“Last I heard, Tommy, y’all were divorced,” Garrett taunted. “Get the fuck out of here or I’ll step away and let him have a go at you.”
He held his hands out placatingly. “I just want to talk is all. I ain’t looking for trouble. I’m just here to make sure you stay away from my wife. Little birds told me you have a thing for her. I have some stuff to discuss with her, things to make up for—that’s true. But don’t you worry. Willa will forgive me, like she always does. Then I’ll take her off your hands as a tenant. Maybe I’ll see if she’s workin’ tonight.” He waved a dismissive hand and turned to leave. “Have a good day, now.” He chuckled as he left the shop got into his truck and drove away.
“What the fuck was that?” Garrett stepped away from me and turned around, still blocking my way out from behind the counter—unless I wanted to vault over it. “I always hated that prick. He was such a dirty player back then. What an asshole.”
“I’ll fucking kill him.” I couldn’t think. Everything rational had flown right out of my head the second I saw him, the second he dared to utter her name with such a tone of ownership.
“Fucking kill who?” Once more, our heads shot to the side as Jackson James strolled into the shop. I’d gone to school since kindergarten with Jackson. He was a good guy and a good friend. His father, Jeffrey James, was the sheriff around here. He was well-respected and revered. Jackson was following in his footsteps as a deputy.
Garrett answered for me. “Tommy Ferris was just here. You missed the show.”
“Huh. We’ve been looking for him. Supposedly he’s staying with his folks over in Merryville, but we haven’t managed to run into him yet. To talk, of course. Though Wyatt mentioned something about running him over with his cruiser.” Jackson let out a laugh that met two stone faces. “Sorry. What did he have to say?”
“A bunch of shit about Willa being his wife and warning Everett to leave her alone.” Garrett piped in. I was still stewing over the whole confrontation, remaining silent as the anger dissipated in my system to slowly be replaced with the cold calculation I usually felt when I was angry about something.
“Delusional prick,” Jackson huffed. “Okay, I guess that tells us where his mind is. That’s good, at least. I’m out. I’ll talk to Wyatt and let him know.” He stepped to the door to leave then turned back. “I almost forgot why I stopped by. Wanna grab a few beers later? Y’all, me, Boone? Over at Genie’s?” I shook my head and he sighed with exasperation. “I’m trying to help you, man. Wyatt and Sabrina are planning to show up there tonight to keep an eye on Willa and get her mind off…well, everything.”
“Oh, well, okay then. I’ll meet y’all there.”
“Later.” He flicked two fingers out in goodbye and was off.
“Don’t go looking for Tommy,” Garrett warned.
“I won’t. I’m going to do what I said and finish the alarm and the fence. I’m fine now.”
“Sure, you are. I haven’t seen you that pissed off since Wyatt used to get picked on back in elementary school. You used to kick everyone’s ass back then. Then there was that time you decked Devron Stokes for yelling at Sara in the check-out lane at the Piggly Wiggly when she was trying to work. Oh! And remember when you helped Jackson beat up old what’s his name for talking shit about Ashley Winston back in eighth grade? And those racist douchebags who got all up in Boone’s face a few years back? Y’all two wiped the floor with those motherfuckers—”
“So basically, you’re saying I’m violent with a bad temper?” I cut him off with a laugh.
“No, I’m saying if there is a friend in need or an underdog anywhere within a ten-foot radius of you, you’ll be cracking some heads in their honor.”
“I don’t see Willa as an underdog,” I protested.
“I know you don’t. The way you see her is written all over your face. That’s why I threw an arm out to stop you. She’s yours. This is a fight you don’t want to take on right now. It’s not the time.”
“I have a bad feeling that a time will be coming.”
“I do too. I got your back when you need it. Always, man.”
“All right. I’m going. That fence ain’t gonna build itself.”
“I guess it’s safe to let you go,” he joked and with a smirk, stepped aside to let me out from behind the counter.
