“Great.” Reese kissed her once more then opened the door for her. “See you then.”
“Bye. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Lily waved as she strode down the sidewalk until Reese was out of sight. Fortunately, the short walk to the library helped her stomach tremendously. It hardly bothered her as she reached the library. She glanced around the town and sighed. Even though only one life was lost, there was so much devastation. It would take a long time for Braden to recover.
When Lily stepped inside the library, she found the workmen already sawing the large limbs into smaller logs to be hauled away. It was a challenge to stay out of their way and finally, she retreated to her office to clean up what damage happened in there. She was thankful nothing was broken. A few books and papers were scattered along the floor. She picked them up and put them back in their places then researched clockmakers to fix the old clock. Just as she finalized arrangements to have it repaired, her stomach growled. Lily sat back in her chair to think. Her nausea came and went all day. It would be good to take advantage of it being gone and right now, she was craving a hamburger and fries. She popped out of her seat, grabbed her purse, and headed for Buddy’s Bar.
The bar was quiet when Lily slipped inside. A couple of farmhands sat in the corner wolfing down a pizza each.
Buddy stood at the bar chopping up fruit for drinks on an old wood cutting board.
Jenny sat at another table carefully wrapping silverware into plain white napkins and securing them closed with a sticky napkin wrap. When she caught sight of Lily she bounced to her feet, rushed across the room and hugged her. “Hey there, cuz!”
Lily hugged her back. “Cuz?” she questioned.
“You might as well be my cousin. I am sure my stupid cousin will make you his wife soon. Even if I have to convince him to do so.”
Lily laughed. “I don’t know about that. But maybe you see something I don’t.” She looked over at Buddy. “Hi, Buddy.”
“Sorry, I’m not busting across the place to hug you, Lil. I just saw you this morning when I got home cuddled up on my couch with my roommate. Clothed thankfully. What brings you here?”
“I’m here for lunch. I’m in the mood for a burger and fries.”
Buddy motioned to the barstool across from him. “Have a seat. I’ll put your order in. Want a shot of Fireball while you wait?”
Something in Lily’s head violently objected. She shrugged. “Not this time. How about a Pepsi?”
“Sure thing.” Buddy wandered back to the kitchen for a few minutes.
Jenny picked up her work and joined Lily at the bar.
After watching Jenny roll a couple sets of silverware, she pitched in to help.
Lily pulled her wallet from her purse when Buddy returned. “How much do I owe you?”
“Put your money away, Lil. It isn’t good here,” Buddy insisted.
“What do you mean?”
Buddy picked up a lemon and started slicing it. “I agree with Jenny. You are Reese’s better half. In my mind, you might as well be his wife. I don’t charge him. I’m not charging you. Besides, you’re helping Jenny with her work.”
Lily smiled as she slipped her wallet into her purse. “Thank you.” She stared at the grim reaper tattoo that rippled on his bicep as he quartered the lemon. “That’s an incredible tattoo. The detail is amazing.”
He grinned at her. “Have you seen Reese’s?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful. It’s just not something I would expect on an MMA fighter.”
He frowned. “You don’t get what it means?”
“It has a meaning?”
Buddy nearly slammed the knife down on the cutting board. “How could you not have figured out its meaning?”
“I’m sorry. It’s a broken heart wrapped in a flower.”
“What kind of flower? Of all people you should know, Lily.”
“It’s a lily, smartass. A lily wrapped around a broken heart.”
“Broken heart. What’s the name on the back of that t-shirt you’re wearing?”
“Reese ‘the Heartbreaker’ Cooper.”
Buddy gave her a knowing look. “Not a broken heart. The heart stands for Heart Breaker.”
Lily stared at him puzzled as she thought about the tattoo, rolling the meaning over in her mind. Suddenly, it hit her. “His tattoo means us? Together?”
