by Jamie Begley
“You don’t want to make an enemy of me, Greer. It’s not me you’ll be pissing off.”
“You threatening me with The Last Riders?” Greer took out his cell phone, holding his shotgun steady with the other hand. “I can call Shade and settle this with him right now if he sent you here.”
Fear entered Curt’s eyes and those of the other two men.
“Shade didn’t send us here. Like I was saying, we thought we would do you a favor.”
“I don’t need any favors from anyone I don’t consider a friend. And I don’t have any of those. Your minute is up. Get the fuck out of here and don’t come back.”
Greer motioned with his gun to get the men moving.
“You and Tate are making a mistake,” Curt threatened as he got back into the truck.
“We’re the ones you shouldn’t make an enemy. The last family who started a feud with us didn’t have anyone left to carry on their name.”
Tires spun in the gravel as Tate and Greer watched Curt angrily flick him off as they drove out of the yard.
“Don’t do it,” Tate warned as Greer put the shotgun on his shoulder.
He pulled his finger back from the trigger. “I was only going to take out his taillights,” Greer spat out, lowering his gun. “Who you been running your mouth to about that Gold?”
Tate didn’t take his eyes off the direction the truck had gone. “I was about to ask you the same question.”
“Me? Who would I tell?”
“Diane. Or anyone at Rosie’s when you’re drinking.”
“I haven’t opened my mouth. You’re the one who gave Sutton’s boss those plants. I told you not to. You’re the one who has trouble keeping your trap shut.”
“Liam didn’t stay long enough to talk to anyone. He took the plants, put them in his rental car, and left town twenty minutes later.” Tate glared at him as they walked up the steps to the front porch.
“Well, someone has been blabbing. If it wasn’t me or you, who do you think it was?”
“I don’t know who. When Dustin gets home, maybe he’ll have an idea. He’s in town more than we are. Perhaps he’s heard something.”
“He spends as much time at Rosie’s as I do. It could be he’s the one who’s been bragging how good it is.”
“Might be, but I don’t think so.” Tate shook his head doubtfully. “You really thinking the State Police are watching us, or was Curt saying that to get us to sell to him?”
“Either that or he is an informant trying to get us to admit what we’re selling on tape.”
“I can see Curt doing that. He’s always trying to get out of some trouble. He wouldn’t have a problem sending us to the pen to keep his own ass out.”
Greer reached for his cell phone.
“Who you calling?” Tate asked.
“Shade. That fucker knows every fart everyone lets out in town.”
“Don’t. This is family business. I’ll text Cash. He and Rachel can come over tonight.”
“Since when do we consider Cash family?”
“Since he married our sister.” Impatiently, Tate reached for his cell phone.
“Rachel hasn’t divorced him yet?”
“You know she hasn’t. You just saw her a few days ago.”
“A man can dream.”
“You’re the numbskull.” Tate put his phone back in his pocket.
“Don’t act like you like him any better than I do.”
“He’s grown on me since Ema’s been born.”
“I have a wart growing on my big toe; that doesn’t mean I’m attached to it,” he jeered.
“When he comes over, don’t start a fight. It gets Rachel upset.”
Greer gave him a grin. “Cash can use a night on the couch.”
Tate returned his grin. “I need to get back home. I don’t want to leave Sutton alone with Curt snooping around.”
“I told you that motion detector camera at the front of the driveway was a good idea. That ringing is a pain in the ass, but it lets us know when someone is coming up the driveway.”
Tate had argued about the expense. Now he had to acknowledge its usefulness.
“You were right. But every time a deer or jackrabbit sets it off, it gets aggravating.”
“Would you rather it be the Colemans or the Hayes?”
“No. I’m surprised Dustin didn’t call when he heard it ring.”
“He had a meeting with Willa, so he probably turned it off.” Greer shrugged. “He knows we can take care of ourselves, and Logan’s at school.”
“He knows Holly’s home today.”
“That reminds me. There’s something I want to talk about tonight during the family meeting.”
“If it involves throwing Holly out, save your breath.”
When Greer opened his mouth, Tate shook his head. “We can talk tonight. What time do you want me to tell Cash and Rachel to come over?”
“Tell them to come to dinner. Holly’s cooking a roast big enough to feed the town, and she put enough onions in it that Cash won’t be the only one sleeping on the couch, unless you down a bottle of mouthwash when you get home.”
Tate winced. “She put any garlic in it?”
“Nah, she’s out. She forgot it at the store. I don’t mind the garlic; it’s the onions that bother me.”
“Diane must have gone nose blind to let you spend the night with her. Between your garlic concoction and Holly feeding you onions every night, I’m surprised you can talk your way into her house. I smell you coming when you’re ten feet from my front door.”
“I haven’t been eating at the house lately. That’s what I want to talk about tonight.”
Tate frowned. “Sounds like it’s serious.”
“It is.”
“Then Sutton and I will be there at six.”
“Sounds good.” Greer started to open the front door. “I thought you were in a hurry to get home?”
“I am, but I’m going to say hi to Holly before I leave.”
