Crash: Crash & Burn Duet Book 1 (Shaken)

by Grahame Claire

  “Not today.” I tilted my head. “At least it’s not in the plan.”

  She relaxed her shoulders. “After you see the damage I do in this store, you might add it in.”

  I stopped. She stretched between where she held on to me with one hand and the door handle in the other.

  I pulled her into a hug. She released the door handle and gave in.

  “I’m glad you’re home.” I squeezed her.

  She held me tight. “This isn’t ho—”

  “This will always be your home.”

  After a minute, she whispered so low I barely heard it. “I’m glad to be home too.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Pepper

  “When you get towed, I don’t want to hear a single complaint.”

  I paused brushing Muffy’s teeth and craned my neck at the sound of the female voice coming from the lobby.

  “I’m not getting towed.” Now that voice I recognized. “Unless you keep talking more than you’re unloading.”

  A little buzz started in my ears. I’d loosened my grip on Muffy, who happily escaped and jetted toward the front of the building.

  Slowly, I stood. What was he doing here? And unloading.

  I set the toothbrush down and followed Muffy. When I moved, a whole herd of dogs followed me.

  “Oh wow.” The beautiful woman who stood next to Teague looked at the mass of greyhounds surrounding me with bulging eyes. “I don’t think we brought enough.”

  “Special delivery.” He held up a big box.

  “Teague?”

  I looked between him and the woman, distracted by their similar features. Her hair was darker, but their eyes were the same brown shade. They both had high cheekbones and olive skin. And she was nearly as tall as him. When I saw her heeled boots, I realized why.

  She elbowed him in the side. “She’s talking to you,” she whisper-hissed.

  His cheeks turned pink. “Hey.”

  “Hi.” Oh my gosh. Were we really standing here like two teenagers with a crush? Wait. He wouldn’t have a crush, but I was sure acting like I did. I cleared my throat. “What’s all this?”

  “A few things for these special guys.” The woman set her box on the floor and squatted down.

  Some of the dogs immediately went to her. She looked expensive but didn’t seem to mind getting a little hair on her coat.

  “Did you say something about getting towed?” I asked when I found my voice.

  “He double-parked.” She motioned outside where Teague’s truck was definitely illegally parked.

  “Want to pull in the alley?” I offered.

  “Probably not a bad idea.” He placed his box on the floor. Muffy immediately went to sniff it.

  “It was when I suggested it,” she said, exasperated.

  He jogged out the door without engaging. The truck rumbled to life and disappeared.

  “I’m Beau.” She offered her hand but didn’t stand, still interested in the dogs. “I see now why this was so urgent for him.” She smirked as she took me in.

  “Pepper.” Suddenly, I became aware of how unkempt I was compared to her. I was wearing the same thing I’d worn yesterday. I’d overslept. The dogs couldn’t wait. I’d gotten busy and never had time to shower.

  I touched a loose strand of my stringy hair. I hoped Teague didn’t notice.

  Beau sat on the floor and a few more dogs swarmed her. She laughed and gave every one of them attention.

  “Oh.” I rocked onto the balls of my feet. “I should go open the back door.”

  “It won’t hurt him to stand out in the cold.” She waved her hand and grinned wickedly.

  The woman was magnetic.

  What if they weren’t related?

  Frantically, I searched her finger for a ring, but she moved too fast as she petted the dogs for me to catch a glimpse.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.

  “Too late.” I hustled to the back door along with all the dogs who weren’t occupied by Beau.

  Sadie and Ash put their paws on their kennel doors as I passed.

  I opened it a crack and peeked through.

  “It’s me.” Teague leaned closer.

  “I know. But I just realized if we open the door all these loose hooligans will sprint outside.” I held up my finger. “Give me a sec.”

  I moved back to the front room and they all followed.

  Beau blinked at me in confusion. “What happened?”

  “Mind keeping them occupied for a minute?” I slipped into the back room again and closed the door.

  Ash dug at her kennel, desperate to get out. Because she knew Teague was near.

  I propped open the door and gasped.

  The entire bed of his truck was filled. He opened the passenger side doors and the backseat was stuffed to the brim too.

  “Teague?” I put my hand to my chest and stared.

  “This will go a little faster if you help, but I don’t blame you if you’d rather watch me in action.” He flexed his bicep, which I couldn’t see under his jacket but knew full well how powerful it was.

  I heard a strange sound echoing off the brick of the building and the metal of his truck.

  It was me. Laughing.

  “Give me a box, Mr. October.”

  “You start with the stuff in the cab and I’ll grab this?” He waited for my approval, and I found I appreciated that.

  I nodded and picked up as many bags as I could carry.

  “Let me unload this and I’ll give you all the belly rubs you want.”

  I nearly tripped at the sound of Teague talking to the dogs. It got me every single time.

  I dropped the bags on what little empty counter space I could find, trying to keep the floor open for him. The back room was tidy but already crowded with kennels and supplies.

  I resumed unloading. By the time I’d cleared the truck cab, Teague only had a few boxes left in the bed. They were unmarked other than an LLC name and a bunch of numbers on the side. I still had no idea what was in them.