Buddy went back to chopping lemons. “He got it after his first pro fight, after he earned the nickname ‘The Heart Breaker’. To him, it’s always been Reese and Lily. He’d been so sure of it, he had it permanently etched into his skin.”
Lily felt her heart flutter. If she wasn’t already madly in love with Reese at this point she was now.
Buddy chuckled as he turned away and disappeared down the hallway to the kitchen. He returned moments later, setting the basket down in front of her.
The smell of the beef turned Lily’s stomach topsy-turvy. She picked up the burger and forced herself to take a bite. It didn’t help. She set the sandwich back into the basket.
“You don’t like my burger?” Buddy questioned.
“It’s not that. I haven’t felt good all day.” Lily popped a French fry in her mouth then smiled. For reasons she couldn’t understand, her belly was all right with the fry. She picked up a couple more and munched on them. She glanced up at Buddy. “I forgot to ask Reese what he was doing today.”
“This morning, he went to help clean up the remainder of Howard’s things. Then this afternoon, he’ll go to make arrangements for the funeral.”
“We’re meeting back here for supper.”
“Want me to wrap up your burger and put it in the refrigerator until then?”
“I can’t guarantee I’ll eat it.”
“It’s worth a shot. Finish your fries and I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.” Lily inhaled the rest of her fries then nudged the basket with the burger to Buddy.
With a nod, he scooped it up and took it to the back.
Lily waited for him to return to say goodbye, then gave Jenny a hug before she left.
She was happily surprised to find new front doors hung at the library when she returned. Once she stepped inside, she also found the workmen gone, along with the demolished bookcases. Piles of books that were once on the shelves took their place.
The only one inside was Elijah, once again stressing over what to do.
Lily grinned. This she could handle. She quickly caught the boy and directed him to his next task.
By late afternoon, all the books were put in boxes and stored in the basement. So few bookcases remained, she knew she would have to order more. Telling Elijah good night, she locked the new doors and hurried home to get ready. She slipped into a crème colored sundress with small mauve and cornflower blue rosebuds. She combed her long brown hair until in flowed around her shoulders. She slipped a pair of sandals on her feet. Taking one last glance at her image in the mirror, she closed her apartment door behind her and journeyed down the sidewalk back to Buddy’s Bar.
The place was crowded when she stepped inside. Music and laughter vibrated the walls. Lily glanced around looking for Reese. She sat in a seat at the only available table to wait.
“Hello, Miss Dixon.”
Lily turned around to find Lane, one of the farmhands who worked for Austin, Buddy’s cousin. He always stopped into the library to check out romance novels and flirt with her. She had to admit she flirted with him too. With his dark brown hair and deep blue eyes, he reminded her of Reese. But that was before Reese came home. Since then, she couldn’t remember when she last talked to him. When he had come in the past couple of weeks, she purposely hid in her office. She didn’t want him to think she was leading him on. She forced a smile on her face. “Hello, Lane.”
“I’ve never seen you in here.”
“That’s because I’ve just started coming here.”
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“Thank you but no. I’m
waiting for someone.”
“Molly won’t mind if I buy you a drink.”
“Not Molly. My boyfriend.”
Lane grinned at her. “You don’t have to wait any longer, baby. Here I am.”
“Lane—” Lily couldn’t get much more out before Lane tugged her to her feet, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. The taste of beer turned her stomach again. Her hand flew across his face before she fully realized she slapped him.
“What the hell, Lily?”
The fury in his eyes terrified her.
“Let her go.”
Lily’s heart seized in her chest at Reese’s voice. He stood behind them, his arms crossed over his broad chest. In his usual tight t-shirt and blue jeans, he looked powerful.
“Go away, Cooper. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Yeah, it does. You’re kissing the woman I love.”
“Too bad. She says she has a boyfriend.” Lane laughed.
“Yeah, dumbass. Me. Let her go.”
Lane dropped his hands from Lily then turned towards Reese, standing between them. “You? You’re not man enough for her.”
