Falling in Love on Willow Creek by Debbie Mason

Chapter Twenty-Six

You don’t have anything to say for yourself?” Chase asked Sadie once they’d left I Believe in Unicorns in the rearview mirror.

“I tried, but you said not now.” He’d said it in a coolly clipped tone she’d never heard him use before. At least not with her. “What good will it do me anyway? You’ve already tried and convicted me.” She crossed her arms and looked out the window.

“So it’s my fault now.”

“Of course not, but you told Hunter you couldn’t have asked for a better partner at Lover’s Leap, and today you said you trusted me to look after myself. Neither of which must be true, given how you’re acting.”

Headlights filled the car, and she glanced over her shoulder. A Highland Falls police cruiser pulled in behind them, flashing its lights twice. Chase raised a hand in acknowledgment. She’d heard him talking to Gabe while she got Michaela and Finn settled in the backseat. He’d requested two cars be placed on surveillance duty tonight at the cottage.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, and I do trust you. But obviously, you don’t trust me.”

“How can you say that? Of course I trust you. I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone in my life.” As the words came out of her mouth, she realized it was the absolute truth. She trusted him, completely. With her heart and her daughter. So why was she holding back a key piece of information? Because she was afraid it would change how he felt about her.

“If you did, you would have done what partners do.”

“I’ve never had a partner before. I don’t know what you expected me to do.”

“Call me before you and Abby ran headlong into danger.”

“I wouldn’t have gone if I thought it was dangerous. Colin had our backs, and he’d planted a listening device so he could hear everything that was going on at Granny’s.”

“You trusted a man you know nothing about.”

“Granny trusts him.” She briefly closed her eyes as the words came out of her mouth. It was a weak defense. He was right.

“She also trusts your brother and believes in unicorns.”

“I knew you were going to say that.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, okay. I should have called you, but by the time Granny laid out her plan, Payton was at the store. I had no idea she was going to show up. If she hadn’t threatened my grandmother, I wouldn’t have gone.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, so maybe I would have. But I don’t know why you’re so mad at me. Nothing happened. We didn’t take anything, we wore gloves, and we photographed the evidence. Really good evidence, I might add. We found all that money. Then there’s Elijah’s forged signature on the life insurance policy and the fact that Payton might not be pregnant, not to mention it looks like she’s playing house with a man who is not my brother.”

“I agree. The evidence could be important to the case. There’s only one problem. It’s an illegal search so it’s inadmissible in court.”

“Yes, but you can get a search warrant, and then you’ll legally find everything we told you was there.”

“It won’t be there. Someone warned Payton her house was being searched. It’s the only explanation for why she left your grandmother’s as fast as she did. And she’ll know exactly who to point the finger at.”

“She didn’t see us. I’m sure of it.”

“She didn’t have to. She’s smart enough to figure out you played her. And what she’ll do with that information is what worries me.”

She leaned back against the headrest. “So I ruined everything, and I put myself and Michaela in danger. Maybe even Abby and Granny.”

Gravel crunched as he pulled into the driveaway. He left the car running and undid his seatbelt. Then he turned to face her. “You and Michaela are safe. So are Abby and your grandmother. If there’s any fallout from this, we’ll deal with it together.” He took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t beat yourself up. We may not be able to use the evidence in court, but trust me, we’ll find a way to use it.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

“Maybe a little. But at some point, we’ll have to convince your brother Payton has been playing him, and what you found tonight might be the key to doing that. Stay here while I check the house.”

She stared at the cottage sitting in the dark on the creek. The shadows from the trees looked menacing now instead of like the old friends she used to climb. Somehow, the enormity of the danger everyone was in hadn’t touched her until now. Maybe because her sleep-deprived brain had finally woken up. She startled at the incoming headlights.

“It’s just one of Gabe’s officers. There’s a cruiser in the field on the other side of the creek as well.”

She nodded. “Be careful.”

He smiled at her warning, no doubt wondering why she hadn’t given it the previous times he’d checked the house to make sure it was safe for them. He’d been putting his life on the line for them since the moment she’d met him. She owed him her full and complete honesty. She couldn’t hold back to protect herself. He wanted her to trust him. She’d seen it in his eyes, heard it in his voice.

She clenched her fingers when the entrance light went on, slowly loosening the painful grip when the lights came on in the rest of the cottage and Chase didn’t call out. It took him longer than usual. He was on edge too. No matter what he’d said, she’d made the situation worse.

She released the breath she’d been holding when he appeared in the open door, safe and oh so handsome. Just like he’d done in the cottage moments before, he’d filled her life with light, sweeping away the shadows of the depression that had held her in its grip for all those long months before and after Michaela was born.

He glanced at her when he opened the car’s back door, a frown furrowing his brow as he snapped the leash on Finn’s collar before he took off.

“You’re on a tight rein from now on, buddy,” he informed the dog before coming around to her side. “You okay?”

“I’m good.” She’d be better once she told him about her gun.

He handed her Finn’s leash. “You take him. I’ll get Michaela.”

He must have seen the hint of nerves on her face, which was evident from the concern in his voice as he leaned in to unbuckle her sleeping daughter. “Why don’t you take a bath and relax? I’ll change Michaela and put her down. Your grandmother already gave her another bottle.” He handed Sadie the diaper bag.

A long, relaxing bath sounded wonderful but she couldn’t put her confession off any longer. “It’s okay. I, uh, want to talk to you.” Walking into the cottage, she unhooked Finn’s leash from his collar.

