Whole Again (Hometown Hero's Book 1)

by Colleen S. Myers

  ****

  The next morning his alarm went off bright and early at 7:00 a.m. He clicked it off and went to watch Vicki sleep. A smile spread across his face; his cheeks went numb. He remembered watching her all through high school when she would cheerlead. God. She looked so good in those stadium lights, her hair up, face shining. Who could resist that? And now, she looked so fucking adorable there curled on her side, still in a jumpsuit to match her grandmother’s, but Vicki’s was neon green. Her right hand curled under her chin, and her mouth was open a wee bit. One strand of hair crossed her face and ended near her lips. He walked over and gently lifted the lock away, his fingers caressing the side of her face.

  Her eyes blinked open, then shut as she groaned. “Who’s making the room spin?”

  “That would be your hangover. You met him last night.”

  “Oh God, that punch. It was toxic. Why did I drink so much of it? Joonie!” She growled. “It’s all her fault.”

  Vicki rolled over and covered her head.

  John went to the bathroom and came out with Tylenol and Motrin. This called for a double dose. “Here, baby. Take these and drink all of the water.”

  Her head lifted, and she blinked at him like a wee mole.

  John leaned down and kissed her, morning breath and all. “Come on. Work today.”

  “My bag is out front.”

  “While you’re downing that water, I’ll get your bag.”

  “Thank you.” Her words were heartfelt. She sipped the water with her eyes shut.

  He brought her the bag and took a quick shower. For the first time, he felt awkward when he took off the prosthesis and got in. The shower chair stood out in the tub. He used it to wash the stump and when sore. Standing on one foot hopping in the shower wasn’t the safest of things. He quickly washed, then got out. He’d shaved the night before, so after some deodorant and aftershave, he was ready. He came out in his boxers to find Vicki sprawled out on the bed.

  She looked up as soon as he entered the room. Her eyes were tired, hair scraggly, and still so adorable. He felt his heart thump once, hard. Big Al attempted to rear his head.

  Sixteen

  Vicki’s stomach churned. The room spun around. She had this awful taste in her mouth. No more hanging with Joonie at a party. Before she knew it, she was three sheets to the wind or, as Joonie would say, a cheap date. She loved her grandma.

  Her job today was all about inventory, thank goodness. Cataloging what they did and didn’t have based on numbers and checking them with stock numbers. Quick way to estimate shoplifting as well.

  By midafternoon, the meds had kicked in. She was making steady progress on her paperwork when she was interrupted.

  David walked in the door looking as suave as ever in a billion-dollar suit with his hair slicked back. “Hello, darling. Looking a bit peaked today.”

  Vicki let her head hit the desk and regretted it immediately. Ow. David was the last person she wanted to see. “Why are you here, David? I’m busy. And how did you find me in the first place?”

  “I knew once we divorced you would end up here eventually. You always did like digging in the dirt.” He adjusted his cuff links. “As for why I’m here, we need to talk.”

  She put her chin in her hand. “What about?”

  “Your shares in Watters, Inc.”

  What? “I don’t have any shares . . . oh yeah. Your father gave me some as a wedding gift. I forgot about those.”

  David wandered over and sat down across from her desk. “Those shares make you ever so important, honey—”

  “I am not your honey,” Vicki interrupted.

  David continued without acknowledging her words. Not that this was a surprise. He always ignored her protests as unimportant. “Watters, Inc. is going through some rough times. With those shares, I can have the majority for the board. What would it take to get you to sign them over to me? Please do this for me.”

  This could work to her advantage. “Tell me something.”

  David furrowed his brow. “What?”

  Vick reclined back in her chair. “What are these shares worth to you? If I give you these shares, do you promise not to bother me anymore?”

  David’s face tightened. “I didn’t realize dealing with me was a ‘bother,’ but if you give me the shares, I will try to avoid any more contact with you, if that’s what you want.”

  “I do.” The echo of when they both said those words in a different context hung in the air. Vicki let her gaze drop. No use dredging up bad memories.

