I chuckled, remembering Chad's feigned innocence about the gag. "What? I just happened to be filling these up for a kid's charity balloon fight tomorrow morning. But since we're all out here now…" He'd started a huge water fight that lasted nearly an hour. It was a miracle he didn't get expelled for the fire alarm prank, but no one could actually prove that he had pulled it.
"Fun? Yes," Kat agreed. "But also kind of insane."
Bronwyn shrugged. "He'd keep life interesting."
We watched the show in silence and then worked together to herd the crowd out of the building at closing time. When the band packed up and left, Kat and I sent the staff home. The incident in the car with Mickey had been eating at me all night, and I finally couldn't hold it in anymore. I had to tell someone. "So, remember how I said nothing happened on the ride to the hotel?" I began, my tone sheepish.
Kat arched one thin eyebrow. "Yeah?"
I swallowed. "Well, that's not entirely true. Mickey sorta…tried to kiss me."
Kat's blue eyes grew large. "He what?"
I shook my head. "I didn't let him—and I don't think I was giving him signals or anything. He just sort of leaned in as he was getting out of the car, like nothing had changed between us and he was kissing me goodnight, like always."
Kat turned to lock the back door behind us. "Old habits die hard, I guess."
"That's what he said." I grimaced. "Maybe it was kinda my fault." I chewed my lip. "Before he tried to kiss me, I invited him to get coffee with me tomorrow morning."
"Just the two of you?"
"Uh-huh."
"Oh boy," Kat muttered. "Here we go."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "You were practically ready to marry the guy five years ago. If he'd stayed in town, you'd probably be sporting that ring on your finger and balancing Mickey Jr. on your hip." Kat paused, a thoughtful look on her face. "Ya know, maybe letting him back into your life isn't a bad thing."
"Kat, it's just coffee." My words took a slightly defensive tone. "I told you, I gave Mickey plenty of closure on the ride to the hotel. Bucket loads. If we're going to repair our friendship though, we've got to start somewhere. And I don't start anything without a grande iced black coffee." I blew out a sigh. "And besides, I'm already in a relationship," I reminded her—and myself. "What about Emmett?"
"What about him?" Kat shrugged. "You barely even know the guy, Ame. You've been dating for seven months, and I can count on one hand the number of times he's come to town to see you."
"He's got a pretty damn good excuse," I snapped, feeling my face grow hot.
Kat reared her head back as if I'd just slapped her. She exhaled a shaky breath and pulled her leather purse strap across her shoulder as she turned away from me, heading for the parking lot.
Oh, boy. Me and my big mouth. I shouldn't have over-reacted like that. "Kat, wait!" I called, feeling like Jerk of the Year as I trotted after her. I caught up with her and placed my hand on her arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"No, it's okay. You're right." She didn't turn around, and her voice was trembling. "Emmett's a good man. I hope he finds that bastard, Shawn, and makes him pay for all the pain he's caused." Kat pivoted slowly, meeting my gaze with tired eyes. "I just meant that LDR's aren't easy."
My lips quirked at one corner. "It's not necessarily a long distance relationship—he could only be a few miles away right now, for all I know."
Kat gave me a wry look. "You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do. I'm just feeling very confused," I admitted. "I thought I was prepared to face Mickey, and then I saw him at the airport…" I exhaled. "But nothing is going to happen. We'll grab a platonic cup of joe, and that'll be the end of it."
"Need me to come along and be a buffer?"
"Nah." I smiled. "It'll be fine. I should be in my office around ten. I'd like to get here in time to post info for the new shows we've booked on the website before things get too hectic." The day of a sold-out show was always super busy.
"Okay," Kat said, slipping behind the wheel of the Escalade. "Night, chick."
"See ya." I waved good-bye and climbed into my own car. A sigh slipped from me. Being so worked up over my MIA boyfriend and pining ex was no excuse to snap at my bestie. Though she'd instantly forgiven me, I still felt like the scum of the earth. Kat had a point, though—Emmett and I hadn't spent much time together, and I really didn't know him all that well. Plus I didn't have the best track record with relationships—the last guy I'd gone on a date with before Emmett had tried to murder me. Welcome to the reality show that is my life.