I waved goodbye over my shoulder as I headed out of the shop to my truck parked at the curb. My mind whirred through all the things I had to accomplish today, and I wondered how I would be able to be around Willa when the huge step forward we’d taken together had turned into one giant step back. Could I find my footing and navigate this without fucking it up entirely?
Frustration dominated my thoughts. My temper was holding on by a thread, and I knew I was in for a series of sleepless nights until I could get her in my bed again. She was all I could think about—her body beneath mine, her soft skin, sweet smile, gorgeous face—and with an embittered growl, I shoved my hands through my hair, then twisted it up with a rubber band to get it out of my face. The way her eyes had melted on mine and she’d tightened around me when I’d said her name flashed into my memory, making me smile, making me fight against getting hard right here in my truck driving down fucking Main Street. I wanted that woman more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. We’d only had one night, and I needed more. I needed all her nights, and her days too. I hadn’t gotten to try everything I’d been fantasizing about, and that was just unacceptable. I’d never even gotten a taste of her. I always imagined she would be sweet, like honey, or maybe a little salty-sweet like a salted caramel Frappuccino...
Fuck, I was ridiculous. Wyatt was right. I was in love with her. I was desperate with it, sick with all these feelings that had nowhere to go. I knew she felt for me at least some of what I felt for her. There was no way she could have faked the emotions I saw in her last night. I was also pretty sure that once her fear of that dirt-bag ex-husband of hers was gone, our feelings would be equal. I knew her fear held her back, and it was understandable. I thought of Ruby’s advice: be sexy and protective from afar. Shit, I really was about to take advice from a teenage girl. With a huge sigh, I pulled into my driveway, trying to think of a way to be sexy.
Chapter Fifteen
Willa
“I need all your love and I won’t share. All of it, Willa.”
Tommy
Gracie left, and like the chicken-shit I was, I hurriedly dressed for work and left the apartment for the day so I could avoid seeing Everett when he came back. I wouldn’t be able to face him coming in and out all day long to install the security system. Especially knowing he was moving that project up because of me. And also, especially, because of his tendency to work without his shirt. I had been up close and personal with each one of his magnificent abs and I missed them already. Not to mention all his other glorious parts. And his sweet disposition. Along with his big—uh, heart. I heaved out a sigh and continued driving. I’d been cruising aimlessly around town for the last half an hour trying to decide where to go.
I had lunch plans with Sabrina, but my entire morning was wide open. Normally I would be asleep at this time, but I’d slept uncharacteristically hard last night. And the night before, with Everett, I’d slept like a baby, wrapped up in his big, strong arms, pressed against his hard body, naked and warm. Safe, secure, and sincerely happy for probably the first time in my life. My stomach turned somersaults in my abdomen just thinking about it. The way he’d said my name…
I slowed to a crawl on Main Street and pulled over. I didn’t want to see anyone, or talk to anyone, or find out that anyone knew my business with Tommy or Everett. If anyone knew about my sordid teenage runaway past, I didn’t want to know they knew. I couldn’t handle being judged. I judged myself enough for everybody, and my mother did enough of it for whoever I happened to miss. I wanted to go back home and crawl under my bed, but I’d lost that option when I broke things off with Everett. Just like before I came back to Green Valley—during those almo
st two years on the road—I had nowhere to be. Except now, it was miserable and empty instead of peaceful and quiet. I didn’t want to be alone anymore, but I didn’t know if I would ever be able to have anything else. I crossed my arms over the steering wheel and rested my head there, looking out the driver’s side window as people passed by, living their lives, just like I should be doing. But every time I tried to live, I messed something up with my stupid choices.
Squinting my eyes against the sunlight, I studied the green truck parked close to Everett’s shop. It reminded me of the truck Tommy used to have. Then I wondered if it really was his truck. I’d never sold it; one of his friends had picked it up and kept it for him for when he got out. I shoved that thought out of my mind, because why would he go to Everett’s shop? There was no way he could know what happened between Everett and me—was there?
