Rogue Hearts

by Tamsen Parker

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing at this point.”

  One side of her mouth quirked up. “I’ve only seen the one that went viral. You were pretty passionate about how we’re all citizens of the world and we need to take care of our family.”

  “Thanks. It’s all true. I needed to say something, and I had the platform to say it. I just wish my cousins could see what I’m trying to do.” He let out a sigh.

  “What?”

  “That call yesterday from my lawyer was about a letter I’d gotten earlier in the day. You know FSC?”

  Her face scrunched up, so he clarified. “Family Shopping Channel. Their distribution is nationwide, and they also have moved into Canada and are looking at opening up in the UK.”

  Her eyes widened. “So, bigger than the big box stores?”

  “Pretty much. We signed with them a few years ago and it really gave our exposure a bump, though we’d been doing good on our own. The letter they sent said they would cut ties with us if I didn’t stop using company resources to advance my political views.”

  “Can they do that?”

  “Of course they can. They’re not the government, so it’s not censorship or anything like that.”

  “Will it hurt the business if they blackball you?”

  “Yeah, but not to the point where we’d have to close or anything. We’d have to scale back some expansion plans, but we have that option. The real threat is if my one cousin Larry follows through with his suit to take over the company.” He paused as their server set their meals down in front of them.

  He dug into the stew and nearly moaned as the heat and sweet flavors exploded on his tongue. He’d never been able to get Mialy to tell him exactly what was in her spice blend. And, right now, he’d rather think about food and the woman sitting across from him than Larry and the rest of the cousins.

  Rosa did moan after she bit into her sandwich. He enjoyed hearing her pleasure, even if it was generated by what she was eating. He wondered what made her moan in pleasure when food wasn’t involved. Maybe he’d get a second chance to find out. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was direct on his. “Can your cousin win if he files suit?”

  “Possibly. There’s a clause in the family trust about challenging whoever is leading the company if there’s a certain percentage of loss in a year. The extended family is also pushing for me to quit things. This is bigger than me, though. They know the stories of what our grandfather went through to get here and then get the business going. He always instilled in us the pride he had in becoming an American. How this was a land of opportunity and it was our duty to stand up for what was right.”

  “Why do they want you to stop speaking out then?”

  He took another bite of stew. “It’s not the speaking out that’s the issue for them as much as the fact that I’m using the company newsletter to do it. The thing is, that’s the platform I’ve got and it’s a core value of the business. Our business wouldn’t exist without immigration. Not only thanks to my grandfather, but for all of the workers who’ve come through and brought their families to work for us. Just as we’re mostly a nation of immigrants, so’s the company.”

  “Ian!”

  He looked up and saw his sister-in-law waving at him as she wound through the other tables. He stood up and kissed her on the cheek when she got to their table. “Hey, Lori. How are you doing?”

  “Good. Good. I need to talk with you in private, if I can?”

  He glanced at Rosa, who had her gaze focused on her sandwich. “It’s okay. I’ve just been catching up Rosa on things.”

  Lori blinked. “Rosa? Rosa Donnelly?”

  She looked up and and her lips curved in what he could loosely term a smile. “Hi, Lori.”

  “Oh, girl. It’s good to see you.” Lori bent down and gave her a hug, which Rosa didn’t reciprocate. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was surprised at Lori’s move.

  “I didn’t realize you were back in town. We’ll have to get together with Kenzie.”

  “Kenzie?”

  “You know. Mackenzie, Ian’s sister.” She held up her hand and flashed her ring. “My wife.”

  “Uh, congratulations.” Rosa’s face blanked for a moment, and then gave Lori a smile that looked anemic to him.

  “Thanks! We’re still newlyweds. Anyway, Ian. I wanted to tell you that we had dinner with the cousins last night and they were strongly urging Kenzie to have a few words with you about the you-know-what. Kenzie told them to shove it, but I figured you’d want to deal with it yourself.”

  He felt the muscles around his eye twitch and hoped no one else saw it. “Thanks. I appreciate the head’s-up.”

  “Lori. I’ve got your order ready.”

  Lori half-turned and waved. “Thanks, Mialy. Be there in a minute.” She turned back to him and gave him a hug. “If you see your parents, tell them we’ll be over at the house tomorrow night. Kenzie promised your mom she’d help with the fundraiser. Bye, Rosa. Tell your mom I said hi.”

  “Uh, sure. Will do.”

  Ian sat back down, and watched Rosa watch Lori as she whirlwinded out of the café. “You okay?”

  “That was Lori Murphy, right?”

  “Lori Murphy-Stroman now.”

  Rosa shook her head.

  “What?”

  “She was my nemesis in high school and barely had a civil word to say to me ever.”

  Ian lifted a shoulder. “I’m not sure what to say. All I remember, is her being a kid, and then she’s dating my sister after she graduates college. They’re good for each other.”

  Rosa shook her head again. “This world is unbelievable.”

  “Do you regret coming home?”

  “For my mom, no. I’m not sure what to do about the rest of you, though.”

