Hero By Night (Independence Falls 3)
“You know,” Lena said, releasing the dog, “I don’t think Hero would win a battle with a bear.”
“Not a real bear.” Georgia opened the oven and withdrew a cookie sheet. The smell of fresh-baked chocolate chips filled the room. “It’s how he refers to his nightmares. And mine.”
“Oh.” The ever-present image of battered, bloody bodies moved to the forefront of her mind. Panic followed close behind, running hand in hand with the feeling she would never be safe. In the other room, a crash echoed, and Lena jumped.
Hero abandoned his chew toy on the floor and nudged her thigh. She glanced down at the dog, his head cocked to one side, his friendly eyes studying her as if to say: So we’re doing this right now? Freaking out? Over a kid dropping his toy trains?
No. She focused on Hero. Mouth open, tongue hanging out, doggie smile in place—watching him, she pushed the memories into hibernation. Spring could come at any moment waking her slumbering “bears,” but she could face them now.
“Maybe Hero would win,” Lena said.
“Of course he will.” Georgia smiled and nodded to the kitchen table. “I fed Nate earlier, and our dinner is on the stove. But we can sample the dessert first if you want.”
“I always want dessert first.”
“I figured you might, seeing as you lost your ice cream cone last night. I heard all about it.” Georgia piled cookies onto a plate and turned to the fridge. “Milk?”
“Actually, tonight I’d like a glass of wine.”
“And I was hoping you’d say that.” Georgia opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. “After a glass or two, maybe you’ll spill the details of your date with Chad Summers.”
“You heard.” Lena accepted the drink, raising the glass to her lips.
“I ran into Ariel at the grocery store. She heard from Trish, who told everyone who would listen in church this morning.” Georgia piled a plate with cookies and sat down at the head of the table, her gaze darting to the child in the other room making dinosaur noises.
“On the trail yesterday you said he was the perfect gentleman when he found you in bed,” Georgia continued. “But you didn’t mention a date.”
“He asked me yesterday afternoon. It was just pizza.”
“Hmm, I don’t think it is ever ‘just pizza’ with Chad.”
“I like him,” Lena said, knowing she couldn’t tell her friend about their arrangement. If she told Georgia, Eric would find out and ruin their plan. “But while we were out, one of the guys, someone who works for Eric, got too close and I panicked.”
“I’m sorry,” Georgia murmured, her smile fading.
Lena shrugged. “It happens. But not once did Chad look at me like it was my fault, or suggest that I was being irrational. He didn’t ask how do we fix this? How do we make sure this doesn’t happen again?”
“I’d kick his ass if he did,” Georgia said. “So would Katie.”
“It’s nice to be with someone who accepts my boundaries,” Lena said, borrowing Chad’s word. “He’s not trying to change me or fix me.”
Probably because we aren’t really dating, she thought. He isn’t looking at the long-term picture.
Lena bit into a cookie. “These are good. Did you skip the beet juice?”
“I’m learning to hide it better,” Georgia said. “But before we change the subject, I need to do my part as your friend and warn you, Chad has a reputation—”
“So do I,” Lena cut in. The woman who couldn’t be touched, the one who crumbled like the cookie in her hand. “He looked past that. I think I can do the same for him.”
And she hoped that the rest of
the town, Eric Moore and the others involved with getting Chad back up in the air, flying his helicopter over the forest, would too. Maybe not right away . . .
The kitchen timer beeped and Georgia jumped up. “That’s dinner. Eric should be home any minute to put Nate to bed. Then we can eat and you can tell me more.”
“Nothing more to tell.”
“I’m not pushing you to kiss and tell.” Georgia moved to the stove, lifting the lid of a large pot. “Unless there is something you want to share?”