  I climbed into the back of the truck and slid the remaining boxes toward the lowered tailgate. When I’d finished, I hopped off and grabbed one.

  Teague lifted his chin as we passed one another.

  Teamwork.

  He tugged on what was left of my ponytail and grinned like a kid.

  I grinned back.

  “Is it okay if I leave the truck parked here?” He dropped the last box on the stack of others.

  “As long as you’re not blocking the alley it should be fine.”

  He clicked the locks and closed the back door.

  I stared at the mountain of boxes.

  Scratching of paws on the metal door separating the front and back rooms grew more fervent. It opened, but only a fraction because it ran into a wall of boxes.

  Miss Adeline poked her head through. “What in the world?”

  “I’ve been asking the same thing,” I called.

  A dog slipped through the open door and barreled over and around the cardboard. An avalanche of boxes and dogs ensued until the neat rows Teague had stacked were utter chaos.

  Ash barked and pounded on her kennel, her patience officially spent. Teague opened the latch and she rocketed between his legs, her whole body wiggling in happiness. He bent to stroke her head and spoke to her in a hushed tone.

  With the door now wide open, Miss Adeline stood with her hand on her hip.

  Beau was right behind her. “Anybody know where a knife is?”

  “Thank goodness that and some scissors are in the desk behind you,” Miss Adeline said. “We’re going to have to cut our way out of this mess.”

  “If we break the boxes down, I’ll haul them to the recycling center when we’re finished.”

  Teague’s thoughtfulness continually caught me off guard. Maybe I always saw the worst in people. It was what life had thrown at me. But maybe I’d been wrong.

  “Thanks.” I opened a drawer i
n the long set of cabinets that lined one wall. “Need a knife?”

  I extended it to him and grabbed a pair of scissors. He took it and waited for me to open the first box.

  Miss Adeline beat everyone. She pulled out a giant dog bed almost as big as she was. “Is this one for me?”

  “We can have it monogrammed with your name if you want,” Beau said.

  Miss Adeline pointed an old, crooked finger at her. “Sassy pants.”

  Beau nodded. “I’ve been called worse.”

  I surveyed the mess and did a quick calculation. There weren’t just beds for the new dogs but for everyone here.

  “You didn’t have to do this,” I whispered, trying with all my might not to cry.

  “You said you needed beds.” He studied me, almost as if trying to see if I was pleased.

  I looked away or I would cry. Now wasn’t the time. Especially with his sister here. She was so put together, and I was just a mess. And un-showered, gross, but appreciative mess.

  “Thank you.” Those were the only words I could get out.

  “Are we going to open these or leave them piled up?”

  Before I could answer, Muffy attacked one of the boxes, ripping it open with his teeth. He stood proudly with little pieces of cardboard all around him.

  “I guess we’re opening them.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Teague

  “Want to grab a bite for lunch?”

  Pepper looked at her feet. “I can’t. We have too many dogs to leave Miss Adeline on her own.”

  “Beau’s with her.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t.”

  We’d unpacked all the beds and scattered them throughout the shelter. Something about the word shelter didn’t sit right. Miss Adeline and Pepper had created a home for the dogs. Their love and care and dedication to the animals was admirable.

  “You have to be hungry. I’ll run to the deli down the street and get a spread for everyone.” I sounded desperate. I knew it and didn’t care.

  Beau was going to give me hell for this later. I didn’t care about that either.

  Seeing the look of awe and gratitude on Pepper’s face when she saw what we’d bought, made it worth it. She’d struggled to find words for her emotions, but she didn’t need them.

  I liked that maybe we’d made things a little easier for her.

  She loaded a stack of flattened boxes into the truck bed.

  “I’m sure you have other things to do.”

  I leaned against the lowered tailgate. “Not really.”

  “Your sister is only here for a short time. She has things she’d rather do. And you should spend time with her.” She fidgeted with the edge of a box.

  “If she didn’t want to be here, she wouldn’t be. Besides, she’s happy for the excuse to be off work.”

  “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” cranked up from my pocket. It was a reminder I hadn’t been at the station in a few days. Normally, this ringtone would’ve been a different song by now.

  Pepper arched a brow but said nothing.

  “Hey, big brother.” I put the phone on speaker.

  “Where’s Beau?” Always to the point.

  “She’s with me.”

  “I thought she had jet lag.”

  “She does. I’m showing her the latest therapy for that.” I winked.

  Pepper stared at the phone with wide eyes. My brother’s abrupt style was an acquired taste.

  “What therapy?”

  “Come to West Seventeenth Street and you’ll find out. It could help you too. You’re drawn up so tight you couldn’t get a speck of dust up your ass.” I mouthed sorry to Pepper, who stifled a snicker.

  “Because I’m responsible for everything,” he snapped, then sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day. Dad’s hounding me about Beau’s whereabouts.”

  I grimaced. I hated that so much weight was on my brother’s shoulders. “He knows how to pick up a phone,” I growled. Though I hoped he didn’t. I wanted my baby sister as far away from that man as possible. “Why don’t you just tell him to go screw himself?”

  Pepper shifted uncomfortably. She’d half-turned to go back inside, but I snagged her hand and asked her with my eyes to stay. She shivered. Crap. She didn’t have a coat.

