Fatal Impulse: A Widow's Web Novel Read online

Andi glanced outside and grinned. “It does, but it’s a lot of fun.”

  “Chrysler is darned proud of them Jeeps. Where’d ya get the money for it?”

  Lots of locals were blunt, but this old gal took the cake. She said what everyone else thought but wouldn’t voice. Andi said, “My husband died.”

  Marge’s left eye twitched, but she didn’t glance away. “Sorry deal, that.” She slid the change across the counter, then flicked her eyes back down to her crossword puzzle.

  “Mind if I leave it here for a bit? I’m riding somewhere with a friend.”

  The stout woman behind the counter grunted and nodded. The driveway alarm sounded with a ding and Marge looked past Andi. “Cheap transplant. Foreigners like him come in here and think they own the place, too cheap to pay full price. Know darned good and well he makes more money than us.”

  Andi shook her head at the older woman’s gall, then turned to see Paul as he wheeled into the lot in his yellow Wrangler. She pocketed her change and pushed through the glass door. He had on a t-shirt and a faded denim jacket, and his light brown hair poked out from beneath his Red Sox ball cap. His tan gave him a healthy, natural look, and he swung out of the Jeep with the easy manner of a man comfortable in his own skin.

  He greeted her with a light hug and gave her a peck on the cheek, as if they met like that every day. His hand reached for hers with ease and he turned to lead her towards the stack of old lobster traps heaped against the side of an rickety shed where chipmunks scurried about.

  “Got to stop and see these little guys before we take off.” His infective enthusiasm charmed her, and the warmth of his hand enveloping hers was soothing and comfortable. “I feed them every time I stop in here. Check this little fella out.”

  He squatted down and pointed at a tiny chipmunk, chubby and bright-eyed, his little tail flipping up and down. He sat at the very edge of the pile, torn between curiosity and fear. Andi’d never seen a baby chipmunk before, and thought he was about the cutest thing she’d ever seen.

  Paul reached in his pocket and pulled out some sunflower seeds, then opened her hand and poured some seeds in. He squatted and whispered, “Hold your hand out and keep still.”

  She knelt and extended her hand, not daring to even breathe. The little creature crept forward, his nose twitching. Finally, his tiny little feet tickled her fingers as he grabbed a seed, then retreated to the safety of a trap. She giggled and Paul smacked her lightly on the arm. “See there! He trusts you.”

  She flinched at the sudden touch and her laughter died as memories of Chad flitted through her mind, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were glued to the baby chipmunk perched just out of reach. He gushed, “Awesome, huh?”

  “Yes – awesome!” She laughed, determined to push thoughts of Chad away. Just then, Burt Davis charged out the back door of the auto shop and scared the little chipmunk away.

  The old mechanic glared at them as he jerked open the door of the old shed, sending little chipmunks scurrying for cover. Andi stared at the jumble of boxes and cartons stacked haphazardly in the building, amazed that nothing fell on Burt’s head as he scrounged through the mess.

  Paul pushed to his feet, grabbed her hand and led her towards his Jeep. “We can take mine this time, and we’ll take yours next time. Deal?” He opened the half door for her.

  “Deal.” She decided to just go with it. The sun shone brightly, the crisp salty air reminded her of how lucky she was to live on the ocean, and the gorgeous guy paying attention to her made her feel young again. But was she being unfaithful to Chad? She shivered involuntarily.

  He slid into the driver’s seat and looked at her. He asked, “You cold? There’re jackets in the back seat if you need one.”

  “No, I’m fine. Just had a chill.”

  He reached into the back seat, leaning towards her. His chest brushed her arm. She stiffened at the casual touch and swallowed hard.

  He sat back in his seat and handed her a pink ball cap. “Here, you might want to wear this. With the top off, it gets pretty windy.”

  She accepted the cap and settled it on her head. The new pixie cut would be perfect for Jeeping.

  Bonus.

