My hopes of that were demolished when Jeremy announced, “All of you! Kitchen. Now!”
Gavin, Luke, and Stacia stood and headed toward the kitchen with Brett and Lizzy following behind. Savannah defiantly kept her ass in her seat, staring daggers in Jeremy’s direction, but Lizzy grabbed her elbow and yanked her up. When Allison was stupid enough to get up and try to follow us, Jeremy nipped that in the bud. “What do you think you’re doin’? Just because you want to get on Luke’s jock, doesn’t make you a part of this group. You are not part of this group. Get the hell outta here.” He turned and stomped into Stacia’s house, dismissing Allison completely. I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped when I saw the expression on her face.
None of us got the chance to say anything before Jeremy jumped right in, feet first. “This shit has to stop,” he said. “This group right here is a family. We need to find a way to move past this, because this shit’s breaking us. We’ve got people going at each other’s throats, people leaving parties, people taking sides… Just stop!”
It was clear we all felt like children being disciplined, because each of us was staring at the floor. Even Savannah looked guilty, and it took a lot to make her feel chastised.
“Now this shit started between Emmy and Luke, and it needs to stay between them. It’s not our place to get into their business. Don’t give me that look, Savannah,” he said before she even got a chance to interrupt. He turned back to me and Luke. “Do y’all think I’m wrong?” he asked us both.
“No,” Luke and I both responded.
“Honestly…” I started as I looked at all my friends, keeping my eyes on Brett and Savannah longer than the others. “I love you all. And Jeremy’s right, we’re a family. Mine and Luke’s issues need to stay between us. I can’t stand seeing everyone divided because you guys feel like you need to take sides.” I looked over at Luke, and he smiled at me. We weren’t on our way to being friends, but maybe we could at least find a common ground after this. “Will it work for everyone if Luke and I make a deal right now to be civil with each other when we’re all out together?”
I could almost feel the collective sigh coming from everyone.
Luke walked over to me and extended his hand. “I can work with that if you’re comfortable with it.”
I looked down at his hand then back up into his eyes. “Works for me,” I said taking his hand and ignoring the zing that shot through my body at the contact. “You got a deal.”
CHAPTER 12
I was dead on my feet… and it was only ten in the morning. The diner was in the middle of the breakfast rush, with the early service patrons having just wandered in after church. I knew things weren’t going to slow down until well after lunch, but I had not had a good night’s sleep in ages. Since Luke showed back up, my mind kept wandering to the past, which was not a good place for it to be. Both of us were trying hard to keep our word and get along when in the same place for our friends’ sakes, but that didn’t make seeing him any easier. I just wanted to go home, crawl in my bed and sleep for at least twenty-four hours.
I was so out of it that I didn’t even notice the handsome man sitting at the table I was standing at. I’d worked as a waitress for so long that taking orders was second nature. I was able to jot down a complete order without really noticing the person placing it. Normally, on days like this, I considered that a gift. That was not the case with this guy.
When I finally took notice of the man in front of me, I instantly got lightheaded. He was, by far, one of the best looking men I’d ever seen. If put in a line up with Luke, this guy would have come in a very close second. I normally preferred my guys to be extremely tall, dark and handsome. This guy had the tall and handsome down but was lacking the dark, which didn’t take away from his total hotness. One. Damn. Bit.
Although he was sitting, I guessed he stood at 6’2, probably closer to 6’3, and was built like a brick shithouse. There wasn’t a single solitary place on his body not packed with muscle… at least from what I could see. He looked like he skipped shaving that morning, so his strong, square jaw was deliciously scruffy. His honey blond hair had that rumpled style that looked like he’d just gotten laid. For all I knew, he had, but that was none of my business. I’d always been a fan of ink on guys, and I could see the makings of a tribal design on his right upper arm, sneaking out the sleeve of his tight gray t-shirt. I noticed he had the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor symbol etched on his left forearm with Semper Fi in bold lettering underneath, indicating he was a Marine. I’d always had a thing for men in uniforms… what woman doesn’t? But since Luke, I kind of had an aversion to military men. I was happy to say that blondie had cured me of said aversion.
