“I’ll tell him,” I said to Gabe, but I didn’t promise when.
“Today,” Gabe added firmly, not falling for my shenanigans. It was okay for him to be vague with time and make up his own rules, but apparently, I didn’t have the same freedoms. Lucky for him he was so fucking sexy with his dark scowl and demanding tone of voice or I might’ve put up a bigger fight. Of course, it helped that he was also right.
“Fine,” I said like a petulant brat. I rolled my eyes at the huge grin that spread across Gabe’s face. My mind skipped past being jealous and insecure and started plotting strategies to make him suffer.
“I know that look too,” Gabe said smugly. “You going to cuff me to a chair again and fuck my brains out? That’ll teach me.” The sarcasm rolled off his tongue so naturally, it was like he was born to snark. Damn, that would make a great coffee cup.
“You’re one more wisecrack away from wearing skinny jeans,” I told him.
“Never going to happen,” he said shaking his head. “I’ll stick with my relaxed fit.”
Here’s the thing, I had zero plans of turning Gabe into a more muscular version of me. I just liked to rile him up. Although, I did feel that a dark wash denim in a straight leg fit was a good compromise between skinny and relaxed. I thought about buying them and slipping them in his drawer to see if he noticed. I knew what would happen when I saw those sexy, long legs in that dark denim, which would cling tighter to his thighs and delicious ass than his preferred fit. I loved jeans with a button fly because I could take my time kissing each inch I revealed as I unbuttoned them slowly.
“Oh, baby, I know that look too,” Gabe remarked gleefully. He looked at his watch then back at me. “How much time do you have?”
I stood quickly from my chair and replied, “Enough to give you a proper send-off and remind you who loves you.” I turned and made a dash to the bedroom.
“As if there’s ever a doubt,” Gabe said following hot on my heels.
It was still amazing to me how much emotion and love Gabe could pack into a quick, hard fuck. It wasn’t about me presenting my ass to him in the middle of our bed and making myself available just to please him. He was completely devoted to getting me off at the same time. Beyond the physical aspect, there were the kisses he placed on my neck and the loving way he caressed my chest as he told me how much he loved me and that he could never get enough of me. Never, not even when I wanted him just to use me, did Gabe ever make me feel like I wasn’t valued.
I decided that days that started out with grunting, groaning, and coming were absolutely the best. I had just enough time to clean up and give my man a long, lusty kiss before I headed downstairs to start my day.
I was surprised to see Chaz was already downstairs waiting for me. Hell, he even beat Meredith in and that was no easy feat. He was sitting kind of primly in my salon chair with his legs crossed sipping a cup of coffee. The expression on his face looked like a combination of anger and admiration. “I know what you did,” he said gravely.
“Oh,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush with mortification. “We would’ve tried to be quieter if we knew you were down here already. Sorry, man.”
“Not that,” Chaz said in a voice that clearly stated how aggravated he was with me. “It’s nice to know that someone got their morning started off the right way,” he added snidely. “You know what you did.” I did know what he was referring to but wasn’t sure how he knew.
“Who told? Meredith?” I asked.
“Kyle called me,” Chaz said flatly.
“Oh! Did he? What did he say?” I had to know. “Is he coming to dinner?”
“Josh, do you have any idea how humiliated I was by the encounter yesterday? Or, are you so blinded by your happiness that you’ve lost sight of how others might be feeling?” Chaz asked.
I gasped and took a step back as if he slapped me. “I did it for you,” I told him. “There’s just so much,” I made wave motions with my hands that were meant to be vibes, “going on between the two of you and I thought that…”
“No, you did this for you, not me or Kyle. You weren’t thinking either. You, of all people, know that these things can’t be rushed or forced. You didn’t see Meredith or me interfering with you and Gabe when you were trying to find your way. We encouraged you to be brave and take chances, and we even called you out on your bullshit…”
“Like you’re doing now,” I interjected.
