No thanks.
Nina shook her head, undeterred by my attitude. “Well? You must have a woman you’re at least sleeping with at the moment. You have that distracted ‘I just got laid’ daze about you.”
Nina had no way of knowing that her words immediately brought forth memories of Audrey and the hot-as-fuck sex we had. Twice. Actually, “sex” was too tame a word for what had happened between us, for the fire that burned and raged while we chased pleasure. It was raw, intense fucking. And it didn’t matter that I hadn’t seen Audrey in days, that she was very likely avoiding me, because I’d get her to talk to me one way or another. “Why do you need to know who my date is, Nina? I can promise you it won’t be a Hometown Hero.”
She snorted in wry amusement. “Too bad because that would be something worth promoting. Find a date, Walker. It shouldn’t be too hard since all the grandmas in town want you for some spinster or another.”
Shit, she was right. If I didn’t come up with a date soon, then I would be inundated by matchmakers. Again. “I haven’t asked her yet, so I didn’t want to say anything, but I’m just taking a friend. Audrey Pearce.”
Nina froze. Frowned. Then she pulled out her phone and let her fingers fly over her phone keyboard, probably texting Penny and Janey. Hell, maybe Audrey too. “Cool. But do you think she’ll say yes? Because if we have to change this later, I’m going to do serious damage to your jewels.” She glanced down at her shit-kicker boots and I leaned over the desk to do the same. “Got it?”
“Feel free to check with her if you want.” My words were filled with a confidence I didn’t feel, but that was the key to selling any good story.
“Don’t worry. I will. It’s your funeral if she backs out—not to mention all the shit the guys will give you. So, Audrey or no?”
There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d say yes to this but somehow I would make it work. “Yeah. Yes. Absolutely Audrey.”
“Hmph.” She gave me a look that said she didn’t think I was telling the truth, shrugged, and left as quickly as she’d entered.
“That’s what I get for making Charlie go home at a decent hour.” It was past seven and I should have left hours ago but there was plenty of work to do and it was just as quiet at the office as it was at my place.
Minutes later, Charlie breezed in, looking every bit the coed he’d been months ago, wearing a red hoodie, jeans, and bright neon sneakers. “I figured you were still here when you didn’t answer your cell. Earl Rathburn was released on bail a few hours ago and police are responding to a DV call right now at his residence.”
“Shit.” I’d petitioned the judge for no bail because it wasn’t the first time he’d been picked up for putting hands on his kids and his wife, but his victims spoke on his behalf and now ... this. “Fuck!”
“What do you want me to do?”
I had to push away thoughts of calling Audrey to warn her or, hell, maybe to beg her to be my date for the dance. Work came first. “Come with me and let’s just hope the police got there before Earl does any real damage.”
“You think that’s a possibility?” Charlie had grown up in Tulip like most of us but he’d stayed close to home for college and lived a more sheltered life than most of us.
“These are the most dangerous calls for law enforcement but if you want to go to law school, you need to see if you can handle it. All of it. Not just the tests and the case law, but the people. Because, let me tell you, they made this job damn hard.”
We arrived at the Rathburn residence to a flurry of blue and red lights, and officers poised and ready for the worst.
Two officers approached to stop us until I identified myself.
“What have we got?”
“It’s not good,” Officer Johnson confirmed. “The wife was shot—a through-and-through in the gut. The teenage son was beaten badly and he’s on the way to the hospital. The little ones are unharmed; we found them hiding in a cabinet underneath the kitchen sink.” He flicked a gaze to a lone, dark patrol car where Rathburn sat in cuffs. “Found Earl crying over his wife’s body, like he couldn’t believe what he’d done.”
I understood his sentiment and hated this part of the job. “At least everyone is still alive. Small fucking favors.”
“Amen,” Charlie seconded and shook his head. When he took a step back, I knew Charlie would be skipping the headache known as law school.
“Charge him with every code violated. Every one of them,” I repeated to make sure he got the point. This time, I would make sure Earl didn’t get out of jail for at least a few years. Just long enough for his son to outgrow him and hopefully Earl’s wife would too.
“I’ll pass it along,” he assured me as we both turned to take in the scene. It was a familiar one at this particular address: lights flashing while all the neighbors rubbernecked, waiting to see if he’d finally done it and killed them all.
“Thanks.” Charlie chose to walk home, claiming he needed to clear his mind, but my guess was he needed time to draft his resignation letter. I understood. Completely. Plus, the drive home gave me plenty of time to think about ... hell, everything.
Mostly a raven-haired woman who had, despite my own best judgment, captured my attention. It was just too bad she didn’t want it. Oh sure, Audrey wanted me, but she didn’t want to want me. She wanted to pretend I didn’t exist, and that what had happened between us hadn’t.
Twice.
As though thinking of her had conjured her up, I found myself driving up her street and smiling when I found her lights still burning bright.
It was best she heard about being my date from me. In person.
Audrey
I already had a basic outline for my graphic novel, thanks to a few years of dreaming up a story I thought would never go anywhere. I spent the evening sketching the main characters and some of the action that would take place throughout the story. I hoped a few sketches would keep me motivated to write when the world, work, and the town of Tulip became too big of a distraction.
