Pay the Price (Harmony Grove Book 3) by Carol Post (which ebook reader txt) 📕

then taken outside to be shot, I think I’m ready to hang up my amateur sleuth hat.”

Tommy laughed, then bid them farewell. After he had walked away, Shane frowned down at her. “That good night’s sleep you mentioned to Tommy needs to happen at the hospital.”

“I’m fine, really.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I saw you almost pass out after you kicked the pistol out of Spike’s hand. You probably have a concussion. You need to be checked.”

“Believe me, this is nothing. I’ve suffered a lot worse at the hands of my last stepfather.”

He pressed his lips together. “I’m worried about you, Jess. I want to know you’re all right.”

She looped her arms around his neck. “Does this mean I’m forgiven?”

“You were forgiven before you even said ‘I’m sorry.’” He drew her into his embrace. “We’re both all right, and that’s all that matters. I was praying so hard.”

“So was I. Both of our prayers were answered.” Or maybe it was just Shane’s. But somehow, hers had been heard, too.

“When I cleared the side of the building and saw Spike dragging you inside by your hair, my heart almost stopped.” He pulled her more tightly against him. “I didn’t know how I was going to get you out of there. Then Branch caught me, and I was afraid we were both goners.”

“It’s finally over.” She rested her head against his chest and released a satisfied sigh, sinking into the safety of his embrace. And for once in her life, she felt loved, cherished and protected. It wouldn’t last. It would be over tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the next day or the day after.

Then it would happen. He would knock on her door or show up at BethAnn’s to tell her he was leaving. She’d have to listen to his apologies and excuses for why he couldn’t stay. She’d have to see the regret and pity on his face. And she’d have to fake a smile and wish him well and pretend her heart wasn’t breaking.

No, she couldn’t do it. She squeezed her eyes shut. She’d said a lot of goodbyes in her lifetime. Not this time. She was tired of being strong.

For once, she was going to be a coward.

Chapter Eighteen

Jessica walked down Main Street, the morning sun casting her shadow down the sidewalk several feet in front of her. Her purse hung from one shoulder, and a plastic bag holding a sandwich and banana swung from the other hand. A week and a half had passed since she’d almost gotten herself killed. The nightmares still hadn’t gone away.

She’d decided to stay in Harmony Grove, at least for the foreseeable future. She could deal with most of the town knowing her past. She could deal with that feeling of having to prove herself in the eyes of the community. She could even deal with Caroline’s gossip.

The one thing she hadn’t been able to handle was saying goodbye to Shane. So she’d done what she’d decided that night at Driggers—she’d taken the coward’s way out. Early the next morning, she’d talked with BethAnn and headed for Miami.

Jessica had leveled with her, and BethAnn had promised to help spare her the discomfort of that dreaded goodbye.

It was her own fault. She’d been stupid. She’d allowed herself to fall in love with a man who she’d known would never be there for her long-term. BethAnn had been sympathetic, almost as if she’d been there herself. Maybe she had some of her own bad choices to draw on. Or maybe she just possessed that special gene that made empathy innate.

She swung open the door and stepped into BethAnn’s Fabrics and Crafts. Shane was gone now. Gone from Harmony Grove, anyway. It would be a long time before he’d be gone from her heart. And her dreams.

She still owed him the bail money, but BethAnn had promised to be the intermediary on that, collecting the cash from Jessica and sending a check to Shane, once he gave her his new address.

BethAnn flashed her a broad smile as the door swung shut. “Welcome back.”

“Thank you for the time off.” After only three weeks on the job, the last thing she’d deserved was being allowed to take off for a ten-day stay in Miami, especially after she’d already missed one day due to being arrested. But that was BethAnn, generous to a fault.

Besides insuring that she wouldn’t run into Shane, the ten days had given her plenty of time to clean out the storage unit, donate what she didn’t absolutely have to keep, and pack the rest of the items into her car. Since she’d lost her apartment as of the end of last month, she’d crashed on a friend’s couch. While not comfortable, it had beat the alternative hands down. Her petless friend had even allowed her to bring Buttons.

“I hope I didn’t leave you in too much of a lurch last week.”

“Not at all. But your timing is good. I’m teaching a fabric collage class this morning, so you can man the store.”

“No problem.” It was a good thing her assignment was manning the store, because she had no idea what a fabric collage was.

While BethAnn gathered the supplies for her class, Jessica put her lunch in the fridge, stocked the cash drawer and prepared for the day. Soon, the half dozen ladies that were signed up began to arrive, and from ten until twelve, Jessica handled the store alone.

When the ladies filed out of the back room shortly after noon, Mrs. Silverton held what looked like a colorful rendition of Buttons. Her kindly neighbor had insisted on returning to her dog-sitting duties so Jessica wouldn’t have to come home every day. The arrangement benefited all three of them. The dog and the old lady had each other’s company for the day, and Jessica didn’t have to look at those sad eyes peering up at her from the living room floor as she slipped out the door.

After the last person had left, BethAnn joined Jessica at