The Sweetheart Game

by Cheryl Ann Smith

  The Adventures of Mick Malone. It was the first in a long series of extremely popular detective novels. She’d actually read a few of them and had enjoyed them.

  Turning the book over, Jason’s serious face stared up at her. Jason Parker, aka Jason Caldwell, was the author behind the dashing and devilish Detective Mick Malone.

  She burst into tears.

  Chapter 32

  The next three days were miserable. Summer moped, slept, worked, and moped some more. Then she got angry. How dare he get all righteous on her when he was hiding that he was a famous author?

  She’d waited until she saw him leave his house on the second day and told him so on his answering machine. Loudly. On the morning of that third day, she sat absently spinning in her chair, until she was ready to hurl, knowing that she’d ruined any chance of ever having a half-dozen little Parker offspring.

  Jason hated her. She grabbed a pen and tapped it rapidly on her desk. At the moment she hated him, too.

  Even Mrs. Kravitz was taking his side. She didn’t call. She didn’t write. For all Summer knew, she’d had her kittens and had turned them against her, too.

  All over some stupid picture and a few flubs. If he couldn’t take her as she was, to hell with him.

  She stopped spinning. She missed him.

  Darn it!

  She barely had the motivation to lift her eyes up when Taryn stalked into the room, waving her arms like a penguin. “I can’t believe this. That bastard, Willard, has asked the judge to delay the final judgment on the lawsuit so his investigators have time to see if I seduced and sued any previous employers for sexual harassment!”

  Willard J. Covington, their ex-boss, had tried to molest Taryn on their cheerleader bus, leading to a pepper spray to the face and a broken nose. Taryn not only had witnesses, but forensic evidence to bolster her case. In the past almost three years, he’d used every delaying tactic to keep from settling Taryn’s lawsuit. The ass.

  No wonder her friend was ticked off. “You should hire Alvin to kill him and twist his ears into a bow on top of his head,” Summer said, grateful for the reprieve from her misery. “And shove an apple in his mouth, too. The ass deserves it.”

  Taryn stopped arm waving. “Did you just swear?”

  “Jason is a bad influence.” She blinked back tears. Wrong. He was no influence anymore. They were over. Done. Damn.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?” Taryn lowered to sit on her heels next to the chair and took Summer’s shaking hand.

  “Jason found out I thought he was both a serial killer and a gunrunner. He was so mad. He thinks I’m a flake, and who wants a flake for a girlfriend? We’re so over.” The dam broke and tears slid down her face. “He was first guy who didn’t look at me like I was mentally unbalanced when I do that nervous stammering thing. He actually thought it was adorable.”

  “You are adorable.” Taryn held Summer’s hand against her cheek. “I even think Irving loves you best.”

  “I know.” Summer managed a watery smile. “Taryn, I love Jason. I don’t know how to fix this.”

  “Sex. Really good sex.”

  “We’ve already done that, and it was fabulous,” Summer said. She hiccupped. “He still hates me.”

  Other than a brow lift, Taryn said nothing about the sex or the love confession. She was probably turning happy mental cartwheels. “Give him a few days. He’ll come around.”

  “It’s been three days already. Three long and desperate days.” The fact that it was storming outside was a solid sign of the doom for her short and sexually charged relationship. “I tried pulling weeds in the flowerbeds last night wearing a tube top and short shorts. He didn’t even come out of his house to yell for me to put on a sweater.”

  Taryn patted her hand. “Honey, sexy clothes don’t fix everything, you know.”

  “Aunt Candy says it does.”

  “Aunt Candy is a chain-smoking, beer-swilling, promiscuous pole dancer with a husband and two boyfriends. You should never, ever, listen to any advice from Aunt Candy.”

  Summer sucked back a sob. “At least she has three happy men in her life. I can’t keep one.”

  Despite a clear desire to do an eye roll, Taryn managed to hold on to her sympathetic expression. She was a dear, dear, friend.

