She shoved out of the car. “Its starting to come back to me now. This Kate could be a real pain in the ass.”
“At times. Its what made her interesting and real and human. Especially since she could also be generous and kind. She had a great sense of humor, the kind of woman who could laugh at herself.”
Scowling at him, she unlocked her door. “Maybe.”
As they walked in, Jordan gave her a friendly pat on the butt. “I fell pretty hard for her. Of course, if I were to write her today—” He backed Dana against the door, braced his hands on either side of her head.
“Yes?”
“I wouldnt change a thing.” He lowered his mouth to hers, slid into the kiss. “I was so sure youd read it, see yourself and get in touch with me. When you didnt get in touch, I figured youd never read it.”
“Maybe I wasnt ready to see myself. But you can be sure Im going to read it again. The fact is, its the only one of your books I never reread.”
With a half laugh, he eased back. “You reread my books?”
“I can actually see your head swelling, so Im going to get out of the way before somebody gets hurt.” She ducked under his arm, headed toward one of the bookshelves.
“To the woman I lost. To the woman I found. To the only woman Ive loved. How fortunate for me that all three are one.”
She looked back at him as she reached for a book. “What was that about?”
“Its the dedication I just wrote in my head for the book Im working on now.”
She dropped her hand. “God, Jordan, youre going to turn me into a puddle of mush. You never used to say things like that to me.”
“I used to think things like that. I just didnt know how to say them.”
“This is the one I read a piece of. The one about redemption. Ill look forward to reading the rest of it.”
“Ill look forward to writing it for you.”
He watched her remove a book from the shelf, slip off the outer dust jacket to reveal the one beneath.
“„Phantom Watch” he read, “„Jordan Hawke. Covered up by…” The laughter rolled out of him. “ „How to Exterminate Pests from Home and Garden! Good one, Stretch.”
“Worked for me. I have another of yours under the cover of a novel titled Dog-Eaters. A surprisingly dull and bloodless book, despite the title. Then theres… Well, doesnt matter. Just variations on the theme.”
“I get it.”
“Tell you what.” She covered his hand with hers. “After were done, you and I will have a ritual unveiling, after which I will, with some ceremony, place your books in their rightful place on the shelves.”
“Sounds good.” He looked down at the book, then back at her. “Going to wait for the others?”
“I cant.” She could see he hadnt expected her to wait. “Im too wound up. And I think, I feel, that this is something were supposed to do. You and me.”
“Then lets do it.”
As she had with Flynns copy, she ran her fingers over the cover, over the illustration of the Peak.
But this time, she felt… something. What had Malory called it? An awareness. Yes, Dana decided, exactly that. “This is it, Jordan,” she whispered. “The keys in the book.” Hands steady, she opened it.
Focus, she told herself. Concentrate. It was there. She only had to see it.
He watched her skim her fingers down the title page, the tips running lightly over his name. Her breath quickened.
“Dana.”
“I feel it. Its warm. Its waiting. Shes waiting.” She flipped pages gently, then let out a single shocked gasp as the book fell out of her hands. He called her name again and caught her as she collapsed.