"I-I didn"t sign a release. I wouldn"t have." Her head was shaking from side to side, emphasizing each word.
"It was probably on the entry form." Melissa smoothed her hand over Sydney"s head. "It"s okay, honey. What has you so scared?"
An immediate change came over Sydney at the word scared. Wade watched her put up her internal defenses and collect herself. She quickly wiped her eyes, erasing any evidence of her distress. She straightened her shoulders and stood up, grabbing Wade"s plate and the paper in her hand.
"I"m fine. I just wasn"t expecting to see Faith and I on the front page. I didn"t remember signing the release, that"s all."
"O-Okay," Melissa said slowly, trying to follow Sydney"s erratic mood swing.
"I have to get to work. I"ll call you, Wade," she said dismissively with a forced smile. When she left, Melissa looked like she was going to cry.
"What was that about? I thought she"d be excited."
"I don"t know." He had no idea what had provoked that reaction from Sydney, but she was certainly acting like someone in hiding. Since secrets had a way of biting him in the a.s.s, Wade intended to find out exactly what it was that had spooked Sydney.
IN HIS QUEST FOR information, Wade went back to the station for a while and did some research on the sultry Miss Ross. He turned up a few things that left him scratching his head and confirmed his suspicions that she was on the run but he still had no real answers about who or what she was running from. On a whim, he drove to the diner and parked along the street in the deep shadow of a large oak tree and waited.
Pete"s was a popular place in town, but it wasn"t a late night option. The diner closed at eight and like clockwork, Cara arrived just after seven to help Pete start closing. If it wasn"t busy, she"d typically send the staff home and take care of things herself. She and Pete had been doing it that way for years and didn"t plan on changing anytime soon.
The light in back of the diner flashed on then headlights came around the side of the building. Sydney was on her way home, so Wade decided to follow her at a distance. Tailing someone in a town as small as Elton was no easy task considering how few residents and cars there were on the road this time of night. Thankfully, the moon was full so for a while he was able to follow without his lights on. It wasn"t exactly safe, but he"d been driving these roads all his life.
Wade knew where Sydney lived. The town was too small to keep that kind of secret. But as he followed, he found she wasn"t taking a direct route home. At first he thought she might have errands to run from the way she weaved down some smaller streets before circling back. But she just kept going, looping around, and backtracking, as if she was worried about being followed.
"Who are you hiding from, Sydney?" Wade wondered aloud as he pulled off the side of the road, watching her car come in and out of view in the distance. It was too risky to continue following her with the erratic way she was driving, and he didn"t want her to sense she was being followed, so he drove straight to her house. He found a concealed place to park his truck on a side street that still faced her house and waited. Ten minutes later, her car rounded the corner and pulled into the driveway.
In the dark, he watched Sydney lock the car and check twice to make sure it was secure. Then she went next door, checking over her shoulder as she made her way across the lawn. She constantly scanned the shrubs and dark s.p.a.ces between their houses, looking for a sign of anything that might be off. Again, Wade found himself wondering who she was expecting to jump out of those bushes.
At Diablo"s deep bark, the curtain tugged to the side in the kitchen and the door slowly opened revealing Agnes Whittman and Faith in the doorway. The gray-haired Agnes was into her seventies and was one of the quirkiest, but most loyal, people in town. If you were lucky enough to call her friend, you were set.
He watched the two women exchange a few words before saying their goodbyes. Sydney held Faith"s hand all the way back to their house, still casting an eye over their surroundings with each step. She checked the car doors one more time before they approached the front door. Wade grabbed his binoculars and watched Sydney get out a ring of keys. Once the front door opened, Sydney saluted and waved to Mrs. Whittman who then retired back into her home. It must have been an "all clear" signal the two women had worked out between them.
There was a methodical way Sydney moved through her home. One he recognized from his military training. She turned on every light in her home one by one, her larger shadow always entering the room first, with Faith trailing behind. Any curtains or blinds that were open, she closed. Once all the lights came on, illuminating the place like a Christmas tree, she slowly turned them off, one by one. Wade had a sick feeling it was her way of checking for any dangers that might have crept in.
