Every Vow She Breaks

Book 3: Who’s Watching Now

by Jannine Gallant

Genres: Action & Adventure Romance; Contemporary Romance; Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

A Promise Can Follow You To the Grave… Claire Templeton is drawn to the majestic beauty of the California Redwoods in the hopes of capturing an unexplained phenomenon on camera. What she doesn’t expect is to run into her first love, Jed Lafferty, the boy she worshipped as a child, the man she’s never been able to forget. Carefree, fun-loving Jed doesn’t believe in fate, preferring to make his own luck. But when he runs into the little girl who used to follow him like a shadow, now an irresistible woman, he can’t help feeling the odds are turning in his favor. Letting Claire walk out of his life the first time might be his single biggest regret. But when strange gifts and cards left for Claire turn sinister, it’s clear someone else from her past isn’t ready to let go . . .

Release date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Print pages: 258

Sample

 

The scent of burgers and fries drifted through the diner as the swinging kitchen door slapped against the wall. Claire Templeton’s mouth watered. With a sigh, she poked through her salad, stabbed a tomato and popped it into her mouth. Given her petite frame, eating fries wasn’t an option unless she wanted to look like the portly waitress. Not that the woman, who dwarfed the taxidermy bear in the restaurant’s entrance, was doing too badly at the moment.

Her ample bosom swayed as she set a plate loaded with a double-decker cheeseburger and onion rings on the table in front of the customer in the booth across from Claire. Customer didn’t do the man justice. Supreme specimen of manhood came close. Those naked Greek statues had nothing on this guy. Sun-streaked brown hair crowned a tanned face with bright blue eyes and a killer smile…which he was currently using as he requested extra mustard.

“I’ll get it right away, hon.” Augusta—if her nametag was to be believed—put one hand on her padded hip to lean in close. “You have to be the best-looking man ever to walk through that door.” A jerk of her head toward the bear set graying wisps of hair fluttering around an age-creased face. “If I were thirty years younger—”

“They’d arrest me for soliciting a minor.”

A robust laugh drowned the chatter of a family with three young children two booths down. “What a charmer.”

The linoleum floor shook as the woman rounded the end of the counter and disappeared into the kitchen.

Claire rolled her eyes. “She didn’t move like that when I asked for another slice of lemon in my iced tea.”

Her hunky neighbor met her gaze and grinned. “Didn’t your mama ever teach you you’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar?”

“I didn’t want to catch flies. I wanted lemon.”

Something about his smile nagged at the back of her mind.

Nope. I’d never forget crossing paths with this man.

Augusta returned and plopped a bottle of yellow mustard on the tabletop. She gave Mr. Ruggedly Handsome a toothy smile. “You planning to be in town long?”

“A couple of days. I want to do some hiking in the redwoods around here.”

“Be sure to come back for breakfast. No one makes pancakes like Ralph.”

“I’ll do that. Can you recommend a campground? I drove by quite a few.”

“Take a right at the first cross street heading north and follow the road to the end. Towering Trees Campground has showers. Some of the others don’t. Enjoy your meal…er, what’s your name, hon?”

“Jed. Thanks for the tip…and the mustard.”

Claire’s head snapped around. Jed. Memories swirled. A laughing boy with bright blue eyes sliding worms down her shirt, hollering over his shoulder at her to ride faster, licking a triple-decker chocolate ice cream cone—

“Careful of your drink.”

She jerked her elbow back and slid the plastic glass away from the table’s edge. “Thanks.” Surely this man couldn’t be—

“Are you just passing through?” He picked up his burger.

Collecting her scattered wits, she shook her head. “Actually, I have a reservation at the campground Augusta mentioned. Uh, you said your name’s Jed?”

He nodded and popped an onion ring into his mouth. “Nice to meet you…”

“Claire.”

His hand stilled over his plate. “Claire. Maybe we’ll run into each other again while we’re camping.”

