Six Months (10 page)

I snickered. “What kind of parties do you normally go to?”

Her brow arched. “My friend Naya is a stripper. ’Nuff said. Anyhow, my mom and Maizy are out of town and Austin is setting up the music and a few other things. My job is to pick up some stuff for the burgers at the store, another reason I invited you. Sorry, I need an extra set of hands.”

“What about Ivy?” I’d met her once. A pretty girl who was friends with Austin and Lexi, she had a long, beautiful braid and a warm smile.

“Ivy will definitely be there; she’s excited to meet some of the neighboring… ah, some of the neighbors. She’s busy decorating and locking up a few things so they don’t get broken. She bought some Chinese lanterns to string up in the front yard and I think Austin is going to help her put them up. Shit!” Lexi scowled at her watch. “We have to hurry. Do you mind helping me with the groceries?”

My stomach knotted. This would eat up time I needed to find money, but in the back of my mind, I knew what I had to do. Call Maddox.

“After we finish shopping, I can drive you home to take a shower and change clothes.”

“No,” I said sharply, and it caught her attention. “You can drop me off at the store. I have to run a few errands in town.”

She began folding up some of the clothes she had tossed in a pile on the bench. “Then how are you going to get home?”

“It’s the first day we’ve had sunshine, Lexi. Maybe I want to enjoy it a little bit.”

“It’s not a big deal. It’ll give you more time to get ready or even take a nap. You can always run errands tomorrow. Don’t eat though; we’ll have plenty of food.”

I sat down on the bench and spun the price tag on my dress around. “
Holy smokes
. I’ve changed my mind on the dress.”

“No, you haven’t. How come you don’t want me to drive you home?”

Silence fell like a curtain between us. I parted my hair away from my eyes. “What else are you having besides burgers?”

She watched me for a few beats and then changed out of her shirt. “Hot dogs and chicken. Austin wants me to pick up a few steaks, but they’re only for certain people.”

I laughed. “That might not go over well. All men like steak over hot dogs.”

“Well, I can’t explain it. Anyhow, dammit!”

I stood up and helped her out of the shirt before she ripped it apart. Lexi was definitely stressing out.

“Thanks. What was I saying? Oh, we’re also having corn on the cob and beans.”

A laugh pealed out of me. “That should go over well, Lexi. Beans?
No
one ever thinks about practical side items. While the women are picking corn out of their teeth, the men will be farting to the tune of an old Queen song.”

Her lip twisted. “Good point. Austin said no salad. There’s going to be more men than women, so I have to get something they’ll like, not rabbit food. Something…
manly
,” she said in a silly voice, flexing her biceps.

We laughed and I folded up a few of the clothes. “Macaroni. You can buy tubs of that stuff and it’s already precooked. Or grab some cold pasta salad and that way it will be one less thing to heat up, not to mention you can buy that premade too.”

“What would I do without you, April? You’re a genius. I’ve never hosted a party like this, so I ran out of the house before I gave myself a heart attack. Austin was driving me nuts with his choices for music. Some things we can agree on, but I won’t bend for Kings of Leon. Well…” Then she muffled a private laugh.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

God, was I. Trevor was right. I needed to step out of my comfort zone for a change and enjoy myself. Sometimes I got so wrapped up in the serious stuff that I forgot to have fun.

“Just stay away from Jericho.”

“Who’s that?”

“One of Austin’s brothers,” she said. “I don’t think you’ve met him. He looks like a rocker. He’s not a bad guy, it’s just that he likes to party. Hard. He’s not the kind of guy I want to see you get mixed up with. I don’t know if his band will be coming, but his version of partying and ours are not even in the same zip code.”

“You don’t think I need a bad boy?”

She
humphed
and swung her purse over her shoulder. “There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy that’s bad for you. Jericho is bad for you. He’s a one-night stand who drinks, smokes, and does drugs.”

Definitely not my type. “What about dessert?”

“Shoot. I forgot about that,” she said gruffly. “I’m not going to stress. Guys sit around eating popcorn and trail mix, so that’ll work for me.”