But what dangers?
Wade ran his hands through his hair as he watched the house, not sure why he was unable to drive away. He knew he should, but he couldn"t make himself leave yet. Faith was up in her room, and Sydney was in the kitchen, near the sink he guessed from the way Sydney"s shadow was moving slightly from side to side, probably washing dishes. The list of things Wade didn"t know about Sydney was lengthy, but the list of things he wanted to know about her was just as sizable. Not to mention confusing because of the emotions involved. Emotions he had long stifled for the sake of his sanity. But in the dark, he tried to focus only on what he knew.
It was obvious she was afraid; of who or what he didn"t know, but most people didn"t act that paranoid without good reason. She wasn"t crazy. Her fear was genuine. Sydney was expecting something to happen every minute of the day. It explained her odd habit of leaving work in the middle of her shift to pick up Faith when she could have asked Agnes to do it. Add to that the systematic way she moved while driving and entering her home, he could tell she"d been living this way for a while. That routine had been practiced for so many years, it was second nature.
She was over-protective of Faith, and there was probably a very specific reason Sydney had chosen Agnes as Faith"s caretaker while she had to work. When George Whittman had been alive, he and Wade had often gone hunting together with a group of men from town. He had enjoyed the older man"s company and learned a lot about him, most notably that he and his wife were avid survivalists. They wanted to be prepared for any circ.u.mstance that may arise, from aliens, to invasions, to nuclear disasters. His wife was as skilled as he was with firearms and knives, and their house was rumored to have a safe room for their protection. She might be old, but Agnes was quick and agile with self-defense moves that were deadly. All of those things would make Agnes the perfect sitter for Faith in Sydney"s mind if she felt they needed protection.
His head was starting to throb when his phone rang. As soon as he heard the voice on the other end, he knew his night was about to go to h.e.l.l.
"h.e.l.lo, Wade."
"What do you want?"
"You know the answer to that."
"Don"t push me," he ground out between his teeth.
"Then don"t make me." He remained silent while her laughter grated on his nerves. "Meet me in ten minutes. See you soon, honey."
Livid, Wade turned on the car, his engine roaring to life as his lights gave away his position. He had his own loose ends that needed to be tied up before he could worry about Sydney"s, let alone consider a relationship with her.
Was he really considering that?
As he pulled away, his mind still raced with thoughts of Sydney. Her troubles were something he"d rather focus on than his own. The question still remained: who was she hiding from and why? Witness protection? No. She was too jumpy. A boyfriend? Possibly. He knew it wasn"t an ex-husband-she"d never been married, as far as he knew-but it was going to be a bit difficult to corroborate, because he"d found out one very important detail in his search this afternoon.
Sydney and Faith Ross hadn"t existed until a year and a half ago.
"THIS RUBEN ISN"T GOING to serve itself, Sydney!" Pete hollered from the kitchen as he rang the tiny bell at the window.
"Hold your horses, dear," Cara said with a dismissive wave in his direction. "She"s getting ready for her big date with Wade."
"Well I don"t particularly care about that, and I"m guessing Carl won"t care either. Know what he"ll care about? Getting his sandwich before it"s cold!"
"This is a bad idea," Sydney said as she swatted Melissa"s hands away from her hair and s.n.a.t.c.hed the sandwich instead. With one side of her hair up in a twist and the other still hanging over her shoulder she delivered the food to the hungry customer and his wife.
"Don"t know what Wade"s gonna think of your new hairdo, Sydney. You might want to fix the other side. You kinda look like you"ve been brawling," Carl said as he took a big bite.
"Goodness, does this whole town know I have a date tonight?" Sydney threw up her hands in frustration when his head bobbed up and down. She busied herself with a loose thread on her favorite green sweater as she mumbled, "Great."
"My bridge club has been talking about little else since he bought you at the auction," Carl"s wife, Anna, said with a wink as she made a puddle of ketchup on the corner of her plate.
