Ah, so he’d hit a nerve with that guess. Had Jodi moved here to avoid someone? Maybe an abusive boyfriend? “Hold up.”
When he started to follow her, she stopped and gave him a level look over her shoulder. “I wouldn’t if I was you.”
Now what? “Wouldn’t...?”
“Keep pushing. You’ve got your own damn secrets, and any second now turnabout is going to be fair play.”
Not likely. He had his past firmly stored away. “If you’re saying—”
“I’m saying you should go home, Hunter. I have things to do.”
Like what? “Don’t you think—”
“I think it’s my business, not yours. Besides, Turbo is tuckered out.”
It suddenly dawned on him that while he’d moved, Turbo hadn’t. The dog was sprawled in the grass, back legs stretched out behind him, his droopy jowls overlapping his front paws. The leash was stretched as far as it’d go. If he’d taken another step, he’d have been dragging the poor dog.
Hunter knew from experience that once Turbo quit, that was it. Diverted, he said to Turbo, “Sorry, bud. It was a hectic evening for you, wasn’t it?” Hunter was about to pet the dog when he heard the distinctive sound of a key in a lock.
Turning quickly, he saw Jodi open her front door. He knew she would go inside, lock him out and that would be that. Incredible.
In rapid order, he weighed his options, and settled on total honesty. “I’m worried.”
Sighing long and dramatically, her head dropped forward to show her annoyance—as if it wasn’t already plain—and slowly she turned toward him. “Seriously, Hunter, I offered my flashlight.”
That got his molars clenched, but he kept his tone moderated. “I’m worried about you, damn it. About this situation.”
Disdain curled her lip. “About a woman alone?”
She did seem hung up on that. “Look at Turbo. He’s worried, too.”
This time she gave a dramatic eye roll. “Yeah, nice try.”
Of course the dog was snoring. “How about this? How about I get a couple of my big outside lights for you? One for the front, one for the back.” Lifting a hand, he forestalled her arguments. “Because it’ll make me feel better. Tomorrow, or the next day, I assume you plan to install better lighting?” She wasn’t a dummy. And despite all evidence, he didn’t think she’d take unnecessary risks when given other options.
“You have lights just lying around, huh?”
“I have extra flood lamps, yes, and some long extension cords.” One thought led to another. “Will your current electrical box support that?”
“No idea, but then, I wasn’t planning to light up the mountain.” She sent a doubtful glare at the bare-bulb porch light. “Not yet, anyway. But hey, if it really matters to you, you could loan me a few bulbs. Tomorrow, after the windows and eaves are done, I’ll run into town and get what I need. I can repay you then.”
“Perfect. Exactly how reasonable neighbors behave.” He gestured between them. “You and me, I mean.” In case she was just trying to get rid of him, he gave Turbo’s leash a gentle tug and said, “Come on, boy. You can wait here with Jodi.”
The dog lifted his head.
When Jodi started to protest, Hunter said, “Look at him. He’s beat. No reason to make him walk to my place, back here, then home again, right?” As if he’d caught on, Turbo scrambled to his feet and, butt wagging, joined Jodi on the porch. Hunter handed her the leash. “I’ll make it quick.” In case she thought to refuse, he jogged off, going along the road this time instead of using the back of the properties. Once in his house, he took the time to put together a small bag of groceries. Jodi would probably harass him about it, but hopefully, she’d accept it anyway. He found the bulbs in his garage, but also grabbed a freestanding floodlight for her side yard with a heavy-duty extension cord.
He flipped on his own lights so he could gauge how close the beams came to her property, pocketed his keys and took off again, this time loaded down—and still with the Glock tucked in his back pocket.
When he got to Jodi’s house, the front door was closed and she was nowhere in sight.
Uh-oh.
Praying that she hadn’t taken off with his dog—seriously, he didn’t know that much about her—he checked the side yard, saw her truck and bounded up to the porch with relief. He had his hand raised to knock when Jodi opened the door.
“Did you run the entire way?”
Pretty much, but what came out of his mouth was “Your house is empty.”
Backlit by the light coming from the kitchen, she shrugged. “I just moved in, remember?”
“Why would you move in without furniture?” Literally, there wasn’t...a thing. Not a chair, table or lamp.
“I have a cot to sleep in. I’ll get some furniture soon.”
A cot.
She planned to sleep on a freaking cot. For how long?
He looked through the small living room that opened into the kitchen and wanted to wince. It wasn’t habitable after all. “When is soon, exactly?”
“In time frames, it’s none-of-your-damn-business.” She nodded at his packages. “What’s all this?”
Hell, he’d brought her juice and food and snacks, but did she even have dishes? Anything at all? His curiosity didn’t just double, it quadrupled. Turbo came around the corner, his nose to the floorboards, saving Hunter from more awkward gawking. “He smells something.”
“Hopefully, all the cleaner I used.”
While unloading everything to the porch, Hunter considered things. “I’ll put in these bulbs.”
“I can do it.” But she looked in the bag with the food, and abruptly straightened. With all the enthusiasm she’d have given a two-headed snake, she pointed at the bag. “What is that?”
Screwing in a bulb gave Hunter an excuse not to meet her accusing gaze. “Hmm? Oh, just a few snacks for the morning. I’d never have eaten that whole pack of cookies anyway, so I put a few in a container for you.”
“That’s more than cookies.”
“Juice, too. And some chips and a few bottles of water.” He smiled as if he didn’t see anything amiss in her tone or expression. “I’d have brought you a few scoops of coffee, but I didn’t know if you have a coffee maker.” Reaching past her, he felt inside the door, located a light switch and flipped it up.
The sixty-watt bulb was better than nothing, but she’d definitely need something better, and soon.