A Soldier's Promise (Crystal Lake Series Book 2) by Laura Scott

Author:Laura Scott [Scott, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura Iding
Published: 2013-05-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Derek forced himself to approach Julie and her brother, ignoring the tight knot of anxiety twisting his gut. “Nice to meet you, Zack,” he said, reluctantly holding out his hand. “Sorry about the dust and sweat.”

Zack’s gaze narrowed a bit, but he returned the greeting. “No problem. Good to meet you, too.” The handshake was hard and brief.

Derek let his hand drop to his side and wondered how long it would take for Julie’s brother to run a background check on him. Probably not long. Would he even wait to leave or run the check right now in his squad car?

His pulse jumped erratically, and he knew he should take Lexi and leave right away. But how? A rental car? Maybe he could afford a rental, at least until he got to a bus station. And then what?

Where would he go? What would he and Lexi do?

“Derek, are you all right?” Julie asked, pulling him from his panicked thoughts.

“Um, yeah. Sorry. What did you say?”

“I was telling Zack about the work you’ve been doing on the townhouse,” she said. A hint of concern shadowed her eyes.

“Right. Actually, I just pulled more drywall off the ceiling, and it’s a bit of a mess. Why don’t you wait here while I clean things up?” He couldn’t deny he was desperate to get away. Maybe he could convince Julie’s brother that he was harmless. And then maybe, just maybe, her brother the cop wouldn’t run a background check only to find Claire’s parents had filed for custody.

But the shred of hope wasn’t reassuring. Not when he knew that, if the situation were reversed, he’d be doing a background check on a stranger who was sharing a townhouse with his sister.

He turned and walked back inside, letting the screen door slam shut behind him, trying to act natural as he began sweeping up the debris littering the floor. When Julie, Zack, and Lexi came inside, he stopped and leaned on the broom, trying to look casual when in fact he feared his legs might buckle beneath him. “What do you think?” he asked, striving for a normal tone.

“Wow, looks great,” Julie said in awe. Then she frowned. “Your ribs must be killing you. It can’t be easy working on the ceiling.”

He shrugged. “The results are worth it.”

Zack stared at him, his gaze faintly accusatory. “How long are you planning to stay?”

“Until after the holiday,” Derek murmured. “Hopefully by then, my car will be replaced and I’ll be able to hit the road again.”

“What? No. Knock it off, Zack,” Julie said in a stern tone. “I’m thrilled to have Derek and Lexi here. And I told you, we have a mutually beneficial arrangement. He and Lexi get food and a roof over their heads, and in return, I get work done on the townhouse. It’s a win-win for both of us.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” Zack muttered darkly.

Derek tried to control a flash of anger on Julie’s behalf. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating,” he said in a clipped tone.

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