Wild Men of Alaska Collection - By Helmer, Tiffinie Page 0,85
from us so that we can leave.”
“Trooper Cooper?” Rosie smirked. “Bet the poor soul takes a few ribbings on that name.”
Whether he did or not, Gemma planned on being sweet as the Bun on the Run’s cinnamon rolls in order to get out of here fast.
She signed the papers Trooper Cooper had prepared, paid the bail money, and took the copies of the arrest with the court date. Wonderful, another day in front of the judge. Somehow she had to keep Siri on her meds and out of jail. Maybe it was time to get Rosie some help. Gemma sure didn’t want to move in with either of them. She’d fought hard for her independence.
Gemma returned to Siri with Trooper Cooper who acted very relieved to see her fully dressed. They did the checking out—since Siri had been brought in naked there were no personal effects to claim—and then Rosie and Gemma escorted Siri to Rosie’s Jeep Cherokee.
“Gemma, there is really no need for you to see us home. I can get Siri cleaned up and in bed. I’ll make sure she takes her meds, but getting her an appointment with Doc Walton Monday wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Gemma nodded, too tired to think straight. “Thanks, Rosie.”
“I’m just so sorry she got away from me tonight. If I had been thinking straight myself, I would have figured she was up to something.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You weren’t the only one not thinking straight.”
“I really hate it when you guys talk about me like I’m not here,” Siri chimed in.
“Well, I really hate bailing you out of jail.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” Siri stared at something to the left of Gemma. “Leave my baby alone. Her soul is not yours to take.”
“I’m not after her soul,” Lucky said. “I’m after her heart.”
“Her heart is not available to you either.”
“Mom.”
“Gemini, he will break your heart and leave you a shell of your former self. I know what I’m talking about. I was fool enough to dream walk once.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The night shone bright and clear, and Gemma watched Rosie’s taillights as she drove out of the trooper parking lot. Deep in thought, she made her way to her Subaru. Her feet crunched on the snow, sounding super-loud in the silent night. Blue-green celadons with hints of violet reflected in the snow. She was afraid to look up or even glance sideways. Ever since their shared dance, she’d caught the outline of Lucky in her peripheral vision. But when she’d looked directly at him or where she assumed he was, he disappeared again. And now with her mother’s cryptic comment about dream walking, Gemma didn’t know what to think.
She’d tried to get details out of Siri, but she’d jumped from subject to subject much the way a distracted child on a sugar rush did. There was no getting information out of her until she leveled out, and even then Gemma doubted Siri would fill her in or remember what she’d said.
The evening had warmed up from the blustery afternoon. Everything was quiet as though old man winter had decided to give up the fight and let spring elbow her way in. Could Siri’s naked dance have wakened spring from her slumber?
Gemma shook her head, not believing the direction her thoughts had taken. Sleep. She needed sleep.
She drove the short distance home, white-knuckling it as the roads were icy from the rising temperatures. She fishtailed as she took one of the turns on Riverview Drive.
Lifting her foot off the gas, and turning the wheel to compensate for the skid, Gemma regained control of the car just as it would have headed into the ditch. Heart pounding, she slowed her speed. Her reflexes were too slow. If she didn’t get some sleep soon, she’d have to stop driving. She heard somewhere that driving drowsy was worse than driving drunk.
She pulled into her driveway, parked in the garage, and slowly released her grip on the wheel. Home. But she was suddenly apprehensive about entering her own house.
“I won’t hurt you, Gemma,” Lucky whispered next to her.
She jumped, slapping her hand over her heart. “Don’t do that. You have got to figure out a way to make some noise.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you...or overwhelm.”
“You were so quiet that I assumed you left. Have you been here the whole time?” She half-turned trying to catch his image in the dim light. There. She had to swallow. A vague outline, but he was there.