Now that I’d tasted happiness and love, how much would it hurt if I lost him?

Chapter Twenty-Two

I texted Marco after I picked up our lunch, letting him know I’d be there in less than five minutes.

When I got there, he was waiting outside the station in his uniform, the sunlight making his hair look blonder. A huge smile spread across his face as I pulled up to the curb. He got inside, then leaned over and gave me a lingering kiss.

“You look pretty today,” he said as he settled back, his gaze dipping to take in my dress and my bare legs. When he met my eyes again, he looked dazed. “Your eyes are like the summer sky.”

I grinned. “Now you sound like a poet.”

“There are never enough words to describe how you make me feel, Carly.”

We stared at each other for several long seconds, seriousness hanging on the edge of our playfulness.

“Did you get the address?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“I did.” He reached for me again, then groaned. “Let’s go to the park and eat, then we’ll drive by your mystery address.”

“It’s not a mystery,” I said as I put the car into drive. “I’ve learned a few things since I last saw you.”

“I’m all ears.”

As I drove toward the park, I told him about the electricity problem in town and Max’s plan for the night.

He chuckled. “Max has always had a business head. I’m not surprised he pulled a plan out of his ass like that.”

Then I told him about going by the memorial again and following Melinda Palmer to the church and seeing Ricky. “Not only are the Palmers members, but Jim was a part-time youth leader.”

He sat up. “So Pam and Jim did know each other?”

“Ricky said no, but Pam was in charge of the nursery. Surely their paths crossed from time to time.”

“You think something might have happened at the church to upset her?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I know we’re trying to prove this was Bart’s doing, with the caveat that Pam might have had another motivation. And I found out something else.” He turned to face me. “Chuck Holston says he’s not the father of Ashlynn’s baby.”

“What?”

“He thought she was five months pregnant, but at her ultrasound a few weeks ago he found out that she was six months along.” I turned to him briefly and lifted my eyebrows. “Which meant he was in jail when she got pregnant.”

“Wow.”

“That’s why I had you get that address. Ashlynn didn’t come home last night, and Chuck said she might be at Jonathon Whitmore’s house. He insinuated Ashlynn slept around a lot, but Jonathon might be the father.”

Marco was silent for a moment, and I pulled into the parking lot of the park.

“There’s another possibility about who the father might be,” he said when I turned off the car.

“Jim Palmer?” If I were honest, I’d considered it deep down.

“It wouldn’t be the first time a youth leader took advantage of a young girl.”

“But she graduated a year ago.”

“How long had he been a youth leader?” he asked.

“Good question. I asked Ricky, but he wasn’t sure. Sounded like he’d been a leader for as long as Ricky’s been a member.”

“And he’s a senior?”

“Yeah.”

“So Jim would have overlapped with Ashlynn for at least two years.” He shrugged. “If she was a member.”

“I’m pretty sure she would have been involved whether she wanted to be or not. Thad wasn’t at the youth group landscaping project, and Ricky said their dad would be pissed if he found out. It sounds like Rob Crimshaw wants his children in the youth group.” I remembered our lunch and reached for the bag in the back seat, then handed it to Marco. “The salad’s mine.”

“Thank God.” He grinned as he opened it. “Whatever you got me smells delicious.”

“I know you like Rockman’s grilled ham and cheese.”

He laughed. “I’ll have to find time to work out later.”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll give you a workout.”

He turned to me with shock in his eyes, and truth be told, I was surprised too. I’d never been so flirty with a man before. I’d never felt safe enough to let down my guard.

He leaned over and cupped my face. “Don’t take this as a complaint, but this is going to take some getting used to. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do this over the past few months. How many times I’ve had to restrain myself.”

“A few months?”

He grinned. “Maybe longer. I’m trying not to scare you off.”

“I’m here, Marco. I’m not going anywhere.”

He kissed me, a feather-light press of his lips that left me hungry for more.

Still cupping my face, he pulled back. “This not getting arrested for public indecency thing might become an issue.”

I laughed. “Then maybe we should get out and sit on opposite sides of the picnic table.”

“I can’t promise I won’t lunge over the top.”

“I can’t promise I’ll shove you away.”

He grinned. “I guess we’ll take our chances.”

I grinned back. “I guess we will.”

We got out and walked over to the table, but Marco snagged my hand and tugged me closer so we were walking side by side. His gaze roamed my body. “I’m not used to seein’ you in a dress.”

“I used to wear them all the time when I was a…”

He pulled me to a stop. “Do you want your old life back?” The worry in his voice nearly broke my heart.

I did, didn’t I? But when I thought of my old life, it felt lonely and empty. I’d had comforts I didn’t have now—a nice apartment, nice clothes, a nice job. But everything had felt strangely hollow. My life here, however imperfect, felt so much richer, mostly because of Marco.

“I want you, Marco. Wherever that brings us.”

Emotion filled his eyes, and he pulled me to his chest, holding me for a long second before he kissed the top of my head and released me. I took his hand again, needing that connection to him, and we resumed our walk to the table.

“Jim Palmer’s house is for sale,” I said.

He jerked his head down to look at me. “Already?”

“Yeah. Apparently, his wife didn’t waste any time.”

We sat down on either side of the picnic bench, and he handed me the bag and pulled out his phone.

I reached into the bag and pulled out my salad container. “What are you doing?”

“Give me a second.” He started tapping and scrolling while I set his Styrofoam container in front of him. He whipped his screen around to face me. “The house has been on the market for nineteen days.”

My mouth fell open as I stared at the listing on a real estate website. “Right around the time Chuck found out he wasn’t the father.”

His body tensed. “Shit.”

We sat in silence, until I finally said, “Selena told me that Pam lost it a few weeks ago. A sales clerk was supposed to hold a crib for her at a thrift store, but it got sold while they ate lunch. Pam was outraged and threw a fit. Totally unlike her. Then she insisted on leaving and sobbed in the car. Selena says she refused to tell her what was wrong.”