“I think we should let the lady decide that.”
“What do you think? You’re some kind of tough guy?” Lane shoved Reese, barely knocking him back an inch. “Just because you fight in a cage now, you’re a tough guy.”
“Lane, I can smell the alcohol on you. Just go back to your friends, all right?”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Lane swung at Reese nearly connecting with his chin.
Reese slipped away from the punch then delivered an uppercut of his own colliding with Lane’s nose.
Lane dropped to the floor clenching it as a thin stream of blood oozed between his fingers. “I think you broke it!” he cried, his voice muffled.
“Next time, do as I suggest. Now go. Get lost.”
Lane scrambled to his feet and scuttled across the bar to his friends still clutching his bloody nose.
Lily could see the worry on Reese’s face as he shot a look across the bar to Buddy. He didn’t want to anger his best friend by causing a fight in his bar.
Buddy shrugged and rolled his eyes, obviously not concerned.
Then they both laughed.
Reese sat in the chair across from her and took her hands in his. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s all right. Thank you for stepping in.”
“I’m not about to let another guy kiss my girl.” He stretched himself across the table and pressed his lips against hers. “Should we order? Do you want a burger?”
“Just fries. I tried a burger earlier. My stomach has felt funny all day.”
The worry returned to Reese’s face. “Are you all right?”
“I am I’m sure. Probably just a tummy bug.”
He squeezed her hand then stood to place their order.
Lily glanced around the bar. It seemed like every set of eyes were on them. If the news they were together wasn’t out before, it was out now. She smiled as Reese set a bubbling glass of light amber liquid in front of her. “I told Buddy your stomach was upset. He sent you over some ginger ale.”
“Oh, that was sweet of him.” Lily took as sip. She was amazed and grateful that Buddy was right.
Reese scooted his chair around the table to sit beside her.
She curled up in his arms as he pulled her close.
Despite the crowd, it didn’t take long for Buddy to bring out their food along with another beer for Reese and another ginger ale for Lily.
Reese dove into his burger like he hadn’t eaten for a week.
Lily picked at her fries, eating each and every one slowly.
Giving the waitress the money for their bill while Buddy wasn’t looking, Reese took Lily’s hand and led her quickly out the door. Both of them were laughing as they stepped out into the hot, humid summer night.
“Buddy won’t be happy,” Lily chided.
“Eh, he’ll live.” Reese winked at her. “Besides we were out for supper. It’s only right I paid. He’ll have to accept it. It’s guy code.”
Lily giggled as she took Reese’s hand in hers.
He tugged her to him and kissed her. “We can get the truck and go to Waterloo. I’m sure there’s some trouble to be had there.”
Lily wrapped her arms around his waist. “I think we should go home and cuddle.”
“Home?”
Lily’s smile faded. “I mean your house.”
“No. Call it home, please. Hearing you refer to the place you and I share as home is incredible. So…yeah. Let’s go home. Our home.”
Lily’s smile couldn’t get any bigger. She snuggled close to him as he held her tight. Together, they made their way down the maze of sidewalks until they reached home.
Chapter Thirteen
Reese rubbed the rag along on the bar, scrubbing a little harder at the sticky ring left from the beer mug he’d just taken back to the kitchen. He sighed as he stopped and looked around him. The dark green walls, the tables scattered across the grey cement floor, the thick scent of stale beer was only one thing to him now. Home.
It was the first time he was left in charge of the bar. Jenny was off for a few moments to get the Merryn made pretzel rolls from the Triple B Bakery. Buddy was off meeting his cousin, the lawyer, in Waterloo about the future of the bar. A content smile crossed Reese’s lips. In a matter of weeks, he would be the proud co-owner of Buddy’s Bar. He couldn’t wait to put pen to paper and make it official.
The past couple days had been chaos. Hardly anyone showed for his father’s memorial. It didn’t surprise Reese. Other than the women Howard slept with, not many people liked him. They saw him for what he was, an abusive alcoholic.
