Jared and I rolled our eyes, laughing at my brother. “Actually,” Jared started, placing his luggage in the trunk, “this is tame compared to the last time I was here. The winds get brutal in this area.”
I placed my bags in the back and closed the trunk. Walking around to the driver’s side, I stopped and looked out toward the highway. The wind continued to blow wildly and the smell of cattle clouded the air, yet I couldn’t help but be enamored by this unusual place. This was McKenzie’s home. This was where she grew up. Secrets lay in this flat, brown land that were waiting for me to uncover. There was something magical about Amarillo. It held a certain beauty. Or maybe it was nostalgia. Whatever the case, I felt magic in the sadistic wind.
“You okay, Drew?” Jared observed.
I leaned against the top of the sedan. The metal was hot to the touch, stinging my skin. “Yeah. I was trying to imagine Mickie living here is all. The water, the beach, it’s all a part of her. This place is flat and dusty, and while my mind tells me it doesn’t fit, my heart says this is as much a part of her as the white sands of Florida.”
A small smile lighted Jared’s face. “Waxing poetic, my friend, but very intuitive.”
In an effort to keep the wind from pulling it from its hinges, I carefully opened the door. I dropped into car, barely managing to get my legs in before the wind slammed the door closed. The seat was so close to the steering wheel that my knees almost touched my chin. The tan cloth seat sank with the weight of my body, and the smell was no better inside the vehicle than it had been outside.
I fumbled around, squished between the steering wheel and my legs. Pushing my hand underneath, I searched for a handle to adjust the seat back. “What the hell?” I grumbled. “Did the shortest person alive previously drive this car?”
The hiss of snickers came from beside and behind me. I cut my eyes to Gavin and Jared, to find them both watching my struggle. Mother fuckers! I’d been pranked. These two thought they were so funny. “What the hell!” I shouted.
Gavin howled in laughter. “You should see yourself right now.” Jared covered a snicker with the back of his hand.
Finding the handle, I adjusted the seat to better fit my long legs. “I’m on to the both of you.”
Laughter erupted between my two companions. They didn’t know it yet, or maybe they did, but they’d just started a war. I’m the master of pranks and they’d never beat me.
“Put your seatbelts on,” I requested. With the key in the ignition, I started the car.
“Hey,” Gavin started, “where are all the cowboys? I haven’t seen a single pair of nut huggers, shit kickers, or a cowboy hat since we got off the plane.”
I caught Jared’s eye in the rearview mirror. That same timid expression remained. “Give it time. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.” He pulled his ball cap from his head, exposing his shaggy blonde hair. He pressed his head against the window, and watched the flat lands of West Texas roll by us.
It took a good deal of strength to drive with the wind in constant motion. As before, dry, flat land expanded as far as the eye could see, speckled with the occasional building. We turned onto Interstate 40 and civilization exploded in front of us. Hotels and businesses lined the freeway. Massive semi trucks whizzed past us. What had been flat countryside, quickly turned into a booming gateway city.
Gavin pointed out to the right of us as we passed a long, yellow building. In front, a huge white sign with bold blue lettering proclaimed, The Big Texan. “Oh, man! We have to go there.”
“I watched a guy attempt the seventy-two ounce steak dinner once,” Jared noted.
“There’s no way I’d do something like that,” I proclaimed.
I’d heard about The Big Texan before. It had been spotlighted on the Travel channel or something. Anyway, they had this deal where if a person could eat a seventy-two ounce steak with sides in an hour, their meal was free. I couldn’t imagine anyone actually succeeding in such gluttony.
“I could do it,” Gavin bragged.
I reached over and patted his stomach. “Yeah, big brother, you’re getting a little flabby around the midsection. I’d bet on you.”
Gavin smacked my hand away. “Ha-ha! Very funny. Smart ass,” he paused, staring at me. I could see his face from the corner of my eye and knew exactly what he was waiting for. There was no way I was giving it to him either.
After a few minutes of silence, I glanced in his direction. “What?”
