The Son He Never Knew. KRISTI GOLD
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What choice did she have? “The price is a little steep but beggars can’t be choosers. And as far as Gabe knowing I’m renting the house, I imagine everyone’s going to hear about what happened last night sooner or later.” More than likely sooner.
“Okay. I’ll let him know and drop off the rent during my shift.”
That posed another problem. “My checkbook’s at the house.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Jess already owed him too much. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the rest of my things. What about the utilities?”
Chase dropped down on the shabby blue sofa. “The electricity’s still on but the heat runs on propane and the tank’s empty. I’ll call Freddie and see if he can deliver some tomorrow.”
“It’s not supposed to be too cold tonight. We’ll manage.” Jess pointed at the pot-belly stove in the corner. “Or we could use that I guess.”
“I’ll see if I can find some wood before I go.”
Jess didn’t want him to go, but she also didn’t dare ask him to stay. “As long as we have blankets, we’ll be okay until tomorrow. What time are you on today?”
He came to his feet. “I work eleven to eleven.”
“A twelve-hour shift?”
“That’s what happens when you’re short on manpower.”
That meant he had little time left before he had to leave, and she probably wouldn’t see him again today. “I really need some extra clothes and my car from the house.”
“I’ll have to accompany you and I don’t have much time. If you have enough to get by until tomorrow, we can stop by first thing in the morning.”
“I guess we can make do,” she said, though she hated not having control over claiming her own belongings. “But we will need food.”
“I’ll send Sue over with some lunch as soon as I’m back at the department. She can bring you some groceries after work.”
Jess didn’t particularly care for that idea. “Again, I don’t have any cash and I really wouldn’t want to inconvenience anyone.”
“Sue won’t mind as long as I promise to cover the cost, which I will.”
“I have my own money, Chase.”
“I’m sure you do, and you can pay me back by making me dinner sometime. I could go for some mac and cheese or tuna fish sandwiches.”
He still thought she was the girl who couldn’t cook to save her life. Little did he know, she’d learned a lot in his absence. “Fine. But I still don’t want Sue to have to come all the way out here.”
Chase inclined his head and studied her a few moments. “If you’re worried she’ll tell someone your whereabouts, don’t. You can trust her.”
Jess’s concerns had more to do with shame than privacy. But her growing boy needed to eat and until she had her own transportation, she’d have to rely on the kindness of others. “Okay. As long as you promise I’ll have my car back by tomorrow.”
“I promise,” he said.
Jess noticed her son had taken a seat in the yellow-striped chair near the door, still stoic and silent. “Do you want to pick out your room, Danny?” she asked, hoping to somehow engage him.
He shook his head no and studied the toe of his sneaker.
“Well, I’m going to take a look around and you can decide later,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere unless you tell me.” Like that would happen since he still refused to speak.
Jess crossed the room into an adjacent hallway and came to the first door to her right—a small bathroom with a claw-foot tub on the opposite wall. When she heard heavy footfalls, she glanced back to see Chase filling the doorway. “This is great,” she said as she examined the tub that appeared to be clean and in decent shape except for a few nicks here and there. “Unfortunately, no shower. Is there another bathroom?”
“Nope. But I can rig you a hand-held when I come back tomorrow.”
Funny, she’d gone from four fully-equipped baths to one. “I’d appreciate that.” She’d also appreciate it if he stepped back to give her some space.
When he failed to move, Jess brushed past him and continued her investigation of the premises. The first bedroom housed two sets of bunk beds, the second two double beds, all reminders that a large family had once lived there. At the end of the corridor, she came upon the largest room that held a dresser and another double bed with an iron headboard that looked to be as old as the house itself.
Again she turned to find Chase with a shoulder propped against the frame. “I assume this is the master bedroom.”
He sent her a half-smile. “Yep. The place where the Wooleys made all the little Wooleys.”
He could have gone all day without mentioning that. “Let’s hope the mattress has since been replaced. And speaking of that, I noticed all the beds have been stripped.”
“Gabe said there’s clean linens in the hall closet.”
At least she wouldn’t have to bring those from the house. “Good. What about the washer and dryer?”
“Washer but no dryer. Nita hung her clothes on the line.”
Jess felt as if she’d unwittingly stepped back in time. “I suppose that’s why they invented coin-operated laundries.” And the nearest one happened to be five miles away.
“The washer’s in a small room off the kitchen,” Chase said as he stepped into the bedroom, making the adequate space seemed too cramped for Jess’s comfort.
She clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “Let’s go see the kitchen, shall we?” When Chase laughed, taking her by surprise, Jess asked, “What’s so amusing?”
“For a minute there I saw the head cheerleader coming out in you.”
She hadn’t had anything to cheer about in years. “That girl went away a long time ago. If you don’t believe me, take a gander at my backside.”
Chase raked his gaze down her body and back up again. “You don’t look all that different, Jess.”
“Try telling that to Dalton.” She regretted the acid comment the moment it left her mouth.
Chase scowled as he always did whenever she mentioned his archenemy’s name. “You shouldn’t care what that bastard thinks.”
Old verbal wounds were hard to heal. “I don’t care about anything but seeing the kitchen.”
He stepped aside and made a sweeping gesture toward