CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jaxon
When the banging starts on my front door, I consider running out the back and hiding in Barley’s kennel.
Except, knowing Honey, she’ll find me and I’ll look like even more of an asshole for hiding.
“It’s open,” I yell, so I don’t have to move out from behind the barrier of the kitchen island.
Honey walks in, her black hair loose and long down her back, still in the fitted black pants and polo that’s her uniform at the diner, her expression fierce.
She is so gorgeous my heart flips over in my chest and offers up its soft underbelly.
She slaps her hands on the counter of the island. “What the actual hell, Mac?”
I hold up my hands. “I’m sorry. I thought he was Dell. He has brown hair, and he’s built like a linebacker and you were alone in that barn. I overreacted.”
A shade of the anger slides off her face. “I’ll give you that one. I can see how you might mistake him from the back, but how the hell do you know what Dell looks like and what were you doing hanging around the farm watching me like a creepy stalker?”
There’s no good answer here, so I go with the truth. “I hired someone to watch Dell and tell me if he got close to you.”
She leans back, her eyes going wide in shock. “You did what?”
“I get it was crossing a line, but the man hurt you, Honey. I needed to know you’d be safe.”
She folds her arms over her chest, seemingly undecided about whether she’s still mad at me. “You had a PI watching Dell and you’ve been watching me?”
“No. I wouldn’t do that. The PI called me this morning and told me Dell was headed your way. I ran over to the farm in case he showed up there, and when I saw that guy follow you into the barn…”
“You thought it was Dell.” She shakes her head and climbs up to sit on one of the stools in front of the island. “I’ve been fuming all day at work, planning out what I was going to say to you and sure I’d never see you again after this and, now, I have no idea how I should feel.”
“Should doesn’t matter.” I’m by her side in a moment, smoothing the worried creases in her forehead with my thumbs. “How do you feel?”
She leans into my touch and sighs. “Relieved. I really didn’t want to have to keep looking for the treasure alone. I know I should be mad you didn’t tell me about the PI, but I just feel protected.” She pulls free of my touch and looks up at me, her gaze warm. “Thank you.”
Her gratitude makes me want to do more for her, just to have her look at me like I’m a hero. “I should have told you about it up front.” I sit on the stool next to hers and drop my hands to my thighs to keep from touching her.
“Next time you will.” She seems so confident in me I’m tempted to tell her more.
I almost tell her I’ve been lying to her about who I am, but stop myself just in time. “Next time, I will.”
“Is the PI just watching Dell? Or has he also been looking into him?”
“She’s been doing what she can.” I clear my throat as I consider how much to tell her. “She’s got a couple people working with her, so they can rotate who’s watching Dell. She’s been spending most of her time trying to track down who he’s been associating with so we can figure out what he really wants the money for.”
Her cheeks pink, and she looks away. “How far back into his history is she going?”
Yeah, she’s going to be less grateful if I tell her this, but there are enough lies between us. “There’s not a whole lot to go on in recent history, because Dell isn’t renting anywhere and he doesn’t own anything. That car he’s driving belongs to a cousin and whatever loans he’s taken out haven’t been with a bank. The only real records she could find were from back when the two of you were working together. The guy was a real con-artist when he was with you, scammed a fair amount of money out of people, but not long after your name disappears from the lease you were sharing, he gets caught and spends a couple weeks in prison.”
She shakes her head, her gaze going distant. “He got greedy.”
This confirms what I suspected. “You kept him from being overly ambitious.”
She meets my gaze and chews on her bottom lip, thoughtfully. “Dell was never the con artist, Mac. I am. I mean I was. I’m not anymore.”
I’m so shocked, I’m actually speechless. All along, I figured she’d gotten caught up in Dell’s schemes, not the other way around.
“I’m only telling you so your PI will know who she’s dealing with. Dell can be charming and he’s amoral, but he’s no mastermind.”
“You’re the con artist.” My entire perspective on this woman shifts and re-molds. “That’s what you were trying to do when we met. You were trying to manipulate me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yep, I’m the devil.” She narrows her eyes. “And if you tell my sisters, I’ll destroy you.”
“I won’t tell your sisters.” I’m still trying to take all of this in. “Your father was a con artist, too, right? That’s what Clover said.”
She shrugs. “Where do you think I learned it?”
I wait, but she taps her fingers on the counter, mouth pinched tight.
“You know I’m not letting this go, right? I want to know more.”
She sighs heavily. “It’s really not that interesting. I got into some trouble as a teenager. Mostly because of Maya and Dell. Mom shipped me to Vegas to live with my dad for a while to get me away from my ‘bad crowd.’” She laughs wryly. “My Dad discovered I have a gift for reading people’s moods and intentions and he thought it would be great fun to teach me the con game. Really, I’m just a good listener and nosy, but he called it a gift.”
I lean forward, dragged into her magnetic field. “Was it fun?”
Her eyes light. “It was so much fun. Dad took me to these fancy parties, and I persuaded grown men to buy into whatever Dad’s latest scheme was. I felt so powerful. The men we conned were all rich and most of them were the kind of assholes who hit on a teenage girl, so I didn’t feel bad about what we were doing.” She shakes her head ruefully. “I might still be doing it today, but I let it slip to Mom after I convinced this incredibly savvy businessman to buy into one of Dad’s more ludicrous ideas. I felt so powerful, I just had to tell someone. Mom was so pissed she made Dad put me on the next plane home.”
“Did he share the proceeds of the scams with you?”
She smiles fondly. “Not a penny. He was a selfish bastard, but, man, was he fun.”
