Just One Kiss: A heartwarming Christmas romance (Whisper Lake Book 4) Read online

  He was safe. But was Kelly safe?

  She had a terrible feeling that her sister was nowhere close to safe. But she hoped she was wrong.

  Chapter Five

  Jake couldn't sleep, and the hours of the night seemed impossibly long. The couch was short and narrow with a rock-hard lump in the middle. The wind was shaking the cabin with heavy branches and pinecones pummeling the roof. But it wasn't the couch or the weather that kept him too fired up to doze off. It was Hannah; it was her kiss, her taste, the scent of lavender that he'd always associated with her.

  He'd traveled all over the world, and he'd thought he'd put Hannah and Whisper Lake far behind him. But whenever he caught a hint of lavender, it was like she was right next to him again. But it had always been an illusion, a bittersweet memory, until tonight…

  Tonight, she'd kissed him back. It had been an impulsive, reckless, possibly foolish move to kiss her, but it had paid off. Taken by surprise, she'd responded exactly the way he'd wanted her to. Actually, she'd responded in a way that had been completely unexpected. She'd kissed him as if she wanted him, as if she were starving for him. It had reminded him of the past, but it had also shown him a different side to her.

  She wasn't the somewhat shy and sweet teenage girl who had been tentative and wary and a little unsure. He'd kissed a woman tonight, and he'd liked it even more.

  They'd always had an unbelievable chemistry. And now they were as explosive as ever.

  So, what next?

  He wanted more, but she'd backed off when she'd come to her senses. She'd slammed the door shut between them. But she hadn't locked it. She would still try. He knew her well enough to know she didn't give up on a grudge that easily.

  But something had changed. And that's what he'd needed to have happen. Since he'd come back to Whisper Lake two years earlier, he'd been trying to talk to her, to find a way to tear down her walls, to get back into her life. And she'd finally let him in. Well, the flat tire and no spare had done that, as well as Kelly's unexpected gift in little Brett. But now that he had a foot in the door, he wasn't taking it out.

  He and Hannah had unfinished business, and he was determined to finish it. He couldn't continue living in a world where Hannah was a possibility. He needed to find out one way or the other if they could be together again.

  As he rolled over once more, he opened his eyes and was relieved to see light coming through the curtains. It was morning, and the wind had died down. He decided to get up and make some breakfast with what was left over in the fridge. One thing he knew about Hannah was that she was always starving in the morning.

  He smiled to himself, thinking about all the times he'd picked up a muffin or a donut on his way to school and surprised her in first period math. She'd always scarfed it down as if she hadn't eaten in a week.

  His smile faded as a new thought occurred to him. Maybe Hannah had been hungry because she hadn't had breakfast. He'd never dug too deep into her life when they were young. She'd rarely spoken about her mom, and when she did, it was usually dark stuff, like her time in foster care. He didn't know how to handle those conversations. He'd tried to comfort her or offer helpful suggestions, but she'd usually just apologized for bringing it up and then changed the subject, and he'd let her.

  Now, he wondered how much he'd missed, how much she'd suffered through that she hadn't told him about. It had probably been far worse than he'd ever imagined. And then he'd dumped even more heartbreak on her.

  He felt physically sick every time he thought about what he'd done with her. He would have thought that the guilt would fade after twelve years, but while sometimes it lived in the back of his mind, it was never completely gone. He was the kind of person who hated to make mistakes. Failure was not his thing, and that had been a big fail.

  There had been extenuating circumstances, things that Hannah knew nothing about, but none of that mattered. He'd hurt her, and then he'd left town to move on, to forget about her. But he hadn't forgotten. And even though he didn't deserve it, he wanted her to forgive him.

  It was her forgiveness that had become his steepest mountain to climb. He hadn't gotten too far, but he might be one step higher than he'd been yesterday.

  He swung his legs off the couch and then headed into the kitchen.

