Hot and Handy: A Small Town Romantic Suspense (Shameless Southern Nights Book 3)

by J. H. Croix

  The clock on the wall told me I had almost three more hours before quitting time. It was going to be a long shift. Gloria, the temp, and I survived the lunch rush. The rest of the afternoon was slower. I watched the minutes to the end of shift tick by with agonizing slowness.

  When the time finally came to punch out, I was the first one out the door. A giant sigh of relief fell from my lips when I was finally on my way home.

  It was only when I pulled onto the road that I realized my relief might have come too soon. A dark sedan made every turn I did. I didn’t want to be paranoid, but I was sure I was being followed.

  There were always one or two cars between us, so I couldn’t make out the driver, but I caught glimpses of the plates when we turned. Trying to stay calm, I called Evan.

  The phone rang and rang, but he didn’t answer. I left him a message, but I didn’t know when he would get around to listening to it. A wave of panic rose inside me. Of all the times not be able to get him on the phone.

  Chewing on my lip, I racked my brain. The last tie I saw her, Marie had given me her number in case I ever needed anything. Our conversation was in the context of the kids and her picking Emery up from school when she collected Austin if the need arose, but she was part of the Lovett family.

  They were the only ones I could think of to turn to under the circumstances. The only other person I had was Lori, but if I was being followed, it was better to leave her out of the picture.

  Marie answered her phone almost before it even rang. “Hey, Sadie. How are you?”

  “I, uh…” Lost for words, I blurted out. “I think I’m being followed. I finished my shift at the diner, and now there’s a car sticking behind me. I tried calling Evan, but—”

  “You don’t need to say another word. I understand. I’ve been there. Don’t go home if you’re not sure Evan’s there. Come to our place. It’s my day off, so I’m here. I’ll call Sonny in the meantime and let Evan know you’re on your way here. Drive safely, and don’t panic.”

  It was too late for that, but I had a feeling Marie knew it. She was trying to get me not to race all the way to her house.

  Jeremy and Marie didn’t live too far away, but it felt like an eternity before I got there. She or Sonny must have reached Evan because he was pulling into their driveway at the same time I did.

  Jumping out of his truck, he ran over and pulled me into a hug as soon as I came to a stop. “Thank God you’re okay. I was in the middle of another call when you phoned. I tried to call back, but your line was busy, probably talking to Marie because she called me a minute later. I came straight over. Are you okay?”

  Safe in his arms, I started trembling. “I’m okay. It was just a shock. I wasn’t expecting to be followed.”

  Marie opened their door and came running out, hugging me when Evan finally let me go. “I’m so glad you got here safely. Let’s go inside.”

  She made us sweet tea while I told her and Evan about the car and why I thought it was following me. Sonny arrived as we were leaving the kitchen. He burst in looking ready to arrest someone. “What the fuck happened? I just got off the phone with Beau, who told me all about Ken and Stan showing up at the diner, and now Sadie’s been followed?”

  Marie grimaced and thrust a cup of tea at him. “Here, drink this. You also need to calm down.”

  He muttered about being calm once he knew what was happening but took the tea from Marie anyway and blew on its surface as we went into the living room. Evan’s touch didn’t leave me. His hand stayed in mine on the way in. While Marie was making tea and sitting down in the living room, he tugged me right into his side and draped his arm over my shoulders. I cuddled into him, letting the feel of his presence calm my nerves.

  I quickly explained to Sonny what I’d told Evan and Marie about the car following me. He exchanged a worried glance with Evan. “These guys are ramping up this game they’re playing with us. They’re getting tired of waiting.”

  Evan nodded, his light green eyes narrowed and dark with worry. “Ken said the only way they’ll leave us alone is if we give them the money.”

  Marie ruffled her hand through her hair and stood up. “While you guys try to figure this out, I’ll get the kids from school. Sadie, if you’ll phone ahead and let them know I’ll be collecting Emery today, you can stay and deal with this.”

  “Thank you.” An immense sense of gratitude toward Marie traveled through me. Lori helped as much as she could, but having another mom around with a child the same age was a privilege I hadn’t had before. “I’ll call them immediately.”

  “Wonderful.” She smiled, twisting her hair into a bun and tying it with an elastic band she had around her wrist. “I’ll be back. Also, I told Jeremy you’re all here. He’ll be home soon. Before I go, I have a quick question. Are we sure the person who followed Sadie is even one of those guys threatening you? It seems likely, but…”

  Marie had gone through hell with her ex. I knew that was where her thoughts were even if I didn’t know her all that well. In her mind, there could be another threat out there.

  Sonny’s brows pushed together. “It could be someone else, but I don’t think so. It’s all too coincidental. If there was a way for us to know for sure, that would’ve been great but—”

  A light bulb went off in my head. “There is a way for us to know. I caught the plates. I didn’t even think about it until now.”

  “You memorized the plates?” he asked, jumping up from the couch excitedly with his phone in his hand. I nodded. “Let me run them. Give me a minute.”

  Sonny fired off the letters and numbers I gave him, pacing impatiently as he waited for someone to confirm. Evan was tense beside me, his eyes fixed on Sonny while he made circles on my shoulder with his thumb.