Greer shrugged, opening the door to let them inside. He didn’t miss the curtain dropping as they walked in, nor did he miss the guilty look Holly cast toward his useless dog.
“You been giving that mangy pup treats?”
“Hunter deserves it. He growled at Curt.” She threw him a censuring look as if the dog could understand he was being insulted.
“I told you, Hunter doesn’t deserve a treat unless he runs down what I’m hunting, or when he bites a trespasser. He catch that deer roast you cooking?”
“No, but—”
“I didn’t see Curt nursing a bite mark, either, so he didn’t deserve a treat,” Greer grumbled, going to the fridge for a beer.
“Quit bugging Holly about the treats. The dog is still a pup. It’ll learn.”
“Not with her making the dog too fat to run. Woman, why do you have to make everyone so fat? Is that how you plan to catch a husband? Make men so fat they can’t run away from you?” Greer chortled at the look on Holly’s face. The best parts of his day were when he could disconcert her until she couldn’t come up with a response fast enough to his teasing. She was getting quicker, but she had a ways to go before she could come up with a good enough comeback to take him down.
“Cut it out, Greer. One day, Holly’s going to go for that paintball gun Rachel gave her.”
“She doesn’t have it anymore,” he answered matter-of-factly.
“Yes, I do. It’s in my bedroom closet.” Her eyes narrowed on him suspiciously.
“Not anymore. I took it.” Greer lifted the lid of the crockpot, taking a sniff. Then he wished he hadn’t. It smelled good. Dammit.
“When? I would have noticed—”
“I took it last week when you threatened to shoot me after I chained Hunter up outside when he pissed on my boots.”
“I would have noticed—”
“Not if you were sleeping when I took it.”
“You sneaked into my bedroom when I was sleeping!” Holly screeched, jerki
ng the lid away from him to put it back on the crockpot.
“Yeah. It hurts like hell when you shoot me.”
“Give it back, now!” she demanded. “Rachel gave it to me.”
“It ain’t gonna happen. I put it where you’ll never find it,” he bragged.
“Where? Your underwear drawer?”
When his mouth tightened in consternation, Tate’s laughter broke the heightened tension.
“Still hide what you don’t want found in your underwear drawer? I thought you stopped doing that when Ma passed away.”
“It works. Ma and Rachel never look inside my drawers.”
“Ma was afraid to after she found that stack of magazines and box of condoms.”
“A man’s entitled to his privacy,” Greer stated.
“Just like a woman is entitled hers.” Tate gave Greer a censuring look.
“Then that woman doesn’t need to be shooting me with a paintball gun. Besides, I didn’t see anything, anyway. She was sound asleep.”
“That doesn’t make it all right!” both Tate and Holly yelled at him.
“I thought you wanted to get home to that wife of yours? I need to get back to work.” Greer finished his beer, tossing the empty bottle into the trash.
“It doesn’t go in that kitchen trash. It goes in the recycling bin.”
Holly was still ranting when Greer escaped outside with Tate on his heels.
Greer jumped down off the porch without taking the steps. “I’ll see you at dinner time.”
“Sutton and I’ll be over after dinner. I’m too afraid to eat any food Holly means for you.”
“Don’t worry; I make sure I only eat the food she puts on Logan’s plate.” He threw Tate a shit-eating grin. “There isn’t a woman alive who can pull one over on me,” he bragged.
3
Holly clenched her hands in fists after the men had left.
“One day, that man is going to get exactly what he deserves,” she muttered to the puppy, and he gave her a low whine before sinking to his bottom to rest.
Muttering, she went to her bedroom to get dressed for work. She didn’t have to be at Diamond’s office before nine, but she liked to get there early to go over the mail before Diamond arrived.
Taking a quick shower, she then blew out her hair, still fuming over Greer coming into her bedroom when she was sleeping. She thought about the frumpy pajamas she had worn last week.
“Bastard couldn’t sneak into my bedroom when I was wearing a pretty nightgown. No, he had to see me in those puke-green pajamas Logan gave me last Christmas.”
Just once, she wished she could make Greer look at her the way he did every other woman in town. He wasn’t picky. If a woman had a pair of breasts and legs, she caught his attention. Except for her. When he looked at her, he only saw the woman who had tried to steal his nephew away from his family. That was his belief.
And she had, Holly admitted. If she had to do it all over again, she would still have accepted the job Vincent Bedford had given her of caring for his grandson. She had taken one look at the beautiful baby and fell in love.
Caring for the baby had filled a void in her life. She had been alone since her mother had died, and the job had given her a roof over her head and had begun to repair the confidence that had taken a blow when she had been unable to find a secretarial job in Jamestown. Her boyfriend at the time had talked her into moving in with him, but his possessive attitude and growing dependency on her paycheck at a temporary agency had made the job Vincent had given her a chance to get back on her feet and away from Mitch’s domineering attitude.
In a few short weeks, Logan had taken over her life. His grandfather had only shown up when it was time to pay her and to visit Logan.
