Separated

by Jessica Frances

  River stamps her foot. “But they’re not as good!”

  “River,” I warningly grumble. “Sorry to interrupt your …” I trail off, not sure if I can say the word out loud.

  Why is that so hard?

  “Date?” Prince happily supplies for me.

  “Yes.” I know that one word comes out brisk, but I can’t fake it more than that. “We’ll leave you both alone.”

  “Wait. Will you read to me again, Connie?”

  Conner seems startled by the request, but then his eyes shift over to me, looking for a way to respond.

  I give him a half-shrug, since it’s up to him. Selfishly, I would love to have him read to River again. Having him there the other night was comforting in a way I’ve never felt before.

  “Sure, I’d love to,” he finally answers, handing her back the book.

  “I can’t wait!” she tells him, moving forward and quickly giving Conner a hug that neither of us expect.

  I’ve always taught River to be polite and friendly, but for her to hug Conner is big.

  Shit, am I trying to protect her from growing attached to Conner when it’s already too late?

  “Bye, Connie.” She pulls back and looks at Prince. “It was nice to meet you … Harry?” she guesses, comically seeming to take a knife to Prince’s ego. Then she turns to the bodyguard. “You’re huge. Are you here in case Harry needs to reach a really tall shelf?”

  This time, I do laugh.

  “I do that on the side,” he tells her seriously.

  “Cool. I need one of you in our kitchen. Daddy keeps the sweets on the top shelf so I can’t reach it,” she tells him before facing me and giving me a smile.

  I smile back, holding out my hand to her, which she eagerly takes, leading the way past the few tables and back over to the counter. Then I offer a quick smile and wave to Conner, but since I can’t trust River not to lead me into one of the many tables that we are sideswiping, I don’t get the chance to see if he responds.

  Our food still isn’t ready, which isn’t surprising, considering the small crowd of people waiting, and while I offer some greetings and handshakes to the people eager to have my attention, everyone here is good about letting me have time off because I’m with River.

  We manage a few seated moments as we wait, and from where I’m sitting, I’m able to spy Conner and Prince, which I shamelessly do, wishing like hell I had a reason to demand him to come home with us instead of staying on his date with Prince.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning, Conner calls me. I hate how much my heart leaps at seeing his name and that my hands shake a little when I move to answer the call.

  All of that’s forgotten when I hear the strain in Conner’s voice.

  “Hey, Rocky.”

  “What happened?” I ask immediately.

  “It’s not a big deal … but my car’s been vandalized.”

  I growl into the phone, “Where are you?”

  “I just got dropped off outside of Love’s when I found it in this state.”

  Right, because Henry fucking Prince drove last night while they were on their freaking date.

  “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

  ***

  When I pull up, I see only Conner waiting by his car, which is no longer just yellow. It’s been spray-painted over the sides and down the front with homophobic slurs.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I snarl, parking at an angle in my rush to get to Conner. “Are you okay?”

  Conner is clearly shaken up, and I want to kick myself for asking such a stupid question. I have experience with this; I should be better at it.

  Although it’s obviously a lie, he still nods his head.

  “Fuck, this is messed up,” I murmur, hating each slur I read more than the last.

  Who the hell would do something like this? And why target Conner? We have several LGBT residents in Midsummer, myself included. And, while me and the others have had to put up with the random ignorant comment or insinuation, there has never been this level of hate or violence directed at any of us.

  So, why Conner? If someone is obsessed with Prince, then why these slurs? Prince is a well-known bisexual actor. He’s been photographed with many men in the past.

  “You didn’t notice anything strange last night?” I ask before I recall him mentioning just being dropped off. It’s just past eight in the morning. It’s not hard to guess where he’s been all night or who with.

  “I never came back here,” he murmurs, looking uncomfortable.

  “Right. No one stayed with you?”

  “Bryan, one of Henry’s bodyguards, just dropped me off around front. I was walking back to Love’s when I passed my car.”

  “When was the last time you saw your car?”

  He looks to the side as he contemplates his answer. His tongue peeks out to touch his lips, something I don’t think he even notices he does when he’s concentrating, and then he focuses his eyes back on me. “Yesterday morning. I drove to the mountains for a short hike, and this was definitely not there then.”

  I’ll need to interview the guests staying at The Last Resort, plus locals in the area, to find out if they noticed anyone suspicious hanging around. Considering no one has called this in, however, it’s fair to assume no one saw anyone doing it.

  “Where’s Love?”

  “She’s asleep in her room.”

  My eyebrows shoot upward. Love rarely ever sleeps since she suffers from insomnia, and even when she does, it’s definitely not at this time of the morning.

  Conner gives me a small nod in acknowledgement. “I know. I didn’t want to wake her, because I figured it was important to let her sleep.”

  “You’re right.” I nod then tell him, “I’m going to get someone to take a look at this, take some photos, and then get Gertie to take it back to her shop.”

  “Lemon has not had a good time in Midsummer,” Conner says lightly, though he can’t hide his fear.

