Jack packed his toiletry bag into his suitcase. A quick glance around to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, then he grabbed his shoes and went to the living room to put them on.

Luanne came out of her room at the same time and gave him a tentative smile. “Oh. Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I was going to go downstairs and get a coffee for the road. Do you want a cup?”

Momentarily stunned that she’d offer, it took him a second to answer. “Yes, thanks. House blend with a little cream.” He reached into his back pocket and handed her some cash.

She slipped it into her pocket. “This is a proud moment for me. I’m leaving a man’s hotel room with cash in hand.”

“You should be proud, you earned it.” He made a gun out of his forefinger and thumb and shot her.

“Har-har. See you downstairs.”

He enjoyed the warm bubble of…something that only she evoked. Careful, Jack. That’s a dangerous, dangerous path to go down.

Shoes on, he checked his pockets for his phone. No calls from his father. He’d hoped he would’ve heard from him by now. Well, if his dad wasn’t going to reach out then he would. He pulled up his dad’s contact and dialed.

“Hello.” His father didn’t sound a whole lot better than he had when Jack was there.

“Dad, it’s Jack.”

“I know who it is. Your name comes up on this damn phone you insisted I have.” The resentment in his tone shocked Jack. That, combined with the fact that the man was slurring his speech, which meant he was already drinking, nearly did him in.

“I wanted you to have something nice and to make sure you could get in touch with someone if there was an emergency.” He shouldn’t have to defend himself. His mom had been grateful for the phones.

“What do you want, Jack?”

The annoyance and defeat in his father’s voice kicked him in the gut. “I was calling to check on you, Dad.”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Okay, calm down, remember your blood pressure.”

“You always think you know so much, boy. But you don’t.” His father’s words assaulted him, blow after blow.

How dare he? He’d been a good son. Hell, he’d been the perfect son, and this was the thanks he got. Kicked to the curb at the first available moment.

“I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” his father mocked. “Always so high and mighty. Maybe you should look up that Yankee daddy of yours, he and his people seem to want to know you. They’re probably as snooty as you.”

Who was this person on the other end of the phone? He’d never heard his father speak this way. “You don’t mean that—”

The line went dead. Jack squeezed his lids shut and counted to ten. He wondered if the knife sticking out of his back was visible.

His dad had been so loving, so supportive. But the contents of that letter had changed everything.

That letter.

He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that his mother had been engaged to someone else, let alone had a child with that person.

The pain of that revelation was only tempered by his undying love and devotion to his mother. She’d been the one constant in his life. The strength and backbone of their family. So many things made sense now that he knew he wasn’t Ray Avery’s biological son.

Ray was a passive man, and, if Jack was honest, weak at times. That’s why Jack strove to be in control of all things, at all times. Things he’d always denied, excused, or tried to laugh off now became crystal clear.

This was so fucked up. Honestly, he couldn’t believe this reality show was his life. He thought of the nosey woman waiting on him downstairs. The one who’d loaded him up in the middle of the night, without his permission, and took off to find his real family. He didn’t want to share this latest news with her. She’d be all up in his business, and the last thing he needed was another opinion to sift into this mess.

He gathered his belongings and made his way to the hotel lobby. With each step, he pulled on the armor of arrogance. She hated when he was an arrogant ass. It should keep her out of his business until he had time to figure out his next move.

* * *

Luanne popped the lid off her coffee and inhaled, letting the caffeinated goodness clear the cobwebs from her brain. She considered her interaction with Jack this morning. It was almost sweet, and the ridiculous sexual tension that usually burned between them was at a more manageable level. No doubt because of the way their game had ended the night before.

After they’d stopped trying to one-up each other, the meal had gone smoothly. She’d enjoyed herself more than she ever thought she could in his presence. But that only left her with more questions than answers. Who was the real Jack Avery? Was he the womanizing playboy, the condescending attorney, the loyal friend, devoted son, or some combination of them all? She didn’t like that she seemed to be obsessed with solving the mystery.

