Читать книгу Shielded By The Lawman - Dana Nussio - Страница 15

At the clink of the bells, Sarah startled, her head twisting toward the sound. Another group of customers had squeezed inside the diner’s entry area and were waiting for their fill of eggs, pancakes and breakfast meats.

For a moment, she’d almost relaxed. She couldn’t afford to do that. Not with Aiden sitting next to her, right out in public where anyone could see them. Not when her back was to the restaurant door as Trooper Donovan had taken her preferred seat facing the exit.

And especially not while in the presence of the officer, who was too curious about her and her son.

She turned back to the table, where Jamie had settled in his chair, his arms crossed. Could he see right through her? Could he sense that she was living a lie?

“I never get used to those bells,” she explained, and then licked her lips.

“I hate them, too.” He forked another bite of his eggs but didn’t lift it off the plate. “They’re jarring.”

At least he hadn’t pointed out that she’d nearly climbed out of her skin over something she heard dozens of times each day. Something that should have been as familiar to her as the shrill of his patrol car’s siren probably was to him.

But instead of asking her about it, Jamie took a bite of his pancake. She was grateful for the reprieve but didn’t kid herself into believing that the officer’s earlier question about her son wouldn’t pop up again. If only she knew how to answer when it did.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

She glanced down at her plate, where she’d only scooted around her eggs and toast. “Guess not.”

His gaze felt warm on her crown as she bent and forced a bite.

“That means your mom won’t get to have a cinnamon roll.”

“Mom said I could,” Aiden said, over a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

“Aiden...”

At her warning, her son swallowed and then tried again. “Sorry, Mom. But you said I could if I finished my breakfast.” He pointed to the yellow and white mess on his plate, where he still had some work to do.

“Looks like it’s going to be just us two then.” Jamie reached across the table to give the boy a high five.

Despite the warning bells that should have been clanging in her head, she couldn’t resist smiling at the man who’d befriended her son. He was kind, unassuming and—What was she doing? It didn’t matter that he was easy to like. Too easy in her case. Jamie was a cop. If she had any sense, she would steer clear of him.

“Can you believe I’ve never even tasted your mom’s famous cinnamon rolls?”

Aiden’s eyes were wide. “No way!”

“They’re not famous,” Sarah said before she could stop herself.

She tucked her chin to her chest, hoping her cheeks weren’t as flushed as they felt. Over the top for a tiny bit of praise. Her dream of opening her own bakery was a lifetime ago, anyway...when she’d still foolishly believed in happily-ever-afters. She was nobody’s fool now.

“Maybe not, but they’re always all gone before my friends and I come in at night.”

“Well, Trooper Donovan... I mean Mr. Jamie...”

When he grinned at her, a tiny dimple that she hadn’t noticed before appeared in his left cheek. The flutter in her tummy took her by surprise. She ruthlessly shoved thoughts about that dimple and the laughter in his eyes aside to consider later. Or never.

“How about just Jamie?”

Because it was easier than meeting his gaze when he was making her so nervous, she turned to her son instead. “He’s a grown-up, so he’s still Mr. Jamie to you.”

“Your mom’s right about that.” Jamie gestured toward Aiden. “Come to think about it, though we’ve been first-name buddies at the center all year, I still don’t even know your last name.”

“Aiden Thomas Cline,” her son announced importantly.

The pulse thudding in Sarah’s ears nearly drowned out his answer. Of course, he’d said “Cline.” That and “Aiden” were the only names he’d ever known.

“Cline, huh? I like that.”

Though he was speaking to her son, Jamie was looking right at her. The skin on her forearms positively tingled, so she crossed her arms and covered them with her hands. What was the matter with her? She hadn’t felt so unsettled around a man since... No, she wouldn’t think about that now.

His gaze lowered to her arms, but he didn’t comment on them.

Sarah pushed her chair back from the table.

“Looks like you’re almost finished, so how about I package some rolls to go? There’s still a line over there...”

Jamie waved a hand to brush off her suggestion. “Our waitress can get those. Anyway, weren’t you just getting ready to answer my question from earlier?”

“Oh. Right.” Ignoring her rushing pulse, she slid closer to the table again. She still didn’t know how to answer him, but she refused to do it in front of her child. “Sweetie, why don’t you go wash off your face, and then you can have your cinnamon roll.”

“Okay, Mom.” He hopped up from the table.

Good thing his first-grade logic didn’t make him wonder why she would send him to clean his face only to make it dirty again.

