by Lori Foster
“I’ll go,” Colt offered, but Hogan shook his head.
“I want you to describe the guy to Brooklin.” Then to Violet, he explained what had happened.
Her horrified gaze shot to Colt. Voice a bit shrill, she said, “I want you to stay away from him, too. You understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t you ‘yes, ma’am’ me, Colt Guthrie. You’re all agreeable because you plan to do just as you please.”
He said, “Uh...”
“I want your promise.”
Colt was stuck. He didn’t like seeing Violet upset, but no way could he make that promise, not if the guy might bother Kristy or Violet. He glanced over at Brooklin and included her in his thoughts. He couldn’t let some jerk bother any woman. “I, ah...”
Hogan handled the issue, putting his arm around Violet and steering her away. “I’ll talk to my son, okay?”
She didn’t want to—anyone could see that—but Violet gave in. “Fine.”
“Now I need Colt to describe the guy to Brooklin.”
“I would love to be in on this conversation, but I really do have to go.” She pointed at Hogan. “You won’t keep anything from me.”
He grinned at her, said, “Yes, ma’am,” then pulled her in for a lingering kiss before she could blast him.
Colt loved the look in his dad’s eyes, as well as the surprise on Violet’s. She glanced at Colt and blushed, then hustled in.
“Nicely played, Dad,” Colt said, giving his approval. “You’ve got her confused.”
Hogan nodded. “She’ll figure it out soon enough.”
She would, huh? Colt figured things were moving right along, with all the pieces falling into place.
There was only one exception.
When they all turned to Brooklin, they found her watching like a deer in the headlights. She knew something was happening.
Colt sympathized with her as Nathan fetched her over.
Tense with uneasiness, she asked, “What’s happened?”
Nathan put his arm around her. “Someone asked about you. I want to know if you recognize the guy at all.”
Colt gave the description again, watching Brooklin closely as he did so. He saw the fear disappear and a look of relief take its place.
“Well,” she said, leaning into Nathan, “I don’t think that’s a tragedy at all. In fact, the guy you described could be Russell.”
“Russell?” Nathan asked.
“My ex-fiancé. Remember, I told you he was a teacher with me?”
If Nathan had looked pissed before, it was nothing like the thundercloud that surrounded him now. “Your ex-fiancé? Here?”
She shrugged. “Could be. I’ve never seen Russell in a ball hat or cargoes. But the height sounds right, and he was always slim.”
“We’ll hang around a little longer,” Nathan decided with grim anticipation, “just in case he comes back.” Not fooling anyone, he fashioned a mean smile and said, “I’d like to meet him.”
The show of jealousy amused Colt, but he coughed it away so he wouldn’t offend the sheriff further. “I better get in there now. I can tell Violet what’s happening if you want. That way you can finish up out here.”
Hogan agreed, but said, “If you see him, Colt, let me know.”
“I will.” He grinned at his dad. “And I’ll do what I can to keep Violet away from him.”
18
VIOLET DIDN’T NOTICE her foot the rest of the night. How could she? She wasn’t sure her feet had touched the ground.
Multiple times, Hogan had publicly kissed her. To anyone observing it’d be clear they were a couple. Even the idea of Brooklin’s idiot ex hanging around wasn’t enough to dampen her happiness.
She wanted to ask Hogan what it meant, but at the same time, not knowing was nice. She could imagine anything.
And everything.
But at least now she knew they were making progress. She’d been more than willing to give Hogan time. After everything he’d been through, after all the upsets in Colt’s life... Well, she loved them both enough to be as patient as necessary.
She hadn’t heard Colt approach until he said, “What a day. That had to be the biggest Friday yet.”
Smiling, she turned from cleaning a booth. “I think it was. Your dad is doing inventory right now, to see what sold best with his ribs. I’m guessing it was a banner night.”
“Everyone’s gone now?”
“Kristy just finished up and left. Last I saw them, Brooklin and Nathan were still out back, but I imagine they’ll go before we do.”
Colt’s smile stayed in place, and he kept looking at her.
“What?” She touched her now-very-messy braid, wondering if she’d gotten a French fry caught in it, or a pickle or something. Some days, when she ran from cleanup to serving, to carryout and back again, she ended the day a real mess.
He shook his head, looked down at his feet, drew a breath and finally met her gaze again. “I like having you in our family, Violet. I really do.”
“In your family?” Oh, how nice that sounded. “But I’m not—”
“Yeah, you are.”
Colt wasn’t the type of kid to dance around something. He was more mature than that, more confident. She wouldn’t insult him by pretending she didn’t understand. “I would truly love that.” Then she held out a hand. “But I wasn’t rushing things. It’d only work for me if it’s what you and your dad want.”
“I do. And from what I’ve seen, Dad does, too. He wouldn’t stake a claim like that otherwise.”
“Stake a claim?”
Colt laughed at her. “You know what I mean. All the PDAs.”
