Taking Chase (3 page)
“Wait, Cassie. Do you need a ride somewhere?” Maggie asked.
She’d had just about all the small talk she could take. Cassie just needed to be alone to think. “No, thanks. I noticed from the card that the mechanic is only a few blocks away. After I check in there I need to run errands. Nothing I can’t walk to and I need the exercise anyway. Thanks for the tip about your friend and the Market. Oh and do you know if there’s a place in town that has wireless internet access? My phone won’t be in until Monday and I haven’t even thought about internet service.”
“The Honey Bear. It’s a bakery at the other end of Main. We’d be happy to give you a lift.” Maggie’s friendly nature was earnest and unvarnished. Cassie had to admit to herself she liked that. There didn’t seem to be anything fake about her. The gorgeous best friend seemed nice too. But she wasn’t ready for hanging out with the girls just yet.
“Oh thanks, but I’d like to get to know the town a bit. I appreciate it.” Cassie backed away toward the door. “Have a great Saturday afternoon.”
And she was free again. Free to do whatever she wanted. The walk down Main Street was quite nice. There were a number of little businesses along the way. A few cafés and specialty shops dotted the sidewalk. The town seemed to be thriving.
The mechanic shop was busy but when she walked in one of the men stopped what he was doing and came over to help her. “You must be Cassie. I’d shake your hand but I don’t want to get you dirty. I’m Art.”
Okay, so it was odd but she was getting used to everyone knowing who she was. Definitely
not
something she experienced a lot back home. “Yep, I’m Cassie. Nice to meet you. Just came in to check on my car. How is it?”
not
something she experienced a lot back home. “Yep, I’m Cassie. Nice to meet you. Just came in to check on my car. How is it?”
“Well, that big old Caddy is a menace. She’s whacked your rear axle out of alignment and it’s cracked. I’ve called in an order for the parts but I won’t see them until Monday. The rest isn’t too bad. The body work shouldn’t take too very long and we can do the paint job here. But I wouldn’t count on having a vehicle for another week or so. Do you need a rental? We have two on site. Polly’s insurance will cover it.”
Cassie laughed. “Everyone in town seems to be familiar with her insurance and what it covers.” “Well yes.” Art blushed. “She’s gotten into a few fender benders. But she really is a nice woman.” “So I’m told. And yes, I’ll need a car if I won’t have one for at least another week.”
He completed the paperwork and she drove off half an hour later to the grocery store. But when she parked, she saw the small bookstore just a few doors down and decided to head over and check out the job lead.
“Miss Gambol.”
Shit
. The giant hottie of a sheriff came walking toward her. Stalking, like something big and bad but graceful too. “Sheriff.”
Shit
. The giant hottie of a sheriff came walking toward her. Stalking, like something big and bad but graceful too. “Sheriff.”
His eyes didn’t miss anything on their slow circuit of her body. She knew that he knew she was holding back. “Please, call me Shane. How are you doing today?”
She resisted the urge to shift from foot to foot. “I’m all right. Just a bit sore. But I’ve got a rental and Art is taking care of my car.” She shrugged. Cassie tried not to think about how his skin was so work-hard and firm and nicely sunkissed. She smelled him from where she stood. A bit of cologne, man and clean sweat.
Cassie doubted she looked as good. The heat made her skin feel clammy and her hair most likely hung like a limp rag. She chewed her lip, knowing the lipstick she’d applied first thing was gone. And then she smacked herself for even thinking it. No way. No more controlling men with power issues. And clearly this one had that in spades. He took up far more of the sidewalk than he physically occupied. His presence was overwhelming. And certainly he’d be hot in bed, but she was not going to find out. Oh no. Not her. She wouldn’t even think about how he’d look naked and laid out on her sheets waiting for her.
Damn. Were vibrators legal in Georgia?
Yeah, she’d need to look that up online.
Damn. Were vibrators legal in Georgia?
Yeah, she’d need to look that up online.
He was talking and she blushed when she realized she’d lost half of what he’d said. “I’m sorry. I missed part of that.” He smiled, with white predator’s teeth. Oh my.
Okay, thinking about sex again! Stop it!
Okay, thinking about sex again! Stop it!
