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As soon as Levi told me that Maya was alive, I tracked her down and sent her a message. Levi hasn’t been able to find out more about Dell and I’m hoping Maya has some answers that’ll help.
It’s been a few days, though, and I haven’t heard back, so I’m shocked to find a message waiting in my DMs. Maya wants to meet up in Roanoke at a chain restaurant, but she won’t give me the name of the restaurant or any personal details online. She says if I remember her at all, I’ll know where to find her.
My heart thumps with fear. I know where she means, but so will Dell if he sees this message. And the whole thing could be a setup. Maya was always most loyal to Dell, and her cryptic message isn’t giving me any hints that’s changed.
With a sigh, I let her know I’ll meet her there on her favorite day of the week at her favorite time of the day. She has neither a favorite day or time, but she’ll know what I mean.
There was only one thing she and I did religiously together and that was watch a reality show from the early aughts about fashion designers every Tuesday while we ate lunch. Hopefully, she’ll remember.
Either way, I feel like I’m getting sucked back into my past, whether or not I want to go there.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jaxon
When the banging starts on my front door, I consider running out the back and hiding in Barley’s kennel.
Except, knowing Honey, she’ll find me and I’ll look like even more of an asshole for hiding.
“It’s open,” I yell, so I don’t have to move out from behind the barrier of the kitchen island.
Honey walks in, her black hair loose and long down her back, still in the fitted black pants and polo that’s her uniform at the diner, her expression fierce.
She is so gorgeous my heart flips over in my chest and offers up its soft underbelly.
She slaps her hands on the counter of the island. “What the actual hell, Mac?”
I hold up my hands. “I’m sorry. I thought he was Dell. He has brown hair, and he’s built like a linebacker and you were alone in that barn. I overreacted.”
A shade of the anger slides off her face. “I’ll give you that one. I can see how you might mistake him from the back, but how the hell do you know what Dell looks like and what were you doing hanging around the farm watching me like a creepy stalker?”
There’s no good answer here, so I go with the truth. “I hired someone to watch Dell and tell me if he got close to you.”
She leans back, her eyes going wide in shock. “You did what?”
“I get it was crossing a line, but the man hurt you, Honey. I needed to know you’d be safe.”
She folds her arms over her chest, seemingly undecided about whether she’s still mad at me. “You had a PI watching Dell and you’ve been watching me?”
“No. I wouldn’t do that. The PI called me this morning and told me Dell was headed your way. I ran over to the farm in case he showed up there, and when I saw that guy follow you into the barn…”
“You thought it was Dell.” She shakes her head and climbs up to sit on one of the stools in front of the island. “I’ve been fuming all day at work, planning out what I was going to say to you and sure I’d never see you again after this and, now, I have no idea how I should feel.”
“Should doesn’t matter.” I’m by her side in a moment, smoothing the worried creases in her forehead with my thumbs. “How do you feel?”
She leans into my touch and sighs. “Relieved. I really didn’t want to have to keep looking for the treasure alone. I know I should be mad you didn’t tell me about the PI, but I just feel protected.” She pulls free of my touch and looks up at me, her gaze warm. “Thank you.”
Her gratitude makes me want to do more for her, just to have her look at me like I’m a hero. “I should have told you about it up front.” I sit on the stool next to hers and drop my hands to my thighs to keep from touching her.
“Next time you will.” She seems so confident in me I’m tempted to tell her more.
I almost tell her I’ve been lying to her about who I am, but stop myself just in time. “Next time, I will.”
“Is the PI just watching Dell? Or has he also been looking into him?”
“She’s been doing what she can.” I clear my throat as I consider how much to tell her. “She’s got a couple people working with her, so they can rotate who’s watching Dell. She’s been spending most of her time trying to track down who he’s been associating with so we can figure out what he really wants the money for.”
Her cheeks pink, and she looks away. “How far back into his history is she going?”
