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“We appreciate everything you’ve done,” Gail said quietly.“You come clean up in the big house when you’re ready. I’ve got a batch ofcookies and a bottle of rum I brought back from my cruise last week for such anoccasion. I’ll make a basket for you boys. And I’ll throw in a sampler of thathand lotion I was telling your momma about on Sunday.”
Gail started up the long walk to the big house.
“Sorry, Grim.” Tom tipped his hat. “We do thank you.”
He followed his daughter.
Josh stared after them. “Your stepfather is heading fortrouble.”
Grim started to pack up. “It’s nothing he hasn’t triedbefore and nothing I can’t handle. You do not have to bring the dads intothis.”
Josh turned slightly his way. “You’re no fun. You know Dadhasn’t recently eviscerated anyone in a metaphorical fashion. He’s gettingantsy.”
“He can stay antsy.” He wasn’t putting Jack Barnes in theline of fire. “Ignore them and they’ll find someone else to hate on.”
Not for long, but he’d had respites when Ezekiel decidedTaylor Swift was in league with Satan and needed to be brought down with acarefully thought-out social media post. Or a completely unhinged one thatshould get him on a couple of watch lists.
“At some point the man’s going to push this too far, and youneed to understand I won’t let you get hurt,” Josh vowed.
But it wasn’t tonight. “If he ever gets dangerous again,I’ll let you and the dads handle him. For now, let’s get cleaned up. I’ve got amountain of paperwork to do, and I have to get it all ready because I’m notworking while we’re in Austin with our sub.”
In a few days, he wouldn’t have to think about anythingexcept her.
He was looking forward to some peace.
ChapterEleven
Nicole couldn’t escape the feeling that she was beingwatched. Maybe it was nothing more than all the gossip that had spread afterSunday’s showdown with Josh’s evil ex. Maybe she’d simply made a misstep thatput her on the town’s radar, and in a couple of days they would move on tosomething else, but Nic wasn’t sure and the knot in her gut made her think itwas past time to move on.
She adjusted her purse over her shoulder as she looked up atthe auto mechanic’s shop. She had the money in her bag and with tips over thenext two days, maybe she could head out before she was supposed to go to Austinwith the guys.
Or maybe going to Austin would throw off anyone who waswatching her. Maybe going to Austin was actually a way to solve her problems.
She was getting good at justification.
“Hey, sorry. I had to take that,” Heather said as she joinedher on the steps leading up to the office. She’d decided to tag along since hermom was being tended to by a home health nurse today.She’d declared it was her day off and joined Nicole.
It was nice to have a friend, but she kind of wondered whatOlivia was doing today. Heather was nice but she was probably almost old enoughto be her mom. She talked about her kids and husband a lot. And the town shewas from.
If Olivia was here, Nic could get her to talk about Josh andGrim. She could hear all their childhood stories.
It was good she was with Heather because Heather remindedher of everything she had to lose. She’d already lost her chance to have anormal life. If she wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t have any life at all. Shewasn’t going to get to have kids with her husband, wouldn’t enjoy living in aquirky town. She wouldn’t have a solid job like Heather’s.
She would be alone, and at some point the law would catch upto her and she would either die or go to jail for a crime she didn’t commit.
All in all, it was a pretty shitty future, so why was shefighting the glorious present she found herself in?
A man walked by, his big dog on a leash. His eyes trailedher way and a frown crossed his face before he suddenly needed to be on theother side of the street.
Oh, yeah, that was why. She was rapidly becoming the townpariah.
“He seems fun.” Heather wrinkled her nose. “Do I smell orsomething?”
Heather wasn’t the reason that man had crossed the road. “Ithink that’s more about me becoming the town whore. I’m sure that Alyssa chickhas been running my name into the mud.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.Let’s get this done so we can go to the store.”
Not that she would buy anything, but she would help Heather.And then she would work her shift and possibly see Josh and Grim for the lasttime if she could get her car back tomorrow or the next day.
The thought of leaving them sent her into a tailspin, butwhat else could she do?
