“If I stay in North Dakota,” I said.
His expression fell.
“I’m kidding,” I blurted, then rolled my eyes. “They know I’m only eighteen, right? I’ve taken one college class out here.”
“It’s standard procedure for all employees.”
“Nothing about this place is standard. It boggles my mind that you’re so casual.” I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. “How long until my face shows up on the HalRem site?”
He turned around and tapped a screen behind his desk. “Stubborn’s your middle name, right?”
“It’s Norah.”
“That’s a pretty name,” he said as he looked up and grinned. My face appeared on the screen with my start date, department, and clearance level.
“That’s cool. Can we see some more? Who else do I know who works here?”
“You won’t know anyone but me.”
“Show me your father’s team. The people he works the closest with so I don’t embarrass myself.”
Lane touched the screen and shuffled through departments to get to Mr. Halden’s executive level.
He pointed as he read the names. “These are his department heads.”
“Do you know all of them?”
“Yup. They were all at the wedding. Except her,” he said and expanded the page to show Elizabeth Meigs and her long list of credentials. “She’s gotta be the new transactional attorney. She works abroad, but he said something about using her here for purchases, leases, sales, exploration agreements, operation agreements. All that stuff.”
“She looks familiar,” I said deceptively.
Lane scrunched his nose and made a face as he considered the screen. “Nobody I know. I think I’d remember that prudish, librarian look. She probably owns a whip.”
I punched his arm lightly. “Maybe Joel met her through someone. Maybe Judson knows her.”
Lane made another face.
I shrugged. “She just looks like someone I saw him with.”
“Nah. Couldn’t be. She’s not his type at all.” He chuckled.
I couldn’t help but wonder who she was and how she got involved with both of the Haldens.
The day flew by as Lane showed me around and helped me fill out paperwork. It was three in the afternoon before I knew it. My mother called when we were heading to the parking garage.
“I’ve got babysitting duty at Meggie’s. They’re going out to dinner and whatever else moms need to do to get away from their kids. She wasn’t sure my father would be back.”
“I’ll drop you off,” Lane said as we walked down a long hallway on the first floor. He wanted to show me the big cafeteria, but it wasn’t open yet.
“I’d rather go home. I need to pack a bag and check on Gabe. He didn’t answer his phone when I called. I hope he and Judson got together.”
A group of men wearing hard hats brushed past us. A few of them said hello to Lane. One of them bumped Lane’s shoulder so hard, his hat fell off and hit me in the arm.
“Hey, buddy,” said Lane while scooping up the hat. “Watch yourself.”
I glanced at the man just as Lane took my shoulders and moved me against the wall to shield me.
“I know you,” he growled at the guy and shoved the hat into his middle.
“I know you too,” the man replied. Everyone knew Lane. He looked like the boss.
“Where from?” Lane asked in a challenging tone.
The seconds ticked by in slow motion while they stared at each other, silently battling to be the first to figure out why they were staring each other down.
The spark lit, and I figured out who he was. I grabbed Lane’s arm. I couldn’t believe my bad luck. “Let’s go. I’ll tell you.”
“No,” he said with his feet rooted on the marble floor. I wanted to run before something bad happened. I knew I’d seen the guy before. He made my skin crawl.
“He’s from the train last summer. You punched his lights out,” I told them both with a hint of smugness, then pulled harder on Lane’s arm. He held his hand over mine, cooperated, and walked away.
“That’s the dipshit who harassed you?” He stopped when we were out of earshot. His hand ran down my arm, and I looked at it.
“I’m sure,” I said as my heart pounded. He didn’t let go of my arm. He stepped closer, and I shook my head as if to warn him not to get too close. “I didn’t get a look at his badge, but I’ve seen him around. I knew he looked familiar.”
* * *
“This could go all night, huh?” Gabe asked in the Mustang as he tore up the dirt road leaving the cabin. He avoided puddles; however, when there was dry road, he took advantage of leaving dust bombs behind us. “I’m not playing board games, touching toy ponies, or being the daddy.”