“Oh, c’mon. You know you want to say it.”
“Say what?”
“You know!”
I shrugged my right shoulder. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“Just say it and shut him up,” Jared pleaded.
I laughed, shaking my head. “This is far too much fun. I think I’ll keep him hanging longer.”
“Say it or I’ll make sure your first moments with McKenzie will be the most embarrassing of your life,” Gavin threatened.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Want to make a bet?”
And there was the challenge. This meant war. I could either take the bet, and be prepared for Gavin to drop some embarrassing factoid about me in McKenzie’s presence or give into what he wanted. The choice was mine. I hated losing, especially to Gavin, but to save face, I decided to go with giving him what he wanted. “Fine,” I moaned. “Better than being a dumb one.”
“Finally!” Gavin crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window. A hint of satisfaction twisted his lips.
We drove in silence with only the occasional instruction from the GPS guiding me to Evans Bodyworks. The silence felt nice. It gave me a chance to reflect on what was about to happen. I was moments away from seeing McKenzie, and I had no idea what I was going to say to her.
“You nervous?” Gavin asked; all comedy gone from his voice.
“A little.” A total understatement.
“You shouldn’t be,” Jared said in a low undertone. “Like I told her, getting you two back in a room together is all fate needs to put everything back on course.”
Gavin nudged me with his elbow. I nodded, understanding my brother without having to utter a word. Jared wasn’t the bad guy. He simply loved the same girl I did. Not that I could blame him.
“Thanks, Jared,” I replied, catching his anxious expression in the rearview mirror.
We pulled into the parking lot of Evans Bodyworks, and parked the rental in front of the building. To the left of the brown metal building sat a fenced off area, where I noticed Mickie’s Prius parked next to an old Ford truck, and a jacked-up white Chevy Duramax diesel. The pickup dwarfed Mickie’s environmentally friendly vehicle with its six inch lift and thirty-five inch tires. Mud caked the inside of the wheel well and splattered along the sides of the vehicle. It looked as though it had come straight from the field.
Outside the gate, the parking lot was empty. Two cars were parked inside the work bays of the garage, being handled by men dressed in dark blue mechanics uniforms. I inhaled deep, getting out of the car. All three doors closed simultaneously, echoing around us. The wind was blowing ever stronger, pushing me toward the door.
Each step felt like a beat of my heart. Just beyond those doors was McKenzie. Now, standing at this place, I was torn. Two months of no contact. Two months of missing her. Two months of loving her, of hating her, of wishing I could both kiss and scream at her. Those two months were about to come to an end. I was on the precipice, about to jump, and my mind and heart were playing tug of war over whether she was worth it. She was the one who left me. Not the other way around.
I reached for the metal door handle and was stopped by a hand on my shoulder.
Jared squeezed my shoulder. His face abruptly serious. “She’s worth it.” He ended my unspoken battle.
I nodded, sighing softly. “I know.”
“Little brother, I’ve seen you charm the robes off judges. You’ve got this. She loves you. You love her. The rest will work itself out.”
>
I licked my lips, tasting the film of Texas dirt on my skin. “I can do this.”
“Just promise me,” Jared’s face tightened in concern, “promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll behave in there.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.
“You have a tendency to get, well,” his eyes rolled toward the sky, searching for the right words, “overzealous when it comes to her. I know you love her, but it’s been two months. Take things slow. That’s all I’m saying.”
My initial reaction was to deck Jared, but I’d agreed to bring them along for a reason. So, if I needed to keep the Neanderthal under control, I would. “I promise.”
“We’re right here with you. She means a lot to all of us.”
I furrowed my brow, confused. “Gav, you barely know her.”
Playful Gavin disappeared in an instant. The brother I’d grown up with, the one who protected me when our father lost his temper, appeared. “I don’t have to know her. I know you. Because she’s important to you, she’s important to me.”
“Thanks,” I breathed. Gavin smiled, giving me a slight nod. He opened the door, holding it for Jared and myself. “Here goes nothing.”
