Harkham's Choice (Harkham's Series Book 2)

by Chanse Lowell

  “I’m not naked,” she said with a groan at the end.

  He stepped into the tiny space through the pathways between the piles, grinning at her. A Jack Russell Terrier was pulling at a red leash in his hands.

  Mari’s eyes landed on the dog. “Is he here to ferret out rodents that might be hidden in all this junk?”

  “No, this is what your dad left for you. What I was talking about on the phone,” Vic said sheepishly. His shoulders were up around his ears, probably protecting himself in case she was ready to slap his head off.

  “You said he g-gave it to you after I left,” she stammered. “And he didn’t have a dog when I was here at my last visit.”

  “Well, technically that’s all true. He bought the dog a few months before you came out here. He wanted to use it as a hunting dog—you know, to help your dad have a reason to get out and exercise. But the dog was getting into his stuff and had a lot of energy. He officially gave it to us after you left because he was having trouble taking care of her. He also didn’t think you’d approve of him having it, so right before you arrived for your last visit, I came and got her, took her home and then picked you up at the airport.”

  She wrinkled her nose.

  “What? You mean you didn’t notice the wet dog smell that night?” Vic chuckled like the thought of that particular memory was hilarious.

  “No. I was too angry to breathe any air you were using.” She stared at the dog. This was unbelievable. None of it was processing in her head.

  Adam crouched down and called the dog over.

  Vic let go of the leash, and Adam had that dog scooped up in his arms. He was cradling it like a baby, cooing and giggling as the dog licked his chin. Her heart fluttered as she watched him. God, he was adorable, and seeing him happy like that was exactly what she needed in that moment.

  “What’s his name?” Adam asked, keeping his eyes entirely on the dog.

  “Her name’s Choppy. Will said she moved all choppy like a robot when he first saw her. I think she was a little skittish—he got her at a rescue shelter,” Vic said, smiling.

  “You were going to keep her for a few years and then see if I wanted her? This is crazy!” She threw her arms up and the dog startled. “Sorry,” she murmured to Choppy.

  “Way to be a good pet owner,” Vic teased.

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Can we keep her?” Adam asked.

  “We don’t have a choice. This isn’t Vic’s responsibility.” She reached over and patted the cute dog’s head. How could she resist this creature? She had big chocolate eyes with patches of tan around them, extending out to the ears. The tail had some tan in it too, but the rest of her body was white.

  “Everyone’s pretty much annoyed with you. All your dad’s old cop buddies. Everyone at the ski lodge. My family, friends, and even the hobos on the street. But even if you’re a dumbass, we would’ve taken care of Choppy if you didn’t want her,” Vic said. “It wouldn’t put anybody out, you know that. Not even a dog with slobber issues.”

  Her arms crossed over her chest. “Why is everyone in this god-awful town so upset with me? All because it created a few fumes in their pristine air when it took them longer than average to get the job done and turn him into ashes?” she said, her voice harsh and full of sarcasm.

  “We all believe you had no right. We cared about him. Don’t you know that when a body is burned, the soul flies away with the smoke? You made him leave. They probably won’t ever forgive you, but since you’re kind of like family, they’re still here for you.” Vic peeked in a box, then smiled. “This town may be backward in a lot of ways, but we know what matters.”

  “Oh yeah? Like drugs and partying?” She folded her arms over her chest.

  “Something like that. Along with how to properly bury someone. We could’ve all chipped in so he could’ve been buried and had a funeral.” Vic’s eyes hardened. “Small towns are one big family. We’re good like that—supporting those in need.”

  “I’m the blind one, then? Where was all that love and support when he was slowly killing himself in this house? Where was all that love when I thought I’d killed Megan? Yeah—full of love, this place.” She stepped toward Adam.

  “We tried! We all tried to help you, but you pushed everyone away. But even though you took no thought on your dad’s resting place, we’re still. Here. For. You!” Vic pointed at her, jabbing his finger in the air when he said the final word, then dropped his hand with a quick fling to his side.