Tommy had only hurt me physically once. But that was enough to make me want to stay away forever. He was capable of vicious words when he was angry with me. And when pushed beyond the edge of his temper, violence was always his response. Luckily, that violence had never been directed toward me until the end of our relationship. If I refused to go back to him? I didn’t want to imagine what he could be capable of.
My stomach growled, reminding me of Everett. Then it reminded me of the doughnut half I’d eaten earlier. I decided to go to Daisy’s Nut House for a quick breakfast. If anyone wanted to judge me, well, screw them. I had a right to live my damn life. It was time to take some control back. With a bravado I only half felt I pulled away from the curb and drove toward Daisy’s. I could do this. People ate alone in restaurants all the time, and I could too.
As I accelerated, my van began to chug and vibrate, like maybe the spark plugs were misfiring—hopefully nothing worse than that. Of course, this would happen when I was totally broke. I mean, I could fix whatever was wrong myself, but I had no money for parts. I scanned the road ahead and pulled into the gas station on the corner, sputtering to a stop in the closest parking spot.
Just great. Lovely. Freaking perfect. Exactly what I needed right now.
My head bounced softly on the steering wheel as I let it drop. For a moment, I gave up. Shutting my eyes, I decided to—take a nap? I didn’t have the heart to get out and see what was wrong yet. I didn’t have a heart left at all. I’d left it somewhere in Everett’s bed the other night and I doubted I’d ever get it back.
I had to work tonight and I had no ride. I guess I’d be hitching, just like I had told Gracie not to do. I was such a bad example.
With a reach below the dash, I released the hood, seriously dismayed when smoke billowed from beneath. My leisurely, wide open morning was ruined, and now I had no time left for the self-indulgent whine-fest I had been treating myself to. Hauling myself out the door I lifted the hood and reeled back at the burnt rubber smell. Somewhere in there was a belt in need of replacing, probably. Hands on hips and face directed to the sky, I wandered to the side of the van and leaned against it to wait for the smoke to clear so I could get a closer look.
“Hey, Willa. I thought it was you!” I jumped at the sound of my name, eyes sliding to the side to find Jennifer Winston waving at me from her car at the pumps. She must have recognized me from church back in the day, or from her bakery. Sabrina and I had consumed many slices of her banana cake together there since I’d been back in town. “You stuck? I’ll call Cletus to come give you a hand. Hang on.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket.
“No! No, thank you, that’s okay. I can fix it myself after the smoke clears. But—uh, thank you!” I called. I didn’t have the money for Cletus Winston to fix it, or even tow it to his garage in town. The Winston Brother’s Auto Shop had a great reputation for being fair. But I wasn’t worried about fair, I was worried about how much money this would cost me. I heaved out a sigh and tried not to freak out as everything in my life fell apart around me.
“Okay. You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She got in her car with a wave and drove off. Still hoping it was a spark plug, I went around to the engine to peek. Spark plugs were cheap, and I had some in the back. But most of the other parts in a vehicle this old, though cheap, were not readily available and had to be ordered. Which meant waiting. And I needed this van in order to go to work. I needed to work in order to—Gah! I needed to stop thinking in order to avoid spiraling into a panicked, crying heap in the gas station parking lot. Enough.
I poked around inside the engine, choking on the gross burnt rubber smell and growing more impatient by the minute, as I couldn’t seem to find the problem.
“Need some help?” I jumped, head hitting the underside of the hood as I flew back to find Everett standing next to me. Dead sexy with his massive arms crossed over his massive chest, taunting me with his sexy forearms and his rolled-up sleeves.
“No! I mean, how did you know I was here? It hasn’t even been fifteen minutes—”
“You’re in Green Valley, Willard. I got three different phone calls telling me to come over here and pick you up. Jennifer called Cletus and he called Ruby to get Wyatt’s number, since you told Jenn not to call him. But Ruby called me instead of Wyatt. Suzie Samuels saw you when she left her studio to get lunch, called my shop, spoke to Garrett, who called me. Then my mother spotted you as she drove by. And now here I am, ready to help. Lucky you.” He winked at me and I found myself blushing just like a simpleton. “Scoot.” He nudged me over as he bent to look at the engine. “It’s a mess in here, Willie Bean. I’m going to call the Winston’s garage for a tow—”
“No! I don’t have money for a tow!” I protested.
