Fool’s Errand: Cartwright Brothers, Book 4

by Anderson, Lilliana

  “Because I hurt you.” I sniffed and wiped my eyes, shaking my head because I regretted being such a moody bitch to him when at the crux of it, he’d been nothing but good to me. “I’m sorry, Abbot. I—”

  Looking at his hands, his expression fell before he met my eyes. “Tear gas. Holy shit, Sloane. The tear gas.”

  “What?” I looked at the safe, my eyes going wide as a hairline fracture crept along the glass and the liquid started to react and hiss. “Tear gas,” I yelled.

  “Run!” Abbot grabbed me and pushed me towards the door, hitting the fire alarm before he closed and locked the unit then ran with me through the hall, our eyes and noses pouring disgusting fluids and making it hard to see.

  “It burns so bad,” I cried, hands out because I could barely see. Light flashed just ahead and Abbot shoved me into the parking lot, gasping for fresh air.

  “Oh my God,” he grunted. Grabbing his shirt and wiping at his face. “Fuck, that makes it worse. It’s on our clothes.” He tore his shirt off. “Get your clothes off. We need cold water. There’s a hose around the side.” He pointed and I followed him, stripping to my underwear and hobbling along on the gravel barefoot.

  I stepped around the side of the warehouse and was immediately blasted with a spray of cold water. I shrieked and held my hands out in a futile effort to protect myself. “Oh God.” I rubbed my hands over my face, wiping the water and snot away. “Stop. I’m OK.” I coughed and hacked, my nose and eyes pouring from irritation.

  He gave me a break and sprayed himself. Rubbing at his skin as the cold water ran over his body. He leaned over and shot the spray into his face, making disgusting grunting noises to get all the mucus out.

  Totally grossed out, freaked out, and freezing, I hugged my arms around myself and shivered. He seemed just fine, which made sense since those beach showers were always freezing cold. “Here.” He handed me the turned-down hose. “Swish water around your mouth and splash it in your eyes and up your nose. You need to clean as much of it out of your sinuses as possible.”

  Taking the hose, I did as I was told, complaining and spluttering the whole time. “This is the worst.”

  “I know,” he said, hand on my back. “I fucked up.”

  “What are we going to do?” I gasped, leaning against the warehouse in the sun. “The fire brigade is going to come, right? What do we tell them?”

  Abbot spat on the ground, water dripping from his body as he shook his head. “The alarm doesn’t alert them.” My eyes travelled over the length of him, lingering on the wet boxer briefs that hugged his manly shape. I closed my eyes and pushed all my thoughts of that away. I couldn’t do any of that with him anymore.

  I coughed instead. “Who does it alert?”

  “My family.” His red-rimmed eyes moved over my body, and the black underwear that clung wet to my body. “You cold?”

  “Freezing.” My teeth chattered as he pulled me against him, rubbing his hands over my skin to warm me up. Oh God, I’m going to miss this.

  “Lizzie got anything inside her we can use to dry off?”

  “M-m-maybe,” I forced out.

  Picking our way across the gravel to Lizzie’s side, I realised I was missing one very important thing.

  “Keys,” I said.

  “And a locksmith is no good without a picking kit.”

  I nodded, pulling on the handle even though I knew she was locked. “Can anyone see us from the road?” I asked, hearing the distant hum of traffic.

  “No. We chose this place because it’s private. Stand back.” He placed one hand on my shoulder, moving me to the side as his other hand hurled a rock through the driver’s window.

  “No!” I yelled, watching Lizzie’s window shatter and crumble before he reached inside and opened her up.

  “You’ll thank me when you’re dry,” he stated, leaning inside and rummaging around until he came out with a crusty-looking towel that I’d probably used after a swimming session months ago and forgot about. “Use that.”

  “Thanks,” I said, wiping the stiff fabric against my skin. It was scratchy, but it softened up as it absorbed the excess water.

  “You’ve got a jumper in here too,” he said, tossing it my way. I threw him the towel then pulled the jumper over my head. I felt instantly better.