  “Here for me? How?” She wrinkled her brow and pursed her lips. “I’d like to see how anyone in this place is here for me.”

  “They’re all gonna be here—my buddies from the lodge—in the next little bit to get this place cleared out. Will would’ve wanted it this way. If you don’t mind, it’s kind of a rule of ours at the ski lodge when we clean out rooms that were abandoned and left full of stuff—that if we’re gonna do this, we get some kind of payment. I told them if they found anything of value, they could keep it.”

  One of her brows rose, and her lips pursed tighter. “Are you serious?”

  “You know you don’t want any of this shit—admit it. You wanted to torch the house down without removing one single box,” Vic said.

  “I will as soon as you admit you’re gay and are constantly overcompensating when you’re around me. And then you also have to tell me what you’re still doing here in this annoying town,” she said, her voice filled with a challenge. He hated losing, so she had no fear this wouldn’t work.

  “I. Am. Not. Gay!” Vic hissed.

  Adam was fighting off a smile.

  “What do you call it? Think about it.” She inhaled sharply. “Almost all of those times we were in bed together, you made sure there was another guy there. You barely touched me. I was an excuse for you to be able to do what you really wanted. And if you did have me touch you in return, I was fucking your ass for you with my fingers or rimming you. Dildos never made it into the equation because the second anything was inside you, it made you come too fast. Most of the time I didn’t care, as long as I was able to get high afterward.”

  Vic’s left eye fluttered, and his nostrils flared. His fists bunched. “Fine, I’ll admit it.”

  “And what are you going to do about it?” She shifted her weight to her right foot. He looked kinda pissed. He might swing at her, and she needed to be ready.

  “I’m actually here because I want to go back with you guys to Phoenix. I am done with this place. There’s nothing here for me,” Vic said, his voice lowering.

  She exhaled in a rush. “You mean . . . There’s no one for you here, right? You’ve had them all, and none of them worked out. You’re fishing spot has been depleted. Time for a bigger pond.”

  He nodded, and his eyes softened. “You said you wanted to help me. If I do this, my dad’s gonna disown me. He’s gonna want to kill me when I tell him I’m never gonna marry a woman and give him grandsons to someday work in the lodge and eventually own it. That’s his big dream—that the Acedos conquer this place and lord over it. Pfft! So dumb.” Vic popped his neck by twisting it to his right with his big hands.

  Adam stiffened. “You don’t want kids?”

  Mari stifled a laugh. She thought for sure Adam was going to ask him how he could be gay and not want to get in Mari’s pants, or any other woman’s for that matter.

  “I love you,” she told Adam.

  “Why? What did I do?” he asked, smiling, his eyes shining at her.

  “Everything, nothing, and all the bits in between. That’s all you ever do, and I love you for it.” She kissed his shoulder and petted the dog still clutched in his hands.

  “Okay. It’s settled. I’m leaving with you when you go back?” Vic asked.

  “Sure.” Mari smiled and motioned for him to come get a hug. “Why the hell not. Buy yourself a ticket, and we’ll see you on the flight back.”

  Adam held his breath and was motionless as Vic approached her.


  Oh, man, she probably shouldn’t have offered to hug him, but it slipped out.

  After Vic’s admission at being interested in the opposite sex from her, she thought it would’ve calmed Adam’s insecurities and jealousies.

  “Will you stop jerking this poor guy already, and let him between your legs?” Vic glanced over at Adam, chuckling, and then he tackled her into a big hug.

  She laughed as he swung her around, careful to keep from knocking stuff over in the confined area they were stuck in.

  He let go and landed a palm on Adam’s shoulder, then squeezed. “She’s a great friend to have. You’re a lucky guy. If I found her attractive at all, I might fight you for her.” Vic winked and made an obnoxious growling sound.

  Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I try not to fight anybody for anything. Violence only adds to problems.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing Mari retired her boxing gloves. She was never one to back down on a fight when she’d stay here.” Vic stepped back. “Okay . . .” He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “What’re we waiting for? Let’s get started. I’ve got some bandannas, construction masks and gloves in the car. I’ll go get ‘em.”

