Page 14 of Crossroads of Innocence
Her stomach dipped all the way to the floor. Being near him made her feel safe. But that wasn’t fair. He had a life to take care of. Dropping everything and babysitting her wasn’t an option. She forced a smile. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“I’ll be back later. I’ll bring dinner if that’s okay with you.”
She nodded.
As if sensing the tension, Mia elbowed him onto the porch. “Bring enough for me and Chet. He’s working all day and I’ve got a mess of paperwork. Last thing either of us want is to cook after a busy day.”
Wade cracked a smile. “Fried chicken for four.”
Jude groaned. “The famous Sunday night fried chicken from the Chill N’ Grill?”
“One and the same,” Wade said.
Saliva instantly pooled in her mouth. “Thank goodness you’re right and some things haven’t changed around here.”
He retreated a step then stopped. “Stay alert. Be safe.”
Mia threaded her arm in Jude’s. “Wrigley and I’ve got her.”
Wade cast one more glance at the duo before turning and jogging down the stairs.
A familiar pang of longing reverberated through her heart, but she didn’t get a chance to dwell on it. Mia released her arm then shut and locked the door.
Jude spun around to take in her surroundings. The living room flowed into a small kitchen. A stone fireplace took up the far wall and a sliding glass door led out to a deck. The furnishings were sparse—a threadbare sofa with a chipped coffee table in front of it and a cream-colored armchair that had seen better days—but it was clean and well kept. She swung her backpack off her shoulder and sat it at her feet. “This is really very nice of you and Chet. Do you own the duplex?”
“Nope. I used to live here, Chet next door. We drove each other crazy,” she said with a small laugh then shrugged. “But fate and tragedy threw us together. Now we live at his place. We rent from Bob Truly. We told him we need the extra space for a few days, and he gave his permission. No questions asked.”
The name of the local hardware store owner sent a new wave of nostalgia crashing over her. “He was always the sweetest man.”
“Still is.” Mia glanced around and frowned. “Do you have any more luggage?”
Embarrassment made her palms sweat, but she met Mia’s concerned stare head on. “I don’t know what all Chet told you, but when I left my apartment, I didn’t have time to grab my things. What’s in the bag is all I have, along with a motorcycle that’s been wrecked.”
It wasn’t pity that tightened the lines of Mia’s smooth skin, but a look of understanding—of a shared experience Jude was unaware of.
“I’ll bring over some clothes. They might be a bit big on you, but they’re clean and comfortable. I have some extra toiletries too, if you want them. Then we can figure out what else you need and the best way to get it.”
Jude bit her bottom lip to stop any more tears from forming. She’d left behind more than one family when she ran away, and now at least the one made from bonds of friendship was willing and eager to welcome her back with open arms. Helping her pick up the pieces of her broken life any way they could.
Which would make it all the harder when it was time to leave again.
* * *
Wade allowedhimself one brief glance in his rearview mirror as he drove along the tree-lined lane and turned back down the mountain toward home. With his wrist draped over the steering wheel and elbow propped on the door, he let out a bone-rattling sigh. Twenty-four hours ago, Jude was a mere echo of memories that continued to haunt him. Now, she was here. In Pine Valley. And driving away had been more difficult than he’d anticipated.
But he couldn’t wallow in any of his memories, or the mess Jude had brought into town. She was hidden and safe, and he had a business to take care of. Sundays were always busy—folks coming in after church and most people in town wanting their weekly fix of fried chicken. The kitchen wasn’t where he usually spent his time, but he made it a priority to get in early on Sundays and do as much prep work for his team as possible.
None of that changed because Jude was back.
Following the curve of the mountain, his phone rang and snapped him from his thoughts. He cast a quick glance at the name on the screen on the dashboard then pressed the button on the wheel to answer the call. “Hey, Cruz. What’s up?”
“You drop off Jude?”
“Yeah. I made sure to take the scenic route. No one followed. Chet lives out in the middle of nowhere, so I would have spotted a tail.”
“I’d feel better if she would have agreed to stay where Brooke could keep an eye on her. Mia’s tough as hell, she’s proven that, but she’s not trained to deal with something like this.”
Wade tightened his grip on the wheel. “I agree, but Jude can’t be talked into much. She’s already uncomfortable being back in Pine Valley. The idea of being surrounded by a bunch of people she doesn’t know or trust was too much for her.”