  “What are you doing now?” I asked as he came out with a plastic bag.

  “Getting our clothes.” He found a stick and walked across the gravel, picking up our discarded clothing and dropping it in the plastic bag.

  After that, he walked around to where we’d rinsed off with the hose. And I let out a sigh.

  We had really fucked this thing up. I’d let my unresolved mummy issues get the better of me, and he…well, he didn’t want the same things I did. I wanted a life. I wanted a house, a husband, kids, a dog… All things a commitment phobe like Abbot couldn’t give me.

  “You are so fucking lame, Slater,” I said to myself. It was so stupid of me to think I could ever have sex for fun. I’d always believed that men and women could be friends despite having sex, while Abbot believed all male and female relationships ended over sex. Ended. I was beginning to think he was right.

  A black sedan pulled into the parking lot, breaking into my analysis. The cavalry had arrived, Toby behind the wheel and Sam in the front seat. I gave them a small wave and waited by Lizzie for them to park.

  “What happened?” Sam asked, jumping out of the car and looking at the warehouse, possibly for an actual fire.

  “Tear gas happened,” Toby observed, his voice calm as he stepped out and lowered his sunglasses. I swear he looked like he was about to laugh. “Look at her face.”

  I smiled and dramatically wiggled my fingers at my face. “It’s a new look I’m trialling.”

  “Holy fuck. You look like you have that rabbit disease,” Sam said.

  “That’s what I was going for,” I said. “So, it’s working. Excellent.”

  Toby looked at the ground and hid his smile. “Where’s Abbot?”

  “Around there.” I pointed to the side of the building. “Rinsing the gas out of our clothes, I think.”

  “Uh, I don’t think he’s rinsing them,” Sam said, pointing to a small column of smoke rising up.

  “What? He’s burning them? No. I loved that hoodie.”

  “Sucks to be you.” Sam clapped me on the arm then jogged towards where Abbot was having his own private bonfire.

  “I suppose he’s burning my shoes too.” I pouted, wriggling my toes against the small stones that felt more like knives at this point.

  “I'd say so,” Toby said, glancing at Lizzie, reacting to her smashed window with a raised brow then pulling the back passenger door open of his car. “Why don’t you sit?”

  “My underwear is wet from Abbot hosing me. I’ll mess up your upholstery.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about my upholstery, Sloane. Besides, it’s leather. It’ll dry.”

  “OK.” I took a seat with my feet perched on the edge of the car and the door still open while Toby stood not far from me.

  “Wanna tell me how you got gassed?”

  “Would you believe that it erupted all on its own?”

  “No.”

  “I see. Well, I pissed off your brother and opened the safe at the same time.”

  “What’d he do? Slam it shut again?”

  I nodded. “We didn’t even notice it cracked at first. Too busy yelling.”

  He took a deep breath and nodded, hands in his pockets as he looked over the building. “We’re going to need to find someone to scrub the place clean, decontaminate and such.”

  “You know someone who can do that?”

  Toby turned back to me. “I can make some calls. But you’re going to need to stick around until it’s safe to get back in there.”

  “I gathered that,” I said, pressing my lips together. “Not only is the money in there, but my shit is in there too. I need it.”

  “Plus, I hear you’re in the we
dding party now.”

  “Oh yeah, the wedding. I’d conveniently forgotten about that.” A wedding in the bridal party with Abbot. Well, that won’t be awkward at all. “Do you think,” I said slowly, “that I could stay at the house instead of with Abbot?”

  “Did he do something?” Toby’s concern seemed real.

  “No.” I lifted a hand. “We just…we aren’t getting along. I need a little distance.” And to not feel ashamed over our masturbate-off the night before and my skitz out over my mother’s flirting. Not to mention the whole money-marriage thing. Space was the least of what I needed. I’d also lost my pride, my dignity and my self-confidence. I needed to learn how to be me again. I needed to be alone.

  “Are you sure, Sloane?” Toby asked, studying my expression.

  “I’m positive. Help me run away from my problems? Please. For old time’s sake.”