  Vic ran out the door.

  Adam said something about bringing the dog outside to tie her up so she’d be out of the way while they worked.

  Mari retrieved a large garbage sack from under the kitchen sink while they were gone and then picked a spot to begin cleaning.

  She started sifting through a box by the first window next to the front door.

  It was filled with holiday socks. Few of them had matches.

  “ . . . and you shouldn’t touch her. She’s mine,” she heard the tail end of Adam’s rant. “I don’t touch your things. I only touched Choppy after you said she was ours.”

  Her head picked up. How long ago had Adam left the house? Did he mention to her taking the dog outside? He should be back inside with her by now.

  “No, you didn’t,” Vic argued. “And are you comparing Mari to a dog?” Ironically, he barked out a laugh. “Oh, she’ll love that!”

  “She will love it, because I said it, and she loves me,” Adam huffed.

  Mari stood still and concentrated on what they were saying. The conversation shifted, and Adam started drilling him with questions.

  “Where do you think you’re going to stay in Phoenix, because we don’t have room for you,” Adam said.

  “I have a cousin there. He said I could crash on his couch.” Vic’s voice went up in pitch.

  “And do you have a job ready for you?” Adam’s voice lowered.

  Vic gave a raspberry back. “Yeah? You think you’re my daddy now?”

  “No, but your father should have asked you these things.” Adam’s voice was tighter than ever.

  “He did!” Vic hit the car—the sound of the smack on the metal made Mari run out the door. “And that’s how I know he’ll fucking freak when I leave, because he was screaming in my face and threatening to burn all my shit if I even considered leaving when I barely mentioned the thought of going!”

  “Hey! What’s going on out here?” She stared at them in turn, waiting for somebody to explain the testosterone being flung around like mud.

  “He started it,” Vic muttered. He opened the car door and grabbed the things he’d gone to the car for in the first place. “Tell him to stop being a jealous prick.”

  “I’m not a prick. I’m a gentleman.” Adam’s chest heaved, and his eyes were a raging storm.

  “Enough of this. It’s not like I’m here to choose sides. There’s not a choice—never was. Victor’s my friend. Adam’s the love of my life. Be friends, you two, or I may have to lock you both out here with the dog.”

  “Oooh scary,” Vic said, mocking her by shaking his head and flashing jazz hands at her.

  “Shut up,” she said, chuckling. “You’re such a dork.”

  “A cute dork,” Vic corrected. “And hung like a fucking race horse.”

  She wanted to tell him he was sized like a rabbit compared to Adam, but she kept that thought to herself.

  Several loud, muffler-less cars roared down the path toward them.

  “Be nice to the help,” Vic said, bumping her shoulder with his.

  She gave a dramatic, silly lean to the side and pretended she was going to fall.

  Adam glared at Vic. “Only Zach and I get to shove you,” he said to her under his breath.

  Mari smiled. “Stop being so jealous—it’s too sexy and distracting.” She shoved Adam the same way Vic did her.

  Adam smirked and pinched her butt as she walked past to greet Vic’s friends who were parking and getting out of their vehicles.

  “Hey, Simon,” Mari said.

  He waved but looked grim.

  Emilio bound after her, slinging her into his arms like she was made of rubber.

  All the guys she used to get high with and fool around with were here. It made her somewhat uneasy to have them in her presence, but she was relieved at the same time that they didn’t absolutely despise her.

  Adam loped over and got a hug, too.

  She introduced Adam to all of them. They were a stoic bunch, definitely on edge in regard to her as well.

  “Look, everybody, I’m sorry I’ve offended you—honestly, I didn’t realize those were your beliefs. But I had to do what worked for my mom and me. I hope you can someday forgive me. For now—thank you so much for being here and helping out. This is gonna be a massive undertaking. There’s years’ worth of collections inside there.” She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder at the house. “But . . .” she sighed “. . . I’m hoping we won’t find anything too disgusting or scary.”