“We have to keep my sister busy until she crashes. My mother made us dinner. It’s a good chance to get some clothes washed too.”
“Fine. We’ll all play Grand Theft Auto.”
I grabbed the dashboard as his foot slammed the brakes at the stoplight at a major intersection. He was wearing flip-flops. It was a nice change to see him in shorts. “You can give her that lollipop you got from the counter at the diner. That’ll occupy her for at least an hour.”
Deliah had requested the wedding decorations be left up for her upcoming birthday party, so tiny white lights that turned on at dusk still decorated Meggie’s porch.
“Avy’s here!” Brianna shouted at the top of her lungs.
I climbed the stairs to the front porch and set my bag of laundry against the railing. “Are you and Deliah alone?”
She held out her hand. “Where’s the candy?”
Gabe sat down on the porch swing and opened my bag when I tossed it at him. He pulled out the large, rainbow lollipop and handed it to my sister, but he took it back as soon as she reached for it. She squealed so loud I covered my ears. After a few more traumatic teases, he handed it over.
“What do you say?” I said.
“Thanks for making me mad!” she yelled at Gabe.
He snickered and stretched his arms out along the back of the swing. “Man, she is just like you.”
“It’s not even suppertime. She needs sugar like she needs another hole in her head,” said Deliah with her nose pressed into the screen. “Can I disappear now?”
“Go ahead. Is Emmie napping?” I asked her before she left.
“She’s in the playpen right here. She sleeps through anything.”
“Wait, Deliah. You and I need to talk later.” I had to ask her about the motel card and what she knew about Judson’s company without her blabbing to Gabe that I knew anything. I followed her into the living room and checked on Emmie. She had her butt up in the air and was sucking on her thumb, sound asleep.
“If I’m not busy,” Deliah said and then ran up the stairs.
Back outside, I sat down beside Gabe on the swing as he opened the candy for my sister. Then she sat on the top step and focused on her treat. Trucks were pulling in and out of Meggie’s driveway. Firecrackers were going off behind the coop.
“I’m gonna lick it like an ice cream cone,” Brianna said, her voice full of enthusiasm.
I leaned into Gabe when he put his arm around my shoulder and played with my hair. He turned his head and kissed my cheek and then tickled my ear with the tip of his tongue. I swatted his leg when he tried to bite me.
“I’m gonna lick you like an ice cream,” he whispered.
Deliah came out and dangled a bag of marshmallows and a bag of Hershey’s bars in front of Gabe.
“I thought you were going to disappear?” he said.
She stuck out her tongue at him. “Can we have a bonfire tonight? It’s not going to rain.”
“You read my mind,” I answered. “I’ve been thinking about s’mores.”
“I want s’mores!” Brianna exclaimed with her blue tongue. She licked her lips and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“You don’t even know what a s’more is,”
I said. “You have to eat dinner first.”
“Aw stucks,” she said and went back to licking her lollipop.
“It’s shucks,” Deliah corrected.
“So are we doing it?” I asked.
Gabe sighed and grabbed the chocolate from his sister. “Where’re the graham crackers?”
“We’re out,” she said. “Can we go get some?”
He glanced absently toward the road. “Lane’s here. Ask him.”
I stood.
“Howdy, ya’ll,” Lane said as he made a beeline for the porch.
“My mommy’s growing a baby,” my sister told him as he stepped over her. “I got a lollipop.”
“Good for you.” He patted her head and then turned to Gabe. “Where’s the lieutenant? Has he been home?”
Gabe shrugged and crossed his leg over his knee and rocked the swing all the way back and then let it go. “Why? Did they find out where Jud’s hiding the bodies?”
Lane walked off the porch and stood in the yard, staring at the coop. “I just need to talk to Dad. He left the tower, and now he’s not answering calls.”
“Can one of you please run me to the store?” I asked.
“We’re having a bonfire,” Deliah told Lane. “I’m inviting everyone I know.”
Lane slapped a hand on the railing and then walked toward his truck. “Sure. Real quick.”
