Читать книгу Her Kind Of Hero - Carol Steward - Страница 12

Calli picked up her paycheck and rushed past the checkout lanes. She tucked the paper and two videos into her backpack, waving to her boss on the way out.

Ten minutes behind schedule already, she parked the rental car and ran into the recreation center. Hanna met her in the lobby and they rushed to the women’s locker room where Calli changed into her sweats and a T-shirt.

“It’s a class of women.” Calli said, watching Hanna brush her hair then freshen her makeup. “We’re practicing self-defense, Hanna,” she said with a laugh. “There’s no need to primp.”

Her fair-haired cousin was an easy target for muggers. Precise schedule, expensive car, drop-dead attractive. Over the years, Calli had tried telling Hanna to vary her routine, as well as other safety precautions. It wasn’t until a woman had been attacked a block from Hanna’s office that she’d been persuaded to pay attention to Calli’s advice.

“I don’t know, Bart’s kinda cute.”

“And kinda married.” Calli laughed. “Not your type.”

Hanna tossed the brush down. “I didn’t see a wedding ring.” Then as if there’d been no interest at all, she changed the subject. “Do we have to do anything ‘real’ tonight? Like flips or anything?”

“Probably a few moves. You’ll do fine. Let’s go.”

Hanna pulled her hair into a ponytail at the top of her head and they rushed out the door. “Easy for you to say. You’ve been tossing men over your shoulder since you were a kid.”

“I was merely defending myself. If you had brothers you’d know how to take care of yourself, too.” Calli had carefully locked those memories away, and yet with that innocent reminder, they returned. Calli would never forget the first time she successfully flipped her older brother. Her dad took her for an ice-cream cone right before dinner, ignoring her mother’s protests. To this day, Calli never figured out why her mom had been protesting; had it been the nature of the celebration, or the fact that the ice cream would ruin her dinner?

“Did you know that your dad tried to convince my mother to let him teach me self-defense once?” Hanna acted as if this was entertainment.

Calli stared ahead, afraid to open the door to the past any further than a tiny crack. Few people could overlook her father’s tough militaristic exterior, and even fewer saw the loving emotional side that he reserved for his family. She slipped back through that door and slammed it closed. “Dad was a good instructor, but so is Bart. He knows what he’s doing.”

Hanna told her about her latest date, and the two started laughing. Calli didn’t enjoy the dating game like her cousin did. For Hanna, meeting new people was fun, but Calli rarely went out, and only with men she knew well. Calli and Hanna joined the rest of the class on the mats and they began stretching.

Suddenly, hushed voices buzzed around her. She turned just as Luke Northrup introduced himself as their new instructor. Calli’s smile disappeared.

“Bart broke his leg and asked me to take his place. I’m a certified instructor, and have taught personal safety with him before.”

The other women seemed to have the same reaction to the handsome man as she had. Tonight he wore a black tank top and sweats, and as before, his hair looked as if he’d just used his fingers as a comb. His five o’clock shadow wasn’t as pronounced as it had been at the ski resort, but he still had that air of authority which commanded instant attention.

Okay, God, what are you up to? I thought we agreed, no cops. Then she recalled Luke’s gentler side. The care and concern he had shown at the hospital. The way he comforted her when she clung to him after the skiing accident. His tenderness was as startling as an ice cube on a hot summer day.

As they visited over coffee, she had relaxed and temporarily put the past behind her. Luke had never recognized her from their meeting at the hospital. But once again, he teased and tormented the emotions she’d long locked away. Then suddenly she caught herself entertaining the notion of seeing him once more. Before he could ask her for her phone number, she politely thanked him for the coffee and ran.

There wasn’t room for a man in her life. Especially not this one. Not one who made her forget her past, her mission, her mistakes. Not even for a minute.

Luke’s steady gaze bored into hers in silent expectation. Their eyes met—dueling, dancing, laughing. There was that maddening hint of arrogance again.

She found herself studying him as he turned his attention back to the class. Was she imagining it, or had his back straightened, his shoulders become broader and his determination grown stronger?

“We’re going to start with a defensive move. I’m going to need a volunteer to help me demonstrate.” Hands flew into the air, yet he looked right at Calli, as if waiting for her objection. “Miss…?” he teased.

Begrudgingly she stepped forward. “Calli.”

Luke explained the move, then demonstrated the steps in slow motion. He wore the same spicy aftershave as that night in the hospital. She silently searched for a plausible explanation to the shiver that went up her arm as he held her wrist. His hold was firm, challenging her to break loose. Her move was quick and instinctive.

She expected him to call on another volunteer for the next demonstration, but he stepped behind her as she turned to leave and wrapped his arm around her neck, as a mugger would.

Calli braced herself on her left leg. She tugged at his arm, leaned forward, and “swept” at Luke’s legs with her foot. The move was enough to knock him to the floor so she could escape.

The class watched wide-eyed as Luke lay sprawled across the mat, laughing. He rose to one elbow. “A perfect example of the benefits of the element of surprise. Great job…Calli.”