  I know what we’re both thinking is that Conner hasn’t had much luck in this town, either.

  ***

  All it takes is one, three-word text to have me knocking on my neighbor’s door at ten o’clock at night, begging her to look after River.

  Conner is struggling.

  That’s all Love had to say to set me into motion.

  I knew Conner was stressed, just looking at him was enough to see his exhaustion, but I left it for him to reach out because, after seeing him with Henry Prince, I wasn’t sure it was my place any longer. But Love’s message is enough that I cannot ignore what I know to be true.

  As I pass the hotel, I see her through the large window, sitting at the main desk. She gives me a small wave as I pass, worry visibly settled into her expression.

  Once I’m in front of her cottage, I do a quick check and find nothing suspicious. Then I send Conner a text message, asking him to open up the front door. I considered just knocking, but it’s late, and I don’t want to freak him out.

  A minute later, after I consider that maybe he’s just ignoring me, the sound of a deadbolt sliding reverberates, and then an obvious chain slides across. I guess there’s been an upgrade in the locks. That’s good, yet it angers me that it has come to this.

  I understand that nowhere is truly safe, but Midsummer used to have very little serious crime. Even now, some folks don’t lock their front doors. But the trend is not moving in the right direction, and safety is no longer guaranteed.

  “Is everything okay?” Conner croaks when he finally gets the door open.

  I realize he looks even more tired than I recall.

  “Shit, Conner. You should have called me,” I snap at him, charging past him when he doesn’t look willing to step aside.

  “Called? About what?” He keenly watches as I pull the door shut and flip all the locks, then as I move around the small house, checking that every window and door is securely locked. Conner even follows after me, his eyes steady as they wat
ch me, confusion never leaving his expression.

  “You’re not sleeping.”

  He sighs, his gaze finally shifting away from me. “Love called you?”

  “I told you to tell me if you’re having trouble sleeping. You should have called me days ago.”

  “Why? Look, there’s nothing you can do for me. I spent two nights at Angus Thom’s mansion in Henry’s room and didn’t get any sleep. And he has a shitload of security there. No one knew I was even there. I should have been able to sleep, and I couldn’t.”

  I freeze, anger pulsing through me, even as I try to keep it confined.

  “You slept with Prince?”

  He narrows his eyes as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Now, that is definitely none of your business. Did you seriously just come over to check my windows and locks? Because I was already on that.”

  “Follow me.” I lead him back into Love’s spare bedroom that he’s called home for the past few weeks and pull back the sheets on the bed. “Get in.” I know I sound gruffer than I mean to, but I’m still annoyed about Henry fucking Prince.

  I don’t wait for him to do as I demand. Instead, I move around to the other side, sitting my ass down on the edge and removing my socks and shoes.

  “Get in? What’s going on here?” Conner honestly sounds bewildered.

  “Just get in, Conner.” I glance up at him to find he’s shaking his head, clearly thinking I’m crazy.

  “This is my bed, Rocky. At least let me sleep on my side in my own bed.”

  “You can sleep on that side if you don’t mind me being under you. Otherwise, this is your side.” I point over to the left side of the bed.

  He looks like he’s going to argue, though he clearly doesn’t have the energy to do so, so I decide to nip it in the bud.

  “You’re not going to win this. Besides, I want to be closest to the doorway.”

  That seems to cut the legs out of his argument. With a heavy sigh, he climbs into bed, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling, pointedly ignoring me.

  Once I’m on my back, I pull the blanket that is down by our feet up over us both. There’s still distance between us in the bed, but I don’t attempt to change that just yet.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to figure out who is threatening you.” Even I hear the frustration in my voice.

  Why can’t this one just be easy? Why can’t I have this cleared up for Conner so he doesn’t have to keep suffering?

  “I know you’re doing your best.”

  “But it isn’t good enough.”

  “Rocky,” he breathes my name, and I hate how much I love hearing it caress his lips. “Unless you can read minds, then I’m not sure there is any catching whoever it is. Everything they’ve done so far has led to a dead end.”

  He’s not wrong. There was zero evidence to be found on his car that could lead us to anyone. The generic black spray paint could have come from multiple stores in any town or city. There was nothing unique about it, and whoever did it had worn gloves, since there were no foreign prints and the few smudges indicated as much. Of the very few security cameras in the area, nothing caught a thing out of place. And no one saw or heard anything.

  The one thing I was able to narrow down from a witness recalling Conner’s vehicle without the vandalism is that it happened sometime during the night after eleven, which gave the perpetrator a blanket of darkness to keep themselves hidden from easy view.

  “Still, this is my town, and I hate that someone is trying to drive you out of it.”

  “According to you, I’m not staying anyway, right?”

  My heartrate picks up immediately, dread settling inside me, despite expecting this. “Is that your way of saying you’re leaving?”

  “I have no plans to leave anytime soon, Rocky. I like it here. Well, apart from being threatened and living in fear; that is.”

