Of all of them, Stone understood the rage that had made their mother light a house on fire. He’d been ready to bash their heads in.
Autumn fiddled with the bracelet, turning it around and around her wrist. “We’d have to get that signed confession from her. And even then, we wouldn’t know if she’d made a copy.”
“There’s no way out of this,” Valerie said. “I’ve been through every scenario in my mind. Kyle’s right. People like her won’t go away. Turning myself in is the only solution.”
“Wait a minute. Let me think this through.” Kyle rested his head on the back of the chair, staring at the ceiling. Autumn looked over at Stone and raised her eyebrows. Kyle always seemed to find a way out of any tricky situation when it came to people. Making deals was his business. But what happened when the person he needed to make a deal with was essentially a criminal?
Kyle sat up and looked over at their mother. “Are you serious about turning yourself in?”
Valerie mumbled a yes as she dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “The last thing I want is to drag you all into this.”
“When did you start taking medication for your depression?” Kyle asked. “Was it before or after you set the fire?”
“After. Why?” Valerie lifted her head to look at him. Mascara had smudged under her eyes.
“What if I were to hire a high-powered attorney? One who could build an insanity case?” Kyle asked.
“It would cost a lot of money,” Valerie said. “Too much.”
“I’d rather spend it on that than give it to a woman trying to blackmail us,” Kyle said.
“But would she have to go to jail?” Autumn asked. “Even if she pleaded guilty due to insanity?”
“Depends,” Kyle said. “With a history of depression that goes back years, we might have a chance.”
“Why would you do that for me?” Valerie asked.
“No matter what went on in our past, you’re still our mother,” Kyle said. “We’re not going down without a fight.”
Stone’s stomach growled. He looked over at Pepper, who was gazing out the window. They’d been in the car for about an hour, steadily climbing after leaving Denver. The higher they climbed, the prettier the scenery. The countryside was a splash of green and gold, lush forests of firs and pines interspersed with bright yellow aspens.
“You hungry?” he asked.
They’d talked on the airplane nonstop about everything from current events to movies to hilarious stories from Pepper’s various jobs. The time had passed quickly, and before he knew it, they were landing in Denver. Now they’d fallen into an easy compatibility, all talked out for the time being.
“Starving.” She fidgeted in the seat, tugging on the seat belt as though it was choking her. “And I need to stretch my legs.”
“Something quick, like a sandwich.” They hadn’t eaten since the airplane, and that was hours ago already.
He took an exit promising a sandwich shop on its road sign. They found the place easily, nestled in a brick building. He parked, and they went inside together. The place was warm and smelled of freshly baked bread.
“Yum,” Pepper said.
His mouth watered looking at the menu written in bright-colored chalk that hung above the counter. Stone ordered the brie-and-ham sandwich. Pepper ordered a grilled veggie wrap with no cheese. “I’m dairy intolerant,” she said.
“I feel you.” The pierced young man behind the counter wore a beanie and a silver tongue ring that clicked against the roof of his mouth when he talked. “Dairy’s the devil.” The skinny punk stared at Pepper as though he wanted to eat her for lunch. This was what happened when you had a beautiful woman by your side. Men drooling and vying for her attention. Not today, Beanie Boy.
She appeared not to notice Beanie Boy’s admiring glances as she picked up a plastic-wrapped cookie and read the ingredients. “I’d love this, but there’s milk and butter in it.”
Beanie Boy pointed at another stack. “Those are like totally vegan.”
Didn’t the category vegan imply they were totally vegan? From what he understood, there was no kind of vegan. In or out, Beanie Boy.
Pepper smiled politely at Beanie Boy but declined the vegan cookie. “Maybe another time.”
“Do you live here?” Beanie Boy asked Pepper with a hopeful lilt at the end of the sentence.
“No, we’re on our way to Emerson Pass,” Pepper said.
“And we’re kind of in a hurry,” Stone said with a pointed glance in Beanie Boy’s direction.