Damn, he sexy.
When I finally drew my gaze back up to his face, I noticed the most stunning pair of blue eyes. I couldn’t remember ever seeing eyes so blue they were almost teal. It was easy to see the grin in them. I was busted. Marine hottie just caught me checking him out. Instead of allowing myself to be embarrassed, I owned it and plastered on my best smile.
“What can I getcha today?” I asked.
His grin turned into a full blown smile, and damn was it a fine smile! “Well, I don’t know.” I caught a twinge of a southern accent, but it didn’t sound like he was from Texas. It had more of a Louisiana drawl to it. “I’m new in town so this is my first time eating here. What would you recommend, cher?”
Yep, definitely Louisiana.
I’m not afraid to admit it. I totally swooned. “Well, seeing as I own this place and I know for a fact that everything on the menu is delicious, I’d say you can’t really go wrong with anything. But if I was forced to choose, I’d go with the buttermilk pancakes.”
“So you’re Virgie May?” he asked with a cheeky grin.
“Not exactly.”
“Hmm,” he mumbled, scratching his scruffy chin as he looked back at his menu. “Bacon or sausage?”
“Sausage. Definitely,” I replied with a smile.
“Okay. Scrambled or sunny side up?”
I gave a little laugh. “I’ll do you one better. Our cook does a mean fried egg.”
He banged his hand down on the table top. “Well alright then, sounds delicious. But I can’t help but wonder… does that meal come with your number by any chance?”
Oh, this guy was slick. I threw my head back in laughter. “It most certainly doesn’t. But I’ll tell you what.” I pointed down to the tattoo on his forearm. “Seeing as you’re a Marine and all, the meal’s on the house. That’s the best I can do.”
He placed his hand over his heart as if he was hurt. “You wound me, cher,” he said with a sly grin.
“Somehow I doubt that.”
“So does your man realize how lucky he is to have such a beautiful woman on his arm?”
I leaned down and rested my palm on his table. “No man, but thanks for the compliment.”
He threw me another mega-watt smile, showing his gleaming white teeth. “No man, huh? So you’re saying I got a chance.”
I couldn’t help but laugh again. This guy was too much. “I said no such thing, Marine! Boy, you’re relentless, aren’t you?”
He was just about to respond when I heard a sound from over my shoulder that couldn’t be described as anything other than a growl. “What the hell’s going on here?”
I turned to see Luke, looking positively outraged. Well this isn’t going to help our agreement out any I thought as I looked into his enraged, green eyes. “Just helping a customer, Lucas. Nothing to get your panties in a twist over.” McHottie Marine’s back was to Luke, so I didn’t miss the irritation in his eyes as he turned to face him, no doubt about to start some shit. So you can imagine my surprise when a surprised smile slowly spread over Luke’s face as he said, “Well, I’ll be damned. What the fuck are you doin’ in Cloverleaf, you piece of shit?” Blondie was now standing directly in front of Luke, and the two of them wrapped each other in a man hug, complete with the typical slap on the back.
I politely placed my hand in his and shook, feeling the crushing weight of disappointment. It wasn’t like I actually planned on giving him my number, but it was nice to have an attractive guy flirt with me. I’d been out of the game for so long. But finding out he was a friend of Luke’s just killed it. “Emerson Grace. Welcome to Cloverleaf.”
“So how do you know Luke here?”
“No story there, really. We just used to know each other is all.” I cut my eyes to Luke to see him looking uncomfortable.
“Emmy and I were best friends growing up,” he responded quietly.
Recognition flashed across Trevor’s face. “Wait… Emmy? You’re Emmy?” I gave a confused nod before he looked back at Luke. “Dude, I had no clue this was your Emmy. I never would have made a play for her had I known.”
