Liar's Fire: A Cooper Brothers Novel

by Dee Burks

  Serena barely remembered the drive to work, formulating her daily to-do list in her mind. The newspaper hummed with activity as she arrived, dragging her into its whirlwind of daily crises. Frank had already shifted some of his meetings and critical functions off to her. This morning she hadn’t had time to sit down for five minutes, when Nolea poked her head into Serena’s office.

  “You up for lunch?”

  “Lunch?” Serena glanced at the clock on her desk. “Oh God. It’s noon already.” Weariness pressed in on her shoulders. “I still have to write the next “Lone Star Love Affair” by two to get it into tomorrow’s edition.” She glanced down at the notes she’d made. It would certainly be easy to write after last night, when the whole thing turned from fantasy to reality in the space of a few short hours.

  “No rest for the weary, but you still have to eat.” Nolea shrugged off the mountains of paperwork on Serena’s desk.

  “Eating’s become a luxury these days. How did Uncle Frank get all this done?”

  “He had a staff, and so do you. Stop being so anal and delegate already.” Nolea dug through her purse for her sunglasses.

  Delegate. Serena had already encountered some resistance to her new position. She knew a few staff members felt she didn’t deserve the job of editor-in-chief, even though she’d been in the newspaper business for more than a decade. It was still viewed as her uncle giving her the job rather than her earning it. Hopefully, they would adjust to the idea of her being the boss, and so would she. But the paper still had to go out on time, every single day. No excuses.

  “Come on.” Nolea took Serena’s arm and dragged her along. “You need a break.”

  Serena grabbed her purse and followed Nolea down the street to Jorge’s Cantina. Many of the newspaper staffers frequented Jorge’s for lunch. It was close, fast, and served topnotch food. They settled into a booth in the back corner away from any interested listeners.

  Ricky, Jorge’s son, waited tables for the noon crowd. Recognizing Serena and Nolea, he hurried over with a big smile. “The usual, ladies?”

  They nodded.

  “Two taco specials,” he wrote on his order pad as he talked, “light on the guacamole, heavy on the sour cream.” He disappeared and returned with iced tea and a basket of fresh tortilla chips.

  Nolea dipped one in salsa and munched. “So what’s up with the live in?”

  “Which one? Tyler or my mother?”

  “Your mother showed up?”

  “Yes, and it turned into a whole thing.” Serena huffed.

  “What kind of thing?”

  “A circus. A huge dysfunctional circus.”

  Nolea’s perfectly sculpted brows rose an inch.

  “She started in on the living arrangements, and somehow Tyler ended up staying with me last night.” Silence lingered a minute between the women.

  “Staying with you? Did you sleep with him?”

  “Yes, we were in the same bed.”

  “No, did you sleep with him?”

  Serena shrugged.

  “You did.” Nolea gave a disappointed frown.

  “So what? I needed it, and so did he. What’s wrong with that?” Her cheeks warmed. “It’s not like you haven’t ever had a little fling.”

  Nolea leaned forward. “This isn’t a fling. You don’t fling. I fling, on occasion, but you don’t.” She shook her head. “We talked about this. You said he wasn’t your type.”

  “He isn’t.”

  “You said he didn’t have any of the qualities you look for in a guy.”

  “He doesn’t.”

  “You said New York was what you’d always wanted,” Nolea insisted.

  “It is.”

  “Then why are you letting yourself fall for this guy?”

  “I’m not.”

  “You’re lying to yourself, Serena, and you know it. This can’t and won’t work, but you’re trying to convince yourself it might.”

  Serena nibbled another chip. “Why are you trying so hard to convince me it won’t?” Nolea had been her best friend for years, and in all that time she’d never been so determined to break up a relationship. Could she be jealous? Serena immediately tossed out that idea. Jealous of what? Tyler had numerous strikes against him as Nolea had just pointed out, but he also had some fabulous qualities that her friend knew nothing about. Was Nolea convinced that she had no sense at all when it came to men? That irritated Serena. She was a grown woman, after all, not some teenager in the throws of puppy love.