C
hapter Six
Inside Evans Bodyworks, the smell of cattle became diluted by the rubbery scent of tires and age. The low, paneled ceiling bore the marks of water stains matching the old, yellowed, tiled floors. Shelves of product lined the room. Parallel from the main entrance stood a wooden counter with a single cash register. It was the perfect setup for a little Mom & Pop shop. I figured Bill brought in a rough half-mil per year, which wasn’t bad for an establishment such as this.
Upon entering the store, anticipation pulsed throughout my entire body. For the first person my sight landed on was McKenzie. She stood behind the cash register, peering down at a clipboard in her hand. My gaze travelled slowly down her body, taking in every inch of her delectable figure. My fingers twitched to touch her long, golden blonde hair that hung over her shoulders in soft waves. She rubbed her finger across her cute button nose that was all too kissable, drawing my attention to her shapely lips and long neck.
McKenzie tossed her hair back over her shoulder, revealing her round breasts through her fitted tee shirt. I licked my lips, dropping my eyes to check out her taut frame and stopping at her curved hips. Behind that counter I knew there was the longest pair of short legs I’d ever seen. Mickie stood about five-foot-one, two tops, but those legs. How I remembered the way they felt wrapped around me, as I moved in and out of her, bringing our bodies to new heights of pleasure. A tiny groan slipped out of me. I shifted my eyes to see if Gavin and Jared heard me, but they appeared lost in their own observations.
A tall, platinum blonde man, with grease smudged across his cheek, walked up to her. He couldn’t be more than thirty-five, but his sheer size made him appear older. His barrel-chest, noticeable even through his navy-blue uniform shirt, pressed against her back, as he looked over her shoulder. Amusement danced within his glassy green eyes. “Whacha doin’?” he asked.
She hunched her shoulders forward, unfazed by her new companion. “Inventory.”
Thick coiled arms reached around her, grabbing the clipboard.
“Hey! Give that back!” McKenzie protested. She dropped her pen onto the counter and leapt into the air, grappling at his arms in an attempt to retrieve her belongings.
The oversized brute laughed, keeping his arm held high in the air, making it impossible for tiny McKenzie to gain the upper hand. This guy had to be about six-three or four, and that was a rough guess from a distance. One thing was certain; he was bigger and taller than me.
McKenzie’s face grew redder the more she struggled against him. Her incoherent cries for him to return her work went unnoticed by his deep laughter. My insides exploded into red, hot rage. Blood boiled beneath my skin. I could feel the vein pulsing in my neck, and even imagined that I resembled my father when he was pissed. A single thought managed its way through my mind. I could take this fucker. I’d go for the kneecaps. He wouldn’t know what hit him.
“Hey!” I yelled, stepping toward them.
Both McKenzie and the oversized asshole froze. Her head shot in my direction. Our eyes met and she took three steps back from the beast, only to be blocked by the counter.
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Andy,” she gasped.
“Hello, Mickie.”
“Can we help you?” the barbarian growled. A deep scowl flattened his face. He dropped the clipboard onto the counter and stepped around to the front.
Neither McKenzie nor I moved. We were locked in a cosmic moment that transcended time and space. This was real. We were in the same room, breathing the same air. Deep down, I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to demand answers for every question I’d had since she left. The pain I felt burdened me every moment of everyday. But something in her eyes stopped me. My heart demanded my brain to look further. My pain was deep, but it was possible that hers might be just as deep. I swallowed my pride. This was neither the time nor place to go on the defensive. My being here already had me on the offensive, which was exactly where I needed to be.
“Sir, can we help you?” he repeated. The oversized gorilla sounded irritated as he moved closer to me. I veered my attention to him. In the corner of my eye, I caught McKenzie release a deep breath, dropping her shoulders.
A hand landed on my shoulder. I cocked my head to the side, catching Jared’s warning look. I rolled my eyes; unclenching my fists that I’d been unaware I’d balled until now.
