Beyond the Shadows (4 page)

I’m ready for whatever you decide to throw at me today, Nathaniel O’Leary.

Her stomach growled and she padded to the kitchen to check out her meager supplies. Forced to exist on convenience food for the last week, she craved fresh produce. But after spending most of her time at the hospital, food shopping languished way down her list of priorities. As a result, the cupboards were bare. The contents of the fridge were no better, containing half a bottle of milk past its use-by date, and a few apples in the crisper. Hardly a satisfying choice.

She shut the fridge with a sigh. Two choices stared her down—go to her parents for breakfast and while away some time, or go out and do a spot of shopping. The idea of stopping in to see her folks held great appeal. She hadn’t caught up with them in over a week and a visit with them always grounded her, helped her stay sane. Since most of her friends either were married with children or had moved away, she spent social occasions with her parents.

At the thought of her mother, the woman’s perceptive gaze flashed into her head and she groaned. No, she’d be safer to go shopping instead. She’d only end up blurting the whole sorry mess, and she wasn’t quite ready to admit how she felt about Nate to anyone. Then she might be forced to do something about it.

With her mind made up, she threw on a pair of shorts and tank top, applied a light layer of mascara to darken her long blonde lashes, and inspected herself in the mirror. She snorted at her reflection and shut the door of the make-up cabinet with a snap. Why was she prettying herself up? There were a few hours left yet before she collected Nate and she doubted he’d notice the effort anyway. Besides, she reminded herself, he saw her as just one of the guys. A subtle layer of makeup wasn’t going to change his opinion.

Humidity smacked her in the face as she yanked open the door and stepped outside. The Rimu door had swollen with the moisture in the air, resisting her attempts to close it. She put her shoulder into it, sighing, mentally adding the job of taking it off the jam and slicing a sliver or two off it to her list of things to do.

One of the cons of owning an older home was that there was always something to attend to. In her opinion, the pros like native timbers, quirky spaces, and personality, far outweighed those negative traits. She locked up and straightened, grimacing as her shirt uncomfortably gripped her skin. Five seconds outside and she was perspiring already.

“Sub-tropical climates—gotta love them,” she muttered and ran lightly down the steps. A chorus of cicadas accompanied her to her garage, the sound of summer. The overgrown hedge proved to be a haven for the creepy bugs. She shuddered and increased her speed. Some thought they were beautiful with their transparent wings, fat bodies, and long legs that rubbed against each other to make their sound, but she wasn’t one of them. They just gave her the heebie-jeebies.

Feeling like a fool, she hastily checked her shoulders and back for any rogue passengers. Only after she found none did she relax and climb into her car. The thought of being trapped inside a vehicle with one of those things didn’t bear thinking about. Been there, done that, and she was still paying off the consequences on her credit card. With a practiced hand, she backed down the long driveway and headed off. Her stomach growled again. She put her foot down.

Free time had been a rarity since she’d joined the force all those months ago, and she reveled in it now. She turned up the radio when she heard her favorite band sing a song about feeling good, and she sang along, her spirits rising along with the temperature outside. At that moment, all was good in the world and it was a good reminder to focus on the present. It was all she could control. The future would look after itself.

A free spot materialized in front of her as she turned into the mall’s parking lot, and she zipped into a space. She’d take it as a good omen for the day ahead. The air-conditioning inside was a welcome balm to her overheated skin as she deliberated over which café to frequent for breakfast.

She perused the menu in one display window where the heavy smell of cooking fat hit her, making her stomach rebel. Something lighter appealed this morning.

The café next door beckoned her with fresh baked smells, and the rich aroma of coffee made her mouth water. Perfect.

“Mmm. What smells so good?” she asked the girl behind the counter. The nametag pinned to her chest said,
Samantha
.

“That’ll be our blueberry muffins. I’ve just pulled out our fourth batch of the day.”

“That good, huh?”

“They sure are.” She smiled widely. “They fly out the door. Would you like to order one?”

Kelly’s stomach gurgled on cue and they shared a laugh. “It looks like I’d better. I’ll have a flat white too, please.”