“…when you needed it. We never put you in a situation where you were made to feel uncomfortable,” Chaz continued as if I hadn’t interrupted him.
“I’m sorry, Chaz, I truly am. I overstepped, and I’m not sure how to fix it. I can’t uninvite him to dinner. Besides, it’s a holiday, he shouldn’t be alone.”
“Kyle has his parents, three sisters, and two sets of grandparents living in this town. Do you honestly believe he has no place to eat ham and deviled eggs?”
“They won’t be my ham and deviled eggs,” I retorted.
Chaz sighed in frustration then rose to his feet. “I don’t think he’s coming, Josh, so you can just forget about your little matchmaking schemes. He knows you’ve made me feel awkward and he didn’t want to ruin my dinner.” The phone started ringing so he headed to his desk by the front door. “By the way, your deviled eggs had too much mustard in them last time.”
Had I been wearing pearls, I would’ve clutched them. I staggered and stumbled like I’d been dealt a hard blow to my body. The happy cloud I floated down on was starting to dissipate beneath my feet, and I wondered how far the fall would be until I crashed to the earth. Would my heart give out first or would I know the horrendous sound of every bone in my body breaking when I hit the fiery pits of hell?
Meredith came in a few minutes later, her smile adding some warmth to break through the tension between Chaz and me. The smile slid off her face when she read the situation. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Chaz and I replied at the same time.
“As if that doesn’t give you both away.” She put her hands on her hips, shook her head in disgust, and said, “Spill it.” Chaz and I just stared at each other without saying a word. “Whatever it is, we need to clear the air before everyone else gets here.”
I swallowed my pride and said, “I was too pushy.”
“I was too sensitive,” Chaz said at the same time.
We burst into laughter, which erased the tension between us. “I am very sorry. I honestly thought I was doing something helpful, but looking back I can see that I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.” I walked over and hugged him tightly.
Chaz returned my squeeze then stepped back to look at me. “Maybe you should’ve, but I probably overreacted to your matchmaking attempts. I’m flattered that you think I would stand a chance with a man like Kyle. I know that you only had my best interests at heart and I was out of line when I said that your own happiness blinds you. It was mean, and it wasn’t true.”
“I’m so happy we had this Dr. Phil moment,” Meredith said. She looked at Chaz then and asked, “How’d you find out? Did he confess out of guilt? Just so you know, I was giving him until Saturday to fess up to what he did before I tipped you off.”
“Dr. Dimples called him,” I told Meredith.
“Did he tell you while you were up all night chatting while playing games?” she asked Chaz.
“Guys, I don’t know who he’s met online, but it’s not me, which just makes me more certain that him coming to dinner on Sunday is a mistake. Look, I’ll admit that there’s a definite spark of something there between us, but how real can it be when he’s obviously interested in someone else? My heart can’t take being a temporary fill-in while he waits for his perfect guy to show up. Look at him and look at me,” Chaz said.
My mind went into hyperdrive as soon as I heard Chaz refer to the something they shared. It was just like the beginning for Gabe and me and it solidified my belief that these two guys were meant to be. I just needed to find less annoying wa
ys to try to work some magic.
“I am looking right at Charles Bailey Hamilton, and you’re beautiful,” Meredith said. “I fail to understand what you’re talking about.”
“It’s not about me having low self-esteem in regards to my looks,” Chaz said. “This is about compatibility. What could a highly-educated veterinarian possibly have in common with a receptionist in a salon?”
“THE salon,” I said jokingly. “Chaz, it’s so much easier to find all the reasons why something won’t work than it is to try to find the reasons it will. When the hell has easy equaled right?” I released a soft sigh and reached for his hands. “This isn’t us telling you how to live your life, babe. This is us encouraging you to be brave and take chances, and maybe we’re calling you out on your bullshit a little.” Hearing me repeat his words from earlier brought a smile to his face.
“Jazz, your deviled eggs were perfect,” Chaz said softly.
