Still, I wasn’t going to leave her house in ruins, so I got to work and settled into a steady, even frenzied pace before calling it a night.
By the time I left the cottage, the mist had turned cold enough to bite. The truck door groaned when I yanked it open. I didn’t head for home right away, just drove. First, I went by Chapter & Crumb, where the lights were still on. It looked like Lila was closing up for the night. I’d sent her a few texts earlier, but they were all unread. It made me a little sick to my stomach at the thought that she might be ignoring me.
Then I turned my truck towards home. When I finally pulled up at the farmhouse, Kipp’s truck was still in the drive. I killed the engine and sat for a minute, watching the glow from the kitchen window. Maggie’s silhouette moved inside, slow and easy. For the first time that day, I let my head drop against the steering wheel and just breathed.
Kipp was at the sink when I walked in, drying a plate. He didn’t look surprised to see me. Just raised a brow and poured a second cup of coffee without asking.
“You look like shit. Afternoon didn’t go well?” He leaned a hip against the counter while watching me, waiting for me to speak.
“Something like that.”
He slid the mug over. “That look on your face says something happened with Lila.”
“Could say that.” I took a swallow that burned on the way down. “Derek showed up at Lila’s today.”
Kipp’s whole posture changed. His shoulders went tight and his jaw set. “He threatened her?”
“I wasn’t there, so I didn’t hear everything he had to say, but he was an abusive shit to Lila.” I cringed a little, knowing I was spreading information Lila hadn’t actually shared. Kipp nodded, though, as if this wasn’t news to him.
“Yeah, dude is bad news for sure. I know all about Derek Burnett. I’ve had a few run-ins with him up in the woods. There’s a pot grow he hangs around sometimes. Guy is skeevy.”
My eyebrows went up. “Really?” This was news to me.
“Oh yeah. Guy hangs out with some real stellar company.” Kipp’s lip curled. “I know for a fact that two of the guys he’s friends with do an illegal grow every year, but we struggle to shut them down almost every time.” His eyebrows knit with what I knew to be frustration. Kipp was an exceptional tracker, and he loved nothing more than keeping people safe, so something like this? It would drive him bananas.
“Sounds like a dick. Not that I didn’t already know that. I guess he mentioned the fire to her, and about old family resurfacing. He spooked her pretty bad.” The thought that Derek had approached her gnawed at me.
“Jesus,” he muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’m guessing he cleared out before you got there?”
Kipp had a hair trigger about women in delicate situations, and this would be hitting a little too close to home.
“Yeah. You’re guessing right. She was alone. By the time I got there, he was long gone. I doubt he would have shown up if I were there.” The fact that she was alone was a kick in the gut. I wanted to be there for her.
“Does Wade know about it?” He chewed on the side of his cheek as he looked at me. “You should talk to him.”
“Not yet. I’ll call him after this. She went by herself to the bookstore.” I stared morosely at my brother. “She said she needed time to think.”
He studied me for a long beat. “She’s the first woman that you have big feelings for.”
It wasn’t a question. Kipp wasn’t one to talk either. He had had one serious girlfriend, but it hadn’t worked out. She hadn’t been anything like the sort of girl that we’d thought Kipp would go for. She’d been materialistic and vain. In the end, she’d broken things off with him and left in a huff. Maggie had said it was a blessing.
“Yeah.” My throat felt raw saying it. “More than I probably should.” I wasn’t sure that Lila returned the feelings that I had. I was thinking she did, but now I had doubts.
Kipp leaned back against the counter, mug in hand. “She’s had it rough. That’s obvious. But you can’t make someone ready for you if they’re not. Doesn’t matter how hard you work. You both have to commit.”
I gave a humorless laugh. “That’s supposed to be wisdom from the great Kipp Holt?” It wasn’t bad.
“Wisdom from the man who’s stepped on the same rake too many damn times.” He lifted his mug in mock salute. “Don’t chase her. Be there. But don’t chase.”
“Right now, I just want to keep her breathing. Then I can think about chasing.” I stared at my hands for a minute, wondering if I should try to go to the store to check on her or not.
“Then do that. The rest will shake out, however it’s meant to.” Kipp gave me a sympathetic look.
Maggie appeared in the doorway, hobbling on her crutches. “Everything all right?”
“Fine,” I said too quickly.
She gave me that mother look that said she didn’t believe a word of it, but decided to let me keep my pride anyway. “I made a casserole earlier. Eat something, East.”