  Hannah was relieved to wake up to sun peeking through the windows. It felt like it would be a better day already. And the squirming little boy next to her, who greeted her with a happy smile, made her heart squeeze with instant love. "Good morning," she said. "Did you sleep well?"

  He nodded. "I'm hungry."

  "I'll bet you are. I always wake up hungry, too. Shall we get some breakfast?"

  He was already scrambling off the other side of the bed. She got up and followed him into the living room. She thought she might find Jake asleep on the couch as it was only a little past seven, but he was at the stove and he was cooking. She wanted to feel some anger for the kiss that shouldn't have happened, but it was hard to hang on to that when he looked so ridiculously handsome in his jeans and long-sleeve sweater. He must have snuck in a shower while they were asleep as his brown hair was still damp.

  "Just in time," Jake said, giving her a cheerful grin. He'd definitely never been a moody guy. He was usually happy, positive, and looking forward to something. She'd always liked that about him. When Jake was around, it felt like her world was a little bit better. But she wasn't going to tell him that.

  "You're making scrambled eggs," she murmured, her stomach rumbling in appreciation.

  "Courtesy of your sister. Have a seat."

  "I have to go to the potty," Brett said, running toward the bathroom in the hallway.

  "I guess I should have asked him about that when he first got up," she said.

  Jake grinned. "Seems like he's on it. Do you want eggs? Or do I even need to ask?"

  "I'd love some." She avoided the knowing smile in his eyes by moving over to the coffeemaker, which was thankfully full. She poured herself a mug and took a sip, feeling instantly more alive. "How did you sleep?"

  "Not very well. How about you?" he asked, as he scrambled the eggs with a spatula.

  "Better than I thought I would. My mind was racing with questions, but eventually it got tired of trying to find answers that weren't there, and I was able to sleep."

  "You were thinking about your sister?"

  "Yes." She refused to admit he'd been part of her thoughts as well. "Snuggling with Brett, I couldn't help but remember the times when I was a little girl, and I'd sneak into Kelly's bed at night when I was scared. She always told me a story and made me feel better."

  "So, there was a time when she was a good big sister?"

  "Yes, but it was long ago." She took another sip of coffee. "I'm going to call Adam when we get back to town. I don't want it to be official business, but I need someone to tell me how to start looking for my sister."

  "You don't think that will trigger a full-scale investigation?"

  "I'm hoping not. But I don't think I have a choice. Do you?" She found herself wanting Jake's advice, because she was a little too close to the problem, and she didn't want to make a mistake.

  "It's the right move. You're Brett's aunt, so I don't think anyone would take him away from you. By the way, I don't know if you noticed, but there's a car seat on the floor by the door."

  Her gaze swung toward the front door. "I didn't see that before. Kelly must have left it in case I had to take Brett somewhere. This was planned, Jake. She thought of all the details. She put food in the house. She made sure it was warm, that there was something on the television so Brett wouldn't be scared when she left. And she even left the car seat. I just wish the plan had included a conversation with me."

  "That would have been good."

  Jake filled three plates with eggs. She took them to the table while he spread cream cheese on the bagels.

  When Brett returned, she said, "Did you wash your hands?"

  "I did," Brett said, holding them up.
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  Since they were still dripping wet, she knew he was telling the truth. She handed him a paper towel and they sat down at the table.

  Jake's eggs were perfectly cooked, with a nice seasoning of salt and pepper. "Do you cook a lot for yourself?" she asked, as she took a bite.

  "I'm good for breakfast. The other meals tend to be more of the eat-out or pick-up variety. I've had a lot of meals at Chloe's café, I will say that."

  "Her chef is good."

  "He is. How's Chloe doing these days? I heard she and Kevin have separated."

  "Unfortunately, yes. He decided he wasn't done with being a soldier, and she decided she was done with him being a soldier. I know she has mixed feelings about it. She's taking the blame for breaking up the family, but it isn't all on her. Chloe had to give birth alone while Kevin was missing in action. That was very traumatic for her, and she's been on her own for a long time. She runs the café that was his family's business. I think Kevin should have put his family first. He served over ten years. He has done his duty."