What. The. FUCK?! “Uh, excuse me, but I am most definitely NOT his Emmy.” I scribbled out his order on a ticket slip, slapped it on the table and started to walk away.
“What’s this?” he called to me, holding the ticket in his hand.
“It’s your bill,” I replied dryly.
“I thought Marines ate free.”
I turned back to face Trevor and Luke head on, cocking a hip out to one side. “They do,” I replied in a snarky tone. “But there are two types of Marines in Cloverleaf. I held up my index finger. “There are regular Marines who don’t pay to eat at Virgie May’s.” I held up my middle finger next. “Then there are the Marines that are friends with Luke. They have to pay to eat.” I spun back around and headed to the kitchen, throwing over my shoulder, “Be sure to pay your waitress. I’ll send one over.” I pushed through the kitchen door just in time to hear Trevor burst out laughing as he informed Luke, “Dude. I think I’m in love.”
That little scene wasn’t exactly me trying to be civil toward Luke, but what could I say. The first guy who’d hit on me in forever turned out to be a friend of his… it was juvenile, but that just pissed me off.
CHAPTER 13
LUKE
“I’m glad to see you man, but I’m just gonna say this once. Emmy is off limits.”
Trevor held up his hands in a surrender position. “Hey man, no worries. She’s a cutie and all, but now that I know who she is, I’m backing off.”
I felt an immediate sense of relief. “Good. I’ve got enough going against me with that girl as it is.”
“So what’s the deal with you two? I mean, you talked about her so much that I feel like I know her already. What’s with the ice queen act?”
“It’s a long story. Let’s just say I made some mistakes before leaving town, and I don’t know if that shit can be undone.”
Emmy must have seen me sit down in front of Trevor because she returned with a carafe of hot coffee. “You staying long enough for a cup?” she asked. She didn’t ask in the most polite voice, but at least she was acknowledging my existence.
“Yeah, if it’s okay with you?”
She sat a cup in front of me and began to fill it. “Fine by me.”
She quickly turned and walked away after filling my cup. I felt like a total douche but I couldn’t help it; I stared at her ass as she walked away. She still had the best ass of any woman I’d ever seen.
I turned back and saw that Trevor caught me. With a smirk on his face, he asked “From how you used to talk, I assumed you were pretty tight before you left.”
“Yeah, we were.” I picked up my cup and savored the dark, rich flavor of the coffee. Virgie May’s still had the best coffee.
“So what happened?” He sounded casual, but I knew better. He was the nosiest bastard on the planet. He’d rival any female I knew when it came to gossip.
“Not a conversation we should have here, man. I’ll fill you in later. For now, why don’t you tell me how you ended up in my town?”
“No big reason, just needed a change of scenery.”
“Uh, huh.” I’d known Trevor long enough to know there was more to the story. “Let me guess. Husband after your ass for banging his wife?” Trevor was a good guy but he wasn’t exactly picky with who he took to bed. All a woman needed to get with Trevor was good looks, a pulse and an understanding that once the sun came up, their fun was over.
“Nah, no husband involved.”
“So it must be a Fatal Attraction scenario then.”
“Dude, you’ve got no idea,” he said. Trevor rubbed his face with both hands before explaining. “We’re talking stage-five clinger, man. This chick takes crazy to a whole new level.”
“I told you, brother. One of these days your dick was gonna get you in trouble.”
“Is it my fault I’m hung like a horse?”
That wasn’t a visual I needed before breakfast. “Maybe not. But it is your fault that you’ll stick it in anything that makes eye contact.”
“Whatever. Can I at least count on you for a place to crash since moral support isn’t in your vocabulary?”
The idea of having a roommate was kind of appealing. I’d spent way too much time by myself since moving back. My thoughts weren’t something I wanted to depend on for company. “Yeah, man, I got you. My place isn’t all that great, but it’s got an extra room and a bed.”
