by Jill Sanders
“You okay?” he asked directly behind her.
Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath, then coughed as the freezing air hit her lungs.
“Yeah.” She turned and looked up at him. “I like your family.” She tried to control the conversation, but by the way he was looking at her, she knew that he wasn’t buying her facade.
“What was that all about?” He leaned on the railing beside her, which brought his body closer to hers. She didn’t know who leaned, her or him, but when his arm came around her, she enjoyed the warmth his body provided. Resting her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes and, for a moment, just enjoyed having someone hold her.
“I… guess it’s just gotten to me—the phone call, the kids.” She felt a tear roll down her face and was appalled and wiped it away before he could see it. She didn’t like showing any weakness. Especially to her partner.
“You don’t like kids?” he asked.
“I love them. I shouldn’t, but…” She shrugged and looked off over the small backyard, which was filling with even more falling snow.
“Why shouldn’t you?” His voice vibrated his chest, which she was still leaning against.
When she tried to move, his hands kept her in place. “Because.” She frowned, suddenly wanting to pace.
“Why?” he asked again. “Because of your mother?”
She tensed. “I didn’t have a good role model.”
“So?” He turned her slightly until she looked up at him. “My father beat me until he hung himself when I was eleven.”
“You want kids still after all that?”
“I have to believe I’d be a good father one day. At first, I thought the way I acted when I was young was because of genetics, but then it was confirmed that the bastard wasn’t really my father.” He shrugged. “So, I changed to what I wanted to be.”
Her eyes searched his. “Something tells me, after hearing a few people in there talk about you, that you used to be an asshole.”
He chuckled. “Used to be?”
She smiled. She knew that he’d meant to lighten her spirits. That fact only made her more turned on to him.
Just then the back door opened, and Tom stepped out onto the porch with them.
Mia moved to step out of Brian’s hold, but he continued to hold onto her.
“Tom.” Brian nodded.
“It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon.” Tom leaned against the railing and lit a cigarette. “Your mom hates me smoking in the house,” he added, pulling out an ashtray from his pocket. “Or at all.” He winked.
“My dad smoked,” Brian mentioned.
The look on Tom’s face made Mia realize just how small of a town it was. Everyone knew everyone.
“Yeah.” Tom sighed and squashed out the half-smoked cigarette. Then he turned to them. “I know why you’re here.”
“Oh, why is that?” Brian asked.
Tom leaned closer to him. “The DEA called to talk to the officer in charge.” Tom’s eyes moved to Mia. “I took over as chief when Mike retired a few years back.”
“Shit.” Brian dropped his arms from around Mia. She shivered at the loss of the body heat.
“Does my mother know?” he asked.
“No.” Tom emptied the ashtray and tucked it back in his pocket. “And I’d appreciate it if it remained that way.”
“So would I,” Brian added.
“Good.” Tom started to walk away. “But you are staying for Christmas, right?”
Brian sighed. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Good.” Tom smiled. “It sure is nice to have you two in town. I could use the help ever since Tony and Mike retired. Now it’s just me and Dale.” He shook his head before stepping back inside.
“Well, that was fun,” Mia said sarcastically.
“Yeah.” Brian ran his hands through his hair. “Ready to go back inside?”
She assessed her feelings and nodded quickly. She didn’t know what had caused her to feel so… drained, but now it was as if she had gotten her second wind.
“Yes.” She smiled and straightened her shoulders.
When they stepped back inside, they somehow ended up getting separated. Brian was pulled into the front room again while she sat at the kitchen table and helped put the icing on the dessert cupcakes with the rest of the ladies.
“So, what is it you do?” Kristen asked her while they worked.
“I’m an emergency response nurse,” she said smoothly. Since she’d taken several medical classes during her stint in school, she figured it was best to stick to something close to home.
“Oh, how wonderful,” Kristen answered. “Our little clinic is expanding right now. They’re looking for more help.”
Kristen felt her stomach roll. “I’m really happy where I am, but if things change…” She smiled.
“I know Rea’s been trying to convince Brian to return home,” Gail said from her spot at the stove. “I always knew that boy would eventually straighten up.”
“No, you didn’t,” Trisha added with a nudge.
“Okay, no I didn’t, but I had hope.” Gail chuckled and turned around to look at Mia. “Just looking at that boy, I can tell he’s different than before.”
“Plus, he’s lost a lot of weight,” Addy said.
“He used to be heavy?” Mia asked, interested.
Addy shrugged. “He was always a little… heavier, but right before he left town, he started getting in better shape.”
Mia would have never guessed that Brian was anything but fit his entire life. He ate healthier than she did and when they worked out together, he acted like he’d done it forever.
“I’m so grateful Rea has taken him back. After that scare.” Gail shook her head.
“Scare?” Mia asked, setting down the spoonful of frosting.
Gail glanced over as if she’d forgotten Mia was there. “Oh, well, every boy goes through some… growing pains.”
Mia could tell there was something more Gail had wanted to say, but after another nudge from Trisha, she changed the subject. “So, are you two staying for Christmas?” Gail asked.