“Sounds good. Cheesecake won’t feed an army like pretzels will. Plus, it’ll melt. Cheese dip or salsa will stain your floor, so if you want dip, we can grab onion or ranch and a few bags of chips.”

Lexi smiled. “I’m glad you’re coming, April. I never get to hang out with you outside of work.”

“I need to be home before three; I have something to do before coming over tonight. My friend Trevor is still going.”

“Still? Was there a reason he wasn’t?”

I cleared my throat and used my pinky finger to move away a chunk of bangs that kept sliding in front of my eye. “He got into a fistfight with Reno.”

She gasped and ripped the curtain closed again. “What? He didn’t tell me this! What happened?”

“I have no idea. Trevor thought Reno needed to mind his own business and Reno punched his lights out. If you don’t want him to come, I’ll understand.”

“No,” she said decidedly. “I’ll have a talk with Reno and make sure he stays away from you two. He’s not someone I’ve warmed up to in the house as quickly as the others. A wealth of information, but not very social and way too serious. I’m just surprised he did that; I wonder if I should tell Austin.”

“Don’t start up any family drama. Come on, Alexia. Sorry, I mean Lexi.”

She dramatically opened the curtain. “We’re going to make some tails wag tonight.”

After we loaded up the truck with groceries for the cookout, Lexi drove back to her house and showed me how to get there.

“Wow,” I gasped, leaning my head out the open window. “This is
huge
!”

“That’s what I said last night.”

Her phone rang and I unbuckled my seat belt.

“Hold on,” she said. “Hello? Hi, Maze! Are you having a good time, sweetie? You are? … Wow. Your big sis misses you. Tell me all about the pool.”

While Lexi carried on with her little sister, I grabbed a few paper bags from the trunk and glanced at the house again. It was gorgeous. Two, maybe three stories, and a balcony filled with yellow and orange chrysanthemums. White shutters bordered each window, and a long porch wrapped around the front and sides of the house. Lexi mentioned it had once been a hotel many years ago. I couldn’t imagine who would have come out this far to stay at a hotel, but I guess some people have money and just like to get away from it all. Wooden wind chimes clacked together from a pear tree on the right, and a child’s swing hung from an oak tree a few feet away. I wasn’t sure what to make of it all. Horseshoes, rocking chairs on the long porch, a purple bottle of bubbles on one of the steps, a bunch of cars and a motorcycle to the left, and a giant wooden sign nailed on the house that said Weston.

“Austin! I need some help,” Lexi shouted out.

The door swung open and Reno stepped outside.

My breath caught.

He didn’t notice me as he jogged down the steps to help Lexi. I just stood there mutely, peering at him from between two paper bags. The closer he got, the more nervous I became and I wanted to flee. He wasn’t the kind of guy I imagined myself turning stupid over, but there I was, feeling a mantastic episode coming on.

My heart pounded against my chest with each step he took across the grass in his black boots. And then he noticed me.

And stopped.

My heart stopped too.

“Reno, you remember April. I heard you beat up her friend,” Lexi chided.

“I’m sorry,” I said, peering up at him between the bags. He squinted as if he didn’t want me to see his eyes—his beautiful brown eyes that I had only glimpsed briefly in the store. He’d shaved since I’d last seen him. Not a single rogue whisker poked out from his jaw. It was so smooth that I had a silly urge to touch his cheeks. Reno had a brush cut—trimmed on the sides and longer on the top with short sideburns. Perfectly styled and brushed. Reno’s gaze intimidated me, yet there was something familiar about him that I couldn’t put my finger on.

“What are you apologizing for?” he asked in a rough voice. Reno had a gravelly pitch that was masculine. Most guys just didn’t talk like that. Then again, Reno wasn’t most guys. He was unlike any man I’d ever known.

“For Trevor calling you a freak. It was rude and uncalled for, but you still shouldn’t have hit him.”

Maybe it didn’t excuse Reno for knocking Trevor out, but whoever made up the sticks and stones song was an idiot who had never been picked on. Name-calling hurt, and maybe it hurt tough guys too.

