Assault and Batter (2 page)

“Hey,” he said gruffly. He wasn’t a fan of the greeting, but what could he do? It was his name, after all. “Give me three glazed and a coffee to go.”

“What brings you back to town?” I asked him as I got him his order. I knew that he and his aunt had a tumultuous relationship. When his folks had died, Gabby had taken him in at sixteen. He’d left on his eighteenth birthday, but he still came back to April Springs on occasion.

“Are you kidding? There’s no place else I’d rather be,” he said, but his grin told me that he was up to something. “I heard a rumor that something was going to be happening here, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I wondered how Gabby felt about him just showing up?

After he got his change and his order, he left without another word. Trouble usually followed him around.

I hoped that this time things would be different, but I wasn’t counting on it.

“There she is, Little Miss Sunshine herself,” I heard an old familiar voice say as he walked in the door of Donut Hearts three minutes before we were supposed to close for the day. Why hadn’t I locked the doors when I’d had the chance?

“Hello, Peter.” At least there was a counter between us. Blast it all, he was even more handsome than he’d been the last time I’d seen him. If there were any justice in the world, his exterior would reflect his rotten interior, but no such luck.

“How about a kiss?” he asked loudly, causing my last three customers of the day to stare at me as though I’d suddenly sprouted horns.

“I’m not even sure that I want to shake your hand,” I said.

He laughed at my comment, though I hadn’t meant it to be a joke. “It’s good to know that some things don’t change. You still have that charming sense of humor of yours. What do you say the best man and the maid of honor spend a little time getting reacquainted?”

“I wouldn’t be interested even if I weren’t seeing a state trooper,” I said.

Peter smiled, but there wasn’t much warmth in it. “Is he stationed around here?”

“No, he’s a special investigator, so he goes wherever he’s needed.”

“Good for him,” Peter said, the relief obvious in his voice. Had he been serious about trying to strike something up with me? The man had to be madder than a hatter if he thought there was a chance of that happening. “Still, I hope you’ll save at least one dance for me at the reception.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” I said.

Emma came out of the back just then, and her gaze took Peter in immediately. She usually didn’t go for older men, and I wanted to make sure that she didn’t start now. “Hello,” she said tentatively.

“Suzanne, why on earth would you keep someone so beautiful in back? Is it so she doesn’t outshine the customers? They must all be drab and dull compared to her.”

Emma actually blushed at the lame compliment. “Thanks,” she said as she tucked a few errant strands of hair behind her ear.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us, Suzanne?” Peter asked, his attention never leaving Emma for a single moment.

“Emma, this is Peter. Peter, meet Emma.”

He reached for her hand, and then he started to actually kiss it. I stepped in between them at the last second, breaking Peter’s focus. “Emma, let’s start getting everything ready to close.”

“I’m on it,” she said, still looking back at Peter as she walked through the kitchen door.

I leaned over the counter after she was gone and said in a harsh whisper, “That girl is off limits. Do you understand me? She’s not just an employee; she’s a dear friend of mine. If you so much as glance in her direction again, I’ll make sure that you live to regret it.”

Perhaps I hadn’t spoken as softly as I’d meant to, because as I finished, Nancy Patton drew a loud breath and scurried out of the donut shop. Close on her heels were the other two remaining customers, strangers who happened to pick a bad day for a first-time visit.

“My goodness, why all of the open hostility, Suzanne?” Peter asked when we were alone.

“Do you even remember your wedding toast?” I asked him, trying my best to fight back my anger.

He hung his head low. “I’m truly sorry about that. It was disgraceful. I apologize. I lost control of myself that night.”

“Yes, you did,” I said. I needed to take a deep breath. After all, if I could forgive Max for cheating on me and ruining our marriage, why couldn’t I forgive Peter for toasting our send-off maliciously? “Let’s start over. Emily tells me that you’ve changed, and I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that she’s right, until you prove me wrong.” I stuck out my hand, and he took it.

“Thank you. I’ll try not to disappoint you.”

“I’d appreciate that,” I said. “But I meant what I said about Emma. She may look like a full-grown woman, but she’s still got some growing up to do, and she doesn’t need any help from you.”

