Hostile Witness (Sanctuary, Inc. #1)

Chapter 43

43

T ia slid into the waiting black sedan in the school parking lot. She set her work tote on the floor and laid her head against Ethan’s arm. “I could get used to being chauffeured around all the time.”

He chuckled. “Well, Mac insisted I have transportation until I’m fully recovered, so we are blessed to have Gerard for the duration of the summer.” He slipped his fingers through hers. “Did you know that Gerard is Mac’s personal assistant when he travels? He’d been hoping for some time at a beach instead of jetting around the world. Right, Gerard?”

“ Oui , Detective. I’m so happy to be in one place for a while, and the beach here is magnifique .”

Tia smiled. Gerard’s French was lovely.

Ethan leaned closer to her and kissed the barely visible bruise on her neck. He still seethed inside every time he saw it. “Do you have time for a little field trip tonight? It’s close by.”

She gazed into the emerald-green eyes she’d grown to love. “Sure. Will it include a bite to eat? I forgot my lunch today.”

He nodded. “Of course. Hey, Gerard, would you please drop us off at Fifteenth Street and the boardwalk?”

“ Oui , Detective.” He turned left on Route 50 East.

Tia squeezed his hand. “Fifteenth Street, huh? I seem to remember being at that location with you a long time ago.”

Gerard pulled up alongside an old landmark hotel and opened Ethan’s door. “Here you go, good people. Don’t forget this, Detective.” He tucked a blanket under Ethan’s good arm. “You text me when you’re ready to go home, okay?”

Ethan pulled Tia close to his good side, headed up the boardwalk ramp, and immediately turned into an Italian restaurant. It had one table already set up outside with wine and flowers and colorful balloons. He kissed the top of her head. “Will this do?”

Aw. And she’d thought he didn’t have hearts and flowers in his repertoire. “It’s lovely, thank you.”

He sat down and poured the wine. “I already ordered for us. The salad will be here shortly, and I asked for lemon-chicken entrées. I didn’t want us to be disturbed.”

“Okay, that sounds wonderful.” What in the world did he have up his sleeve? Her insides danced with anticipation as she sipped the wine. He’d already popped the question three different times. But she wasn’t ready—yet. And she wasn’t very materialistic, so a diamond wouldn’t sweeten the deal.

He drew little circles on her palm. “Have you decided between a tattoo or surgery yet?”

Tia rolled her shoulders and breathed deeply. “I’m pretty sure I’m going for the tattoo.”

His eyes lit up. “Really? Maybe we could get them together, then. I’m getting a new one.”

“Oh? Where?”

He slapped a hand across his heart. “Right here, it’ll cover the new scar from the bullets. I’ve already picked out a teacup design. It’ll be colorful and have little flowers on the saucer and cup. It’ll look just like one of Nan’s good china cups.”

She scrunched up her face. “Why a teacup? You’re a huge guy with a broad chest. Why would you ever tattoo a teacup there?”

His gaze held hers. “Because you’re my T and in my heart to stay.”

What? Her lower lip trembled, and tears slipped down her cheek. “You can’t do that.”

He lifted his eyebrows. “I almost died three weeks ago. I can do any freaking thing I want. You could’ve died three weeks ago, but you refused to give up. Life is tenuous, Tia. I’m getting a teacup so you’re always right here.”

The salad and chicken arrived, and all she could do was stare at it. She could’ve said no to a diamond, but not to his teacup.

He held a forkful of salad to her lips. “You’ll love the dressing. It’s fresh. How’s your living arrangement working out for you?”

Wait—she was still thinking about the teacup. She took the bite of salad and chewed. It was phenomenal. “I’ve really enjoyed living with my mother and Carson these past few weeks, especially the catch-up with my mom, but I’m about done, and they need their privacy, too. I’ve decided to sell the house. I can’t live there anymore. It pains me to let go of all the sweat equity I’ve poured into the place, but that guy died on my kitchen floor. He tried to kill me in the living room. And Flynn can’t relax at all when I go over to retrieve things. I need a fresh start somewhere new.”

He nodded reassuringly. “Have you decided on a place to live?”

She set her hand on his forearm and stroked the hair. His bruises and puncture wounds were almost gone. “I don’t know yet. I’ll keep looking. I’ve spent a lot of time at your place since you got home, but I don’t want to live together unless we decide to get married. Maybe that sounds really strange considering how often I stay with you.”

Ethan tore a hunk of Italian bread from the loaf and offered it to her. “Have you ever been in the guesthouse behind Nan’s place?”

She lifted the bread from his hand and dipped it in the herbed olive oil. “That little yellow house in the back?”

He nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

“I had no idea it belonged to you. When I watered your plants while you were gone, I figured it must be someone’s summer rental because no one ever came or went.”

“It’s ours. Nan purchased it years ago so no one would obstruct her view of the water. It could use a facelift and is a two bedroom with an outdoor shower for the summer and a jetted soaking tub in the main bathroom.”

She leaned into him, tilting her face toward his. “Really? Would you rent it to me?”

He ran his thumb gently across her bottom lip. “I’d like to give it to you, but I understand that you want your independence. What if you fix it up inside and do the gardening? You love that stuff, and I don’t. I won’t be much help this summer, but I can find people to lend a hand when you need or want it. You’d be doing me a favor. I can’t get the main-house and guest-cottage gardening done for the nice weather.”

Her insides tingled with excitement. She could already picture the window boxes with petunias tumbling out of them. “Okay, I’m in. I love that idea.”

His eyes lit up. “Good. You know, Nan’s house is one of the larger grandes dames from a bygone era. I intend to rehab the whole place and keep it.” He cleared his throat. “If you ever decide to move into the big house, the smaller place can be your she shed.”

She laughed. “Yeah, well, you’ve gotta love the view of the water and the dock.”

He nodded. “I do. Someday I’m going to fish with my kids from that dock.”

Tia set her fork down and sighed. “Oh, Ethan, I’m just not ready. Not after what happened last time, and I’ve spent so much energy gearing my life toward staying single that I need time to transition.”

Ethan lifted her chin with a finger, peering into her eyes tenderly. “I know, T. I get it.”

She leaned over and kissed him long and deep. “I love you, Detective.”

He lifted her hand and kissed the palm. “I love you, too. Let’s walk. They’ll store our leftovers for us.”

He unfurled the faded blanket with the American-flag pattern.

She stood back in admiration. “Oh my goodness, that is our blanket. You really did keep it.”

“Of course I did.” With the ocean breeze picking up, he wrapped the blanket around both their shoulders and tugged her close while they strolled the boardwalk.

“Could we make out under this blanket again?”

He groaned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“This is our beach,” she noted, pointing.

“Yes, it is. Good memories. But according to the decorated doors at your school, this beach is nothing in comparison to the ones in Belize and Mexico.”

Tia laughed out loud. “You caught that, huh?”

His chest rumbled with mirth. “Discreet, they’re not.”

She glanced up at him. “They mean well. But perhaps they had us pegged from the start, because I’ve always been partial to beach weddings. They’re so romantic.”

He kissed the top of her head. “If that’s what you want, then I agree. I hear Belize is beautiful this time of year.”

“Maybe we’ll go there when you’re healed up, Detective.”

And as they’d longed for, they walked arm in arm, laughing and kissing as the wind whipped at the blanket that had brought them together so long ago.