Fire and moth, Luanne, fire and moth.

Antsy tingles crawled up her arm and the desire to bolt nearly overwhelmed her. When it came to men like Jack and her father, she couldn’t trust her feelings. The younger, better-looking man in question emerged from the hotel carrying his bag and looking absolutely edible in dark jeans, a light blue polo shirt, and designer retro aviator sunglasses, his slightly too-long hair still wet from his shower. Lord, have mercy, but he was a sight. Tendrils of desire wrapped around her body like climbing vines of ivy. She would’ve run, if her legs weren’t as wobbly as a newborn colt.

No way would she let him see how he got to her this morning. “’Bout time you got here. What happened, break a nail?”

“Not now, Luanne.” The muscle in his jaw vibrated with tension.

What was wrong with him? He’d been fine ten minutes ago. Just when she thought they’d come to some kind of understanding, he reverted back to jerk-face Jack. “Fine.” She got into the car and slammed the door behind her.

He threw his bag in the back storage space, then slid into the car. Without a word, he sped out of the parking lot and maneuvered onto the highway.

“Wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

“Nope.” No way was he talking about this with her.

“Why not? I’m kind of a neutral party, it might help.” There was some satisfaction in throwing his words from the day before back at him.

“Cute.” He picked up his Bluetooth earpiece and slipped it into place. “Call Caroline.”

“Who’s Caroline?”

“My assistant. Not all of us can take a month off from work, Luanne. Some of us have important business.”

“I’ll have—”

“Yes, yes, you have important business too. I’m sure the folks down at the tractor pull are glad you were there to defend their interest when drunken Scrubs Callie jumped from the stands and ran onto the track, breaking his ankle in the process. And I know Shirley McCoy was grateful when you helped her win custody of her pig when she and JT were getting a divorce.”

Wow, low blows even for him. Those were two of her cases, but they weren’t quite so simple or ridiculous. Scrubs Callie was suing Johnson tractors for a million dollars because he’d been reckless and stupid. If he’d won it would’ve bankrupted one of the oldest businesses in the county. And as for the pig, it had belonged to Shirley’s daughter, who died in a car accident. JT wasn’t the girl’s father and was only keeping the pig out of spite. People were shitty sometimes.

Case in point, the dickhead sitting next to her.

“Hello, Caroline, it’s Jack.” He pointed to his earpiece. “Yes, the awards ceremony went well. It was nice seeing people from Beauchamp again. Listen, I know I said I’d be back in the office by Tuesday, but it looks like it’s going to be Thursday or Friday. Why don’t you just work half days this week? Check the messages from home and call me if it’s anything important, but I know your brother’s in town so spend some time with him and have fun.”

What? He was only extending his trip a day or two? There wasn’t any way they could get to his grandmother’s and to Vermont in a few days. Panic raced down her spine. Was he taking her back? Dumping her? Strange as it was, she’d gotten used to the idea of the two of them on this adventure together.

He laughed at something his assistant said. “Yes, it’s paid time off. Anything else?” A pause while he listened intently. “Okay. When he calls again, tell him I said he’s lost his mind. What’s he thinking peddling that shit to me? I don’t do business with scum like his client.”

Luanne shook her head. He really was the most infuriating man she’d ever met. What had she been thinking? That one night of comfortable conversation and he’d changed.

“Yeah, text me that number. Do you know the story?”

“What kind of trouble?”

“But her agent says she’s clean now?”

“Really? She’s volunteered to take a weekly drug test? Well that’s new. Why do all the good ones have truckloads of baggage? No, I still want to talk to her agent. She’s got that scratchy Janice Joplin thing goin’ on. She’s unique. Good job catching her YouTube video.” He laughed again. “You’re right about that. She is hot. Okay, talk to you later.” He disconnected.

“Who’s hot?”

He snapped his gaze to her like he’d forgotten she was there. Really?