“I’ll steer clear of her,” he said.

I could only hope that he was telling the truth.

Emma popped out of the kitchen, her apron now off and her makeup freshened. Apparently this was going to be harder than I thought. She said, “Peter, I’m getting off work, and if you’d like someone to show you around town, I’d be delighted to do it.”

He glanced quickly at me before he spoke, and then Peter said, “I appreciate the offer, Emma, but I’m afraid I’m going to be tied up. Besides, I’ve been here before, though it was a long time ago.”

Emma couldn’t hide her disappointment, and I felt a little guilty about it, but better to be a little hurt right now than devastated later. It probably wasn’t my place to interfere, but I hadn’t been able to help myself. Just when I thought that I’d actually been making progress in my quest to grow up myself, I managed to find a way to act otherwise. The funny thing was that I would have done exactly the same thing all over again, given the chance. I’d meant what I’d said. Emma was my friend, and if I could spare her some pain, I’d do it.

“That’s fine. I understand,” she said, and then she turned to me. “Everything’s taken care of in back. If you’d like, I can do the last two trays.”

“I’ve got it covered. Go on, take off,” I said with a smile.

“Thanks, Suzanne. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Emma nodded curtly to Peter, and then she left.

“You really do care about her, don’t you?” Peter asked me softly.

“I do. She and Emily are two of my very best friends, along with Grace and Trish, of course.”

“How is Grace these days?” he asked.

I didn’t have to warn him about paying too much attention to her. Grace would be able to handle him with no problem at all. In fact, I kind of hoped he made a play for her at the wedding. It would be a real pleasure watching her dismantle him right in front of me.

“She’s doing quite well, as a matter of fact,” I said.

“Married, I suppose,” Peter said.

“No.”

“Really?” he asked, a hint of interest slipping into his voice.

“Really and truly. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a business to close.”

Peter nodded as he looked around. “Max told me about this when you bought it. You’ve done quite well for yourself, haven’t you?”

“I’m happy,” I said, and I realized that now, more than ever, it was true. Sure, I would have loved having more customers, and seeing Jake stationed closer to April Springs would have been nice, but I liked living in my childhood home with my mother. We’d grown to be more than mother and daughter since I’d come to live with her after my disastrous divorce from Max. Actually, I should thank him at the wedding. If he hadn’t cheated on me, I never would have gotten to know my mother as a person and not just as an authority figure from my past, not that she still didn’t order me around now and then.

“That’s good to hear. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some plans of my own to make.”

“Don’t tell me that you’re involved in the wedding planning, too,” I said. Was I going to have to spend every bit of the next three days with him?

“No, I have a more important task than that. I’m in charge of the bachelor party again.” That grin resurfaced, and I wondered just how much the man had changed after all.

Only time would tell, and I was fresh out of that at the moment.

I was balancing my register when my cellphone rang. I nearly ignored it since I was going to be late as it was, but when I saw who was calling me, that didn’t seem to matter anymore.

“Jake, I miss you!” I said.

“Sorry I’ve been gone so much lately,” he said, his voice heavy with weariness. We’d been dating for a while now, and I could tell that something was weighing heavily upon him.

“Are you okay? How’s the case going?” He was working on a double homicide, a pair of newlyweds as a matter of fact. Someone had robbed them on their honeymoon, and then shot them as well. It was dark business, and I didn’t know how he stood it all of the time.

“It’s over. We caught the guy. Turns out that he went off his meds and just went crazy. The Bannisters just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t want to talk about it, if it’s all the same to you.”

“I understand completely. So, when am I going to see you again?” I asked cheerfully.

“I’ve got tomorrow off, so I’m headed your way right now, if that’s okay with you.”

I couldn’t help myself; I whooped into the phone. “It’s more than okay, mister. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me, too, you,” he said so softly that I could barely make out his words. “Suzanne, will we have some time to talk?”

“That sounds ominous,” I said. “Did you have any topic in particular in mind?”

Jake sighed heavily, and then he said, “It’s too complicated to get into over the phone. I’ll be there in six hours.”

