Black Out

by Lynn Raye Harris

  Or had she? Someone else could have sent it using her phone. They might never know, but it hadn’t been the last time the phone was used. There’d been one call to a burner afterward, and then nothing.

  Angie turned in her seat. “Everyone at Triple B is still shocked about Jenny. Do you know anything more about her death yet? Did she really commit suicide?”

  Colt hesitated. “It looks that way, minette.”

  “But why? That’s what I don’t understand.”

  “Does anyone ever really know why someone kills themself?”

  “No.” She sighed. “There was a girl in high school—Maddy knew her too. She was popular and everything, not the kind of person you’d think would want to kill herself. But she did. She stepped in front of a train. It was shocking. They had counselors come and talk to everyone in her class. That wasn’t us, but Maddy and I talked about it a lot. We both agreed that we’d never do something like that without telling the other one we were feeling that way.”

  “And did you? Ever feel like that, I mean.”

  She hugged herself. “No. And neither did Maddy. We had each other. I think that girl must not have had anyone, even though we thought she did. Her name was Christie Nelson. I’ll never forget it.” She let out a breath. “I wish Jenny had talked to someone. I still can’t believe she’d do that though. Her kids meant everything to her. She fought so hard to keep them.”

  “You never know what someone’s breaking point is.” He made a decision. “She was having sex with someone, Ang. She took calls from someone we can’t identify, we’re assuming male based on the sexual activity, but it was a burner phone—untraceable. Which might suggest she was having an affair with a married man. She could have reached the end of her rope.”

  “Okay. Wow. She never mentioned a man, but then we weren’t anything to each other except coworkers. She barely talked about Dwight and the divorce at work, though she sometimes did when it got bad. Even then she didn’t say much, just that he was pond scum and the judge had been insane the day he’d given Dwight shared custody.”

  “Maybe she was trying to move on with this new guy. If he was married, it might have pushed her to the breaking point. Or someone could have forced her to take the pills that killed her. We don’t really know.”

  Angie looked sad and a little shocked. “Is that possible?”

  “It’s a theory. But we don’t know.”

  “Poor Jen.” She touched his arm. “Thank you for telling me. I know you didn’t want to, not really, but I appreciate it.”

  “I don’t want to tell you things when I don’t know what’s true. But it’s something we talked about, so yeah, I’m telling you. You asked me not to keep the hard things from you.”

  “I did ask. Thank you.”

  They reached the grocery store a few minutes later and Colt parked the Yukon. Angie was slumped in her seat, thinking, and he decided he needed to make her laugh. “You ready for some fun?”

  “I don’t think the grocery store is all that fun. Is it?”

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “Hell yeah, it is. We can fondle the produce and try samples from the deli. You’ve never had such a great time as you’re about to have with me.”

  She laughed. He was glad because he’d wanted to get her mind off the sad things for a while.

  “Let’s go then. I’m dying to fondle produce,” she said as she opened her door.

  “Me too, baby. Me too.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  He was right. Angie’d never had such fun at a grocery store in her life. Maybe it was because she was purposely shoving the horror of Jenny’s death from her head, or maybe it was just being with him.

  She and Colt went up and down the aisles together, discussing the kinds of things they wanted to eat and what other things they might need. They picked up staples like bread and milk and coffee, and he showed her how to select ripe produce as well as the best cuts of meat. He bought cheese and deli meat, and then they went to the wine aisle. There was a lot of wine.

  “How do you know what to get?” she asked as they strolled down the aisle. She pushed the cart because she’d insisted since he was choosing everything. She leaned on it as he moved slowly along.

  “You can select by grape. A Cabernet Sauvignon is heavier than a Pinot Noir, for instance. You think of wines you’ve liked, what kind of grape it was, and then you narrow it down. If you’re looking at a California wine, you look at how narrow the appellation.”

  “Huh?”

