by Elise Noble
“Not gonna say no if you’re buying.”
Belinsky signalled the bartender. “Two vodkas, Jeanette. The Beluga.”
I’d never drunk vodka without a mixer before, but Jeanette poured it out neat into gold-rimmed shot glasses. Good thing Kiki had a sleepover tonight. Colt had offered to take the evening surveillance shift since I’d been following Steve for the previous four days and we didn’t want him to get too familiar with my face. Last night, he’d gone to a strip club. Phoebe Gilmore was right about his character—the asshole was a lousy tipper and a real sleaze—but so far, he hadn’t shown any signs of interest in Brooke. Then again, she hadn’t received any more notes since Colt had spoken to him, so maybe he’d just backed off until the heat died down? I only hoped this didn’t drag on. Brooke deserved to get her life back, and I didn’t want to spend another year looking over our shoulders.
“Cheers.”
I’d been about to knock back the vodka, shot style, when I noticed Belinsky was sipping his. I followed suit. The drink was smooth, almost fruity. Nothing like the paint stripper we’d drunk on base.
“Not bad.”
“It’s distilled five times rather than the usual three. They put honey in it afterward.”
“You’re a vodka connoisseur?”
“I like what I like.” A non-answer. “And apart from the gym, how are you finding your stay?”
“Can’t complain. My girlfriend would say you need more pillows.”
Belinsky threw his head back and laughed. “More pillows. I’ll bear that in mind. Your girlfriend isn’t staying here with you?”
“No, she isn’t.”
“And yet she lives in town?”
Had he been checking up on us? On Brooke? A chill prickled at the back of my neck.
“Not sure our living arrangements are any business of yours.”
Another laugh. “On the contrary—I made it my business when you showed up in my hotel covered in blood. The staff were concerned you were here to make trouble, but I believe you’re a man who knows how to show restraint, no? When we first met, you looked as if you wanted to knock Easton Baldwin’s head off his shoulders, and not many men would have blamed you if you did. And yet you didn’t. Then you had a difference of opinion with your girlfriend’s brother, if rumour is correct? Again, you held back. I can’t imagine you losing a fight if you put the slightest effort into it.”
Should’ve known the Baldwin’s Shore gossip network was working overtime.
“He’d had a bad day.”
“And you didn’t want to make it worse? Admirable.” Belinsky set his glass down on the bar and studied me. “Restraint. I believe that’s one trait we share. When necessary.” He pushed his stool back and stood. “Invite your girlfriend over. Make the most of the facilities. I’ll ensure those extra pillows get delivered.”
Belinsky left without another word, a pair of shadows following behind like trained guard dogs. I’d met a lot of interesting characters in my time, but I didn’t quite know what to make of him. After some deliberation and another glass of vodka—the regular stuff rather than top-shelf this time—I came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t mind him as a friend, but I wouldn’t want him as an enemy.
“How did the painting class go?” I asked Brooke over FaceTime. I had a light buzz from the vodka, but what really put the warmth in my chest was her.
“Great. Can I open my gift yet?”
In truth, I was surprised she hadn’t already. Yes, I’d told her to wait, but I hadn’t expected her to heed the instruction. When we were kids, she’d once found all her Christmas gifts in mid-December, opened them, panicked, and tried to rewrap them. But since she was only seven, she’d managed to wrap herself up in sticky tape instead, including her hair. The day after, she’d shown up at school in tears with a pixie cut. Cute. Damn cute. Eventually the hair had grown back, and she’d worn it long ever since.
“Patience, pixie.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Have you ever tried selling your paintings? People would pay good money for them, especially tourists.”
“A couple of people have bought my demo paintings from the Craft Cabin.”
“You should set your sights higher. Is the gift store in Coos Bay still open? The one on South Broadway? I bet they’d be interested.”
“Do you really think they’re good enough?”
“You know me, sweetheart. If they were shit, I’d tell you.”
“I’ll think about it.”
