“What’s going on?” I asked.
She sagged against the wall. “I’m just worried about him. A lot’s happened lately and when he wasn’t up for breakfast and didn’t answer his phone, my mind automatically went into overdrive.”
Teague was lucky to have people around him who cared. He had family and friends and brothers at the fire station. Did he realize how fortunate he was?
Beau straightened. “I should’ve called you instead of barging in, but when he wasn’t next door, I got really worried. I’ll get out of your hair.” She started for the exit.
“Next door?” My question stopped her.
I tried to think of what was on either side of us. The shop on one side had closed not that long ago. And on the other—
She appeared like she’d said too much and wished she could zip her lip. Instead she pointed to her left.
“His loft is right there.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Teague
“Beau?”
I hesitated at the top of the stairs when I found my sister at the bottom of them.
“You’re fine. I’m going to go.” She motioned toward the front door with her thumb.
“Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
“No reason. I better jet.”
I scowled. My sister was talking too fast.
“Beau.” I exaggerated her name in warning.
“I was worried. You know how I get when I worry. So you can’t be mad.” She finger-waved and dashed for the door.
I plowed down the stairs after her but skidded to a stop at the look on Pepper’s face.
“Beau,” I called as she pushed out the exit.
“I’ll see you in a little while.” Her long coat flared behind her as she hurried away down the sidewalk.
When I turned around, Miss Adeline discreetly backed farther into the back room. Pepper looked like she’d been slapped and the initial surprise was wearing off.
“You live next door?” Each syllable was spoken slowly as if she wanted to get them right.
Crap. Beau and her big mouth. It wasn’t like I cared if Pepper knew. Eventually I was going to have to tell her. But it got out of control and now I looked like a creep.
“I, uh—” I scratched the back of my neck. “I’d just moved in right before I met you.” I sounded like my sister and her fast talking. “And then Beau came into town and I’ve been staying with my brother too and . . .”
She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly not impressed with my explanation. Or lack thereof.
“I just never got around to telling you.” And I didn’t want to look like a stalker. Except all those excuses sounded lame.
“Guess it makes more sense how you came up with groceries so quickly the first time you cooked for us,” she said, but she was like stone. Unreadable.
“Yeah.” I plowed my hand through my hair. “I wasn’t exactly not telling you. I . . .” Damn it. I was so mixed up I didn’t know what I was doing anymore.
“You don’t owe me an explanation.”
I froze. “I don’t?”
“No.”
“But you seem mad.” I dropped my arm to my side.
She didn’t say anything for a long time. When it came to Pepper, I couldn’t seem to make the right moves. That kiss was definitely the right move. And I hoped to fall asleep with her again, even if my back wasn’t too thrilled with me. But all the good things seemed to get erased by the stupid ones.
“It’s like you’re hiding something.” She threw her hands up and paced. “But then you’ll be so open. So I don’t know if it’s intentional or just happens that way. And what right do I really have anyway?”
Her words came out in a long, fast string. Almost as if she were talking to herself instead of me.
“You do things that make me trust you.” She stopped in front of me. “And then you do things that make me doubt you.”
“That’s not my intention.” Which was the pure absolute truth.
“It’s a lot. Fast.” She stepped closer. “We didn’t exactly hit it off.”
“If I’d have told you we were neighbors that first day, Muffy might’ve left me a present on my doorstep.” I hoped we were moving past this. I hated conflict. Especially with her.
“Now that we know where you live, he might just yet.”
The tension from before was gone from the set of her shoulders. Could she get over things this quickly?
“Muffy and I are pals now. He wouldn’t do that.” I snuck a hand to her hip.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“I see how it is.” I eased her closer. Strange how being near her soothed my stress and made my heart beat faster at the same time. “I’m sorry.”
She placed her palm on my chest. “Beau caught me off guard. It made me question if you’re hiding something.”
“For a while, things between us were on thin ice. I wasn’t sure how you’d take it if I was your creepy neighbor. Then I never found a good time.” In retrospect, it was stupid. How could I tell her I couldn’t stay next door now because it was too tempting to be near her?
Apparently, it didn’t matter if I was next door, at my brother’s, or in California. I’d still find my way to her.
Shit. We were near the front windows where anyone could see.
“Breakfast is getting cold.” I hoped that didn’t sound as false-cheerful to her as it did to me.
Her brows dipped. “Better not let it go to waste.”
Relief that if she saw through my apprehension she hadn’t pressed me on it coursed through me.
“Woman!” she called. “Time for breakfast.”
And then Sadie barked all over again at the B word.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Pepper
“Did you know he lived next door?”
I flipped on my turn signal and slowed at the intersection.
Miss Adeline choked on her tea. “What? How would I have known?”
She’d been suspiciously quiet on the matter. And she’d left me to handle the news on my own with Teague. Normally, she’d insert herself.
“Just wondering.”
The dogs were quiet in the back of the van. I still felt guilty about having to do this. I didn’t want to shuffle them around or leave them in someone else’s care.
