Free Past Due by Elizabeth Seckman

him off with the dishcloth. “Come on,” she said, “you can sleep it off in here.” Pulling him to his feet, she walked him toward Tanner’s room, the humanitarian winning over her anger. 
    “I didn’t mean to bother you, Jenna. I just wanted to see you. I just wanted to see where you lived and see if I could ever fit in here.”
    “Well, do you?” Jenna asked removing his shoes and socks, shoving his long legs under the covers.
    Closing his eyes, he said, “No. I certainly don’t. But I wanted to, if even for just a little while. Guess now I just need to wrap up business so I can go home. I best get my personal life on track. You know Jenna, the only thing I ever wanted was a family and it’s still the one thing I don’t have.” Jenna ignored his babbling as she pulled the covers to his chin.
    Placing a pillow under his head, she stroked the dark hair until she felt him relax. She sat quietly, touching him gently, as she would a child, and contemplated the day’s events. What was it about this man that drove every sensible thought from her skull? Leaning forward, she kissed his forehead, allowing her lips to linger against the warmth of his skin. “I love you Tres Coulter, I always have and I’m certain I always will.” As he slept, she traced his profile with her finger. Tanner’s nose and jaw were so much like his. The resemblance was uncanny, almost too obvious. If he stayed in town too long and became associated with her and Tanner, people would surely begin to talk. Again.
    And she had enough of being the subject of everyone’s gabbing by the time she was twelve. If she was smart, she’d write a book ending all the rumors and make some money from the chaos she called her life. But she wouldn’t. She had given Tanner a normal life. And she wouldn’t yank that from him now. Tres had to go home.
    And he said he would, as soon as he wrapped up his business. Did he say he had personal business? Say he wanted a family? She should have asked him before he passed out.
    She shook his shoulder hard, but he didn’t flinch. Shaking him harder and harder, she tried desperately to rouse him as warning bells rang in her head and panic shot through her. He wanted a family. Did he come here to take hers?
    She couldn’t lose her son.
    But then maybe Tres just wanted to be certain of her silence? Didn’t he say he planned to run for office? Maybe Tanner presented him with a hurdle, a smirch on the perfect past of North Carolina’s young political wonder? That was most likely it. She and Tanner were no more than rattling skeletons. Why hadn’t he just asked her directly? Why play the lost lover game? But then why had he lied all those years ago, preying on her innocence and wonder by building her a fantasy trap? Because he wanted something from her and he used the easiest means to an end, even if it meant deception.

Chapter 6
     
    Anger and resentment flourished, scorching all tender feelings. Looking again at his sleeping form, she decided a punch to his perfect nose would be comforting, but what she really needed was an attorney. Just in case.
    The cost of battling him could be immense. And although she was comforted by the knowledge that she had the tactical advantage of holding the moral high ground, he could flatten her in dollars alone. Pulling the band from her pony tail, she rubbed her aching scalp and admitted to herself that she was in over her head.
    She’d think on this problem tomorrow. After a good night’s sleep.
    But sleep never came. She tossed and turned until her blankets twisted around her, and she felt more frustration than respite from her bed.
    Rolling onto her back and staring into the darkness, she rehashed her life and began to wonder if existence had any meaning at all. By her reasoning, life offered nothing more than one painful event linked to another, then another, with bits of contentment tossed in to keep a soul going. There was a brief happiness with Tres, a small amount of