Alex (BIG Northwest Book 2)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  Alex’s blue eyes held his a second longer before dipping back to the logo he printed off this morning while she snored. “I don’t think I want to change anything. He did a really good job.”

  He was fine letting her think it was all Joe. Didn’t matter who she thought came up with it. All that mattered was Alex and her sisters liked it.

  “Can I start using it now?” She rocked a little in her seat, an excitement he hadn’t seen before lighting her eyes.

  “I will get you final files as soon as possible and you can slap it wherever you want it.”

  Her pale brows came together. “I haven’t seen the invoice for it.” She turned to her computer. “Did it come through last night?”

  “There’s no invoice, Al. Joe works for your brother. It’s all part of the deal.”

  Her eyes slowly came to his. “You know about the deal?”

  He knew about a lot of things.

  Last night was like nothing he’d ever had before, and it left him amped up and unable to sleep. “I was part of the deal.”

  He’d drafted up the specific numbers for Lance. Spitballed the options his friend had.

  At the time, Lance made it seem like Shadow Pine was a quaint little town that was recently discovered by people looking for a short getaway. A cozy place where they could enjoy getting away from it all.

  He never said his sisters had spent years hiding there. Building Shadow Pine into their own fortress of solitude.

  “I think there’s going to come a point that you and your sisters have to reevaluate what you want to do here.” He waited, giving Alex time to digest the possibility before he hit her with the rest. “And I think it’s going to come soon.”

  “Soon?” She scoffed. “This all just started.”

  “I think you have something here that a large number of people will connect with.” He reached to rest his finger on the logo. “I think this is about to blow up, Al. I want you to be ready.”

  “How can it blow up?” She rested her hands on her cheeks. “We’re just a tiny little town with a bakery and a post office. There’s nothing here for them to see.”

  “They’re coming to see you, Al. What you and your sisters stand for.”

  Alex went still and her eyes widened. “You looked us up.”

  “I did.” He gave up waiting for her to notice her breakfast and grabbed the bag, unzipping the top. “The Backwoods Beauties have quite a following.”

  Alex slumped down in her seat a little. “I think they’re going to be pretty disappointed when they get here and see it’s nothing special.”

  “It is, though.” He pulled out the bagel and egg sandwich he’d packed for her, passing it across the desk. “You persevered. You excelled. Proved just what you were capable of once you were no longer being held back.”

  She took a bite of the sandwich, chewing slowly as her eyes went back to the logo, reading across the logo. “Fight the patriarchy.”

  He smiled. “That’s right.”

  Her eyes lifted to his. “You came up with this.”

  “It doesn’t matter who came up with it. It only matters that you like it.”

  Her brows lowered. “You’re a weird man, Edward.”

  He smiled at her. “I’ll take that.”

  “You have to because it’s the truth.” She hid her own smile behind the sandwich as she ate a little more. “So we have a logo. Now we need to figure out what in the hell to put on the website.” She dug around her desk with one hand, the sandwich in the other.

  “We? I finally get to be on team Backwoods?”

  She didn’t look up as she continued to search for something. “Don’t press your luck.”

  They spent the rest of the morning going over her ideas for the website and searching through wholesale options for shirts, cups, and key chains.

  By the time twelve o’clock rolled around Alex was overwhelmed with everything.

  And they still had invoices to go through. Billing to do for Frankie’s logging company, and bank deposits to fill out for Danny’s business.

  She flopped back in her chair, rubbing her temples. “I don’t think we can take all this on. It’s too much.”

  “One step at a time, Al.” He stood up. “But let’s get lunch and ice your ankle first. I don’t want to keep hauling your ass up and down the steps.”

  “You like it.” She stood up, bumping him hard as she passed on her single crutch.

  “You think.” He grabbed the bag her breakfast was in and followed Alex out onto the street just as Lance’s truck coasted down the road, a second car following right behind it. Alex came to a stop, watching as the truck parked across the street, the car following suit. “I thought Lance was going to be gone for a week.”