  He nodded once. “I’ll get it sorted.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Stick Around

  How awkward to be a bridesmaid to a person you barely knew. I’d had my hair and makeup done, smiled awkwardly for photos, ridden on the back of some biker’s Harley, and tried to be both useful and unobtrusive. All while avoiding Abbott’s gaze.

  He was the best man. Of course, he’s Kristian’s twin. I was the bridesmaid tacked on the end of the row to balance numbers. With my red hair and height, I’d always felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb, but today, I felt even more out of place. Part of the family…albeit unwanted.

  Every movement Abbot made alerted my senses, and like vinegar on a paper cut, it stung to be near him. It had been three days since the tear gas incident. I’d returned to the spare room at Jasmine’s, thankfully without the need of an explanation (Toby was a man of his word) and had since kept myself within the Cartwright group, too busy with last-minute wedding prep to notice the false emotion behind my smiles. They were a protective shield because I knew Abbot wouldn’t dare discuss our almost fuck around his family. I was safe. At least on the outside.

  Inwardly, I was torturing myself analysing every word we said in our frustration, especially the part when the tear gas started leaking and I’d actually thought Abbot was crying because he had feelings for me. Out of everything that had happened between us, it was that moment that caused the most embarrassment. I wanted to kick my own arse for being such a sap. I knew—knew—my feelings towards him were one-sided.

  Daily, I’d asked Toby when the warehouse would be open so I could get my money and my things, hoping I could get out of town before the wedding. But his answer was always ‘soon’. If ‘soon’ didn’t happen really soon, I was getting a hazmat suit and going in there myself.

  I wanted to go home. I wanted to lick my wounds. I wanted to pretend none of this ever happened.

  Two weeks with the Cartwrights had been enough time to get my heart tangled in their world enough for it to crack—just a little. It wasn’t broken by far, but I felt sure that would be inevitable, if I stayed.

  “Pair Sloane and Abbot for the photos,” Jasmine instructed as we stood on the windy beach waiting for the photographer to get the post-wedding shots. Dresses were whipping up in the breeze, but I was sitting pretty because my dress had been converted to a playsuit. Pants were everything.

  Abbot is everything.

  My heart skittered about in my chest as he moved closer to me then slid has big hand around my waist, fingers brushing against my skin because these outfits had a ridiculously low back.

  I inhaled. God, he smells good.

  “Cold?” he asked when I shivered. And I nodded because it was true. Whoever thought spaghetti straps on a beach at the end of autumn was a good idea clearly forgot how cold this part of the country could get.

  “My nipples could cut glass.”

  “I’ll give you my jacket when we’re through.”

  “It’s OK. I’ll be fine.”

  “Sloane.”

  “Leave me be, Abbot. Please.” I was going to cry if he pushed any harder or acted any kinder. I needed this…everything between us to be finished.

  “Everyone say ‘dolphin dicks’,” the photographer said, causing us to laugh so we smiled for the photo. I went along and smiled when prompted then quickly moved away from Abbot the moment I was able.

  “You’re doing great,” Jasmine said when we were almost finished. “Thanks for doing this. It means a lot, and I’m so happy to have you back with us.”

  I smiled. Again. “I’m happy to help.”

  She touched my arm. “You’re cold.”

  “I’m fine, really.”

  “Abbot. Give Sloane your jacket.”

  “I already offered and she doesn’t want it,” he responded.

  “Nonsense,” Jasmine scoffed. “Just give it to her.”

  Pressing his lips together, he walked over and slipped the jacket from his massive shoulders then draped it over mine. “There.” He patted the top of my arm, jostling me. “That better, buddy?”

  I forced out yet another smile, the tension between us stretched so fine it could snap at any moment. “Just perfect. Thanks, buddy.”

  “My pleasure. Anything else? You want my shoes? My pants?”

  “I didn’t even want your jacket.” I spoke between my teeth.

  “Jesus Christ,” Jasmine said, looking between us. “Why don’t you two just fuck already and put us all out of our misery?”