She worked her way through lettuce and an assortment of veggies while sneaking glances across the aisle. Jed wolfed down his burger then started on a chocolate shake topped with a cloud of whipped cream. The man might not have weight issues, but surely his cholesterol levels were as lofty as the dessert topping.

His gaze met hers again as he set down the glass. “I swear this isn’t some kind of lame pick-up line, but you remind me of someone I used to know. I don’t suppose you ever lived in Reno?”

She dropped her fork, eyes widening. “Oh, my God, it is you. Jed Lafferty. I can’t believe it. You were skinny and obnoxious, and now you’re…not.”

His smile stopped her heart.

“Little Claire Templeton all grown up.” His gaze swept downward. “Sort of. You’re still pint-sized.”

“I prefer vertically challenged.”

His laugh turned the heads of the two old-timers at the counter who’d been eating blueberry pie and arguing about fishing. Augusta stepped through the kitchen doorway to glance in their direction with raised brows before retreating.

Claire pressed a hand to her chest. “I had the biggest crush on you despite all the nasty bugs and worms you tortured me with. I cried the whole way to Winnemucca when we moved.”

“Your parents dragged you off to the middle of nowhere. I’d have cried, too.”

“Good point. Not surprisingly, we didn’t stay there long. After two more stops, I ended up here—” She spread her arms wide. “—for high school.”

“No kidding?” He picked up his shake, crossed the aisle and slid onto the bench seat facing her. “How come you’re camping if you’re visiting your family?”

“I’m not. They left the area years ago. You remember my dad, always on the go, dragging my mom off to someplace new before she even had a chance to finish unpacking from the previous move. They’re currently up in Oregon. How’re your parents?”

His gaze dropped. “My mom died of breast cancer a few years ago. My dad’s still in the same house, retired from the Reno police force. I see him on a regular basis.”

She touched his arm. “I’m sorry. I loved your mom. She always had a smile and a cookie for the lonely, little girl from across the street. What about your brother?”

“Kane’s married and has three stepdaughters. They live in the Napa Valley area.”

His hand lay on the tabletop, ring finger conspicuously bare.

“You’re not? Married, I mean.”

He shook his head. “Not even close. What about you?”

“I’ve been within shouting distance a couple of times.”

Leaning back in the booth, his gaze wandered over her face. The smile she remembered from the best time in her childhood grew.

“Those guys must have been crazy to let you get away.”

“Augusta’s right. You are a charmer.” She wadded her napkin and dropped it next to her salad bowl. “How are you, Jed? Tell me all about your life for the last—what—twenty-five years?”

“Sounds about right. I was ten, and you were nine when you moved.”

“Yet I still have vivid memories of following you around that summer. Apparently you leave a lasting impression on a girl.”

He took a final swallow of his shake. “If you’re finished with your rabbit food, let’s go somewhere to catch up. The day’s too beautiful to hang out in here. No fog or rain is a rare combination in the redwoods.”

“It’s not even very windy. We could drive through the woods to the beach.” She dug her wallet out of her purse then glanced over to smile before dropping a few singles on the table. “I can’t believe we met again, here of all places, after all these years.”

“Must be fate or destiny or whatever.”

Augusta lumbered out of the kitchen and headed toward the cash register. “If you’re finished, I’ll ring you up.”

Jed tossed a five dollar tip next to his empty plate as he led the way through the diner. When her steps slowed, he turned. “What?”

She gripped her purse a little tighter. “You’re not a serial killer on the run from the police or an escaped lunatic, are you? Going off alone into the forest with a relative stranger seems like something a dumb blonde in a horror flick would do. I may be blond, but I’m not stupid.”

His smile flashed. “Want to call Kane? He’s a small town sheriff. His endorsement should ease your mind.”

She let out a breath then continued toward the register. “I’ll take my chances and go with my gut. My gut tells me you’re a good guy.”

“That’s because I am.”

They paid for their meals, thanked the waitress then left the diner. Claire paused beside her compact motor home while he stopped next to an older SUV two spots over.