He lifted the sacks from my arms and walked away without an apology.

Lexi put her arm across my shoulder. “Are you staring at his ass?”

“No!” I shrugged off her arm and she chuckled, reaching in the trunk for a few bags.

“Sorry, April. It just kind of looked like you were checking him out,” she said with a private smile.

Austin flew out the main door and cut across the lawn, dressed in a white tank top and jeans. I got an eyeful of the tattoos that marked his shoulders and upper arms with a tribal design. “How’s it going, April?” he said more than asked.

“Hey,” I said, greeting him. “It’s going pretty good.”

“Lexi, I need your help.”

“What’s up?” She pinched the cleft on his chin.

He kissed her softly on the mouth and growled. I saw his bottom lip pull out a little as she nipped it with her teeth. “Cut that out,” he said in a low voice, sliding his hand over her rear as if I weren’t even there. “I forgot to pick up gas and charcoal.”

“So why do you need my help?”

“We also need a shitload of ice for the beer. Ivy just brought it to my attention, and I’ll need you to park in front while I load up the back. She also thinks we need to buy or rent some large trashcans.”

“Oh, shit. I didn’t think of that,” Lexi said. “There’ll be bottles and plates all over the place.” Then she gasped. “I forgot the plastic cups. Dammit!”

“Everyone else is busy and we need to get it together before they start showing up. There are a lot of important people who’ll be here.”

I wondered what he meant by that. It wasn’t as if the mayor was going to show up at a keg party. “Lexi, I need to get home.”

She knitted her brows. “The hardware store is in the opposite direction.”

“Reno!” Austin shouted. Then he stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled. I always admired a man who could do that.

Heavy boots clomped on the porch as Reno came out. The sun drifted behind a cloud and Austin stalked in his direction.

Lexi tapped her fingers on the hood of the car, lost in her thoughts.

Austin’s voice boomed across the yard. “Lexi, change of plans. Reno’s gonna take April home. We need two cars because it’s not all going to fit in one.”

“Well, we better get back in time, Austin Cole. I have to get ready.”

He snorted. “To throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top? Come on, Ladybug. Let’s get going.”

She smirked at him with a “You just wait and see” look in her eyes. He caught it, analyzed it, and folded his arms as she strolled around the car and looked at him provocatively over her shoulder.

I hated to admit it, but I loved watching those two. They had an explosive chemistry that most couples didn’t, and I adored it. Yet, somewhere in the back of my head, I’d convinced myself that it wouldn’t last. Austin was all kinds of hot and I’m sure he had women coming on to him all the time. Lexi had a temper, and all it would take was one meaningless argument that would send him out the door and into the arms of another.

That was why I loved romance novels. The book ends and there’s nothing to spoil it. In real life, love isn’t about the fairy tale. Love is about not being alone. Sometimes we settle for less because that’s all there is.

I almost jumped out of my skin when a heavy hand lightly touched my shoulder. I spun around and caught my surprised reaction reflected back at me in Reno’s aviator sunglasses. He smelled amazing, and I leaned in without realizing it.

He sucked on his teeth for a nanosecond. “You ever been on a bike?”

Reno took me on a short spin around the property on his Triumph Bonneville so I could get used to the feel of a motorcycle between my legs. When he first throttled her up, the vibration sent a thrill through my body, tickling every nerve. It was the sexiest feeling. He showed me where to put my feet and what not to do. When I started to wrap my arms around him, he laughed, guiding my hands down to his belt loops.

The loud motor made me uneasy and I had to trust that he wasn’t going to kill me on the turns. Reno secured a helmet on my head that was sized to fit a woman, and he didn’t baby-step it one bit when we hit the main road. I let out a few shrieks when he weaved around a car, but Reno seemed like the kind of man who owned the road on that bike. He wasn’t afraid of the raw power and knew how to handle it with cool confidence.