“Honey, I know it. And, just like Jesus, I forgive.” I leaned in closer and said, “Next time you want to get back at me, choose something more believable than bad cooking.”
The rest of the staff staggered in and our day got underway. I was happy that Chaz and I cleared the air and got past my boneheaded move. He had been dead-on when he said that he and Meredith never interfered with Gabe and me as we stumbled along the path to happiness. I needed to show them both the same amount of respect.
My day moved along at a quick pace, I was shocked when Sally Ann showed up for her four o’clock appointment because it felt like my day had just begun. She was beauty and happiness personified.
“Hey, honey,” she said, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek.
“Hey, beautiful,” I returned. “Hello, sweet Adrianna,” I said to her ever-growing baby bump. Sally Ann hadn’t confirmed the choice of name, but I had a strong feeling. “How’re the Goode girls today?” Sally Ann smirked at the nickname I’d given them.
“Doing great,” she replied. “I’m enjoying spring break at home on the couch with my legs propped up and a good book on my tablet.”
“Sounds nice,” Heather told her from across the salon. “What are you reading? I could use a good book.”
Sally Ann’s cheeks turned pink, prompting us to tease her for a few seconds about reading naughty books. “It’s not naughty or inappropriate,” she said. “It’s just not going to be for everybody.”
“It’s bestiality,” Marci guessed. Whoa, girl! Sally Ann said it wasn’t naughty or inappropriate and Marci chose bestiality of all things!
Heather gasped and said, “Twincest!” Who were these women I hired? Dayum!
“I bet it’s gay romance,” Meredith said. “Those are my favorites.” That got my ears perked up.
“Yes!” Sally Ann said excitedly. “The book I’m reading is from a new author. His name is C.B. Hesterson. His debut book is just fabulous. It has everything I loved in a book—angst, twists, complicated characters, and the sex scenes are hot enough to steam off wallpaper. I’m telling you, between my pregnant hormones and this guy’s writing, I’ve worn Adrian out.”
I heard Chaz coughing and sputtering at his desk. I checked to make sure he was okay, and he waived me off. “Good stuff, huh?” I asked Sally Ann.
“It’s brilliant!” Sally Ann said.
“I’ll have to check it out,” I told her. “I can read while Gabe watches baseball.”
“Do it,” she said. “You’re going to love it. In fact, the main character reminds me of you a little.”
“Yeah? Dashing, smart, and amazing with hair?” I asked her.
“Charming, brilliant, and snarky,” Sally Ann told me.
“You know what? I’m going to download and read it tonight while I wait for Gabe to come home,” I told her. I knew I needed to keep my brain busy lest I wanted it to conjure up every terrible scenario that Gabe could face during his undercover operation. “He’s going to have a late night.”
“You’re coming to our house for dinner then.” Sally Ann’s firm tone said she meant business and wasn’t taking no for an answer. “You can start the book later tonight or tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan. Thank you for inviting me.” I loved spending time with the Goodes and my evening suddenly looked a lot brighter.
“Detective Wyatt, relax.” Jonathon Silver stood up from the bed across the one I sat on in the hotel room. He looked at Dorchester, Weston, and Harris. “Is he always like this?”
“Mostly,” Dorchester replied, “but he knows his shit, so maybe you should stop busting his balls and listen to him for a damn minute.”
Everything I suggested had been rebuked or mocked by Silver, and it was wearing hard on my nerves. The tech team had already stopped by to hook him up and test his equipment. Not only was he wired for sound, but they also gave him a tie clip that had a tiny camera hidden among fake diamonds, or at least I thought they were fake. That part went smooth; it was the part that came afterward that seemed to rile him up. It was obvious as hell that he wanted to oversee every situation.
“Too bad you weren’t this dedicated when my brother turned to you for help,” he snarled. “Maybe he’d still be alive.”