  My eyes went wide. Abbot’s face went red. Not from embarrassment, but from annoyance. I was surprised he wasn’t growling.

  “I don’t know what you think you’ve been doing,” she added. “But, you haven’t been fooling anyone.”

  “That bullshit about Sloane being gay,” Alesha put in with a giggle.

  “And the matching suits,” Holland said with a cackling laugh.

  “And the fact you had your tongues down each other’s throats at the rehearsal dinner,” Breaker put in. Oh, so someone did see that. Excellent.

  “Plus, they left early together,” Sam said. “I kind of thought they were going to fuck then. But, based on Abbot’s expression, I’m thinking no.”

  I took a breath, my mouth opened, and my mind searched for words. There were consequences to having a relationship around this family. I’d been warned countless times. What the fuck was about to happen? “Um…”

  Abbot pursed his lips and shook his head. Then he started clapping. “All right. Great work, everybody, you’re all fucking Sherlock Holmes. But you’re wrong about one thing. There’s nothing going on. No tongues, no fucking, nothing. I mean, we barely made it past second base. Right, buddy?” He locked eyes with me, the cool indifference in his making me feel a little sick.

  “Right. It turned out that I wasn’t down to fuck.” I set my jaw.

  “Then why all this tension?” Toby asked. “Is he acting like a baby because you wouldn’t fuck him?”

  I cannot believe I’m having this conversation right now.

  Pressing my lips together, I folded my arms across my chest and looked at the ground, toeing the sand. “It’s complicated.”

  Kristian moved in and slung his arm over his twin’s shoulders. “Would you just tell ’er, bro,” he said, his voice soft and cajoling.

  I snapped my head back up, suddenly interested in what Abbot’s twin knew that I didn’t. “Tell me what?”

  Abbot knitted his brow for a split second then shook his head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just enjoy the wedding, guys. Today is about Kris and Ronnie. Can we focus on them, please?”

  A slight murmur sounded throughout the family as they muttered things like, fine, and ‘we were just trying to help.’

  We finished the photo shoot then headed back up the beach, Abbot and I keeping our distance. “I’m real sorry about back there,” I said to Ronnie the moment we had the chance to speak. “I never wanted to take anything away from your day.”

  She smiled and touched my shoulder. “Nothing could take away from today, Sloane. I just marrie
d the man of my dreams and became a legal member of the kind of family I’ve always wished for. If it turns out that includes you, then all the better. I want nothing more than to see Abbot as happy as his twin.” She laughed then hugged me and I went a little stiff. “This all has a way of working itself out in the end. You’ll see.” She rushed to catch up with Kristian who caught her around the waist and kissed her like they existed only for each other. I felt…jealous. I wanted that.

  “He looks at you just like that you know,” Holland said, falling into step beside me. “It’s the real reason why we didn’t believe any of his weird reasons to spend time with you. He looks at you like you’re his world.”

  I smiled but I doubted that. Abbot Cartwright had no interest in making any woman his world. He was only interested in women as a revolving door and a new notch on the post of his bed. Single until I die.

  “I hope you’re talking about Abbot,” I replied, deflecting and turning her comment into a joke. “Because it would be super weird if you were talking about Kristian. I mean, he just got married to Ronnie, so if I was his world….”

  Holland laughed and looped her arm with mine. “Stick around, Sloane. You’ll see what I’m saying is true. These Cartwright men wear their hearts on their sleeves for all to see. Well, everyone but them.”

  Stick around.

  I didn’t know what Holland thought she was seeing on Abbot’s sleeve, but she couldn’t have any idea about what had really gone down between us. At one point I thought I’d made a friend in Abbot, and even though I hated that nothing would ever come of us, I realised it was his friendship I’d miss the most. He truly got me. Pushed me. His friendship had been as relentless as his pursuit, and I would miss that.

  Stick around? To experience more of his indifference and friendlessness? There was no way I was sticking around for any more of that. I was getting out of town the moment I got my stuff back. Then I was going to start somewhere new. Somewhere nobody knows me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five