"He bought the pie, not me." She tried not to think about all of the little white haired ladies in town gossiping about her dating life, or lack thereof.
"I think the pie was a bonus. He"s smitten." Anna wiped the edge of her mouth with the napkin. "And I have to say, I agree with Carl. You should do something about your hair before he gets here, dear."
"Thanks," Sydney said sarcastically as she headed back to Cara and Melissa"s makeshift beauty salon behind the counter.
"What time is he picking you up?" Cara took her by the shoulders and pushed her back down onto one of the stools.
"In like," she glanced at her watch, "c.r.a.p, fifteen minutes!"
The diner was busy for a Thursday. A number of people were still lingering from the impromptu going away party Pete had thrown for Melissa. She had refused all offers for a farewell party, so Pete blindsided her by having everyone converge at the diner and give her a big send off. She was supposed to be on her way to St. Louis already. She had an early morning flight but refused to leave town until she helped get Sydney ready for her date with Wade.
"Melissa, will you just go? I don"t want you falling asleep at the wheel." Sydney tried to get up, but was held in place by Cara"s firm hand on her shoulder.
"Save your breath. I"m not leaving until I see you two walk out that door together. I"ve waited months for this moment, and I"m not missing it. I"ll get there when I get there."
With a rough pull, Cara and Melissa coordinated their movements in an attempt to tame every hair on her head. To distract herself from the pain and the b.u.t.terflies that were raging in her stomach, she looked around for a distraction.
"Melissa, I think-"
Her friend held tight to her hair and waggled a finger in her face. "No way, scaredy cat. You aren"t getting out of this date. Cara said she can handle the diner. Every person in this stinking town was just here to say goodbye to me, even though I distinctly remember telling Pete I didn"t want a party." She yelled out the last part loud enough for her voice to carry into the kitchen. "There won"t be another customer in this place until breakfast tomorrow. Now you go stare dreamily into Wade"s eyes for a few hours, and if you get a little action, well, you can thank me in the morning. Preferably before six a.m. when my flight takes off." Melissa wrinkled her nose. "Is that what you"re wearing? You look like a nun."
"Oh, for G.o.d"s sake."
"See? Nun talk." Melissa walked over and wrenched open the collar of Sydney"s blouse, sending the tiny b.u.t.ton flying across the counter. "Oh please, he paid three hundred dollars, that"s more than a high priced call girl. Give the guy a little look at the goods."
Luke chose that moment to stroll over to the counter, a deep frown on his face. "Nice, Melissa."
"Why am I friends with you again?" Sydney asked rolling her eyes, hoping to lighten the dark mood Luke brought with him. He had said little to her since the auction. Melissa insisted he was pouting, upset over the fact that Wade had gotten the best of him, yet again. Whatever their history, it made Sydney uncomfortable to be in the middle of the latest animosity. She hoped he would have shelved it for the day and just been happy and wished Melissa well before she left for her trip but it didn"t look like that was going to happen.
"How have you been, Luke?" Sydney asked trying to make small talk as Melissa tugged the last few hairs into place.
"Fine."
"Good to hear." She tried to meet his eye but he was staring over her shoulder at the kitchen door. "You got any plans this weekend?"
"No."
Irritated with his short answers and bad att.i.tude, Sydney snapped, "You mad about something?"
He finally met her eyes and blinked slowly, not bothering to hide his disapproval. "Would it matter if I was?" Sydney"s mouth fell open as he turned on his heel and walked away. Their awkward exchange was missed by her friends, the two of them more engrossed in an unruly section of hair than anything Luke had to say.
Melissa circled around her slowly, resembling a large cat about to pounce on prey. When Sydney turned her head to ask Cara what was going on, Melissa snuck in and pulled the old, green sweater she was wearing off her shoulders revealing the light, gauzy blouse underneath. That and her jeans were much s.e.xier than the homely cardigan she had been rockin" moments earlier.
"Give it back." Sydney lunged for the sweater, but Melissa scooted to the other side of the counter.