  Steaming plates of tacos, refried beans, and rice were set before them. Nolea jabbed the rice with her fork. “I don’t want to see you give up your dream for some loser.”

  “Tyler isn’t a loser. Haven’t you ever wanted to jump in and see if things might work?”

  “Yes. And I have. Jumped in and jumped right back out. It was a disaster every time. I was even stupid enough to marry a few of them.”

  “Then you understand.”

  “I understand that I gave up what I wanted. I understand that instead of being sales manager at a large market newspaper, I’m a little account executive in Podunk Holler. I understand your heart will reach for a dream that reality will stomp on.”

  They ate in silence a few minutes as Serena tried to gather her thoughts to explain her feelings for Tyler. Only she wasn’t sure exactly what they were. Last night they had moved way past friends. But exchanging “I love you” seemed a long ways off too.

  Nolea pushed away her plate. “Look, I’m trying to save you from making the same mistakes I did and giving up your dream for a man that is everything you don’t want.”

  Serena’s back stiffened. “What if he is everything I want? What if he’s the guy I’ve been waiting for my whole life? What if I want to sail off into the sunset with Tyler and damn the consequences?” Oh my god. Serena took a deep breath. Did she mean what she just said? She wasn’t sure, but the idea had tumbled out of her mouth so easily it scared her to death. “Why should you care anyway?”

  Nolea softened. “Because you’re my friend. Because I’ve traveled this same road. Because this guy’s the Titanic and no matter how great you convince yourself he is, the ship’s still going down.”

  Chapter 24

  Tyler pushed the sheet and comforter off his body. The house had been quiet for more than an hour, but he’d lain in Serena’s bed catnapping, half-remembering, half-dreaming of the night before. He smiled. There was no way he’d ever get his fill of making love to Serena. His body responded to the mere thought of her full breasts pressing into his chest. He still hadn’t figured it all out, her past hurts, her dreams, her fears, but every discovery added to the delicious mystery. All no nonsense on the outside, she had a soft inner core that drew him in like a whirlpool and refused to let go. Rolling over, he buried his face in her pillow. Her scent still lingered teasing his imagination.

  Tyler raised his head and glanced at the clock. He needed to be at the restaurant by 10 to meet the delivery truck. Reluctantly, he dragged himself out of bed, showered and dressed.

  All was quiet as he hurried to the kitchen. Arlene sat at the table rearranging the stacks of invoices. What did she think she was doing going through his records? Irritated at her forwardness, he cleared his throat.

  She smiled at him over her halfglasses. “Good morning, Tyler. I made some pancakes, if you’re hungry.”

  “Thanks.” He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of orange juice and waited to see if she offered an explanation. She didn’t. “Serena and I are planning to get to those tonight, Arlene. You don’t have to bother with them.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind. Macy’s treatment isn’t until two this afternoon so I have some time.” She moved several papers into another stack. “You have them sorted by date instead of company.”

  “Serena asked me to do it that way.”

  “Oh, no. That will never work. You have to arrange them by company and then by date to see who is paid and who isn’t. I did the books for the
church for years, and it could be a real mess sometimes.”

  Tyler knew he should be annoyed by Arlene’s insinuation that they had no clue what they were doing but instead squashed a smile. No wonder the two women never got along. There’s no two right ways to do anything and no convincing either one to give an inch. He leaned back against the counter and watched her as he drank his juice.

  She seemed like a nice lady. A little bossy maybe and a tad on the nosy side but determined and unafraid if the plunger incident was any gauge. In other words, like Serena. He remembered his conversation with Serena and the hurt she’d encountered after her father’s death. Arlene didn’t seem like the type to abandon Serena, but apparently she had. “Why did you come here?”

  Arlene put down an invoice and looked up at him. “Macy’s cancer treatments. Not that Frank isn’t great, but he has a lot of responsibilities, and she needs someone to hold her hand on occasion and tell her everything is okay.”

