Unforeseen Danger by Michelle Perry Page A

there.   Jake, call Sonny at SM Alarm.   He’ll fix you up with a system.   I’m going to talk to some florists.”
    They watched him leave, and then Jake gave Nikki a quick peck on the cheek and went in to make his calls.
    ***
    “That’s some guy you’ve got there,” Darcy said.   “Jake’s a doll, inside and out.”
    “Takes after his mother,” Catherine said and they laughed.   She gave Nikki a reproachful look.   “You don’t even have a coat on!   What am I going to do with you and Jake?”
    She shook her head and Nikki impulsively kissed her mother-in-law’s cheek.   Catherine gave her a pleased smile.
    “I’ve always wanted a daughter of my own,” she said.
    Darcy turned her head, mouthing another ‘wow’ to no one at all.
    After Catherine and Zeke left, Nikki and Darcy went in the kitchen to make hot chocolate.   They carried cups to Jake and the locksmith and went back into the kitchen to talk.
    “Why do you think I did it?   Why did I have an affair?” Nikki asked.  
    Darcy sipped her chocolate before answering.   “You and Jake were arguing over a few little things.   You hated Catherine and thought she interfered too much, he was ready to start a family and you didn’t want kids.   You guys fought over money a lot.   I think this guy knew about some or all of these things and helped stoke your resentment about them.”   She looked at Nikki for a long moment, as if choosing her words, before she said, “You told me you were leaving Jake, that this guy was going to get a divorce and marry you.   When Jake confronted you about the socks, you panicked.   You denied it, but it freaked you out so much that he knew you were lying.   Jealousy has always been an issue between you and Jake, and frankly, I’m surprised the two of you are doing as well as you are.”
    “I can’t imagine cheating on Jake with anyone.   If Jake will just give me one more chance, I swear I’ll never hurt him again.”   Nikki caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and sucked in her breath when she saw Jake standing in the doorway, watching her.   He gave her a tremulous smile and walked away.  
    After Darcy left to go to work, Nikki decided to do what the sheriff suggested.   The first step would be to go through her things.   She started up the stairs when Jake’s voice stopped her.
    “Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner.   I could cook, but you’d be taking your chances.   Chili dogs are pretty much all I know how to do.”  
    “Okay – oh, but remember, your mom brought that casserole.”
    Jake startled her with a look of pure merriment.   “Ah, I hate to say it, but Mom’s a rotten cook.   I hate to take my chances, with you just getting out of the hospital and all—”
    “Jake!”   Nikki laughed.   “That’s so mean.”
    “It’s true.   But if you wanted to stay in…we could order in a pizza.”
    “I’d love that,” she said.  
    Jake smiled and went to call in their order.   They ate in the living room floor, laughing and talking and Nikki felt at peace for the first time since the accident.   She couldn’t stop staring at Jake.  
    When he carried their plates into the kitchen, she took another sip of her soda and noticed the globes.   Nikki wiped her hands on a napkin and walked over to the pine mantel.   It was bare except for the rose globes.   Their placement seemed odd.   They were aligned all the way to the left, side by side, as if there had once been more of them.   Nikki carefully lifted the first one and stared at the blue-violet rose that floated inside.
    She heard Jake’s footsteps behind her and exclaimed, “Oh, this is beautiful!”
    Jake leaned over her shoulder.   The hair on the back of her neck stood up as his warm breath tickled her ear.   He chuckled, a warm, husky sound that made her stomach tingle.
    “I can’t believe you still like this thing, even with amnesia.”  
    He wrapped his arms around her