Page 16 of Hot Under the Collar

“Tell Dale thanks for the cherries,” he said, retreating into the alley.

“Okay.” She stepped back toward the bar door, too.

The cherries felt ridiculous and heavy in his pocket suddenly, proof of how close he’d come to taking something else home with him.

He turned toward home. “Goodnight, Lynne,” he called back over his shoulder.

Her faint “Goodnight, Leo” chased him down the alley, echoing off the bricks.

6

Lynne (Now)

Lynne squatted down beside Mike and offered him the water. He swallowed enough to wet his throat.

“Mike … what happened?” Leo asked.

Mike ran his hands down his face, willing the tears to disappear, and sighed. “I’m not ready to talk about it. I just knew I had to leave. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go but here.” He turned to Lynne. “I half expected to see your dad open the door. How’s he been?”

Lynne and Leo exchanged a glance, one that let Leo know she couldn’t handle this one. Not after this morning. Maybe not ever.

Then another knock sounded at the front door. A sweet-but-muffled voice cried out, “It’s me!” from behind it.

Lynne ran over, relieved—not only for the distraction—but to find Tabitha with a folded playpen under one arm and two large containers of litter barely clutched in her small hands. Her wavy hair was always changing color, and today it was a soft lavender, pinned up in space buns with a few tendrils falling toward her face. She blew one of them out of the way.

“Tabby! Thank God.”

“I would’ve gotten here sooner, but this litter’s heavy. I had to take a few breaks on the way over.”

When Mike turned around, he sprung to his feet, surprising both Lynne and Leo.

“Oh,” Tabitha squeaked, glancing up and down at the man who towered over her.

“Here, I’ll help.” He scooped the litter containers from Tabitha’s hands just before she dropped them on the floor. “That, too?” He gestured at the pen under her arm.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow at Mike and stole a glance at Lynne. “Um. Sure.”

Mike turned to Lynne. “Where to? And what’s all this for?”

Lynne winced. She didn’t have time for this. “Yeah, long story. Leo can fill you in. Leo?” she called back. “Can you help him take this upstairs? Maybe in the guest bedroom, just past the kitchen?”

“Of course.”

Mike’s expression turned to confusion as he wandered back toward Leo.

“Keys?” Leo called.

Lynne dug the apartment key out of her pocket and tossed it across the room to him. Then they disappeared into the back of the bar.

“Who’s that?” Tabitha whispered.

“Leo’s estranged brother.”

“Wait. The brother? As in the brother you dated in high school?”

Shit. Lynne nodded reluctantly. “Yep. That’s the one.”

“Why’s he back in town? Didn’t he leave, like, a long time ago?”