  “Fair enough. Being the focus of small-town scrutiny isn’t for everyone, but there are benefits. Like knowing when your neighbors are in need of assistance and being able to provide it.” He nodded to her plate. “Speaking of, have you tried the fries yet? You should eat them while they’re still warm.”

  “I like to finish my sandwiches first.”

  “Believe me, have at least one.”

  She shot him a look but did as he suggested. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and the moan she let out this time was definitely orgasmic. “God. I can never go back.”

  He reached out to snitch one that was about to fall from the plate, but she slapped his hand. “If you wanted these, you should have ordered your own. These are all mine.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad to turn you to the dark side. Hearing you moan like that was worth it.”

  She ducked her head and focused on the remainder of her food, but he saw a blush stain her cheeks a gorgeous shade of dark pink.

  As he waited for her to finish, he pulled a couple of the bills and the spreadsheet from the envelope. The final totals had his stomach rebelling against the excellent stew. “Damn.”

  “Yeah. That was my response. Did your mom tell you that she paid for my mom’s prescriptions yesterday? Apparently, Mom’s run through a good chunk of her benefits and they don’t cover as much as they used to.”

  “No, she didn’t tell me.”

  “Seeing those, I’m amazed she has any coverage left.”

  He put the bills back into the envelope. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you mind if I take these with me? I’ll scan them and return them to you.”

  “Thanks. That’ll probably be faster.”

  She’d cleared her plate of the fries, but there was part of her sandwich left. “Do you want a box for that?”

  She looked down at it. “Yeah. I’d love to finish it, but I’m feeling stuffed all of a sudden.”

  “The fries will do that to you.”

  The server was there a minute later and took Rosa’s plate in back to box up the remains of her meal. When they had everything, he escorted her to the front to pay their bills. Every few feet, she’d glan
ce back at him. He wondered what was going through her head.

  After Mialy cashed them out, they headed outside into the bright sunshine. Stepping to the side of the door, he put his sunglasses on. He turned to Rosa to ask her when they could meet up again, but before he could say anything, she reached up, grabbed the front of his shirt, and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth.

  Heat seared through him and he reached out to pull her closer. She was fast though and broke away. “Thanks for lunch, Ian. I’ll be in touch.”

  Stunned, he watched her walk down the block, hips swaying. It wasn’t until he was nearly knocked down by one of his former teachers that the spell broke.

  “Wake up, Ian.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Brewster.”

  4

  Excerpt from Stroman Industries’ customer newsletter:

  I talked in my previous newsletter about Granddad Fritz. I often wish he was around to give me advice on how I’m leading the company. Providing a solid employment base for Denning means providing you, our customers, with solid, quality products. It’s what you would do for family. However, after seeing the latest bullying tactics from our president who continues to defile the position, I’m glad Granddad’s not around to see this. He always had strong words about bullies after growing up in the early days of Nazi Germany. They were not to be tolerated. I can’t say this isn’t America because that kind of blindness is what led us to this point. However, we can be better than this. But we need to choose to be. Be engaged. Be vigilant. Be a positive force in your community for good. I believe in you.

  Two days later, Rosa still couldn’t believe she’d kissed him. Planting her lips on those of Ian Stroman had been the source of all her teenage dreams.

  And those dreams had nothing on reality.

  Maybe she could have gone deeper, because that little taste of him was barely enough. Ian hadn’t said anything, but she’d seen his hands reaching for her when she’d forced herself to head back to her car.

  She’d spent the last couple of days running Mom to various doctor appointments. Every quiet moment she had in that time had her reliving the sensation of her lips pressed against his. Strong, firm lips. Not too dry, and not overly clammy. She’d caught herself licking her own lips right as one of the doctors had come into the treatment room. Thankfully, the woman had immediately focused on Mom and Rosa didn’t have to sink to the floor in a puddle of shame.

  She parked in one of the last open spots in the library’s parking lot and grimaced as she got out. When she walked through the entrance, the cool blast of air was welcome relief to the humidity that had rolled in overnight.

  The library hadn’t changed too much in the years since she’d left. Some of the walls had new paint, but the person manning the desk was the last one she’d expected.

  “Lori.”

  “Hey, Rosa. How can I help you?”

  “I called earlier about using a scanner.”

  “Oh, yeah. Come with me.” She got up from the desk and headed to the back room that Rosa remembered being used for book groups and the like.

  The public computers had been expanded since she’d left and now took up the entire room. Most of them were occupied, but Lori led her over to one that sat in the corner with a number of peripherals attached to it. Including a scanner.

  “I know you don’t have a library card, but I’ll log you in with the visitor pass.” Lori bent down and quickly keyed in a series of numbers. “All set. You’re logged in for an hour. Check back with me when you’re done.”

  “Thanks, Lori.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She headed back into the main room of the library and Rosa sat down at the computer. Thankfully, the library’s technology was fairly up-to-date so she was able to complete what she needed in minimal time.

  As soon as she finished, she found the icon to log her off. She headed back to the main room and found Lori helping some kids. Waiting for Lori to finish, she checked out the cart of books sitting next to the desk.

