Cross My Heart

LACEY NERVOUSLY FINGERED the locket she’d hidden beneath her shirt. She’d worn the small piece of jewelry around her neck, only taking it off when she showered for fear of it slipping down the drain and being lost to her forever. She hadn’t been wearing it last night because she’d just taken a long bath, but she’d placed the locket back around her neck this morning. She couldn’t explain her reasons beyond sentimentality, but the one thing Lacey knew, she always felt better once she was wearing it.

Today in particular. As she’d begun to make arrangements to leave town, it was as if the small piece of jewelry gave her the courage to resurrect Lilly.

She needed that courage more than she’d have thought. Lacey had never left the city before. She’d never left Odd Jobs in someone else’s hands unless she was too sick to work, something that was rare. Her days were defined by Odd Jobs and each client’s needs and schedule. She was about to go on the second biggest adventure of her life.

One she wouldn’t take without first making certain her business was in good hands until she returned. She chose Laura, one of her longtime employees, to be in charge. She provided the other woman with an updated list of clients, the schedule and some tips for dealing with their employees and their various personalities. She made the same list about each of her clients.

Then she’d taken care of the little things a vacation entailed, like asking her neighbor to take in her newspapers and check her mail, while letting her few friends know not to worry if they didn’t hear from her for a brief time.

She’d packed for herself and Ty had thrown a bag of dog food into his car for Digger. All typical things people did before taking a short trip, except nothing about Lacey’s situation could remotely be construed as normal.

Dreading the final phone call she’d have to make, she waited until the last minute to call and give Alex the news. While Ty watched television in the other room, Lacey dialed Alex’s apartment, a phone number she knew by heart.

“Duncan,” he said, answering the phone on the first ring.

“It’s me.” She gripped her fingers tight around the receiver.

“Hey, babe. How are you? I didn’t expect to hear from you until tonight,” he said, pleasure warming his voice.

She didn’t usually call him during the day because he was busy and she was rarely in one place for too long.

“I’m fine.” Lacey drew a deep breath that failed to calm her nerves. “Actually, that’s not true. I had a visitor last night. Someone from my hometown and I need to go back for a little while and settle some things. I know it’s last minute but I’m sure you understand.”

“I can’t say that I do because I don’t know a damn thing about your past, but hopefully you’ll fill me in on the details when you get back. Because keeping secrets isn’t good for a relationship and there’s too much I don’t know.” He cleared his throat. “And I can’t help you get past whatever’s keeping you from saying yes if you don’t open up.”

She swallowed hard. “I know. And I’ll tell you everything,” she promised. What better time to share her history than once she’d faced it down?

“Good.” He sounded relieved. “This visitor you mentioned. Is it anyone I know about?” he asked, obviously fishing for something before she left.

They both knew there wasn’t anybody she’d ever mentioned by name. “No. I never told you about-him.” She shut her eyes, hoping he wouldn’t ask for more of an explanation.

She’d never told Alex about Ty because her feelings for him were too close to her heart. Too personal to share with anyone, especially another man.

“A him you’ve never mentioned.” Alex’s voice dropped lower, taking on an angry tone she’d never heard before. “Is he anyone I need to worry about?” he bit out.

“No.” Lilly shook her suddenly pounding head. “Nobody you need to concern yourself with. He’s just an old friend.” She knew in her heart that last statement was a bald-faced lie.

She was worried about Ty and her renewed feelings. But how could she say that to Alex over the phone and then take off on him?

Lacey glanced up and saw Ty waiting in the doorway. Nausea swept through her as she realized what he’d overheard. In one day, her life had become overwhelmingly complicated.

He held up a hand and she covered the phone.

“The car’s illegally parked out front,” he reminded her.

She nodded. “I’ll be off in a sec.”

Ty turned and walked out, leaving her with his dark, hurt expression in her mind.

“Lacey?” Alex called for her attention, his irritation clear.

“Yes. I’m here.”

“When you come home, we’ll go to Nick’s,” he said of his favorite Italian restaurant. “And then maybe we’ll check out Peaches,” he said of his sister’s dessert place in the Village.

“That sounds…nice.” A bland word, she thought but it described how she was feeling-in direct contrast to the anticipation she felt about climbing into Ty’s car and heading on an adventure with him by her side.

Oh God.

“Alex?”

“What, babe?”

She didn’t want to leave him with the wrong impression and yet she didn’t know what the right one would be. “When I get home, we’ll talk. About a lot of things.”

It was the best she could offer. For now.

Four

While Ty loaded her last-minute things into the trunk, Lacey sat Digger in the back seat for the car ride to Hawken’s Cove. Knowing her pooch, the dog would pace the long seat nervously but after a while, she’d settle in and lie down for the rest of the trip. After sitting in the passenger seat and buckling herself in, Lacey steeled herself, not knowing what Ty’s mood was now.

They hadn’t spoken on the walk down from her apartment and her stomach churned with nervous jitters. Behind them, Digger paced the backseat, just as Lacey had thought.

Ty started the engine, then buckled his seat belt. “Are you sure you have everything?” he asked.

She nodded.

“So you’re ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” she said, her voice quivering.

He reached out and placed his hand on her thigh, surprising her with his touch. She’d thought he’d keep his distance.

“You can do this,” he said in an obvious attempt to reassure her.

His palm was big and warm and his heat seeped through the denim of her jeans, branding her skin with his touch. His effect on her was immediate and electric. She swallowed hard, unable to deny the fiery sensations shooting straight between her thighs. She crossed her legs, which only served to increase the fullness which had settled there.

Needing an escape, she closed her eyes and he took the hint, removing his hand and shifting the car into gear.

Next thing Lacey knew, she woke up and glanced at the clock. Two hours had passed since they’d left the city. She’d shut her eyes in an attempt to escape her feelings and she’d fallen fast asleep.

She looked out the window at the lush green landscape rushing by. No more big buildings, no more hustle and bustle.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “I need to make a pit stop next time there’s a place,” she said to Ty.

Ty lowered the radio which had been playing Top 40 and glanced her way. “She speaks.”