Page 64 of Sleigh My Heart

He moved closer.

“Did you card the teenie-boppers in the corner?” She flipped her head toward the table by the door.

“I thought you said you were off duty.”

“I am, just wondering.”

“Yes, and they looked real.”

She narrowed her eyes, but didn’t take it any further. Not tonight. She and Nick had been them many years ago. She turned to Junior. “So, I talked to your old man the other day. I was surprised to see him still running the mall.”

“He’ll never leave. That’s his baby.” Junior bit out his words.

Michelle had struck a nerve. That was her plan. “I figured he’d be grooming you to take over.”

His grip on his glass tightened. Time to dig a little deeper.

“Head of maintenance, that’s a good position.”

He looked her dead in the eye. “I like working with my hands. A desk job would be boring.”

“I can see that.” She leaned closer and dropped her voice, so only Junior could hear. “But you can’t run the mall from the maintenance department.”

“Who said I want to?”

She watched his jaw tighten. Oh, he wanted to. No doubt in her mind.

“Or, your father might not trust you with his mall.”

“You got that right,” he mumbled, but she heard it. Junior glanced at the mirror over the bar. His expression changed, and he gave a small head shake.

Michelle turned to see who he was looking it. The man who had just entered held a phone to his ear as he scanned the bar. On his pass over the bar, his gaze stopped on Junior a split second before he locked eyes with her.

Cliff. If she hadn’t recognized him from his mugshot or employee ID photo, the fact his eyes grew as big as saucers a second before he bolted would have told her.

“Fuck.” The last thing she heard before she took off after him was the clank of her beer bottle on the bar.

Chapter 16

Michelle might not be here, but Nick’s intuitions said he needed to get to Trudy’s now. Intuition had saved him more than once over his military career, and he wasn’t going to ignore it now.

Irene Swenson had just stopped by with a casserole and some cookies to visit his father. About ten minutes into her visit, his instincts were nagging him to go.

“Nick, dear. If you need to go somewhere, go. I wanted to chat with Russ anyway. It’s been too long.”

“No, it’s…”

“Dear, you’ve been pacing and checking your phone. Go.”

“But, Ava.”

“Really? I have five children and as many grandchildren.” Her hands fisted on her hips.

He bent and kissed her cheek. “Thanks. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”

“Take your time.” She waved him off.

He didn’t break the land speed record getting across town, but close. He slid into an open spot in front of the bar and jammed the shifter into park. With a slam of his door, he hit the lock button just as the door to Trudy’s flew open.