Part 17 (1/2)
”Make a guess,” Blanche said lightly. She leaned back, ran her hands down her thighs like there might be lint on her robe.
”Okay. I think you like knowing Hugh's business because you love him like he's your own son, and you're trying to figure out what my motives are. You're disheartened because I've apparently tried to sneak away and you wanted to meet me before you decided what to do about that. But it's not my best interest you're after-it's Hugh's. So I really think you should spit it out, not me.”
Blanche nodded. ”See? That wasn't so hard, was it?” She looked at Tess with genuine interest-and compa.s.sion-in her eyes, before gesturing around the room with her hand. Emotion Tess couldn't put a finger on pa.s.sed over the older woman's features as she blinked several times. ”He built this house for me. The old one burned to the ground last year. I thought I'd have to go to a senior s.h.i.+thouse, but Hugh wouldn't hear of it. He took care of the insurance and got his friends to help out. Built this place in less than six months. And never asked me for a penny.”
Tess gulped. Her heart squeezed. ”Wow.”
”He's a private SOB, but if anyone he cares about gets into trouble, he's first in line to help them out. He's had more lost souls up to that house than I can count.”
For a brief moment, Tess forgot to breathe. ”You think I'm a lost soul?” She s.h.i.+fted on the couch, uncomfortable with that a.s.sessment. Was she?
”No.” Blanche shook her head. ”I think Hugh's in over his head and he doesn't know what to do about it. He smitten with you, that's for sure. I've known that boy a long time, and I've never seen him so dis...o...b..bulated over a woman.”
Something inside her softened, weakened. Awakened. She sighed. And she couldn't meet Blanche's eyes, instead picking a spot on the dark wood floor.
”So we've established you're smitten too,” Blanche said, relief in her voice.
Tess lifted her head. ”I didn't say that.”
”Didn't have to. I don't know what's going on between you two, but it's been my experience that confronting it head on is always the best plan.”
”Oh, believe me, we've confronted it.” Tess looked down at the game board they'd yet to touch. ”And unfortunately, whatever is going on between us is only short term. Sorry, Blanche.”
Blanche chuckled. ”That's what I thought when I met Artie.”
”Artie?”
”My husband and the love of my life. He pa.s.sed away a few years ago. Told me on the day we met it would never last because he'd surely screw it up. We were married for fifty-three years and the only thing he screwed was me.” She crossed an arm over her chest so that her palm rested over her heart.
She and Blanche eyed each other for a moment and then both burst out laughing. Tess couldn't remember ever laughing like this. It felt good. Felt nice to have a grandmother figure share something so unexpected and intimate.
Tess rose from the couch and stretched. ”I should probably head back.”
”He's worth sticking around for,” Blanche said, standing and slowly making her way toward the front door.
”I'm not sure I'm-”
A heavy knock on the door silenced Tess. Only one person would pay a visit to Blanche at this hour.
”Hugh,” Blanche scolded as she opened the door wide enough for Tess to be seen. ”What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”
He practically filled the doorway with his broad shoulders and height. ”Just thought I should escort this lovely lady back home. You two have a nice chat?”
Clearly, he wanted to know what they discussed, but Tess had no intention of telling him. And the way he spoke made it sound like he'd known all along where she was.
She huffed and darted around him. ”Thanks, Blanche, for the drink and the good company,” she called over her shoulder, realizing the older woman probably never intended to loan her a pair of shoes.
”Anytime!” Blanche called out.
A moment later, Hugh was by her side, too close and too far away for her to think straight. She stumbled, not because of his proximity, but because a twig lodged itself between her toes. She swallowed a hiss.
Hugh scooped her up and held her against his chest.
Her entire body went rigid before relaxing. She thought about demanding he put her down. She thought about yelling at him to keep his hands to himself. But the truth was nothing inside her protested. And his quiet action spoke volumes she didn't want to address.
She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.
Chapter Eleven.
The setting sun cast the most breathtaking orange streaks across the sky. Tess loved looking up into the blue yonder, through the gaps in the trees, to watch the daylight disappear. She sat on the porch where the only noise came from chirping crickets and the occasional squirrel or other small creature. The peacefulness soothed her mind, relaxed her shoulders. She was content.
Confused.
For the past three nights, she'd sat out here, contemplating her job and her life. Continuing to work side-by-side with Hugh had shed little light on their mission. They weren't any closer to finding Trey or Dobson, despite their research. She also wasn't any closer to finding a reason to eliminate him.
Things didn't add up, and her stomach turned sour every time she thought about the task at hand. Who the h.e.l.l wanted Hugh eliminated? Never before had it mattered to her who ordered the hit, but this time she had a gut feeling it was important.
Worse, her body continued to betray her by perking up every time he was near. She had to work d.a.m.n hard to keep her heart rate in check so he wouldn't know the power he had over her. She couldn't blame it all on hormones either. Her thoughts, her dreams, all centered around him and what it would be like if the situation were different and he wasn't her mark.
Which scared the bejeesus out of her.
Because she couldn't fall for him. Could. Not. He was her mark and she had a job to do.
”Hey, mind if I join you?” His voice broke her train of thought.
”Not at all. Have a seat.” She found it endearing that he asked if he could join her every night, rather than a.s.sumed.
The swing swayed as he sat, and she was acutely aware of his closer than normal proximity this evening. Their shoulders touched, his masculine scent made her bare toes curl. She wanted to lean into him, lose herself in his arms.
Usually they talked about Trey and Dobson, motorcycles or the extreme sports she enjoyed. Hugh was no slouch in his adventures either, and had mentioned in pa.s.sing he could teach her how to fly. She'd shrugged it off, knowing it was a slip of the tongue and nothing else. They wouldn't be seeing each other for much longer.
”How long have you worked for P.I.E.?” he asked, surprising her with his choice of topic.
He'd been nothing but honest with her so far, so she figured he deserved the same in return. He'd even stopped locking her in her room at night. ”Since I was sixteen.”
”Really? That young? What about your family?”
”I didn't have one.” A vague picture of her parents remained in her mind, but if she really wanted to see them, she needed to look at the few pictures she had. ”I bounced around foster care.”
She went on to answer his questions, trying not to let too much emotion seep into her voice. It had been ages since she'd dug as deep as he was asking her to go, especially with regards to her parents. Not even Jason had coaxed this much out of her. The truth was, talking about it with Hugh was cathartic. Finally getting so many turbulent feelings off her chest felt good.
He felt good.
His hand wrapped around hers at the first mention of her parents' death. With their fingers intertwined, she shared what she remembered about their accident, and how she hadn't understood the permanence a.s.sociated with losing them because she was so young. Gradually, she'd accepted it, but when she did, hate and despair had consumed her. She grew indifferent, apathetic. Nothing had held any meaning for her.
A dull ache filled her heart as she shared what she could with Hugh. He barely moved a muscle while she relayed her story.