  "But it's not just duty to him. It's what he loves to do, what he's always loved. Chloe knew what she was getting into."

  "I think the idea of what she was getting into turned out to be very different from the reality of being a military wife. I understand that Kevin should have a fulfilling job. I just also understand how hard it's been for her. I like them both. I want them to be happy. But maybe they can't be happy together."

  "Or maybe they'll figure out a way."

  "When Kevin is on the other side of the world? That's optimistic, but then you always were the optimistic one."

  He shrugged. "What's wrong with being a positive person?"

  "Not saying it's wrong. Just saying it's who you are."

  "If you can dream it, you can make it happen. That requires optimism." He paused. "I dreamt about you last night, Hannah."

  That comment sent a tingle through her body. "I don't want to hear about it. And whatever you dreamt will not happen."

  "We'll see."

  She didn't like that he was being optimistic about them. There was no them. They were over. "Last night was a mistake, Jake."

  "We'll see," he repeated.

  "Oh, my God, you're so annoying."

  "You said God. You're supposed to say gosh," Brett interrupted.

  Now she was being reprimanded by a four-year-old. "You're right. Are you done eating?"

  He popped the last bite of eggs into his mouth and then said, "Can I have a cookie?" with his mouth full.

  "Finish what you're eating first."

  He swallowed and smiled. "Now?"

  "I suppose you can have one."

  "I'll get it for you, buddy," Jake said, as he got to his feet. "I want one, too. What about you, Hannah? Cookies for breakfast?"

  "Why not? It seems like that kind of morning."

  Jake brought the cookies to the table and then said, "We should leave as soon as we're done with breakfast. The guy I spoke to in the other cabin was plowing the road earlier. We should be able to get back to the highway."

  "I'm fine with that. I still need to get someone to fix my tire."

  "We'll figure that out once we get back to town."

  "Can we play a game now?" Brett asked.

  "Actually, we're going to take a ride," she told him. "Do you want to see my house?"

  Brett suddenly looked uncertain. "What about Mommy? Isn't she coming back here?"

  "Don't worry. She knows where to find you."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes. And at my house, I have some photos of me and your mom when she was a little girl. Would you like to see them?"

  Brett gave a vigorous nod. She was happy he was too little to understand much, and he wasn't asking questions she couldn't answer.

  "I'll get my puppies," he said, running out of the room.

  As Brett left her alone with Jake, a new tension entered the air. "I don't want to talk about last night," she warned, making a preemptive strike.

  "Did I ask you to?" he countered.

  "I'm sure you were going to."

  "I wasn't. Actions speak louder than words. What happened last night told me a lot."

  "It didn't tell you anything. You took me by surprise, that's all."

  "Whatever you say."

  She frowned at his easy agreement. "Don't make it into something else, Jake. You and I are not going to be anything more than friends."

  "So, we're going to be friends?" he asked with a sparkle in his eyes. "I like that. It's the first step."

  He was deliberately baiting her, and she really shouldn't take that bait. But she couldn't seem to help herself. "It's not the first step or any step. It's nothing. We're nothing."

  "Are you done?"

  She gave him a long look. "You made a fool of me once; you're not going to do it again," she said. "Now I'm done."

  Chapter Six

  Hannah had drawn her line in the sand, but Jake wasn't bothered by it, not with the memory of her mouth on his. There was something between them, whether she wanted to admit it or not. He didn't like being patient, but he could be when he had to, and earning Hannah's trust would take time. Her last stinging words had reminded him that he had a lot to make up for. But he wasn't leaving Whisper Lake any time soon, and neither was she.

  Thirty minutes later, they were headed back to town, but it was a slow drive. The road was thick with snow but thanks to the neighbor's plow, they made it to the highway, which was in slightly better condition. He still drove carefully, very aware of the precious cargo he was carrying. Brett was in his car seat in the backseat, and Hannah was sitting next to him, her body tense, her gaze fixed out the window. They were physically close, but emotionally they were very far away.