I clicked on the backlight of my phone screen. No new calls or texts. My heart sank. I hadn't heard a peep from Emmett in several days. Maybe there's a break in the search for Stone. The thought made my belly do somersaults.
I was often plagued by nightmares about the evil mobster. Sometimes I dreamed I was coming home from a late night at Castle Rock, and he was waiting for me inside my apartment. Other times, my subconscious conjured up the image of him crouching low in the backseat of my car, ready to pounce. I shuddered, casting a nervous glance into the darkness behind my driver's seat. I was alone in the car. Locking the doors to my Jetta, I dialed Emmett's cell before pulling out of the parking lot. Just hearing his voice would go a long way to ease the major case of the creeps I just gave myself—and hopefully help me forget about Mickey, too.
"Hey there, babe," Emmett Larson's deep baritone crooned from the other end of the line. "It's after one in the morning—meaning you're either just getting off work, or you're feeling frisky." He chuckled.
"Maybe both," I said coyly. "How's work?"
Emmett blew out a breath. When he spoke again, he sounded tired. "I wish I had good news for you, but we're still not making much headway. One source claims Stone's in Europe; another says he's holed up at a buddy's place somewhere deep in the woods of Montana. If we get one lead, we get a dozen—and they're always far-spread." He was silent for a moment, no doubt trying to quell some of the frustration that was building in his tone. "We're going to get him, Ame," he said finally. "I promise."
"I know," I replied, but my voice was glum. I turned off of Piedmont Road, pulling into the parking deck for my apartment. "I just wish this whole thing was behind us. I want to see you."
"I wanna see you too, babe."
I parked on the tenth level of the deck and trudged up three flights of stairs to my floor, not wanting to risk dropping the call in the elevator. "Maybe you can sneak away for the weekend," I said breathlessly when I reached the top step. "If y'all haven't found him in the past seven months, what kind of difference would a few days make?"
"I still have a job to do," Emmett reminded me. "But that does sound tempting."
My lips curved upward. "I could make it worth your while," I purred as I unlocked my door and pushed it open. I closed it behind me and turned around, stopping dead in my tracks when I saw the man inside my apartment.
CHAPTER THREE
"Emmett!" I squealed, nearly dropping the phone. He was seated at my dining room table, my orange calico-tabby cat, Uno, curled in his lap. At his feet were Uno's brothers, Dos and Tres. My cry of surprise spooked the kitties, and they darted away to hide under the couch.
"Hey, gorgeous." Emmett rose to greet me. He was dressed in faded gray jeans with an untucked, black button-down shirt. His dark getup and hair made his emerald eyes pop.
I flung my purse down on the table and threw myself into his arms, pressing against him for a long, steamy welcome kiss. "What are you doing here?" I asked breathlessly as I pulled away after a few delicious moments.
Emmett's eyes sparkled as he beamed down at me. "That spare key you gave me last month has been burning a hole in my pocket. I figured it was about time I used it." He winked. "I hope I didn't scare you."
"You totally did," I admitted, though I was grinning. "That was sneaky, Larson." I wagged a finger at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were comi
ng into town?"
"I thought I'd surprise you. Plus it was sort of last-minute." Something in the way he said that last part made my stomach flip-flop.
"What about Stone?" I asked, unable to mask the sudden anxious spike in my voice.
Emmett's smile faltered, concern etched in his handsome features. "Like I said before, he's still out there somewhere." He set his jaw in a firm line. "I'm taking a few days off from the case. I don't like it, but I was told to lay low. Montana was a bust, so we're following a new lead. Shawn knows what Gavin and I look like. If we go in with the team, we might blow their cover. I can't risk that happening again." Emmett dropped his gaze to the floor, lost in thought. His mouth slowly turned up at the corners. "But on the bright side, that means I'm all yours for at least the next three days."
I bit my own lip in a coy smile. "I can think of a few ways we could pass the time."