“Want to lead the way since you’re familiar with the area?”

“Sure. There’s a terrific beach not far from here. A twenty-minute drive at the most.”

He nodded. “See you when we get there.”

Claire backed out of the parking spot then turned onto the street. Heart thumping, she glanced in the rearview mirror. His SUV was right behind her. Pressing more firmly on the accelerator, she followed the highway through the tourist area of Shady Bend, past a gas station, a convenience store, several souvenir shops and a burl wood business into a thick grove of redwoods. Only a few rays of sunlight sifted through the trees, casting shadows across the narrow stretch of highway. She turned onto a rutted county road leading to the ocean.

Jed Lafferty—her first love. Not that he’d cared two shakes about the shy, scrawny girl next door. Although he might have felt sorry for her since he’d frequently let her tag along on his adventures. She’d peddled her heart out trying to keep up with him on his bike, endured skinned knees and elbows rollerblading down the steepest hill in their neighborhood and sprained her wrist bouncing off the trampoline in his backyard. Her family had moved to Reno late in the school year, and she’d never fit into any of the firmly established groups of girls in her class. Only when she was hanging out with Jed had she been happy.

A lot had changed in the last twenty-five years. She wasn’t a sad preadolescent, and he wasn’t an overactive little boy. Still, it would be interesting to see what he’d made of his life.

Turning into the sandy lot adjacent to the beach, Claire set the parking brake. When a thump sounded from the back of the motor home, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

“Did you have a nice nap…on my bed?”

Scoop yawned and shook then sauntered over to the door and plopped his butt on the mat in front of it. Leaning across him, Claire opened the door then waited for the dog to jump to the ground. She grabbed a windbreaker off the wall hook beside the table before following. Scoop walked over to a clump of waving sea grass and lifted his leg.

“Good God, what is that thing?” Jed stood next to his SUV, hands stuffed into the back pockets of his jeans, eyeing her dog like he might turn and charge.

“That thing is Scoop. Two years and one hundred pounds ago, he was a cute little rescue puppy. The shelter people weren’t sure about his breed, some cross between a boxer, a Rottweiler and a hound.”

“Interesting. Want to take a walk?”

“I’d love to. I’m stiff from driving all morning.”

Slipping on her windbreaker to combat the light, autumn breeze, she strolled beside him down to the damp, packed sand. The tide was receding, leaving salt residue on the beach as the waves surged then retreated. High above in the endless stretch of blue, seagulls squawked and circled. Scoop ran ahead before pausing to sniff a pile of seaweed. Claire took a deep breath of tangy sea air then let it out slowly.

“Looks like we have the beach to ourselves.”

She glanced his way. “I used to come here with friends for evening bonfires when I was in high school. The access road is crappy and unmarked, so not many tourists know about it.”

Hands stuffed in his pockets, he squinted against the sun. “So, you’re here to camp and visit your old stomping grounds?”

“Actually, I’m here for my job. I’m a nature photographer.”

“Oh, yeah? Someone pays you to travel around to beautiful places and take pictures?”

She grinned. “Pretty much. I work for a magazine called Rugged America.”

“I want to be you when I grow up.”

Her laugh set a flock of sandpipers running in all directions. “You look grown to me.”

“Naw. I’m just a big kid. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I ran a wilderness camping retreat. Not the most adult job in the world.”

“I’m not surprised in the least. The summer I lived across the street from you, you slept in a tent in your backyard most nights.”

“Houses are overrated.”

She smiled. “I don’t know about that. You’ll notice I have a motor home, not a tent. Where’s this retreat?”

“It is—was up on Donner Summit in the middle of the Tahoe National Forest. Unfortunately, the government chose to revert the land to wilderness, so the camp’s closed permanently and will soon be dismantled.

Stopping, she laid a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”

“It was a good run, ten years, probably long past time for something new. In the winter, I work out of a ski rental shop offering backcountry skiing tours, so I have months before I need to worry about what to do next summer.”