  Jeremy came home as Sonny ended his call. “It’s confirmed. The vehicle that was following you belongs to Stan Rickman.”

  The expression around the room varied. Evan looked murderous. Sonny looked determined but excited, while Jeremy looked resigned. He greeted everyone and then plopped onto one of the other couches. “Is anyone else hungry?”

  Evan shot him a look, but he shrugged it off. “The kids are going to be hungry when they get here, and personally, I’m starving. There’s nothing else we can do tonight on the case, so we might as well think about dinner. Would you guys like to stay? I’m feeling pizza.”

  “I’m definitely in for pizza.” Sonny grinned, lifting his phone to his ear again. “I’m telling Niki to meet me here.”

  “Cool,” Jeremy said. He walked into the kitchen and came back with a stack of menus. It was my first time being part of an impromptu family dinner—a routine event for many families but for me, it was big. I savored the easy comfort of being with everyone.

  Marie got back with the kids before Jeremy ordered, and Niki arrived not long after. There were some debates about which pizzas to order before Jeremy gave in and ordered enough food for an army. Though part of my evening was stressful, I relaxed as time wore on. Everyone was so comfortable and easygoing, joking and ribbing each other.

  Emery and Austin were playing, getting along like a house on fire. Every now and then, one of them would shriek with laughter and Marie and I would smile, both grateful our kids had found a sense of belonging in this family. I knew I was thinking about that, anyway.

  As I watched the brothers tip their heads back and laugh, Niki and Marie joining in on the teasing, I reveled in having a family like them to turn to. They clearly all stuck together and took care of each other. It was something I’d never had, but which I very much liked.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Evan

  “I don’t understand why you’re being so laidback about this, Sonny.” I gripped the phone tightly in my hand and paced the floor in front of my desk. “It’s bigger than Dad fucking up. Sadie is in danger. This bastard is trailing her. Normal people don’t do that stuff.”

  “Hey, I’m aware, okay? I’m working on it. You have to trust me and le
t me do my job. If you don’t, then you’re going to make things worse. You losing your cool and whooping this guy’s ass isn’t going to help. Take a deep breath, and let me have some time. We ran the plates, we’re digging, and I promise you that I’ll get him for something, okay?” My brother sounded cool, calm, collected.

  How, I wasn’t sure.

  “Got it. Call me when you have some news.”

  “You know it,” Sonny replied.

  I let out a long sigh and hung up the phone. The paperwork on my desk was piling up, and I could barely focus on it. I had too much drama in my life to keep my eyes locked on a page full of numbers or my mind trained on searching for pennies to balance this account or that.

  I needed to chill out. Nothing I could do or say would help me figure things out with Stan. As messed up as it was, Ken had a point, if my father had stolen money from him. I’d be pissed as hell too, and I’d most likely try and get it back, but threatening a single mom and, in effect, her kid? Fucking bullshit.

  That was jacked on all levels.

  Especially since she was mine. Heat rolled through me, and I forced myself to set the phone down instead of flinging it against the wall.

  Phoenix stuck his head into my office. “Hey, someone’s here to see you.”

  Just seeing him helped me chill out a little. Gratitude for him being there worked to wash away the anger building in my stomach. The emotions were short lived as I walked out of my office and turned the corner.

  Stan stood in the main part of the garage, his hands tucked into his jeans. A weaselly smile spread across his thin face as he turned toward me.

  “You don’t look so happy to see me.”

  “You’re lucky I haven’t already whooped your ass.” I rolled my shoulders and moved closer. The itch to pound the smarmy bastard into the ground was threatening to override my better judgement.

  He lifted his hands and smiled. “Well, then my visit isn’t going to make it any easier to keep your restraint.”

  “Evan?” Phoenix walked out from the other side of the garage. “Everything all right, man?”

  I stiffened. I didn’t want Phoenix to get wrapped up in any of the shit Sadie and I were dealing with. My father’s ghosts had messed up enough. No reason to keep dragging people I cared about further into it.

  I forced myself to breathe and nod. “All good. Just need a minute alone.”

  Phoenix studied me, the funny guy not missing much. “All right, I’m just in the other room if you need me.”

  I winked. “Thanks, man.”

  “I won’t keep you, but you have to understand the gravity of the situation,” Stan said the moment Phoenix was out of earshot. He lifted an eyebrow, as if we were going to have a sophisticated, intellectual conversation. It was comical. “How would you respond if someone stole money from you, and you knew that his family was hiding it?”

  “What the fuck do you want, Stan? I don’t know where the money is, or I’d give it to you.”

  He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I’m not sure I believe that.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t give a shit what you believe. Get out.”

  “Look, if we don’t get the money back soon, I’ll take things to another level to get it from your father’s fingers. Don’t make me do that.” He took a few steps back and patted what looked like the outline of a gun on the side of his hip.

  “You’re not going to do anything.” I started toward him, but he turned and walked out, flipping me off in the process. Was the guy just smoke? Something told me no.

  “He gone?” Phoenix moved up beside me, and we watched the asshole leave.

  “Yeah.” I ran my fingers through my hair.

  “You ready to talk about it?”

