“What?” I asked, trying to get a grip.
“Is the kid bothering you?”
“Uh.” The only person bothering me was Babel—the hot-and-bothered kind of bothering. “Nope. Not bothering me. Not at all. Everything is fine and dandy even. I’m totally cool with Jo Jo.” Sheesh, I sounded like a moron.
“All right then.” He raised a questioning brow. “I’ve got to run a few errands, but I’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“Okay,” I said, a stupid grin plastered on my stupid face as Babel drove off down the street. Gah! How embarrassing.
Heat rose to my cheeks as I felt Jo Jo’s stare. “That was interesting,” the boy said.
“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Glancing at my U-Haul, I nodded at Jo Jo. “How’d you like to make fifty dollars, kid?”
“What do you got in mind?” He wiggled his eyebrows and smiled.
“Nothing like that.” Holy crap. “I need help unloading my stuff is all.”
“Oh.” He laughed. His teeth were small and narrow, but perfect. I’d noticed that I hadn’t met anyone with poor oral hygiene. I’d have to find out who the local dentist was, because with his skill he could make a fortune in Hollywood.
“So? You in?”
“Sure.” He sniffed. “My pa’s been on me to earn some extra cash.”
“Excellent. Meet me outside the restaurant in a couple of hours.” I still needed a power nap, and besides, when Babel came back, it would be nice to have Jo Jo there as a buffer.
In my rush to get out of the street and away from people, I’d nearly forgotten to get my stuff from the truck. Nearly. I grabbed my suitcase and my necessities bag, the one women carry that contains all the pertinent items they might need in any given situation—makeup, hair spray, brush, toothbrush, rubber bands, small flashlight, tampons, matches, Mentholatum, chocolate, and clean underwear. My mother didn’t teach me a whole hell of a lot, but she taught me to always be prepared in case of an accident.
Mom. If she could only see me now. You see, the hippie commune where I was raised was a neo-pagan colony in Northern California. I never bought into the Druidic worship-mother-earth, commune-with-nature bullshit they peddled, but my parents, well, they were true believers. The only thing I wanted as a teenager was to get the hell out and be part of the real world, where your parents didn’t run around naked or practice polyamory. When I turned eighteen, I hitched a ride to San Diego and never looked back.
After I closed the door to the diner behind me and crossed the room to the counter, I heard the dog snarl and growl before I saw him. The reddish dog with the white ear stood in the center of the room, its ears back. He looked really unhappy and territorial. “It’s okay, fella. I’m not going to hurt you,” I said, trying to keep the terror out of my voice.
Its ears popped forward, and I swear it looked confused. The dog whined then lay on the floor.
“Good doggy. Good boy.” I backed away and took the opportunity to crawl up on the display counter—a defensible position if the dog attacked. The animal put a paw over his muzzle, and if he’d been human, I’d have sworn he shook his head.
My phone was in my necessities bag, near the door, but even if I could get to it without having my throat ripped out, who would I call? I had no one nearby on speed dial. And like an idiot, I hadn’t asked Babel for his phone number to add to my contacts. I took a few deep, cleansing breaths to calm myself. Babel had said he’d be back in a couple of hours. Jo Jo was coming as well. I could wait.
After the first thirty minutes, my ass was so sore I couldn’t hold still any longer. I shifted to my knees and lay on my stomach. The dog tilted his head, giving me the once over. “Quit looking at me.”
He blinked, but turned away.
“How’d you get in here, anyway?” Like I really expected the creature to answer. “I wish you’d leave the same way.”
He didn’t look at me, but he whined again.
“I’m sorry.” I felt a little ashamed. After all, he hadn’t done anything to make me think he’d eat me, but…“Look, it’s not you. It’s me. I’m afraid of dogs. I had a really bad experience when I was a kid.” I didn’t know why I was sharing with the animal, but I continued. “A community dog chased me up a tree and got hold of my pants, along with my ankle. It hurt really bad, let me tell you.” I had the scar on my ankle to prove it. “Anyways, I’d had to take off my jeans to get loose from it, and Moonbell, a boy I had a serious crush on, saw me in my underwear. It was really traumatic.”