“This is your off season?”

He nodded. “I plan to spend the next few weeks hiking and camping along the coast.”

“A busman’s holiday.”

“The best kind. Maybe we can hang out together while you’re here photographing trees.”

“Maybe.”

They stepped across a shallow stream running through the sand then continued down the beach. Up ahead, Scoop wrestled with a giant chunk of driftwood before dropping it to trot back to her side. Claire reached down to rub his ears.

“I’ll definitely be photographing trees, but that’s not the focus of my story. I got a tip from an old friend who still lives in the area. A member of a research group camping in the woods swears he saw a Bigfoot.”

Jed turned and stared. “You’re writing a story about a bunch of crazies?”

She shrugged. “Could be. I intend to take a lot of cool pictures in addition to documenting the group’s research. I’ll let readers draw their own conclusions about whether or not Bigfoot is real or a hoax. To keep the magazine’s core supporters happy, I’ll mix in plenty of information on the area’s flora and fauna along with spectacular photos. The Bigfoot angle is a twist to draw in a new group of readers. The marketing department is all over it.”

He grinned. “Claire Templeton, does the heart of a rebel beat beneath that proper façade?”

She glanced down. “What’s so proper about jeans and a T-shirt?”

“It’s the look but don’t touch aura you project.”

“Hmm. Is that why your hands are jammed in your pockets?”

He nodded. “It helps me resist temptation and maintain my good guy persona. I wouldn’t want you to think I grew up to be the sort of man who preys on lone, defenseless women.”

“I’m not defenseless. I took classes. Besides, Scoop isn’t just a pretty face. If you threatened me, he’d rip your arm off.”

“Good to know. I’m in favor of keeping that mutt happy.”

“You have something against dogs?”

“Only ones who look at me like I’m on the dinner menu.”

Claire didn’t blame Scoop one bit. The man was drool-worthy. She licked dry lips and turned when the beach ended at a rock cliff jutting into the water. They started back the way they’d come.

“Do you plan to camp with this research group?”

She glanced over. “Not right away, although I may spend the night out there at some point. I have an appointment with the director tomorrow, so I’ll know more after that.”

“I’d give my left—uh, arm to see a Bigfoot. Can I tag along?”

Pressing a hand to her mouth, she couldn’t hold back a giggle. “You sound exactly like the ten-year-old boy I remember. I’ll tell them I have an associate and ask permission for you to join me on any expeditions.”

“Hot damn!”

The giggle erupted in a laugh. “You know it’s all probably a big, fat farce, right?”

“Sure, but what if it isn’t?”

“What if Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are real?”

“If you’re such a skeptic, why’re you writing the story?”

“I’m writing about the process of hunting for a Bigfoot…and photographing a beautiful area of California. Anyway, I have an open mind.” She swept a hand toward the forested hills rising away from the coast. “Who knows, any number of things could be hiding out there.”

He reached over to snag her hand and squeeze. A tingle shot up her arm then fluttered around in her chest before moving on to heat her southern regions.

“This is great, Claire. Running into you just made my week.” His grip tightened. “Unless you want me to take a hike, so to speak? If you’d prefer not to have company, I’ll understand.”

“I enjoy my dog, but having someone around who talks back is better.” When he released her, she hesitated then stuffed her fist into the windbreaker pocket. “Okay, maybe not always better, but I’m looking forward to hanging out with you. Evening campfires should be a shared experience.”

He stopped when they reached the trail to the parking area. “You’re okay with continuing our get-reacquainted session at the campground? I don’t want to be pushy or assume anything.”

“You’re not. We’re both alone, so why not join forces?”

Brushing a strand of hair off her cheek, his finger moved in a soft caress. She held her breath until his hand fell away.

They turned together to walk side-by-side up the path from the beach, their arms touching.

“I like the sound of that. I’m pretty handy to have around camp. I promise you won’t regret teaming up.”

