Nightfall (7 page)

He pushed his chair back so he could slouch. He linked his hands behind his head. “What? I’m up this late on a regular basis.”

She tilted her head to the side. “Right. I thought you said you were going to stop working so hard.”

He sighed. “I discovered that’s not an option anytime soon. The only thing keeping us going is the government work trying to keep the peace and protect citizens.”

Penny’s hair slid over her shoulders and she looked down. “I know. But at least things are getting better.”

“Somewhat.”

Penny returned to smiling. “Okay, Mister Doom and Gloom. Guess who is using the exercise equipment at this time of night?”

“Why would I care?”

“Patty. She must be in there bleeding off some stress.”

Concern hit him. “Damn.”

“She’s a very nice lady. I like her a lot.”

The tone in his daughter’s voice told him Penny was up to something. He lifted one eyebrow and leaned on his desk. “I like her, too.”

She laughed. “Duh.”

He closed his eyes and sighed again. When he opened them Penny’s mischievous expression hadn’t changed. “What are you getting at?”

“When is she moving in with you?”

“What?”

“Dad, you’re not deaf. We all know you care about her.”

“Well there’s a big leap between caring about a woman and moving in together.”

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling for a second before shaking her head. “You’ve known her over a year.”

“So?”

“So don’t try to pretend this is a superficial relationship.”

“She doesn’t have anyone she can turn to.”

“You’re saying that’s all she is to you? A damsel in distress that’s a friend? Ian mentioned how scared you looked when you rushed out of here earlier today to rescue her.”

Ah, hell, Graham. You’re not getting yourself out of this one.
His daughter was way too savvy.

He twiddled his thumbs. “It doesn’t matter what I feel or think. She’s probably not ready for anything like that. She’s already chastised me a couple of times because she thought I was trying to order her around.”

Penny frowned. “Were you?”

“I think I came off like it. But I explained to her that I understood her independence. I’m not trying to change that.”

“You’re worried she’ll get hurt. That her ex will do something to her.”

“Of course.”

She sighed. “Just like you were worried I’d get hurt when I came from California.”

“I’ve always worried about you. I know you didn’t get that at first. You’re my little girl, damn it.”

“I know. And I love you for it.” All humor was gone from her face. “It sounds like she’s gun-shy.”

Alexander found the conversation too damned personal. Here he was talking about women with his own daughter. But on the other hand, this discussion wouldn’t have happened a year or so ago. He’d learned a lot since then, and she’d forgiven him for being too much of a hands-off father.

“Any tips for an old codger like me? How to charm a beautiful lady?” he asked.

“Old codger? Dad, you’re only forty-nine.”

“Fifty next month.”

He knew Penny had forgiven him for what had happened between him and her mother. “So you wouldn’t feel weird if Patty and I dated?”

“No. If you think about it, you’ve been dating her for a year.” She smiled and made a face at him. “Not very romantic dates, that’s for certain, but…”

He snorted. “Right. It’s a little hard to create romance in this world when shit keeps falling apart around us on a daily basis.”

“It’s getting better, Dad.” She shifted to the edge of her chair. “Don’t worry. Mom was…she was special in her own way, but she had a lot of problems. A lot of things you couldn’t have solved if you’d been more open, sent her flowers, been with her all the time. You know that now. Time to stop being afraid of making a mistake. Just be genuine with Patty. Let her in. Tell her what you feel. All of it. Don’t let your reserve get in the way.”

He nodded and smiled. “Okay. How did you get to be so damned smart?”

She stood and came around the desk. “Well, I
am
my father’s daughter.”

He rose from his chair and gave her a big hug. “Love you, sweetie.”

“Love you, Dad.” She pulled back and started for the door. “And now to prove I’m your daughter I’ll use a little of your bossy technique. Stop working so hard and go to bed. Or go and talk to Patty if she’s still in the gym.”

He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

After Penny left, he stood there for several seconds before turning off his computer for the night and heading to the workout room.