  He pointed to a bottle. “See that one? It says Napa Valley. The grapes are only from Napa Valley. But a California wine has grapes from all of California.”

  “And that matters because?”

  He laughed. “It might not matter at all, but a wine produced from grapes that come from a specific region will have a different flavor than grapes from everywhere.”

  “So don’t just pick up the bargain box and head for the checkout.”

  “You can if you like it. I’m not judging.”

  “Oh please. You’d be horrified.”

  He grinned. “I might.” He picked up a couple of bottles of California wine. They rolled past the French section. He stopped suddenly and picked up a bottle. He almost seemed surprised. The label read Chateau d’Duchesne.

  “Is that a good one?” she asked.

  “It used to be.”

  “Not anymore?”

  He put the bottle down. “I don’t know.”

  “Let’s try it then. I’ll buy it.”

  “Angie—”

  She tilted her head when he didn’t finish. “What? It’s not that expensive. And you promised to let me contribute to the grocery bill. After all you’ve done for me, I should buy all of it.”

  He shook his head as he put the bottle in the cart. “Okay, let’s try it. But you aren’t paying for everything. I’ll let you give me some cash if you insist.”

  “I insist. How do you say that name anyway?” she asked as she looked at the label.

  He met her gaze evenly. “It’s said like this.” He pronounced it the same as his last name.

  “It’s your family winery?”

  “It is.”

  She sensed she’d bungled something. He’d told her he hadn’t joined the family wine business. He’d never said why. “We can put it back. I didn’t know.”

  He put a hand out to stop her as she reached for it. “It’s okay, Angie. I was surprised to see it in this store. They must have gotten a distribution deal, which is great for them.”

  “I don’t want to get it if it bothers you.”

  “It’s fine. Come on.”

  After they checked out and loaded everything into the Yukon, they swung by Maddy and Jace’s. Angie had to convince him, but he finally relented when she pointed out it was cold enough that the groceries would be fine for a short while. She would be with him the whole time, and they’d just gone to a public store where anybody could see them, so why not?

  Jace was out but Maddy was waiting with hot tea and freshly baked cookies. She hugged Angie, hard. “I’m so glad you’re doing better.”

  “Me too. It was pretty awful for a while.”

  Maddy’s gaze strayed to Colt. “But you had Colt, and he took good care of you.”

  Angie felt herself turning red. “He did. He’s been terrific. And so was your soup.”

  “I’m glad.”

  There was a banging sound from the addition and Maddy turned as a man with a shock of gray hair poked his head into the kitchen. “Miss Cole, we need to test the breakers. You might lose power for a few minutes.”

  “No problem. We’re set in here.”

  The man’s gaze slid over the three of them and then he nodded. He ducked back out again. Angie picked up her tea. It was hot and sweet, just like she liked it.

  “We’re getting so close,” Maddy said. “I hope we’ll be in the new master by March first.”

  “That’s really exciting,” Angie replied. “I can’t believe all the
work you’ve done in a few short months. Hey, where’s Kitty?”

  “I had to shut her in the bedroom. She doesn’t like all the noise and then she tries to dart into the addition when they open the door. I’m afraid she’ll get out if that happens.” Maddy lowered her voice. “The workmen aren’t exactly cautious about the doors.”

  “Got it.”

  “I went to see Mimi this morning,” Maddy said. “I’ve been telling her all about the renovations, but she doesn’t understand. It’s just something to talk about.”

  Maddy’s grandmother was in a memory care facility. She had good days and bad days, but she was well-cared for. Maddy seemed to breathe easier now that she had Jace in her life to share the burden, and Angie was glad. She’d watched her friend spiral into worry and quiet desperation in some of her darker days. She hadn’t known how to fix it.

  But Jace had. Maddy was whole with his love and support, and that was the best thing that could have happened. Even if the way they’d met had been unorthodox. Angie didn’t know everything—more of that sensitive information stuff—but Jace had apparently mistook Maddy for a criminal and apprehended her.