“I was saying that you should be on the look out for a visit from my mother. She’s still upset over what happened last night and she wants to make it right. Which means she’ll hound you until you let her. I suggest you don’t try to resist. It’s pointless anyway. She might be small but she handles four very big sons with one hand tied behind her back.”
Suddenly he was so charming he totally disarmed her and she laughed. “I see. Like the Borg? Only with big hair and a bigger handbag?”
He cocked his head and grinned. “You got it. You settling in all right? Can I help you with anything? You shouldn’t move any of that furniture so soon after the accident. I’d be happy to help.” Her heart sped up as his gaze pulled her in. He was thinking something naughty wasn’t he? Or maybe she was projecting.
Wetting her lips nervously she shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll be all right. Thanks.”
His long pause alarmed her until he blinked slowly and cleared his throat. “Uh, okay. Well, I have to go. It was nice seeing you again. You be sure to call me at the station or go and get Matt if you need anything, all right?”
“Thanks again.” Stepping back from his body made her feel a bit better. She could breathe without smelling his skin. It had to be the heat that made her feel so lightheaded.
With a wave she steered around him and headed into the bookstore, leaving him standing there, watching her.
Shane unfisted his hands as he took in her sway before she disappeared into Paperbacks and More. Nervous as a cat that one. Why? And where in hell did the persistent need to protect her come from? She was in his town carrying something she didn’t want him to know about with her. That made her a threat. But he didn’t see a threat when he looked at her.
He saw the shadow of fear in her eyes. He saw the lines of stress around her mouth. And what a mouth. That mouth of hers was made for kissing and other things he shouldn’t be thinking about doing with a woman like Cassie Gambol.
He’d done a quick check on her that morning when he’d gotten to work. Not much to be found and that made him nervous. No one got to be their age without something. No speeding tickets, no fingerprints on file, he didn’t find anything about her in any newspapers from Southern California either. It was like she just came into being a few weeks before. A woman built for a hell of a lot of naughty fantasies, made from smoke with fear in her eyes.
In his town. And if he had any say in it, he’d find out who the heck she was and what she carried so close to the vest.
Cool air hit her skin as Cassie walked into Paperbacks and More. Being away from Shane and out of the heat, she found she could finally breathe again. Wandering through the store, she noted the cozy seating areas in the different sections and a good variety of genres. It was bigger than she’d thought it would be. The kind of bookstore she’d have found herself in every payday back in college.
Finally, she sighted the counter and smiled at the woman standing behind it. “I’m looking for Penny.”
“You found her.” The woman, dressed smart in a lightweight summer skirt and blouse looked Cassie up and down. “Hmm, you don’t look like an IRS agent and my personal relationship with the Lord is my business.”
Cassie laughed and put her hands up in surrender. “I’m Cassie Gambol and I’m not peddling anything. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’m looking for a job. I’m new here in Petal and Maggie Chase said you might be looking for someone.”
“You ever worked in a bookstore before?” “Back when I was in high school and then later when I was in college.”
“Who’s your favorite author?” “What a question. How can I just name one? That’s impossible.”
Penny grinned. “Well, I must say that’s a very good answer to start with. Okay, who are your five favorite authors?”
“Margaret Atwood, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Nora Roberts—and I’ll snag JD Robb while I’m at it since they’re the same person—and Barbara Kingsolver.”
Penny’s eyebrow rose. “Nice group there. Okay then, so of those authors—give me your favorite book by each.”
“Hmm, for Atwood it’s a tie between
Handmaid’s Tale
and
Cat’s Eye
. Asimov would be
Foundation
. Frank Herbert?
Children of Dune
. Nora— and you know that’s a hard one—but
Born in Fire
. JD Robb’s,
Naked in Death
. I just love the beginning of Eve and Roarke. And Barbara Kingsolver’s
Bean Trees
.”
Handmaid’s Tale
and
Cat’s Eye
. Asimov would be
Foundation
. Frank Herbert?
Children of Dune
. Nora— and you know that’s a hard one—but
Born in Fire
. JD Robb’s,
Naked in Death
. I just love the beginning of Eve and Roarke. And Barbara Kingsolver’s
Bean Trees
.”
