Page 37 of In Hiding

7.

“Have you always lived in Wills Crossing?”

Sarah shook her head at Jake’s question as he steered the car along the winding road. With his eyes firmly focused on the road ahead, his relaxed expression comforted even though the question tickled her suspicions.

“We’ve been here a while now,” she answered as the car rode over a bump. The jolt sent pain shooting through her thigh and she gritted her teeth. Ahead, the entrance to the gravel drive leading up to Andersen House came into view. A small wave of relief flowed through her but it didn’t ease the pain.

Jake glanced across at her, his brows furrowed in curiosity. “Where did you live before coming here?”

“In the city,” she answered, hoping her ambiguity would tell him she really didn’t want to be more specific than that.

It seemed to her that he wanted to ask something in particular but couldn’t decide whether he should or how he should. Why he didn’t come right out and ask her what he wanted to know any better amused her. So far, he hadn’t been the kind of man to hold back with his opinion. After everything he’d done for her and William over the last two weeks, she decided not to let him stew in discomfort.

“Melbourne,” she clarified.

As the vehicle pulled right, it bounced over the grate at the bottom of the drive, sending a spike of white-hot pain up her leg into her hip. Sarah gasped and grabbed the door handle, attracting his attention. He set a hand on hers, the contact turning her head. Concerned eyes looked from her leg to her face.

It struck her how much she’d missed him while stuck in the hospital. Three days had turned into a fortnight upon the doctor’s insistence, but Jake assured her William would attend school while he made progress on the repairs she wanted done. The two of them had visited daily. Seeing her son eased the ache in her heart but the sight of her newly employed handyman had become an event she anticipated with surprising eagerness.

“Drive on,” she breathed, needing the torture to be over.

He patted her hand and faced forward again. “Dr. McQueen said she’d drop by in a day or two, but if you need, I can call her.”

“No need.”

The utility climbed up to the level ground at the front of the house and came to a stop at the front veranda. The garden at the edge of the wooden deck had been mulched and was clear of weeds. She hadn’t seen it look quite so tidy in a while.

“Will’s still at school,” he said after he cut the engine. “But he can’t wait to see you.”

“He lets you call him Will?”

The chuckle told her otherwise. “He mentioned the whole William thing.”

“He’s trying to find his identity.”

Jake nodded confidently. “He will, eventually.”

He pushed open the driver’s side door, letting in the cold mountain air. Though her body shivered, Sarah breathed it deep into her lungs. Who knew two weeks without it would feel so sharp a loss? She smiled and opened her door, feeling the mountains welcome her home. Before she could turn, Jake was there with an outstretched hand.

“I’m fine.”

She swung her legs out, careful not to bang the injured one against the frame of the car. The effort robbed her of oxygen, her damaged left lung a hindrance once more. She squeezed her eyes shut to stamp out the swell of anger that threatened to intrude on her homecoming. There was no point dwelling on the past. Only the here and now mattered.

“Sarah?”

She opened one eye and reluctantly took his hand. “I’m not an invalid.”

“Never said such a thing, but I want to help you.”

She glanced at their linked hands, feeling the heat of his palm against hers as his strong fingers wrapped her in support. Part of her missed this kind of physical contact with a man, and though he meant nothing more than to help her to her feet, the same part of her heart welcomed the thought of more. Of the kind of touch that tucked wet hair behind her ear, as he’d done when he freed her from the tree. And of the concern she remembered seeing in his eyes.

Her head knew she read too much into it and warned her against blindly trusting him. After all, he’d admitted he hadn’t always been upstanding and law abiding. He’d confessed to being a bad boy and she vowed not to forget it. Unassuming and honest as he seemed, Jake Langley hadn’t yet earned her complete trust.

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