  “Me too.” Edward was hoping for a little time to adjust to the reality that he slept with his friend’s sister before having to face Lance down. It looked like he wasn’t getting it.

  Lance jumped out of the truck just as the front doors of the car opened. An older woman got out of the passenger’s side and a tiny slip of a woman climbed out from behind the wheel. The younger woman’s eyes were wide as she took in the buildings of the main street, a smile on her face. “Holy cow. This place is crazy cool.”

  “Told you.” Kari rounded the front of the truck with Vanessa trailing along behind her. She shot the tiny woman a wide grin. “Wait till you meet his sisters.” Her cool blue eyes landed on Alex and her smile brightened. “Alex!” She came straight for Alex, grabbing her in a hug before leaning back, her gaze filling with concern as it dropped to Alex’s braced ankle. “What in the hell happened?”

  “I stepped in a hole.” She lifted the leg up a little. “Sprained it.”

  “Oh, honey.” The older woman was hustling across the street, her silver hair catching in the sun as she came their way. “Have you been icing it?”

  “That’s where we were headed.” Edward smiled down at the woman he could have picked out of a crowd even thought they’d never met. He held his hand out. “I’m Edward.”

  “Of course you are.” Gail grabbed him in a warm hug before shoving him away to wrap one arm around Alex. “Let’s get you comfortable, honey.”

  He watched as Gail, Kari, and the rest of the girls made their way toward Alex’s house.

  “She’ll bring her back.” Lance stood beside him. “Probably.”

  “Alex could use a little break. I think she’s getting overwhelmed.”

  “She’s been overwhelmed. Just wouldn’t admit it.” Lance slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s why I tricked you into coming here.” He gave him a grin. “You Google them yet?”

  “You could of given me a warning.” Finding out what happened to Alex and her sisters was shocking as hell. “It would have been nice to have a minute to process.”

  “You would have treated them different and they would have strung you up for it.” Lance turned toward the office trailer. “Come on. Catch me up.”

  Edward glanced back toward Alex’s house.

  Lance lifted a brow. “Already?” He snorted. “That was fuckin’ quick.”

  Edward turned his back to where Alex and Charlie’s houses sat side-by-side. “What was quick?”

  “I’m not stupid.” Lance started walking across the street. “I know my sisters are something special.” He glanced Edward’s way out of the corner of his eye. “I figured you’d end up interested in one of them.” He shook his head a little. “My money was on Charlie, though.”

  “Charlie?” Edward liked Alex’s sister well enough, but she didn’t carry the fire and conviction Alex did.

  The fight.

  Lance shrugged. “It was an educated guess.”

  A pickup sat outside the office as they walked up. A man about Edward’s age sat inside at one of the desks, head down as he worked.

  Lance’s whole demeanor changed at the sight of the man. “Everything okay, Tate?”

  The other man rubbed the back of his neck. “Sam ran off another o
ne of my guys. I’m covering his shifts until I can find someone else to throw to the wolves.”

  Lance let out a long sigh, raking one hand through his hair. “I’ll talk to her again.” He fell onto the pull-out sofa where Edward spent his first night in Shadow Pine. “She’s just having a rough time.”

  “I know, but I can’t keep her safe if she keeps running off a guy a week.” Tate dropped his pen to the desk. “Maybe I should talk to her.”

  Lance winced. “I don’t know that I think that’s a good idea.”

  “I’m going to run out of guys soon.” Tate wiped one hand down his face before standing and extending one hand Edward’s way. “Sorry, man. I’m Tate.”

  “Edward.” He shook Tate’s hand. “Nice to meet you.” He eased down onto the sofa beside Lance. “What are your guys here for?”

  Tate glanced at Lance.

  “Tate owns a security company.” Lance stretched his legs out. “Once word got out about the girls I was concerned things might get out of hand. I wanted to be sure we had someone here to keep things running smoothly.”