“We’re not sure yet,” she answered, her mind turning to her mother’s phone call.
“Do you have family close by?” Trisha asked.
“My mother’s in Chicago,” she answered truthfully.
“I moved to Haven when Kristen moved here,” Trisha added. “I just don’t think I could be that far from her or my grandkids.” She smiled over at the sleeping kids in the folding crib in the corner.
“I keep thinking about moving into Gail’s rental.” Trisha sighed. “But we just work how it is. The kids all have homes just across the way on the same land. If they need me to watch the kids, I’m only a brisk walk away.”
“Speaking of the rental, it’s just a few blocks from here,” Gail broke in. “You’re welcome to it. Since the Shaffer’s moved out, it’s just been sitting there empty.”
“Us? Move in?” Mia asked.
“Sure, you can’t be happy in a small hotel room for a few weeks.” Gail moved over and sat across from Mia. “I’ll give you the same rate as the hotel room. It will help to have someone in there. I pay to run the heater anyway, so the place doesn’t freeze during winter. It’ll be nice having people I know and trust in there.”
“I…” Mia didn’t know what to say. “I’ll have to run it by Brian.”
“Oh, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Gail waved her concerns away like a fly. “Did you pay up for your room for the week? I bet you can cancel if you did.”
“I don’t think so. I think they just took our card number since we didn’t know how long we were going to stay.”
“Then it’s settled.” Gail stood up. “I just so happen to have the spare key right here.” She walked over and opened a purse and pulled out a key ring. She smiled over at Mia.
Chapter 5
The following afternoon, Brian stood in the entryway of the beautiful home as M
ia moved around him with her bag. She dumped the bag on the hardwood floor by the base of the stairs just inside the doorway.
Hardwood floors made the entire main floor of the home cozy, especially with the various rugs strewn around the place. The stairs sat to the right of the front door. A long hallway led on one side to the living area and on the other to what appeared to be a bathroom and the garage.
“Hot damn. This place is gorgeous.” She moved into the living room. He followed her but she had quickly disappeared into the kitchen, rushing around the main floor, checking where every door led to.
There was a stone fireplace with a leather sofa and two armchairs. The place was furnished with warm and comfortable pieces.
“Wow,” he heard from the other room. “Nice.” He walked into the kitchen and had to agree, the place was nice. It was fully furnished, and he knew they were going to be more comfortable during their stay now.
There was a large island with a chopping block top and several bar stools. Pans of every color and size hung over it. A small mudroom sat off the back of the house, and he knew they would probably use that doorway, since they could dispose of their muddy boots. Hooks and small baskets to store items in lined one wall. A bench filled the other space beside a washer and dryer.
The home wasn’t an open concept, but he liked that you could sort of see into each room from everywhere.
A small reading room sat behind the fireplace. A large sofa and tons of bookcases stuffed with books of all kinds lined the walls. The room was closed off with a stylish sliding barn door.
The dining room was off the kitchen and looked like it had been a patio at one point. There were windows on either side of the long dining table. French doors went out into a good-sized backyard.
He followed her around. To the left of the front door sat a study and a small bathroom.
He remembered seeing the old house before and knew that Gail had purchased it shortly after her husband had died. He’d overheard her one day at the grocery store telling someone that she had bought the place as an investment.
At one point, he thought that Trent and Trey had lived here before finishing their own new homes on McGowan land. The old Brian had been jealous of the tight family connections. The new one was just grateful that he had more room to move around while they were in town.
“I’m picking my room.” She moved back to the front of the house and picked up her bag. He followed her up the stairs.
Until she’d mentioned it, and he’d noticed the multiple doors, he hadn’t thought about losing the possibility of sharing a bed with her. Suddenly, staying at the house wasn’t looking so good.
“This one’s mine,” she called from the end of the hallway.
His heart sank a little when she shut the door to the room. Tossing his bag into the first bedroom he found, he pulled out his laptop and headed down the stairs with his phone to check in.
After shooting an update out to his boss, he checked his messages and pulled up a map of Haven, contemplating where he thought the drugs were being run out of.
As he hung up the phone, Mia returned downstairs and started rummaging through the cupboards. Gail had informed them that the place had been empty for almost a full month. He knew they would have to stock up on food and decided to hit the store before it grew too late.
Since they would be heading out later that night after dark to go check on the warehouse spaces, he figured he could make the run himself.
“How about I make a run to the store?” He stood up and shut his laptop down.
“Yeah, we need the basics,” she agreed while her head was still stuck in the fridge. “Scratch that, more than the basics.” She shut the door. “How about I go with you?”
“Sure.” He grabbed the keys, knowing full well, she liked to drive. He was surprised that she didn’t look irritated that he drove through town.
Pulling into the grocery store’s parking lot, he instantly dreaded the decision when he saw several people he’d gone to school with.
He knew it was part of his cover to sell his and Mia’s relationship, so he held her hand as they walked through the front doors.
She didn’t act or look pissed when he took her hand in his. Maybe it was because there were several people walking out of the store at the time. Whatever the reason, he counted his blessings and held onto it as much as he could during their slow trek down each aisle.