  The rest of the day passed like a dream. She couldn’t have asked for a more perfect outing. They chatted as they drove north on Paradise Hill Road. Tall cedars stretched up on both sides of them. He wheeled into the concrete lot and parked far away from the visitors center.

  He pulled a small cooler and a blanket from the back of the Jeep. She took the throw and folded it over one arm. He grabbed her free hand and led her to the start of the carriage trail. The flat, easy trail led them to picturesque Witch Hole Pond in minutes. Several bicycles passed them, and they met a handful of other hikers.

  He stepped up onto one of the large flat rocks that lined the trail. “Do you know what we call these?” He held out his hand.

  She took his hand and let him pull her up beside him. “No, what?”

  “Rockefeller’s Teeth.” He hopped off and pulled her towards him, away from the trail. He led her along a barely noticeable path until they reached an outcropping of rock smoothed by centuries of harsh Maine winds.

  The blue sky opened above them as the trees thinned a bit. A beaver splashed into Witch Hole Pond, then swam away, leaving a V-shaped wake behind him. Andi’s mouth gaped open. “This is absolutely enchanting. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Lily pads nearly covered the lake, and two more beavers scurried around their dam on the north side of the pond, oblivious of their audience.

  He helped her spread the blanket out and they settled on it. They nibbled on ham and cheese sandwiches and he offered her an orange soda. With a grin, she accepted the aluminum can. “This reminds me of being a kid.”

  He popped open one for himself. “Does me, too.”

  He leaned towards her as they talked, interested, and drew her out with questions. She found herself telling him about her childhood, pets, and family. After she tucked her trash in the paper sack Paul had brought along, she stretched her legs out and leaned back. The lichen covered rock was smooth and cool under her touch. She let her head fall backward and watched the wispy clouds drift across the blue sky.

  He took a long drink of soda, then asked, “How do you like your job at the welcome center?”

  She ran her tongue over her teeth before answering. “I like it. I knew there were a lot of tourists in the summer, but never realized just how many until I started working there.”

  He gazed out at the blue-green water stretching to the south. “We need to do a better job of catering to the upper class tourists. More money there.”

  She thought about the harried families who stopped in at the center. “I don’t see many upper class tourists.”

  “There used to be lots of them. You know, the Harbor Fest was a great start, with the addition of fine art.”

  Her heart swelled under his praise. Chad had never thought her capable of anything, never noticed all that she did. The wind picked up and ruffled her short hair. It still felt new.

  “I’d love to see Buccaneer Bay do something more high class, like lunch on the lawn at Jordan Pond. I’ll take you there sometime.” Paul squinted as he studied her. “So, what do you really want to do?”

  She blinked and cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean?”

  “Surely you want to do something else – I mean, usually the job at the welcome center is filled by retired folks who just need a time filler.”

  She stiffened, “I know it’s nothing big, but it pays the bills.”

  He reached over and patted her thigh. “No, don’t take that the wrong way. I’m not putting you down. See, I’m an executive with the Chamber of Commerce and want to make sure we’re not wasting talent.”

  She laughed it off, but her skin tingled where he had touched her. Maybe he could help her get a better job. With b
ills stacking up, a raise would sure help.

  Paul studied her for a moment and seemed to recognize the change in her. He dropped the subject and launched into a story about a local businessman. “At one of my first big events, we hosted a reception for a businessman visiting from the Middle East. I sent an email to everyone who was invited with a list of etiquette tips, but one pillar of our community - I won’t say who - didn’t read the email. When I introduced him to the visiting dignitary, he extended his left hand.”

  Andi’s eyebrows arched, “And that’s bad?”

  Paul leaned towards her and confided, “In their culture, the left hand is reserved for, well, hygiene.”

  Her eyes widened when she put two and two together, “Oh, no! How offended was the man from the Middle East?”

  “Very. He refused to shake hands and turned his back on the American.”

  “Ouch.” Andi cringed and shook her head. It was good to hear about someone else’s screw ups for a change. A shadow passed over them and she looked up at the dark clouds rolling in over the lake. “Maybe we should pack up and get those pictures taken.”