A hint of doubt crept to the surface. Once before, leaving Jed had broken her heart. She couldn’t help wondering how the woman she’d become would fare when they parted ways this time. Looking into blue eyes full of light and laughter, she shrugged. It was a risk she was more than willing to take.

* * * *

At last!

He straightened in his seat and started the engine as a motor home rolled through town with Claire in the driver’s seat and a big, brown mutt riding shotgun. With a smile stretching his lips, he pulled onto the street behind an older SUV.

She was finally here. As he’d hoped, the pull of a Bigfoot story was too strong for her to ignore. After waiting an eternity, they’d be together the way she’d promised all those years ago.

He was counting on her to keep her word.

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he kept some distance between their vehicles then slowed when the RV pulled off the road into the lot of the supermarket on the far end of town. He edged up to the curb and parked. Turning in his seat, he held his breath as Claire stepped from the motor home and pushed the door shut behind her. Rays of late afternoon sun highlighted her beautiful blond hair.

The smile slipped from his face when she walked toward a man—one of those grunts who spent all his time in the gym from the looks of him—who slammed the door to the SUV that had been following her. What the hell? Claire wasn’t dating anyone. He’d kept close tabs on her over the last few months as the big day drew closer, and he was one hundred percent positive there was no significant man in her life. Surely she hadn’t picked up some guy on the drive to Shady Bend? One-night stands weren’t her style.

His hands clenched around the wheel as the two strolled side-by-side into the store. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, practicing the calming techniques his shrink had taught him. No point in panicking until he knew all the facts. No point in panicking, period. He’d simply adjust his plan to deal with any new circumstances.

Long minutes ticked by before Claire emerged carrying a bag of groceries. The stranger was still with her. He smacked his fist against the dashboard then closed his eyes and breathed deep. Opening them, he turned the key in the ignition and slouched lower in his seat when the woman he’d waited for—forever—drove past. Painful emotions churned in his gut as he flipped on his blinker to follow her through town. When she turned down the road leading to Towering Trees Campground, he continued past. Now was not the time to confront her. First, they’d get to know each other again. Maybe he’d leave a few more reminders of her promise.

Everything would have been perfect if the damned SUV hadn’t turned toward the campground right behind her. No matter. No one, certainly not some fly-by-night boy toy, was going to stop him from getting what he wanted—the beautiful Claire. Not this time.

 

 

 

Jed pounded in the last stake then pitched his sleeping bag, thermal pad and duffle bag into the tent. Stepping back, he stumbled over Scoop and lunged against the corner of the picnic table to break his fall.

“Damn!” He glared at the oversized mutt.

Every time he turned around, the dog was behind him. He couldn’t decide if it was a case of canine infatuation or the hound’s version of keeping his enemies closer.

Now, if Claire chose to follow his every move the way she had when she was a girl, he certainly wouldn’t complain. For a ten-year-old boy, her hero worship had been irritating at times but more often a source of secret pleasure. Even then, she’d been a cute little thing. Now there was an underlying layer of sexy that made his mouth go dry every time she smiled.

Especially when she smiled. He drew in a sharp breath.

There was something special about Claire. Her delicate beauty tugged on his heart…and wouldn’t his brother die laughing if he could hear that sentiment.

Letting out a grunt, he shook his head. Jesus, he was thinking like a girl. Time to man up and chop firewood or something.

“Move over, Scoop.” Giving the dog a push out of his way, he headed into the trees along the backside of the campground to forage for dead limbs. Returning with an armload, he dropped them beside the open fire ring and snuck a glance toward the motor home. Soft humming drifted through the open window along with an occasional burst of singing. What the hell was she doing in there—he glanced at his watch—for the last twenty-eight minutes and fourteen seconds?

The door opened, and Claire stepped out carrying a bowl in one hand and a plate topped with chicken breasts coated with some sort of marinade in the other.

“I made a salad. Shall we grill these?” She set her load onto the picnic table.