The doorbell rang just as my pencil touched the sketchpad. I figured it would be Mom even though we’d had lunch twice this week. Or maybe Will, but it was too late. He was probably already out on the prowl. Hopefully with his best friend. I opened the door and groaned. “Walker. What are you doing here?”
He flashed a smile that singed the edges of my panties and I gripped the doorknob to stop from reaching out to him. “It’s good to see you too, Audrey. May I?” He motioned to come in and I shook my head, suddenly more than a little aware of why he was here thanks to a half incoherent message from Nina.
“What brings you by?”
He sighed. “You’ve heard about the Spring Fling this year?”
“The same dance that’s been going on since I moved to town? Yeah, I’m familiar with it.”
“Okay. Good. So …” He raked both hands through his thick blond hair and, unfairly, it bounced back, looking as perfect as it probably had this morning. “I missed a Hometown Heroes meeting and the guys nominated me to be Mr. Spring Fling. I need a date. Nina has been harassing me about it and when she stopped by today, I told her I planned to ask you.”
That was a little more charitable than how Nina had phrased it, but the result was the same. Walker thought he could use his charm and good looks, not to mention sexual prowess, to get his way. “I’m not going to the dance at all and definitely not with you. I already told Nina as much when she called.” Hours ago.
“Dammit,” he bit out as if he’d really expected Nina to keep that to herself, when he was the most eligible bachelor in town now that she had Preston wrapped around her pinky. “Hear me out. Please?”
“No.” This conversation was already boring and I took a step back, preparing to shut the door in his face.
His shoulders fell but I saw them free mid-fall before the door made it all the way shut. “Don’t make me get Helen involved.” It was a real threat, I knew, because no one knew better than Walker how far Will and I would go to k
eep Mom happy.
It was a low blow and it was almost impressive. Almost. I folded my arms across my chest and notched my chin up at him, defiance dripping from my whole body. “Don’t make me tell Will why I don’t want to go to the dance with you.”
He sucked in a breath like I’d punched him. “You wouldn’t.”
I shrugged because the truth was, I had no desire to ever reveal that I’d been stupid enough to sleep with Walker—not even to my brother. Especially not to him because I didn’t want to hear his opinion on the kind of man I should be with or the details of Walker’s sex life, which I would get if I dared tell this secret. “As long as you take no for an answer, I won’t.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” he said and I really thought that would be the end of it. I should have known. “Just give me a chance to prove to you that I’m not who you think I am. Strictly platonically, I promise. Be my date for the dance and give me until then to prove it.”
He was so earnest, I almost believed him, the same way I believed the soft look in his eyes when he entered my body. The same way I believed those grunted words about my beauty and soft skin. “Why? Tell me why this suddenly matters so much to you and I’ll think about it.”
“I don’t know Audrey, but I do.”
“Not good enough, Walker. You set the tone for how you wanted things to go after that night and now that you’ve got it, you’re pouting.”
“I’m not pouting,” he insisted. Adorably.
Of course, he still hadn’t answered the question, not that I expected him to. “I’m not going to the dance. Period.”
Walker stepped as close as he could get without entering my home and I gripped the knob until my knuckles ached. “I could convince you, Audrey.”
“You could try and you might even make me come, but I’ll still be here working when the Spring Fling rolls around.” This was ridiculous. “Go advertise that you need a date. I’m sure you’ll have a dozen offers inside of an hour.”
“I don’t want to take anyone else, Audrey.”
That would’ve been nice to hear a year ago, or ten months ago. Hell, seven months ago even. “You don’t want me either, Walker. I think that’s been well established.”
He growled but I was faster, stepping back and closing the door before the charming bastard could use his body, his scent, or that magical mouth of his to get me to change my mind. I had to be careful because now Walker was determined and I was fairly certain I didn’t possess the strength required to turn down his advances for much longer.
Which meant I had to be smart. Proactive.
I needed a little bit of Mom’s stealth to make it through this little Walker problem unscathed.
* * *
“Damn, girl, how’d you snag Walker Reid as your date to the Spring Fling?” I opened the door to find Hope and her bubbly personality and smiling face on my doorstep, expectation burning bright in her eyes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but Walker isn’t my date to anything, much less that damn dance.” I stepped back to let Hope in and made a beeline to the kitchen for coffee. “Why are you here so early?”
She frowned and glanced at her watch. “It’s after ten. Are you sick?”
“No, I was up late working.”
“Oh. Sorry,” she said not looking all that sorry. “Anyway, it’s all over Tulip social media that you and Walker are going to the dance together. The whole town is trying to figure out how long you two have been dating.”
I groaned and pressed the brew button on my coffee pot. “We’re not and we aren’t.”
Hope pouted and rested her chin in her hand. “Too bad because Walker has aged well, has a good job, and he’s a total sweetheart.” The way she talked about him made me wonder if Hope wasn’t nursing a crush very similar to the one I’d had for far too long.