“Sounds serious,” Chase said as he followed her inside. He shielded Michaela’s eyes from the light with one hand while closing the door with the other, and then he locked it.

“It is.” She took her daughter from him and got a whiff of his cologne. She should be used to his sexy, intoxicating scent by now, but it still had her wanting to bury her face in his neck. And kiss him, she thought as her gaze went to his lips.

She glanced at the living room, thinking of the conversation they were about to have, that they needed to have. The couch was out. They’d shared kisses there. The temptation to do so again and avoid confessing the truth would be too strong. Her gaze moved to the red Adirondack chairs in the glow of the patio light.

“Sadie?”

“Sorry. I was just thinking it’s such a nice night we could sit outside and talk. If that’s okay, I mean. If you think it’s safe.”

“It should be fine.” He leaned in to kiss Michaela’s cheek. A line formed at the edge of his eyebrow when he met Sadie’s gaze. “I’ll check it out.”

“Okay, thanks.” Her stomach jittered with nerves as she walked to the nursery with Finn following behind her. Her sleepy daughter didn’t fuss when she changed her and put her down. Sadie went to the dresser and turned on the video baby monitor that connected to her phone. They’d be able to hear her through the screen door if they sat on the patio, and of course no one would get past Finn, but these days she wasn’t taking any chances.

She went back to the crib, leaning over to stroke Michaela’s hair from her forehead. She kissed her temple. “Sweet dreams, baby girl,” she whispered, praying what she told Chase wouldn’t change everything.

With her phone clutched in her hand, Sadie walked down the hall to the living room. Through the picture window, she saw Chase sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs in the glow of firelight. He’d lit the wood in the fire pit. As she opened the screen door, he leaned over to pull the other chair close to his.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and lowered herself onto the chair, placing her phone on the arm. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“Are you going to tell me what’s got you on edge?”

“Other than me messing up tonight?”

He took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her palm. “I’m sorry if what I said upset you.”

A heated shiver raced up her spine. It didn’t seem to matter whether they sat on the couch or in separate chairs. The temptation to crawl onto his lap and kiss him would be there no matter where they were.

She cleared the nerves from her voice. “You have nothing to apologize for. You told me the truth.”

Watching the creek flow over the rocks and the willow branches dip into the moonlight-dappled water, her tension slowly released. She turned her head to look at Chase, not surprised to find his intent gaze searching her face. “I told you that I trusted you, and I do. You might not realize how big a deal that is for me, but I don’t give my trust easily.” She gave him a half smile. “I can count on one hand the people in my life that I trust. Not one of the men I’ve been involved with belonged in that rarefied group. Until you.” She winced. “I don’t mean we’re involved like that. I—”

“Yes, we are. You know it, and so do I.” He looked out over the creek. “This is new for me too. I’ve never let my feelings for someone interfere with a case before. I’ve always put my job before anything else. You and Michaela have changed that, and as much as I’ve tried to fight it, I can’t anymore. I don’t want to. So please, don’t downplay what this is between us.”

“I won’t, but after I tell you what I have to, you might not feel the same way.”

He went still.

“The gun that you believe killed Brodie is mine. It’s not my brother’s.” She told him everything, including her conversation with her grandmother earlier that evening. She didn’t stop to take a breath. When she was finished, he rested his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes.

She let a moment pass, her heart beating double time against her ribs. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away, but I was afraid. And then it just got harder as time passed. I didn’t want to risk losing you, us, this.”

He turned his head, holding her gaze. “I’m not thrilled that you kept this from me, but I also understand why you did. I am glad you told me now, that you trusted me enough to tell me. I’m not sure if it was your brother or Payton or someone else, but I have an idea how they returned your gun.”

“How?”

“The day we met in the meadow. After you—”

“You mean the day you shot that poor little snake?”

“It wasn’t little. But yeah, that day. After you left, I came back here to check around. I noticed the sliding door was open.”

“I can’t believe I left it open.” She buried her face in her hands and groaned. “And that wasn’t the only time. The front door wasn’t locked the day you moved in with me. For all I know, I’d been leaving either the front door or sliding door unlocked since the day I moved home.”

“You were exhausted. You had a lot on your plate. It was a simple mistake. I was going to tell you but what you’re doing right now, beating yourself up, was one of the reasons I didn’t.”

“So between me moving here and that day, someone snuck in the cottage and returned the gun?” She shivered at the thought.

“It’s not a big window of time. We can check the gas station off the main road. They have cameras, but it’s highly probable that whoever planted the gun wouldn’t use the main road, and you’re pretty isolated out here. But it’s one more piece of the puzzle solved. Don’t worry, I won’t let this blow back on you.”

All her earlier worries vanished with his promise. “Thank you.”

“Anything else you need to share with me?”

“About the case?”

“That’s what I meant but you look as if you had something else in mind,” he said when she got off the chair. As she sat on his lap, he added, “Not that I’m complaining.”

She kissed him and then drew back to look into his eyes. “I don’t want you to sleep on the couch tonight. I want you to sleep with me.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

“I’m not sure you get what I mean. I’ve never propositioned a man before so maybe I’m not doing it right. I don’t want you to just sleep in my bed.”

He blinked, looking surprised. He wasn’t as surprised as she was. After having Michaela, she didn’t think she needed or wanted a man in her life, least of all for sex.

“Are you sure? I’m good with just holding you and kissing you, honey. I don’t want to rush—”

She placed a finger on his lips. “I’ve never been surer of anyone or anything in my life. But if you aren’t—”

He nipped her finger. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”