What other choice was there?
Miss Adeline patted my knee. “They’ll be fine.”
“I know.”
The closer we got to Daniel and Vivian’s, the slower I drove.
“When you’ve kept something from people, why’d you do it?”
I gripped the steering wheel. This woman and her insightful questions.
“It was none of their business.”
She snickered. “That’s a good reason for sure.”
“Or if I cared about them, I didn’t want them to get hurt.”
She sobered but might as well have shouted ding ding ding.
“Why would it hurt me to know where he lived?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure I was connecting the right dots. Because that would mean Teague cared about me.
“I don’t know. But that boy’s instinct is to protect, so you’ll have to have a little faith in him.” She casually sipped her tea as if dropping truth bombs were no big deal.
“He’s been here. Even when he said he couldn’t be.”
Maybe I hadn’t been around enough people in my adult life. Miss Adeline might be crafty, but she always said what she meant.
I had more trouble expressing my opinions, to people I didn’t know that well, at least. So I understood not everyone was forthcoming.
But my feelings for Teague were all tangled up and they undermined my ability to read him.
“Honey, it doesn’t hurt to have a friend.”
Is that what he was? A friend?
She winked, and I groaned. She meant that kind of “friend.”
“I’ve never spent the night with anyone,” I blurted.
“You looked p
eaceful. More so than normal when you sleep with the dogs.”
I nearly hit a parked car. “You’re spying on me?”
She grabbed the door to steady herself. “Checking. Not spying.” She pulled on her seatbelt as if to be sure it was secure. “Are you ever going to tell him why you like sleeping with them?”
Dang it. Was she trying to make me wreck?
“I’m not sure that’s any of his business.”
She made a hmph noise. “When it is, think about how you’d feel if he kept that from you.”
“Well. They seem okay.”
Vivian worried her hands as we looked at the pile of dogs asleep in her living room. They seemed better than okay. Better than I was.
“All the excitement wore them out.”
We’d walked them in the park across the street. They’d played with the mountain of toys the Elliotts and Jacobses had bought them. Then they crashed.
“We should head back,” Miss Adeline said. “Actually, you should. I’m staying here.”
“Pick out a room.” Vivian gestured down the hall.
“I already have.” Miss Adeline hooked an arm through mine.
“You have the food, right? We’ll be back at six to walk them.” Is this what mothers leaving their child in someone else’s care for the first time felt like?
“We can handle it. But come by whenever you like.” Vivian quirked her mouth to the side. “On second thought. Maybe a five-minute heads-up. Just so you don’t walk in on something interesting.” She widened her eyes like she had a juicy secret.
My face flamed. “Um, I’ll definitely give you that warning.”
Miss Adeline swatted me. “No fun. Either of you. I’m not calling before I come over.”
“Suit yourself.” Vivian shrugged.
“You’ve got my number?”
“In my phone.” Vivian held up the device. “Written in the kitchen. The bedroom. And Daniel’s study.”
“Let me write it down for the foyer too.” I dug in my pocket for a piece of paper.
Miss Adeline dragged me toward the door. “Thank you. We’ll talk to you later.”
When we were in the lobby, she elbowed me. “Worrywart much?”
“We’ve never done this before,” I said defensively.
“Do you think I’d let this happen if I didn’t fully believe it was the right thing to do?” She marched into the elevator while I remained rooted in place.
“No. No, I don’t think you would.” Why hadn’t I considered that? Miss Adeline was every bit as invested in the dogs as I was.
The doors began to close and she stuck out her arm to stop them. “I knew you wanted to move in there too.”
“Thought y’all would be gone longer than this.”
Stone Jacobs sat with his feet propped on the desk and hands behind his head.
“We would’ve been if it were up to this one.” Miss Adeline set her travel mug on the wood surface.
“We’ve already been through it a thousand times,” I groaned. Then I flashed Stone a weary smile. “Looks like you survived dog sitting.”
He was surrounded by zonked-out puppies.
“All good.”
“Thanks for staying with them.”
Stone had volunteered to help us load the dogs headed to their place. I hadn’t felt comfortable leaving everyone else behind on their own, given the events of the last few days.
“Anytime.” He dropped his feet to the floor. Three dogs popped up their heads. He patted one of them. “Just so you’re aware, some dude in a suit came by. I didn’t like the looks of him, so I didn’t let him in.”
“A suit?” Like the inspector? No. No. No. We had forty-eight hours to comply.
“Yeah. Not that I have a thing against guys in suits. Daniel is my best friend and he sleeps in one.” Stone stood. “That guy banged on the door for a while, but once he figured out I wasn’t opening up, he moved along.”
My heart thumped a thousand miles an hour. “Any idea what he wanted?”
“Nah. But he wanted to come in pretty bad.” He pointed to the door. “I’d keep that locked.”
“It wasn’t the inspector, was it?” Miss Adeline’s voice was hard.
“Don’t think so, ma’am.” He tipped his ball cap. “If you have any trouble, call us.”