  “Sweetie. Listen.” Taryn pulled her up and held her by her arms lest she flee sniveling toward the bathroom. “Jason likes you. Stop shaking your head. I know he does.” She smiled. “He’ll come around. You just need to chill out. No tube tops, no texting, no washing your car in a bikini. No sexting. Have some pride, girl.”

  “I didn’t try that last one . . .” Summer teased. She didn’t smile but her eyes lit up. Taryn’s pep talk made her feel a little better. At least she’d stopped crying.

  “You are a tough and smart PI with a lot going for you.” Taryn tugged her ponytail. “Jason is ticked off but he’ll get over it. So you made a mistake. If he holds a grudge forever, then you don’t need him.”

  “You’re right.” She swallowed down any lingering sniffs. “When you look at the situation clearly, I didn’t do anything wrong. After all, he was kind of acting suspiciously.”

  “Yes he was.”

  “He didn’t tell me he was Mick Malone, either.”

  “He’s Mick Malone? That bastard.” Taryn scowled. “I should go over and kick his butt for lying to you!”

  “You should! We’ll both go!”

  Weepy Summer was kicked into the closet and badass Summer punched her in the face when they switched places. “I don’t need Jason. There are tons of other guys who will live to adore me. Tons. In fact, as soon as I find Mary, I’m signing up for an online dating service.”

  “You go, girl.” Taryn hugged her tightly. “And I’m off to hire Alvin to beat up Willard. Bad girls rock!” And she was off.

  Summer made a face and dropped into her chair. Tons of guys? She didn’t want tons of guys, she wanted one. But she wasn’t going to let their breakup take any more of her time. She was strong and she was fierce. She didn’t need Jason Parker.

  Then why wouldn’t her heart let go?

  * * *

  Four days since the fight and Jason was climbing out of his skin. His annoyance with Summer had faded and he missed her like hell. Worse, he knew he was wrong, well somewhat wrong, and wasn’t sure how to fix the mess.

  Yes, she was piece of work but he’d known that going in. Her stalking and expelling random facts proved she wasn’t entirely normal. However, she’d gotten inside the cold dark lump of his heart and no amount of beer and righteous anger would get her out. Damn, he loved her silly quirks, her spunk, and all the frills.

  He wanted her back.

  The tube top and shorts that barely covered her butt had helped un-bunch his boxer-briefs. It was impossible to stay mad when walking around with a raging erection. Well, that had also pissed him off. He knew she was trying to get his attention, and she had.

  Even Mrs. Kravitz had been cranky. She glared at him as if all of this was his fault.

  He looked down. Faced away, and seated on a braided rug nearby, she gave him the cold shoulder.

  Hoping to make amends with one of the females in his life, he scooped her up. She growled low. “Why didn’t I leave you under the porch?”

  Unable take another day of this gloom, he walked to Summer’s house and banged on the door. Shadows produced dark bags under her eyes and she was wearing an old t-shirt and ripped jeans. He took comfort that she looked as bad as he felt.

  Damn. What to say to make things right? “Mrs. Kravitz missed you.” Not exactly poetry, but he tried.

  Her frown vanished as she put her hands on the sides of the cat’s face and kissed her head. “I miss you too, sweet girl.” The you not so much part was left unsaid, Jason figured.

  “We should work out visitation,” she said and put her hands on her hips. “She’s my cat, too.”

  “Damnit, Summer. You can come over anytime you want.” He handed her the cat. She pur
red. Figured. Females.

  “I think it’s best if we leave this to our lawyers,” Summer added. “I don’t want things to get messy.”

  “Are you freaking kidding me? You want lawyers to handle visitation of a cat?” His blood boiled. The woman was off-her-nut crazy. Then he noticed her eyes. She was laughing at him.

  His anger vanished in a blink. “You are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met.” He took the cat from her, stepped over the threshold, kicked closed the door and placed the feline on the floor. He grabbed Summer and pulled her into his arms. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  She may have sighed some as she melted against him. He kissed her perfect mouth and felt up her perfect butt as he turned her back against the door.

  “I missed you, too” she said as he nipped her neck. “I’m sorry I thought you were a terrorist and a serial killer.”