  He followed her gaze and nodded. They worked together to clean up then walked down the carriage path to the Jeep. She held the passenger seat up for him so he could put the cooler back in the Jeep. His arm brushed against her breast, and she felt a tingle all the way to her toes. She slid into the seat and he leaned close, his ice blue eyes intense as the Maine sky on a summer day, and she felt sure he could see all the hopes and fears and secrets hidden deep within her own. His lips brushed her lightly and her heart raced. She pressed her hand against his chest, and his heart pounded just as hard as hers.

  He pulled back and smiled and, just like that, she fell for him.

  And hated herself for doing so.

  Fact was, she didn’t want to be alone. Even being married to someone like Chad was preferable to being alone. But think how good it could be with someone like Paul, a polite man who knew how to treat a woman.

  They walked around and took quite a few pictures. The two worked well together. She pointed out things that appealed to her as an outsider, and he found creative ways to change the perspective. By the time they were finished, they were both satisfied with the results.

  As they drove south towards Buccaneer Bay, the trees closed in around them, sometimes nearly blotting out the sky completely. As they neared town, she glanced over at him and said, “What about your wife?”

  His head swung towards her. “I’m sorry?”

  Her fingertips brushed her lips as she thought of the kiss. “You told me you and your wife are separating.”

  His chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “We are.”

  “Have you moved out? Or are you still living together?” There was a tan line on his left ring finger. Why hadn’t she noticed that sooner?

  “We’re still living together, for the sake of convenience, but the marriage is over.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “And what’s your story? Ever been married?”

  “Yes.” After a pause, she added, “I was. For six years.”

  “Was?” He glanced at her, then returned his focus to the road. “When was the divorce final?”

  Wind tugged at her hat. She pulled it down tight. “He died.”

  Traffic ahead of them slowed, so he tapped the brakes and looked at her, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry. How long ago?”

  She chewed her bottom lip. “Not long.”

  “How did it …?” His voice trailed off. The warm smile faded.

  “Accident.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said again, then he recovered and accelerated as the traffic in front of them began to move. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. “Wait! Andi Adams – I knew I recognized your name! Your husband was Dr. Adams - he was that dentist that fell onto the rocks, up by the Clifftop – oh, man, how horrible. I’m so, so sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” She shrugged and swallowed the lump in her throat.

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. Goosebumps pebbled her skin, and she shivered. A day did not go by that she didn’t remember that night. The sound of his screams haunted her.

  They didn’t speak again until they reached Caddy’s Quick Shop. She slid out of the Jeep, and he did, too. Sort of. He stood, one leg on the ground, the other inside, half-sitting on the driver’s seat.

  “Listen. I don’t want to push you. I didn’t realize.” His voice trailed off. He shrugged and one corner of his mouth twitched upward, “But I like you a lot, and I’d like to see you again.”

  She nodded and smiled. His smile spread across his face and her knees felt like spaghetti. She liked the fact that his front teeth were slightly crooked. It gave him character. “I’d like that, too.”

  “I’ll call you, then.”

  “I’d like that.” Maybe she needed to invest in a thesaurus. She hopped into her Jeep and drove away, glancing at the rearview mirror at his reflection until the road curved around and she couldn’t see him anymore.

  19

  Andi spoke to Dana on the phone several times after the trip to Witch Hole Pond, but hadn’t confided in her yet about her day with Paul, whom she had also spoken to on the phone several times. Her heart felt like a balloon, pulling her up, lifting her mood. Just the thought of Paul made her smile.

  She met Dana at the Black Sails Diner for lunch that next week, and the secret of her budding romance (dare she think of it like that?) had her ready to burst, so after Maggie set their salads down, Andi said, “Remember me telling you that Paul and I were going to Witch Hole Pond last weekend?”

  Dana paused, fork in midair, dressing dripping from the lettuce. Her eyes pinned Andi’s. “Just the two of you?”

