“What happens now?” I ask, curling my hand over the balustrade, pausing on the last step.
“I go to work, and we move forward.” Danny checks the black watch strapped to his wrist. “Viv, howdidyou get that photo?” He scratches his temple, bringing those troubled eyes to meet mine.
I step down, giving him a few inches of height above me. “It was inside my Little Red Riding Hood book.”
His brows snap up. “How the hell did it get inside a book?”
“I found it on the coffee table in there.” I point into the living room. “Someone left it out for me to find.”
“Someone was in your house?” Danny marches into the front room, hands clenched and eyes scanning every corner. “And they took a book off the shelf?” He sounds as perplexed as I am.
“They’ve been here twice now. Whoever it was, they wanted me to find out about your accident. They never came near me. After I thought about it, it was more like a friendly warning.” I pad up behind him. “I brought the spare key indoors to be on the safe side. Even if they were trying to do me a favor, I don’t want uninvited creeps letting themselves into my home.”
An odd look flashes behind his eyes, and he drags his nails over his coarse jawline. “They used a key?” His neck tenses when he falls silent. “Holy fuck.” He shakes his head, sighing sadly. “Viv, if the woman in that picture comes here, don’t let her in.”
“Who is she?”
“Zoe Palmer. Jeff’s girlfriend.” Danny grunts, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets. “Ex-girlfriend.” He corrects. “And—”
I’m not oblivious to his hesitation or how he tuts under his breath. I frown, waiting for the next big revelation to knock me over.
“She saved me from a life sentence in the slammer. I’d woken up in a hospital bed and couldn't even remember being in the damn car the night before, let alone Jeff snatching the wheel. It all flooded back after I heard the recorded message on her phone. They set me free.” Goosebumps flush my spine all the way from my scalp. I stay quiet, giving him the chance to explain fully. “In a way, it felt like I was indebted to her because of it. Turns out she’s a master at manipulation. We grew closer, catching one another when we struggled to deal with the loss. Zoe was a notorious binge drinker who popped pills for breakfast and dinner. I hit the booze to numb the memories.” He folds his arms across his chest. “She comforted me when my world crashed to the foundations. We were there for each other.”
“You had a relationship with that woman?” My stomach twists, and my pulse sprints. “The woman who mind fucked your best friend?”
“No—not a relationship. More like drunken angry sex, and only a handful of times. I won’t deny it. No more secrets. It meant nothing to me. When I think back on it now, I hate myself for giving in to her.” His voice thickens, growing raspy from tiredness and gravelly from annoyance. “Over the months, I somehow crawled out from rock bottom and found a stabilized normal. Zoe got left behind, flitting from one loser boyfriend to another. I tried to fix her over the years, as a friend, that’s all.”
I shudder, lowering my eyes to my toes. “Friends don’t creep into houses and underline quotes about the big bad wolf. That’s downright freaky.”
He waits quietly until I look up. “I’ll change the locks. You can stay with me for a few days. Bring your stuff to my place after your shift at Blossom Grove. I’ll get this sorted out once and for all, Viv, I promise.”
My skin prickles at the harshness to his tone. “How?” I frown.
He solders me to the spot with a fiery amber gaze. “I don’t know yet.”
I swallow hard, wondering if he’s visualizing violence. “It sounds like she’s broken, Danny. If Zoe wanted to cause me harm, she would have done it already. She’s had plenty of opportunities. Anyway, I know the truth, so just leave it. Nothing she can say will come between us.”
Danny grabs my shoulders and jerks me closer so my forehead slams to his chest. “I don’t deserve you.” His declaration booms like the first rumble of thunder on a hot day.
“Don’t be silly.” I surround his waist with my arms and hug tightly. “You’ve suffered enough. It’s time to put the past where it belongs and start over.” The muscles returning my hug turn rigid. “I know you can’t switch off the guilt, but we can plan things together. You’re allowed a happier future.”
His heart hammers against my ear, beating out a powerful, frantic rhythm. Raising my chin, I stare up at his gorgeous face, so serious, so apprehensive. He swallows, meeting my searching gaze. Without a word, he captures my chin with his fingers and stares silently before finally speaking. “I’m falling for you, Viv. I gave you a piece of my heart the first time we met. I love the flowery scent of your hair and the fire in your eyes. How you're cautious with the world but willing to take risks with me. I adore how your innocence corrodes my crime, and how I’m better off with you than without. You’re the echo to my heartbeat and the glue that holds me together. I've been adrift in an invisible ocean, and somehow you found me and offered me shelter.” His eyes oxidize. “I love you, Viv. I can’t handle the thought of losing you.”
My knees weaken. “You love me?” I can’t move, other than downwards, except his arm prevents me from sinking. I’m dumbstruck and dizzy. Taking a lightheaded breath, I search for a suitable response. A way to express how I truly feel about him. How he’s given me completeness and joy.
Stupid words forget how to form sentences. Thoughts don’t line up for selection. My mouth dries, and I all but swoon. His hands fall away, and he takes a step back, eyeing me carefully. “I know it’s a lot to take in, Viv. Especially after last night, but—”
My hand flies up, halting him mid-sentence. “Shut up and kiss me,” I choke out.
He sucks in ragged gulps of air when I reach for his face, lifting to the balls of my feet. My fingers delve into his thick hair, burrowing further with the tickly sensation of blunt textured bliss. His hands glide over my hip bones, journeying to my shoulder blades. When our lips crash together, a guttural groan explodes from the depth of my lungs. What I couldn’t say with words, I pour into him like silky honey. He’s mine, and after all is said and done, I am his.
Throwing all caution to the wind, I lay my heart on the table beside his. “I love you too, Danny.”
* * *
I stareinto the soulless room, stripped away of personal objects and character. Wini’s belongings were boxed up and sealed. And now, as the manager of Blossom Grove, I have to fill her place. As much as my heart bursts with love for Danny, there will always be special beats saved for Nonna and Wini. Replacing her will be impossible. Unfortunately, the retirement home needs a new resident. Life goes on. That’s the cruelty of living and the one thing we have to accept.
“You okay?” Dot comes up behind me and squeezes my wrist. “You look stressed out.”