  “No, I mean why are you here?” He motioned to Serena’s house. He knew for a fact it would have been easier for her to stay with her sister rather than inconvenience Serena.

  Arlene laid her reading glasses on a pile of invoices and gave him a small smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard some awful things about me and my daughter.”

  He nodded.

  “I hoped things would be different this time, but,” she shook her head, “since she went to live with Macy, I’ve kept my distance, hoping she would make the first move and we’d come to an understanding at some point. But it hasn’t happened. Not in all these years.”

  “So you thought you’d help things along?”

  Arlene smiled. “It’s pretty obvious I guess. But I’ve run out of ideas of how to get my daughter to have a relationship with me, and I’m tired of waiting.”

  “She’s still angry.”

  “That’s my fault. It was horrible, the tension between Serena and my second husband. I thought I was giving her a better life by marrying him. I couldn’t support us, and her father’s life insurance barely covered the funeral and hospital bills. I was about to lose the house, everything we’d struggled so hard for, and I didn’t see any other option.” Arlene shook her head. “Turned out to be a big mistake.”

  “Did you ever tell her that?”

  “No. She was so upset after her father died, she wouldn’t listen to anything, and I was at my wits end worrying where she was and what she was doing all the time.”

  “The two of you should sit down and talk.”

  “Have you ever tried to make Serena do anything she doesn’t want to?”

  He grinned. “No.”

  “Good, because you would have failed miserably like I have. She’s stubborn and hardheaded, but so am I, and I’m not giving up.”

  “Good for you.” He set the glass in the sink and glanced out at Shadow lying on the deck in the morning sun. The dog had adapted to their new home remarkably well in the past few weeks. And so had he.

  “Are you off to work?” Arlene’s glasses were once again perched on her nose.

  He nodded. “I appreciate you helping with all this paperwork.”

  “You’re welcome. You know, you might want to order copies of all your checks from the bank.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Just a precaution. Some of these things look like they may have been paid twice, and some not at all.”

  “Will do.”

  Tyler stopped by the bank and requested the copies on his way to work. He had seen the financial side of his business as a waste of his time this past year, but now he was determined to fix the mess and make JT’s something to be proud of. He wanted to belong with Serena and not feel embarrassed by his lack of success.

  He’d taken the restaurant for granted this past year, but the idea of losing the place or having to sell stabbed at his soul. This dream had been his from the beginning, and now he’d make it work no matter what obstacles lay in his path. Tyler had never cared before if anyone thought him successful. Until Serena. Until last night.

  The truck driver waited as Tyler pulled up and unlocked the restaurant door. Tony arrived shortly after the first stack of boxes was wheeled into the kitchen.

  “We get everything this time?”

  Tyler glanced up from the lengthy invoice. “Looks like it.”

  “Good. I was afraid we’d have to start shooting squirrels if they shorted us on chicken again.” Tony stared out the back door. “Jake’s back.”

  Tyler leaned around the boxes and glanced into the alley. No one had seen Jake for days. They had all speculated on what might have happened to the old guy. He’d shown up several times a week ever since they opened, until last week. Tyler motioned to Tony. “Can you get me a couple of sandwiches and some potato salad?”

  Tony nodded. “Jake loves the potato salad.”

  Tyler stood by the truck waiting for the old man to make his way to them. Jake looked up, saw Tyler, and hesitated.

  “Hey, Jake.” Tyler moved toward him and the man took a step back. Jake had never been scared of him before. “We’ve been wondering where you’ve been lately.”

  “I’m just passin’ through, wasn’t gonna bother you none.” Jake’s voice was a horse whisper.

  Tony hurried over to them and held out the bag of food.

  The old man shook his head and stepped back again. “I can’t take that from you.”

  “Why not?” The men asked in unison.

  “The new owner said he’d have me arrested if I came around anymore.” Jake’s hands shook. “I don’t want no trouble.”

  “What new owner?” Tyler took the food from Tony and stepped closer to Jake.

