CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Havoc
“You ready?” I yell through the house, hoping it makes Leighton hurry up. We were supposed to leave twenty minutes ago, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to wear. Luckily I’m not working today, so I don’t necessarily have a time I actually need to be at the Founder’s Festival, but I’d like to get there before all the carnival food is taken.
“Sorry.” She runs into the living room, looking cute and sexy at the same time. “Do you think this will be fine?”
She looks like any other twenty-something girl in the South on a hot summer day. Low-top Converse cover her feet, sans socks, a pair of cut-off blue-jean shorts encase the ass that I’m now well-acquainted with, and a tank top covers what looks like a bikini top on the upper-half of her body. The long hair I love to bury my face in is in some sort of intricate looking braid on her head. “I think I’m gonna have a hard time not looking at your body all day,” I admit as I pull her into me, kissing her fully on the lips.
The smile she gives me is enough to make my chest warm, to increase my heartbeat and blood pressure. I’m not sure when the change occurred, but we’re acting much more like a couple in the last month. Maybe it’s because we’ve continued heating up the sheets whenever we can, and there’s no unresolved sexual tension between us any longer. Maybe it’s the fact we got sick of pretending we didn’t mean anything to each other. Regardless of the cause, I’m really happy with the effect and the way we’re living our lives right now.
“And I’m not going to have a hard time looking at you?” She smiles up at me, putting her hands around my waist, fisting the worn cotton of my t-shirt in her hands as she puts her lips on mine.
I allow myself a moment to let my own palms skate down her back and cup her ass, rocking her into the body that’s always hard for her. “I’m nothing special, Leigh. Just a thirty-six-year-old guy who got lucky as fuck to have you with him every day.”
Her eyes meet mine and the way they shine make me want to take a picture of this moment. They’ve been coming more and more often lately, the moments that I want to remember forever. “I think I’m the one who got lucky. You don’t know where I could be right now, Holden. In another city, on the side of the road dead somewhere.”
“Don’t say that,” I move my hands up to cup her cheeks, bringing her in for another kiss. “Please don’t even joke about that possibility.”
“It’s true.” She squeezes my shirt in her hands. “None of us know the paths we don’t take, but I do know my path was on a downward spiral and I’m scared to know where it would have ended up had Blaze not done what she did and had you not come and saved me. I owe everything I have to the two of you.”
Maybe it’s time for some more truth for her. “I owe the man I am right now to you.” I lean so our foreheads are touching. “I was alive before, but I wasn’t living. Mired so deep in what I thought was my journey in life, I didn’t know how to push my past and work aside to live. You’ve taught me that. You taught me how to laugh, and not be so serious.”
“You’ve got a great laugh.” She leans up, pecking my lips with a kiss. “But I love your serious expression too, like when you’re about to get down and dirty with my body. You have this way your eyes darken and your forehead pulls. It causes a wrinkle between your eyes, but instead of making you look older, it makes you look more distinguished.”
I strangle out a laugh at her. “Well thank God I don’t look older.” I lean down kissing her on the neck. “Regardless of how it’s said, Leigh. You’ve changed my life, tilted the axis on what I thought was normal and completely blew my mind in the process. If either of us needs to thank someone for saving them, it’s me thanking you. My existence was just that, an existence before you came into it.”
“Learn how to take a compliment, old man,” she jokes, as she buries her head in my chest.
“Same back to you. I’m not saying these things because I want to be romantic. I do, but I feel like you need to hear them. You grew up with some preconceived notions about yourself, Leigh, and I’m here to tell you, most of them are fucking wrong. You’re a good woman, a damn good wife, and an amazing friend. Don’t let what you heard affect you. I’m happy with you, and I’m thankful to have you in my life.”
When I look at her this time, there are tears in her eyes, and I can tell I’ve touched on a subject she doesn’t necessarily want to get into. But she needed to know. I kiss her nose and clap my hand on her ass cheek. “Grab your bag and let’s go. We wait any longer and all the good carnie food will be gone.”
She takes a minute, seeming to get hold of her emotions, and I allow her the time. Truth be told, I need a minute too. I’m not used to opening myself up the way I open to her, but if it’ll make her stay here, with me, I’ll do whatever it takes. With a wink, she turns, grabbing the bag she’s packed for the day with sunscreen, water, and no telling what else, before we head out the front door and to the truck.