“A new artist Caroline saw online. Supposedly, she was some big deal YouTuber.”

“Another rock star for you guys?” She turned in her seat.

“No. Country music.” He hit a button on the steering wheel and the radio came on.

“I didn’t know the record label you and Gavin started was signing country musicians.”

“We haven’t, yet.”

“And you’re going to represent her?”

He shook his head. “No. We’re also looking to bring on another person, I’ve got my hands full.” The jerk actually winked. “We’ll be bringing someone on to handle that side of the business. We want to give new indie artists a platform.”

“Interesting. So you want to be a full-service company from representation, to booking, to recording, to distribution? I think it’s a great idea. You guys can give individual attention to your artists, not like the big record labels who are nothing more than conglomerates.”

His stunned expression almost made her laugh.

Yes Jack, I have a damn brain in my head.

* * *

Jack gulped down a dry swallow. Damn it, was there anything sexier than a smart woman?

What the hell, dumbass? Your plan was to keep her out of your business.

Having a sweet heart-to-heart with her was the fastest way to let down his guard. “Yeah, so?” His insides cringed when she flinched.

“Why are you being such a jerk? Have I done something that I’m not aware of?”

“I don’t know, have you?”

“Fuck off, Jack-ass.”

If she’d had the capability, acid would’ve spewed from her eyes. It was a good thing he was driving, or he’d have taken that dirty mouth and devoured it. All of that passion directed in the right place, damn, it’d be a sight to see. He couldn’t help continuing to goad her. “Careful, Lulu, or I’ll have to spank that fine little ass of yours.”

There. It was a tiny spark of interest in her beautiful face, and it was gone faster than she could say, I’ll cut off your balls.

“I know, let’s talk about that night after Scarlett and Gavin’s wedding.” This was the shittiest thing he could say to her and he knew it. “I want to know more about that fairy dress you said you wanted. And how you wanted to be a beautiful fairy princess.”

“Know what, Jack?” She grabbed his phone and tapped the screen.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking for the next big city. This was a mistake. I don’t need you. I don’t need anybody. You can drop me in Chattanooga, I’ll call Scarlett and she’ll wire me some money, then I’ll have her go to my house, get my things and send them to me.” She placed his phone into its carrier, turned, wadded up a jacket, and shoved it into a pillow between the door and her head. “I’m done talking to you.”

“Sweet dreams, Thumbelina.”

When her little hand came up and shot him the finger, he bit back a laugh. He was thinking the exact same thing, but in a totally different context.

The sliver of skin that peeked at him from under her top flashed like a neon sign of desire. The tingle in his hands shot up his arm. He knew how soft her skin was, and seven months later, he could still taste her sassy mouth. That night after Scarlett and Gavin’s wedding had been amazing, until it wasn’t. Even still, the memory of her small body snuggled up against his kept him company every night.

Her breathing evened out and he knew she’d fallen asleep. Little wisps of her short black hair fluttered as the air-conditioner blew over her head. Melon and lime from her shampoo floated through the car. He sucked it into his lungs like it was the last breath he’d ever take. He’d never been inside her and already parts of her lived inside him.

This was bad.

So freaking bad.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the GPS said Chattanooga was five hours away. But that wasn’t his real destination, was it? Honestly, he couldn’t avoid this second family forever. He should take her there and get her settled with a plane ticket, a rental car, or hotel room, then be on his way. That’s what he should do, but that wasn’t going to happen.

His heart bashed into his ribs then slid into cardiac arrest levels when the truth solidified in his brain. Like it or not, he had to see this thing through…and he needed the black-headed troublemaker in the passenger seat with him. She made him laugh when he wanted to rage, and even though they fought about anything and everything, she was on his side. Deep in his gut he knew she was supposed to be on this trip with him, and he always went with his gut.

He inhaled her sweet citrus scent again.

Next task, convince the testy pixie that she wants to continue on this journey with me.