This whole talking-before-sex thing was a novelty, but I’d begun to enjoy our nightly calls. It was all about the connection. We discussed everything and nothing, the past and the present. Not the future. We’d settled on an unspoken rule that said we needed to tidy up our loose ends before we moved on. I wanted Brooke in my bed again, but for now, the calls would have to be enough. At least I could visit her at the store. Darla was good about letting her take a break when I showed up.
“How’s it going with Aaron? Any sign of a thaw?”
“Maybe.” A pause. “He knows I’m speaking to you right now.”
“He’s okay with that?”
“Not exactly okay, but he called Clarissa earlier, and she freaking cheated on him, so I figure he doesn’t have much authority when it comes to telling me who I can and can’t phone.”
“What did he say?”
“To Clarissa? I couldn’t hear—he disappeared up the ramp. Goodness, if he knew what we did on that landing…”
Some things were better kept secret. “I meant, what did he say when he found out you were calling me?”
“Nothing. He just shrugged and changed the channel.” That was a definite step in the right direction. Yeah, Aaron would come around after he’d gotten over his snit. “He’d better not get back together with Clarissa. I mean, Addy’s got a plan for that, but…”
“Addy’s got a plan? This should be fun.”
“It’s nothing drastic. She’s just digging for dirt, although that got a bit delayed because she went on a date last night, and the guy was… Uh, I probably shouldn’t tell you those details. And she also thinks Aaron should get out more. Did I tell you we’re going to Applejack’s for dinner tomorrow?”
“No, you didn’t. And I’m not sure going out is a good idea at the moment.”
“I won’t be alone. Aaron and Addy are both coming. And Deck, and Colt, and Brady—he’s almost finished at Deals on Wheels now, so it’s a thank-you-slash-goodbye drink as well as phase one of Operation Find Aaron a Better Girlfriend. I can’t let them down.”
I didn’t like it, but I understood. As much as we all wanted this to be over in a month, that might not happen, and if Brooke became a prisoner in her own home, Cupid would win. His games had a sexual flavour, but when you dug deeper, what he really got off on was control. He wanted Brooke scared. Cowering.
And my girl did not cower.
I was proud of her for that.
Plus Brady deserved thanks for fitting those cameras. He’d worked long hours, and they covered the front, back, and sides of the building, four units, all motion activated. If they sensed movement, I’d get an alert on my phone and they’d start recording.
“Just be damn careful.”
“I will be, I promise. Now can I open my gift?”
“Yeah, you can open your gift, sweetheart. You’re not anywhere near Aaron, are you?”
“Uh, no? I’m in the bedroom. Why? Is it that kind of gift?”
A grin crept onto my face. “It’s that kind of gift.”
She tore through the paper the concierge at the Peninsula had found for me and studied the box.
“A remote-controlled love egg? What does that even…?” Her cheeks turned nicely pink. “Oh!”
Oh, yeah. And guess who had the remote?
32
Brooke
It was good to be out, and even better because I was with friends. Of course, there was one person missing, and a part of me wanted to be at home
so I could spend more time playing with him and my new toy—Luca had studied the operating manual like a pro—but he was in Roseburg following Steve. Combining what I’d learned about Steve while we were dating and the new facts that had come to light since, that meant Luca was either skulking around in the bushes while Steve played World of Warcraft, or he was in a strip club.
I didn’t particularly want to think about that second option. I trusted Luca, but those women all had better boobs than me, and— Stop it, Brooke.
Luca loved me.
He loved me.
“Brooke, what are you drinking?” Aaron asked.
“Diet Coke.”
“No, she’s drinking a pineapple mint mojito,” Addy told him, and before I could argue, she put a hand over my mouth. “You can have one drink.”
“Okay, okay. One drink.”
I’d promised Luca I’d be careful, and I was being careful. I’d been eating as well as drinking. I was surrounded by people who cared. Cupid wouldn’t try to snatch me from a crowded bar, and Addy had promised to come to the bathroom whenever I needed to go. Plus I’d mentioned dinner to Paulo when he dropped by with cookies at lunchtime—apparently, he’d hooked up with a pastry chef last night, which meant we had to hear all the excruciating details, but at least we got to share the spoils—and he’d shown up tonight and dragged Darla along with him.
