Deadly Honeymoon (Hardy Brothers Security Book 7) (8 page)

“Where are you going?” Grady asked.

“I just … I’m going to make sure Mandy is at her office,” he said.

“Dude, she’s fine,” Finn said. “Don’t start smothering her until you have a reason to do it.”

“I … you’re right,” he said, sucking in a breath. “I’m overreacting.”

“It’s okay,” Grady said. “Given your track record, I can see why you would.”

James pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’m just going to give her a quick call.”

“Just don’t let her know what you’re doing,” Finn warned. “Tell her you’re calling for phone sex or something.”

“Good idea.” James met the three curious faces staring at him in turn. “Hey, we’re actually going to have to have phone sex to pull this off. You can’t be here when that happens.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” Finn said, grabbing the flash drive. “I’ll get this to Maverick. Have fun with your … call.”

“Get out,” James said, rolling his eyes.

“I missed him so much,” Grady said, his eyes sparkling as he walked out of the room. “A loving brother is a gift.”

“And you’re sure the drive wasn’t corrupted?”

James was sitting on a couch in the middle of a furniture store, his cellphone pressed to his ear as he talked to Finn.

“No,” Finn said. “Maverick says they’re just numbers. He checked the whole drive. There’s nothing else there.”

“Does he know what the numbers mean?”

“No.”

“Does he know anyone who might know what they mean?”

“No.”

“Does he know anything but how to annoy me?”

“No.”

James sighed. “Okay … just, keep me posted.”

“What are you doing?”

“Watching Mandy wander around a furniture store and hem and haw over a brown couch as she compares it to another brown couch,” James said.

“You’re furniture shopping again?”

“She claims we need a sectional for that little room up the stairs that overlooks the other couch in the living room,” James said. “She wants to make it a reading nook. I pointed out that she could read on the couch downstairs, but she wasn’t impressed.”

“She’s kind of cute,” Finn said.

“That’s the only reason I’m sitting here,” James said. “Anyway, I guess I’ll see you at dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, what’s on the menu?”

“Mandy actually skewered meet and vegetables on sticks and they’re marinating in the refrigerator,” James said. “Suddenly she thinks she can cook.”

“I don’t think grilling kabobs is cooking.”

“I’ve only ever seen her make breakfast,” James said. “It sounds like cooking to me.”

“Okay, well, do you need anything else?”

“Just bring some liquor and beer,” James said. “I’m trying to build the bar stash up, and Mandy insists if I buy more than one fifth at a time that people will think I’m a drunk.”

Finn snorted. “She’s actually really cute.”

“See you tonight,” James said and then disconnected.

Mandy was standing between a couch and a coffee table, a fabric board in her hand, and an intense look on her face.

“What are you doing?” James asked.

“Do you like this couch?”

“It looks fine.”

“Come and sit on it.”

James sighed, getting to his feet. “Have you ever noticed how bossy you get when furniture is involved?” He sank down on the couch, running his hands over the fabric. He hated to admit it, but it was comfortable. “It’s nice.”

“You don’t think it’s too big?”

“I thought you said size doesn’t matter?” James teased.

“That’s something men tell themselves,” Mandy said, not bothering to glance up from the fabric board. “It’s completely untrue.”

James frowned. “What?”

“Don’t worry, you’re in the clear where that’s concerned,” she said.

James glanced around the store, blushing as the two women studying the couch behind him giggled. “So, you have no problem talking about sex in public,” he said. “You just have a problem doing it in public.”

“Pretty much.”

“You’re a mystery wrapped in a very pretty package, baby,” James said.

Mandy finally shifted her eyes from the fabric board. “I guess that’s why you love me.”

“It’s just one of the many reasons.”

James glanced over his shoulder and followed Mandy’s gaze, smiling at the two women again. They’d placed their hands over their hearts as they swooned.

“Is something wrong, ladies?”

“Oh, no,” one of the woman said. “You two are just so … adorable.”

Mandy grinned at the women. “He’s a romantic at heart.”

“You’re going to have beautiful children.”

Mandy faltered. “Thank you.”

James read the change in Mandy’s demeanor, the mention of children obviously throwing her off guard. He patted the open spot on the couch next to him. “Sit, wife.”

Mandy did as instructed, making a grand show of returning her attention to the fabric board. “So, what color do you like?”

“Did those women mentioning kids freak you out?”

Mandy worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “It’s just … .”

“You know, it’s kind of funny,” James said, cutting her off. “We’ve never really talked about kids.”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Do you want kids?”

“Right now?”

“We can start with that,” James said.

“I don’t want them right now,” Mandy admitted. “I’m happy with the way things are. I want time with just the two of us.”

“I want that, too,” James said, capturing Mandy’s hand in his and pressing the palm to his lips. “We’re young, baby. We don’t have to make this decision now.”

Mandy looked unsure. “What if I never want kids?”

“What if I never want them?” James asked.

Mandy’s face was unreadable. “When I picture our future, I think of things like traveling abroad and spending weekends in bed. Whenever I picture it, I never see kids there.”

James took in the information. “I’m going to be honest with you, baby,” he said. “I’m not sure our lives are conducive to children.”

Mandy exhaled heavily, relief washing over her face. “Really?”

“If I never have anything but you, I’m going to consider myself a lucky man,” James said. “And, truthfully, the idea of being able to take off and travel and spend weekends in bed is exactly how I picture our future, too.”

“But what about your parents?”

“I have two brothers and a sister,” James said. “While I’m not sure kids are in Grady’s future, I’m fairly certain they’re going to be part of the equation where Finn and Ally are concerned.”

Mandy nodded.

“What about your mom, though?” James asked. “You’re an only child. She might be really disappointed.”

“I’m not having kids for her,” Mandy said. “We’re the ones who would have to raise them. Besides, her husband has three daughters. She can spoil those kids.”