  “We won’t. Will was a good man,” Emilio said. He patted her on the back and sauntered up to the house like she’d said enough and he was sick of waiting.

  Before she knew it, they were hauling stuff out the back, trashing things, but making sure to run it past her if anything looked like it might be important.

  Nobody worked harder than Adam. She could tell he was worried about Choppy and wanted to get back to that dog. It was evident he was already hooked on the little pooch.

  They were going to be inseparable. An odd pang of envy caught in her chest like it was snagged on a hook.

  Bizarre. She was already wary of a dog she met less than an hour ago. How childish of her was that?

  But for some reason, she wanted to always be number one to him. No matter what. Maybe it was because that was what he was to her.

  She stepped outside to take a breather. The mask was suffocating.

  Zach and Dustin drove up, breaking her out of her funky thoughts.

  “Hey, what’s goin’ on?” Zach hollered as he was getting out of the rental car.

  “We got help. Victor asked all his buddies from the ski lodge to lend a hand, and they all came.” She shrugged, and her face lit up.

  Zach went straight inside, and she could imagine him easing some of Adam’s tension over being the only one in there unfamiliar with this group of people.

  She was trying to be at his side as much as possible, but he seemed fine without her touch. It was amazing how independent he was being. She was so proud of him.

  “How’re ya holding up?” Dustin asked her.

  She smiled. He really was her dad now. A warm sensation ran through her chest.

  “I’m okay. It’s crazy to see what kind of stuff my dad held on to. We found an old air conditioning unit with a bird’s nest in it.”

  He pulled a face of disbelief and grunted a “Hmmm?”

  “Yeah. No birds there, but still . . . Why did he have that? So strange.” A desire hit her to hug him and make sure he really was her father. She lurched at him, and his reflexes kicked in.

  He hugged her real tight and hummed for a second. “You’re so brave, Mari. I admire your tenacity and spirit. This has to be harder than I can even imagine. When my parents passed away . . .”

  Her breath caught. Wow. He
was going to share something this private with her? His kids might not even be privy to this information.

  Dustin cleared his throat. “We’ll have to talk more about them when we get back to our home.”

  Her chest burst at him saying, “our home,” and she cried like a baby.

  A moment later, she was back in his arms, and he patted her hair.

  “I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said, feeling ridiculous. She smiled while making fun of herself and managed to stay in the hug but swipe away her tears.

  “You feel up to going back in? You really don’t have to. You can stay out here, and I’ll go make sure things are moving along nicely,” he offered.

  “No, it’s okay. It’s my job to do it,” she said and smiled with watery eyes.

  “You just let me know if it gets to be too much.” He pinched lightly at her chin with his thumb and forefinger.

  She stepped out of the hug. The way he looked in her eyes like he had faith in her gave her the will to go on.

  When they stepped inside the living room, it was already halfway cleared out.

  “Wow, this is a big room,” he commented. “Now that I’m considering how we’ll get this accomplished, it’s just . . . Yeah—it’s big.”

  “Dad! Look how much we got done!” Adam said from his spot at the window he was now sliding open.

  “Whoa, you guys have been working hard,” his father said, almost tripping over a dog toy.

  “Careful, Dad, don’t step on that. It’s Choppy’s,” Adam told him.

  “Choppy?” His dad’s eyebrows rose along with his voice.

  “Yeah, our dog. Mari’s dad loved her so much he gave us his dog,” Adam said, beaming as he spoke. “Mari said we could keep it, so we’ve got man’s best friend to bring home with us.” He jogged over to the toy and put it in his pocket. “Wanna see her?”

  Dustin nodded woodenly, and Adam led him outside and over to the side of the house.

  Mari coughed when a dusty box she took down shifted its weight away from her and crashed at her feet.

  Inside were trophies and medals. Some of them were stupid things like her little league soccer ribbons from when she was a kid and her mom was worried her daughter was getting to be a little too porky.