured toward the house they’d just left. “My friends…they’re just trying to take care of me. It’s not about you.”

His features softened. “I know. You’re lucky to have friends like that who care about you so much.”

She swallowed. Nodded. “Not everyone cares for others like that.” Why had she said that? It revealed more than she was ready to. She gave her head a little shake to dispel the wave of dismay, and swung her attention to where Dakota was slipping into the passenger seat of a sporty red car while Justus held the door for her.

She could feel the guy studying her. But he remained very still. Like a nature lover afraid of scaring off a flighty animal.

As though he had some sort of magnetic force, her gaze returned to him. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve heard your name…?”

He smiled. “Well, now I am offended.”

She blinked.

But his grin broadened and she realized he was teasing her.

She wished she could will herself to offer him a smile in return. He had a nice smile. A handsome broad face and teeth stark white against his brown skin. Kind chocolate-mocha colored eyes. Dark curly hair just mussed enough to give him a bit of a rakish look. A face so different from Nate’s. Not just because Nate had been a red-head, but because Nate had never invited her scrutiny. He certainly wouldn’t have stood so patiently for it.

Had Nate ever teased her? She chased the trail of history back to the very first time she’d met him and thought maybe he had back then. Back before… But all that had changed. She cradled her cast against her stomach and was surprised to feel her lips tip up at the corners, even if it was only just a bit.

He tilted his head, and his gaze skimmed her face. “It’s good to see you at least try to smile. My name’s Jalen Rivera.” He stuck out one hand, but just held it there, letting her decide if she wanted to make the next move.

She took in his thick muscular palm. It was a shade lighter than the dark skin around it. Broad blunted fingers. A working man’s calluses. Should she shake it? Why did every decision seem to take her forever lately? Just yesterday she’d stood for long minutes in the bread aisle, unable to make a decision on which loaf to buy.

This was silly. Why
wouldn’t
she shake it? Finally she lifted her hand to his and her focus back to his face. “I’m Riley.” That sounded dumb. Because she’d spent hours with him the other day. He probably thought she was the strangest woman he’d ever met. She probably
was
the strangest woman he’d ever met.

But he didn’t belittle her. He only said, “Nice to meet you, Riley.” His handshake was firm but gentle. Friendly. And then he released her and swept a gesture for her to move around the car since she’d asked him to drive. “I guess you know the way from here to the candle place, yeah?”

She nodded at him over the roof of her Kia and then slipped into the passenger seat. The smell of cigarette smoke had never been more appalling to her. Maybe because of the contrast between the memories the smell evoked, and her more recent experiences with these new friends. She tucked her thumbnail between her teeth, leaned her elbow against the car door and stared out across the rolling green lawn of Serenity Shores.

Jalen adjusted the seat and mirrors. Started the car. And then just sat there.

She turned to look at him.

He smiled gently. “At the end of the drive…which way do I turn?”

Of course. Directions. “Sorry. Right at the end of the drive.”

“Right. Got it.” His grin broadened. “You’re a woman of few words, Riley. Am I going to turn right and just keep driving until I hit ocean somewhere when you disappear into your own world again?”

She studied him. The words could have been said with rancor. But there had only been gentle teasing and nothing else. A smile nudged for release for the second time that afternoon. “I’ll try to stay present and remember to tell you where to turn.”

He gave her a wink. “Alright then. Let’s get those candles to the church, aye?”

Jalen hadn’t said a word or even made a face or a noise about the smell of old cigarettes and spilled beer in her car.

And it really was quite nauseating. The smell of all the candles in the backseat was only going to make it worse.

She nibbled on her thumbnail without actually biting it. When she’d gotten pregnant she’d hoped that would make Nate quit smoking – in the car with her at least. But he had neither stopped smoking or drinking and—

A pain twinged through her arm, and she closed her eyes. Stay present. Stay focused. Now was not the time to revisit the nightmare that had been her life.

One day at a time she needed to walk into the future. She just wished it didn’t look so bleak and gray.

“Take a right at the stop sign.” She congratulated herself on the small victory and tried to relax into the seat. She could do this. Today was all she had to worry about now. Only today. Only herself. Only one more breath. Then another. And another after that.

And somehow, for the first time in her life, she’d found herself in the company of people who actually cared. They were kind. Loving.

There was that.

She pulled in another cool lungful of air. “Left here.”

One day, one hour, one moment at a time. She could do this.

Dakota directed Justus to the florist’s shop, and they loaded all the flowers carefully into his trunk so they wouldn’t get smashed.

Justus had seemed a little nervous and jumpy all morning since Marie’s announcement that they would have to dance together, and Dakota couldn’t deny her own apprehension. Especially since he didn’t know just how in jeopardy his toes were going to be yet.

He sank into the driver’s seat and glanced over at her. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but no sound emerged, and after a moment he snapped his jaw shut and thrust the keys into the ignition.

“Did you want to say something?”

He slapped one arm behind her seat and craned his neck to see behind them as he backed from their space. “It’ll wait.” He checked his side mirror, studiously avoiding her scrutiny.

She frowned. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No. Why would you say that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because when someone starts to tell you something and then stops it’s usually because they don’t know how to say it and that’s usually because you’ve done something inappropriate.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong.” He pulled onto the main road.

She waited for more, but he didn’t even offer a hint at what he’d started to say. She propped her cast on the ledge of the door, and tamped down her irritation. Soon the main part of town was behind them and they were driving through the residential neighborhood near the church.

After several long silent minutes she let loose a sigh. “Justus, we do need to talk about your toes—” The last word emerged more like a screech as a dog, followed by a boy, darted across the road in front of them and Justus slammed on the brakes. Rubber screeched against pavement. She thrust her cast against the dashboard to keep from slamming into it.

The boy had stopped smack in the middle of the narrow road!

Her panic swelled. In less time than it took for one heart beat, the similarities to the night of her wreck back in high school slashed through her.

When the car skidded to a halt, they were only inches from the wide-eyed frozen stare of the freckle-faced boy. His dog was sitting obediently by the other side of the road, tongue lolling.

Justus loosed one short breath, and then he scrambled from the car. Judging by the look of anger chilling his eyes she wasn’t sure what he had planned for the kid and scrabbled out her own door. “Justus!” She hopped on her one good leg toward them at the front of the car.

But Justus had only squatted down in front of the kid and gently turned him by the shoulders to face him. “Are you hurt?”

The kid shook his head, but he was trembling from head to toe.

Dakota begged her lungs to function and wiggled her fingers in her ears to chase away the shriek of brakes still resounding through the silence.

Justus jutted his jaw off to one side, but there was kindness in his expression as he studied the boy’s face. “I could have killed you, kid. Do you live around here?”

“Yeah.” The word was a bit flippant for someone who’d just almost gotten run over.

“Well…” Justus flitted a glance toward the narrow space between the boy and his front bumper. “I think your guardian angel just got a whole lot skinnier.”

A bubble of nervous laughter threatened to escape Dakota. She leaned one hand against the car and covered her mouth so the kid wouldn’t think she was laughing at him. Her good leg trembled, nearly useless.