“Why, McKenzie Evans, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Jared said, releasing my shoulder and taking a step forward.
McKenzie dashed out from behind the counter. “Oh my God! Jared!” she screeched, darting toward us. She flung herself straight into Jared’s open arms. His face broke into a tremendous grin as he lifted her off the ground, twirling her around.
Jealousy reared its ugly head inside me. A pit in my stomach the size of Texas threatened to make me sick. Gavin had ensured I could trust Jared, but there he was, with my girl in his arms. So much for my pride.
Gavin moved next to me, bumping my shoulder. Jared returned McKenzie’s feet back to the floor, taking her hands in his and stepping back from her. He gave her a once over, grinning ear to ear. “You look fantastic.”
“What on earth are you doin’ here?” she asked. She glanced my way. A smile brightened her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“We came to see you, Silly.” Jared dropped her hands and tweaked her cheek.
The brute took another step toward us, closing the distance. From this vantage point, I caught a glimpse of the name patch on his shirt. Gage. What a name. Seriously? Who would name their kid that?
“Is that a problem? We can leave if you want us to,” Gavin quipped.
McKenzie patted Jared on the arm. She approached Gavin and me, and wrapped her arms around my brother’s neck. The smell of her perfume flooded my senses. All of the tension in my body released at just the smell of her skin. This woman had too much control over me still.
“You better not. I’m just surprised. Liv said y’all were headin’ to Vegas. I never expected you to stop here on your way.”
Hmm, so Olivia had contacted her. Jared jerked his head to meet my eyes. We were thinking the same thing. Olivia had played up how much she missed McKenzie and how they’d barely spoken since she’d left. Yet here was proof that Olivia was still in contact with Mickie. What a little liar.
“Is it so surprising that I wanted to see you?” I asked.
McKenzie stepped back from Gavin, her eyes cutting to me. Her blissful smile shifted. Happiness, sadness, curiosity, pain, anger, shock; all of these emotions flashed across her face. “I guess not, Drew.”
Drew, where only seconds earlier it was Andy. That minor detour wasn’t going to derail me. My heart told my mind to take a back seat and took over. Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms and held h
er to my chest. At first she stiffened in my embrace, but then she exhaled, wrapping her arms around my back. I closed my eyes and let the moment wash over me. My skin tingled at her touch. My heart beat so hard in my chest; I feared she could hear it. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming.
Dipping my head, I brushed my lips to her ear. “It’s Andy to you, sweetheart, and don’t you forget it.”
McKenzie shuddered in my arms. For a moment she stopped breathing.
“Andy,” she whispered. Her arms tightened around me. Slender fingers dug into the flesh of my back, crushing the fabric of my shirt into my skin. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drink in the heat of her body pressed against mine. Slowly, I stroked her hair, playing with the ends. A soft moan rumbled from her chest. The world dissolved around us.
Someone cleared their throat, pulling us back to reality.
She removed herself from my hold, taking a step back. Angel blue eyes met mine, and I gave her my best smile. She loved my dimples, and they were most prominent when I smiled.
“It’s good to see you, Mickie.”
“You, too.”
Gage had moved to the point of standing behind her. I’d been so lost in McKenzie I didn’t even notice his advances. He glared at me, with his arms crossed over his chest. “So, Kenzie, who’s our guests here?”
McKenzie side-stepped, maintaining her closeness to me, but distancing herself from this behemoth. “Of course. Gage Lawson,” she motioned toward our intruder, “this is Jared Christopher, Gavin and Drew Wise. They’re my friends from Florida.” McKenzie pointed to each of us as she called our names.
“Well, any friend of Kenzie’s,” he started, thrusting his hand to me. A predatory snarl curled his lip.
“Is a friend of mine,” I finished, accepting his handshake. He squeezed my hand tight, almost crushing it. I fought the urge to rub or shake out my hand after he released it. The territorial monster inside me reared its ugly head. I wanted to beat this jerk with his own beef mitt.
The Certainty of Deception Page 7