“Clear the room,” I commanded. My team obeyed the order immediately. I slowly rose to my feet and squared off against Silver. “You have every right to be angry over the loss of your brother, but blaming me for his death isn’t going to bring him back. Instead, focus your damn energy on catching his killer by listening to what I’m telling you.” I pointed my finger at him and said, “If you go in there half-cocked you could destroy everything. Are you listening to me?”
Silver turned and paced away from me, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. He turned to face me and released his pent-up frustration in one, long breath. I saw the tension fade from his tall frame.
“I didn’t refuse to help Nate; he refused to help himself. He should’ve been up front about everything because it was highly unlikely he didn’t know why he was targeted. He might not have known who, but he might’ve had an idea of why. His asking me to sneak around outside of the law to find his harasser was wrong.” Technically, he hinted, not asked. “He wasn’t forthright with the CPD when he finally turned to them for help. We can’t help someone who doesn’t want it, Silver.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I was out of line. I’m sorry.” His apology was completely unexpected, but not unwelcome. I wasn’t ready to stick my neck on the line by removing him as a viable suspect, but my conviction that someone other than Silver killed Nate grew stronger each day.
“Trust me when I tell you I know how powerless you feel right now. My brother was killed in a robbery when I was fifteen. He was my hero, and I was devastated,” I told Silver. “His killer was never arrested, so please believe me when I tell you that I will do everything legally within my power to solve Nate’s case. I need your help to do that, which means you have to listen to what I say.”
“Call the team back in. I’m ready to cooperate,” Silver said.
An hour later, the team gathered around eating pizza while we waited for Spizer to show up. Silver made sure he arrived early at the restaurant so that he wasn’t caught getting off the bank of elevators used by the guests of the hotel. Silver wasn’t wearing an earpiece so he couldn’t hear us when we discussed the situation.
“Spizer is thirty minutes late,” Dorchester said. “He could be running up the billable hours, or he’s not coming.” As hard as we tried to keep the warrant a secret, there was always a chance a clerk tipped him off.
As if he sensed our anxiousness, Silver pulled out his cellphone from his inside suit pocket. He held the phone in front of him where we could see it before he dialed Spizer. “Rick, I’ve been sitting here at the restaurant for thirty minutes waiting for you. Did I get the time wrong? Give me a call, buddy.”
Silver set his phone on the table and drank another glass of water while we waited some more. He checked his phone every few minutes, but there was never a call
or text from Spizer. My spidey sense told me something was wrong. My suspicion was confirmed twenty minutes later when dispatch called to let me know that Spizer had been found dead in his home office. His death appeared to be a suicide.
“What?” I asked. “Give me the address and tell everyone to keep the scene clear until my team gets there. Only the M.E. goes in.” The more people that were there, the more opportunities to contaminate the scene. “Who found Mr. Spizer?” I asked, drawing the attention of my team. I snapped my fingers and pointed to the screen, indicating that I wanted someone to call Silver and let him know. I wanted to have a quick chat with him before we left for Spizer’s house.
“His wife did, Detective. As you can imagine, she’s a mess right now. The responding officer thinks she’s going to need sedation. He also said there’s a suicide note that admits responsibility for the deaths of Owen Smithson, Nate Turner, and Lawrence Robertson.”
“We’ll be there asap, but she should go to the hospital if they think it’s necessary. We can interview her in the morning.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll pass the message along.”
I hung up and waited for Silver to get back to the room. “What’s going on?” he asked as soon as he flung open the door.
“Spizer was found dead in his home,” I told Silver. “We’re going to head over to his house right now. I’ll call you when we know more, either tonight or tomorrow.”
His normally stoic mask was gone, and in its place, was shock and raw grief. “I don’t believe it,” Silver said. “Honestly, I thought there was another explanation for Rick’s involvement instead of him killing them or hiring it done, but this can’t be a coincidence. He was good to me when everyone else was skeptical of my appearance in Nate’s life, including my brother.”
Welcome to Blissville Page 64