“No worries, man. I got you covered,” Beanie Boy said.
Stone sipped from his coffee while they waited. The cozy shop was empty other than Beanie Boy, who was now slapping together their sandwiches while simultaneously shooting moony glances Pepper’s way.
Pepper, oblivious, stared out the window with a worried furrow in her brow. “Do you think it’s going to snow?”
“Looks that way,” Stone said. “I hope so.”
“You do?”
“I love snow.”
“It’s pretty but messy.”
“Nah. You’re with a country boy. I know how to drive in the snow.”
“Did you have a lot of snow in Oregon?”
“Not a lot, but occasionally. Depended on the winter.” He gave an involuntary shudder, remembering the cold from their winters in that trailer. That thought led to the next. His mother. Why did she have to come now, when things were going so well for all three of them? The haunted look in Kyle’s eyes had scared him, reminded him of what his brother had been like in the months following the accident. Yet he couldn’t help but be sucked into the idea of helping her. She was a destitute old lady who desperately needed their support.
She was a murderer. Their mother was a murderer. How could he reconcile that?
He looked up to see Pepper watching him.
“You all right?” she asked.
“What? Sure, fine. Just remembering a few cold winters from when I was a kid.”
She frowned and looked as if she was about to ask a follow-up question but was thwarted by Beanie Boy’s announcement that their sandwiches were ready.
Stone leaped to his feet and grabbed the sandwiches from the counter. Pepper suggested they eat on the road to save time. “We have a lot to do today.”
“Agreed.”
Beanie Boy called out to them as they walked out the door. “Come back anytime.”
When they were outside, Pepper giggled. “How old do you think that kid is?”
“Twelve?” A quick glance at the window told him Beanie Boy watched them from the window. “He’s in love.”
They strode across the lot in tandem. “Perhaps I should move to Colorado. So far, men seem to like me here.”
“I’d reckon men like you in every state, Pepper Shaker.” It’s impossible not to fall in love with you.
“Stone Soup, you say the sweetest things.” Her eyes snapped like fireworks on the Fourth of July. He could almost hear the crackle.
When they reached the car, Pepper groaned and looked at her feet. “Could I have picked worse shoes?”
She was right. Ballerina flats with no socks were possibly the worst, other than open-toed sandals. The rest of her outfit consisted of a thin sweater and skinny jeans. He refrained from commenting on the inappropriateness of her attire. Autumn had taught him well. He knew some things were best left unsaid.
He opened the passenger-side door for her. “Get in there.” His fingers had already stiffened from the cold. “Do you have anything else you could wear? And what about a jacket?”
“I brought boots and a down jacket, but they’re in my suitcase in the back.” She shivered again.
“I’ll get them for you.”
She hesitated, as if she didn’t want him in her suitcase. But a sudden gust of cold wind must have convinced her otherwise. “Thanks.”
He handed her his sandwich bag. “Hang on.”
He scooted around the car and opened the trunk with a push of the but
ton. Her suitcase was black and had a designer label etched into the side. He unzipped the case and opened the lid. “What the heck, Pepper Shaker? Did you just shove everything in at once?” Her clothes were a jumbled, tangled mass of various colors and textures, as if she’d yanked them off hangers in a great hurry and tossed them into the bag. Toiletries were stuffed into the side pockets. One boot was on top of a cashmere sweater. The other was buried under several pairs of lacy underwear. Fortunately, the boots looked as though they’d never been worn so there was no mud to ruin the soft yarn of the sweater.
“Don’t forget socks,” Pepper said from the front.
“Right. Socks.” He grabbed the boots, then stared down at the mess. How would he ever find a pair of socks? He moved the sweater aside, and two pairs of jeans. To her credit, they were folded. Under the jeans were several more sweaters and a down jacket. He pulled out the jacket and set it aside. Finally, he found a pile of socks under a makeup bag. Right next to a lacy red bra. He swallowed hard as he grabbed the thickest pair of socks.
