One she’d mastered and fully intended to keep it that way.
He kept the car running as he sat in the parking lot of the small diner. From his spot, he could see her, watch her as she moved from one side of the diner to the other, helping customers, smiling even. He knew she couldn’t see him. And even if she did glance out the window, even if she could see past the glare of the sun glinting off his windshield, she wouldn’t recognize him.
But he recognized her. Even though she’d attempted to lighten her hair, even though she’d lost quite a bit of weight. He still recognized her. He would always recognize her.
He had to admit, the new look wasn’t a good one for her. She was too fucking skinny and the blond hair did nothing for her. At first, it had pissed him off to see that she’d tried to alter her appearance. Of course, he doubted the weight loss was intentional. That was most likely due to the injuries she’d sustained, the time she’d spent in the hospital, the months she’d spent on the run.
But he still sat there.
He still watched her.
Biding his time.
One day he would make his presence known.
He would finish what he should’ve finished a long damn time ago.
“Where the fuck did the weekend go?” Lynx griped when he joined Wolfe at the table.
Wolfe peered at his cousin, trying to decipher his mood.
“Hell if I know,” Wolfe replied, although he suspected the question was rhetorical.
Wolfe knew where his weekend went. He’d spent most of his time working on a ridiculously oversized twelve-foot dining room table for Mrs. Stephenson. She’d told him there was no rush, but the woman obviously didn’t know what that meant. The fact that she’d been dropping by—not an easy feat for a woman who lived thirty minutes away—every day had forced Wolfe to insist she hold off until he was finished. Of course, that had only incentivized her to call at least twice a day to check on his progress. Since they’d lost their office manager two months ago when she decided to up and marry one of the ranch hands out at the Double D, Wolfe had been dealing directly with their customers. Hence the reason he’d finished up the table over the weekend. The only thing left was the chairs and he fully intended to knock those out soon. He got the feeling Mrs. Stephenson’s surprise visits and frequent phone calls were getting a little more intimate than they should.
“Amy’s an angel,” Lynx noted, picking up the coffee cup that was waiting for him.
Wolfe didn’t respond, but he did glance over at Amy.
He’d long ago learned to have coffee on hand when Lynx showed up anywhere. Apparently, Amy had figured that out, too. Didn’t matter the time of day, although mornings were the most critical. The man would’ve been better suited with the name Bear, especially on mornings he didn’t have his caffeine. “What’d you do this weekend?”
Lynx cast a sideways glance at him, then looked around the room as he set his coffee mug on the table. “I had to go see Tammy.”
Wolfe put down his cup and turned to his cousin. “And?”
“It’s done. I got her to sign the papers.”
Shit.
Wolfe sat up straight. “Please tell me she didn’t get anything else outta you.”
Taking a sip from his mug, Lynx shook his head. “She tried. But I refused this time.”
Tammy was Lynx’s soon-to-be ex-wife. Their six-month stint at wedded bliss had failed miserably, and it had taken the same amount of time for them to put an end to it. They’d been doing this song and dance for the past four months, and every time they thought Lynx was getting that much closer to finalizing it, Tammy would throw a wrench into the works, insisting that Lynx give her something else. Why Lynx was even entertaining the notion of giving her anything at all was beyond Wolfe.
What Wolfe really didn’t understand was how Lynx had hooked up with Tammy in the first place. For most of his life, Lynx had had a major thing for Reagan Trevino. Not that the woman had given him the time of day—not that Wolfe knew of, anyway—but it was obvious the man was into her. Needless to say, they were all stunned when Lynx popped up in town after a weekend hiatus letting everyone know he’d gotten hitched. To a woman no one had even met yet.
“So, it’s over?” Wolfe wasn’t sure how all that worked, and he hoped like hell he never found out firsthand. If and when he ever got married, it would be the forever kind. Which was part of the reason he was still single at twenty-nine.
“I ran the papers over to my lawyer last night. She’s gonna file them this mornin’. Then it’s a waitin’ game.”