  “Vicki . . .” David shifted toward her, reaching out a hand.

  Vicki flinched back. “What are you doing?” Why was he pushing this? That part was long over.

  David stopped, his hand forming a fist. “Did you ever love me?”

  Vicki studied the desk calendar in front of her and moved a paper clip. “I did, David, for a little bit . . . Then I grew to know you.”

  David clutched his chest. “Ouch, Vicki, you’ve grown claws.”

  What did he expect? Her eyes drifted up. “I had to.”

  “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. Everything I did was to . . .”

  Whatever. “Including the twenty-year-old?”

  This time David flinched. “Yes.”

  What a load of manure. “Right. Anyway. You promise that if I hand over these shares, you will not bother me or whoever I’m dating?”

  “Cross my heart. Also, do you know anything about a detective coming to visit me recently?” David folded his arms and glared at her.

  Vicki’s jaw tensed. “Someone is threatening me.”

  David sat up in his chair. “Are you sure?”

  “I got a call, one of those weird mechanical things telling me they were going to slit my throat, and there have been accidents.”

  David’s fingers shook as he tapped his chin. “It could have been a prank.”

  Again, whatever. “That’s what the detective thinks.”

  “Then why did they come after me? Do you know how embarrassing that was? The old guy came to the office and grilled me like a common criminal.”

  Vicki blew out a breath. He would make it about himself. She rubbed her eyes. “I am so sorry that the detective bothered you, David. Maybe it would have been better not to check. Would you prefer to see me hurt?”

  David’s hand slammed down on the day planner on her desk. “Of course not, despite what you think. I never wanted anything to happen to you. That is why I did the things I did.”

  They were going around and around. This accomplished nothing. “Sure it is.”

  David huffed and slicked back his hair. “I know you don’t believe me, and I guess that stuff doesn’t matter anymore. Sign the shares over to me, and I’ll be out of your hair. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect.” Even better than perfect. “I will have to have my lawyers review the paperwork, of course. Make it all nice and legal.”

  “Excellent. Should we meet and exchange the papers? Say lunch tomorrow?” He hesitated, his voice lowering. “It would be nice to talk. I’ve missed you.”

  Oh please. Vicki snorted. “Lunch is not a good idea. I need to talk to my lawyers and I will have them overnight the shares to you tomorrow. And then you promise you’ll leave me alone?”

  “My word.” David stared at her behind the desk for a minute. “You look so official there. Do you regret not making it work?”

  This was a bizarre conversation. “Why are we talking about this, David? No. I do not regret it. I would never have been able to get the picture of you on that woman out of my head. I know me. And I thought I knew you. Good and bad. But I must admit. You surprised me.” Quite a nasty surprise, too. She swallowed and looked away.

  He slammed his hands down on the desk again. “I’ve always loved you.”

  “But I wasn’t enough, was I?” Vicki refused to look up.

  David sighed and leaned on his hands. “You didn’t believe me then. You won’t believe me know. I thought it was y
ou.”

  “Someone drugged you and made you do the coed?”

  He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I was drunk, and she had your cheerleader uniform on. The one I first saw you in—”

  “And she walked in, pulled it out of my closet, and jumped on you.”

  “I’m not—”

  Please, this needs to be over. She held up a hand. “Don’t start, David. Leave it alone. It’s over. I’ll let you have the damn stocks if you leave me be. You didn’t even mention them in the divorce. Why do you want them now?”

  “It wasn’t until lately that I saw the writing on the wall, if you know what I mean.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  David’s shoulders fell.

  For a moment, Vicki felt sorry for him. Thank goodness that was over quickly.

  ****

  John finally finished his paperwork. Who knew there were so many forms? Well, he knew there were. He was going to be an MBA. It was just annoying. Now to meet the battle-ax the sarge had described. A stickler for propriety, timeliness, and proper diction. Here we go.

  He walked into the room.