Penny Garwood knew people. She could do a resume check on the woman standing in front of her. Would do. She may trust her gut but she wasn’t a moron. Still, she knew it would be fine. Her gut told her that Cassie Gambol was a good woman and would be a darned good employee. And Penny always went with her intuition. It’d never proven her wrong. And there was no doubt that the men would be coming into the store in droves just to get a look at her.
“Okay. When can you start, Cassie Gambol?” “Are you kidding me? Really? Just like that?”
Penny couldn’t remember the last time anyone had looked that overjoyed to be offered a job in a bookstore. The woman didn’t look hard up for money, but looks could be deceiving.
“I have a rule, I listen to my gut. My gut says to hire you so I will. We’ll start you on a trial basis. I’ll give you a week. If it works out, I’ll make you permanent. If it doesn’t, no harm done. Let’s start you part time for now. We’re open from noon to five on Sundays. Why don’t you come on in tomorrow and we’ll set up your schedule?”
Cassie offered her hand and Penny took it. “Thank you so much. I’ll be here tomorrow at noon. You won’t be sorry for taking a chance on me.”
“Make it eleven-thirty. Come around the back. We’ll get your paperwork done first and I’ll give you a bit of a run through before we open.”
“You got it. Thank you again.” Heart light and a smile on her face, Cassie headed out and back across the street to the grocery store.
It wasn’t that she needed the job. Brian had changed her trust to pay blind to an account that fed into Switzerland and then back to her new name. Her father would have been heartbroken to know what a mess her marriage to Terry had turned out to be. But the money he’d left her when he died enabled her to run. Enabled her to get into the program to change all her identification like her social security number and name. Gave her a chance at a new life.
But she wanted to work. Wanted to do something with her time. Yes, she grew up with money but she’d worked from a very early age and it felt uncomfortable to not have some kind of major activity in her life other than being afraid. Working at a bookstore and making her jewelry wasn’t the intricate and lifesaving vascular surgery she’d performed for the last four years, but it was something to help her take a step to move on with her life. And that’s what she meant to do.
Matt Chase unfolded himself from his place, laying in a hammock in the shade of the big oak tree in the yard, when she pulled up. He was a work of masculine art. They sure did grow them handsome down in Georgia.
“Hey there, Cassie. Need some help?”
He ambled over and it was impossible not to notice the long, tanned legs in the cut off jeans and the flat, tight belly peeking from under the hem of his T-shirt.
Pulling out a few bags and balancing them she smiled, she knew just a bit thin at the edges. “Oh no, that’s okay. It’ll just take me two trips. Thank you, though.”
But as she began to walk up the steps, she heard him grab the remaining bags and follow her up. “Now it won’t take you another trip.” He breezed past her into the apartment and put the bags on her kitchen counter before leaning a hip against it and watching her.
“Thank you. It really wasn’t necessary.” “I know. It wouldn’t have been neighborly if I’d been required to do it. I was just goofing off and taking a nap.”
He seemed nice enough, he truly did. But having him in her apartment with the door closed began to make her feel queasy. She didn’t know him. He could be anyone and scary often had a pretty face.
She took a step back and he noticed. Concern spread over his handsome face. “Cassie? You all right?”
“I…the heat, I need to cool down and rest.” She went to the door and opened it up, gripping the jamb tight. She wanted to gulp the air, try to breathe in the calm but it wasn’t working. “Thanks again for helping with my groceries, Matt. I appreciate it.” The shaking was coming, she could feel it and she clenched her teeth.
“Are you all right, Cassie? Did I do something wrong?” Matt stopped very close to her but didn’t touch her. Still, the fine tremors in her hands hit.
“Please. Just go. I’m not feeling well.”
“I…just bang on the wall please if you need me.” He backed out of the door and onto the landing. She slammed and locked it, sinking to the floor as her legs would no longer hold her up.
Her teeth began to chatter as the shakes came. Her breath exploded in sobs and she curled into a ball and closed her eyes, letting it wash over her. She knew it was useless to fight it once it got that far so she rode it out.
After a time, she sat up, her muscles still rubbery and slightly sore from the shaking and sobbing. Ordering herself to buck up, she stood up, bracing her weight on the door until she could stand on her own, and went to splash some water on her face.
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