Moonbell. I hadn’t thought about him in years. What a putz he’d turned out to be. His parents were hippies as well, hence the stupid name. I let him take my virginity when we were sixteen. Under a freaking cherry tree, no less. I thought I loved him and he loved me, but it turned out he didn’t love me enough to leave the community. We’d planned for our escape, and the night I left, he backed out. Total mamma’s boy.
I bet Babel was a mamma’s boy. He just looked like one. Okay, so maybe I was projecting a little—giving him some faults so I wouldn’t feel so attracted to him.
Like that would work. Not.
Yawning, I put my head down. Between driving and arriving, I was worn out. I decided it would be okay to rest my eyes. Not sleep, because that would just be reckless and stupid, but resting my eyes would be okay. If the dog even twitched, I’d hear him, at least that’s what I told myself, and I was too tired to fight the logic.
I woke with a yelp as the front door closed.
Adrenaline surged as I bolted up on the counter. Babel held up a hand. “Hey. I’m back as promised.”
I fell off the counter, landing on my ass once again, and looked around for the dog.
“Where is he?”
Babel raised a brow. “Who?”
“The dog. The stupid dog that’s been holding me hostage for—” I looked at my watch, “—nearly two hours. Wow, I can’t believe I’ve been asleep that long.”
“A dog held you hostage?” Babel set down the bucket of cleaning supplies he’d been carrying. “Did he put a gun to your head?”
“Smart-ass.” I stood up and dusted my butt. “If you didn’t see him go out the front door when you came in, then there’s got to be some other way in and out.”
“I didn’t see a dog coming or going. Are you sure you didn’t dream it?”
The fear had passed, and now that free thought could function in my brain once more, all I could think about was how damn sexy Babel looked. He’d brushed his wild hair, and if he hadn’t been such a mountain man, I’d have bet money he used product. His face was freshly shaven, and he smelled really nice.
Damn him.
“No, I didn’t dream it.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Maybe you could just look around, make sure nothing can get back in.”
He grunted. “Okay.”
While he checked the place out, I spent my time thinking about Chav, and wishing I could get a sense or a vibe about what had happened to her. It wasn’t my fault that every once in a while important thoughts were interrupted with visions (and not the psychic kind) of Babel naked. Again. Shaking my head, I tried to put him out of my mind. I didn’t need the complication or the heartache.
“Did you find anything?” I yelled when he’d disappeared into the kitchen.
Babel reappeared in the front. “Nothing.” He wiped his hands on his jeans. “If the dog made it in or out without using the door, then I’m not sure how he did it.”
I sighed. Heavily. “Damn.”
“Sunny,” he said, friendly but wary. “I don’t know why Chav invited you to this town, or why she thought, well, that you’d be a good fit for Peculiar. But you’re not.”
Seriously? I was beginning to develop a complex. “In time, when we find Chav, I’ll fit in just fine.” After all, if they’d accepted Chavvah, who, for all intents, was an outsider, why wouldn’t they accept me? I really liked this place. It felt comfortable, and I never feel comfortable anywhere.
&nbs
p; “No. No, you won’t.” He rubbed his eyebrows. “The townsfolk are all the same.
You’re different.”
“Different makes the world go ’round. At least that’s what my father used to say.”
“In this case, your father would be wrong.”
“So, what? Are you all aliens or something?” I asked, trying to lighten the ever-increasing oppression filling the room.
“Or something.” He didn’t even smile.
“Don’t tell me you all have some kind of Jonestown, crazy-Waco thing going on here. Because if ATF guys start showing up in full-on weapons and gear, I might consider leaving.” I flinched as soon as I said it. Growing up the way I did, I had to hear the same kind of jibes about our community. But I was just super tired of him trying to get rid of me. “Other than that, you and the town are just going to have to get used to the idea of having me around.”
His so-serious face didn’t even twitch. “I’m afraid you can’t stay. I’ll buy you out of your share of the diner if that’s what it takes.”
I huffed my frustration. “Fine, you can buy it back.” Yeah, when cows quack and ducks moo.
