A crooked smile lifted Cal’s cheek and sent a flutter of longing to her core. He was so damn good-looking, so relaxed here in his home, so tempting. How was she supposed to live with him and not end up in his bed? And would that really be such a bad thing?
If she could walk and chew bubble gum, could make good grades in college while parenting a teenaged sister, couldn’t she have a temporary fling while she found a way to get Chase Hamilton behind bars?
Cal crossed the room and sat beside her. “Happy to report, your kitten is in one piece and currently devouring a can of chicken flavored cat food like a frat boy eating pizza. I’m not sure she’s chewing.”
“Poor thing still isn’t sure where her next meal is coming from.” Jules leaned into him and released a contented sigh.
“Speaking of which, are you hungry? You were out cold when my dad and I ate a couple hours ago.”
She pressed a hand to her stomach, admitting she was peckish. “I don’t want to be trouble. I can fix myself some cereal or—”
“Chicken and rice. I saved you a plate. You like green beans? I made those, too.”
She angled a startled look at him. “You cook?”
“In a manner of speaking. I have to if I want to eat. Jonathon Colton sure isn’t going to. I’ve been in charge of meals for my dad and me since Matti moved out several years back.”
She pictured Cal’s youngest sister, her curly hair and bright smile, and Jules grinned.
“That reminds me,” Cal said. “Both of my sisters have called me tonight, wanting to know when they could come by and visit you. They heard about the shooting and are determined to smother you with food and personal attention. Apparently they think I stink as a nurse.”
“Or they’re just kind.” Her grin brightened when she anticipated more time with Cal’s sisters. “I have nothing but time on my hands for a couple days, according to Dr. Palmer. Tell them to come anytime.”
He jerked a quick nod. “Will do. I’ll go heat up your plate.”
Cal spent the next day at home with Jules. She spent a great deal of time sleeping, which initially concerned him, until he saw how the rest erased the dark circles that had lived under her eyes since they’d met and eased the fine lines of tension around her mouth. He made sure she ate well, and her cheeks gained more color. She had, in less than one day, bloomed, like a parched flower finally given water. Jules was even more radiantly beautiful than he’d first believed, and a part of that transformation came from the fact that since yesterday, he’d seen her use her smile. With Pilot, with his father, and even—hallelujah!—with him. Maybe he’d underestimated how much stress and worry she’d been living with all these months.
Well, no more. While she was under his roof, he’d make certain she was well-fed, felt secure and had plenty of sleep. He wanted to see her smile more, flourish, glow.
Late that afternoon, as Jules roused from her second nap of the day, Cal set aside his laptop, where he’d been clearing out his email, and moved to the end of the couch. He lifted her feet into his lap and began massaging her feet while she yawned and gave him sexy, sleepy smiles.
“Oh, that’s nice.” Her sigh was both seductive and sweet. “I never knew how tired your feet could get until I had to be on mine all day at the gift shop.” She arched her feet, then flexed them as he dug his thumbs into her soles. Her brow creased then. “Which reminds me, I need to call Bonnie and let her know I’ll be out for a few days.” Her shoulders slumped. “I really should go back to work tomorrow. I hate that I can’t.”
“Or you could hire more help to give Bonnie some relief without killing yourself in the process. You were working too many hours before, Jules. There from dawn to dark.”
She stacked her hands behind her head and moaned softly. “Like I told you before,” she said. “The owner is emphatic that there’s no money for more help in the budget. The gift shop is popular in the summer but makes nothing for several months over the long winter season. As it is, I’m going to have to find new employment myself, if I’m still here come October.”
Cal stilled. “What do you mean, if you’re still here? Abby is here. Why wouldn’t you still be here?”
Chapter 24
Jules pinned him with an emerald gaze that pierced his heart. “North Dakota is not our home. The sooner we catch Chase and make the world safe for Abby to live her life freely and without the constant strain of always looking over her shoulder, the sooner she can leave the hospital and I can go back to Winnipeg and finish my research, get my PhD.”
The disappointment that prodded him must have shown on his face, because she pulled her feet from his lap and sat up. “You didn’t really think I was staying around here long-term, did you? I mean, that’s why I didn’t rent an apartment or sign a long-term lease. I’d hoped to catch Chase in some manner within a few months and then get my real life back on track.”
“Your real life,” he repeated, his chest tight. Why hadn’t he realized Jules’s presence in his life was temporary? Of course, she didn’t have the roots here in Red Grove that made him love his small town despite, or maybe because of, its slow pace and remote location.
“Cal? What—”
His phone buzzed at his hip, sparing him from further discussion of a topic he didn’t want to address. He checked the caller ID.Wyatt.
Forcing a breezy tone, he answered, “Hey, man. What’s up?”
“Forensics report on that hair band you turned in came back.” His brother’s lack of banter told him he wouldn’t like what the report had to say.
“Go on.” When he stood from the couch, Jules reclined again on the cushions. Cal moved out of the living room, mouthing to her,Sorry. I need to take this.
“The lab confirmed that hairs and other DNA trace evidence found on the band belong to Zoey Rogers,” Wyatt said, “so I sent a team to the Rogers’ house. Fingerprints found on her window frame and on her dresser drawer match Hamilton’s. We’ve got enough to bring him in on B and E and misdemeanor theft, but we can threaten him with more serious charges based on his history and your testimony of seeing him watching the girl, following her.”