A clatter sounded from the kitchen, and Wolfe jerked his head over in time to see Amy startle, her hand covering her heart. The woman was easily spooked, and he couldn’t help but wonder why that was.
She seemed to catch herself and quickly reached for a coffeepot, wandering over to their table and topping off their cups, her hands trembling.
Wolfe did his best not to stare at her because he knew it made her nervous. From the very first moment he’d seen her, he recognized the fear in her eyes. The kind that caused her to instinctively back away from strangers—mostly men—although Wolfe wasn’t sure she realized she was doing it. She was even doing it now, despite the fact that she was relatively familiar with him and his cousin.
Then again, Wolfe had always been told he made people nervous. He was nothing more than a good ol’ boy, living his uncomplicated life on the edge and enjoying every damn second. Sure, he tended to get himself into trouble from time to time, but that was how it worked. And because of his past behavior, his actions had been talked about on more than one occasion.
Of course, there were plenty of rumors about him and his cousin running rampant through this town. No telling what Amy Smith had heard about them. They kept to themselves for the most part. The house Wolfe had built with his own two hands sat on the very outskirts of their small town, secluded on his family’s land. If he didn’t come into town and you wanted to find him, it would take some effort. But that was the Caine way and always had been.
He was sure Amy had heard plenty of the rumors, probably believed half of them. Hell, he sometimes believed half of them although he knew they were mostly fiction.
As he waited for his food, Wolfe allowed himself to watch Amy as she moved around, stopping to hand out checks, grabbing dishes from deserted tables. Honestly, he couldn’t quite figure the woman out, and he was typically rather good at it. It was clear to him that she was running from something or someone, yet she came into this diner several times a week to work. She was right there in front of every person in this small town, talking to them, getting to know them. And they were doing the same with her. Embers Ridge was like any small town, full of gossip and conjecture. Not to mention, nosy fucking people. For a woman who had a secret, she hadn’t realized that showing up here was a surefire way to out herself.
Or maybe she had and she was merely testing out the theory of hiding in plain sight.
Not that Wolfe should be interested in her secret or even her, for that matter. She seemed far too sweet and innocent for the likes of him. Yet that was exactly how he found himself.
There was something in Amy’s eyes that intrigued him, made him want to know more.
“Here you go.” Amy’s melodic voice brushed every one of his senses, and he looked up as she delivered their breakfast.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Lynx rasped, grinning from ear to ear.
Lynx had been flirting with Amy since the first day they’d seen her in here about three months ago, yet she hadn’t once returned his interest. Honestly, it irked the shit out of Wolfe that Lynx did it, but he didn’t exactly know why. Since he couldn’t explain it, he didn’t bother telling Lynx to knock it off. That was the way Lynx was.
“We’ve got a truck comin’ in at nine, Wolfe,” Lynx noted.
Wolfe knew that was Lynx’s way of telling him to hurry, but he didn’t bother heeding his warning. The guy knew not to push him. When that happened, Wolfe tende
d to do the opposite.
As he ate, Wolfe felt eyes on him. He was used to that. People in this town were nosy as fuck. They didn’t have a problem digging into other people’s business, Wolfe’s included. He was usually good at shrugging it off, but this time he looked up, his eyes scanning the well-lit room, trying to see who was so interested in how he took his eggs.
He met Amy’s curious gaze from across the room.
A soft blush crept up her cheeks and she instantly looked away.
Damn, she was pretty. Big brown eyes, pouty pink lips. Her blond hair—darker at the roots—was always pulled back in a ponytail, making her look remarkably young, although he figured her somewhere in her mid-twenties.
He returned his attention to his food, then met Lynx’s gaze briefly.
Lynx shook his head slightly, answering Wolfe’s silent question. He had asked him to find out more information on Amy. Where she came from, how she ended up here. Basic questions that he wanted to know about anyone who lived here. That was how the Caines operated. They kept an eye on these people. That was the way it went and he couldn’t explain why that was, either.