The door to the gym opened as Patty exited the bathroom area. Her damp hair dangled down her back, though towel dried enough that it didn’t drip. The tote bag in her hand held shampoo, soap and her dirty sweat clothes lay over her other arm. She stopped in her tracks as Alexander walked inside and the door swung closed. His hair was mussed, as if he’d been running his hands through it. His sweater slicked over his broad shoulders, outlining outstanding biceps and amazing forearms. He looked, in every way, delectable. If there was ever a man that defined the expression Silver Fox, he was it. She almost grinned. Did anyone even use the term “fox” to describe a great-looking man anymore?
God, I feel old.

“Hi.” His voice was liquid sin, a silky rumble that made her heart speed up.

“Hey.” She managed the word without strangling. “You’re up, too?”

“Finishing work in the office. Sometimes I stay up late and do paperwork. Gotta keep on top of things.”

“So that’s why you’ve got dark circles under your eyes. Do you ever sleep late on weekends?”

Alexander looked as if he was thinking back. “Not for the last year. Between contracts we usually have at least a week off. It gives the men a chance to rest.”

“That’s a shame. I mean that the boss doesn’t give himself a break. You can’t keep up this pace forever, can you?”

“I’m hoping as soon as things start to get better that I will.”

“Or maybe you just need to retrain that part of yourself that says it’s all work or something terrible will happen.”

His eyebrows went up. “You’re right. I guess I haven’t figured out how to shut it off.”

“I have ideas. I’ll have to tell you about them.”

He planted his hands on his hips. “Yet you can’t shut your mind off tonight?”

She grinned. “Point taken. I sleep pretty well. At least I have lately. This whole thing with Dominic threw me off.”

“I can imagine. Maybe that’s what’s keeping me up, too. I did some checking with my contacts in law enforcement. He was arrested for domestic violence against a girlfriend in Bangor, but she wouldn’t press charges and it was dropped.”

This news surprised her. “Oh, my God. I didn’t know about that.”

“Yeah. So even if Dominic wasn’t violent in the past, something has changed. Hell, we had evidence of that earlier today.”

“Great.”

He shifted on his feet, his gaze on her intent. “Like I said, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Take a load off your mind for tonight.”

“Thanks, I will.”

A few seconds of awkward silence stretched until he spoke. “You’ll have to tell me what it was like for you when the panic first started…after the volcano went off. That can’t have been easy.”

Old memories of bad times bombarded her, and she looked at the floor. “No, it wasn’t.” She looked up at him. “But I’ll bet it wasn’t for you, either. Penny was in California. You never talked about that. I mean when you came into the bakery to talk.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Since we’re both awake you want to come up to my apartment and have a drink?”

Surprised, she didn’t answer immediately. Then she said, “Sure. Drink, as in?”

“Whiskey. I don’t have any wine. The whiskey’s been in the cabinet for two years. ’Bout time I broke it open.”

“That long?”

“I vowed years ago never to take a drink when I was stressed. This seems like a good time to have one drink and celebrate being here and alive.”

She smiled. “I agree.”

She followed him out of the room and up the stairs. The whole time her heart banged out a new rhythm. Being around him, feeling this undeniable attraction, she’d started to acknowledge she couldn’t ignore the connection between them. But this was a friendly drink. It wasn’t like he planned to jump her bones or kiss her again. Too much was happening in both their lives to head that direction. Right?

She took a moment to dump her dirty clothes at her apartment, and he’d left his door open a crack. If this didn’t feel clandestine, she didn’t know what would. She grinned as she nudged the door open and peeked inside. He was in the kitchen.

“Come on in,” he said quietly. “I don’t bite.” He grinned. “Most of the time.”

She entered and closed the door. “That’s not what I hear.”

He threw a quizzical glance her way. “Damn, and here I thought I’d covered up my appetite for biting off heads.”

“Nope.” She glanced around the apartment. “Wow.”

“Wow?”

“Somehow I expected your place to be a bit fancier.” She winked at him. “After all, you are the general.”

He grunted and made a face. “Nah. I don’t need anything more than my team needs. The only difference with this place is my love-me wall in the den. And my den is bigger.”