  She had her back to him. Mrs. Betty June Steiner. Navy-blue suit. Soft gray hair with . . . wait a minute. “Hello, ma’am.”

  She twirled. Her hair still had streaks of that atrocious purple in it. It was unmistakably Vicki’s grandmother Joonie staring back at him. What was going on here? His pulse raced. He got a tic over his left eye.

  “I told you. You lose points for calling me ma’am.” Joonie sailed around the desk to give him a hug.

  John stiffened in her embrace. “What is this?”

  “What do you mean?” Joonie stepped back.

  “I mean. Are you Betty June Steiner, CEO and president of Growing Strong, Steiner Incorporated?”

  Joonie spread her arms. “That’s me. But I told you, call me Joonie.”

  “Why did you hire me?” John demanded. If she hired him because of Vicki, he was going to be pissed.

  She tilted her head. “Because of your credentials, of course.”

  “Not because you thought I was hot? And you wanted me to hook up with your granddaughter?”

  Her delighted laughter filled the room. “Is that what you think? Do you honestly believe that I make my business decisions based on things like that? I got where I am by having balls, and I work hard. That is what matters in business. Do you understand? I will admit—you’ve impressed me. My granddaughter, of course, told me about your injury and how you didn’t let that stop you. That’s the initiative I have been looking for. Now, are we doing business or not?”

  John’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t help but see the purple streak and the weaving gait from the night before. Hell, her vomit decorated the side of his car. “You swear this isn’t some backward attempt to help me?”

  “Because God forbid, I help you.”

  John pointed at her nose. “Swear it.”

  “I swear. All right.” She rolled her eyes.

  “And not an attempt to set up Vicki?”

  “Have you seen my granddaughter? She’s gorgeous. She could have any guy she wished, and she chose a weenie. Of course, I will set her up. Did I ever say you were my choice?”

  Huh. John reeled back. “But . . .” In fact, most of what she said was for them to have sex. To be honest, John was getting distinctly uncomfortable with Joonie’s obsession with his penis. And of course, now he couldn’t get the image of how Vicki looked last night before leaving out of his head. Her hair had streamed around her face as she’d leaned above him.

  Joonie snapped her fingers in front of his face. “You two and your mooning.”

  John flushed. “I want to make one thing clear. I am not sleeping with your granddaughter to keep this job. That has nothing to do with this. Whether it works out or not.”

  “I would never expect that to be any part of this. So we are on the same page with regards to that, young man. And when you do sleep with my granddaughter, take care of her please. She deserves it.”

  He shifted backward. “Who says I will sleep with her?”

  “That does.” Joonie pointed down at his—

  Hey now.

  John moved to stand behind the guest chair in front of her massive monolith of a desk. “You are making me uncomfortable.”

  “I have nothing to do with making you uncomfortable. That’s all Vee.” The vagina innuendo wasn’t lost on him. What was it with the females in this family? “But just so you know, you are my choice, mainly because of the expression in both of your eyes when you two are together.”

  John nodded, unsure how to proceed.

  “So let’s talk bonds. Financial ones, of course.” Joonie batted her eyes.

  ****

  Vicki lugged her stack of files down the hall. When she reached the last room, she pushed open the door, ducked in, and dropped the papers on the chair in front of the desk wedged in the back corner. She needed to put these puppies away in the file cabinet, and then she and John could head home. After a full day of reading lists upon lists, a drink sounded so good. Rum and Coke, light of course. Got to watch those carbs. Then. Well. She had plans for Mr. Lawrence. Dirty ones. A grin teased her lips.

  She pulled the first drawer out. A through F. Vicki turned back to the chair. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a shoe behind the door. What the—she flipped back around too late.

  Someone shoved her face-first into the file cabinet. Her head hit with a boom. Pretty stars exploded behind her eyes. Her hands caught on the handles of the file cabinet as she fell backward, nearly toppling the whole thing over on her. She righted herself and looked around. No one. The door slammed shut. She staggered to follow her assailant. When she tried the doorknob, it turned easily, but the door didn’t budge. She smacked her hand on the wood, her blows weak. She slid to the floor. Her ears rang. A headache throbbed at her temples. The smell of someone’s lunch from earlier made her stomach churn.

