Crossing Lines by Adrienne Giordano
28
Being a good little soldier,Shane followed the directions of the female voice blaring from his phone and made a left.
Beside him, Faith looked out the passenger window, through the vibrant green of trees in full bloom to the white caps on the lake beyond.
“That’s Lake Erie? I’ve never seen it.”
“It is. The cabin is, according to our guide here, half a mile up.”
She shifted in her seat. “Even you have to admit this was nice of Sully. I mean, lucky us that he has a friend who owns this place.”
“Well, I guess he’s growing on me.”
Faith snorted and his phone blared again. Shane hooked the turn into the driveway where a gray sedan and a small SUV sat in front of a two-car garage. This so-called cabin? Two stories with a wrap-around porch. If the floor-to-ceiling windows in front extended to the back, they were in for a treat.
Faith pointed out the windshield. “Are you sure this is the address? Why are there cars here?”
He parked and stared at the two vehicles with Ohio plates and a heaviness set in. He shook it off. After today, he’d know which vehicle belonged to whom.
“Shane?”
After killing the engine, he peered over at her wide eyes that screamed of suspicion. Panic. He gripped her arm. “Relax. It’s okay.”
“Who’s here? You know I hate surprises.”
“I know. This one, I’m hoping you’ll like.” He jerked his head. “Trust me. Please. Let’s go inside.”
Before they reached the porch, she stopped and faced him, her head swinging back and forth. “I’m sorry. I can’t. Please. Just tell me who’s here.”
He’d blown this. In his mind, he figured they’d get here and he’d tell her. Otherwise, she might not have come. And he wanted her here. Wanted her with him.
He glanced up at the door. Just feet away. It wasn’t fair to her. Totally selfish move on his part and now he needed to come clean.
“I’m sorry.” He gestured to the door. “I should have told you.”
“Told me what?”
“It’s my family.”
Her head lopped forward. “Your family? Inside this house?”
“Yeah.”
“Why would you keep this from me?”
He shrugged. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come.” He grabbed her hands and squeezed. “And I wanted you with me. The first time I saw them, I wanted you with me. So you could meet them. And they could meet you. All the people I love. Under one roof.”
There. He’d said it. He loved her. They’d thrown the word around. Love ya! But saying it? The way it’s supposed to be said? No. They’d both been too chicken.
She grinned up at him. “All the people you love, huh?”
“Yep. Because, you know, I do love you. You’ll have to deal with that.”
Behind him, the ka-chunk of a door unlatching scraped against his already worn nerves. Shane whipped around.
And saw his mother.
“Bobby!”
She threw her arms open, stepped forward and wrapped him up, her much smaller body folding into his and his chest did that crazy blowing-open thing he’d grown to really like.
And, God, his mother. Her smell, that subtle floral scent she’d been wearing for years. From the feel of her ribs, she’d lost a few pounds on her normally thin frame.
“Mom,” he croaked, “eat a sandwich or something.”
She snorted and backed away, still hanging on to him. Like him, afraid to let go and shatter the dream.
“My Bobby.” Her eyes welled up, but she didn’t bother to fight the tears. “To think I’ve missed you.”
“I guess I know where he gets his sense of humor,” Faith muttered.
Mom touched his face, cupping his cheeks in her hands while her tears streamed.
Dang, he hated making his mother cry.
“Can I get in here?”
Dad appeared at his mom’s side and she gave him an inch or two. “For a second,” she said. “Then I want my baby back.”
His father wrapped a meaty arm around him, smacking his back. The Dad hug.
“Hey, Pop.”
“Son. Good to see you. Finally. We’re so happy.”
“I’ll, um, give you all some privacy.”
This from Faith. Like hell she would. Shane looked back just as she retreated toward the car. Running. As usual.
That shit had to stop.
“Hold up.”
Shane broke free, hustling toward her before she could escape. He caught her just as she reached for the door handle.
“Please don’t,” he said, keeping his voice low so he wouldn’t be overheard. He dipped his head and smiled. “I want you to meet my family.”
“Yes,” Mom said, her bionic hearing clearly still in working order. “Let me say hello to the woman who returned my son to me. Whoever you are, I’ll love you forever.”
“She will,” he said. “That’s how she is. Please, let her love you.” He grabbed Faith’s hand, drew her away from the car. “Please?”
She peered up at him with those soulful dark eyes he’d loved from day one. “I’m sorry I surprised you, but, seriously, would you have come?”
Sliding her gaze to his parents, she grunted. “Probably not.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“I want to be. But, yeesh, how can I when you just told me you loved me and want me to meet your family?”
“Smart girl,” Dad said. “Son, you should have told her. I’d kick your ass.”
Shane looked back at his parents, both of them with the stern look he remembered from his childhood. “Hey, knock it off. Can we get a minute here?”
“No.” Faith stepped around him. “We don’t need a minute. Your family has been waiting two years to see you.” She walked toward them, held her hand out. “Hello. I’m . . . Faith. And I’m very pleased to meet the people who brought this amazing man into the world.”
Mom, never being one for formality, blew right by Faith’s outstretched hand.
“We’re huggers in this family. Plus, I’m so grateful. You of all people deserve a hug. Thank you.”
It took Faith a second, but slowly she raised her arms, loosely wrapping them around his mother.
She wasn’t used to this. To affection from family.
She’d adapt.
If it killed him, she’d finally understand what it meant to have family.
He met his dad’s eye for a second. They were here. With him. Finally.
Add to that, Faith and his mother with their arms wrapped around each other and something inside him, something he’d been shutting away for two unbearable years, let loose.
“Come inside,” Dad said. “The whole crew will be here tonight, but your brother is here now. He wants to see you.”
“Let’s go in,” Mom said. “I have brownies in the oven, and today, of all days, I’ll be spitting mad if they’re not perfect.”
Faith. His family. Brownies.
Life didn’t get much better than that.
Thankyou for reading Crossing Lines. If you would like more romantic suspense, check out Risking Trust, book one in the Private Protectors series.
Michael Taylor is coolerthan ice under pressure. As CEO of a private security company, his job means protecting those at risk. But now Michael’s the one in trouble—he’s the prime suspect in his ex-wife’s murder. To prove his innocence, he needs not just a few good men, but one smart woman. If she agrees to forgive him…
Click hereto download Risking Trust. Read on to enjoy an excerpt.