Deliah and I ran off the porch.
“Hey!” Gabe shouted. “You’re not leaving me here to babysit alone.”
“I’m not a baby,” said Brianna firmly.
“Oh yeah,” I said. “Deliah can stay with you. I need to talk to Lane.”
“About what?” Gabe said as he came to the end of the porch and leaned over the railing. I climbed up the side and reached up to meet him face-to-face.
“Work. Someone I met. Just stay here and listen for Emmie. Deliah will watch Brianna.”
Deliah planted her fists on her hips. “I’ll be upstairs watching her telepathically.”
Meggie’s truck pulled into the driveway and drove all the way to the back of the house.
“Why are they home?” I asked as I walked around the house to catch my mother running inside.
“She’s fine,” Meggie hollered and waved her purse. “Just a little evening sickness. Nothing to worry about, kiddo.”
* * *
“You can wait here,” I told Gabe in the parking lot of Albertsons. He had the radio turned up loud and didn’t seem interested in shopping.
I grabbed a basket and headed to the cookies. I placed two boxes of graham crackers in the basket and walked to the candy aisle for chocolate and marshmallows. I chose some extra treats for Gabe and found there was a long line at the express register.
“Avery!” I spun around. Erika Ingarson was signaling to me from three registers down. “Over here.”
I set my basket on the belt. Erika was helping another girl get set up on the register.
“I’m just closing up. She can ring you out,” she said.
“Are you going home?” I asked.
“I’m going home to take a bath after six hours on my feet.”
“Gabe’s brother said we could have a bonfire in his backyard. Do you want to come? It’ll be fun.”
She widened her eyes and then bit her lips as if she couldn’t believe I asked her to join us. “I would really like that. I’m going home to an empty house.”
“We’ll wait in the parking lot. Follow us.”
“Thanks, Avery. I’ll be five minutes. I have to punch out and grab my stuff.”
I tossed my bag into the backseat and grinned at Gabe. He was chewing a wad of purple gum. I knew it was purple because the car smelled like grape cough medicine.
“I invited a friend,” I told him. “Just wait here until she comes out.”
Erika followed us to Lane’s house. We pulled into the driveway behind his truck. The motorcycle was on the front lawn with a For Sale sign on it.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Gabe told me as I waited for Erika to park on the street and walk up the driveway. He went inside the house through the garage.
“They’re in the back,” I told Erika. She looked tired when she reached me. “Gabe’s sister’s inviting her friend and maybe Caleb and Molly will stop by. Sometimes I forget it’s not like it used to be.”
“Family can be complicated,” she said. “My brothers never got along with my ex.”
“My mother didn’t get along with Mr. Halden all these years, and I didn’t even know he existed. Gabe and my sister get along. It’s kind of funny to watch them together. He teases her, but she gives it right back.”
Lane was drinking a beer in a lawn chair. There were empty bottles at his feet. Deliah poked at the fire pit. She had a bag of chips in her other hand. The sliding door on the back porch opened, and Gabe came out with an acoustic guitar, one he was planning to bring back to the cabin.
“Howdy, y’all,” said Lane.
“I invited your brother,” Deliah told Erika. “I gave your grandpa a message that we were here.”
“That’s nice of you. Maybe Troy can give him a lift. If not, I’ll drive out.”
“Cool,” said Deliah. “Do you want to make s’mores?”
Gabe and I shared a glance. Deliah rarely warmed up to anyone.
“Where’s the beer?” Gabe asked.
“This was my last. Caleb’s bringing some. I ordered pizza.”
“You called him?” I asked surprised as I set my bag of crackers and snacks in the grass.
He jerked his head at Deliah. “She did.”
I grinned at Lane, thinking he was turning a corner. I was glad he was back and hoped all was forgotten about our near kissing episode and our awkward moment in the cabin. Gabe hadn’t mentioned the cabin, so I was going to keep my mouth shut.
“Why are you getting rid of the bike?” I asked.