“Thank you again.”
I walked him out and locked the door behind him, triple checking it was secure.
“What do you think that was all about?” Miss Adeline flopped into the seat Stone just vacated.
I rested on the edge of the desk. “Don’t know. But I’m thinking we need some curtains for the front windows.”
We’d always had the windows uncovered like a storefront. There’d never been any reason to cover them. Sure, there were the occasional break-ins in the neighborhood, but no one ever bothered us. Besides, it would be kind of hard not to get caught with so many dog alarms.
“I think you’re right.”
I frowned. “Are you any good with colors?” I glanced helplessly toward the windows. My attire mostly consisted of overalls, jeans, shirts, and sweatshirts. I wasn’t exactly up to speed on what looked good.
The dogs didn’t care if I matched or not.
“I decorated the apartment, didn’t I?” Miss Adeline lifted her chin.
“You did. How could I forget?” I pushed off the desk. “Do you mind holding down the fort for a little while?”
“Are you gonna tell me where you’re off to?”
I grabbed my coat. “Maybe when I get back.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Teague
“You’re quiet because of where we’re headed. Not because you’re mad at me, right?”
Beau shifted in her seat.
“I’m not mad at you.” I focused on the street ahead. We weren’t far from the cemetery. I shouldn’t have driven. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.
“I didn’t mean to blurt out your business.” She fiddled with the fabric of her black dress.
“I know you didn’t.”
“Are you okay?”
I felt her stare but didn’t look over at her. “Not really.”
“Is she talking to you?”
I willed myself to have patience. “Yes. Everything is fine with Pepper.”
She pointed to the curb. “There’s a spot.”
I parallel parked the truck but didn’t immediately turn it off. I’d made it through the church service, but I hadn’t heard a word of it. Though Cassano had been in a casket at the front, it still didn’t seem true.
Watching someone lowered into the ground . . . that was when it would get real.
Beau touched my arm. “You can do this.”
Ellen was counting on me to carry Cassano to his grave. It was the least I could do for her. But if it weren’t for me, would we even be here?
I turned off the engine and shoved out of the truck. Beau had her door open by the time I came around to help her out.
She hooked her arm in mine as we trudged toward the cemetery. With every step, the past and present mingled. It was the same as that day all those years ago. Gloomy. Heavy.
The cemetery was different, but it might as well be the same. I was five and thirty-nine at the same time. There was no distinction between my mother’s funeral and Cassano's.
I’d held Beau’s hand back then. She was so little and hadn’t said a word during our mother’s services despite usually being a chatterbox.
Lincoln had held mine.
But he wasn’t here today because I hadn’t asked him to be.
Beau dug her fingers into my arm.
“Wanna ease up a bit?”
Her gaze was glued to the person waiting for us on the sidewalk just ahead. If anything, her grip tightened.
“Cal.” I thrust out my hand.
He grabbed it and shook. “Teague. Long time, man.”
We’d been in the same class in the fire academy and started out at the same station. Shortly aft
er, he’d been moved and we only saw each other occasionally.
“Too long.”
His eyes drifted to my sister, who stood stiffly, still latched onto me.
“Beau.” He flicked his chin at her.
“Hello, Cal.” The greeting was acid. She might as well have said, “Piss off.”
His nostrils flared but we fell in stride toward the cemetery. “Sorry about Cassano. Way I heard it, he wouldn’t have made it at all without you.”
“He didn’t make it.” That was why we were at his funeral. Whether I got him out from under that bed or he died in a hospital, the result was the same. Maybe this way was worse. For a short time his family had hope.
I’d had hope.
Cal nodded. “You did all you could.”
I clamped my lips together. I didn’t want to talk about this. And after the service Ellen had invited—no, insisted—that I come over to their house for the family gathering. There would be more of the same. Outward pats on the back, while inwardly they all blamed me. As they should.
The bite of pain from Beau’s vice grip on my arm finally registered. “Will you loosen up?”
She glared, but I didn’t miss the flash of hurt on her face. Damn it. I hadn’t meant to snap.
She dropped her arm altogether.
“If you need someone to hold onto, you can hang on to me.” Cal offered his arm.
“I’d rather hold on to a live wire.” She straightened her shoulders and stared straight ahead.
“It’s the same thing, sweetheart.”
Whatever feud they appeared to have was none of my concern. Not today.
The hearse loomed in front of us. I felt nothing. Like I was a shell of a man, somehow walking to a place I didn’t want to be.
I had to go on autopilot. Had to shut out the threatening emotion. This was Cassano’s day. One to honor him.
Thinking about anything other than that was selfish.
A low rumble of somber greetings came from the group of men surrounding the back of the hearse. There were a few shoulder slaps and hugs, then everyone resumed looking at their feet.
“Keep my sister company?” I may have just started another world war with that request, but I didn’t want Beau to be alone. She knew a lot of people here from hanging around when she was younger, though it had been years since she’d seen most of them.
Crash: Crash & Burn Duet Book 1 (Shaken) Page 17