  Edward tipped his head as he worked through the explanation Lance tried to feed him. “What exactly would happen that might be a problem?”

  Tate lifted his brows at Lance. “He staying in town?”

  Lance nodded.

  “You should probably tell him. He might end up having to deal with something.” Tate shrugged. “Especially with the way Sam’s being.”

  Lance straightened, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees as he blew out a breath, his cheeks puffing with the force. “There was an incident about a month ago.”

  Imagining a tourist getting out of hand was almost impossible, especially considering most of the visitors to Shadow Pine appeared to be of the female variety. “Okay.”

  “Sam was kidnapped.” Lance wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  “By who?” Edward looked to Tate. The other man hung his head.

  “By our father.”

  Edward’s head bounced back. “What? I thought he was dead?” It was the last he’d heard from Lance about the man his mother had a short-lived affair with. “The articles I read said he was dead.”

  He’d gone through everything he could find on the Backwoods Beauties last night, reading through all of it until he finally fell asleep, Alex tucked into his side.

  Lance rubbed his eyes. “We thought he was. There was a fire and a body and everyone assumed it was his.” Lance finally met his gaze. “It wasn’t.”

  “Holy shit.” It didn’t sit right, knowing that the man who tried to break them, keep the sisters under his thumb, hidden from the world, was still around.

  And that he attempted to pull them back in.

  “Yeah.” Lance tipped his head back, eyes going toward the ceiling of the trailer. “It’s why I’ve been spending so much time here. I don’t feel right leaving them alone knowing he’s out there.”

  “What in the hell does he want with them?” Edward looked from Tate to Lance, waiting for one of them to give him an answer.

  They both stayed silent.

  “Why did he kidnap Sam?” Alex’s oldest sister was definitely the least warm of the five he’d met. Now he might know why.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Lance raked one hand through his hair. “It’s too fuckin’ crazy.”

  Edward’s stomach dropped. “Someone was outside Alex’s house last night.”

  It had been unnerving at the time.

  Now it sent a chill down his spine.

  Tate’s eyes snapped to Edward. “What time?”

  “Almost eleven. After we got back from the hospital.” He stood up, needing to move around. “I heard someone walk up the side of the camper and I went to check it out. They were walking around her house. Took off when I went after them.”

  Tate grabbed his phone and thumbed across the screen, holding it to his ear a few seconds before speaking. “Did you do a perimeter last night around eleven?” His gaze leveled on Lance’s. “Was anyone in the vicinity of Alex’s house around that time?” Tate let out a long breath. “Thanks. I’ll check in later.” He set the phone on the desk in front of him. “No one was at that end of town then. They were past her house at nine and then again at one.”

  “On foot?” The tension in his shoulders relaxed a little. Maybe he had the time wrong. Maybe it was just one of Tate’s men. Maybe they had the time wrong.

  “Not usually. They move in their cars. They’re marked so it’s clear there’s a presence. If they do get out they have a flashlight, and they sure as shit wouldn’t have run from you.”

  “Well fuck.” Lance tapped one foot on the vinyl floor. “I’m glad I came back.”

  Tate rocked back in his seat. “Maybe I should come stay in town until this is all over. I’ve got a fifth wheel. I can park it at one corner. Craig’s with Danny. You’re right in the center of town.” He pointed Edward’s way. “And now you’re at the other end of town.”

  Lance lifted his brows at Edward. “You up for that?”

  “I’m up for anything.” He’d spent years waking up every morning to do the same thing he did the day before. It was like being caught in the movie Groundhog Day.

  And all that changed in the blink of an eye. One minute he was sitting in an empty apartment wondering if he’d made the wrong decision. Knowing it was too late even if he had.

  The next minute he jumped into the unknown. Moved across the country, hoping added distance would equate to added perspective.

  And he might have been right.