“As long as you’re okay with that, so am I.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re the only baby I need,” James said, giving her sweet kiss.

“What if I change my mind?” Mandy asked, her eyes wide.

“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” James said. “I love you more than anything, and if it takes kids down the road to keep that smile on your face, I’m sure I can be persuaded. Besides, I can’t see myself not loving anything that comes out of you.

“Who knows,” he continued. “We may feel differently down the road. I just ask that we talk about it first.”

Mandy’s face broke into a wide – and relieved – smile. “You really are the perfect man.”

“I keep telling you that,” James said, tugging her in for a quick kiss.

“It’s not that I don’t like kids,” Mandy said hurriedly. “I like them fine. For like an hour.”

James smirked. “We have that in common.”

“Sometimes I think one might not be so bad,” Mandy hedged. “If it is really quiet, and really self-reliant, that is.”

“So, you want a robot child?”

“Or a cat.”

James barked out a laugh. “Maybe we can just be the fun aunt and uncle for the multitude of kids that Ally and Emma supply.”

“That sounds fun,” Mandy said. “And then, when they’re knee deep in diapers and colic, we can go to New Orleans.”

James arched an eyebrow. “New Orleans?”

“I’ve just always wanted to go there,” Mandy admitted. “I love the idea of the cemeteries and the voodoo culture. Oh, and I desperately want to go on one of those haunted bayou rides.”

James reached over, pushing the strand of hair that had fallen into her face to the side. “We’ll put it on the top of the list.”

“We have a list?”

“How about we start making one tonight?”

“A list of places we want to visit?” Mandy shifted excitedly.

“Yeah,” James said. “We’ll take turns picking destinations.”

“Oh, fun,” Mandy said. “I’m definitely putting New Orleans on. Oh, and London. Oh, and New Zealand.”

“New Zealand?”

“They have hobbit holes.”

James chortled. “I could live with that.”

“Where do you want to go?”

James tilted his head to the side, considering. “I’ve always wanted to see Ireland. It’s supposed to be really beautiful.”

“We could combine that with a London trip.”

“We could indeed,” James said. “How about we finish picking a couch – and whatever else you’re going to make me look at, because I know I’m not getting out of here without buying at least five things – and then we go home and make our list?”

“Are we going to be naked when we make this list?”

“Odds are good.”

Mandy smiled, running her hand down the side of his face. “I really do love you.”

“Right back at you, baby.”

After a lingering kiss, Mandy tapped the fabric board. “Okay, what color do you like?”

“I like the brown.”

“I do, too,” Mandy said. “I like either the brown or the green.”

“I say brown.”

“You got it.”

“Why are you giving in so easily?”

“Because I have a gaming table for the saloon in mind and I’m worried that you’re going to hate it,” Mandy admitted. “I’m building up the love now.”

“We already have a table in the saloon.”

“Yes, but this one has wood that matches the bar, and it’s covered in felt like an actual table at a casino.”

James was puzzled. “Why would I hate that?”

“Because I want purple felt.”

James made a face. “Purple? Really?”

“See, this is why I’m building up the love.”

James was already giving in. “You’ve already built a skyscraper of love, baby. Okay. Brown couch and purple felt it is. I get to pick out the chairs for the gaming table, though.”

Mandy smiled. “Deal.”

“You’re just going to agree to that without seeing what I like?”

“Compromise, baby.”

“Kiss me.”

Mandy did as ordered, basking in his warmth. “Come on. Let’s finish our shopping. If we play our cards right, we can christen the dining room table before our guests arrive.”

“I love shopping.”

“WOW,
I feel like I’m fifty pounds lighter,” James said, tucking his credit card back in his wallet. Besides a new couch, a new gaming table, and six new chairs, James was now the proud owner of a grandfather clock, a sofa table, a coffee table, a baker’s rack, and some little couch with no arms that Mandy insisted was perfect for the end of their bed.

The sales clerk behind the register sent him a winning smile. “I hope you enjoy your purchases.”

“My wife will,” James said. “That’s all that matters to me.”

The clerk sighed.

“Is something wrong?” James asked.

“No,” she said. “You’re just the perfect man.”

James grinned. “I tell myself that every day.”

“I hope your wife knows how lucky she is.”

“I’m the lucky one,” James said, shoving his wallet in his back pocket. “Speaking of my wife, did you see where she went? I’m not buying anything else today, I don’t care what lingerie she whips out.” He’d meant to keep the last part of the statement to himself, but the clerk’s reddening cheeks told him he hadn’t been entirely successful.

“I believe she got a call, sir,” the clerk said. “I saw her answer her cellphone and step out the front door.”

James frowned. “Great. It’s probably my sister. I’ll never get her back home now.”

James weaved his way through the store, keeping his eyes on the glass-plated storefront as he did. A hint of movement to his left caught his eye, and his gaze landed on a familiar blonde head. She was talking on her phone, gesturing wildly, and there was a bright smile on her face. If buying furniture made her this happy, he knew he would never stop.

James was so caught up in watching her that it took him a second realize that the man stepping up on the curb next to her seemed a little too interested in what she was saying. Mandy’s back was to him, and she didn’t notice his approach.

James had managed to convince himself that the man was only going to ask for directions when he saw a set of hands shoot out and grab Mandy’s purse roughly, spinning her around. James was moving, his mind full of anger and worry as he barreled through the front door. When he rounded the corner, he was stunned to find Mandy holding on to the strap of the bag as the man mercilessly tried to tug it out of her hands.

“Let go,” Mandy said, kicking out with her foot.

“You let go,” the man grumbled.

“It’s my purse.”

“Let it go!”

“Hey!”

The man froze, shrinking in the face of James’ furious countenance.

“Step away from my wife.”