“Certainly.” Samantha bent down to the display case with a pair of tongs and retrieved a muffin. “These will still be warm from the oven—the best way to enjoy them. Take it with you, and I’ll bring your coffee over when it’s ready. This morning’s paper is on the end of the counter if you wanted something to read while you wait.”

“Thanks.” Kelly smiled and snaffled a copy, the muffin in her other hand. A quiet corner tucked away from the traffic building up in the mall had her name all over it. She wound around the maze of tables and laid claim to it. As the first bite of the muffin filled her mouth, her eyes closed in ecstasy. It was both tart and sweet, the mixture, light and fluffy. With a contented sigh, she unfolded the newspaper and smoothed it flat. As she lifted her hand, she stilled and the last swallow of muffin turned sour.

Nate’s recovery was front-page news, complete with a still photo taken from the footage of the shooting, his head in her lap. Her face was a picture of agony, the emotion of the moment frozen forever in the silent scream of her wide-opened mouth. Why did the media choose this one? Shock slowly gave way to anger as she answered her own question. It appeased their hungry audience. They picked away at a story to find a new angle like a scavenger bird picks at the bones of road-kill. She shook her head at the thought of people’s morbid curiosity and quickly flicked the page over. She didn’t need to read about it—she’d lived it.

Her coffee arrived and she gulped it down, washing away the crumbs that caught in her throat. She’d never been comfortable in the spotlight, and suddenly, here she was smack-bang in the middle of the biggest national story of the moment. After tonight’s episode of
Cops
, it would only get worse. She grimaced, pushed away from the table, swung her handbag over her shoulder, and strode out the door.

A pretty summer dress in a window display caught her eye, interrupting her march to the supermarket. When she gazed at the filmy material, a vision of Nate’s expression as he saw her in it came to mind. She wanted it. Without allowing herself to think too much, she entered the shop, found the equivalent in her size, and tried it on. Deep red roses set on a midnight blue background set off the blonde of her hair, emphasizing her natural paler highlights. It fit like a glove across her chest, lifting and accentuating her bust before flaring out from an empire line and finishing mid-thigh.

Fun and flirty, it was everything he thought she wasn’t.

Good luck thinking of me as one of the guys in this, O’Leary.
Her mouth curved in a wicked grin as she pirouetted in front of the mirror, pleased with her purchase. Then she looked down at her unpainted toenails and old, serviceable sandals and frowned. If she was going to show case her feminine side, she may as well sort the whole package.

She wandered through the center of the mall until she found the mall spa. The flawlessly made up girl behind the counter gave her a friendly smile as she approached. That was the reason why she normally avoided those places. The women were always so delicate and impeccably groomed, she felt so gangling and awkward in comparison.

“Kimberly will be free in half an hour.” She affirmed at Kelly’s request then gestured at her hands.

“We can do something with those nails too. The price is discounted when you have two treatments or more.”

Kelly folded her hands together and drew them into her body, embarrassed at the rough state of them then dropped them. What the hell? She had the time. Hadn’t she just told herself she wanted to improve the whole package?

“Thanks. That would be great.” She waved as she backed away. “See you soon.” It was kind of exciting to be doing something normal woman did every day.

Kelly zipped around the supermarket, and recalling her mental list, filled her trolley with the fresh fruit, nuts, fresh bread, and spreads she’d been craving. With fifteen minutes to kill, she wandered out and sat down on a bench in the middle of the mall, content to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes—people watching.

People hurried by, intent on their own missions. She entertained herself with an old game she and her brothers made up during the long boring hour they endured during Sunday church.
Who is that person in real life?
While her brothers had been fanciful, Kelly tended to analyze and make studious guesses. And most of the time her guesswork was spot on. It was no surprise to anyone when she announced she was going to join the police force. It seemed a natural choice, and one they all thought suited her. It was just a shame O’Leary didn’t seem to share those same sentiments.

With an annoyed shake of her head, she stood, abandoning her game.
Bloody man invading my thoughts like that.
She bent over to collect her bags and strode to the desk. She’d pass the time reading some trashy magazines instead.