  “I’m sorry I overreacted, and I’m sorry about not telling you about Mick. We both have trust issues.”

  He bent and tossed her over his shoulder. Mrs. Kravitz hissed and waddled under the coffee table.

  Summer laughed all the way upstairs and when he dropped her in the middle of her bed. He pulled his shirt over his head. He knelt on the mattress and crawled over to her then lifted her shirt and kissed her flat stomach. She tasted good and smelled like vanilla. “I’ll forgive all on one condition.”

  She stilled. “What’s that?”

  “If you put that damn tube top back on.”

  Chapter 33

  Reenergized and determined to figuratively hang Mel up by his feet from a twenty-story balcony until he confessed, Summer took the cat home and loaded Jason into her convertible. They headed to work. She was done playing games. It was time to end this case.

  People stared as she led Jason inside the five-story building that housed the Brash & Brazen offices, like she was an endangered and chronically cranky panda bear who’d finally let a male into her nest to test her fertility.

  Had it been that long since she’d had a date?

  “Way to go, Summer!” Awkward Rob from accounting lifted his hand for a high five. She pulled out her Mace. He scurried off.

  “I take it you don’t bring men around much?”

  “Not ever.” She glared him down. Her eyes darted to Gretchen who was wearing a sweater that had three monkeys swinging on vines over a pair of drooling crocodiles. Gretchen opened her mouth. “This is Jason. Smile, nod, and say nothing,” Summer ordered.

  Gretchen smiled, nodded, and started organizing her paperclips by color. Unable to keep quiet, she glanced up and said, “Nice to meet you, Jason.”

  By the time they made the short walk to her office, three people were standing in their doorways, acting like loitering in the hallway was common, and Summer grew aggravated. Was it wrong to keep her personal life personal? No.

  “Do you feel like a circus sideshow performer?” Jason asked when she shoved him inside her office and closed the door. He scanned her face. “I’m pretty sure I see some upper lip and chin shadow, bearded one.”

  She touched her chin. “Not funny.” Indicating a chair for him, she took her seat. “By the time you leave here, we’ll be well on our way to an engagement,” she joked. “That is if the office gossip line has its usual penchant for misinformation.”

  “Then I’ll have to get you a nice big diamond. I don’t want to look cheap.”

  Although he was joking, she wasn’t entirely against the idea of love and marriage. She and Jason hadn’t known each other long, and there was no rush, but the idea of being his wife someday wasn’t unappealing.

  The door sprung open. Irving shuffled in wearing a purple shirt and purple and white plaid golf pants. He’d broken a foot last fall and it still bothered him. Old bones didn’t heal as quickly as they should. Behind him came his ever-present shadow, Alvin. Summer frowned. The big man grinned. She would never live down the whole falling off the roof thing.

  Geez, don’t let Jason hear about that until he’d settled into the two of them together. He already thought she was nutty—not that she was against eccentricities. It made a person more interesting than boring old normal.

  At least that’s what her nana used to say.

  “I heard you had a man in here. I came to see if hell had indeed frozen over,” Irving said. He ignored Summer’s exasperated sigh and walked over to shake Jason’s hand. “Irving Wykowski. I own this place.”

  “Jason Parker.” He smiled. “Summer’s boyfriend.”

  She almost fell out of her chair. Two words to Irving made their relationship official.

  “Nice to meet you, Summer’s boyfriend.” They released hands. “When I heard our girl had a guest, I had to see it for myself.”

  Irritation prickled through her. “Am I some sort of oddity just because I don’t bring a different guy to every company picnic and holiday event?”

  “My dear, Summer, I’m happy with one. Young man, what are you doing on the Fourth of July?” Irving countered. “The girl spends too much time online. No woman as sweet as she is should spend all her time chasing criminals and worrying about this old man. She needs a life.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jason was getting a kick out of the conversation. “I agree.”

  “And you wonder why I don’t date,” Summer scolded. Irving smiled. Alvin grinned. And Jason winked. She gave up. “Well, as you see, Boss, I’m hanging out with Jason now, so there is hope for me.” She stood and walked over to put her arms around his thin shoulders. Irving only wanted her happiness, and although she wouldn’t admit publicly, yet, Jason made her happy. “You know that I love you, but don’t worry about me.”