“What’s up, sweetheart?” Lynx asked.
Wolfe looked up to see Lynx smirking at two women sitting at a table close to them. Both women were staring, batting their eyelashes. Relatively attractive, Wolfe guessed you could say. Granted, he wasn’t all that impressed by the pearls with the tank top, but hey, what did he know about fashion?
Not that it mattered. Neither of them got his dick hard. Probably wouldn’t even if they were naked and on their knees in front of him.
It had nothing to do with biology, either. He was capable of getting a hard-on, but the shallow women who solicited him just didn’t do it for him anymore. At twenty, he’d been living high on life, fucking half the women over twenty-five in this town. Promiscuous had been his middle name. At one time, he’d ventured down an entirely different road, sharing women with his cousin on occasion, experimenting with men, sometimes hooking up with a man and woman at the same time. However, he’d kept that part of himself locked up tight for years. As he grew up, he’d started to have an issue with casual encounters.
Oh, that hadn’t stopped him completely, of course. However, as he neared thirty, it took a little more than a smile and a wink to make his dick stand up and take notice.
That didn’t necessarily explain why his body was on high alert when it came to the cute little waitress with the guarded brown eyes.
“Why don’t you just offer her the job?” Lynx inquired between bites.
Wolfe snapped his eyes over to Lynx when he realized he’d been staring at Amy again. “Who?”
“Amy,” he said softly. “Clearly she’s a hard worker and you know we can pay her a hell of a lot more than she’s makin’ here. How many jobs does she have anyway?”
Only two that he knew of.
Wolfe glanced over to see Amy wiping down the counter for the tenth time.
“Plus, she’s bored outta her mind,” Lynx added. “We need an office manager.”
They did. That was a fact.
“What makes you think she’d even consider it?” Wolfe knew Lynx well enough to know his interest in Amy wasn’t merely as an employee. He’d made it abundantly clear that he was hot for her.
Hell, half the single guys in town had shown their interest.
His mind drifted to his conversation with Rhys. The sheriff seemed to have some interest in her as well. For whatever reason, Wolfe wasn’t bothered by the idea. Not the way he’d claimed to be, anyway. Then again, Wolfe had some interest in the sheriff. More than he was ever willing to let on.
Lynx shrugged, then signaled Amy over.
Wolfe instantly put down his fork and picked up his coffee. God only knew what was going to come out of his cousin’s mouth, and he’d rather not be chewing.
“Can I get you something else?” Amy pulled her pad from her apron pocket.
“Do you like workin’ here?” Lynx asked, point-blank as always.
Wolfe peered up at Amy, noticing the way her brown eyes sparkled.
“Uh … yes?” A small frown line formed between her dark eyebrows. “Why?”
“See, we’ve got a spot open at the Cedar Door. It’s an office manager position. Wondered if maybe you’d be interested.”
Her confusion turned to wariness. “Why would you think I’m qualified?”
Lynx peered around, then met Amy’s gaze head on. “I figure you run this place rather well, probably not a stretch to think you can manage an office.”
“How much does it pay?”
Lynx’s gaze slammed into Wolfe’s. He shrugged. Wolfe would let his cousin figure this one out.
“That’s negotiable,” Lynx told her. “But if you’d like to stop by the shop, I’d be happy to talk to you more about it.”
Amy placed the bill on the table. “I’ll … uh … think about it.”
That was a lie, Wolfe could tell. Since he was suddenly interested in finding out what this woman seemed to be running from, he decided to help Lynx out. “How about this afternoon? Three o’clock?” He grinned. “Lynx’s not pullin’ your leg, darlin’. We’re looking for someone to manage the office.” Wolfe waved his hand to encompass the diner. “I assure you, it pays a helluva lot better than this place.”
Amy’s eyes locked with his and Wolfe held her stare.
To hell with Lynx interviewing this woman.