Emmett gave me an appraising look, his gaze lingering on the plunging neckline of my dress. "All dressed up," he said, lightly touching my straightened hair. He slid his hands down to my waist. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you knew I was coming."
My cheeks glowed as I recalled Mickey's reaction to my outfit. "It's new," I replied, as if that were reason enough for me to be wearing the dress. I pushed my ex out of my thoughts and tugged Emmett closer. "I've missed you so much," I said, my lips tickling his earlobe.
"How much?" His voice grew husky.
I grinned. "Let me show you." I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my bedroom.
* * *
"So, are you working on any other cases right now?" I asked an hour later, wrapping the cool bed sheet around me as I nestled into the crook of Emmett's arm.
He placed one hand behind his head and lightly traced circles on my shoulder with the other. "Mainly sifting through reports. Nothing too exciting."
"Oh." I tried not to sound disappointed. When I'd first started dating the FBI agent, my imagination had run wild with the crazy adventures he must have. I pictured myself nuzzling Emmett in bed as he described high-speed car chases, sting operations, and drug busts. Our pillow talk wasn't nearly that exciting. Aside from the occasional undercover assignment, my honey mostly did paperwork.
I snuggled closer to Emmett and laid my head on his chest. "Do you think they'll catch Stone on this next mission?" I asked softly as I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. I jerked my head, startled by his quickened pulse.
"I hope so." Emmett shifted in the bed, causing me to slide off of his chest.
I frowned. Rolling over onto my stomach, I propped myself up with my elbows and peered at him through the darkness. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." He sighed. "I'm just exhausted. Work has been wearing me out. I don't remember the last time I got a decent night's sleep." He leaned over to plant a tender kiss first on my lips, then my forehead. "Goodnight, babe."
"Goodnight," I whispered, settling back against my pillow. I lay awake in the dark for a long while after that, listening to Emmett's soft snoring as he slumbered next to me. Something didn't feel right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe you're just imagining things that aren't really there, I chided myself. Don't create something out of nothing. He's here now, so make this time count. I shook the funny feeling and let myself drift off to sleep.
* * *
The delectable scent of bacon mixed with something sweet lured me awake at nine the next morning. Sunlight streamed through the open shutters of my bedroom window, and I shielded my eyes from the glare with one arm as I sat up and stretched. I slipped out of bed and padded into the kitchen where Emmett was whipping up bacon and chocolate chip waffles.
"That smells awesome," I said, feeling the hungry grumbling in my stomach as I came around the counter to kiss him good morning. I gave him a sleepy smile. "And it's not every day I wake up to a sexy, shirtless chef in my kitchen. Best Saturday ever."
Emmett's green eyes twinkled. "Don't say that until you've tried my cooking," he warned. "Gav once told me they should use my waffles in the interrogation room—he said they were so bad that he could threaten to force-feed a perp into confessing."
"In that case, I'll stick to the bacon," I joked, reaching around him to snag a piece he'd just put on a plate. I glanced over to the corner of the room and saw that he already fed my cats. The furry trio huddled together, hovering over their full bowls of Kitty Chow. "You're amazing," I said, grinning.
"I know." Emmett winked. He crossed the kitchen to retrieve a mug from one of my cabinets and then filled it. "I also made this," he said, offering me the mug. "I know how important your first cup of coffee is."
Coffee…Mickey! "Crap!" I muttered, jerking back.
Emmett looked from the mug in his hand back to me, his eyebrows lifted. "Too hot? I can drop some ice in there."
"What? No," I said, feeling my face grow warm. "I just forgot that I was supposed to meet the band for coffee this morning. I told you Kat and I were buddies with Royal Flush in college, right?"
"Yeah, you mentioned that." He took a sip from the mug and set it down on the counter. "Why don't you go ahead and meet them, then? I can clean up here and head over to Castle Rock later and help get ready for the show."
I shook my head, trying to ignore the rock of guilt taking shape in my stomach. "No, it's fine. You went to all this trouble to make us breakfast. Plus they'll be getting to the venue early anyway to unload their equipment when the tour bus arrives. I'll just catch up with them then."