It wasn’t to be. Once she entered, the receptionist looked up and flashed her pearly whites.

“Kimberly is ready for you Ms. Appleton. You can leave your things behind the desk if you like and follow me.”

The receptionist led her to a workstation where a smiling nail technician waited. “I’ve a foot bath prepared for you while we work on your hands. Kick off your shoes and relax. It’s bliss.”

Kelly complied with a soft groan when her feet hit the water. Whatever was in there made her skin tingle pleasantly, and she sighed in appreciation as the tension gradually melted away. Lulled by the soft hum of conversation, the fragrance of oils in the air, and soothing music, Kelly relaxed for the first time since the whole nightmare began over a week ago.

Getting the hint early on that she didn’t want conversation, Kimberly concentrated on her work. It surprised Kelly how much she enjoyed the attention, and when she saw the results of all that scrubbing, shaping, and polishing afterwards, she could only marvel. Delighted, she wriggled her toes and admired the vivid rose color adorning them. She’d chosen the shade to match the floral pattern of the dress. A French manicure smartened up her hands, making her fingers look long and elegant.

“Thank you ladies,” she said and smiled as she left with her next appointment card in her hand. “See you in a few weeks.”

Driving home with her purchases, she now knew why women the world over derived such pleasure from a bout of retail therapy. It held a power all its own that nothing else matched. Her fingers drummed in time to the beat of a popular song on the radio. She cranked up the volume and again, sang along. Her off-key voice rattled the window frames, but her heart was full. Everything in her world was perfect. Even the fact that she’d be dealing with a surly Nate on a day-to-day basis couldn’t dampen her mood.

He’d woken from the coma, and that was enough for now.

She zipped into her driveway, jumped out of the car with her shopping, and dumped the food bags on the counter. Then she raced into the bedroom with the other bags. With reverence, she laid the dress on the bed and admired it for a moment. Shoes. She rummaged around the floor of her wardrobe until she unearthed the gold slip-on sandals she’d had occasion to wear just once. A smile ghosted her mouth at the memory of her brother’s wedding day.

It had been a magical day spent watching two of her favorite people promise to love each other forever. Though, it had also left her wistful. One day, she wished for that kind of happiness for herself, but she feared time was passing her by. Men were intimidated by her. Once they learned what she did for a living, it was game over before it even began. And then she met Nate and suddenly any man who showed an interest in her didn’t stand a chance of measuring up.

And who would? Topping her by a good four inches, his muscular frame was both strong and athletic, and his piercing green gaze shone with intelligence. The forbidding mask he wore sometimes slipped, giving her the occasional glimpse of the real man underneath. Full of pain and passion, even the tight grip he kept on his control couldn’t hold it in all the time. The leaks fired her imagination. What would it be like to be the focus of all that raw power once he let go?

Shivering, she stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She scrubbed her skin until it tingled, and let herself daydream. Dressed in feminine clothing for once, Nate would do a double take, think she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on, and fall madly in love. She refused to allow real life to intrude, knowing her daydreams were just that. But that was the best thing about dreaming of the impossible. Fantasy had no limitations, and she could give herself the happily-ever-after she’d been looking for her whole life. That was a dream she wasn’t going to share with anyone—ever.

When the water ran cold, Kelly turned off the shower and sighed. Back to the real world. She wrapped a towel around her body and went back to her room to dress. A feeling of delight engulfed her at the touch of the light fabric against her smooth, bare legs. After strapping on the sandals, she stood back and surveyed herself in the mirror. The grin spreading over her face glowed with pure evil.

“Ready or not, Nate, here I come.”

A glance at her watch told her she’d better get a move on if she wanted to beat the worst of the traffic. For the dress to have its biggest impact, she needed to appear cool and calm. Driving on the motorway often left her at the polar opposite of the scale, especially during a hot and sticky summer. She’d need the extra time to fix the damage. Collecting her woven flax
kete
she used as a handbag, she threw in her wallet, a pot of lip-gloss, and her favorite vanilla body spray. She scooped up the overnight bag she’d packed earlier, threw it over her shoulder, and locked up.