by Kennedy Fox
After grabbing a beer, I sit on the couch with Sassy, turn on the TV, and flip through the channels. Some survival show where the contestants run around naked catches my attention, and I’m oddly intrigued. Eventually, the timer goes off, and minutes later, Everleigh walks through the door, grinning as she smells the food. We load up our plates and settle in to eat in the living room.
“This is so good,” she says around a mouthful. “I only had time to eat a shitty protein bar for lunch, so I was starving. After I posted those pictures of Katie and Gemma, I sold out of those outfits in nearly three hours and had to order more before I left.” The bracelets on her wrist jingle as she brushes her hair out of her eyes, and though she’s smiling, she looks exhausted.
“That’s great. Just wait until you post the others. Bet you sell out every time.”
“I hope so! This summer is gonna be insane. Sure you don’t need a second job on the weekends?” She waggles her brows. “Put your height to good use and help me out around the shop?”
I nearly choke on my food and snort. “Yeah, right. From prison to chic.”
Her eyes widen as if I just gave her the best idea ever.
“No,” I say firmly before she can say another word about it.
“Come on, Tyler. You’d be the perfect eye candy.” She leans over and rolls up my sleeve, then squeezes my sore biceps. “I could dress you up like I did when we were kids, and you’d be a nice attraction piece for all the single ladies.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re too much. You can’t use your psychology techniques on me to get what you want like you do your friends.”
“Fine.” With a scoff, she goes back to her food.
“While I appreciate you wanting to hire me, I think man candy is the last thing you need in your boutique. I tend to make ladies uncomfortable,” I remind her.
She lifts an eyebrow. “Speaking of that…”
“Don’t wanna talk about it.”
She doesn’t continue with whatever relationship advice she was going to give me, so I focus on the TV as we finish eating. Once she’s cleaned her plate, I carry them into the kitchen, and after I rinse them, I put them in the dishwasher. When I’m done, I realize I left my phone in my gym shorts and go to grab it. I see three missed calls from a Las Vegas area code, which is alarming, and then I notice there’s a voicemail too.
I check it as my heart hammers in my chest. Whatever it is can’t be good.
“Hey, Tyler. It’s Eric. We used to work for Victoria O’Leary together. I need to talk to you as soon as possible.” He lingers, then lets out a breath. “It’s important.”
The message ends, and I play it again. There’s an edginess in his voice, and the confident air he used to have is gone. Eric was an asshole, and I couldn’t stand him. I stuff my phone in my pocket, my head spinning with reasons as to why he’d be calling me. However, it doesn’t matter because my mind is already made.
I’m not calling him back. Fuck that, and fuck him. I don’t want to be a part of whatever he’s gotten himself into. I bury the thoughts and go back to the living room.
“What’s wrong?” Everleigh asks, muting the TV.
I shake my head. “It’s nothing.”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Nah. What were we talking about before?” I can’t remember because the only thing that’s in my head right now is Eric’s alarming voice. Whatever he wants feels like a trap, and I don’t want anything to do with the family ever again.
“Gemma,” she says. “We were talking about Gemma.”
I chuckle. “No, we weren’t.”
I’d actually remember that.
“Well, I was going to talk about Gemma. You said women act uncomfortable around you, so I just thought I’d ask how things are at the shop with you two working together.”
Sucking in a deep breath, I grin. “She pretends I’m not there, so it’s going as expected.”
“Not surprising. What about Jerry? I’m sure he’s happy you’re there.”
“He’s a good boss. Doesn’t micromanage. Gives me tasks and lets me figure it out without hovering. It’s a godsend of a position in this godforsaken town.” I throw her a wink.
“If it doesn’t work out, you can always come work for me,” she sing-songs.
I roll my eyes. “Shut up and keep dreamin’.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
“But seriously, it’s nice to feel like I have a purpose again and something else to focus on.”
“Any more surprise visits from Gemma’s fiancé?” Everleigh asks, and I stiffen. Though the blood seems to move quicker through my veins, I keep my breath steady, not wanting her to notice the slightest change in my behavior. I overcompensate and put my feet up on the coffee table as if I’m uninterested.
“Nope.” I shrug, keeping my opinions about the guy to myself because they wouldn’t be very nice.
“I only ask because Gemma mentioned you two met at the garage the other day.”
“Yep,” I confirm.
“Between you and me, I don’t think Gemma’s ready to marry the guy. She’s my best friend, so I’ll support her no matter what, but I’m wondering if she’ll go through with it or not.”
Stay. Calm. “Wow, that’s pretty bad, Ev,” I say, keeping my eyes on the TV.
“I know, I know, but seriously! They’ve been engaged for eighteen months and just recently set a date. If you’re madly in love with someone, you don’t wait that long unless there’s a good reason—like a death in the family, or someone’s sick, or you’re saving up money—and those are definitely not the reasons.” My throat tightens as she rambles on. I feel bad talking about Gemma like this, but it seems my sister needs to vent to someone, so I let her continue. “She’s stalling. At first, I thought it was nerves, and some of it still might be, but there are other issues now.” Everleigh drinks half the glass of wine she must’ve poured when I was in the bathroom. In about five minutes, she’s going to have loose lips and tell me everything I already suspected.