  I’m not sure I’m ready to face Conner leaving, mainly because I know it means facing a lot of things I’ve been ignoring, but I’m unable to feel any relief, because outrage boils through my bloodstream that he’s being made to live in fear.

  “I don’t care how long it takes; I’ll make whoever is doing this pay. I’ll bring them to justice.” I have to take several deep breaths to calm down.

  Conner doesn’t comment, but when his hand brushes mine, the connection is enough to ease my anger.

  “I’m glad you’re staying.”

  I hear a rustle as I assume he turns to face me. My eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness enough yet for me to know for sure.

  “I’m staying. Not even death threats have run me out of here. It makes you wonder what else I would have been willing to stay for.” There’s heat behind his words, an anger that is justified.

  “You’re saying that I misjudged you as someone who would just travel through town and leave me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And, are you also saying I’m too late now?”

  Conner is quiet. I don’t know what to take from that. It could be good news that he isn’t willing to dismiss me, but it could also mean he’s trying to figure out how to tell me that it is in fact too late.

  “Where’s River tonight?”

  I like that he asks about her, though it means he doesn’t answer my question.

  “I have a neighbor staying with her.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. You didn’t have to come here. Do you lie in bed with all the citizens of Midsummer when they’re having trouble sleeping?” His tone is teasing.

  “You’re important to me, Conner,” I admit out loud for the first time, the words crushing me in their truth and what it means.

  So much for protecting myself from getting attached.

  How long has it been since I’ve let someone mean something to me?

  “Are you here because you want to fuck? Are you hoping I’ll become a fourth in your list of sexual partners? Are you auditioning for one who is closer and more convenient?”

  I’m not sure if I should feel offended by this. Probably not, given how I’ve acted toward Conner. But I do have a strong urge to strangle Love for telling Conner about this.

  “No. Well, I mean, I’ll probably always want to fuck you, Conner. I’m only human, after all. But that isn’t why I’m here.”

  What feels like a loaded silence falls over us.

  “I hate that you’re going through this. I hate that you’re struggling with it. I hate that Midsummer has not been kind to you, and that I’m part of that.”

  Conner squeezes my hand that is still under his, and I hold my breath, not sure what that means.

  “You know, you come across as a real hard ass, but you’re actually a big softie.”

  I snort. “I’m not, though. I never have been. Well, I’m a marshmallow for River, but that’s hardly surprising.”

  I hear Conner’s smile in his voice without needing to see it. “She’s incredibly sweet.”

  “She still keeps telling me how much she loves me. Every time I tried to tell her she was grounded, she basically drowned me out with her declarations.”

  Conner laughs now. “Bet that made it harder to punish her.”

  “Don’t you mean impossible? Why do I think you had something to do with that?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Hmm …” I mumble, positive now that Conner might have given River that piece of knowledge to manipulate me. “Back to what you said before, I want you to know I haven’t seen anyone else since we … since you.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “I … I don’t know why. I’ve had a few messages, but I haven’t bothered to return them. Just considering it doesn’t even appeal,” I truthfully admit. I don’t do games, and right now, something tells me that Conner needs my honesty. Hell, I probably need that wakeup call, too. “It’s like you have my dick hypnotized or something.”

  Conner bursts out laughing, and I immediately smile at hearing it.

  When
I turn my head, I’m pleased to be able to see clearly enough to watch his hearty laugh, even if it’s at my expense.

  “I like that, even if it’s complete bullshit.”

  “It isn’t! I’ve never had an issue before I met you. I was happy with causal. Now my dick wants you and only you. I’ve actually been thinking about going to the doc.”

  Conner chuckles again. “You gonna put your dick through Conner rehab?”

  “Well, I certainly don’t want it to drop off from lack of use.”

  “This is seriously the weirdest way someone has chatted me up to have sex.”

  Now it’s my turn to squeeze his hand. “I’m not saying this to have sex with you. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but you’ve been looking like shit lately. You need sleep.” I try to lighten the mood, but then I immediately worry I might have messed up and offended him.

  “Wow, so even a hypnotized dick won’t touch me. That took a dark turn. I’m unfuckable.” Conner is purposely melodramatic, letting loose an exasperated sigh.

  “You and I both know there is no such thing as you being unfuckable. You just say the word, and my dick is in your mouth or ass.”

  “Wow, romantic,” Conner sarcastically quips before he lets out a large yawn.

  “Close your eyes, Conner,” I order.

  “What’s the point? I’m not going to sleep.”

  “Have you tried taking any sleeping pills?”

  “I took them for a couple of nights, but I wake up after a few hours, and I’m left feeling groggy and unsettled. Then I lie awake, unable to get back to sleep.”

  I let go of his hand now, rolling closer to him and pulling him against me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You said just the other day that you feel safe with me. Let’s put that to the test.”

  “You want me to just lie here with you?”

  “No, I want you to sleep. Now close your eyes.”

  I hold Conner closely, savoring his warm, bare skin against my hands, his soft breath skirting across my chest as he rests his head on my shoulder.

  “This is a really stupid idea,” he mumbles, his body already sinking into mine.