"No way," she said as she shoved her arms into the sweater and b.u.t.toned it up. "Consider this an intervention. This sweater needs to go. I"ll give it a European burial for you."
"If you hate it, why are you wearing it?"
"To annoy you. Is it working?"
"Yes." Sydney bit back a laugh as Melissa tugged her hair into a ponytail and got serious about Sydney"s makeup.
"Come on. Let"s finish your face before he gets here."
Sydney yanked the bobby pins from one side of her hair, letting it all flow over her shoulder. As she gave her head a shake she said, "I"m done playing beauty salon. I worked all afternoon, so this is me. Wade"s going to get me as I am. Take it or leave it."
"I"ll take it," a deep voice drawled over her shoulder.
"Wade," Sydney whispered in a rushed exhale as she spun around, sending her hair flying over her shoulder. He was standing so close she could feel the heat radiating off his body. She wished like h.e.l.l she had that sweater to hide behind. "Hi."
"Ready to go?"
"Get her out of here, Wade. I"ve got a few lingering customers to serve and she"s distracting all the women," Pete said with a huff. "And the men too..."
"Let me grab my purse." Sydney"s heart fluttered when she stepped out from behind the counter and Wade extended a hand out to her. His hands were rough but she liked the feel of them and the strength with which he held her.
"You kids have fun," Cara called from the kitchen. "Take good care of her, Wade."
"Don"t do anything I wouldn"t do," Melissa yelled with an exaggerated wink. Sydney broke away from Wade and ran to Melissa wrapping her arms around her neck and hugging her until she couldn"t breathe.
"I"m gonna miss you, Mel."
Melissa wiped her eyes, not wanting it to turn into a waterworks display between them, especially when she spent so much time on Sydney"s makeup. "I want a full email or text before my plane leaves, or I"m gonna be really p.i.s.sed off," she whispered in Sydney"s ear. "I"ll text you when I get to St. Louis tonight, but hopefully you"ll be too distracted by Wade to notice." She waggled her eyebrows at Sydney. "Then I"ll be in touch when I can." She pulled back and gave one last teary hug to Sydney before pushing her back into Wade"s arms. "If she gets chilly, Wade, just toss one of those big strong arms around her shoulders to warm her up."
"Be safe, Mel." Wade kissed his friend on the cheek, whispering one last message in her ear that had her laughing out loud.
"Take care of yourself. And Sydney." She waved from behind the counter as they headed out the door. "You guys make a really cute couple!"
Outside the sun was setting and the crisp fall breeze sent gooseb.u.mps up Sydney"s arms, but there was no way she was going to let Wade know she was cold, not after the way Melissa had been carrying on. It was bittersweet that the night she was most excited about since she came to town was the same night her dearest friend was leaving. But the date with Wade was exciting and a great distraction so she didn"t spend all night crying and stuffing herself with ice cream. She pushed the sadness out of her mind as best she could and did what Melissa wanted her to do. She enjoyed herself.
"So where are we off to?" Elton was a small town with few date options or hotspots. Part of her was intrigued by what Wade would plan, knowing no matter what he chose, it would reveal something about himself.
As he tugged on the door to his truck and ushered her into the warmed cab he said, "My place."
Sydney"s mouth fell open. She wasn"t prepared to be alone with Wade. A million thoughts and images filled her head of the two of them at his house, none of which she would ever admit to another living soul.
She thought they might go to Murray"s and have a drink, be teased by a few of their mutual friends and that would be the end of it. Maybe a drive down by the lake or a walk down Main Street for some coffee and a donut, but the thought of being so alone with him was completely terrifying, and exciting. By the time they pulled out of the parking lot, she had regained her ability to speak. "So, your place?"
"Yep," he replied with a smirk on his face. "You warm enough?"
"I"m fine, thanks."
The darkness quickly enveloped them, the streetlights giving her little glimpses of his face as he drove until they turned onto one of the more rural roads. The truck was neat and orderly and smelled like soap, the faintest hint of cologne, and Wade. She had the strangest urge to reach out and touch his cheek so she could feel the s.e.xy stubble that shadowed his jaw. To keep from making a fool of herself, she locked her fingers together in her lap instead, and watched him out of the corner of her eye.