“If you feel that way, I hear he’s looking for a date to the dance.” She glared at me and I stuck out my tongue.
“Come on. Didn’t you used to crush hard on Walker?”
“Didn’t everyone?” I shot back with more attitude than was necessary. “I have to work.”
“You work for yourself. Besides, you can’t work all the time.”
“Wow, Hope, careful there. You’re sounding like my mom.” She shuddered and I laughed. “Besides, I can work all the time. It’s very relaxing,” I lied through my teeth.
Hope leveled me with a searing stare. “So what’s the deal? Do you like girls or are you still recovering from a big fat heartbreak?”
It was the perfect opening to tell her about the Walker mistake I’d already made. And the other one. But I didn’t want anyone to know. Ever. So I tossed my head back and laughed. “Neither actually. I’m just focusing on growing my business at the moment. It’s why I came back to Tulip and why I took that contract in New York. It’s no big mystery, Hope. Sorry.” She stared at me, studying me like she didn’t believe me but had sussed out the truth. I stared back until she sat back with a knowing grin. “Have you found your passion yet?” When all else failed, diversion worked brilliantly.
Hope shook her head and her delicate shoulders dropped in disappointment. “Not yet but I’m working on it. And—” she lifted a feminine-looking purple bag with a cheeky grin, “I have something for you.” She handed me the bag and I took it with two careful fingers like it was a bomb. “For crying out loud. It’s not gonna bite you.”
I glared at her but Hope just laughed and ran a hand through spiky blond hair. “Why are you buying me lingerie?” It was gorgeous and feminine and not something I’d ever buy for myself.
“I didn’t. Buy it, I mean. I made it.” She shrugged like it wasn’t important but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise. “I used to make lingerie when I was younger. I used to love it, in fact, but I gave it up when Curtis left town.” When her last sibling hit the road to become a famous photographer, that left only Hope to stay and help with the diner.
I didn’t know what to say to that but I knew how to be a good friend. I was learning, anyway. “Well I think this is beautiful, and the fabric is weird, but in a good way. You want feedback?”
“That’d be great,” she said, her voice and eyes filled with hope. “Maybe you can tell me how crazy Walker goes when he sees it?” I groaned and Hope laughed. “It was worth a shot.”
“You’re crazy but it looks like you know lingerie. Maybe this is your passion.”
“Maybe it is,” she said on a wistful sigh, “but we both know I can’t make lingerie and sling hash at the same time.” It was a tough spot and even the always-delightful Hope couldn’t muster up a real smile of assurance.
“Not at the same time, no. But you can start designing and creating. Sell among the locals and with a small online shop for now. Made to order or whatever—just something to make the days at the diner a bit more bearable.”
She smiled and stood when the doorbell rang. “When’d you get so smart and optimistic?”
“I’ve almost always been smart. I wouldn’t say optimistic so much as I do what I can to get as close to the life I want.” The bell sounded again and I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the front and pulled the door open. “Walker. What are you doing here?”
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Hope said and stepped carefully around me.
“That’s not necessary.” I glared up at a smiling Walker.
“Thanks,” he said and stepped aside so Hope could exit.
“Good luck,” she mouthed before jogging down the steps and scurrying away. The traitor.
My gaze turned back to Walker. “Is this how you prove you’re someone I should want to know?”
“I brought you lunch,” he insisted as if that made up for dropping by unannounced so early in the morning. Tulip was a friendly and welcoming place, but there were limits.
“You showed up without an invite or a heads up and you interrupted a visit with a friend.” He was showing signs of being the same selfish man who didn’t bother to call af
ter he got what he wanted.
He frowned, looking like I’d somehow hurt his feelings. Unbelievable. “Sorry. I’ll go.”
Dammit. This was exactly where having a soft heart got you: being manipulated by the one person you should have enough sense to stay away from. “Whatever. Come in and we can eat. Keep your hands to yourself.” I pointed at him and glared so he would know I meant business, but Walker only laughed.
He held his free hand and the one holding the bag in the air like I had a gun trained on him. “I will if you will.”
As long as I remembered that he hadn’t called, hadn’t treated me like our lifelong connection meant something to him, then I would be safe. “Not a problem.” Then I took a moment to put my guard up as high as possible and reinforced it as much as I could in preparation for a meal with Walker.
Walker
“What are you doing here, Walker?” Audrey rubbed her eyes. Thick black hair, sexy and disheveled from sleep, fell around bare shoulders. My focus was on the wisps that curled into her cleavage. She crossed her arms and glared. “Well?”
I smiled down at her, invading her space just a little and ignoring the voice in my head that told me to back up. “You know what I like most about you, Audrey?”
“My forgiving nature? The fact that I haven’t killed you for interrupting my sleep?”
“No, that you don’t think twice about bruising my ego.” As I said the words aloud, I realized just how true they were. Most women—hell, most of the people in Tulip—treated me with respect but also a certain amount of deference on account of me being the county attorney. Even as a kid, she’d been as quick to put me in my place as she was with a compliment.
Mr Justice Page 5