  Which is how Angie’s life ended up containing muscled men who carried weapons and exuded an air of danger and confidence that was intoxicating under the right circumstances.

  Mostly, the right circumstances were when the man was Colt and he was doing his utmost to take care of her.

  The power flickered and the lights died. Angie felt Colt tense but then the lights snapped on again a few seconds later. Maddy kept chatting about her visit to The Oaks to see Mimi, the renovations, and how happy she was that Angie was feeling better. They talked about Barton, Barnes and Blake and the effort to reopen. They briefly discussed Jenny, but Maddy hadn’t known Jenny.

  Angie felt Colt’s gaze on her, as if he was urging her not to say too much. She took the hint and didn’t discuss anything that Maddy didn’t bring up.

  “We should get going,” Colt said when they’d been there for half an hour. He gave Maddy a kiss on the cheek. “I need to put the groceries away and start dinner.”

  Maddy smiled up at him. “Listen to you, sounding so domestic. Fine, run home and put dinner on.”

  She winked at Angie, and Angie felt the beginnings of another blush.

  “Thanks for taking such good care of my bestie,” Maddy said.

  “It’s been my honor,” Colt replied. Angie’s heart squeezed at how serious he sounded. Like she was important. Special.

  His gaze met hers, and butterflies swirled like they’d been caught in a tornado.

  Good lord, she was a goner.

  Angie was silent on the ride home. Other than a quiet “Thank you, Colt. I needed that,” she didn’t say anything more. The ride wasn’t far, only a couple of blocks, so he probably shouldn’t be surprised. He checked the house before he let her inside, then returned to get the rest of the groceries. Angie waited in the kitchen. When he set the bags down she started to pull items out and place them on the counter.

  “Do you have a particular way you want the cold stuff put away or does it matter?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he said. Even if it did, he wouldn’t tell her. He’d let her be helpful because she wanted to, and then he’d shift it all later if it mattered to him. Which it really didn’t.

  Angie opened the fridge and put things inside while he put the dry goods in the pantry. It was more than he usually bought since he never knew when he’d be out of the country, but he’d enjoyed shopping with Angie. He’d kept thinking of things he wanted to cook for her.

  She picked up a box of pancake mix and frowned.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  She handed it to him and he put it in the pantry.

  “The last time I saw Jenny, we had pancakes. I never imagined it would be the last time.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  She sighed. “Like I said, we weren’t close or anything. It’s just so awful that she’s gone. And even more awful if someone killed her. I hope you find out if they did, and then I hope you make them pay for it.”

  “If she was murdered, we’ll make them pay for it.”

  “I know you will,” she said with a soft smile. She shook herself. “I don’t want to think about it anymore. I’d rather think about happier things. Like dinner. What’s the plan?”

  He put his hands on her shoulders, skimmed them down her arms, and held her lightly. She didn’t pull away, and he felt a hot wave of possessiveness flood him. So much progress in such a short time. He wondered how much farther they could go, but he wasn’t going to push. He dropped a kiss on her forehead, inhaled the scent of her shampoo, and straightened.

  “How about that coq au vin you wanted before? I can get started on it and it’ll simmer until dinner.”

  “Mmm, sounds good. Can I help?”

  “You can chop vegetables.”

  She put her palms on his chest, stared at the backs of her hands. He held her lightly so she could break away if she wanted. But she didn’t. Finally, she looked up at him, their gazes locking. He saw trust in her gaze. And heat.

  The heat sent a signal to his brain that nearly short-circuited it. Easy, boy.

  “You’ve been so good to me,” she said. “Even when I didn’t deserve it. And I… I like being here with you.”

  “I like being with you too, Angie.”

  She smiled. His dick grew harder. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew if he did it would be almost impossible to stop. And he wasn’t making the first move. It was up to her. He hadn’t realized that’s what he’d decided until this moment, but he had. It felt right.