She put her tote bag on an overstuffed chair. “Love-me wall?”

He opened a cabinet and pulled out a tall bottle of whiskey and then went hunting for glasses. “It has all my military crap hanging up. Commendations. Medals. That sort of stuff. I put it all up in there, but right now I don’t think it’s worth diddly. Maybe it never was.”

An uncharacteristic lack of confidence rang in his voice and that surprised and disturbed her. She liked his self-assured manner, the concrete bit that said he’d take care of shit as it came down the pike. Maybe the girly part of her appreciated the cocky male in him.

“You’re very humble for a general,” she said, then quickly qualified with, “Well, okay, you’re the only general I know. I just imagine they have to have great self-confidence to get where they are.”

“True. And for operational things, for the military parts of life I have confidence. It’s the relating to people on a more personal level. That’s the part I’ve had to change about myself.”

“Seems like you’re pretty self-aware these days.”

“I’m giving it my best shot.” As he poured their drinks, he asked, “Small drink or large?”

“Small.”

He handed her a glass of whiskey and poured himself a small glass as well. They wandered to the couch in the living room. When they sank into the dark, soft leather cushions, there wasn’t that much room between them. She didn’t mind, even if his nearness kept her hormones on a pleasant buzz. They both held their glasses and sipped, and the quiet relaxed her.

“This is nice,” she said, staring off into nothing.

“It is. I can’t remember the last time I relaxed like this.”

“That’s too bad, but I understand. When you run your own business it’s like go all day with your hair on fire. But I’m better at remembering how to relax. Six months ago I had to. I realized if I kept going on a crazy schedule I wouldn’t make it.”

After a sip, he put his glass on the side table next to him. “I think you’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”

The genuine admiration in his voice made her look at him. Really look. And there it was again. That honest expression that said he meant every word.

“Thank you, Alexander. I’m…flattered.”

“I think you haven’t been flattered enough in your life. That’s about to change if I have anything to say about it.”

Heat flashed into her face and down through her body.
Wow.
“Okay.”

He smiled. “Good.”

She realized her breath was stuck in her chest, so she took a slow and measured inhale. She cupped both hands around the glass and took another taste of whiskey.

“You wanted to know what it was like for me when the volcano went up,” she said.

“Yeah.” After moving his drink to the coffee table in front of them, he shifted and lifted his right knee up onto the couch and his right arm onto the back of the couch.

His full-on attention gratified her. Dominic had always looked somewhere else when she talked. She’d never felt certain he was listening half the time.

“I was in the bakery making a cake for a wedding when the news came on over the radio. I usually had some classical music going in the background.” Her muscles tightened at the memory. “In a way I wasn’t surprised by what had happened. We were warned.”

Seismologists and others in the field had told them a few months ahead that the volcano was likely to erupt. All the signs were there.

“Didn’t make it any less horrible,” he said.

“No. We just stopped working, but customers were coming in.” She drew in a deep breath and took another drink. “We returned to work, but the news filtered in and…well, you know the rest. Every day I just pushed on, pushed forward. It was a bitch. My two employees quit. One girl had parents in Utah and wanted to go back there and find them. I wish she hadn’t left, but I couldn’t convince her to stay.”

“Did you hear from her again?”

Tears prickled her eyes. “No. I have no idea what happened.” She drew in another breath. “I’ve had to stop worrying about her. I think about her from time to time and I hope she’s well.”

She went silent and so did he for quite some time.

“What about your other employee?” he asked eventually.

“He moved to Portland, Maine to help his family there and I’ve heard from him. He’s in good shape.”

“At least there’s that. What kept you going? Living alone in that house when the country was coming apart at the seams.”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. I know one thing I’ve discovered. When the chips are down I’m a hell of a lot tougher than I thought I was. I guess in a way the super volcano was good for me. Maybe I never would’ve realized what I had in me if the disaster hadn’t struck.”

His brow furrowed for a moment. “Maybe I wouldn’t have either. I mean, realized what I had in me.”

She reflected for a moment before continuing. “You must have been out of your mind when it hit and you knew Penny was still in California.”