Holly couldn’t understand the distance Samantha had kept between her and her son, explaining that she was in college and was relieved Logan was in good hands until she could finish her degree. Something about her explanation didn’t ring true, though. Samantha exhibited no maternal pride in her baby, and she only held the baby for short periods before handing him back.
Months slipped into a year, and soon the visits came less and less. Holly had grown concerned when a month, then two went by without any contact. When Vincent had stopped coming by to pay her, the concern grew. When she had called Vincent and his phone had been disconnected, she had become frightened, not knowing what to do. She had been about to go to the police when Samantha showed up, giving her the ultimatum to move to Treepoint. If she didn’t want to move, Samantha would find someone else to care for him. She had no choice, really. Logan needed her.
It was then that Samantha had told her that her father had been arrested, and she needed to save enough money so they could find a new life away from Kentucky.
She had given one excuse after another as the weeks had passed. Holly had wanted to move to a larger city that had a warmer climate. Logan was doing well but becoming frail as he grew.
Holly had found a job when she moved to Treepoint. Mitch had offered to babysit Logan the days when Samantha wouldn’t show up. He was just as anxious to leave Kentucky and started taking odd jobs.
They all had made a pact that, as soon as they had enough money, they would get out of town and find Logan the medical care he needed. They had placed their faith in Samantha.
Holly slipped on the burgundy skirt. Donning a cream blouse to match, she stepped into her heels.
Shaking her head, she went back to her bathroom to style her hair.
When Samantha had been found dead, Holly and Mitch had been stunned. Mitch wanted to leave immediately, but Holly couldn’t until who or what had killed Logan’s mother was found. She had found herself in a walking nightmare, not knowing who to turn to.
Not knowing what to do, she had made one mistake after another by not confiding in Diamond and by not going to the sheriff. It was those mistakes that Greer held against her to this day.
Holly tried to excuse the mistakes she had made by telling herself she had no biological ties to Logan. Since his birth, he had been in her care, but she had no way to prove her guardianship over Logan, which Samantha had promised she would do as soon as they had arrived in Treepoint.
With Samantha dead, Logan could have ended up in foster care. Samantha had told her there were no living relatives beside her father, and he was in prison. She had also told Holly that Logan’s father hadn’t wanted anything to do with her when she had told him she was pregnant.
All lies, one after another, and she had bought them all.
Picking up her keys and purse from her dresser, she left her bedroom. Relieved that Greer was still gone, she shooed the puppy outside.
Her small car didn’t want to start, and it took a couple of minutes before the stubborn motor turned over.
Her gaze went to her wrist watch. She wasn’t going to be late, but it was going to be close. Holly hated to be late for work. She owed Diamond for standing by her side. She had not only remained her boss but became the sister she had never had.
When she opened the mailbox with her key outside the office door, she realized Diamond must have already beat her to work. Going the short flight steps to the office, she saw she was right when the door opened.
Putting her purse in the drawer of her desk, she tapped on Diamond’s office door before opening it with a smile to see her boss engrossed in paperwork.
“Good morning. You’re early today,” Holly greeted her.
“Caleb called me last night. He wants to meet me before court.”
“You should have texted me that you needed me here early. I would have opened the office for you.”
“I can open the door with a key just as easily as you can,” Diamond reproved her sternly with a twinkly glint in her eyes. “You’re already working over forty hours a week if you include the work you do on the computer at home, despite filling out your time card at twenty.”
Holly started to protest, but Diamond cut her off.
“There is no way
you’re getting the amount of work I’m seeing on my desk in the morning done without you spending hours on it in the evening.”
“I just want to make your workload easier.”
“How about your workload?”
“I get bored at night. It gives me something to do in the evening after Logan goes to bed.”
Diamond raised disbelieving brows. “And it’s not because you don’t want me to hire someone else to help you around the office?”
Tensely, Holly searched Diamond’s eyes. “I can work harder …”
Diamond sighed. “Holly, I was thinking of hiring someone else to help you out,” she explained softly. “Not to increase your duties.”
Holly glanced away from her perceptive gaze. “I don’t mind. I love my job.”
Diamond stood up to lean across her desk. “If I hired five employees, no one could take your place.”
She gave her a trembling smile. “I appreciate you saying that; it means a lot. I owe you so much … I wouldn’t want to disappoint you.”
“Holly, you’ve never disappointed me … ever.”
“Yes, I have. When Mitch and I tried to break into your office to find the autopsy report. You could have been hurt. I’ll never forgive myself for breaking your trust.”
“You’ve never broken my trust,” Diamond argued back heatedly. “You were trying to find out how Samantha died because you were concerned about Logan’s health. You didn’t know that Mitch would go ballistic when I showed up unexpectedly. You kept Mitch from hurting me. And if you had left without finding out what was wrong with Logan, he could have become seriously ill with his kidneys. You did everything you could to keep Logan safe. He may have the Porter last name, but he’s your son.”
Holly wanted to burst into tears. “You’re an amazing woman, Diamond. I can see why Knox loves you so much.” She rose to stand in front of her boss, giving her a brief hug. “I’ll fix some coffee. I’m sure Caleb will be here any minute.”