  He skimmed his fingers over her cheek and took a step back. She seemed puzzled for a second, but she turned toward the fridge and pulled it open. “What am I chopping, chef?”

  “Carrots, onion, garlic, and mushrooms.”

  “Already sounds delicious.”

  They worked together like a seasoned team. Colt browned the chicken, then removed it from the pan and cooked the vegetables. Angie watched everything he did, handed him seasonings as he needed them, and opened the oven when it was time to put the pot with the chicken, wine, and vegetables inside to bake.

  “How long do you leave it in there?” Angie asked.

  “A couple of hours.”

  She grinned at him. “I’m completely impressed with you right now. The omelet and crepes were delicious, and you make a mean piece of toast, but everything you just did? Wow.”

  He shrugged. “My grand-mére believed everyone should know how to cook. Boys and girls equally. It’s a skill I’m glad I have.”

  “You’ll never have to subsist on microwave meals and bags of popcorn.”

  “No, thank God.”

  He started the water in the sink. Angie hip-checked him. “I’ll wash the dishes.”

  He grabbed a towel. “I’ll dry.”

  They worked together, cleaning up the mess. When the sink was empty, Angie turned to him. “You like cooking, don’t you?”

  He wasn’t sure where this was leading, but he answered honestly. “When I have time. It’s relaxing. Makes the world go away for a while.”

  She fiddled with the paper towel she’d grabbed to wipe water off the counter. “Dan knew how to cook, but he resented that I didn’t. He used to get mad that I couldn’t fix dinner unless it was microwavable. Like I was doing it on purpose. He tried to teach me to cook, but like I said, I’m a disaster in the kitchen.”

  Colt’s senses went on high alert. She was telling him something personal. He knew Dan was her ex, the one she’d planned to marry. All she’d said before was that he’d cheated on her and she’d dumped him.

  “Or maybe he wasn’t patient enough with you.”

  She frowned. “That too. He’d tell me it was so easy, all I had to do was pay attention. When I’d burn something, he’d get mad. And you know what, I think I could have learned. I think part of me stubbornly didn’t want to. I was working long hour
s, teaching school and going back to get my accounting degree. I was burning the candle at both ends to build a better life for us, and he was pissed because I didn’t fix dinner more often. I should have realized sooner what a jerk he was.”

  “We don’t all have the same talents or interests. You probably could learn to cook, no matter what you think about your ability. But if it was a skill of his and you cleaned up everything like you just did for me, I don’t know why he’d have a problem with it.”

  She tossed the paper towel in the trash and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Because he came from the kind of background where his mother did everything while his father lounged on the couch after work, even though she worked too. Dan just wanted somebody to cater to him, like his mom did for his dad. Only he didn’t put it that way. He tried to pretend he was all about sharing the burdens, but he really wasn’t.”

  “I know you already know this, Ang, but he was a fucking idiot.”

  She blushed. “Well, I certainly think so. Thanks for agreeing with me.”

  He stalked over to where she leaned against the counter. Put a hand on either side of her, trapping her there. “Do you know why I think he was a fucking idiot?”

  She blinked up at him. Shook her head.

  He focused his gaze on her plump lower lip. He wanted to nibble that lip, suck it between his own like a ripe cherry. “He was a fucking idiot because he’d convinced you to marry him and then he did everything he could to ruin it. He had no idea how lucky he was to have you. I hope he’s miserable as hell right now.”

  Angie’s color was still high. She smiled as she sort of melted against the counter. She put a hand on his abdomen, trailed it up his chest and palmed his cheek. “I hope so too. He got married a few months after we split. Last I heard, they had a kid and then he left her for another woman. So he’s paying child support to the first and planning a wedding to the second. I had a lucky escape.”

  She straightened herself against him, put her other palm on his cheek and cupped his face. He had to force himself not to move. Not to press his dick against her and show her how she affected him.