“Yeah? You’d do that?”
The relief on his face pissed me off. “Sure. Two million dollars and the place is all yours.”
“But you only paid two-hundred grand,” Babel said incredulously.
“Yes. Well, the economy is bad, haven’t you heard? And besides, I think I should get extra for all the pain and suffering.”
“So, you’re not going to sell it back to me. Is that what you’re saying?”
Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. “That’s what I’m saying. I’m staying. You’ll just have to deal with it.”
His voice became growly and gruff and super sexy. “This town can be dangerous for outsiders.” And super annoying.
I looked up at him sharply. I could take his words as a threat, but also as a warning. “Do you know what happened to Chav? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”
His blue eyes swirled with intensity. I never knew such a cool color could burn with such heat. “This isn’t about Chavvie or Judah. This is about you.”
There was a menace about Babel, one that brought goose bumps to the surface of my skin.
The front door cracked open, and what looked to be about a size-twelve tennis shoe shoved through the opening. It was soon followed by the rest of Jo Jo. He wiped a red paisley handkerchief across his sweaty forehead and shoved it in his back pocket. It was my turn to be relieved.
“Hey, Sunny.” He acknowledged me first, then Babel. “Babe.”
Babel tsked in disapproval. It made me think less of him. Beautiful body or not, he wasn’t on my top-ten list of favorite people at the moment.
“Hi, Jo Jo.” I jerked my thumb at Babel. “Ignore him.” Big talk, coming from me. I hadn’t been able to ignore the man since I met him.
Jo Jo smiled, wide and friendly. I was glad that at least one person in this weird little town was happy to see me. “Are you ready to work?”
“Sure thing.” His eyes never left me. Secretly, I was thrilled that he seemed intent on freezing Babel out. “Where do you want me to start first?”
I rummaged the keys to the U-Haul out of my purse and tossed them at Jo Jo. The kid caught them like a natural-born ball player. “Bring in all the stuff you can carry and
I’ll help with the larger items.”
“I’ll help with the stuff he can’t manage,” Babel said.
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of his offer, considering just seconds earlier he was trying to get me to leave town, but I nodded. “Good enough.”
Babel took off his flannel shirt and tied the sleeves around his waist. Under, he had a tight, faded blue tank. His biceps, triceps, and all the rest of the muscles in his arms bulged as he filled the mop bucket in the sink. My legs, especially my thighs, felt like the inside of a jelly donut. He rolled his head sideways and dropped his gaze on me.
I could barely meet his eyes. Jerking my thumb to the door, I said. “I’m going out for a bit.” I needed distance from Babel Trimmel before I did something regrettable. Or pornographic.
When Jo Jo came in with his first armful, I said to both of them, “I’m stepping out for a minute or two. You cool with that?”
Jo Jo shrugged. “Where do you want me to put your stuff?”
“Upstairs. What you can manage, anyhow.”
“Good ’nuff.” And he took the stairs by two, bounding up, making me anxious about my lamp, along with a small circular table and a toaster he carried.
I fought back a sigh. “You okay with me getting out for a while?” I asked Babel, since he hadn’t responded the first time.
“Yep,” he answered noncommittally as he scrubbed at the stain behind the counter.
“Good ’nuff,” I said, mimicking Jo Jo.
Chapter Three
AS I WALKED down Main Street, I drew expected stares. Apparently, not everyone in town had come to meet me under the awning of Johnson’s General Store. I tried to stay positive, smiling, waving at a few. Most of them just darted their eyes away as if I had a second head. I decided it was the way I dressed that kept me from fitting in. I’d have to rummage through my luggage for more conservative clothes.
Because they’d totally fall in love with me if I looked like a townie. Right? A girl could dream.
A black and white police car pulled up next to me before I’d walked less than a block, and that’s when I met Sheriff Taylor and his wife, Jean. I looked around, fully expecting Aunt Bea and Opie to show up any minute.