“Sounds good to me.”

She’d changed into athletic pants that hugged every curve of her body, along with a soft fleece top. His fingers twitched as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Mind out of the gutter, Lafferty.

“I have a gas hibachi and propane canisters in my car. I’ll get them.”

He gave himself a mental slap as he opened the back of the SUV to pull out the covered grill. She wasn’t the type of woman you hit on a few hours after meeting, even if they did have a history together.

He carried the hibachi back to the picnic table and set it up. “What else are we having?”

She gave him a blank look.

“You know, to fill up on. Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread?”

“Uh, I’ll be full with just chicken and salad.”

He patted his stomach. “I’d be starving again before bedtime. I have a stockpile of boxed pasta meals. I live on those things. It’ll only take a few minutes to whip one up.”

“They’re full of sodium.”

“Who’re you, the health food police? They taste great.”

“Knock yourself out. You can use the stove in the motor home if you want.”

“I have a camp stove.”

After a second trip to the rear end of his SUV, he hauled back a tub full of pots and dishes and another one loaded with nonperishable foods, along with the stove. Minutes later the pasta was bubbling and the chicken sizzling.

Claire sat in a canvas camp chair and stroked her dog’s ears. “You seem awfully handy in the kitchen.”

“Yep. I’m competent at most everything I do on a regular basis. Sometimes more than competent.”

“I bet.”

Were her cheeks pinker than they’d been a moment before? Did she think he was alluding to his skill in bed? Or was he the only one with sex on the brain? Heat crept up his neck as he searched for a new subject.

“Where do you live when you aren’t driving around the country in search of the perfect picture?”

“Right now, nowhere.”

The spoon stilled, suspended over the pot. “Huh?”

“I was renting a little cottage north of San Francisco. When the owner died, his family put the house on the market. It sold in about two seconds.”

“They booted you out?”

“Sixty days’ notice. I put all my furniture in storage and am living in the motor home for the summer. I should think about getting another place once I wrap up this story. It’s already the middle of September….” She shrugged one shoulder. “I haven’t decided where exactly I want to live, which is why I’m still traveling around like a nomad. All I know is I’d like to make this move permanent. I’ve spent most of my life never belonging anywhere, and frankly I’m sick of it.”

“Don’t you have to be near your work?”

“The magazine has headquarters in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. I only stop by the West Coast office once or twice a month since everything I do is online for the most part. When someone needs to speak to me, they pick up a phone. Occasionally I meet face to face with my editor to go over details or get her approval for a story idea if I feel an in-person appeal will produce better results. Bottom line, I can pretty much live wherever I want.”

“Food’s ready.” He served the chicken and set the plates on the picnic table. “Sure you don’t want some pasta?”

She sat down on the bench then heaped salad on her plate. “Maybe a small helping. I’m pretty hungry.”

“I’d be half dead if I ate what you did for lunch.” He dropped a spoonful of noodles next to her chicken then sat across from her. “So, where are you considering establishing your home base?”

“I imagine I’ll stay somewhere in Northern California. Definitely a small town. I’ve lived in cities before and wasn’t much of a fan. I like the ocean.”

He glanced up from his meal. “How about mountains? Do you like those?”

“I do in the summer. Winters…” She wiggled her hand back and forth. “I went on a couple of ski trips to the Sierras when I was in college. I spent most of the day picking myself up off the snow.”

His gaze roamed from her face downward, and he cleared his throat. “You look athletic. I bet you’d learn fast with a few lessons. Where’d you go to college?”

“Cal Berkeley. How about you?”

“I stayed in Reno and went to the university there for a couple of years before I dropped out. All I wanted to do was spend my time outside. It finally dawned on me that planning a career which would lead to working indoors was just plain foolish. I’d have been miserable.”

“Obviously you aren’t.”

“Nope. I love what I do—or did. I’ll figure out something new to keep me busy in the summer. I’m great at thinking outsi. . .