“If you like stuff like this, with people around and fun,” I tell her as we get inside, “I’ll have to get Ace to take us out on his boat.”
“He has a boat?”
“Yeah, he’s an adrenaline junkie. He tubes, and skis, and he’s even been known to dive out of planes.”
Her gaze is on me, I can feel it moving across my body. “He likes Violet, ya know? He came in The Café the other day to get lunch, tried to talk to her and she ran away.”
I nod. “He’s mentioned something to me about it, in confidence, but since you brought it up. I guess it’s okay to talk about. You forget, there’s a huge thing holding them back. She’s married.”
“I hope he gets her away from her husband. He doesn’t seem like a nice man.”
Reaching over, I grasp her hand in mine. “Anything we should know about?”
She’s quiet for so long, I wonder if she’s clammed up and won’t tell me. When she speaks, her voice is soft and small. “She doesn’t really tell me much, but I get the feeling she’s scared of him. I don’t think there’s much love there.”
“What makes you say that?”
“She saw me taking my computer classes, and she asked if you were supportive. When I told her you were, she said it would be nice for her to have a husband that’s as supportive as mine is. I get the feeling he doesn’t want her doing anything that would take away from him.”
I need her to be completely honest with me. If she’s worried for her friend, we need to get this taken care of, and suddenly I’m worried for the both of them. If he’s a volatile character, it could mean Leighton’s in danger, as well. Men like that fly off the edge and usually take everything within a certain distance down with them. I don’t want that to happen to her. “Be specific, babe. I want to help her if I can.”
It takes a few stops and starts, but suddenly she begins to talk and I can feel the anxiety ramp up in my chest as I listen to the words. “Some days she wears more makeup than others. There’s been weeks where it’s been hard for her to sit at the counter. She had trouble getting up and down into a chair. She says he calls her at random times just to check on her.”
“But you don’t think that?”
“No,” she shakes her head, “I think he’s checking to make sure she’s there. If she doesn’t answer her cell, he’ll call the business phone, and I’ve noticed if we’re in a rush and Ernie doesn’t answer the business phone, he’ll drive by.”
Now I’m worried. More worried than I’ve been in a long time. The things she’s telling me aren’t setting my mind at ease in any kind of way. While I thought she was maybe overreacting, now I’m not so sure she isn’t underreacting. She should have told me about this the minute it began. “How do you know it’s him?” I need to know what kind of a vehicle this asshole drives, because I need to pay him a visit and make sure he knows my wife has nothing to do with this irrational need he has to control his own wife.
“He works for Strait Edge Lawn Care,” she tells me, glancing over at my profile. “He’s usually driving one of their trucks.”
I know the owner, and I know who I’ll be stopping to talk to as soon as I’m back on shift. I won’t let this go for very long. “Wonder if the owner knows his employee is using a work truck to stalk his wife during the day?”
“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, Holden.” She bites her lip as she looks over at me.
“Babe, trouble or not, you break the fucking law, you’re gonna feel my wrath. You mess with what’s mine, you’re gonna feel my wrath. And let me tell you something, the ring on your finger, makes you mine. He’s not going to mess with what’s mine. If you’re telling me about any of this stuff, it’s making you uncomfortable, and if it makes you uncomfortable, then it’s up to me to take care of it.” I reach over, pushing her hair back from her face. “That’s what I signed up for, to protect you from the dangers of life.”
“You don’t always have to take that so literally.” She gives me a smile.
“I’m beginning to learn something important about you and my life. You’re the part that makes it worth living. I want to keep you around and safe for as long as I can.”
And those are the truest words I’ve ever spoken.
* * *
“I guess it pays to be married to the leader of the Moonshine Task Force,” Leighton teases me as she gets her second free fresh-squeezed lemonade of the day. Everyone keeps telling her in honor of my service she can have whatever she wants.
“If you would’ve known about all these perks before, maybe we could have moved the wedding date up about a year,” I tease her back as I sling my arm around her shoulders.
We’re walking along the main thoroughfare downtown that’s been turned into a midway for the carnival atmosphere we’re in right now. “I don’t know if I could have handled all this sexiness then.” She shoots me a grin with an eyebrow raised over the sunglasses she wears.
“You would have totally figured it out,” I laugh, pulling her forehead down close enough that I can kiss her.
“I definitely would have been up to the challenge.”
