She seemed to be considering his words, and just when he thought she was going to blow him off, she nodded slowly. “Okay. Thanks.”
She walked in front of the truck and around to the passenger door. Once the dog was settled in the back, she climbed inside, wincing a bit as she did up her seatbelt.
Like most folks, this woman had a story, and maybe if things were different, he’d be interested in it. But he had no desire to get tangled up in some stranger’s problems — even one as attractive as Faith. He slowly accelerated and cranked up the music to avoid small talk. When they got back to the Lawson House, he parked his truck and waited for her to exit the vehicle before following her inside.
He nodded for her to take the stairs first, and then tried real hard not to take note of the delicate ankles and tanned, smooth calves as she climbed them slowly. He wondered what she looked like under that dress. Then, he told himself to forget it. She was clearly hiding something, and who would know it better than him? He’d been hiding in plain sight ever since he’d arrived in Fire Lake.
Gus decided not to think or wonder about the mysterious Faith with no last name. She was a complication he had no time for. He had his own shit to deal with.
Porter Boone was home from the hospital.
How long would it be before he met the man face to face? A man he hadn’t seen since he’d been seven. Since his mother had taken him and his siblings out into the darkness and into a waiting car.
His employer.
His father.
Chapter Three
Taco woke Faith with a sharp bark before the sun was up. Her head pounded, her throat was sore, and every muscle in her body ached. She winced. Even her eyeballs were sore.
What the hell?
She turned onto her side and let her legs fall off the bed. Taco’s wet nose pushed against her bare skin, and he whined. He needed out.
“Hold on,” she whispered hoarsely, making a pained face as she sat up. The room spun for a few seconds, and it took some to get her bearings. When she finally did and staggered to her feet, she knew she hadn’t felt this crappy in years. Her skin was hot, but she felt cold. Faith had no idea if she had the flu or some virus or if her body had finally rebelled against all the stress and trauma she’d endured over the last few weeks.
Shivering, she managed to pull out a sweatshirt from her suitcase, then grabbed Taco’s leash and a baggie. Her watch told her that it was just after 4 a.m., and gritting her teeth, she forced herself out of her apartment and quietly walked downstairs. There was a nightlight in the foyer. She turned and walked past Candy’s door and on into the common area at the back of the house. She paused for a moment, gathered her strength, and then opened the door that led to the backyard.
Faith leaned against the deck while Taco ran at least ten circles before finding the right spot, and when the dog was done his business, she scooped and bagged and glanced around. She felt as if she would fall over if she didn’t get back to bed.
“There’s a garbage pail inside the shed.”
“The hell?” she said. Heart pounding in tandem with her head, she spied a man a few feet away. Her eyes had adjusted to the gloom, and it didn’t take her long to realize it was Gus. He stepped forward, still dressed in his work clothes. The T-shirtwas rumpled, his hair mussed, and his strong chin was darkened with at least a few days’ worth of stubble.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. Sorry.” His deep voice was low, and she had a hard time hearing him.
She moved a step back but had to close her eyes because the world began to spin again. Taco, interested in the male, tugged on his leash, and it slipped through her fingers. She would have called him back to her, but Faith couldn’t form any words. Her stomach roiled and, horrified, she managed to stagger to the side of the house and heaved for what seemed like, forever, before resting her forehead against the cool brick.
“I didn’t think you looked well earlier.”
Faith wiped at her mouth and, trying her best not to cry, she exhaled slowly and turned her head to the side.
“I’ll be okay. I just need a minute.”
One minute turned into at least two, and when she finally straightened, she was surprised to find Gus still watching from the shadows. Taco stood at his side, ears forward, tail wagging slowly as if assessing his mistress’s state of mind.
“You look like you need a hand,” Gus said, taking a step forward.
“I’m fine,” she replied, searching for the bag she’d tossed earlier.
“I put it in the bin.”
“I’m fine,” she repeated.
“Your knees are shaking.” He moved closer. “I’ll walk you up.”
Aware that underneath the oversized sweatshirt, she was practically naked, Faith kept herself at arm’s length as she slowly made her way to the back deck. Her legs felt like they’d been hollowed out and filled with lead, while her skin was on fire, and her throat hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. She swallowed and whimpered at the pain, then grabbed hold of the railing. It wasbad enough the man had just witnessed her being sick; she wasn’t going to fall on her ass, too.