“Did you find them?” Her voice sounded tinny and shaky.
“Yes, I’ve got them.” He quickly shoved everything back inside the bag and zipped it closed.
She was shaking by the time he returned to her.
“Put this on first.” He wrapped the jacket around her shoulders. She slid her arms inside the sleeves. He squatted and zipped it all the way up to her pointy chin. The jacket was white and fluffy. She looked like a marshmallow with legs. He chuckled.
“Is it the jacket?” she asked. “Do I look ridiculous?”
“A bit like a marshmallow with legs.”
“This is exactly why it was in the bag.”
“An adorable marshmallow,” he said.
She rolled her eyes.
Still kneeling, he slipped her ballerina flats from her feet. Her toes were icy cold. He warmed them between his hands with a vigorous rub. “Why didn’t you tell me your feet were so cold?” How could feet be this narrow and hold a girl upright? Her toenails were painted red—perfect little squares against her white skin.
“I didn’t want to seem high maintenance.” She moaned softly as he continued to rub her feet.
The sound shot right through him. Think of baseball.
“That feels so good.” She paused for a moment before blurting out, “I packed quickly. I’m not usually this messy.”
Stone chuckled as he unwrapped the socks. “What did you say about snow? It’s pretty but messy. Kind of like you.”
She gave his shoulder a playful punch. “I’m not that pretty.”
He looked up at her. “You’re very pretty. And you’re messy.”
She pressed her bare toes against his chest. “I can put my own socks on.”
“I’ve got it.” With quick movements, he had her feet encased in socks and into the boots in less than thirty seconds.
When he rose to his feet, she was staring at him as though they’d run into each other at the airport and she couldn’t quite place where she knew him from.
“What?” he asked.
“You know your way around feet,” she said.
“That’s not all I know my way around.” He grinned, which made her blush and look away. “Now, get in there. We’ve got a wedding to plan.” He waited for her to slide her legs inside before shutting the door.
As he slipped into the driver’s seat and started the engine, he reminded her to turn on the seat warmer. “It’ll take the chill off.”
“Yeah, good idea.” She poked it with her long, slim finger with the bright red nail polish. He loved red nails. They reminded him of an older era. This blue and black polish some of the girls wore now always made him think of corpses. He inwardly cringed. One of many comments he’d said to a lady that had gotten him into trouble. Women didn’t like their fingers compared to corpses. In hindsight, it seemed obvious. Why this occurred to him after the fact was almost as mysterious as women. One thing he’d learned over the years. A man like him should keep his trap shut unless he had a fail-proof compliment ready.
Was now a good time for a compliment? He had one on the tip of his tongue, and it was one hundred percent truthful, which he’d also learned was best. Smart women could always tell when a compliment was disingenuous. “I like your nails. They look refined, all short and round like that. And red does it for me.” Does it for me. Wrong. Too sexual.
She stiffened, then slowly shifted in the seat to look at him. Way too slowly. He cringed, waiting for the onslaught of all that pepper spice.
Instead, she smiled up at him. “In a million years, I would never have pegged you as a man who noticed my fingernails.”
“I notice a lot of things.”
“Do you now?”
“When it comes to you, yes ma’am, I do.”
Pepper’s cheeks flushed pink. “You’re full of surprises today.” She turned away, busying herself by plugging in her phone. A man with an English accent gave him the instruction to turn left at the end of town.
Stone unwrapped his sandwich and took a big bite before getting back on the road. “I’ve never heard a dude as the voice before.”
“An English accent is so hot.” Holding her wrap in both hands, she nibbled from the corner, then set it back in her lap. The way she hunched over her food reminded him of a chipmunk or squirrel. The cutest chipmunk ever.
“Would you like me if I had an accent?” He winked at her.
“You’ve got to stop this winking thing. It’s awful. Secondly, an accent would have no effect on your hotness.”
“So, you’re saying I’m hot?” he asked in his best English accent.