When the restroom door closed, she turned back to Jamie, the answer rushing from her all on its own. “I’m not ashamed of being Aiden’s mom, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“Sorry.” Jamie’s hands came up in surrender. “Didn’t mean to offend you.”

She wanted to ask him just what he had intended to do with a question like that, but she couldn’t encourage him to ask more. He knew enough about her already.

“You’ve met all the guys you work with, right?” She paused, waiting for her words to settle. “If you were a single mom like me, would you want any of them to know details about you? Including your last name?”

His jaw tightened the way it had the night before when his coworkers were joking about her. When he’d defended her.

“Point taken.”

“Then we’re agreed.” She took a bite of her cold toast and managed not to wince.

“If you ever need me to talk to the guys and make sure they remember their manners around a lady, I’d be happy to.”

“No! I mean I can handle it. They’re not half as bad as some of the guys who come in here.”

“Those must be some real bottom feeders if they’re worse than Vinnie and Nick.”

His jaw flexed again, and she somehow managed to keep from smiling at him. Again. Wait. Wasn’t it bad enough that she was enjoying a man’s compliments about her baking? And noticing his dimples? Now she was allowing herself to be flattered by his protectiveness. His offer to “talk” to his friends should have been reason enough for her to grab Aiden and sprint through the nearest emergency exit. What did it take for her to learn to steer clear of men who communicated with their fists?

Because she couldn’t afford to dredge up memories she’d tried so hard to bury, not when this guy already had her balancing on shifting ground, she waved the waitress over.

“Evelyn, would you mind packing up two cinnamon rolls for us? Two boxes.” She pointed to Jamie and then to Aiden as he reached his seat.

Aiden’s smile fell. “But I want Mr. Jamie to come over to play.”

From the word, play, she started shaking her head.

“Grown-ups don’t have play dates.” So why did the thought of playing with this particular grown-up send shivers up her spine? This had to stop. “Besides, just because you have the day off from school doesn’t mean that everyone has a day off.”

“Your mom’s right again. I have to go to work in a few hours.”

“In your police car?” Aiden planted his elbows on the table with his face nestled in his hands, excitement dancing in his eyes.

“Absolutely. I might even get to use the siren today.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “Will you take Pancake with you?”

“Pancake?” she asked.

Aiden sat taller in his seat. “That’s Mr. Jamie’s cat. She’s orange-brown.”

“Nah, she prefers to stay at home and take catnaps,” Jamie told him.

“Who names a cat Pancake?”

“Somebody who loves...” Jamie began.

“Pancakes!” Aiden filled in for him.

They both pointed to Jamie’s clean plate as the busser whisked it away. Sarah could only look back and forth between her son and the cop. How could Aiden know so much about Jamie? And if he did, just how much had Aiden told him?

She shoved her chair back so quickly that it toppled over and hit the floor as she stood. She jerked it up and held her breath while it wobbled and then settled. “Too much coffee this morning. Anyway, I should see how Evelyn is doing with those cinnamon rolls.”

The waitress emerged from the kitchen, carrying two white paper bags. She handed the first to Jamie as he stood.

“Now, sweetie, you’ll want to warm that up when you’re ready to eat it.” She gestured toward Sarah as she handed her the second bag. “But I’m sure your friend here will give you the specifics.”

“Thanks for the suggestion,” Jamie said.

He was counting out bills from his wallet, which was a good thing, since Sarah wasn’t ready for him to look her way.

“Let me get that.” She reached for the check, but he pulled it away.

“Don’t think so. Departmental rules. You wouldn’t want me to get into trouble for accepting gifts, would you?”

She reached for her purse, heavy with the tip money that would keep her account from flatlining later this morning. “That’s not a thing. Wait. Would you really?”

“Want to risk it?”

She frowned but lowered her arm. “Well, thanks. Then I’m sure Evelyn will help you at the cash register, and you—I mean we—can get out of here.”

“Sure thing. Want to run up there with me, buddy?”

Her son didn’t even look her way before trailing after his hero. The funny thing was she couldn’t blame him. There was just something about Jamie Donovan. An unassuming quality that could tempt an unsuspecting person to trust him. That might charm someone who wasn’t careful into sharing her secrets.

Neither of those things could ever happen. She had to protect Andrew—no, Aiden—as always. And she would.

Still, when Jamie slipped out the front door and her son skittered back her way, Sarah’s shoulders slumped forward. Her hands gripped the chair back for support. Relief. That had to be what she was feeling. She’d wanted him to leave, and now he was gone. That was a good thing.