“Gemma’s a grown ass woman and can make her own decisions. Marriage used to be a big deal to her, so I doubt she’d jump into a relationship just to do it,” I tell her, though I’m not convinced either after meeting the guy.
Everleigh finishes her drink, then leans back against the couch and looks at me. I can feel her eyes peeling back my flesh as though she’s ready to open me up and dissect my thoughts.
“Do you still have feelings for her? Like you used to?” She narrows her eyes as if she already knows my answer.
“What’s it matter? Even if I do, it wouldn’t change anything. She’s planning a wedding, and I won’t ruin that. After fucking up her life enough already, I promised myself I’d stay away.”
Everleigh grins. “You didn’t say no.”
“I didn’t say yes, either,” I counter. “I’m Switzerland with my answer, completely neutral,” I say.
“Oh bullshit.” She scowls. “You’ve been an opinionated badass my whole life. You aren’t fooling me.”
“Nope, I mean it. She can marry the Prince of England for all I care, and I wouldn’t say a thing.”
Everleigh snorts. “That’s not dramatic at all. Plus, how would she meet a prince in small-town Alabama?”
“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one who watches all those Lifetime and Hallmark movies.”
She laughs with a nod, then her lips fall into a frown. “Well, I’m just frustrated with the whole thing, even more now that Gemma’s told me some more personal details.” I don’t want to know, but she continues before I can ask her to stop. “When a man is too tired to have sex with someone as hot as Gemma and throws her to the side like she’s some play toy, there’s an issue.”
Well, I didn’t expect that. What the fuck? So Robert’s old and unable to satisfy her?
“When a man tries to buy my best friend’s love instead of showing it, I know something’s wrong. What’s even more annoying is I can’t be
the one to save her. She has to save herself and admit he’s all wrong for her, but I feel like she’s already too tangled up with him. The whole town knows they’re engaged. She’d rather go through with the wedding than disappoint her father.”
“Well, then let her make that decision because she’s the one who has to live with it,” I say although I’m boiling inside. Gemma pretends everything is picture-perfect on the outside, but according to what she’s telling my sister, it’s all fake.
Everleigh shakes her head. “It’s not supposed to be like this for her, though.”
“There’s nothing you can do except be there for her and support whatever she decides,” I say firmly, though I’m screaming the exact opposite on the inside. I want to shake some goddamn sense into her and help her realize she doesn’t love him the way she once loved me. She’s jeopardizing her own happiness to make others happy.
“I will be,” she concedes. “I’m just frustrated and annoyed.”
“And drunk,” I add.
“Maybe a tad tipsy but not drunk yet,” she says with a hiccup, and I shake my head with a laugh. She shared more about Gemma with me than I think she was supposed to, but I’m glad she did. Though I want to stay out of it, I’m not so sure it’s possible anymore.
Sassy jumps on the couch and lays her head on my lap. “This is ridiculous. You go from wanting to bite my legs off to claiming them as yours.”
“She likes you.” Everleigh reaches over and pets her head, then uses baby talk. “Because she’s such a good girl, yes she is, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, she’s precious,” I deadpan. “She scratches on the bedroom door until I let her in so she can sleep with me.”
“It seems like she’s training you just fine.” Everleigh bends down and kisses Sassy’s head. “Such a smart dog.”
“Har har. Now all I need to do is teach her to fetch me a beer from the fridge, and then she’ll be the perfect companion.”
“I wouldn’t bet your money on that.”
We continue watching TV until neither of us can stop yawning. I’ve been getting up early to work out, and if I’m frustrated in the afternoons, I go back for round two. Plus, being on my feet all day doing manual labor is exhausting.
“I think I’m gonna go to bed,” I tell her, standing and stretching my arms over my head.
Everleigh agrees with another yawn. “Same. Good night.”
I walk toward my room, but before I can open the door, Everleigh calls out my name. When I turn around, I see Sassy’s on my heels. “I’m glad you came back, brother. I’ve missed you a lot.”
“I missed you too,” I reply with a smile.
Once Sassy’s in my room, she jumps on my bed like it’s hers. Deciding I need to talk to Liam, I pull out my phone.
Tyler: Call me as soon as you can.
I climb under the covers and listen to the message again. Ten minutes later, my phone rings. “Hey.”
“Hi, man. What’s up?” Liam asks. “How’re things going?”
“I got a call from Eric.”
“From who?” he asks.
“Eric. The other bodyguard Victoria had hired to watch Maddie at the cabin with me,” I explain, keeping my voice low so Everleigh can’t overhear through the thin walls.
There’s a thick silence between us, and I can tell Liam is on the move. Probably walking somewhere else to give us more privacy so he doesn’t alarm Maddie. She’s incredibly observant, especially when you don’t want her to be. I think she and Everleigh would be good friends if they lived closer.
“What did he want?” Liam’s concerned voice finally comes through.
“Just said to call him back and that it’s important. I could definitely hear a tense edge in his voice, though. I don’t know, it just feels a bit too coincidental that he’s calling me shortly after I got released.”