“Right.” Those public displays of affection were new for him. She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t want to make too much of it.”
“You two will work it out. I just wanted you to know I’m happy about it.”
Well, he just about melted her heart. “Thank you, Colt.”
“I know it’s been a long day, but I wanted to ask you about something else, too, if you have a few minutes.”
She would always have time for him. “Sure. What’s up?”
In short order, he explained an early graduation program. “I’ll be out in January, and I was wondering if you’d have some full-time work for me. I could learn from Dad at the grill, since I know his ‘secret sauce.’ But I wouldn’t mind doing whatever.”
Devastated, Violet drew him into the booth and made him sit down. “Out in January, you said?”
“Yes.”
“Colt, when I was your age, I worked full-time. At the time I didn’t mind it, except that I missed all the dances and parties and all the fun stuff.” Which, of course, meant on some level she’d minded very much. “I don’t want you to miss it, too.”
“I don’t care about all that.”
“Of course you do. I saw you talking with that girl tonight.”
“Charish.” He said her name with a good dose of pleasure. “She’s my girlfriend.”
“A girlfriend?” That was news to Violet. “Well, you little sneak. How come I didn’t know anything about that?”
“It’s a new thing.” He drew his finger over the damp surface of the booth top she’d just wiped down. “Since I’ll be out of school and can save for college, and I decided to go to college locally, I...” He paused, seeming at a loss for the right words.
“You decided you had time for Charish, too?”
“Something like that.”
Pleased that Colt would confide in her, Violet asked, “You like her?”
He gave her a rascal’s grin. “You saw her, right?”
“I did.” She’d also noticed how the girl watched Colt as if her world revolved around him.
“She’s a real cutie.”
“Well, she’s even nicer than she looks. So yeah, I like her. A lot.”
Violet put a hand to her heart. “Oh my God, could you be more wonderful? That lucky girl.”
Colt snorted. “I’m not all that.”
“All that and then some, honey. I bet Charish knows it, too. How many boys your age would pay as much attention to a girl’s character as he does to her looks?”
Colt rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I should admit it wasn’t her character I first noticed.”
No, but it was apparently her character that swayed him into sticking closer to home. “I’m happy for you. You need to play a little more.”
“I also need to work more hours. I don’t mean to put you on the spot. I know the holidays will be busy around here, especially when everyone is out of school. But what about in January? Think you’d need someone more full-time, or should I look around at other places?”
Feigning grave insult, Violet drew back with a gasp. “Don’t you dare work anywhere else! You said it yourself—we’re like family, and family works together.”
“I think that’s supposed to be ‘sticks’ together.”
“Whatever. I want you here.” Where she could be a part of his life, and where she could ensure he didn’t work too hard, or too many hours. “And yes, I’ll put you full time if you want, but I’ll also need to give you a raise.”
“A raise?”
The wheels turned as she spoke, scrambling to find ways to make life just a little easier for Colt, while also showing him how proud she was of him. “Yes. But I have a stipulation.”
Wary, he said, “All right.”
“You have to work day shift the second Saturday of every month, and take off every third Saturday.” That’d give him two Saturdays every month for dating.
Colt looked at her like she was nuts. “I need the money—”
“You’ll have the raise, right? No reason to work every single weekend. That’s my deal. I hope it’s agreeable, because we need you here.”
Colt laughed at her. “That’s your whole motivation, huh? You’re not trying to free up my time so I can go out more?”
Pretending it didn’t matter to her, Violet checked a nail. “If dating is what you want to do, that’s fine. Or you could see a movie with your friends, head to the creek... It’s not my business.”
Colt watched her with open affection. “That’d all be terrific. Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” She should have let it go at that, but the words burned in her throat. “You know I...well, I care a lot about you, okay?” Her voice thickened with emotion. “It’s like you’re my...little brother or something.”
His expression went tender. “I’ve never been a little brother.”
Did he realize that she loved him like a son? Because damn it, she did. She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by saying so. He’d lost his mother. He couldn’t want her trying to fill in.
And why did she suddenly feel so whiny? She wasn’t a crier, so why get choked up now? She knew why, of course.
She wanted a role in Colt’s life, a role that might never be hers.
Colt squeezed her hands, then stood. “Thanks, Violet.”
She nodded and, without looking at him, trying to hide her glassy eyes, shooed him away.
“I’ll finish up in back.” After hearing him go, she rose from the booth, turned and found Hogan standing against the wall, his arms crossed, his gaze discerning.
Violet knew he’d heard everything.
As he approached, she drummed up some false composure. “Hey, all done?”
Expression unchanged, he touched her cheek. “Do you know that the harder you work, the sexier you look?”
She hadn’t seen that coming. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true. I never realized how hot it is to see a woman put everything into her work.”
“Well,” she whispered, “not everything.”
One brow went up and he half smiled. “True. You save a little energy for when I get you alone, don’t you?”
She quickly turned away to finish cleaning the booth and tabletops.
