by Norah Wilson
“Kid?” Ember slanted him a reproving glance but didn’t launch into her usual tirade about being just a couple of months younger than him. “This is your lucky day. I’m going to let that slide because I’m basically asleep on my feet. ’Night guys.”
Hand in hand, Ember and Jace left. Their departure seemed to signal the end of the evening. Ocean drained her drink and Titus pushed his Coke away.
Scott looked around. “We about ready to call it a night?”
There was a chorus of agreements.
“I’ll go heat up the truck,” Titus said, rising.
Ocean scooted out right behind him. “I’ll come with you.”
Titus frowned. “But the whole point of heating it up is so you won’t have to sit in the cold.”
“Ah, but I intend to keep you warm while you’re warming it up.”
Titus’s frown cleared. “Oh. Right.” He looked at Scott and April. “Take your time, you two.”
Scott turned to April, who was looking down at that damned business card again, her face serious.
“You okay?” he asked.
“What?” Her head came up. “Yeah, I’m fine. I was just wondering what this could be about.”
He shrugged. “Seems weird that the guy would give it to Jace instead of just going to your booth and delivering it personally.”
She worried her lower lip with her teeth. “Maybe I was away,” she suggested. “I did take a couple of bathroom breaks and left Sidney in charge. Maybe he came by then and didn’t feel comfortable leaving it with a non-adult?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Should I call the number?”
“Well, Ms. April Dawn Morgan, that’s entirely up to you.”
“He must have got that from the company name. No one who knows me would call me April Dawn. I’ve always been just April.”
“Right.” Scott sure hoped that’s where the guy got it. Otherwise, correspondence addressed to one’s full legal name never boded well, in his experience. It usually came from the courts, like the time he’d gotten that summons to witness in a litigation involving his then employer.
Not that April would have reason to fear the law. Well, there was that credit card thing with Sidney, but the Boisverts had apparently agreed not to report it, and April had already made restitution…
Of course, the Canadian Revenue Agency used full legal names too, didn’t they? But the CRA wouldn’t send someone to personally poke around in a citizen’s business. Not unless they suspected a big-time tax evasion or a tax fraud situation, in which case they might send an investigator. April was way too straight an arrow to engage in shady tax stuff, or any kind of illegalities. And even if she was, she was way too small a fish to warrant personal attention.
No, it must be business-related. Maybe she was being head-hunted for a job.
But that area code—617… It rang a bell. Wasn’t that Massachusetts? He had a buddy who lived in Saugus, outside of Boston, and he was pretty sure that was his area code. Scott had stayed with the guy twice, once in the winter when he’d driven down there to see a Bruins/Rangers game, and once in the spring to catch the Jays at Fenway.
If he was right about that area code, it would definitely eliminate anything involving the CRA or the courts. He should have found that reassuring, but he didn’t. It just made him more apprehensive. Who the devil was looking for her? From Boston? And why take this circuitous route?
“It could be about a job,” she said.
“Could be,” he agreed, having pretty much reached the same conclusion.
She looked down at the card once more before tucking it into her coat pocket. “I’ll call after the weekend.”
As soon as the damned card was out of sight, her face smoothed. He wished he could forget about it so easily. Unfortunately, that twinge of trepidation didn’t want to go away.
“So, is it too soon to go out to the truck?”
“Let’s give them another five minutes.” Pushing the worry to the back of his mind, he smiled. “We can spend it making out in the shadows of the alley, if you’re game.”
Her dark eyes caught fire. “You’re on.”
Chapter 26
APRIL SMILED when Scott held the door open for her as they left the bar. There she was with a heart full of carnal intent, about to practically jump his bones in the alley, but he still treated her with respect. Arden Standish could be proud of the job he’d done raising his boys. In her admittedly limited observational experience, too many men abandoned all respect for a woman at her first display of sexuality.
She looked up at him. “Which way?”
He took her hand and led her around the corner of the building. It wasn’t a dark alley at all; just a recess created by the L-shape of the building. From the paving stones illuminated by the nearby streetlight, it obviously served as an outdoor patio in the summer. But that same streetlight did create a narrow band of deep shadow near the wall, the perfect place for stolen kisses.
“Why, Scott Standish, have you done this before?”
He grinned. “I may have.”
He pulled her into his arms, pivoting so that his back was against the hard brick wall. She splayed her hands on his chest and went up on tiptoe to press her mouth to his eagerly. He let her steer the kiss, following her lead in the now familiar dance. She loved when he did that, when he let her focus on exploring his body with her hands and tantalizing him with her mouth. But after a few moments, he growled and reversed their positions.
As much as she loved teasing him, she loved this even more—his hard arms boxing her in, the driving force of his passion trapping her. But his power never frightened her, which was a miracle in itself. It only made her feel feminine and powerful in her own right. The yin to his yang. A perfect physical match.
It was Scott who pulled away when things threatened to get too X-rated. He tucked her head under his chin and she nestled into his chest.
“God, you make me crazy,” he said, his voice a rumble under her ear. “In the best possible way, of course.”
