Chapter Twenty-One
Ellie bolted up and out of Mike’s arms just after six in the morning.
“What’s wrong?” Mike mumbled.
“I thought I heard something.”
Mike rolled out of bed, and flipped on the lamp. Smalls, who was sleeping up on the pillow by her head, yawned.
“You stay put, and I’ll check things out. Come on, Smalls. It’s potty time.”
Mike walked out the door and Ellie, ignoring his suggestion to stay put, followed behind him. He let Smalls out into the fenced back yard, and Ellie shivered as the cold morning air stung her legs and arms.
Suddenly, Mike exclaimed, “What the hell?”
She watched him run to the side door of his garage, and open it.
“Motherfucker!”
Ellie picked Smalls up when he finished pooping and started to go into the garage.
“Watch your step. There is glass everywhere.”
Ellie stood where she was, her mouth hanging open. Mike’s motorcycle was trashed. It looked as though someone had taken a baseball bat to it, then spray painted the wreckage with bright orange paint.
“I need to file a report,” he said mildly.
“How can you be so calm? That bike must have been expensive, and with everything going on with your business…God, Mike, I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” He stopped in front of her and cradled the back of her neck with his hand, his fingers threading into her messy hair. “I thought I told you to stay put.”
“I’m not very good at taking orders,” she said.
He kissed her lips. “It was a suggestion, not an order. I’ll preface it as such next time.”
Worrying her bottom lip, she twisted her hands together to stop the shaking. “Do you think it’s Forrest?”
Mike’s countenance was grim. “I don’t know. It could be. I can’t imagine he liked me dumping sports drink on him after knocking him on his ass.”
Ellie couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. “I have a hard time feeling sorry for him.”
Mike’s mouth twitched. “Yeah, me, too.”
As he pulled out his phone and called the cops, Ellie went back inside to get her pants on. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she should tell Mike to stay away, that she was more trouble than she was worth, but not having Mike around hurt. Sure, it had only been a few weeks, but besides Jenny, he was the closest thing she had to a friend. Just knowing he was around made her feel safe and secure, something she hadn’t experienced since she was a child.
Maybe my feelings for Mike are more than just attraction and lust?
But caring about a man like Mike was dangerous to her already mangled heart. If she fell for him, eventually they were going to have the talk about the future and what they wanted. Could he handle the fact that she wasn’t Miss Together?
What was making her crazy is trying to figure out who was behind the vandalism. It could very well be Forrest, but it seemed extreme to Ellie that he would do this over a woman he had only been dating a few weeks. And as for the people in town that hated her, that number had been dwindling with Mike’s support.
Or so it seemed.
Ellie walked back outside and found Mike standing in the garage. Sam Weathers had his notepad out and was taking down whatever Mike was saying. Ellie caught the tail end of the conversation as she came to stand next to Mike.
“I’ll go by Forrest’s place and ask him where he was last night, but without a witness, it will be very hard to sort this mess out,” Sam said, glancing at Ellie. “I really think a camera system would help.”
“I’ll take care of it today,” Mike said.
“How?” Ellie asked.
“I have a few wireless systems in the shop. I’ll see which one will work the best and then set it up after work tonight.”
“I’ll let you know what I find out, Mike,” Sam said, touching his hat brim. “Ellie.”
Sam walked towards his cruiser, and Ellie frowned at Mike. “Well, he’s kind of useless, isn’t he?”
“He’s just afraid to rock too many boats. We’ll get the cameras set up and go from there.”
“Even if we get camera proof, is Deputy Dip Shit going to do anything?” Ellie asked.
“Yeah, Sam is a good cop, but he’d kind of an optimist. It’s hard for him to imagine people capable of this kind of thing.”
Ellie hesitated, before glancing at the clock on her phone. “I should make sure Jenny is okay.”
“I’m just going to take some pictures for my insurance.”
“I really hate that you have to install cameras because of me,” she grumbled.
Mike kissed her forehead, his hand cupping the back of her neck. “It’s only for a little while. Whoever they are, they’re escalating. They’ll be back.”
“How do you know that?” Her forehead was tingling where his lips had touched her skin.
“I watch a lot of Criminal Minds,” Mike said, grinning.
“Let me guess, you think Morgan is hot?”
“Oh, yeah, bring on the Chocolate Thunder,” Mike said.
Ellie burst out laughing, and didn’t even have time to close her mouth or catch her breath before Mike was kissing her. His tongue swept inside to tangle with hers, and she melted into him as his other arm went around her lower back. Her lips pulsed by the time he pulled back, being thoroughly sucked and nipped.
“I like you,” Mike said suddenly, startling her.
Ellie’s throat tightened a little, and her voice sounded breathless as she said, “I like you, too.”
“Well, now that we have that out of the way, what are you doing for the fourth?”
Her heart slammed in her chest even as she joked. “I am going to make a fancy Pinterest dessert and eat it all by myself.”
“Or, you could come with me to my parents’ home. They do a big barbecue and we watch the fireworks,” Mike said.
Ellie couldn’t believe he was asking her to meet his parents. Her whole body broke out in a cold sweat and she wanted to start breathing fast. Was this what panicking felt like?
“I don’t know—”
“Look, this isn’t a marriage proposal or even a ‘meet the parents’ situation. This is a pity invite.”
“A pity invite?” she said in disbelief.
“Yeah, I figured whatever you had planned was pathetic and decided to save you by inviting you to my incredibly awkward family dinner, where you will eat delicious food, even as my mother grills you like a Guantanamo interrogator.”