  The kids eventually headed off to a corner of the library, and Lori turned to her with a big smile. Rosa wondered if it was required since Lori worked here and Rosa was, for the time being, a patron.

  “I’m all done. I logged off.”

  “Thanks.” Lori marked something on the pad of paper sitting in front of her. “Rosa. I know we weren’t friends during high school or anything, but I’m glad you’re back in town.”

  Rosa bit back the shocked curse words that wanted to spring from her lips. She and Lori not only hadn’t been friends, but they’d actively hated each other. At least, Rosa had actively hated her tormentor. The fact they went to such a small school meant they had frequently run into each other.

  “Anyway, I’m really sorry for the way I acted toward you in high school. Are you moving back home now?”

  Rosa blinked. Was she supposed to just accept the apology and move on? Lori Murphy was one of the reasons why she’d plotted so hard to escape Denning. “Uh, I’m just here to get my mom settled with some things.”

  “I hope she’s doing okay. Kenzie loves her so much. Things have been crazy with everything going on with Ian, but I know Kenzie and Elaine appreciate him being able to chip in with the fundraiser.”

  Confused by the switch in topics, Rosa frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, we all expected Ian to be the one to leave town, especially with his new notoriety, but he’s so good at living up to family expectations. Elaine and Roger can’t stop singing his praises when we’re together. I once teased Kenzie about it, but she said she was glad he was the one running the company.”

  That weight must be tough to shoulder. Not only family expectations, but community expectations. “I heard he’s getting a lot of attention because of the newsletters.”

  “Yeah. The press has had a field day with him. We had the local TV affiliates come to town, and almost everyone tried to have their chance in front of the camera. Most people are supportive of him, especially the ones who work at the plant, but there’s always a few who have to look on the gloomy side. Especially his cousins as you know. They’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass.”

  “Yeah, he mentioned something about that.”

  “Kenzie told me that she convinced him to take the afternoon off and go fishing. He needs a break from everything.”

  “Fishing?”

  “Yeah. Out by the lake. I wish I was there right now. A swim would be great in this heat. At least I get to work someplace that has air conditioning.”

  “Yeah, a swim would be nice.” A swim in a nice, chlorinated pool would be nice. In Lake Denning? Hell, no. She still had nightmares of the time she’d been a little kid and her feet had gotten caught up in the reeds lining the lakebed. If it hadn’t been for Ian, she would have drowned. That was probably when she first started hero worshiping him. What girl wouldn’t get a crush on the guy who saved her life? Even if she’d been five and him ten.

  “You should go out there.”

  “Uh, I’ll think about. Thanks again for the use of the scanner.”

  “Any time! Let us know what else we can help you with. That’s what the library’s here for.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  She finally extracted herself from Lori’s gregarious clutches and headed back out into the heat. She rolled down her car window because she needed a breeze while the car’s air conditioning jacked itself up to appropriate levels. She meant to go home, but instead of turning down the road that would take her there, she stayed on the one that ran out of town. Straight to Lake Denning.

  Ian cast out his line even though it was completely the wrong time of day to get any bites. He should have gone for a run, but he’d wanted the connection to his grandfather. He needed the old man’s advice. It helped that his dad had given his full support, but it wasn’t quite the same as talking with Granddad.

  Granddad had always said that bullies should be stood up to and that family was everything. With Larry and
the rest of the cousins breathing down his neck, he was beginning to feel like the family was turning into the bullies. He heard a car motor grow louder as it approached the small parking space by the dock. Not that the fishes cared. They were probably sleeping in the depths of the lake, considering how hot it was. That or getting food from the people swimming at the public access beach around the bend.

  He probably should just go for a swim. It would be easier to catch a fish that way. He reeled in the line. The rhythmic clicking soothed his thoughts a little.

  When he heard light footsteps coming down the dock, he didn’t bother turning around. Whoever it was could stay or go as long as they were quiet.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw slim legs in cargo shorts and feet in battered flip flops. Rosa. He canted his head so he could get a better view of her, but she sat down, legs dangling off the dock.

  Her fingers wrapped around the edge, but she remained quiet.

  Since she’d sat down on his right, he shifted his body to cast from the left. As usual, the hook and bobber plunked down barely a few feet away. The memory of Granddad’s laughter was sudden and sharp. He’d never been able to teach Ian how to cast from both sides.

  Reeling the line back in again, he attached the hook to the bail arm and set the rod down between him and Rosa. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was at the library, and Lori mentioned you were likely out here. I’m not sure why I didn’t ignore that information.”

  He stared out across the lake. Sunscreen would have been a good idea as there were barely any clouds in the sky. “What were you doing at the library?”

  “Sending out stuff for job applications. Mom doesn’t have a scanner and I had to sign some documents and get them in today.”

  Drilling her about where she was applying would not be the smoothest move. Even though with every moment she was with him, he wanted to find out how much time he had left with her. “How’s your mom?”

  “Okay. Mom had doctor appointments the last couple of days, and she’s got another set next week. She’s trying to take it easy so she can be at her best at the fundraiser.” He heard her breath hiss out. “I hate that it’s come to this.”