She burst out laughing. “That’s the worst accent I’ve ever heard.”
“Say it isn’t so.” He made a face at her as if he were crushed. “How will I ever make it as an actor?”
Pepper’s eyes went from dancing to dull. “Only one of us in this car is pursuing an impossible goal. I’m envious of you and your achievable dreams.”
He took another bite of his sandwich before answering. “You don’t really think it’s impossible for you?”
She shrugged and looked out the front window. “I don’t know. Lately, I’ve been wondering if I should give up. Maybe I’m not good enough.”
“Seems to me it’s a matter of luck.”
“Perhaps.” She nibbled from her sandwich.
“I’m the king of pep talks. If you ever need one.”
“Is that right? How’d you develop that particular skill?” She gathered her wrap into her hands and took another chipmunk bite.
“My sister and I are close. She’s needed a lot of them over the years.”
She didn’t say anything, only nodded. A woman understood why Autumn needed encouragement, even though she shouldn’t. “Autumn’s really pretty. And sweet.”
“That she is.”
“How come she doesn’t have a boyfriend? She was too busy grilling me to tell me much about her own love life.”
“Wait, what did you say? Grilling you? About what?”
Pepper’s eyes twinkled up at him as she chewed, then swallowed. “She was trying to get it out of me whether I have the hots for you.”
“And?”
“I think we both know the answer to that.”
“Do we?” he asked.
“We do.”
A zing of pleasure coursed through him. Maybe she liked him a little. Did she? For now, he’d go with yes. He had the rest of the week to make it true.
He bit off another portion of his sandwich. “This is so good.”
She looked at it with a dreamy expression. “Tell me about the cheese.”
“The cheese?”
“Describe it to me.”
He took another bite. How did one describe cheese? “It’s creamy and has kind of a nutty flavor. The sandwich is warm, so it’s all melty.”
“Oh, God, that sounds so good.”
The throaty way she said it in combination with throwing her hea
d back gave him a lot of ideas, none of which had anything to do with food.
The hot British guy broke his daydream. “Continue to follow this road for ten miles.”
He finished his sandwich and crumpled up the wrapper before stuffing it in the empty bag. “That hit the spot.”
“I was surprised you didn’t order two.”
“Why’s that?” He glanced in her direction. She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. How were her lips that naturally red? It was like they were stained with juice from a pomegranate.
“You always have two huge helpings of food at Group Dinner.” She stuffed her half-eaten wrap into the bag and tossed the entire thing in the back seat.
“Busted.” She’d noticed that?
His ears plugged as they continued to climb elevation.
“You want music?” she asked.
“You have any country?”
She seemed to think about that for a moment. “Hang on. I think Dack made me a playlist one time.” She flipped through her phone. “Yes, here it is. Dack titled it ‘Classic Country.’”
The voice of Don Williams filled the car.
“This music makes me want to take a nap,” Pepper said.
“Bite your tongue. He’s iconic. There’s no question in life that a country song can’t answer.”
“You sound like Dack.” She rested her cheek against the seat and looked at him with eyes that reflected the gray sky. “If you had any question about whether I like you or not, this should answer it.”
“Why’s that?”
“I would only listen to this playlist for one other man, and that’s my stepdad.”
Well, okay then. This was a unicorn-and-rainbow kind of day.
Chapter 10
Pepper
* * *
Despite the cozy car, a surprisingly enjoyable playlist, and the company of Stone Hickman, Pepper was happy to see the city limit sign for Emerson Pass, Colorado, appear. As they drove into town, a lone snowflake fell from the sky and landed on their front window.
“Maybe we’ll get snowed in together.” He slowed the car as they entered the main street of town.
“Snowed in?” Not that she would mind being with Stone in a cozy hotel room, but the thought of being stuck in the mountains scared her a little. She was a New Yorker, accustomed to speed-dial takeout, a coffee shop on every block, and the ability to walk to whatever else one might need.
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