I knew better than to push him about it, no matter how much my curiosity was aroused. “I’ll see you then. We can go to Napoli’s tonight.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not go out. Could we eat at your place?”

“If you don’t mind leftovers, we’re all set,” I said.

“That would be fine.”

“I’ll see you soon,” I said. “I love you,” I added softly.

“Me, too,” he said, and then he hung up.

What was that all about? Was I about to be dumped? I couldn’t imagine what would make Jake decide not to be with me anymore. If I let myself dwell on it, I’d be in tears by the time he made it into town. I’d hear what he had to say when he got here, but in the meantime, I had a job to do.

It was going to be difficult before he’d called me, though.

Now it felt as though it was going to be close to impossible, but I’d find a way.

For Emily.

“Hey, Trish,” I said as I walked into the crowded Boxcar Grill. I might have made a mistake choosing it for my wedding planning meeting with Emily. Not only was seating at a premium, but the quarters were awfully close as well. It wouldn’t take long for everyone there to figure out what we were doing.

“Hi, Suzanne,” she said as I turned around to leave. “Was it something I said?” Trish asked as she followed me out of the diner.

“No, it’s just a little too crowded for my taste right now,” I answered.

“Don’t worry. I can find you a place to sit. Come on back inside.”

“It’s not that important,” I said.

“You are one of my very best friends. There’s always a place for you.”

“It’s not just the crowd,” I said as a few folks walked past us into the diner. We were garnering more attention than I liked just standing there. It was one of the perils of living in a small town. “Truthfully, I need to have a private conversation.”

“With me?” Trish asked as a frown crossed her face. “What happened?”

“Trish, it’s got nothing to do with you,” I said as I smiled at my friend. “It involves Emily Hargraves.”

“What did she do?” Trish asked with a grin.

“Nothing bad,” I said, and then I added, “At least I don’t think so. I hope not, anyway.”

“Suzanne, if you’re trying to be cryptic, you’re doing a bang-up job.”

“Normally I’d be happy to share the news with you, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

Trish’s grin broadened. “Now you’re just trying to kill me with suspense, aren’t you?”

The diner door opened, and our mayor, George Morris, came out. “Trish, will you ring me up, or is this meal on the house?”

“Mayor, I don’t give away free food, not even to local dignitaries.”

“Then will you at least take my money?” George asked. “I’m late for a city council meeting.”

“I didn’t think you liked those meetings anyway,” I said.

He grinned. “I don’t, but I’ll be dipped in tar if I’m going to let them off the hook. If I don’t show up, it turns into the seventh grade all over again.”

“Give me your money and I’ll bring you your change later,” Trish said. “Suzanne and I are having a little chat.”

As she said it, Emily walked up and joined us. She frowned at me as she asked, “What are you all talking about?”

Was she afraid that I’d spilled the beans about her wedding already? I had to nip that quickly. “The mayor was just telling us about the city council.”

“I see,” Emily said. “Suzanne, sorry I’m late. Shall we go on in?”

“Actually, it’s pretty crowded in there,” I said, trying to warn Emily that our conversation wouldn’t be all that private if we ate inside. “It will be hard not to be overheard by the people around us.”

She frowned, and then smiled suddenly. “That’s okay. I’m ready to tell the world now.”

“Tell them what?” George asked.

“I’m getting married,” Emily said proudly.

“Congratulations,” the mayor said, and then he surprised us all by kissing her on the cheek. “Good luck to you.”

“Thank you,” she answered.

Trish looked at Emily askance, but she refrained from saying anything more than offering her own congratulations. “Come on, Mayor. Let’s ring you up,” she said as she put her arm in George’s. She paused on the steps and turned back to us. “Are you two coming?”

“Why not?” I asked. “Lead the way.”

Fortunately, not many diners took much notice of Emily and me as we walked in. There was a booth free near the back, though the table was still dirty. I saw Gabby Williams sitting next to it, and I knew that we were in for trouble. Gabby ran ReNEWed, the gently used clothing store beside my donut shop. I wasn’t at all sure that you could call our relationship a love/hate one, but it was on tenuous grounds most of the time. “Do you happen to know if this table is free?” I asked Gabby as I pointed to the table.