Wolfe had every intention of handling Amy Smith himself.
Rhys walked into the diner as Lynx was walking out. He didn’t think he could’ve timed his arrival better if he’d tried.
When he stepped inside, he found Wolfe sitting at a table, two empty plates in front of him. He was staring at his cell phone with a frown on his face.
Figuring luck was on his side, Rhys nodded at Amy, then took one of the empty seats near Wolfe.
“Abandoned so early in the mornin’?” he said by way of greeting.
Wolfe spared him a brief look but then turned his attention back to his phone. “What do you want, Sheriff?”
You. Rhys refrained from admitting that though.
For the better part of the weekend, Rhys had given thought to Wolfe’s warning on Friday night. The man had referred to Rhys’s sexual proclivities as a game. He had to wonder just how much thought Wolfe had given to him previously. He’d wondered about it so much he found himself thinking about what it would take to seduce the sexy cowboy.
Having known Wolfe a long time, Rhys was convinced the man was as interested in men as he was in women. Sure, Wolfe had done a relatively decent job of keeping his preferences under wraps, but still, people talked. He’d heard a few things over the years that made him think there could be a chance to get the cowboy with the scarred knuckles and raspy voice right where he wanted him. Not to mention, Rhys had seen the way Wolfe looked at him. It was the same way Wolfe looked at pancakes and bacon.
Then, while Rhys had been fantasizing about Wolfe, his mind had conjured up some pretty hot images of a sweet little…
“Can I get you something, Sheriff?” Amy offered, her voice soft as she moved to stand beside him.
Yeah. Her.
Rhys’s fantasies were never simple. They involved some smoking-hot interactions with the sexy cowboy and the cute little waitress. Of course, he hadn’t even realized how interested he was until last Friday night, but hey, he wasn’t going to fight it.
“The special would be great,” he said, keeping his expression masked. “And a cup of coffee, if you don’t mind.”
Amy didn’t meet his eyes, and a quick nod was all he received before she darted back behind the counter. Unable to help himself, Rhys stared after her. The way she filled out those jeans should’ve been a crime.
A rough growl drew his attention back to Wolfe. He turned his head and lifted his eyebrow, waiting for the man to offer up another warning. Instead, he found Wolfe staring back at him with what looked a hell of a lot like lust in his eyes.
Based on that look, Rhys didn’t think he was the only one who’d imagined the three of them rolling around in Rhys’s big bed.
For all the time he’d known Wolfe, he’d never witnessed anything to confirm that the man did swing both ways. Sure, there’d been some rumors over the years about the Caine cousins. They were known for their wild ways, which, if the stories were true, had included some rather interesting exploits.
Then again, most people didn’t share those idiosyncrasies with the world. Especially not in a small town like theirs. A man could be persecuted for his desires in a town like Embers Ridge. Rhys knew firsthand. The fact that he was bisexual was something he had to keep on the down low. Not that he ignored his desires, but he was careful about who he was with.
Sure, the world was changing. People’s acceptance was changing. Hell, not too long ago, the town had been overwhelmed by some untraditional relationships when some of Wolfe’s family had opted to have a family reunion over at Dead Heat Ranch. From what Rhys had seen, there were some successful polyamorous relationships going on in that family. It gave a guy hope, sure.
Not that Rhys would ever be able to go public with a relationship of that nature. Nor did he expect to end up in one. However, there was one man he’d wanted for longer than he could remember. And he knew that Wolfe was into sharing. He wasn’t entirely certain the man was as open to sharing the way Rhys had in mind, but hey, it was a nice fantasy.
And there was only one way to find out.
“Did you need somethin’? Or were you offerin’ to pay for my breakfast?”
Rhys grinned. “I wanted to see if we could meet up later. I go on shift at three. Thought I’d stop by the shop once I head out for a bit.”
Curiosity backlit Wolfe’s emerald-green eyes. “What about?”
Hard to Hold Page 3