  Tension radiated through my shoulders and neck, but I snorted a laugh. “You going to charge me counseling fees?”

  He scratched his head. “That’s an idea there. I should have done that years ago.”

  “You’d be a rich man for sure.” I turned and walked back toward my office, stopping at the sound of my friend’s voice.

  “Evan, you know that the sins of the father aren’t the sins of the son, right? Don’t beat yourself up and fight for something that you didn’t start. It’s not healthy.”

  Part of me wanted to snap. Like the big oaf knew the depths of my situation, of my pain over all my father had done. But he didn’t. He was just trying to help.

  “I know,” I muttered and walked back to my office. After dropping down in my seat, I closed my eyes and leaned back. It was going to be a long day, and it hadn’t started off on the right foot. Was there any way to right it?

  Seeing Sadie would help.

  I took a few minutes to calm down and then bounded out of my chair. Finishing her car would put a smile on her pretty face, and that would help pull me back from the brink of snapping.

  Ken and Stan were messing with the wrong man, not the wrong family. They had the last name right, but I wasn’t like Sonny. The time for being political and diplomatic was almost over.

  It was about to be ass-whooping time, and that was my specialty.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sadie

  “It’s been driving better?” Evan asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. The feel of his gaze on me—dark and intent—sent my pulse spiking. How he did that without even trying was beyond me.

  “Yeah.” I smiled and finished making Emery’s lunch. “I keep waiting to hear a sound or to smell something burning, but it’s been good. You’re a genius.”

  He chuckled and walked over behind me, sliding his strong hands around my waist and pressing himself against my back. “No, I’m just good with my hands.”

  I swatted his hands away from my sides as he ran them up toward my breasts. “Stop. Emery will see you.”

  As if Sadie’s words had summoner her, Emery bounded into the kitchen and smiled up at both of us. “I’m excited. And nervous. But excited. And a little nervous.”

  Evan laughed heartily and knelt in front of her, running his hands over her shoulders. “You forgot a few things.”

  “What’s that?” Her nose wrinkled up as she watched him intently.

  “You’re smart, you’re nice, and you’re beautiful.”

  I smiled. He was going to be so good for us, if we could hold things together. With all the madness swirling around us, it felt like the next moment could be our undoing.

  “She is going to be the smartest, prettiest girl in the whole school.” I handed her the pink pony lunchbox she had picked out. “Here you go. Carrots, celery and…” I couldn’t think of something else she might hate.

  “Liver and onions,” Evan added with a wink as he straightened.

  “Eww! Are you kidding me?!” Emery walked over to the kitchen table, her backpack dwarfing her small body. After putting the lunch box on it, she opened it and let out a squeak. “Pudding, Cheetos, and a chocolate kiss! This is the best.”

  Evan spoke up. “I packed it.”

  I popped him in the stomach. “All right, let’s get going, or we’re going to be late.”

  “You want me to take you girls today?” Evan offered.

  “Yes!” Emery yelled.

  “No,” I responded and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Have a great day. We’ll see you in a little while.”

  “All right, fine.” He pretended to pout before scooping Emery up and tickling her all the way to the door.

  She squealed with laughter. “You’re messing up my hair!”

  “It was already messed up, bed head.” He put her down, smoothing his hand over her hair, and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Have a great day.”

  “You too.” She turned and walked to the car, fiddling with her hair the whole way.

  “Call me.” He pulled me close and kissed me a few times in quick succession.

  My heart swelled in my chest. This was what love was all about. It was almost too much. “Only if you’re lucky.”

  He lau
ghed and closed the door behind us as we made our trek to the car.

  We were almost to Emery’s school when she spoke up, her words jumbled between bites of a morning granola bar. “I really like Evan.”

  I smiled. “I know. You tell me that all the time.”

  “Well, it’s true.” She shrugged. “And you should like him too.”

  “I told you I like him. We’re staying at his place.”

  “Forever?” She watched me in the rearview as I pulled up to the school. Saved by the bell, thankfully.

  “I don’t know, sweetheart. It’s something we’ll have to figure out. Together.” I blew her a kiss in the mirror. “I love you. Have a great day today, okay?”

  Her eyes grew wide. “You’re not walking me in?”

  “I can. I thought you didn’t want me to.” I lifted an eyebrow and pulled out of the drop-off line. “Let me park, and I’ll walk you in.”

  She let out a long sigh of relief. “Good. I thought I wanted to be dropped off, but now, I’m not so sure.”

  Watching her grow up was my greatest joy and my hardest struggle. It was happening way too fast.

  After parking, I walked her through the hallway toward her kindergarten class. Crazy to think the summer was over. She walked independently beside me for the first few steps but quickly reached out and clung to my hand.

  I played it casual and tried to hide the smile on my face.

  “All right. Here we are.” I stopped at the door. “Want me to—”

  “Take me to my chair, Mom.” Her voice was robotic and her eyes wide.

  A chuckle bubbled up out of me. “Got it.”

  I moved us across the room and stopped in front of the young, cute teacher who greeted us with a welcoming smile.

  “Hi, there. This is Emery.” I glanced down at my daughter. “I think she’s in your class this year.”