“Hello, hello. Welcome to Peculiar.” Jean’s hair was pulled back in a loose bun, neatly held together by a dozen bobby pins I could see when she turned her head. Her hair shone in the sunlight, glittering with strands of silver. She looked middle-aged, except for the eyes. The skin around them was flawless, apart from the slight darkness that made her look as if she hadn’t slept the night before or the night before that. She glanced around at my truck and open U-Haul. “Is there something we can help you with?”
At last, friendlies. “No, thank you. Babel and Jo Jo have it under control, but I appreciate the offer.”
Sheriff Taylor, a short and stocky man, cocked his eyebrow at me. “Uhm, I think there’s been a mistake, darlin’.”
The use of “darlin’” (no “g”) was said in such a way that it didn’t sound condescending. I figured it was just the way people must talk in the Ozarks.
Besides, I hadn’t introduced myself, and maybe it was his way of asking who I was.
“Sunny.” I held out my hand. “Sunny Haddock. And there’s no mistake.”
Jean gave me the eye. It was the same look my geometry professor used to give me when I wasn’t getting a concept, but he thought I really should. Pure disappointment.
Sheriff Taylor stepped toward me, which made me nervous, so I took a step back toward the diner.
“Young lady,” he said in an official way. “This isn’t a town you want to live in.”
“Oh, yes, I do.” What was wrong with these people? I was feeling less than welcome for certain, and frankly, I’d had enough. “Look, even if my best friend hadn’t gone missing less than a week ago, this diner is half mine. In other words, I own a small piece of this town. The other half belongs to Chav, the only person who has a chance in hell of getting me to go anywhere. You know, I didn’t expect a lot when I made plans with her to come here.” Maybe a small parade, some confetti, the local marching band, and some banners…“But, I didn’t expect animosity. And just what are you doing to find Chavvah? Maybe you should be more concerned about what’s happened to her and less about running me out of town because I’m certainly not going anywhere until I see for myself that Chav’s okay.”
He cocked his head sideways, sizing me up. For a minute there, I had a vision (again, not a psychic vision) of the sheriff pushing me against his vehicle, handcuffing me, and hauling my ass to jail. I resisted the urge to run back and j
ump into the Toyota and head for the hills. Instead, I pulled my shoulders back, held my chin high. Perfect position if someone wanted to knock me out.
The sheriff shrugged and tilted his head toward the shop. “I don’t think you’ll be staying too long.”
“And you would know this how?”
“Call it a hunch, darlin’.” He tipped his official sheriff’s hat. “Keep your tail tucked and your head low.”
That was the oddest send-off I’d ever heard. “Uh, whatever.”
Jean smiled a tolerant smile and patted my hand. “He just means stay safe, sugar. Oh, and…” she leaned in close and whispered, “…peaches and cream.”
All right, an even stranger colloquialism. “Uh, back at ya.”
“I mean to say, your fanny’s showing, dear. Just thought you should know.”
Embarrassing, most definitely. Note to self: Booty shorts may not be appropriate attire for the Ozarks.
Under Jean’s reproachful stare, I pulled them down in the back. She smiled again. It was sort of freaking me out.
I didn’t move or stop holding my breath until Jean and the sheriff pulled away.
The buzzing in my ears had settled into a dull hum. Maybe the change in air pressure was causing it, and there would be a short adjustment period before it went away.
As I walked down the street, I passed an antique shop, a quilt shop, and a leather and tack store, before pausing outside of Blonde Bear Cafe. I should have asked Babel if he wanted lunch. Not a date or anything, just a bite to eat.
Man, I would have liked to take a bite out of him. He’d be a seven-course meal complete with dessert. Thinking about the way he would taste almost made me forget how irritated I was with him. Thinking about how Chav might feel about me crushing on her baby bro reminded me how irritated I was at myself.
The dog, the one with the white ear, appeared next to me while I contemplated how filling Babel would be for lunch. Cold fear knotted my stomach, stripping the lust-filled thoughts from my mind. Outwardly I kept calm. The beast hadn’t done anything threatening yet. Yet being the operative word. It lay down in front of me, and I felt a push inside my head.
My Paranormal Valentine: A Paranormal Romance Box Set Page 60