Her heart raced. “Glad to help.” She returned his smile, careful to hide her pleasure at seeing him again. Class resumed, and Calli fought the constant temptation to join in his gentle sparring. He’d explain a move, then the class would pair up to practice. As he made his way to her group, Hanna seemed to enjoy seeing Calli’s discomfort escalate with each step Luke took.

“How’s it going here?” His voice seemed deeper than before.

Hanna spoke first. “I don’t quite understand.” Calli watched Luke go through the steps again, this time, wrapping his arm around Hanna’s neck. She couldn’t explain the crazy longing she had to trade places with her cousin at that moment.

“You kind of elbow the attacker in the stomach as you reach up….” Calli’s eyes met his, and she stopped. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“We’re here to learn, from one another or from me, it really doesn’t matter. Care to try it again? I’m ready this time.”

“I’ll give you a break.”

Luke smiled, then turned to the class. “I’ll be the first to say that one can never underestimate the opponent. That in itself could be a woman’s best defense.” Luke looked at his watch. “That’s it for tonight. Have a good week.”

Several women thanked Luke, then Calli for her “help.” A wave of giggles followed, and he shook his head.

“Calli, I’d be willing to forgive you, if you’d agree to help with the class. We seem to make a good team.”

Despite her laugh, Calli felt an unwelcome reaction to his innuendo. “Think the third time’s a charm, huh?”

“Third time? Unless I’m mistaken, we’ve only met twice.” He crossed his arms and put his back to the wall.

Great, Calli. How’re you going to get out of this one?

When she didn’t answer, he added, “Unless you consider tonight memorable enough to count as twice, which I happen to agree. Can’t remember being knocked off my feet by a more beautiful woman.”

Calli stepped aside, struggling to find an answer to his question before his flirting turned her brains to jelly. “No way,” she said, realizing she was way behind in the conversation. Forget it, Luke Northrup. No way am I going through this blessed torment every week! Enough is enough.

“Hanna, does your friend always back down from a challenge?”

“Cousin,” Hanna corrected.

His eyebrows arched and his mouth fell open. “Cousin?”

Calli watched as he eyed the two of them. Hanna and her long blond hair, blue eyes and robust figure, then Calli’s classic Italian coloring and willowy body.

“Plead the Fifth, Hanna, or you’ll be walking home.” She turned to leave, feeling Luke’s challenging stare.

Hanna leaned close and whispered. “What’s going on here, Calli?”

She couldn’t answer. Couldn’t admit the truth—that she was falling for another police officer.

“Just think about it. It’s one thing to have an instructor who can tell them what to do, but it’s something else altogether to see one of their own succeed. These women could learn a lot from you. I’ll call you this time.”

“Don’t bother. The answer’s no…Officer Northrup.”

Hanna looked at her, then to Luke and began laughing. “You’re kidding. Not again.”

Jon tried phoning Nate after dinner, but according to his five-year-old sister, Nate was supposedly at Jon’s. Jon had become his best friend’s alibi more than ever before. He wouldn’t have minded at one time, but fact was, he rarely saw Nate at all anymore, and Jon didn’t like his friend’s new pals.

He finished his algebra and threw his reading book aside. “I’m going to take the trash outside, Mrs. Maloney.”

She looked up from her knitting and seemed to know he had something on his mind. “Don’t take long. You haven’t finished the dishes, and I assume you still have reading to do.”

“It’s a stupid book,” he muttered.

“That may be your opinion, but I don’t think that will answer the questions on your test. Take a break, then get back to your homework, young man.”

Jon grumbled, then walked out of the apartment. He checked the stairway, then headed outside.

Nate’s recent hangout seemed to be the park. Without hesitation, Jon rounded the corner and sauntered to the end of the block. He saw Nate and his new friends near the picnic table, laughing. Jon paused, then backed behind a budding lilac bush and watched. The huddle tightened, then Nate backed away from the group and looked around.

A few more minutes passed, and the group broke up. Jon stepped into the alley and ran home. He rode the elevator to the third floor, waiting for his breathing to slow before going into the apartment. It was about ten minutes later that he heard the sirens, and wondered if they’d caught Nate this time.

The next morning, Jon went to school alone. Nate finally showed up third hour, unprepared for the reading test. After another of Nate’s outbursts of profanity, the teacher ordered him to finish the class period in the office. Wearing a smirk, Nate turned to Jon as he left the classroom. It was all Jon could do to meet his friend’s gaze.

In the lunchroom, Nate approached Jon. “So what’s up, Jonny boy?”

“What’s with you, Nate?” Jon kept eating.

His friend ignored the question. “Saw you at the park last night.”

Their eyes met. “You’re asking for trouble with them, Nate.”

“They’re my friends.”

“Whatever.”

Nate pushed his tray closer to Jon’s. “You the one who called the cops on us last night?”

“I wouldn’t do that to you. Besides, I’m not stupid enough to cross the Eastsiders.”

“They’re not so bad,” Nate insisted. “Give ‘em a break.”

Jon looked at his empty tray. “Nate, don’t tell your mom that you’re at my house next time you ditch out.” He stood and backed away from the table. “I’ll see you around.”