Page 48 of Jasmine Street Blues

“When I’m motivated.”

“Do I motivate you?”

Mac lifted his head and looked down at her, steely eyes narrowed. “I’m trying to tell you again that I love you. ”

She touched his cheek gently. Not saying the words was just another way of hiding, of protecting herself. She was so tired of hiding. “I love you, too, I do. But Mac, I come with a lot of baggage. Henry might not be the only one out there looking for me. Someone accusing me of murder or witchcraft or being a con artist might come at me any time.”

“Let ‘em come.”

The idea of facing what her life had become with someone at her side was almost better than the sex. Almost. “I love you, so much.”

He kissed her, then rolled away. As he headed toward the bathroom he grumbled, “Olive will never let us live this down.”

* * *

By the end of the day, he’d be on his way to Florida with Loran at his side. He thought again about calling the sheriff of the county where Lila’s Diner was located and find out if Carrie was still there, or if she’d ever been. But he didn’t want to scare her, didn’t want to make her run again. If the sheriff showed up asking questions that would do it.

If she was running from him, he had to make sure she knew he wasn’t a danger to her and never had been. If she’d been running from Eddie, she had to know he was dead and gone, no longer a danger to her or anyone else.

How would she react to him? If she was really afraid…

Mac didn’t understand why she would be, but he believed what Sonny had told them. She’d been afraid of someone. He really didn’t want it to be him.

He owed the handyman for taking care of Carrie when she needed someone to take care of her. He hated owing anyone anything.

Speak of the devil…

The name that came up on the caller-id was simply Fixit. That meant Sonny Baxter.

“What’s up?” he answered.

“I’m downtown to repair a… that doesn’t matter. There are a dozen people on the sidewalk in front of Loran’s studio. I don’t think they’re waiting for her to open so they can buy paintings. They seemed riled up, Chief.”

He’d realized someone else might come to town looking for Loran. So had she. He just hadn’t thought it would happen so soon.

“I’ll be right there,” he said, and then he ended the call.

Loran walked into the kitchen, wearing one of his t-shirts which was like a dress on her, it was so big. “Be right where?” she asked. “I thought you were on vacation.”

He took her in his arms and held on tight. He could lie to her, head out on his own and run all the people at Loran’s place out of town. But not only would that be a temporary solution, he wouldn’t lie to her. That was the deal. “Sonny called. There are people in town looking for you, at your studio.”

She stiffened in his arms. “People? Plural?”

“Yeah. Maybe Henry didn’t buy my story and he brought in replacements.” Not telling her there was a group of stalkers who gathered online to compare notes and try to find her wasn’t a lie, he decided. He’d tell her, just… not now. He should’ve read all the posts, should’ve gone to the most recent ones instead of scanning a few and getting out. Henry might’ve posted, calling in the troops, telling others that Loran was here in Seawolf Beach. “I’m going to go escort ‘em out of town.”

She melted in his arms, relaxed, let the tension drift away. He felt it. “No, we’re going to handle it together. I have to face this. I have to choose fight instead of flight, this time.”

“You’re not a fighter.” That was his job, and he’d fight for her, now and forever.

Loran kissed him, gently and quickly. “I am today. I’ll get a shower first. Do not leave without me.” She looked him in the eye. “Promise.”

He hesitated a couple of seconds, then grudgingly said, “Fine.”

The boys were coming. Mac heard them chattering as they made their way through the back yard. Otherwise he’d follow Loran and shower with her.

The people who’d been scaring her from place to place for years, stealing her peace, making her run and run and run were here, and she was ready to face them. Carrie, the young girl who’d haunted his dreams and his waking thoughts for years, was close to finding out the truth. Was it possible they were both about to put their demons to rest?

His woman. His daughter, by heart if not by blood. They were his to protect in any way he could. Neither of them were going to run any more.