The Bachelor Pact Box Set

by Rita Herron

  Of course, she wouldn’t enjoy any of that because she’d be looking over her shoulder for Emmet.

  The first raindrops splattered the windshield as she pulled from the parking lot. Wallace knew she was disastrous at directions, so thankfully he’d managed to find her a car with a built-in GPS. The moment she started the engine, the address and directions for Delray popped on the screen.

  “Turn right from the parking lot,” the voice control said.

  Lucy patted the dash. If this faceless voice was going to be her only company for the next few hundred miles, she might as well give her a name. “Got you, Jenny Lou.”

  Jenny Lou didn’t respond so she sped down the highway, chatting to her as she drove. By the time she passed into Florida, she was missing Reid terribly and imagining Emmet rolling around naked in the sheets where she and Reid had made love.

  He was just sick enough to do that.

  “I don’t know what to do about Reid, Jenny Lou. What if he never wants to get married?”

  Jenny Lou was a good listener, but she had zilch advice in the romance department.

  Her cell phone buzzed and she checked the number. Reid.

  She groaned. She needed to hear his voice. To know that some other woman wasn’t raking her hands over those iron-taut abs.

  She wanted to explain why she’d run him off this morning like she had a bee up her butt.

  But she forced her hand to remain on the steering wheel. If she confessed the truth, Reid would insist on coming along to protect her and that would be dangerous.

  Besides, if Emmet somehow discovered that she and Reid were involved, and tried to force him to reveal her location, Reid couldn’t tell him if he didn’t know.

  It was better he believe she was on an audition, instead of running from a nut who liked to smell her underwear and thought she was the reincarnation of his dead wife.

  Emmet bypassed Lucy’s apartment then parked the car he’d stolen down the street. He had to be careful. Didn’t want to attract unwanted attention.

  Not since he was an escaped con.

  Damn Lucy for putting him in this position.

  His fingers tingled as he imagined finally being able to touch her again.

  Had she thought about him the last few months?

  Maybe she’d realized that he hadn’t been stalking her, that he loved her like no other man could. That they were made for each other, just like she’d told him in her first life.

  His eye twitched, a rash exploding across his neck as he pulled himself from the driver’s side and walked down the street. He forced himself not to claw at the red bumps. He wanted to look his best when Lucy saw him.

  Was she home now? Did she know he was out of prison?

  A black sedan parked across the street caught his eye, and he tugged the ball cap he’d worn as a disguise lower over his head. What if the police were watching, waiting to trap him?

  He scanned the street again. Yep, someone was in that black sedan.

  He rubbed at his neck, darted between two houses, then cut between their back yards. A red wagon and tricycle suggested children inhabited the house, but the lights were off, indicating the family wasn’t home.

  He suddenly imagined having a child with Lucy and excitement zinged through him. Yes, as soon as they were together again, he’d suggest they start making a baby, a little Emmet, Jr. Or a lovely little Lucy girl with red curls.

  Ducking low, he crept along the red-tips and crossed the next yard until he reached Lucy’s. He hid behind a potted plant, watching, waiting, checking to make sure some idiot cop wasn’t lying in wait like a rabid animal ready to pounce.

  Speaking of dogs, a little mutant throwback dog with wiry hair barked, then raced down the deck steps of the neighbor’s house and ran toward him.

  Panicked, Emmet jogged toward Lucy’s back porch, jumped over a lounge chair and dove toward the door. He wiggled the doorknob, but the door was locked.

  The dog’s yappy bark echoed closer, and Emmet fumbled and dropped his lock-picking device.

  He quickly retrieved it, sweating as he picked the lock.

  But just as he thought he was home free, the damned dog leaped at him and sank his teeth into Emmet’s ass.

  Chapter 3

  Lucy made it to the Sunset Vista with only a few minor complications. She and Jenny Lou had bickered a few times. Really, couldn’t they have designed the woman to carry on a conversation instead of just drone out directions?