“Dad saw it. He told me I’d lose my penthouse digs if I kept it.”
“Did you know Meggie had a motorcycle when he met her?” I asked.
Gabe kicked a large log from a pile until it rolled into the perfect spot in front of the fire. We sat down, and he ran his thumb across the guitar strings.
“He made her get rid of it,” Lane answered.
“That’s so dumb. Meggie said he flew jets at Mach 1,” said Deliah.
“Boys, y’all will do as I say and not as I do,” Lane said in a humorous drawl that sounded exactly like Mr. Halden.
“Yo!” Caleb hollered as he walked around the house. “You got an asshole out front drooling over your bike. He wants to know where the owner is.”
Lane stood and swallowed the last of his beer, then took off for the front yard.
Caleb had two boxes of pizza and a case of beer stacked in his arms. The brothers passed each other. “I know him. He’s trouble.”
“Did you bring Molly?” I asked before I could even see his face. He bent down and set the food on the porch step behind us.
Caleb didn’t answer me as he got a look at Erika. “Howdy,” he said and then rammed his hand into the box and pulled a beer out of the case and knocked the cap on the porch railing.
Deliah jumped up. “You came!”
I was expecting to see Shelly when I turned around, but Travis hurried toward the fire. He looked riled. He didn’t say anything.
“Hey!” Lane shouted as we all glanced up to see a man race into the backyard.
“C’mere you little shit,” the man shouted at Travis. “Where is she?”
“Douglas!” Erika said in a horrified voice. “What are you doing here?”
Caleb grabbed Travis and pushed him behind his back where Erika was sitting. Gabe handed me his guitar and stood up beside Caleb.
“I saw him. I saw your car. What are you doing with these Texas rednecks?”
“Get the hell off this property now,” Caleb shouted. “Don’t be startin’ trouble. There’s more of us than you.”
Gabe stepped backward, took Eri
ka’s hand, and walked her up the porch steps.
“I want a word with my wife,” Douglas yelled. “Get your hand off her.”
“No,” Lane said fiercely.
“Erika, I’ll wait for you to leave,” he shouted as he charged at the steps. “You’ll never get rid of me until you hear me out.”
“I’ll get rid of you,” Caleb said as he grabbed his arm.
Douglas took a swing at Caleb and missed when Caleb ducked. Lane and Gabe stopped Douglas just as he was about to touch Erika. She stepped through the sliding door as they struggled to hold him back.
“Get your ugly mug off my porch,” Lane said as he butted his chest into the man. “If I ever see you near her again, I’ll have you fired. You’ll never work another day in this town for the rest of your life.”
“Erika!” he called around Lane’s shoulder.
Caleb jerked the man’s arm and made him take a step down from the porch. “Go home, loser.”
“Don’t tell him that,” Deliah said as she took Travis’s hand in hers. “He lives in the coop! He’s one of Joel’s contract landmen. He ran over Brianna’s bike the other day.”
All of the brothers shot their gazes at her.
“I knew I’d seen his face around here,” said Caleb.
“What are you talking about?” Lane asked.
“Meggie gave him a room. He picks fights and cheats at cards. He tried to con me behind the coop, but I beat his butt. He lives in number two,” said Deliah.
That was Gabe and Caleb’s room number. I’d seen him moving in. He’d had a beard then.
“You live in the coop?” Gabe asked. “I can fix that.”
“He’s the guy from the train, Gabe. He was harassing me last summer, and Lane punched him. That’s how come I thought you were Lane and Lane was you.”
The man shoved Gabe’s chest when he approached, and then Lane tackled him to the grass. I was debating if I should call the police.
“Let’s get him out of here,” Caleb said as he tried to lift Douglas off the ground after Lane threw a punch at his jaw.
Douglas got lose, but didn’t run. He grabbed Deliah’s shirt and held her to his side as if he were going to hurt her. Caleb’s hands went straight into the air. “Aw, come on, man. Don’t do this.”
The Luxury of Being Stubborn (The Stubborn Series Book 4) Page 22