  “It’s not what you think. It was for work,” Andi insisted. “And he and his wife are getting a divorce.”

  “Work. Right.” Dana stuck her fork in her mouth and chewed slowly, then, “Getting. Not gotten.”

  Andi plunged forward, “I’m not looking for a relationship. Besides, it’s flattering to have someone pay attention to me.”

  Dana nodded. “I know. And I know things weren’t as perfect as they seemed between you and Chad.”

  Andi’s body tensed as the unwanted memories returned, wondered how much her friend noticed over the years. Did she notice the bruises? Did she wonder why Andi wore sunglasses so often? Did her friend believe she was that clumsy? Did she know how it felt to cower in the corner while a man out of his mind with rage ranted and raved because the soup cans weren’t alphabetized?

  Andi closed her eyes and shivered, then pushed the memories away. She met Dana’s gaze and said, “I know what you’re thinking. That Chad hasn’t been gone long. But here’s the thing. I’ve waited for so long to be happy, I don’t want to waste time.”

  Concern softened Dana’s features. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Believe me, I don’t want that either.” In more ways than one, Andi thought. How could she explain that she wanted to put Chad firmly in her past? That she wanted to pretend the marriage never happened?

  Dana’s eyes focused in on a point behind her friend, and Andi turned to follow her gaze. Paul and a beautiful raven-haired woman walked in the door, and waited to be seated. His hand spread across the small of her back, and her head tilted intimately towards him. She brushed her hair back with her left hand, and a huge diamond glittered under the diner’s lights.

  Her wedding ring.

  His wife.

  Andi turned slowly back to Dana, and smiled, trying to hide her pain behind a façade that she hoped wouldn’t crack. At least not until she was alone.

  “See. Not even bothered.” She stabbed a slice of hard-boiled egg with her fork. “Now, tell me about what’s going on with your life. You told me you and Derek are
seeing a lot of each other lately.”

  “Yes, I think he might be the one.” Dana paused and tilted her head, her emerald eyes narrowed. “You sure you’re okay with listening to this?”

  “Absolutely. Fill me in.” Andi imagined Paul’s face on the other half of the hard-boiled egg and stabbed it. She refused to even glance in his direction, and focused on her friend for the remainder of the meal, though she only heard a few words here and there.

  A couple of days later, she curled up on the sofa with a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream smothered with chocolate syrup. With Chad gone, she could enjoy it guilt free. After a long day at the tourism center, with a group of elderly couples on a bus trip wanting to know every detail of every attraction in the area, she relaxed into the cushions. She closed her eyes and rolled the creamy sweetness in her mouth, savoring it. The doorbell rang and her eyes sprang open.

  She peered through the peephole and saw a middle-aged man wearing a polo shirt. She’d seen him around town, but didn’t know him. She opened the door and said, “Can I help you?”

  He grinned. “I hope so! My wife has wanted to live in this neighborhood for ages and I just noticed the for sale sign.”

  She shook her head, but he forged ahead. “I realize it’s rude for me to just stop in without calling first, but can you tell me how many bedrooms there are?”

  Her heart sank. Even if she turned him away, he’d just call the agent. There was no escaping the fact that her house was for sale. “Three bedrooms, two full baths.”

  He leaned out and looked to the side. “Looks like there’s a basement. Is it finished?”

  She sighed. “Not completely. My husband used it as a workshop.”

  The man rubbed his beefy hands together. “A man cave.”

  She shrank with every word he uttered. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t a good time. Perhaps you should call the agent and make an appointment.”

  “Of course,” His large head bobbed. “I didn’t mean to impose.”

  She shut the door before he stepped off the porch. The house might be for sale, but that didn’t mean she had to offer tours for drop-ins. The sofa was calling her name, so she settled in to watch TV. She tucked her feet under her and snuggled into the corner, just as the opening scene started. The phone rang and she debated on letting the machine pick it up, then shrugged and picked up the handset from the end table.