Trevor picked up his coffee and took a drink. “That’s all I need.” Putting the cup down, he picked up his ticket and looked at me. “You think she’s serious about paying?”
“Oh yeah, she’s serious.” A waitress came and sat a plate of pancakes down in front of Trevor. He looked up at her and smiled, and she instantly blushed at his attention. This wasn’t anything I wasn’t used to. All Trevor had to do was flash a grin and the women’s panties melted. That didn’t mean I wanted to see it. I cleared my throat to get the waitress’s attention. I didn’t recognize her, but that didn’t mean anything… I’d been gone for a long time. “You think I could get some pancakes?” I asked.
“Sure thing, Deputy. Emmy already put in your order, should be just a few minutes.” Well, that was promising. She might have thrown some attitude my way when I first got in, but the fact she put in an order for my favorite breakfast showed that she was still sticking to our agreement. I wasn’t too hopeful that I’d get my meal for free though.
“Damn,” Trevor said with a groan. “She wasn’t joking, these are the best pancakes I’ve ever had.”
“I know, that’s why you have to pay your bill. Emmy won’t hesitate to ban you from this fine establishment. And trust me, that’s the last thing you want. I just got my privileges back. I’ve been eating shitty frozen meals for weeks now.” I trembled at the thought of ever having to go back to those fucking Mighty Man Meals again.
“Well, I’d be golden if it wasn’t for you. She’d already offered to comp my food until you showed up. I’ve been here for twenty minutes, and you’ve already managed to screw me over.”
The waitress delivered my plate and I immediately dug in. “Hey, asshole. I didn’t tell you to fuck a nutcase and use Cloverleaf as your hideout.”
Trevor laid his fork and knife down and leaned in. His eyes cutting from left to right, as if he was looking for someone. “Don’t even joke about that. This is serious shit. I’m almost scared to go to sleep at night. I keep thinking that I’m going to open my eyes, and she’ll be standing over me with a butcher knife.” I almost choked on a bite when he said that. On top of being a man whore, Trevor was also as dramatic as a woman. “You laugh now, but when this woman is arrested driving across state lines, wearing my head as a hat and a Trevor skin suit, it won’t be so funny.” We both finished eating and paid our bill. We even got a small wave from Emmy on our way out.
***
“You weren’t kidding, this place is
a hell hole,” Trevor offered as we walked into my apartment. “Cardboard boxes as your dining room table. I see you really made this place your own.”
I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. “Hey, you don’t like it, you can always stay at a motel.”
“Couldn’t be any worse than this,” he muttered under his breath as he looked around.
“Look, it isn’t much, but it’s a place to crash. I gotta get to work, but we can go out for a few beers later tonight. There’s a live band playing at Colt’s.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I spent the rest of the day feeling a little lighter than I had in a long time. My buddy was in town for an undetermined amount of time and it looked like Emmy and I were making some progress—small as it was—towards at least getting a friendship started again. All in all, it was a pretty good day.
CHAPTER 14
EMERSON
“Will this day ever end?” I asked looking up at the black sky. Even the twinkle of the stars wasn’t enough to pull me out of my mood. I was currently standing in the parking lot outside of the diner, wishing I had telekinetic powers to unlock my car doors. Unfortunately, the power of mind control was not something I was born with. Locking my keys in my car wouldn’t normally be such a bad thing, but I’d somehow managed to lock my cell phone in as well.
I had turned from beating on the windows to trying to jimmy the locks. “This is bullshit!” I yelled out at no one. I managed to find a flat piece of metal and was shoving it down between the door and the window trying to pop the lock. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, but I’d seen it done in movies, so it couldn’t be that hard.
“Hands in the air and step away from the car!” I was instantly blinded from my task by a bright ass spot light. Holy shit! I’m being arrested. I’m being arrested! Wait… what the hell am I being arrested for?? “Emmy?” the booming voice that had just instructed me to put my hands up asked. “Is that you?”
Picking up the Pieces Page 7