  At least Jenny Lou hadn’t failed her when Lucy took a wrong turn and nearly wound up headed to Tampa instead of Delray. Then she’d had a flat tire in the rain, but a sweet little teenage boy and his buddy with the alligator tattoo had stopped to help her, although judging from their eyes and the way they giggled as they dropped the lug nuts in the mud, they were high on weed. When she’d offered to pay them, they’d said it had been worth it.

  Then she’d noticed her white t-shirt plastered to her chest and realized she looked like a contestant in a wet t-shirt contest.

  Thankfully she’d left the rain behind at the state line, and after she’d gotten on the Florida Parkway, she’d stopped to pee and get something to eat. But the only thing left in the station was a rubbery piece of pizza that had looked questionable and tasted like cardboard.

  It wasn’t sitting too pretty in her stomach either.

  Swallowing back the queasy feeling, she parked in front of the lobby/main office and hitched herself out. The Sunset Vista was a group of condos set on the intracoastal waterway with pink flamingos wearing Santa hats decorating the neatly kept lawn.

  A white-haired man in a pale blue suit approached her with a twinkle in his eye when she entered. “Can I help you, Miss?”

  Lucy nodded. “My name is L…Taylor Overby.”

  “Yes, yes,” the man said. “I’m A.J. Moon, but folks call me Moon. We’re so excited you came! We’ve wanted a social coordinator for a long time.”

  A social coordinator? She’d assumed she’d be doing some office work, filing, answering the phone. “You have?”

  Moon winked at her. “Yes, we’re seniors, not dead, honey. We like to kick up our heels and have fun.”

  She spied his walker and bit her tongue.

  “I was a dancer in my time,” he said with a grin. “I can still cut a rug with my cane.”

  Lucy laughed in spite of herself, then hooked her arm though his as he gave her the tour.

  “This is the office and the mail room where residents pick up packages,” he said, using his cane as a pointing stick.

  “You’re probably swamped with Christmas gifts and cards right now,” Lucy said.

  Moon’s face fell slightly. “Some people get mail, but there are others whose families are just too busy for them.”

  Lucy’s chest ached. “Well, we’ll have to fix that. Maybe we can draw names and exchange Secret Santa gifts.”

  “That’s a great idea.” Moon squeezed her arm. “I think we’re going to like having you around.”

  He led her to a larger room that resembled a sports bar with a giant flat screen TV and cozy seating nooks. A few men had gathered to drink beer and watch the football game.

  “We meet here for ball games, movies, Bridge tournaments, Bingo, craft club and other events,” Moon said.

  A small woman with silver hair sat nursing a cup of coffee as she hovered over the newspaper in the corner.

  “That’s Mae,” Moon said. “She reads the obits every day hunting for a husband. Soon as a man’s wife passes, she bakes him a pie.” He smiled. “The minute you smell blueberries around here, you know someone bit the dust.”

  Lucy bit back another laugh as he introduced her.

  Mae clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up. “Can we start a Zumba class? And how about yoga?”

  “Sure. We can do both.” She could use her dance moves and stay in shape while she was here.

  In Vegas, they planned a special Christmas show every year, too. “Maybe we can put on a talen
t show for Christmas Eve.”

  “Oh, my gosh, that sounds like fun.” Mae gathered her paper and coffee cup. “I’m going to tell some of the others right now!”

  She waved and ran off, then Moon showed her the workout room and pool which had been built on a massive deck that overlooked the inlet. A couple of women were sipping drinks as they watched the sunset while another couple huddled together on a lounge chair, their hands entwined.

  “They’ve been married fifty years,” Moon said. “Me, I was a bachelor, never did settle down.”

  A pang of longing for Reid welled inside Lucy as she watched the couple kiss. Sophie had told her that Reid, Lance and Chase had once signed bachelor pacts vowing they’d never get married.

  Would Reid tear his up for her, or was he committed to being single?

  3 days until Christmas

  Three long days had passed and no word from Lucy.

