Page 64 of True Valor
“Anything else?”
Cruz smiled.“Yeah.He said to call if weneeded the cavalry.”
Julie made her entrance to the living room,with two handfuls of grocery bags, which still held her things.Shewouldn’t look at Nic.
“You ready?”she asked Cruz.
“I have a suitcase you could use,” Nic said,pulling close to her.
“I don’t need a suitcase, thank you.”
“Fine.”He turned toward his room.“I’ll getmy stuff.”
“Don’t bother, Nic.You aren’t going.”
He stopped and pivoted in one smoothmovement.“The hell I’m not.”
“Eric, I’m paying you to take me toSusanville.If you plan on taking Nic with us, the deal isoff.”
Cruz threw his hands up and shook his head.“I’m not stepping in the middle of this one.You guys duke it outand let me know when you’re ready to leave.”
Nic strode toward her in a slow burn.He tookher arm and, turning her around, marched her into Joey’s room andslammed the door.
“If you think I’m going to let you go therealone and get yourself killed, think again, Julie.”
“Nic, here’s the reality: your life is hereand mine is in Redding.You saved my life.And for that, I’m sovery grateful.But we’d be fools to think that what we’ve beenthrough is the foundation for a real relationship.”
Julie turned away, unable to look at him.Hislook had moved from alarm to pain, making a brief stop at completedisbelief.
“So, let me see if I’ve got this straight,”Nic’s voice was low, soft.“Thanks, Batman, for rescuing me fromthe evil sheriff, but I’m just not up to sharing my life with you.”He paused.“Is that about it?”
When the lump in her throat precluded ananswer, he continued.
“Oh, that’s right.You’re the girl whowouldn’t, under any circumstances, become involved with a militaryguy.”
The way he spit out the last words stabbedher.He’d twisted it all, and she’d let him.But the result was thesame.The sooner they parted ways, the easier it would be in thelong run.
Nic was all wound up in a rescue mission.When the adrenaline ended and the victim was safe, it wouldn’t takehim long to realize Julie wasn’t his type.Then it would be himclosing the door.Besides, he needed to be in the good sheriff’scross hairs like he needed a hole in his head.The irony of thecliché wasn’t lost on her.
Bile rose in Nic’s throat.What the hell hadjust happened?Julie turned her back to him and wasn’t moving.Fine.If goodbye was that easy to say.
Fine.
Cruz sat at the kitchen table with a map infront of him.He looked up when Nic walked in.
“She’s all yours, pal.”
Nic continued walking through the kitchen,into the garage.The Batmobile’s wheels screeched as he pulled outof the driveway.
Chapter Twenty Four
When her throat stopped aching and the painin her chest eased, she turned.
Nic was gone.
Julie hadn’t heard him leave.Just as well.She gathered her things, left Joey’s room without looking back andfound Cruz sitting in the kitchen.He didn’t look up when sheentered.
“I think I’m ready, Eric.”