  “I was never worried. I knew you’d find someone who’d appreciate you.” Irving patted her back. “Did I ever tell you that you’re my favorite private detective?”

  “Everyone knows that.” She gave him another quick hug and released him while he chuckled. “Taryn and Jess are jealous.”

  “Take good care of my girl,” Irving said to Jason and left, with Alvin in tow.

  Jason reclaimed his seat. “What a character.”

  Summer nodded. “My dad died before I was born and I had a crappy mother. My grandparents were wonderful, but they’re gone now. Irving is kind of a surrogate father-grandfather to me.”

  “I can see that he loves you.”

  Her heart warmed. “He does. He loves all of us. Most of his employees have been with him forever—since his industrial cement pipe days. There isn’t anyone here who wouldn’t take a bullet for him, myself included.”

  “Is he married?”

  “His wife died about five years ago.” She sat. “It was only after her passing that he retired from pipes and opened Brash and Brazen. Now he golfs most of the time and basks in the happiness of finally owning his own PI firm. He’s the envy of all of his friends.”

  “I can see why.” He rolled the chair over to her and reached out. “He gets to work with you every day.”

  Sliding his hand behind her neck, he pulled her in for a kiss. She loved kissing him. His mouth felt so good on hers.

  She pulled back and looked to the open door. Thankfully, no one was lingering there. “We should get to work, boyfriend.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  A phone call interrupted them. It was Detective Wheeler.

  “The judge swore out a warrant for Crosby fifteen minutes ago,” he said. “The DA also gave us a search warrant and we found not only the second bottle of poison in the shed but also the glass under the sink. If the lab can prove it’s rat poison, and Mary’s DNA is on the rim of the glass, he’s done.”

  “Good.” She should be cheering, but found the moment oddly depressing. She’d never been a fan of Mel, but the evidence showed Mary was likely dead. “When will you pick him up?”

  “When we find him. He hasn’t been home all morning.”

  At least they were heading toward justice. “Hey, Detective? Thanks.”

  “Just doing my job.” And he was
gone.

  Summer tapped the phone to her chin. “Are you okay?” Jason said after she hung up and put a hand on her knee. “Honey?”

  Summer shook her head to clear the mishmash of emotions running through her. There was an end to the case ahead. It was both a victory and a sad outcome.

  “Mel’s about to be arrested,” she said as he slid an arm around her and touched his forehead to hers. “We did it. We won.” The last words came out in a whisper.

  “This is a great thing,” he said gently. “Mary will get justice. Baby, don’t cry.”

  “She’s gone.”

  He stood and pulled her into his arms. She clung to him and quietly cried.

  * * *

  Jason held her while she cried. The case had been not only her first in the field but also personal. He would have been shocked if she hadn’t gotten emotional at its conclusion. Summer had a caring heart. When her tears changed to hiccups, he eased back. “You did all you could to find her, honey. You, me, and Wheeler. What we need to do now is make sure Mel serves time.”

  Sniffing, she rubbed her eyes on her sleeve and went for a tissue. “I guess we can consider the case closed.”

  “I guess so.” He watched her collect herself. With a deep breath, she returned to her computer. “I still wish we knew who our mysterious texter was.” She opened her screen and checked the latest tips. Mary had been seen in Cancun, Paris, and Bali, all in the same day.

  This brought her smile. “Mary did want to travel more. Mel was the one who wouldn’t leave this continent.”

  “Then wherever she is, I hope she’s drinking fruity drinks and flirting with cabana boys half her age.”

  Summer’s smile deepened. “You know something?”

  “What’s that?”

  “You are a really good guy.” Her eyes welled again. “I don’t know how I’d have gotten through this case without you.” She bumped his leg with her shoe. “And who doesn’t love a guy who loves cats.”

  “I don’t love that cat.” He did a double pec flex so she wouldn’t start thinking he’d be open for chick flicks. That brought a laugh. “I tolerate her, that’s all.”