  “I’ll talk to JD. See if he’s game to bring his camper in town too. Maybe just knowing we’re here will be enough of a deterrent. Make him move on. Come up with a new plan.” Lance’s shoulder’s eased down a little and the set of his jaw softened.

  “He’s waited years to make his move. I don’t know that he minds waiting a little more.” The line of Tate’s mouth was grim.

  “It took him years to rebuild after having to go into hiding so no one knew he was alive to prosecute.” Lance’s foot was back to tapping against the floor. “Maybe he knows they saw him. Is worried the cops are looking for him.”

  Tate bobbed his head in a slow nod. “Maybe. Let’s hope.”

  The door to the office opened and JD ducked his head inside. “Who in the hell are all these women you keep bringing here?” He turned to glance over one shoulder. “They are making the girls here seem easy to manage.”

  “That’s Kari’s mom and her best friend.” He gave JD a grin. “And they are just as difficult as my sisters.”

  JD shook his head as he started to close the door.

  “I have a question before you go.”

  JD pulled the door back open. “If you’re gonna ask me to take them anywhere the answer is no.”

  “Someone was outside Alex’s house last night.”

  JD’s brows shot up to the bill of his baseball cap. “Any idea who it was?”

  Lance shook his head. “Don’t really want to find out.” He tipped his head toward Tate. “Tate’s bringing his camper into town. He’s going to stay on site for a while. We were wondering if maybe you’d be interested in doing the same.”

  “Any particular location you’re thinking?” JD glanced back over one shoulder before stepping up into the camper and pulling the door closed behind him.

  Tate’s lips pressed together as he shook his head. “We’re just trying to cover all our bases. You can park wherever you want.”

  JD was quiet for a minute. “I’ll bring it in later tonight.” He reached for the door but didn’t open it. “The girls know we’re doing this?”

  “Not yet.” Lance studied JD for a second. “Why? You think it’s a bad idea to tell them?”

  “Considering number three locked this one in a camper when he moved in I’d say the less they know the better.” JD smirked Tate’s way. “Either way you better buckle up, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

  JD didn’t appear the
least bit worried as he whistled his way out of the trailer, shutting the door behind him.

  Lance stood, walking to a stack of boxes lined across the wall of the office. “How’s it going getting those cameras set up?”

  “I got the guy coming tomorrow to start running wire. Once he’s got them hooked up we can get the hub set up in here. Maybe be up and running by the weekend.” Tate grabbed his keys from the desk. “I’ve got to get going if I want to be back here in time to fight with the girls and still get to bed at a decent hour.” He stopped to shake Edward’s hand on his way to the door. “Nice to meet ya.”

  “You too.” Edward gave Tate a smile. “See you in a bit.”

  “Sure thing. Hopefully the girls don’t lose their minds over it.” Tate shook his head as he chuckled. “Those sisters are like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.” Lance blew out a long breath as he took Tate’s seat at the large desk. “And I just added three more to their pack.”

  NINE

  “WHERE DO YOU keep your big pot, honey?”

  Kari’s mom Gail was clearly used to being in charge of any kitchen she found herself in. She’d spent the past ten minutes digging through Alex’s fridge, pulling out items and stacking them across the counter.

  “That is my big pot.”

  Gail lifted up the stainless steel saucepan. “This is your big pot?” Her blue eyes rolled to look at the two-quart handled pot. “What in the world do you cook in it?”

  “Soup.” Alex glanced to Kari. “What am I supposed to cook in it?”

  Gail dropped the pot down to her side, letting it dangle from her hand as she eyed Alex up and down. “You need to eat more.”

  Alex sat up a little straighter on the stool where she sat. “I eat.”

  Gail’s brows went up as both hands came to rest on her hips, the pot still clutched in one. “What did you have for breakfast?”

  Alex shot her a smirk. “A bagel sandwich.”

  Gail’s eyes narrowed. “What’d you put on it?”

  Technically she hadn’t put anything on it, but Gail didn’t need to know Edward was the one saving her ass right now. “It had an egg, cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.”