Hogan took one of the cloths and helped. “So Colt and Charish, huh?”
Thrilled for the change of subject, Violet flashed him a grin. “Did you see her? I’m surprised he resisted for so long.”
“He resisted,” Hogan said, “because he’s been working nonstop saving for college.”
Violet’s hand tightened on the cloth. “I know. He told me about his plan to graduate early. But there has to be a way...” She straightened and stared at Hogan.
After the day outside he looked amazing, especially wearing his Barbecue Master shirt. His windblown hair and five o’clock shadow only added to his physical appeal. She watched the muscles in his arms flex as he bent over a table, swiping the cloth across the surface.
In every way, Hogan personified the description of a gorgeous hunk. Physically, she found him almost too gorgeous for words. She only had to see him to start a slow meltdown.
He pitched in without thinking about it, didn’t differentiate between guy work and women’s work, or the importance of any particular job. He’d grill, help customers or, as he did now, wipe tables.
And best of all, he adored his son.
How could she not be crazy-nuts in love with him?
Caught in a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions, Violet opened her mouth and, without meaning to, blurted, “We could share rent.”
The second the words left her mouth, her stomach sank. She jerked around and blindly cleaned an already-clean booth. Her heart drummed madly.
She’d just suggested they live together.
The silence behind her settled like lead weights onto her shoulders. Even the air felt still.
Unable to resist, she bit her lip and glanced over at Hogan. He stood there, his arms limp at his sides, his gaze fixed on her.
What did that reaction mean?
Knowing she had to say something, Violet inched toward him. “Hogan...”
Nathan and Brooklin stepped in. “Colt locked up out back. Everyone else is gone, but before we take off, I thought maybe Hogan could show me the remodel upstairs.”
With the tension broken, Violet sucked in needed air, then rolled her eyes. “I take it that’s your not-so-subtle way of saying you want to talk to Hogan alone?”
Brooklin said, “Yes, it is.” She went to Hogan and took the cloth. “Go on, then. I’ll help Violet finish up.”
After a long searching look, Hogan said, “We’ll only be a minute.” Since Colt had already locked up in back, they went out the front door and around to the stairs by the back lot.
As soon as the men were gone, the ladies laughed.
“What are they talking about? Do you know?”
Brooklin shook her head. “We called Russell’s old cell phone number, but it’s not his anymore. I tried to look on his Facebook page, but it’s either private now or he closed it down.”
“So we don’t know for sure if it was him or not.”
She shook her head. “But I’d rather it be him. Russell was an ass, but he wasn’t dangerous.”
From behind them, a man’s voice said, “That’s not exactly true.”
Violet jerked around. Yes, that had to be the guy. Narrow shoulders, baggy cargo pants, probably in his midthirties. He wasn’t a homely man, but comparisons to Nathan weren’t kind. He looked pathetic.
Except for the gun in his hands.
“Lock the door behind me,” he ordered.
Neither woman moved. Brooklin said, “What are you doing, Russell?”
“You act like you don’t know.” He took a hard step toward her. “You ruined my life!”
Taken aback, but not looking afraid—not yet, anyway—Brooklin shook her head. “You’re the one who ended our engagement.”
“After what you did, did you think I’d stay with you? Do you realize how humiliating it was for me? Everyone talking, whispering behind their hands. You want to know what they said?”
“I know what they said.” Now Brooklin appeared angry, too. “I lived through it. None of it was true and you know it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Lock the door. Now.”
Reluctantly, Violet walked a wide path around him. Hogan and Nathan were upstairs, but if she locked the door, how would they get back in? Maybe that was a good thing, she thought, as she turned the dead bolt. They’d surely see this madman through the front window. Then they could call in reinforcements...
“Now get over here.”
Violet moved back to where she’d been, wondering where Colt was. Please don’t let him walk into this mess. Colt had hero tendencies and it scared her to death.
“What now?” she asked.
Russell flagged the gun toward the kitchens. “In there. I don’t want anyone walking by, seeing us.”
Brooklin’s mouth pinched in anger; her face paled.
Violet took her arm, gave her a squeeze and headed where Russell pointed.
There would be big knives in the kitchen, sharp carving forks, a meat cleaver or two...
But Russell forced them to the storage area.
No windows, no weapons, only giant-sized canned vegetables and boxes of dry goods.
“Get inside.”
Brooklin said, “I don’t understand this, Russell. What are you thinking? What are you planning to do?”
“Planning? I’m planning to tell you what a bitch you are. Then you’re going to sweetly apologize to me.” He looked at Violet. “I have nothing against you except that this is the first time I’ve found her alone, away from the sheriff, and you just happen to be here.”
“Collateral damage?” Violet asked, remembering what Hogan had called her involvement.
“Maybe you should have been more discriminating in your choice of friends.” He stared at Brooklin. “Everyone whispered that I wasn’t man enough and that’s why you went to a kid,” he sneered. “One of our own students.”
