Cross My Heart (Ty & Hunter 1)

She had a few days left until her birthday, the day when she’d go back to Hawken’s Cove and claim her trust fund. A day when she’d sign the house over to her uncle for good. She wanted nothing to do with that part of her life.

As for the money, the court-appointed trustee who’d taken over for the now jailed Paul Dunne had info rmed her that Paul had embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. The estate itself now consisted of one point seven million dollars, excluding the house and real estate.

An amount she could barely comprehend.

Despite the loss, more than enough remained for her to cover her uncle’s cost of living in the house, and for her to start up an Odd Jobs in Hawken’s Cove. Marina was retired, but Lacey had asked and the older woman had agreed, to oversee the business in New York . Over time, Lilly could either sell it to her or one of her employees. Time would tell.

Of course all of her plans hinged on the assumption that Ty wanted her to come back. That he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and make babies together when they were ready, and let his mother shower their children with love and affection.

She just didn’t know what he wanted and the few times she’d called, she’d gotten his answering machine. She assumed he was out working, either the night shift at the bar or on a case. Because she didn’t know how to broach her feelings on the phone, she hadn’t left a message. And he hadn’t called her, either. Or like her, he hadn’t left a message.

She fingered the locket around her neck. She still couldn’t bring herself to part with the sentimental piece of jewelry and she wouldn’t. Not unless Ty told her to get lost for good. She swallowed over the lump in her throat and continued to think positive thoughts.

Like what would she do with the rest of the money in the trust fund. It seemed a waste to let the money sit and just accumulate doing nothing. She had some thoughts but she hadn’t come to any firm decisions yet.

A loud knock startled her and Digger began her obsessive barking, jumping up and down at the door without even knowing who was behind it.

Lacey glanced in the peephole and nearly passed out. She flung the door open wide. “Ty? What are you doing here?” she asked, excited, hopeful and also scared something had happened to his mother. “Is Flo okay?” she asked.

“Depends on your definition of okay. She threw me out, if you can believe that.” He set down his oversized duffle bag which Lacey eyed warily.

“What do you mean she threw you out?”

He grinned, that cocky, sexy grin she loved. “She said I was getting on her nerves and cramping her style. Then she told me to get the hell out.”

“She did not!”

He laughed. “Not in so many words, no. But her point was clear.”

She looked from his bag up into his eyes. Eyes that now looked light and free of excess baggage.

She didn’t understand what was going on but she had a hunch she was going to like it. A lot.

She rolled forward onto the balls of her feet, then back again. “So did you move back into your apartment?” Lilly asked.

“Nope. I told Hunter to camp out there for a while.”

“Doesn’t he have his place in Albany ?”

“It’ll be a long trip for him late at night when he fills in for me at Night Owl’s. Besides, he really hates that stuffy apartment he’s leasing. He only did it to make his point that he’s arrived and he’s past caring what people think anymore.”

“He’s hurting, isn’t he?” Lacey asked.

Ty nodded. “Molly did a real number on him. Did you know he offered to go with her wherever she was going?”

Although Lacey had been in touch with Hunter and she knew he’d withdrawn, he’d left out key parts of the story. “I had no idea,” she murmured. “She turned him down?”

“Flat.” Ty crossed his arms over his chest.

She winced. “Poor Hunter. But at least he had the courage to offer to go with her,” she said pointedly. She wasn’t only referring to the fact that Ty hadn’t offered the same, but neither had she.

“It didn’t get him very far, unfortunately.”

“But at least now he knows where he stands.”

Ty nodded. “Good point.”

They remained that way for a while, at a standstill, neither one of them knowing what to say next.

Lacey took the opportunity to look him over for the first time. He hadn’t shaved in a few days, his hair was as long as it’d been before, and his leather jacket appeared well-worn. He was her sexy rebel and she was so glad he was here.

“So your mother threw you out and you gave up not just your apartment but your part-time job at Night Owl’s,” she said, spelling things out when she couldn’t stand the tension any longer.

“What about your P.I. business?”

“Handed that over to Derek.” He shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on a hook in her front hall.

“Seeing as I’m licensed in New York State , it didn’t seem like a big deal to start over.”

Her mouth grew dry. “Start over where?”

“Here.” He ran his hand through his hair. “In New York , the city that doesn’t sleep. Seems like a good place for an out-of-work P.I. to start over.”

When she glanced at him this time, she didn’t see the cocky kid she’d fallen in love with at seventeen nor did she see the man with walls a mile high. Instead she saw a vulnerable guy who’d come here with his heart on his sleeve and no idea what kind of reception he’d receive.

She had just one question. “Why? Why leave your home and everything you love behind?”

“Because a smart, beautiful woman once told me home is about the people you’re with, not the place you choose to live. Besides,” he said, his eyes gleaming. “I wouldn’t say I left everything I love behind. I came to find the person I love most in the world and that’s you.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.” With a huge smile on her face, Lacey stepped forward and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

“God, I missed you.” He ran his hand down the back of her head, sifting his fingers through her hair.

“Then what took you so long?” She peppered his cheek with kisses as she asked.

Ty let her slide down the length of his body, but kept her close as they headed for the couch in the other room. “I had some things to sort through,” he admitted.