Addy put the mojito in my hand and gave me a gentle shove toward the table she’d reserved. Applejack’s was packed, and I spotted Isaac the veterinarian in the far corner with a pretty blonde I didn’t recognise and waved. He waved back, and the blonde narrowed her eyes at me. Some women were so petty.
“That didn’t last long, did it?”
The voice came from over my left shoulder, slightly nasal with a hint of a sneer, and I stiffened as soon as I heard it.
“The Neanderthal ditched you already?”
Addy got in first. “Shut up, Easton.”
“You got a new guard dog?”
I saw her eye up her own drink, and I knew exactly what was going through her mind. Should she waste her cocktail by throwing it over the jerk in front of us?
But Parker materialised behind his brother and put a hand on his arm.
“Leave it.”
“This bitch got me banned from the bar at the Peninsula.”
Oh, that was too much. “You didn’t need any help with that. Acting like a dumbass comes naturally to you.”
A cross between a growl and a gurgle sputtered out of Easton’s throat. Perhaps it was meant to be a snarl? He took a step forward, and I felt rather than saw Aaron appear at my shoulder.
“You should heed your brother’s advice,” he said to Easton. “If you’ve got a problem with door policy at the Peninsula, take it up with the management.”
“Management.” Easton snorted as he turned away. “Bet she’s fucking Nico Belinsky too.”
Thankfully, Aaron was back to his usual controlled self today, so I didn’t have to hunt for another bucket of water.
“Such a creative insult. I’d expect nothing less from a man who had to climb over the fence to get into college.”
“Probably paid someone to lift him,” Addy muttered. “Go play with your dick, Easton. Nobody else is gonna do it for you.”
“Is there a problem here?” Taya Swann asked. Great, we’d attracted an audience. Taya might only have been an inch taller than me, but she still kept Skip’s baseball bat behind the bar and rumour said she knew how to use it.
Parker’s grip on Easton’s arm tightened. “No, there’s no problem.”
The pair of them walked away, and I felt both relieved and disappointed. If Easton had gotten banned from two bars in one week, I’d have been the first to laugh.
“Thanks,” I said to Aaron and Addy, and Addy slung her free arm around my shoulders.
“What are friends for? Now, forget those two and enjoy yourself. Want to split a plate of nachos with me? I’m famished.”
“Extra cheese?”
“Extra cheese.”
I tried to follow Addy’s instruction to have fun, and for the most part, I managed it, despite Easton’s best efforts to cast a cloud over the evening. Applejack’s was much more of a “me” place than Beer Me Up. I’d always found Skip a bit weird, even before he got arrested, and Taya seemed far more personable. Tough, but personable. When she took over, she’d completely remodelled, and now there was a small dance floor nestled among the blue-and-pink neon lights that illuminated every wall. I bent my “one drink” rule when Addy bought a round of the bar’s signature cocktails—applejack, blue curaçao, and lemon juice, garnished with apple slices and a sugared rim—and then joined the others on the dance floor, at least until Colt left to pick Kiki up from the sitter and Paulo abandoned me for a guy who had better hair than I did.
By then, my feet hurt, so I sat my sweaty ass down next to Aaron at the table. What had Luca told me? Right, that I needed to make Aaron realise I wouldn’t abandon him just because Luca and I were dating. A psychological thing, he said.
“Not dancing tonight?”
“Huh? Uh, no.”
Why was he distracted?
“Work so busy you can’t take a break?” I asked, hoping it was lawyer stuff but getting a sinking feeling it wasn’t.
“Wish that were the case.” He waved the phone at me. “It’s Clarissa.”
My heart plummeted to my feet. So much for Addy setting him up with Taya. “You’re not still thinking of getting back together with her?”