Emmett studied me, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Are you sure that's all that's bothering you?" He grabbed a waffle off the plate and held it up, aiming it at me like a ninja star. "Because I have ways of making you talk."
I laughed. "I'm fine, I promise. I'll just shoot them a quick text." I padded back to the bedroom to retrieve my phone and scrolled through until I found Mickey's number. Though I hadn't dialed it in years, thanks to the stalkerish world of technology, it re-synced to my contacts every time I bought a new phone. Can't meet for coffee, I typed. Something came up. I started to send another message, telling him I was sorry and that I'd make it up to him somehow, but instead I plugged the phone back into its charger and walked away. No sense in giving him more false hope.
I set the table as Emmett brought the food into the dining room. He disappeared behind the morning paper, and I poked at my bacon, wondering if Mickey had received my texts. It had been a mistake to invite him out for coffee in the first place. Having Emmett show up last night must be the universe's way of keeping me in check. I should have been relieved that my boyfriend was there. Having him around this weekend would allow me to keep an emotional distance from Mickey, even if I hung around with the guys before they left for the next stop on their tour. It's for the best, I reassured myself.
So, why didn't I feel any better?
* * *
Royal Flush's tour bus was already parked in the gravel in front of Castle Rock when Emmett and I arrived an hour and a half later. It had tinted windows and was painted solid black, save for the large flaming card logo on either side, like the one that Chad tattooed on his chest. "Not conspicuous at all," I remarked sarcastically as we drove past the oversized vehicle and pulled into the employee lot.
Bronwyn had been standing out front when we drove by, and Emmett and I walked arm-in-arm back toward the main entrance to meet her. She stood in the gravel, hands on her hips and a wide grin on her face as she stared up at the marquee. Two young men in jeans and black sleeveless tanks were setting up a ladder in front of the sign. Our new bouncer, Derek Hayes, held the ladder steady as Reese Martin climbed the rungs to swap out the large black letters announcing Royal Flush's sold-out show in High Court that night. We normally hosted performances outside in the rear courtyard on summer Saturdays. Having the guys back in town was a special occasion, though, and they'd requested to book our upstairs show room instead.
"Hey," Bron greeted us absently when we joined her. Her gaze was fixed on the backside of Reese's ti
ght jeans as he reached the top of the ladder and began sliding new letters onto the sign. "That man has a perfect ass," she murmured, biting her lip. She turned and winked at me. "Have I told you lately just how much I love this job?"
I rolled my eyes. "Only every time Reese changes the marquee. Shouldn't you be working?" I teased.
"I am working," Bronwyn cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. "A little more to the left, babe!" Reese bent to the side and stretched his muscular arms to push the first letter where Bron directed and then looked down at her for approval. "Perfect," she called, giving him a thumbs up. Bronwyn turned and grinned at Emmett and me. "See? I'm supervising."
"Yeah, yeah," I said dryly. "How about running and telling Kat that the alcohol delivery is here instead?" I nodded to the Heineken truck pulling to a stop at the corner. Bronwyn stared longingly at Reese. "But he's still got five more letters to go," she whined.
"I think he'll manage," Emmett said, ruffling Bronwyn's short, pink hair. "Good to see you, kid."
"Hey, Agent Larson," she said in a flat tone. She cast one last look at Reese and sighed. "All right, fine," she sulked, her bottom lip puffed out. Bronwyn shuffled off toward the entrance, sneaking quick glances over her shoulder at Reese's beefy body as she went. I grinned and shook my head. "Young love," I said, reaching for Emmett's hand and giving his fingers a squeeze.
"Hey, Ame." Reese had climbed down from the ladder and was making his way toward us, dusting his hands off on his jeans. Derek Hayes strode behind him with the ladder hoisted over one shoulder. Reese shifted his gaze to Emmett, and his face broke into a wide grin. "Emmett! What's up, man?" He leaned in and pounded my honey on the back in one of those macho half-hugs. "Good to see ya."
Deception at Castle Rock (Amelia Grace Rock 'n' Roll Mysteries Book 2) Page 3