“That’s why you were afraid of dogs?” So much made sense, all at once. His mind reeled.
“Yeah.” Her voice faded into silence.
“This whole time you never said.”
She stiffened. “I didn’t need sympathy.”
“Tell me what happened.”
She shrugged. “He was big. Mean. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We lived out in the country. Miles from town. The Francis family had a compound. Lots of trucks that didn’t work. Lots of guns that did. My guess is they had a meth lab or grew pot, something where they didn’t want prowlers. That’s where Gideon came in.
“Before Mama left she went through a funk. That’s what she called it. But looking back, it was serious depression. One Saturday she didn’t get out of bed no matter what Tuesday and I tried. Dad was out on the property. He was always out then. I think because home was so hard. I must have wandered too close to the property line, looking for him. Gideon went into protective mode and broke his chain. I ran, but he caught me at the gravel road. Dad arrived right as his teeth closed down. It could have been worse. A lot worse. But I still remember how hot his breath was, how much it hurt, and how I couldn’t get him off, no matter how hard I punched and kicked.”
A shiver moved through him, despite the sultriness of the night air, followed by a burst of anger. It would be a long time before he’d be able to get the image of a young Pepper running through the Maine woods, a no-doubt abused animal closing in behind.
He rested his cheek on her hair and breathed in the faint apple scent of her shampoo before catching her hand and lacing his fingers through hers.
She stared at their connection. He did, too, loving to see them joined in a tangible way.
“I want to make it better,” he murmured.
“Then how about a beer?” She elbowed him lightly. “I’ve been eyeing the cooler.”
She danced away from the painful memory, and he understood. Tonight the sky was filled with stars. How many galaxies had died billions of years ago, only now hitting Earth with the last gasps of a fading twinkle? There was a somber magic in the air, fed by the gentle pulse of the sea, lapping the breakwalls in a rhythmic caress. It was easy to buy into the concept of the interconnectedness of all things, the universe tied together, everyone serving a mystical, mysterious purpose.
What if there were no coincidences? Maybe Pepper had been placed in front of him for a reason. A light in his long darkness. And God help him, he’d put some shine in her world, too.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a few types. Want me to list ’em off?”
“Nah.” She hugged her knees. “Surprise me.”
“Now you’re talking.” He grinned. “I like a challenge.” He ran his fingers over the different craft beers he and Beau kept in their shared cooler, before settling on the right one. She was more of a lager girl. Crisp. Clean. No-nonsense. “Try this.” He plucked a bottle. “It’s a Czech-style pilsner.”
“Yes! For real, my favorite.”
He took out his keychain and popped the top. “Tell me what you think.”
She took a sip. “Hoppy.”
“Yeah. I know a few guys who give the variety shit. Say it’s too industrial, that it’s what gets made en masse. But if done right, the taste is perfect in its simplicity.” He drew in to kiss the tip of her nose. “Effervescent. Brilliant in clarity. A little like you.”
Her pleased laugh came from deep in her throat. “I never knew beer could be romantic.”
“Neither did I.” God, all he wanted was to remove the bottle from her hand, take her below, and see how bright he could get her, but something she said niggled at him.
“Tell me more about your mother.”
Her sigh was soft, barely detectable except for the light brush of heat against his neck. “What’s there to say? She left. A long time ago now. She wanted to look after herself, but that meant there was no one to look after my dad or my sister.”
“What about you?”
She bristled at his soft question. “I managemyselffine. It’s the rest of my family that I worry about. I mean, Dad makes maple syrup for a living. It’s not exactly job security, plus if anything happens to him physically, how would he survive? I don’t have a clue what, if anything, he’s saved for retirement. As for Tuesday, up until a few days ago, all she ever wanted to be was a Broadway star. I’d like to have a unicorn and a tree that produces toffee apples, but I live in the real world. Neither of them have any form of safety net…except me.I’mthe one who anticipates the future, makes plans. I don’t hope everything will magically work itself out. A person has to make their own luck.”
“You’re the safety net? That’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself.”
She took a long pull from the bottle and drew her knees in. “Yeah. They both drive me crazy, but they’re my family and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them. If they fall, someone has to catch them.”
“And what about you?” he asked softly as he pulled her closer. “Who catches you, Pepper Knight?”