“Yeah, sounds fishy as hell,” Liam agrees.
“That’s definitely my thought too. I don’t trust him, and it seems like a trap. I don’t even know how he got my goddamn number. I just want to forget it all, but then reminders like this pop up, and—” I shake my head, unable to finish.
“It’s behind you. You’re in Alabama moving on with your life. Don’t let one phone call deter that.”
I chuckle. “I feel like I’m living in the Groundhog Day movie. I go to the gym, then work for eight hours, maybe work out again after, and then go home. Shower, eat, watch TV, then go to sleep. Rinse, wash, repeat. I’m totally living the life.” My blatant sarcasm causes Liam to chuckle. “But at least I get to choose what I want to do every day, and I’m not behind bars, so I’m grateful for that. Guess it could be worse, right?”
“Exactly, which means anything that has to do with Victoria needs to just stay in Vegas, away from you and me. I don’t know what Eric wants, but whatever it is, nothing good will come of it.”
“I agree.” Eric and I definitely weren’t on good terms. Though I can’t help but wonder what he wants. Either way, I don’t want anything to do with that situation. I’ve already paid my price.
“Anyway. How’s Maddie doing?” I ask
“Miserable. Ready to push the baby out. Still craving weird-ass food. Yesterday was pickles and vanilla ice cream. I almost threw up.”
“That’s hilarious.” I laugh.
“Oh, after our talk last time, I rejoined the gym. Gotta take off the thirty pounds I put on during Maddie’s pregnancy,” he says with a chuckle. “Thought you’d be proud.”
“Yeah? That’s awesome, man. I could write you up some workouts and email them to you, if you want,” I offer.
“I was totally gonna ask but didn’t want to put more on your plate. But yeah, I’d like that,” Liam says. “It’s just not the same without you here pushing and yelling at me to stop being a pussy.”
His admission makes me chuckle. “I mean, put me on speakerphone while you’re there, and I’ll do just that for ya.”
“Thanks for the offer.” He snorts. “It still won’t be the same without ya.”
“Yeah, I miss you too, man.”
Liam laughs. “Now, don’t go getting all mushy on me.”
“Ha! Tell Maddie I asked about her.”
“I will. Take care of yourself, Tyler.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not gonna do anything stupid,” I tell him. After Liam and I end the call, I stare up at the ceiling with Sassy sleeping next to me.
If Eric has my number, then they know exactly where I am. I just want to be left alone. While I’ve never been one to run from my problems, if they show up here, they’ll be the ones who find trouble.
Chapter Ten
GEMMA
I wake up with the sun beaming on my face. It’ll be another hot day, but luckily, I won’t be in the office sweating my ass off. Daddy sometimes goes into the garage on Saturdays to catch up on maintenance, sign for special deliveries, or to clean, but I take the weekends off.
Turning, I notice Robert’s side of the bed is empty and the sheets are cool. He never sleeps in with me and is typically drinking coffee in his home office by the time I get up.
“Morning,” I say when I find him refilling his mug with coffee in the kitchen. He’s already showered and dressed while I’m in comfy shorts and a T-shirt. His black hair is combed, and he’s freshly shaved. Robert never stops working, and on a typical day, he wears slacks and a button-up shirt, or a suit if he has a business meeting. His motto is to dress for success because he never knows who he’ll meet that day. While I admire his drive, constantly having to be on my A game when we leave the house is exhausting. I’d love to just lounge around for an afternoon and watch old eighties movies, but he never has time for that.
“Good morning, darling.” He walks toward me and presses a kiss to my forehead. “How’d you sleep?” Robert takes a seat at the kitchen table, and I pour myself a cup of coffee and add creamer before sitting across from him.
“I slept fine. How about you?” I hold the warm mug in my hands.
“Great.” He smiles at me before grabbing the newspaper and giving it his full attention.
I normally sleep over at his house on the weekends, though I wish he’d stay at mine every once in a while. Although he insists I keep my things here, I don’t and still pack a bag. He’s almost become militant about me moving in, but I haven’t caved yet. I’m biding my time, which is quickly running out, because soon, we’ll be married.
“Did you eat breakfast yet?” I look around, noticing the counters are spotless.
“No, I was waiting for you.”
I blow on my coffee before taking a sip. “What are you hungry for?”
“Something light. I have a lunch meeting with Greg Klein at one. Eggs and toast would be great,” he says without looking up at me.
Biting into my lower lip, I swallow down the words that will inevitably start an argument. I wasn’t aware he had a work meeting scheduled, and I was hoping he’d spend the day with me, but I shouldn’t be surprised. He’ll do his thing, I’ll do mine, and then we’ll meet up for dinner like usual.
“Sure.” I move behind the large granite island, then grab a pan and the ingredients from the fridge. As I prepare our food, I contemplate texting Katie to see if she’s busy this afternoon. Everleigh’s working at the boutique until six, and while I could go visit her, Saturdays are the busiest, and I don’t want to get in the way.
Once Robert’s breakfast is done, I set his plate in front of him with a smile.
“Could you get me a glass of orange juice, darling?”
“Of course.”