“We can’t leave it here,” he argued. “I’ll have them take it to my place. We can work on it there. I have everything we’ll need in the garage.” He examined closer under the hood. “Probably not all the parts though. We’ll have to wait on those. Guess you won’t be moving out after all, huh?” His sideways grin deepened my blush as I studied his gorgeous face, eyes shining with sincerity and the desire to help me. He must have talked to Gracie, because I hadn’t mentioned moving out to him.
“Uh, I guess not,” I whispered.
“I don’t want you to leave.” He reached out to smooth my hair back, lingering at the crown of my head and coming to a stop at the back of my neck. “Does it hurt?”
“Huh?” I questioned.
“You bumped your head pretty good, Willard. Does it hurt?” With his hand on me, I felt no pain. Just a jolt of lust firing through my system warming me up from the inside.
“I’ve had worse. I’ll live.” My attempt at a joke failed as he scowled and backed away, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“You’ll be safer at my place with the alarm system and fence.” Did he think Tommy used to hit me? Is that why he scowled?
I opened my mouth to say something, but…what? I did not want to talk about Tommy with him, or anyone else for that matter. It was the biggest shame of my life, falling for his crap and putting up with it for so many years. “Thank you for coming.” I finally said.
His eyes found mine. “Always, sweetheart.” The words were more than a promise to help fix my van. Everything was more with him than what it appeared to be on the surface. I wanted to open my arms and take it all, everything he was offering with words unspoken. But what would I ever be able to give him in return? My life was in shambles and inside—where it really counted—I was a hopeless wreck. He held out a finger as he stepped to the side with his phone. I heard him arrange the for the tow. “Get what you need. Let’s go home.”
Home. I wished with all my heart I could offer him even half of what he had already given me. With a reach inside, I grabbed my purse, locked the doors and headed for his truck.
He slammed the hood to my van down then joined me in his truck. As we turned on the road toward his house, I flinched as I spotted that green truck again. Slamming my eyes shut, I said a tiny prayer that it wasn’t Tommy. Everett glanced at me from the corner of his eye and took my
hand in his—like he knew what I was worried about. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him everything, just spill my guts and let the chips fall where they may. He was so strong, and I felt so weak right now.
“That was Tommy in that green truck. If that’s what you were thinking.” His eyes darted to mine briefly, then back to the road.
After inhaling a huge breath, I deflated into the back of the seat, sinking down until my head was as low as I could get it without actually crawling down to the floorboards. “I kind of knew it,” I whispered. “I thought I saw him parked in front of your shop before—”
“It was him. He paid me a visit—warning me away from you.”
“I’m so sorry—” I murmured, hopeless regret slammed into me as I took in Everett’s steely expression and barely checked anger.
He cut me off. “Did you tell him to talk to me?” he asked, voice like a whip.
“Well, no—”
“Then don’t you dare apologize to me. Don’t even think of taking responsibility for that asshole or anything he chooses to do. I mean it. Just don’t.” His jaw ticked as anger radiated out of him and he glared at the road ahead.
My head shifted to the side and I watched the town drift by as he drove. “’Kay…” I whispered. I didn’t know what to say. Or how to act, or even how to feel anymore. It was too much. Everything was just too much.
His hand slid into mine again. “Shit. I’m sorry, sweetness. I never liked him and the thought of you being with him for so long? A man like him? It drives me fucking crazy whenever I think about it.”
I turned back towards him. His profile had softened but he still watched the road and avoided my eyes. “It’s okay, Everett.” I linked our fingers and held on. He was like an anchor holding me to the earth, keeping me tethered against the winds of my fears. And for now, at least, I decided to quit thinking I didn’t deserve him and just held on.
Carpentry and Cocktails: A Heartfelt Small Town Romance (Green Valley Library Book 5) Page 12