  Hannah's phone buzzed, and she quickly pulled it out of her purse to read a text.

  "Is that from Kelly?" he asked.

  "No, it's from Debbie, who works at our property management company. She said the cabin was booked to a Kimberly Slater, who used a credit card to pay for the rental. The address attached to the card was Miami, Florida." She looked over at him. "Kelly used a fake name."

  "She could have changed her name a long time ago.”

  “But Brett said his mom’s name is Kelly.”

  “True.” He came up with more possibilities. "Kim Slater could be a friend of hers. Or it's possible Kelly stole the credit card from this woman."

  Hannah frowned at that suggestion. "I would hope she didn't steal it."

  "The good news is that you have a name and an address. That's a place to start."

  "I'll pass it along to Adam. I texted him before we left. He'll meet me at the house in half an hour."

  "Did you tell him what's going on?"

  "No. I didn't want to get into it. I just said I had something important to talk to him about."

  "It's the right play."

  "I hope so."

  As they neared Whisper Lake, he exited the highway and drove into town. "I know you live in Timber Heights, but I don't have your address."

  "27 Chateau."

  "Got it." A few minutes later, he turned down her street. Hannah lived in a townhouse in a relatively new development set in the hilly area above town. "Hard to believe this was nothing but open and inaccessible land when we were growing up," he commented. "Now, there are beautiful townhomes. Are you happy living up here?"

  "Yes. I have a nice view of the lake from the deck off my bedroom. And everything is new, so I don't have to worry about something breaking, which is a great relief. My parents' house was a hundred years old and there was always something going wrong."

  "Your mom sold the house a while back, right?"

  "Five years ago. It needed a lot of repairs, and she was headed back to an expensive rehab facility in Denver, so she agreed to put it on the market. She got enough cash out of it that she could pay for rehab and get a small condo when she got out. She lives just off Main Street, and she enjoys being able to walk to work at Sonia's Flowe
r Shop."

  "Does she enjoy her job?"

  "She seems to. She and Sonia have become good friends. In fact, Sonia introduced my mother to her latest boyfriend, who I'm unsure about."

  "Who is he and why don't you like him?" he asked curiously.

  "His name is Marty Guillory. He's a retired lawyer who bought a house by the lake, and now he dabbles in photography. I don't dislike him, but he has a party vibe to him, and I don't think that's good for my mother. But she doesn't much care for my opinion."

  "Sorry."

  She shrugged. "It's not like I don't want her to be happy. I just think she needs to be very careful, especially when it comes to men. She made a good decision when she got together with my dad, but everyone since his death has not been great. Most of them have encouraged her addictions. I was kind of hoping she might just stay single and work on herself, but when Marty moved to town a few months ago, she got all giddy and nervous. I told her to go slow, but she doesn't listen. She thinks I'm too hard on her, as if she didn't do anything to deserve my distrust."

  He had a feeling that Hannah was hard on her mom. But he could also understand why. He certainly wasn't going to take her mother's side. He had his own battle to worry about.

  He pulled into her driveway in front of the attached garage. As they got out of the car, Adam pulled up in a black SUV. He had dark hair and blue eyes and was not in uniform today, but rather in black jeans and a black leather jacket. Adam had moved to Whisper Lake a few years ago, shortly after his sister Lizzie had bought the Firefly Inn. He'd been working in Denver before that and was a top-notch police officer. Jake had every confidence that Adam would know what to do.

  "Who's that?" Brett asked, as Jake helped him out of his car.

  "That's Adam," he told him. "He's a friend."

  Hannah gave him a questioning look. "Do you need to get to work right away? I know I'm asking a lot of favors, but could you possibly—"

  "Yes," he said, cutting her off. "I'll hang out with Brett while you and Adam have a chat."

  "Thanks," she said with relief.