Page 125 of Average Joe

He’d offered to stay, but I refused despite my rattled nerves.I fell asleep with two dirty dogs flanking my sides and all the lights in the house turned on.

Joe

Two AM and every damn light shone in the house.

I made the rounds, hitting every switch to OFF, while a cacophony of barks and growls came from behind the closed bedroom door.

Marley hadn’t greeted me. Either she was dead asleep or still angry, and I’d put my money on the latter.

I hadn’t planned on staying in Whisper Springs so many days, but Marley’s mom, Lori, had insisted I spend the first night.

Their bed and breakfast was a renovated three-story Victorian home, painted in earth tones that blended with the wooded landscape. The house sat on a plot of pristine land, half an acre from a private beach in a secluded bay of Lake Willow.

Lori’s husband, Grant, was laid up with a torn meniscus, so I’d offered to help repair a gutter that’d been knocked off its perch during a recent windstorm. That DIY project ate an entire day. Good news? I’d gotten to know Marley’s son, and that kid was golden. Good head on his shoulders, big heart like his mom, and grateful as fuck that I’d snagged him from Harper’s clutches. His only complaint? Having to leave his NISMO behind. I’d cry about that, too. But, that 370Z was a tool Harper had used to keep the boy under his thumb, and Dylan’s life, his safety, was worth more than any shiny car.

After a long couple of days and a lonely drive home, I needed to wrap my arms around Marley and sleep for a week.

When I hushed the dogs, saying, “Chill, guys, it’s me,” their warning snarls turned into happy whines and door scratches. Before I reached the knob, the door tore open, and a wild-eyed Marley tackled me to the ground.

“You son of a bitch!” She attacked with bruising kisses. “You scared the shit outta me.”

The dogs flanked us, dancing, pouncing, greeting me with licks, sniffs, and grunts.

Marley lay stretched across the length of me, her arms coiled around my neck, red-rimmed eyes staring down at me. “You were gone too long.”

“Your mom bribed me to stay with her potato pancakes.”

That earned me a laugh.

“You men and your bellies.” Marley rolled her eyes. “Too easy.” Planting her palms on my chest, she pushed to stand, then retreated to her room, leaving the dogs to their attack. “How’s Dylan?” she asked from out of sight.

“He’s good. Settling in.” Ginger hopped to my chest, and I accepted her licks while giving Bruce a good rub with my free hand.

I found Marley in bed, fully clothed, buried under her bedding. Not the reception I’d anticipated. But hell, I was home. Stripped down to my boxers, I crawled into bed and curled around her body.

“Talk to me.” I squeezed her middle. “Why were all the lights on?”

After a dramatic inhale, exhale, she whispered, “I was followed on my way home tonight.”

My body fevered with violent tremors.

“It was a Prius.”

I rolled to my back, worried the rage would spread from my skin to hers, smother the words before she could speak them.

Marley stayed put, her back to me, her voice gone soft. “I drove to the police station and had them call Frank.”

Thank fuck.

“Frank followed me home and checked the house. He was great.” Marley laughed, then added, “For a cop, he ain’t too bad.”

“Yeah. Frank’s the best.” He’d called me before meeting Marley at the police station, then while he followed her home, and again to let me know he was stationed outside her house for the night. But, of course, I kept those details to myself.

Marley sighed, turning to face me, but didn’t touch. “I was scared, Joe. But worse? I hated that you weren’t here. Hated that I missed you, that I needed you to make me feel safe.”

“Because you believe that gives me the power to hurt you.”

Marley shifted, laying her head on my chest. “God, I’m such a mess.”

---