“I did. But then my dad got sick, and between the medical bills and him being off work, the family expenses stacked up. My sister Carrie has only two semesters left, so it made more sense to ensure she finishes her degree than for me to start mine. I chipped in for her tuition. Mom and Dad already rented out the in-law suite Carrie and I were living in, since we were both supposed to be gone shortly. That will provide a little extra income until Dad’s able to work full-time. Alexia said I could stay here until I find a place I can afford on my own.”
“Why didn’t you ask for help?”
Chelsea snorted. “Alexia offered, but I couldn’t take it. You think my dad wanted anyone to know he’d let his family down?”
Braden stopped cold. Chelsea’s parents were rock-solid members of the community and good people, but yeah, her father wasn’t the kind to want it advertised he needed help. Only this time it was Chelsea who’d taken the hit. “I wish I’d known.”
“I can get in next year. They said they would transfer my forms to the following September, since the archaeology program I want runs September to May. That will give me enough time to make sure I can cover the costs or get funding in place.”
Braden bit his tongue. Damn right she’d have enough money to go by next September if he had anything to say about it. “You sure you can’t get in this fall semester? I can loan you—”
“There’s no way I’m taking your money. I withdrew from housing, and all my classes. It’s a done deal for now.”
She was tensing up again and he stroked her back to soothe her. Maybe there was a chance she could start in the winter semester, do a few optional classes. He had time to sweet-talk her into it, even though he already dreaded the thought of being apart.
He lowered his head and brushed their lips together. Cupping the back of her neck, he drew her around to nestle tighter to his body. She nuzzled his neck, planting tiny kisses along his jaw, and his body reacted instantly.
They wrapped around each other, kissing and touching. Hands slipping under clothing, opening buttons. Things were getting very interesting when his phone went off, the shrill buzz warning it was an official message. Braden swore. Chelsea scrambled off his lap and let him grab the phone without a word. This was the worst part about his job, being on call all the time.
“Marley,” he snapped. He didn’t even try to hide his annoyance.
His assistant’s apologetic voice rang through. “Sorry, Chief, but we’ve got more calls than we can handle. I didn’t want to interrupt your weekend off, but…”
Shit. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Don’t kick the messenger. “Not your fault, Helen. Where do you need me?” He glanced at Chelsea who sat on the couch, her arms wrapped around her legs as she stared up at him. She blew him a kiss and waved him away. He made his way toward the stairs as he listened.
“The pier. A few boys are mixing it up, and it sounds like it could get dicey. I’m stuck out at the freeway where there’s a tractor with its trailer blocking the entire path. Clayton is working by the hospital, and I’d already contacted the volunteer senior brigade to deal with the mess somebody made at the ornamental gardens.”
Shit. “Hell has been breaking loose. Give me five minutes to get there.” He scrambled to grab his uniform.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not life or death, just more of the same insanity. I’ll join you when I get this cleared away.” A terrible screech shot out from the phone and he waited with concern as Helen cursed. She spoke with an air of authority as she shouted into the distance. “Mr. Carlton. If you will please get back in your car I will get the tractor out of the way as soon as possible. No, no, no. Jumping on the trailer is not going to make the space any bigger for you to drive through…”
Braden clicked off his phone and chuckled. Insanity was right.
By the time he’d dressed and tromped back downstairs, Chelsea was waiting for him at the door.
“I don’t want to leave, but—”
She cut off his apology with a quick kiss, her lips hot and sweet against his. When she pulled back she gave him a wink.
“It comes with the territory, I expected it. Dating the sheriff may have hazards, but I will get to ride in the truck with the lights on sometime, right?”
He smiled, tweaking her under her chin. “Hey, we’re not done talking about your schooling, you know.”
“Go on. I think I’ll head home for a few hours, visit with my folks. See you back here tonight?” He nodded and leaned over to kiss her again, but she pushed him out the door with a laugh. “Go, you’ll be late.”
He headed to the pier with a deep sense of satisfaction. In spite of her confession and what it potentially meant for their future, contentment filled him. He had a job he loved. Now the woman he’d longed for was in his life, no matter what happened down the road.
It seemed things were finally falling into place.
Jamie pulled into the parking space outside the house, relieved to find it vacant. All weekend he’d been haunted. Saturday he’d woken to a dream of enjoying twisted, sweaty sex with Chelsea while Braden stood by and watched, a curious smile on his face. Sunday morning the dream had expanded to include Braden in the midst of the tangle with him and Chelsea.
As he worked around the apartment during the day, blue lights faded in and out of his vision, and every time he turned around he swore there was someone else in the room with him. A scent, a presence… He was either going mad or there was some seriously weird shit happening.
He’d looked over the stack of papers containing his drawings so often he had them memorized. Saturday morning he’d stared in confusion at them, and even wadded a couple up to throw in the garbage before a flash of memory returned. The rest of the day he’d researched, the topics varied and eclectic. The published contents of the dig he’d been involved in off the Mallorca coast. Ancient records and legends of people appearing from the sea.
The blue lights of St. Elmo’s fire.
By Sunday afternoon he couldn’t resist the urge to take a closer look at a few things at the Coltens’ house. If he didn’t, he’d be thinking about them all night and not sleeping anyway, so he might as well take the chance.
Jamie walked to the front door and knocked loudly. Rang the bell a couple of times. He’d phoned ahead, and chances were good no one was home, but he’d hate to walk in and find Braden and Chelsea too involved in each other to answer the phone.
He used his key to open the door and snuck into the empty home, the stillness echoing off the walls. It was definitely just him and the riches filling the rooms. Best-case scenario? He would satisfy his curiosity and be gone before they returned.
He meandered slowly, trying to remember where in the chaos he had spotted it. The past week he’d gone through only a small portion of the collection, but he’d been mentally cataloging and examining the piles even as he wandered past. He pulled out the papers from Friday night—the hasty sketches he’d drawn after his vision session. Some of them were simple illustrations that helped bring the stubborn memories to the surface quicker. But one was far more recognizable and it haunted him.
Over in the corner, a heap of boxes of all shapes and sizes caught his attention, and he dropped to his knees before the mound. He examined each with care, the rough wood of one prickling his fingertips. In contrast the smooth water-worn surface of a green-tinged metal lid was cool to the touch. Off to the side of the stack, a box of purple heartwood leaned against the back wall and he picked it up with trembling fingers.