“The feeling is mutual.” She leaned back to look up at him in the darkness. “Think we’ve given them enough time to warm up the truck?”
Scott peered around the corner. “The windows don’t look overly steamed, so I guess it’s safe to approach.”
Hand in hand, they crossed the street to the parking lot. Titus and Ocean sat in their respective car seats, talking easily. Still, he knocked on Ocean’s window and said, “You guys decent?”
“Ha ha. Very funny.” Ocean, who had very clearly been kissed, opened her door so Scott could open the rear-hinged back door.
He took April’s hand to help her up into the truck, but before he could do it, his phone buzzed. Another phone buzzed inside the vehicle. Titus’s, as evidenced by the way his hand shot to the right front pocket of his jacket.
The brothers exchanged a worried glance.
Why would they both be getting a text? Unless…maybe it was a search and rescue call. Neither of them had been called out on a mission since April and Sid had arrived, but Scott had told her about the family involvement in the regional S&R program.
Her worry was short lived.
“Ember,” Titus muttered. “I swear, if her head wasn’t attached…”
“What is it this time?” Ocean asked.
“Missing my scarf,” Scott read. “Made a pit stop at the bathroom on my way out. Think I might have left it by the sink.”
“Just now, in the bar?” April handed her purse to Scott. “I’ll run back in and get it.”
“I’ll go with you,” Scott said.
“To the ladies’ room?”
“Okay, to the door, then.”
She’d sensed his concern earlier over the business card, and now he was fretting over her re-entering the perfectly safe bar they’d just exited? It was literally right across the street. It wasn’t like she had to cross a lonely parking lot or dark alley. Did he think she was that helpless?
“Poke fun at me if you want, but I’m walking you to the door. Uncle Arden would skin me if I did anything less.”
Well, since he’d invoked Arden, she supposed she could indulge him. “Okay, let’s go.”
As they started across the street, a young couple came out of the bar. They were laughing, holding hands, and more than a little inebriated.
“Hey, it’s the lady from the market!” one said. “You make like the best cheesecake. Ever. April Dawn, right?”
“That’s right.” April smiled. Guess she’d better get used to being called April Dawn. “I recognize the two of you from the booth, but didn’t catch your names…”
“Mackenzie,” she answered. “Mackenzie Pace. This is my friend, Shelley West.”
“Hey!” Shelley gave a half-circle wave. “I love your Bootilicious Dawn.”
April laughed. “My ten-year-old daughter named it. I wanted to go with something else.
“Oh, no way! Bootlicious is the perfect name for it.”
“I’ll tell her you said that.”
A taxi pulled in, right up by the door, and April was glad to see it. Neither of these young women was in any shape to drive.
“That’s our ride.” MacKenzie held the cab’s back door open while her girlfriend slid in. “See you next weekend at the market, April Dawn,” she said, then crawled into the taxi herself.”
April waved them off. She had to admit it: life in Harkness was different. And no, it wasn’t just the small town feel. It was Harkness itself—there was a heart to it. And she kind of liked it. Kind of felt part of it.
Just as Scott opened the pub door, another patron practically stumbled out, not because he was falling-down-drunk, but because he wasn’t expecting the door to open so effortlessly and his momentum carried him out. That didn’t stop Scott from razzing him.
“Whoa, Gareth, new legs?”
“Screw you, Scott.” He laughed.
“Back atcha, G. What are you doing in town?”
Before Gareth could reply, April jumped in. “I’ll just go grab Ember’s scarf. Back in a second.” She opened the door and let herself inside before Scott could register an objection.
The patrons had thinned out considerably, and for the first time this evening, no music boomed from the speakers. April didn’t have a watch on but figured it must be close to closing time.
She made a bee-line for the bathroom, where she found the bright blue scarf on the vanity.
Bingo. And it was a nice one. Hand painted silk. No wonder Ember wanted it back.
Scarf in hand, April opened the door and slipped out of the brightly lit bathroom. But the previously well-lit hallway was now in darkness. What the hell? They couldn’t be closing up yet. She had enough experience working in bars to know the lights always came up while people were ushered out and stayed up while the place got at least a cursory cleaning.
“Well, well, look what we have here.”
“Oh!” Her hand flew to her chest. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and when they did, she saw the man standing there was wearing an unpleasant smile.
She’d seen that look on men before.
She didn’t like it one bit. Nor did she like the way he was blocking her passage back to the lounge.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I’m just on my way out.”
Instead of moving to let her pass, he leaned his hand against the wall, making an exit even more awkward. “You’re the new girl staying at the Standish place, aren’t you?”
“I’m working there,” she said. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Oh, working…right.”
He looked her up and down slowly and her skin absolutely crawled.
“I gotta hand it to Scott. I mean, he always was good at bird-dogging, but I don’t believe he ever hired his lay before. What a great set up. Probably tax deductible.”
April’s blood froze. “You…creep! This conversation is over.”
“Creep? It’s Dundas, actually. Dundas Bloom.”