Lily stayed by Reese’s side through the whole thing, despite her father’s silent criticism and her ongoing upset stomach. When she gently smiled at him and held his hand as they buried Howard, he knew one thing—he was more than ready to close the chapter in his life that involved his dad and was more than ready to open the chapters that involved her. And those chapters would remain open and full of life until the day he died.
The glare of the summer sun preceded the sound of the door chime. Reese squinted to see the figure that stepped in. At first, all he could make out was the long legs balanced in a pair of stiletto heels.
The body they belonged to was clothed in a power suit with a skirt that ran a little too high to be professional. Then the woman stepped out of the light.
Reese felt a growl rumble in his throat. “Roxy,” he spat.
“What a surprise,” Roxy cooed as she tossed her blonde locks off her shoulder. “I just stopped in here to ask where I could find you and low and behold, here you are.”
“What do you want?” Reese demanded.
“I have exciting news. I have a fight for you.”
“Not interested.”
“How could you not be interested? You are the best fighter I’ve ever laid eyes on. You have been since I found you at the tender age of twenty.”
“Twenty-two. You found me at twenty-two. Do you have any idea how old I am now?”
“Baby, you’re a devastatingly sexy twenty-seven. Old enough to rock a woman’s world in the sack.”
“So, you have no concept of time,” Reese snarled. “Again, I’m not interested. Braden is where I belong.”
“What could possibly be here that you don’t have in Las Vegas?”
“The woman I love.”
The news actually stunned Roxy off her feet. Her heels wobbled as she stumbled, clearly shocked by his words. She took a second to straighten herself then met him with a cold, hard glare. “Love? You’re in love?”
“Yes. I have been with her, long before I left Braden. Now, I finally have her and I’m not letting her go. I’m going to buy into this bar that my best friend owns. I’m making my life here.”
“Well, baby, I have news for you. Did you forget something when you received your last purse and your last two sponso
r checks? What was that? Oh, yes. My cut. Either you come back with me and take this fight or I will sue you for everything you have. I will own this bar…your friend’s bar. And I will plow it to the ground.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Oh, yes I can, baby. I own you. Because of that, I own them too. Now, be a good boy and get your things. We’re going home, so you can start fight camp.”
Reese stared away at the wall, glaring at it to keep his temper in check. “Let me tell Lily goodbye.”
“Reese, my rental leaves in ten minutes. Our flight leaves Cedar Rapids in two hours. Make it quick.”
“I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.”
“Reese, baby, do you want to be the reason your precious Lily has no life? Are you really ready to destroy her? Because I will destroy her, baby. You know I can do it. I’ve done it before. Ten minutes.” Roxy stormed out into the Iowa sunshine.
Reese whipped his cell from his pocket. Searching for the library, he hit dial. He tapped his foot impatiently as it dialed.
“Braden public library,” a male voice greeted.
“I need to speak to Lily Dixon immediately.”
“Miss Dixon is not here today.”
Reese’s heart fell. That’s right. She’s visiting Adam this morning. Shit. “Thank you.” He ended the call the slammed his fist on the nearest table.
“What’s up with you, brat?”
Reese turned to find Jenny standing behind him, the bags of pretzel buns heaped on the bar.
He felt tears sting his eyes. “I’ve got to go,” he answered weakly.
“Where? Waterloo? Oelwein? Is it Buddy or Lily?”
Reese shook his head. “Vegas.”
“You’re going back?” Jenny screeched. “I thought you were staying. You weren’t going back!”
“I have to. I don’t have a choice.”
“Buddy is in Waterloo arranging it, so he can sell you half his bar. You’re walking away from that? What about Lily? What about your future with her?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I have no choice!”
Jenny fumed at him for a moment. “Are you fighting?”
Reese stared at her. “Yes.”
The Heartbreaker (Fighting the Odds Book 1) Page 16