  Reid was going out of his mind. Why in the hell hadn’t she called?

  He grabbed a vitamin water and chugged it down. The renovation on the Tybee house looked terrific. In fact, he’d put overtime in this week, pounding out his frustration with a hammer and nails, and was ahead of schedule.

  He checked his phone but there were no messages.

  Irritated, he punched Sophie’s number. Her morning talk show should be over now, so hopefully he’d catch her at a good time.

  She answered on the fourth ring. “Hello, it’s Sophie.”

  “Reid,” he said without preamble. “Have you heard from your sister?”

  A second passed. “No, why?”

  Reid scrubbed a hand over his face. Would he sound too damn needy if he asked?

  He was going to ask anyway. “I’m worried,” he admitted. “She left three days ago for an audition in L.A. and she hasn’t called.”

  Sophie sighed. “Reid, you know Lucy. She’s probably shoe shopping or maybe her agent set up several auditions. She probably doesn’t want to call until she knows she got the part.”

  And if she did, she’d never come back.

  “She will be back for Christmas, won’t she?” Reid asked.

  “Of course,” Sophie said. “Deseree is coming, and we’re all meeting at Maddie and Chase’s house.”

  Relief surged through Reid. He didn’t know why his gut had been churning since Lucy had left, but he had a bad feeling something wasn’t right.

  Was this Lucy’s way of blowing him off?

  If it was, maybe he should just accept it. He liked being a bachelor. He would go back to his single life.

  Bar hopping. Dating a different girl every night. Having sex with one girl one day and then jumping into bed with another.

  A cold sweat broke out on him. Except suddenly he didn’t want to move on or sleep with anyone but Lucy.

  He waved good night to his crew as they left, then jumped in his SUV and drove toward Lucy’s. Maybe she’d come home early and was just jet lagged and had crawled into bed to catch up on her sleep.

  And if not, he’d pick up a Christmas tree and decorate it as a surprise for her when she returned. If they waited any longer, the good ones would be gone.

  A half hour later, he parked at her house, disappointed when he didn’t see her car in the driveway. The house was dark, too. He climbed out, then untied the tree from the roof of his SUV and dragged it up to the front door.

  Lucy was notorious for losing keys, so she had several hidden outside. He dug the spare key from beneath the plastic Snowman in the front yard, then let himself in, hauled the tree into the den and set it up in front of the window.

  Then he retrieved the box of ornaments and lights from his trunk and brought them in.

  Lucy usually kept the radio playing, and Vegas show tunes wafted from the upstairs. Had she left the radio on when she left?

  He could see her dancing in that nothing of a costume she’d worn in the Diva act. Even at home, Lucy was always moving, fluid, graceful sexy moves that made him hard just thinking about them.

  A sound jarred him, and he frowned and went to the kitchen to see what it was. The back door was cracked slightly, wind whistling in.

  That was odd. Had Lucy forgotten to lock it?

  Then he noticed that the stove eye was red. He checked the knob, but the oven was off. Still, it felt warm.

  Which meant someone had been here recently.

  Lucy?

  Had she come home and not called him?

  Maybe she was upstairs…

  Curious, he climbed the steps to the bedroom, then paused at the sight of the unmade bed. The sheets looked tangled, the comforter thrown off as if someone had been romping around in bed.

  Like it did when they made love.

  Several silk nightgowns, panties and bras were also spread across the sheets.

  His gut tightened as he realized the obvious. Lucy had been home…

  But where was she now?

  A low light glowed from the bathroom. Maybe she was bathing, then she planned to pick out the teddy she wanted to wear when she called him and invited him over.

  His blood running hot at the thought, he crossed the room and opened the door. The tub was filled with bubble bath, flower petals floating on top, but Lucy wasn’t in the room.

  Then his gaze swept the romantic set up. Candles glowed from the windowsill and two half full wine glasses sat on the table next to the claw foot tub.

  Disappointment ballooned in his chest.

  Dammit, he’d snuck in to surprise her, but she’d pulled one over on him.

