Page 95 of Trace of Doubt
I trembled.
Denton touched my shoulder. “There’s no reason for you to go through this alone. The Pearce family took a giant step forward in the last twenty-four hours.”
“I will treasure every minute for as long as I live.” A longing to face the man who’d inched into my heart coursed over me. Why his caring when my past lay in blackness with no hope for the future?
“Shelby, tears are healing.”
I turned and allowed him to hold me. He dropped his crutches and embraced me with both hands. The smell of him, the tenderness, the stroke of his hands in my hair all belonged to a more worthy woman. Not since my childhood and early teens had I experienced genuine caring without conditions attached. The joy and confirmation of no longer enduring abandonment by those in this world filled my wounded heart. He kissed my cheek, and the intimacy burst the dam of pent-up hurts.
I have no idea how long I shed one tear after another, but when I stepped back with spirit-filled renewal, my foot bumped against a crutch. “I’m so sorry. You could have fallen.” I retrieved both crutches, and he slipped them under his arms.
“Holding you was worth a fall.”
I dug deep for words. “I—”
He brushed my lips with a kiss. “I’m not apologizing.”
Fifteen years without a kiss, and none of my teenage memories compared to the warmth of his lips touching mine. “You did tell me to ‘deal with it.’”
“I love you.” He traced my lips with his finger.
“I’m afraid you love me for the wrong reasons. Denton, you realized I’m not a thief, but I’m still a killer.”
“I’ve determined more, but I’ll save it for another time.” He smiled. “If you’re not in a hurry, let’s sit and talk on the porch—not about us. Just a few moments to relax. Oh, Randy had a relapse at the bar last night, and he’s back in the hospital.”
I eased onto a rocker away from his closeness with a wave of regret over the unknown. “Thanks for all you’ve done yesterday and today. Letting Aria and I grow close and inviting Dad and her to spend the night. We all invaded your privacy, and I’m so grateful.”
He moved a little slower easing onto the rocker and positioning his crutches. “Felt good thinking about someone other than myself. What caused the change in your dad?”
“I wanted to ask him. But when he didn’t offer an explanation, I assumed his reasons were personal. Other than the hurt caused by Marissa’s move.” No way could I go into our conversation without Denton probing into forbidden territory.
“Where are you?”
A loaded question on many levels. Too many things about Marissa didn’t add up.
The rhythm of the rocking chair blended with the incredible mellowness flowing through me. “My spirit has quieted from one end of the spectrum to the other.”
“I’m listening.”
“The longer I believe in God and His grace, the more I feel His love. Growing stronger in my faith has caused me to hold on tighter. This very minute I’m weak, and I hope the renewed relationship with my family keeps the Pearces united. Yet I’m tired of fighting. I want to give up, but I refuse to admit defeat. If I lose, the enemy wins.” I gazed into Denton’s brown eyes, the ones my heart refused to forget. “In this instance, stubbornness is an asset. There is a way to bring justice to what’s happening.”
“I have an idea.” He grabbed his crutches. “We’ll take our discussion inside.”
57
DENTON
How could Shelby and I shove her stalker into the open without risking her life? A revisit to the original plan seemed like our best option, and we agreed one more time to implement a fake suicide. Other matters connected with the case bothered me. She agreed to lie low for a few days while the FBI dug deeper into their expanded money-laundering investigation. And I had concerns about Marissa that needed to be analyzed.
Shelby reached across the sofa and touched my hand. “I believe in your plan.”
“This time it will work. I’d like for you to stay here through tomorrow.”
“For many of our friends, the arrangement looks like we’re having an affair.”
“Don’t I wish.”
“Denton, I’m serious.”