  The old man glanced around as if waiting for the devil himself to hop out from behind the dumpster. “The guy in the suit with that real pretty lady. Said they was the new owners and I’d better skedaddle if I knew what was good for me.”

  Tyler clenched his teeth. So now Krista’s lawyer boy was pretending to own the place too and threatening someone as harmless as Jake? He laid a hand on the man’s shoulder feeling sharp bone barely covered by skin. “I’m still the owner, Jake. You’re welcome here anytime.” He looked into the man’s eyes. “I mean that. If anyone tells you any different you let me know, okay?” Tyler handed the bag to the man.

  He took it and nodded. “I sure do thank ya, Ty.” He grinned. “That soup down at the shelter don’t hold a candle to your barbecue and tater salad.” Tyler watched Jake hobble to the street and disappear around the side of the building.

  “Can you believe that?” Tony sidled up to Tyler.

  “It’s time to put a stop to this right now.” Tyler marched toward the back door.

  Tony laughed. “If we’re whoopin’ ass, count me in.”

  Tyler jumped into lunch preparations with a vengeance, trying to keep his temper in check. The rest of the staff arrived one by one. No matter what Jeff had said, he couldn’t tolerate Krista for one more second. Not to mention her boyfriend. What kind of cruel bastard would run off someone like Jake?

  If Krista kept to her usual schedule she’d show up right as the lunch rush went into overdrive. She loved to flit around the dining room, putting on a big show as “owner” and generally making a damn nuisance of herself. Somehow he had to get a grip on his emotions and bide his time until most of the customers left. Then he’d confront her.

  As people streamed in the front door, Tyler concentrated on cooking and filling orders. Sure enough, Krista made her grand entrance right in the middle of the mayhem that was lunch at JT’s. Tyler heard her chilly laughter long before she made an appearance in the kitchen. He saw her scoot by the prep tables so as not to get a drop of barbecue sauce on her designer jeans or pink leather jacket.

  She gave him her best smile. “Don’t forget that Jackie Landess will be here this afternoon.”

  “Who?” The name rang a bell, but he really didn’t give a damn right now. “You and I need to talk as soon as lunch is over.”

 
; She ignored him. “You know who she is. That reporter who wanted to do a story on us.”

  “Us?” His head pounded like a jackhammer. He growled, “There is no us. In fact there was never an us. There was you and that’s it.” The pentup anger he’d had toward this woman for the past year rolled out unhindered. “And it’s over, you hear me?” He shouted.

  She looked annoyed but otherwise ignored his tirade like he was a gnat she could flick off her hand. “Not that us, the restaurant us. She’ll be here at one.” Krista looked him over and wrinkled her nose. “You should think about cleaning yourself up before she gets here.”

  Tyler turned to the grill and tossed on two more hamburgers. If he spent one more second looking at her face, he knew he’d smack her with his spatula. Later, he promised himself, later.

  Seventy-five sandwiches and 12 steaks later, Tyler glanced at the clock. One fifteen. What had Krista said? The reporter would be here at one?

  A cold chill passed through him as he thought about Krista talking to the woman alone. He had no idea why this reporter had a sudden interest in his business but was determined to find out. It smelled like some kind of ploy by Krista’s lawyer, and if that were the case, he’d stop it right now. Jerking off his apron, Tyler rushed into the dining room and paused.

  Krista sat in a booth, in the far corner with a dark-haired woman he assumed to be the reporter. They chatted and laughed like old friends. Were they?

  Someone walked up and stood next to him at the counter. Anger rolled toward him like a silent storm. Turning, he looked straight into Nolea’s glare.

  “So what’s up with Jackie, Tyler? And who’s the blonde?”

  “Nothing.” Tyler shifted his focus from Nolea back to Krista. “And nobody.”

  Nolea narrowed her eyes. “Right.”

  Will slipped out of the booth behind the women and walked across the dining room to them. He sneered at Tyler with disgust. “She’s asking all kinds of questions about him.” He nodded in Tyler’s direction. “Apparently he and Barbi both own this place and are a hot item.”