“Holden!” We hear a woman’s voice yell at him as we fight the crowd along the midway.
When I turn to see who’s trying to get my attention, Leighton curses loudly. Mable Hall is walking quickly to catch up with us.
Leighton grasps my bicep tighter in her hand, holding me to her. “This woman is ballsy,” she whispers as Mable finally makes her way to us.
“I’m so glad I caught you, Holden. You haven’t answered any of the messages I’ve left at the station.” She shoots her gaze to Leighton. “And I’d asked Leighton to relay a message or give me your cell phone number. I’d like to see about getting you to come and talk to the class again, either for summer school or the next school year.”
Leighton’s nails are digging into my skin, and I’m not appreciating the way this woman is looking me up and down like a damn piece of meat. I also don’t appreciate the way she seems to think it’s my wife’s job to pass along information to me.
“I’m sorry to have neglected the messages you’ve left at the station, but most of those requests go through the post. Usually they’re routed that way, and I’m not obligated to answer them,” I explain. “Your best bet is to place a call to the main office.” I pull Leighton closer to me, dropping a kiss on her head. “As for my wife, it’s not her job to tell me what others tell her. Don’t use her as your messaging service again. Time with her is precious, and I sure as hell don’t want to spend it talking about you.” I give her one of my best smiles. “Have a great day.”
At my side, Leighton is trying to keep her laughter in, but failing miserably as Mable leaves without a word.
“That was awesome.” She leans up, grasping my ear in between her teeth and giving me a little lick. If that’s how she wants to repay me, I’ll put someone in their place, every day of the week.
“There’s some of the guys.” I point to some of my team who’s congregating under a food tent. Out of the sun it’s at least fifteen degrees cooler.
“What are y’all doing?” I ask as we walk over to where they’ve commandeered three picnic tables.
“Trying to decide what we want for lunch.” Renegade takes his daughter off his shoulders and sits her down on the table in front of him.
“She’s gonna need some more sunscreen.” Whitney checks Stella for redness. “And I think she’s thirsty. She finished that bottle of water.”
Leighton has a seat next to Ryan, before leaning in and tickling Stella on the stomach. These two are well-acquainted with each other and she willingly goes to Leighton. “What’s up, buttercup?”
“Leigh!”
I watch as Stella grabs hold of her friend and gives her an excited hug. Stella can say a few words, but she’s obviously not at the point where she can make full sentences. “You having fun?” Leighton asks her.
Stella nods and reaches for Leighton’s cup of lemonade. “Drink?”
“Is it okay for her to have Lemonade?” she asks Ryan before she hands the cup to Stella.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go get her some more water, what’d you want?” He asks Whitney as I watch my wife with Stella.
I’ve always known that Leighton has a soft heart, and a good soul, but I’ve never really seen it until this scene in front of me. Lots of people tell me how they hang out when Whitney comes to The Café to do her business meetings, but I’ve never been able to be there when it happens, so I’ve never seen them together. Right now, what I’m watching is something amazing. Stella is yammering on in the way she tries to talk and Leighton is listening with rapt attention, tying Stella’s shoe that’s come undone, fixing the bow that’s become crooked in her hair, and taking a baby wipe handed to her by Whitney as she wipes off the toddler’s face. She does it all with a smile and a genuine affection for the kid in front of her.
When Stella hands back the cup of lemonade telling Leighton “All gone,” I want to laugh. She let her have every bit of the drink she just got.
“You want another?” I ask her with a chuckle.
“If you don’t mind? And I’d like some food, too.”
After the way my eyes have been opened to this woman today, I’ll get her whatever she wants. Anything she asks for is hers, and for the first time I pray that I’ll never have to know what my life is like without her in it. She’s ingrained herself into not only my life, but the lives of my guys, the people who mean the most to me. They like her, care for her, and count on her, even if they didn’t want to before. She’s become a part of a team that she and I are together, and I’m never going to give it up.
“Be right back.”
The scene in front of me is mesmerizing and filling me full of hope. It’s making me want things I never thought I wanted. A family, kids, a lifetime of memories that no one can ever take away from you. Suddenly I’m seeing those memories as good ones, not ones tainted by a war and a girl who couldn’t hang. They’re being replaced. And while it scares me to admit it to anyone, including myself, it feels good at the same time. Maybe I’m not as damaged as I always thought I was.