So why did one part of her, no matter how small and ridiculous, wish that he would stay?

* * *

“He’s back!”

Aiden and his mom were just on the other side of the gaggle near the diner’s front door, but Jamie could have heard that excited voice all the way from the kitchen. Sarah had slipped one arm into her rain jacket, but she stopped and stared.

As Jamie opened and closed his hand in a wave, Sarah’s gaze darted away from him, while Aiden was waving as if they hadn’t crossed paths in months. Well, at least one of them was happy to see him again. The other one wasn’t thrilled at all. Jamie had predicted both things as he’d stood outside on the same sidewalk where he’d paced the night before. Only instead of wishing he could run from the building and escape from the thoughts pursuing him, this time all he’d been able to think about was going back inside.

To the woman who’d all but booted him to the literal curb with his bakery bag.

He glanced down at the white sack just as Aiden managed to snake through the crowd to reach him.

“Hi again, Mr. Jamie.”

Sarah caught up with them before he could respond. Her arms were gripped tight over her chest, though one of her jacket sleeves still dangled empty at her side. She spoke only to her son.

“I said to wait for me.”

“But Mr. Jamie is back.”

“I see that.”

She lifted her head and pinned Jamie with her questioning stare.

“I’d just thought of something,” he said, and then cleared his throat.

That something had seemed like a far better idea while he was still outside, his shoes resting on last night’s puddles that had dried to a crusty mud. But he couldn’t just watch her pulling away after spending the past year dreaming up ways to get closer to her. When his questions multiplied exponentially with every vague answer she gave. And when each moment with her made him crave another.

“That you can play before work?” Aiden asked hopefully.

“Not today. Sorry. But I was wondering if you,” he paused, his gaze darting to Sarah, “and your mom...might like to join me for a day at the Detroit Zoo on Saturday.”

“The zoo! Really?”

Aiden’s squeals caused several diners to turn toward the commotion. In contrast to the boy’s body, which vibrated with excitement, Sarah stilled.

“That’s nice of you to ask, but I don’t think—”

“Please, Mom!”

She shook her head, her gaze darting to the door before settling again on her son. “Sorry, Aiden.”

The boy crossed his arms. “But I want to go.”

“Not this time.”

“We never get to go to the zoo. Never ever.”

Sarah tightened her jaw as if preparing to correct her son, but then her shoulders slumped.

Jamie swallowed. He was a jerk, wasn’t he? Worse maybe than even the lechers she dodged at work every day. What kind of guy used a child to get to his mother? What kind of person invited them on an adventure a struggling single mom couldn’t easily afford?

He still had so many questions. How did the two of them end up here? How could Aiden’s father have left him? Left her? Most of all, though, Jamie wanted to know what put that stark look in her eyes. But just because he regretted not asking Mark enough questions before it was too late, that didn’t make wanting to know things about Sarah excuse enough to manipulate her. She deserved better than that. Better than him.

“It was just an idea,” he began.

“Please...!”

This time Aiden’s plea was so drawn out that it sounded like two syllables.

Again, Sarah shook her head, and when she spoke again, she didn’t look at Jamie.

“It was so nice of you to ask, but I always work the day shift on Saturdays.” She finally met his gaze.

“Well, not this Saturday.”

They all turned at the sound of Ted’s voice. When the restaurant owner had slipped past other diners to reach them, Jamie wasn’t sure.

Ted patted Sarah’s shoulder. “Marilyn can take your shift. She owes you, don’t you think? And every kid needs a trip to the zoo, right?”

He gave an exaggerated wink and then patted Aiden’s shoulder. Sarah’s side glance suggested she didn’t appreciate Ted’s matchmaking any more than she relished Jamie’s invitation, but she sighed.

Aiden must have noticed the change, as he was bouncing again.

“So, can we go, Mom? I want to see the new penguin exhibit and the tigers and the Kodiak bears.”

Whether it was because her son had just listed some of the most popular exhibits at the Detroit Zoo as if he’d been researching them or that their arguments had worn her down, she nodded.

“Yes, we can go.”

The words rang in Jamie’s ears. He’d won. He would get to spend a full day with a woman he’d dreamed of and a child he adored. She’d required some convincing, but they would have a great time on Saturday. He would make sure of that. So why did he get the feeling he was just one in a long line of people who’d taken something away from Sarah Cline?