He liked the way she shopped, looking at each item, calculating the calories, the sugar content, and even the price. Shortly after leaving Haven, he’d learned to do the same.
After stocking up on the essentials and chatting with a few old acquaintances, he was loading up the car when an old red truck pulled into the parking lot. When he groaned out loud, Mia glanced over just as Darla climbed out of the truck.
“Well, well.” Darla smiled and walked over to him. She surprised him by wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. “This is a pleasant surprise,” she said, holding onto him.
She hung onto him like an old friend, and he took a step back. It wasn’t as if he’d been on Darla’s radar, ever. Hell, he had doubted that the busty blonde even knew he was alive.
“Darla.” He gripped her arms and stepped away from her ample body. Even under the layer of a thick jacket, he could tell she was still smoking hot.
At one point just before he’d left, and again after he had gone, a rumor had gone around that she was pregnant. But after chatting with a few people, he’d found that most everyone in town thought that she just loved the attention and was actually infertile.
“I’d heard that you were back in town.” She smiled at him, not missing a beat after he moved away. “How long are you in town for?” she asked, her eyes moving over as Mia stepped closer to them.
“We’re not sure.” He made a point to hint that he was not alone. He knew Darla’s game. Hell, everyone in town did. Darla was and had always been after a McGowan and, seeing as it was recently discovered that he was included in that gene pool, he figured that was the reason he was on her radar.
“Oh, I do hope you’ll stop by the Spot.” She started to move closer to him just as Mia walked over and stopped directly beside him.
Reaching out, he took Mia’s hand, trying once again to hint to Darla that he was not alone, but the woman was either ignoring Mia altogether out of ignorance or doing it on purpose. He’d wager the second.
“Darla, this is my girlfriend, Mia.” He wrapped an arm around Mia for good measure.
Darla’s smile turned a little cold as she acknowledged Mia with a quick nod.
“You should totally stop by sometime.” Darla made a move to step away and Brian relaxed a little. “I’ll save a special dance for you,” she said before turning away.
Brian tugged on Mia’s arm and moved over to open her door. Once he got in beside her, she turned to him.
“So, Darla?” she said dryly.
“Shut up.” He groaned and turned on the car.
“Interesting little town you have here.” She chuckled. “Why so many strip clubs?”
He shrugged. “Too many men, not enough women in town.” He’d never really thought about the dynamics of Haven. After all, he’d grown up thinking it was just your typical small town. Not until he’d left it had he realized the number of clubs was much greater than that of a normal town.
“You should be on the map, you know, the small town with the highest ratio of strippers,” she said as they passed the Wet Spot.
“I don’t think we have the highest number of strippers, just clubs. Most of the women that work there don’t really live here full time. To keep things… spicy.” He glanced over at her and chuckled. “Darla’s the exception. I think she started stripping the moment she became legal. Maybe even before.”
“Yeah, she’s a keeper,” Mia added. “I bet in full makeup and… attire, she’s a knockout.”
“Attractive, sure, but she never really got my attention,” he added truthfully. He’d never r
eally been attracted to the type. Especially knowing back then that she’d been all about the McGowans.
“Oh?” Mia turned to him when he parked back in front of the detached garage. “What sort of type do you have?”
He shook his head and chuckled. “The type that won’t stab you in the back at first chance.”
“Smart man.” She laughed. “Twisting my question to something non-physical.”
“Besides…” He let his eyes run up and down her tight body. Her long dark hair, her hazel eyes, her perfect skin glowed in the darkness of the car. She was his type, someone with a good soul, someone just as broken as he was. “I kind of like being single.” He got out of the car.
After unloading the groceries, he pulled out what he’d bought to make for dinner.
“Need some help?” she asked from the other side of the kitchen bar.
“No, just making us some sandwiches. I figured we could head out and drive around first. You know, down each street so you can become familiar with the town.”
“Good idea.” She leaned on the counter. “I know you’ve already got your guesses of who might be behind the drugs, but maybe after talking to a few of your old friends, you want to change the list?”
“Yeah. We can scratch off Bobby Dell.”
“The guy we ran into at the store with the new baby?”
“Yeah.” He remembered seeing the sleeping child in the car seat. He’d known instantly the man couldn’t have anything to do with the flow of drugs coming out of Haven. “He’s studying to become a cop, so…”
“Yeah.” She nodded in agreement. “Okay, who does that leave?”
“Mark Philips and Nick Wagner.” He thought back to school and the group of kids that were into drugs back then. Neither of the two of them had amounted to anything in life, that he knew.
It was strange. At one point in his life, he would have easily joined the guys. Enjoying recreational drugs had been part of his life on occasion. He’d used the pills his doctor had prescribed to dull the pain of his childhood.
He’d grown out of that phase after seeing one of his buddies, Howie, drive his truck into a tree and lose his legs. He’d sobered up that day, visiting him in the hospital. Of course, the small town had rallied around Howie for a few years, helping him get clean and even buying him one of those cars for the disabled. Brian had lost track of the guy when he’d moved to Arizona, claiming warmer weather helped with the pain.