“You make it sound so appealing, but I think I’ll pass,” Ellie said.
She couldn’t miss Mike’s disappointment. “You sure? I promise to protect you from her evil clutches.”
Ellie tried to squash the part of her that was tempted. To go to a barbecue with a sweet guy and get to know his family.
But she wasn’t sure she could handle the look on his mother’s face if she knew Ellie’s reputation.
“No clutches or looking at pictures of you naked with the chickenpox?” Ellie said.
“I can’t promise on the pictures. I’m the apple of her eye, but I’ll make sure you’re never alone with her.”
The eagerness on his face was too contagious to hold out. “Fine, what should I bring?”
Mike kissed her nose. “Just your sweet self.”
“I’m not showing up empty-handed, but I’ll think of something,” Ellie said.
“Maybe we can make a day of it and go to the parade and the extravaganza afterward?”
“I think you’re pushing it.”
It was just after one in the afternoon and Mike was playing with the cameras he had in the shop. He wanted to set them up at Ellie’s place, too, but he would have to talk to her about that. First, he had some business to attend to.
Gracie walked through the door and he looked up with a grin.
“Hey, if it isn’t my nemesis.” He pointed to his desk where a pizza box sat. “I got your favorite.”
“You cannot buy my forgiveness with pizza.” She flipped open the lid and pulled out a slice of Hawaiian. “What do you want?”
“I have a proposition, but we are waiting for one more person.”
“Who?”
The door dinged and Wendy walked in, decked out in a pair of black capris and blue tank top.
“Wendy, this is Gracie Henderson. She owns The Local Bean. Gracie, this is Wendy. She is the one opening the internet café.”
Wendy frowned at him. “What is this?”
“Okay, before you get mad, I have been thinking. Wendy has said that she wants to open up the internet café, but hates all the complexities and permits of a place that sells food. So, I was thinking, instead of competing with each other, why don’t you go into business together?”
“Why would you think this was a good idea?” Gracie asked, her hands set firmly on her hips.
“Because you’ve said you wish that you had less responsibilities at the Bean, and this solves that.”
“I already paid for the space,” Wendy said.
“That’s okay, because Gracie’s lease is up for renewal, so she is free to move.”
“Excuse me, who says I want to?”
“I feel like you’re missing the point. You two can help each other achieve your goals without ruining the other. If you can’t see that, then fine.” Mike grabbed his keys off the desk. “I am going to see a man about my motorcycle, so if you ladies don’t mind, I would like to lock up for lunch.”
Gracie picked up her pizza and the two women walked ahead of him. Gracie opened the lid on the sidewalk and held the box out toward Wendy. “Want a slice?”
“I’m on a low-carb thing but…yes, please. I am so hungry.”
“Want to finish this at the Bean? Mango iced tea on me?”
Wendy hesitated for a half a second before nodding. “Sounds good. I’ve actually never been inside your shop.”
“You’re going to love it.”
Mike smiled and finished locking up. Then he drove to Gabe’s custom shop, parking directly in front of the office.
When he walked through the door, he knew it was bad from Gabe’s expression.
“I guess it would be too much to assume you can slap a bandage on and all will be well?”
Gabe shook his head. “I am so sorry, man. She’s going to need a complete overhaul. It’s going to be an easy ten grand, and that’s with the friends and family discount.”
Well, that was it then. There was no way he could do that, not now. Business might be picking up, but he couldn’t put himself in more debt.
He nodded. “I appreciate you looking at her. What do I owe you?”
“It’s on me. I just hope you find the son of a bitch and make him pay.”
“Yeah, me too.”
He got back in the car and had a message from Ellie.
What did Gabe say???
Mike knew she was going to feel like shit if he told her the truth.
She’ll be golden.
Oh, good! I will pay for all the repairs.
NO! This wasn’t your fault.
Yeah, it is! If I hadn’t been at your place, they wouldn’t have broken in.
He needed to change the subject. Are you going to come over tonight?
I promised Jenny a girls’ night out. Rain check?
Sure. Have fun.
Mike?
Yeah?
I liked sleeping with you last night.
Mike grinned and tapped out a response. I like the fact that my pillow smells like you.
Maybe you can come over tomorrow and scent my pillow?
Mike’s heart thundered in his chest. Are you asking me to come over and stay the night?
Yes.
What time?”
Come over at five. I’ll make you dinner.
I’ll be there.
Ellie regretted telling Mike no, but it was hard to rationalize putting him and his property in danger while someone wanted to hurt her.
She sat on the couch, dipping Oreos in milk, as Jenny came through the door with a slam.
Only when she turned around, it wasn’t just Jenny, but Caroline and Val as well.
“I wasn’t sure what would cheer you up, so I brought Bridget Jones, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Magic Mike,” Caroline said.
“Please say Magic Mike!” Jenny said.
“That movie has a terrible plot,” Ellie said. Both women’s eyes widened and as they looked at each other, they burst out laughing.
“You do not watch Magic Mike for its plot. You watch it for the half-naked sexy men,” Caroline said.
“I haven’t seen Bridget Jones in a while and Colin Firth only gets hotter,” Ellie said.
“Hell, yeah, he does.” Jenny grabbed a bag of chips and a Coke from Ellie’s snack pile, she held them in from of her and deepened her voice. “To the living room!”
Ellie and Caroline laughed. Ellie was hoping that the movie would distract her so she wouldn’t think about Mike.
Until Colin turned around in that ridiculous reindeer sweater and all Ellie could think about was that his eyes reminded her of Mike’s.