Dundas Bloom? Her skin crawled a little bit more. This was the jerk the girls had told her about on one of their shopping trips. Jace’s brother’s henchman. Also, the guy who’d spread stories about Ember in high school. Apparently some people never outgrew being an asshole.
“I’m leaving.” She stepped closer, hoping he would step back reflexively to preserve his personal space. He didn’t. “Get out of my way, Mr. Bloom.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.”
With the speed of a rattlesnake, he snatched her wrist. She gasped and tried to pull away, but his grip was painfully tight, unbreakable.
“Let me go!”
“April, is it?” His breath fanned her face. “Relax, April. Don’t you know that any friend of Scott’s is a friend of mine?”
She’d never actually kneed a guy in the groin before, but if he didn’t back the hell up, she’d do it. On that thought, she shifted all her weight to her left foot…
“Get your filthy hands off her, Bloom.”
Scott! Her aggressor’s bulky body blocked her view, but she had no doubt who issued that icy command.
“If you don’t release her this second, so help me God, I’ll rip your fucking spine out.”
Dundas let go of her wrist but didn’t immediately turn around, which gave her a close-up view of his reaction. He hadn’t moved, but those massive, sloped shoulders seemed to have drawn up. His lips drew thin. But then he turned around and huffed out a half-laugh as if it was some kind of misunderstanding.
“Just introducing myself to your friend.” He moved aside, and April hurried past to Scott’s side.
Scott looked down at her. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she assured him.
He took her arm and she knew he felt the shudder that went through her. Fury sparked in his eyes.
“Really,” she said. “I’m okay. Can we just go?”
He studied her for a few seconds longer. She held his gaze, knowing he needed to see the reassurance in her eyes. Apparently satisfied, he turned his now scathing gaze on Dundas.
“I think you owe the lady an apology.”
It wasn’t immediately forthcoming. And she knew why…Dundas was sizing Scott up. Sizing the situation up.
April was doing the same. Dundas was a big man.
“Go on out to the truck, April,” Scott said, his voice a restrained monotone. “Please.”
“I will if you will,” she said.
“I have to have a little talk with my friend here. Seems he’s a slow learner.”
Dundas snorted. “You think you’re man enough to teach me a lesson, do you?”
Scott’s face was an expressionless mask. “Outside, Bloom.”
Dundas’s hands still weren’t fisted, but he wasn’t backing down. The slow grin spreading across his face told April he wasn’t about to.
“After you, Standish.”
April tensed. They were really going to do this. Go outside and brawl.
“Get to the truck, April.”
“Scott—”
“Sweetie, this guy needs a—”
Dundas sucker punched Scott. With one lunge and flying fist, he caught him in the jaw. Scott flew back against the wall in the narrow hall. April scuttled out of the way. Scott regained his balance just in time for Dundas to plow into him, driving him backward and into the pub proper. With a roar, Scott grabbed the other man by his coat front and shoved him toward the exit. Then the two of them, trading blows, spilled out the pub’s door.
Shit!
April ran out after them.
Outside, all she could do was watch as Scott and Dundas wailed on each other. In the periphery of her attention, she heard vehicle doors slamming.
A couple guys got out of a car parked near
the building.
"Need a hand there, Dun?" One of them asked.
April didn't think it was possible, but her adrenaline went up another notch.
"Two-man fight, boys." The commanding voice was Titus's. "But if either of you want to go a round with me, I’m right here.”
“Think you can take us both, Titus?” The shorter man said, drawing an alarmed look from his companion.
“Don’t know.” Titus cracked his knuckles audibly. “But I’m itching to find out.”
“To hell with this,” the bigger guy said. “I’m out of here.”
Seeing his buddy climbing back behind the wheel of his souped-up Neon, the other guy swore and took off for the car.
Any relief April felt at their departure was overshadowed by the fight still raging on the sidewalk. Both men were down on the hard cement now, locked in struggle. Oh, God, because of her.
Ocean came over to her side, wrapped an arm around her.
“This is awful,” April said. “How do we make them stop? I don’t know what to do!”
“Just stand back,” Ocean counseled. “They’ll settle things.”
Barely had Ocean got those words out when the two men broke apart. Scott levered himself to his feet. “Get up, Bloom.”
On the ground, Dundas groaned.
“Go on, get up!”
Slowly, Dundas got to his feet.
Scott grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him up against the nearest car. Titus was on his brother immediately, dragging him off Dundas and holding him back. “Enough, bro.”
“If you ever come near April again, I’ll tear you limb from limb,” he shouted over Titus’s shoulder.
Dundas spat blood. “I wasn’t aware you’d staked a claim.”
“She’s mine! And you sure as hell knew it, or you wouldn’t be harassing her in the first place.”
Mine? April felt the jolt of that word to the soles of her feet.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Dundas drawled. “She looks like a nice enough piece of—”
Scott lunged, almost getting away from Titus. Dundas took a few hurried steps backward.
“Dundas!” Titus barked. “Get the hell out of here before my arms get tired and I let him go.”