  I pulled her against me. She was warm and perfect, even if she was rigid.

  “You know why I can’t do that.”

  Because of Beau and me. Mostly me. If he did, my father would have more time to focus his attention on me.

  “I made reservations at Keens for eight. Think the therapy session will be over by then?” The hard edge had disappeared from his tone.

  “I’ll have to check with the princess.”

  The back door burst open. “Are you two making out back here or what? We’re starving.”

  “Who are you with?” Lincoln demanded.

  I shot my sister the bird. She grinned.

  “Umm . . .” I didn’t know what to say. Pepper wasn’t a friend per se.

  “His crush,” Beau shouted like we were in elementary school.

  “You’re dating someone?”

  “No,” I said quickly as if that were absurd. Pepper attempted to wriggle out of my hold. I refused to release her until she shoved at me.

  When she stepped away, guilt infused my chest. I wasn’t dating anyone, but my denial somehow felt like a rejection of Pepper when it wasn’t meant to be that way.

  “What’s that address again?” he asked.

  “Grey Paws,” Beau chimed in. “Hurry and bring lunch for five.”

  “You sound better,” Lincoln said sarcastically.

  “If I don’t eat soon, I might not be able to make it to the office tomorrow either.” She put her hand to her forehead even though he couldn’t see it.

  Drama queen.

  “Be there in an hour,” he grumbled.

  “An hour? I might have withered away by then.”

  “How do you propose I get there faster? By helicopter?” Keys jangled and what sounded like a briefcase snapping came through from the other end of the phone. Our little sister had both of us wrapped around her finger.

  “That works. See you in thirty.” Beau pointed down frantically and mouthed hang up.

  I did.

  Pepper’s gaze darted back and forth between us as if she’d never seen such a thing, even though she and Miss Adeline had a similar dynamic. Maybe that was why I was drawn to her. Because we had things in common I’d yet to realize.

  She cleared her throat. “If we’re having one more for lunch, I’d better find space.”

  “Good luck,” Beau snorted and went back inside.

  I touched Pepper’s shoulder. She tensed with her back to me.

  “I didn’t mean anything by—what I’m trying to say is . . . shit.”

  There was a slight tremor through her body. She covered her mouth with her hand.

  I maneuvered so I was in front of her. “Are you laughing at me?”

  “You were trying to say shit.” She giggled, all of the stress that seemed permanently carved in her features gone.

  “Yeah. Actually that’s exactly what I was trying to say.”

  She snickered. “Seems appropriate.”

  “I call it like I see it.” I peeled her hand away from her mouth and twined our fingers together. “And I’d still like to take you to dinner.”

  Her face dimmed. “I’d like that too, but I can’t. This place takes all of me. There’s nothing left for anything else.”

  Maybe. Maybe not. But she didn’t say no. So this day was already so much better.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Pepper

  “Is Mr. February here for me?”

  Miss Adeline flashed a come hither look at the man who entered the lobby. He couldn’t be Mr. February because he had on a three-piece suit and a cashmere overcoat, and it looked like every stitch of his clothing was tailor-made. Did tailors make underwear?

  I shook my head to clear it
. “I’ve told you, you can’t greet guests that way,” I whisper-hissed.

  She waved me off. “They don’t mind. I’m just a harmless old woman.”

  My brows shot up. Harmless? Not a chance.

  Muffy sprinted toward him and jumped, nearly knocking the bags out of the man’s hands.

  “Muffy! Off!” But there was no use. He had a mind of his own. How much did dry-cleaning a suit like that cost?

  The man cut his eyes down to Muffy but said nothing. There was no need for words. The flat line and scowl spoke volumes.

  “I was told I could find Teague and Beau here.”

  I tilted my head. He was the brother. I didn’t know why I hadn’t immediately seen it. His eyes were icy compared to Beau’s and Teague’s. There was no warmth about him. But if what he told Teague on the phone about everything being on him was true, it made sense. When the whole load was on someone’s shoulders, there wasn’t time to be warm and fuzzy.

  I was the living embodiment of that.

  “You mean Adeline.” She fluttered her lashes at him.

  I didn’t know whether to scream or laugh.

  I rushed over to Muffy to try to get him off the expensive pants. “As long as you’ve got food, he’s going to be glued to you.”

  “As long as he’s got on that suit, I’m going to—”

  “I thought you were into firemen,” I said before she finished that sentence with whatever inappropriateness was about to come out.

  “That was this morning. Now, I’m more of a men-in-suits kind of girl.”

  “You’re breaking my heart, Miss Adeline.”

  I whipped my head around as Teague emerged from the back. I hoped he hadn’t heard this whole conversation.

  “You never bring any of your friends around. What am I supposed to do? I can’t wait forever.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to.” He smirked, his focus directed at me. At his brother’s feet. Trying to get Muffy off.

  “She’s fine,” he said with a bite that said it clearly wasn’t fine.

  “He,” Teague corrected.

  I paused, surprised he could tell who was who since we had so many dogs.

  Muffy’s nose went a mile a minute, his sniffing growing more enthusiastic. He tried to stick his head in one of the bags.