  Who hit her? And why? She staggered to the desk, searching for her purse. It was right where she had left it. She slammed her hands into the wall. What was going on? This was bull.

  ****

  Where the hell was Vicki? John paced to her door and then back to the reception desk. Most everyone had already left for the day. He’d told her to meet him at four thirty in the lobby. That way they’d beat traffic. It was almost five now. He marched toward her door again and pulled out his iPhone.

  Vicki. Meet me at the front desk.

  After another fifteen minutes of waiting, he texted again.

  Where are you? Babe, you all right?

  No response. Hmm.

  He walked behind the counter and headed down the back hall. There was a second set of doors. He tried the handle. Unlocked. John almost expected the door to squeal when it opened. The sound of a door shutting down the hall drew his attention. He started toward it, ignoring all of his training that warned him to call for backup. Something was off about this situation. His pulse picked up. His hand drifted to his hip where he used to carry his firearm. The plain white conference room at the end of the hall with its big cherry table stood empty. No papers strewn across it like at lunchtime.

  “Hello? Vicki? You here?”

  He walked down to the perpendicular hallway and heard a thump. John put his hand to the wall and listened. Down and to the left. He ran down the hallway. At the last room, he could see the door moving beneath the force of the fist pounding it. “Vicki?”

  “Darn it. About time someone heard me. This is ridiculous. Get me out of here.”

  His legs weakened a bit. He put his shoulder to the door. Damn thing didn’t budge. He examined the frame. There was a slide lock at the top. In under a second, Vicki stumbled out and rushed into his arms.

  He ran his hands down her face. “What the hell?”

  “I don’t know. I dropped off my work and went to pick up my stuff. Somebody was behind the door. I must have interrupted him because as soon as I got near the files
, he shoved me into them. By the time I straightened, he was gone.” Her hand drifted to press at her forehead. A black bruise formed at her hairline, swelling already setting in. A trickle of blood still coursed through the matted strands.

  John felt rage flash through him. His hands shook. “Did you see him? Get any details?”

  “I didn’t see anything except the flash of a shoe. Not even that.” Her forehead rested on his chest.

  His hands threaded through her hair. His lips drifted over her temple. “You’re safe. That’s what matters.”

  He checked out the cut. Maybe an inch long. He pressed gently. She moaned. Her hair stuck to his fingers when he pulled them away. “We should take you to the hospital. There’s some blood here. We can call the cops along the way. They can take pics.”

  “No hospital.”

  “Yes, hospital. You need to get this cut looked at. It’s still bleeding. Come on now. Don’t be stubborn. If you’re good, I will give you a lollipop.”

  “Was that a penis reference?”

  What was up with the Masterson women and his penis? Not that he minded Vicki’s fixation. “No, I meant an actual lollipop, but damn it, now it is a penis reference. And you are in no shape to deliver.”

  She groaned. “If I go to the doctors, promise me you won’t let them keep me?”

  “No.”

  Vicki blinked at his words. “What do you mean, no?”

  “I mean no, if the doctor thinks you are safer staying and being watched, I am going to side with the medical professional.” He cupped her cheek tenderly. “I want to make sure you’re all right. So, if the doctor says stay, what do you do?” The woman was cracked if she thought he was going to let her go home injured.

  “I stay,” she mumbled. “But if I stay, you stay.”

  “If they let me, sure.” John tucked her into his side. On the way out, he scanned the environs, but no one stuck out.

  Once he had her in the car, he called Bentley, who picked up after a few rings.

  “Hello.”

  “Detective Bentley?”

  “Yes, who is this?”

  “This is John Lawrence from last night. I have Vicki here with me. Someone attacked her and shoved her into a filing cabinet. She’s bleeding a bit. Can you meet us at the hospital?”