Her nerves started getting the better of her in the dark. She had a moment of panic, but then reminded herself Faith was in good hands. Agnes wouldn"t let anything happen to her. Knowing her daughter was safe, Sydney allowed herself to relax and enjoy her time with Wade.
She never really thought about where Wade lived, since he always seemed to be working. He slowed down and turned down a hidden gravel drive. They followed it through a dense line of trees for a few yards until, off in the distance, Sydney could see the faint glow of a porch light.
Wade"s home was a modest split level with neatly manicured landscaping, she noticed as he led her up the walkway. There was a rocking chair and a small table on the porch. Sydney smiled, imagining him in the chair with his feet propped up on the rail, taking a nap or reading a book on his day off. What she wouldn"t give to be in another chair beside him, having an absolutely normal afternoon, instead of always sleeping with one eye open.
"Come on in." His voice startled her out of her day dream. He held open the screen door and waited. She took a nervous step through the doorway and he followed in behind her. There seemed to be less air in the world when Wade was around and Sydney felt her breathing intensify to make up for the lack of oxygen.
"You have a beautiful home." She couldn"t stop herself from wandering around, her curiosity getting the better of her. She was immediately drawn to a series of pictures that hung on the wall, wanting to know more about him. They showed him and his family, in various snapshots of his life. Part of her was jealous that he could so openly put his entire life on display. That was something she would never be able to do, but on some primal level she wanted to know what it would feel like to share that with someone.
Her eyes scanned more photos, finding a small boy who must have been Wade, then more where he had grown up and was more recognizable in his late teens. He"d always been tall, she could see, but the chiseled looks and s.e.x appeal had clearly developed over the years. The photos of him in the military were reverently placed on a small hutch next to an older photograph from around World War II of a young man in uniform.
"That"s my grandfather," he murmured proudly very close to her ear making her jump. She was acutely aware of his presence in the diner, but being alone with him, in his house, brought things to a whole new level. There was such an intimacy between them as she looked through the images of his life, learning more about him, Wade so openly sharing information with her. He reached around her and picked up a smaller frame with a picture of a boy holding a baseball bat.
"And that"s you?" Sydney asked, trying not to jump when she felt his other hand settle on her hip. She felt like his hand was branding her skin through the material of her jeans.
"We won the championship that year," he said wistfully as he put the picture of himself wearing catcher"s gear back on its perch. It was a simple wall of pictures, but to Sydney it was the most precious thing in the world. "It"s my mom"s favorite picture, and she gets mad if it"s not out when she visits." She knew so much more about him after looking at the various snapshots from his life. Part of her wondered what he would do if she had a wall that showed all she had experienced. Would he turn and run? Or better yet, arrest her on the spot?
"Would you like some wine?"
"Yes," she said a little too quickly. "I"m sorry. I"m not very good at this dating thing." She didn"t belong here. Wade was a nice guy, honest, respected in the community, and she was nothing but trouble. The things hanging over her head had the power to not only take her down, but everyone around her, and she didn"t want that for him.
"You look like you"re gonna run for the door."
"Honestly, I"m considering it," she said as she nervously played with her hair. Her eyes met his and she saw he had gone as still as a statue, waiting for an explanation. If she wanted to go, he was going to let her, even if he didn"t agree. Knowing he"d do that for her made Sydney crave him all the more, and for one night, just one single night, she wanted to be normal. She wanted to forget her baggage and have fun. More than anything, she wanted that night to be with Wade. "It"s a long walk back to the diner. How about that wine?"
"This way." He slipped his hand onto her lower back and led her into what appeared to be a gourmet kitchen. There was a huge cooktop on a large island in the center of the room, and an enormous refrigerator along the wall. The smells coming from the stove made her mouth water. Pots and pans of various sizes hung from the ceiling on a steel rack. Sydney leaned back against the granite countertop and gawked.