  She hadn’t left town at all.

  She’d been here all along -- entertaining another man.

  Emmet backed himself inside Lucy’s closet, hiding behind a rack of dresses as he listened to the footsteps inside her bedroom. The scent of her body lotion clung to the satin sheaths and feather boas dangling in his face. He pressed a fluffy red boa to his cheek, drowning himself in her exotic smell. He couldn’t resist trying on the black spangled stilettos on the floor.

  By God, they were sexy. And they made his feet look so small…

  A noise sounded, startling him back to reality, and he peered through the crack in the door and spotted a dark-haired muscular guy in jeans and a denim shirt looking at the underwear he’d spread across Lucy’s bed. Was this the low rent carpenter she’d hooked up with?

  The man touched one of the silky teddies and Emmet’s blood boiled.

  How dare he touch Lucy’s underwear. He should be hanging off a ladder repairing other people’s roofs or on his belly fixing toilets, not in her house!

  A sneeze tickled his nose, but he pressed the feathers into his face to stifle it while he waited on the man to leave. Then a thought struck him.

  He’d been here three days waiting on Lucy to return. If this creep was Lucy’s boyfriend, maybe he would lead him to Lucy.

  Then he’d get rid of the competition and Lucy would be his.

  Chapter 4

  Three more days until Christmas. Lucy missed Reid more every day that passed.

  But she tried to focus on her new friends at Sunset Vista.

  The fact that their families were either gone or were too busy to include them in their plans broke her heart.

  Just as Deseree had so many times.

  She would not let the Silver Sneakers, the women who walked every morning on the beach, down.

  Pasting on a smile, she entered the common room, laden with decorations. Some of the men had already strung colorful, twinkling Christmas lights across the room, and another resident had decorated the doors with angels and wreaths. Santas and snowmen stood out against the palm trees outside.

  Her phone buzzed on her hip, and she checked the number. Reid and Sophie had each left a dozen messages.

  She set the box on the table and the Silver Sneakers attacked it, grabbing ornaments and mistletoe and tinsel and giggling as they discussed the upcoming talent show.

  She stepped aside to listen to Sophie’s message wishing she could talk to her and tell
her about this place.

  “Lucy, call me,” Sophie said. “I’m counting on you being home for Christmas. Deseree is actually talking about cooking this year.”

  Lucy blinked back tears. She wanted to be there with them and see that. But she couldn’t bring Emmet into her sister’s life, not when Sophie had finally found happiness.

  The room grew noisy as more residents filed in for the tree decorating party. Christmas t-shirts were the theme since it was too warm for sweaters, and Moon handed out Santa hats.

  Birdie, the matchmaker of the Silver Sneakers, stood instructing Able Cooligan, her current boyfriend, strategic places to hang the mistletoe to optimize kissing opportunities for the singles.

  “Our bodies might be sagging and bagging,” Birdie said as she pointed to her wrinkly knees and winked. “But inside we’re still the same.”

  Lucy hugged the woman. “Everything looks great.”

  Mae strolled in wearing a reindeer shirt, and Lucy detected the smell of blueberries. “Have you been baking?”

  Mae blushed. “I’m making a cobbler to take to a man from my church whose wife just passed. I just saw the obit this morning.”

  “It would be awful to lose a loved one during the holidays,” Lucy said. It was bad enough just being separated.

  “I know. It’s so sad.” She dabbed at her eyes. “But there’s a whole pew of widow women who’ve been eying him,” Mae said with a nervous frown. “He probably has casseroles up to his eyeballs.”

  “I’m sure your pie will be the best,” she told the sweet woman.

  “I don’t know, Ellen made him her sour cream coconut cake. Everyone says it’s better than sex.”

  Lucy grinned. She wanted a piece of that cake.

  Mae patted her gray curls. “You think I should get highlights to make me look younger? Or maybe we should have a Botox party.”

  Lucy shook her head. “No, you are beautiful just the way you are.”