“Now that I’ve had the chance to step back, I realise I had a lucky escape.” Oh, thank goodness. No more Clarissa. And it meant Addy’s grand master plan wouldn’t be needed anymore, so I wouldn’t have to fork out for a pitcher of margaritas. “She wants to talk in person, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“So tell her that.”
“I did. She disagrees.”
“There’s a surprise. Why don’t you just block her number?”
“I—” The phone buzzed in his hand, and he glanced at the screen. “Ah, hell.”
“What happened?”
Was it the weird lighting, or had he gone a shade paler?
“I’m worried Clarissa might do something stupid.”
“Something more stupid than cheating?” Then I realised what he meant. “Holy crap—she’s suicidal?”
“Yes. No. Maybe?” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I don’t fucking know. If there’s one thing she’s proven to be a master at, it’s screwing with my mind.” A sigh. “I should go over there.”
“That’s the last thing you should do. Call the police and let them deal with it. If she is thinking of harming herself, they’ll get her the help she needs.”
“And if she’s just messing me around? I don’t want to waste their time.”
“Hey, guys!” Addy bounded up and grabbed both of our hands. “Come dance.”
I shook my head, tried to send “not now” vibes. “Maybe in a while, okay?”
“What’s up? Smile, babe.”
“Clarissa’s threatening to kill herself.”
Addy glanced from me to Aaron, searching for signs of a joke. When neither of us laughed, her forehead creased in confusion.
“Is that ‘yay’ or ‘oh no’?”
“I need to go check she’s okay,” Aaron said. “I’ll drop you guys off at home on the way.”
“Home isn’t on the way, it’s in the opposite direction. And we’re having fun here.”
“I can’t leave Brooke here on her own.”
“She’s not on her own, dummy. There’s a whole group of people with her. You can pick us up on your way back.”
I wanted to say I could call Luca, but that wasn’t a good idea. Aaron was gradually coming around to the idea that we were a couple, but I didn’t want to push things and damage the fragile peace that seemed to be holding.
Finally, Aaron made up his mind.
“I’ll call you when I leave Clarissa’s p
lace. Don’t let Brooke go anywhere alone.”
“No, sir.” Addy saluted, and when Aaron was on his way to the door, she rolled her eyes. “Clarissa isn’t suicidal. She’s just manipulative.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you, but what if…?”
“Like brother, like sister. Come back to the dance floor. Paulo’s lined up the jukebox to play the Macarena.”
I choked out a laugh because that song would always remind me of my first time with Luca.
“One dance. One. My feet ache.”
“So take your shoes off.” Addy stood on tiptoes and waved over my shoulder. “Bye, Deck! Enjoy your date. Come on, Brooke. Do you need painkillers? I have some in my purse.”
A dose of Advil and who-knew-how-long later, I collapsed onto a chair. Paulo had taught everyone in the damn bar the Macarena—everyone drunk, anyway—and I must’ve lost at least three pounds in sweat. I poured half of my Coke down my throat, then fumbled in my pocket as my phone vibrated against my thigh.
Did Aaron have an update?
Luca: On my way back. Hope you’re having a good time.
Well, no news was good news, right?
Me: The best! Blue is my new favourite colour xxx
I snapped a picture of Addy’s garish three-quarters-full cocktail and pressed send.
Me: I recharged the thingy. Can’t wait for you to push my buttons ;)
Luca: The speeding ticket will be worth it.
Damn, I loved that man.
Brady crouched beside me, one hand on the back of my chair. “Thanks for the send-off tonight, Baby.”
“Baby?”
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner? The song you were just dancing to?” Now he looked confused. “Or did I get that wrong?”
“No, no, you’re right.” I was a bit slow this evening. I also hadn’t done the lift because there was a ninety-nine percent chance Paulo would have dropped me. “You’re leaving already?”
“Got a new job starting tomorrow morning, and Addy wouldn’t let me finish packing up my tools earlier.”
“She can be quite persh…press…” I gave up trying to think of the right word. “…quite pushy, can’t she?”