The wind cooled my legs, but my fair complexion wasn’t compatible with the afternoon sun and my thighs began to redden. When we reached a red light, Reno put his feet out for balance and revved the engine. It sounded predatory, and the seat vibrated beneath me. I rested my hands on my hot thighs and wet my dry lips.

God, I had to admit I felt totally
badass
.

A car rolled up on our right and I heard one of those “Yeows” that a guy makes when he’s catcalling. It didn’t come from the driver, but someone in the back seat of the car who leaned over to get a better look at my legs.

“Too bad she’s with that fucker,” the guy in the back said.

I got mad and gave them the finger. The driver laughed and I grinned, putting my hands back around Reno’s waist.

Then I heard a thick voice in the back seat of the car call me a cunt. It should have fueled my fire like it would Lexi, but things like that embarrassed me, so I looked away and leaned against Reno’s back, holding him as if he were my boyfriend.

Then I heard a click and looked to my right.

“Say you’re sorry,” Reno said in a deep voice. A
calm
voice, but I felt it vibrating through his back.

I sat up straight when I saw his right arm was extended with a gun in his hand.

“You can apologize, or I can track you across the city. How ’bout that?”

“Sorry, goddammit,” a young man griped before the windows rolled up.

The light blinked green and the car sped away. My heart raced as Reno made the gun disappear. I glanced around, but we were the only ones at the small intersection.

My mouth was opening to say something when he glanced over his shoulder at me. “I’m proud of you.” He throttled the engine.

“For what?” I yelled through the helmet.

He lifted my facemask. “For sticking up for yourself. I don’t step in when a man is appreciating a beautiful woman, no matter how juvenile he goes about it. Let’s just say he caught me on a good day, calling you a name like that.” Reno lowered my visor. “Hang on tight.”

The engine growled and we took off.

Through hand gestures and shouting, I directed him toward my trailer. Suddenly, the bike veered off the main road and pulled into a Sonic drive-in. As soon as we eased into a parking spot, he cut off the engine.

“What are we doing here?” I asked.

“Having lunch. Lexi is going to starve me to death waiting for the party tonight. A man’s got to eat.”

I got off and was fumbling with the helmet when he turned around and undid my chin strap. As he slowly pulled it off, my hair fell across my face.

He looked down at me, still wearing his shades. “You did real good, April. How was your first ride?”

“Unforgettable.” I smiled, scraping my fingers through my bright hair, which was now a tangled mess.

He held out his arm, coaxing me to walk toward the outside seating area. It felt good to sit in the shade and feel a gentle breeze on my neck.

“I love all this sunshine,” I said, wiping dirt off the mesh table with my forearm. “I hope we get to keep it for a little while.” I turned around and stared at the menu that was sitting between the tables on a sturdy pole. “What do you feel like eating?”

“Double bacon cheeseburger, large fries, and a banana shake,” he said without missing a beat.

I slowly turned my head to give him a surprised look. “Are you sure you don’t want to just eat light? There’s going to be a lot of food at the party.”

“This
is
eating light. I burn off a lot of energy,” he said, sliding his shades on top of his head.

I admired his rich brown eyes, which were deep-set and pensive. Reno had a serious expression with frown lines in his forehead and a clean-shaven jaw. His hair was shorter on the sides and long enough on the top that I could pinch it. So clean-cut, and yet so tough-looking—like a cop or a soldier in civilian clothes.

“Order whatever you want. I’m paying,” he said, placing his leather wallet on the table. Reno wore a white undershirt with a blue button-up over it, but it wasn’t buttoned. I could see part of a gun strap that went over his shoulder. He caught the direction of my gaze and closed it up to conceal his gun. Then he placed his forearms on the table and narrowed his eyes. “You don’t say much. Most women talk a lot to fill in the silence.”

I shrugged, grateful I hadn’t tumbled into a trashcan by now. “Do you always carry a gun?”

His mouth turned down in a contemplative way. “Most of the time. It’s part of my job.”

That explained it. “You’re a cop,” I said.

Reno shook his head. “Private investigator. I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you—it’s dangerous work.”

“Do you normally pull out your gun and aim it at innocent people?”