For the first time, I wonder if I was wrong about her. Maybe she wouldn’t judge me for the ‘cheating’ scandal. But it’s too late to tell her the truth now. “And not only did you fall back in with the ‘bad crowd,’ you taught them about the con game.”
She shrugs. “Mom tried to explain to me how wrong it was to con people, but I didn’t get it. I was seventeen and thought I was invincible. Dell and Maya had a rough upbringing, and they barely had enough money for food and rent from week-to-week. I wasn’t hurting other people, I was helping Dell and Maya, two people I loved. I taught them an easy con, and it worked so well. The money that was coming in was life-changing for them.”
“But something happened.” Otherwise, wouldn’t she still be scamming people?
She chews on her lip and nods. “Sure. Yes. Something happened, and I got out. The scam was easy and they should have been able to keep it going with no problem, but after I left, but Dell ended up in jail and I don’t know what else happened. I’ll find out from Maya when I see her.”
“You’re going to see Maya?”
Her eyes go wide and it’s clear she’d told me more than she’d meant to. It probably slipped out because she doesn’t want to tell me about whatever happened that ended her crime spree with Dell and Maya. Since I have my own secrets, I’m not going to push.
“When are you going to see Maya?” I ask, because Honey has gone still and silent.
She focuses on me and gives me that fake smile that means she’s going to try to pull one over on me. “I’m meeting her in a public place. It’s no big deal.”
“A public place here in Catalpa Creek?”
“What difference does it make?” She studies her fingernails, picking at a bit of clay stuck to one of them. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. Based on her social media, Maya has gone straight. She’s married and has a kid. She’s not dangerous.”
Which means she’s not meeting with Maya locally. ”I’m going with you.” I’m fully aware of the risk to my secrets, but I’m not letting her do this alone.
Her brows rise but, to my surprise, she nods in agreement. “I’d appreciate that. We’ll leave on Tuesday at noon.”
“I’m at your service.”
“Speaking of that. I quit my job at the diner. I offered to give them two weeks, but they’ve got a waiting list of college kids here for the summer who want a job. Tomorrow’s my last shift.”
I lean back in my seat and take a breath, certain I’m going to say the wrong thing. “That seems like a pretty big step.”
She rolls her eyes. “It sounds batty. I am aware of that, Mac. But this isn’t about whether we actually find the treasure, it’s about bringing my sisters together. We need to create the right kind of adventure for them, and I need more time for that before they move out for good.” Her words are calm, but her expression is anything but. Her eyes are glassy and her chin trembles.
“Have you thought about telling your sisters what you want?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “I know what I’m doing, Mac. My sisters love a challenge. This is going to work.”
I hold up my hands. “I’m all in. You know your sisters better than I do and you’re the boss.”
She lifts her chin, her brown eyes flashing. “That’s right. I’m the boss. We’ll head back out tomorrow morning.”
She hops off the stool and heads for the door. I’m on my feet and after her in an instant. “Wait. Don’t you want to stay? I’m making falafel for dinner. I’ve even got homemade vegan Naan. We can have a rematch of Connect Four.”
She pauses, hand on the doorknob. Am I imagining the wistfulness in her eyes? The way she takes a step toward me before she stops herself? “I can’t stay. My sisters should all be home tonight and, if I’m lucky, I can convince them to have a band practice.” She looks up at me. “You should come. We could use a singer.”
I have to press my lips shut hard to keep from agreeing to whatever she asks. “I’ve got bread in the oven.”
She lowers her lashes and nods, hiding whatever expression is in her eyes. “Of course. Have a good night, Mac.”
I stand in the doorway and watch her walk to her car, waving as she drives away.
Can she handle the truth about me? Maybe she won’t look at me any differently, and I can meet her sisters and hang out with her in that big house of theirs.
I could be a part of her life, maybe even convince her I’m boyfriend material. It could be amazing.
Until I go back to LA and break my own heart.
Since the cell service here is terrible, I hurry over to the landline and punch in Clover’s number. It’s not like I remember it. I have to use the contacts from my cell.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey, Ava. How’s Dubai?”
“Hot this time of year. I assume you’re with your sisters?”
“I sure am,” she says, way too cheerfully.
“Tone it down or they’re going to think you’re up to something.”
“Too late.”
“Can you take the call to another room? I need a favor.”
“Top secret, did ya say? Right-o. I’ll take this call in another room.”
“Is that your attempt at an Irish accent?”
Something slams, and she lets out a huff. “I’m no good at subterfuge, Jaxon. Why are you doing this to me? Couldn’t you have sent a text like a normal Gen Z?”
“This is too sensitive for a text. I need you to bring a vet named Jared Reynolds in on my secret.”
She gasps. “What happened to Barley? Did you forget to lock the gate? I told you—”
“I didn’t forget to lock the gate. I adopted a friend for Barley and I need to have him neutered so we don’t have any babies.”
She’s silent for long enough that I get nervous. “Does this new friend happen to be named Begonia?”
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
“I knew it,” Clover shouts. “Honey was acting really weird when she told Dani she’d found a home for Begonia. Asher said there was no way, but I knew it. Why didn’t you tell me you finally worked up the nerve to talk to Honey?”
Oh, shit. “What do you mean, finally worked up the nerve? What are you even talking about right now?” The oven beeps, but the land line is not a cordless. “I have to go. Just tell Jared about me and ask him to make a house call if he can.”
I hang up on her, sprint to the kitchen and pull the bread out as my phone rings. I don’t want to answer but, knowing Clover, she won’t give up easily.
I grab the phone. “You can’t tell Honey you know.” I start with the most important detail.
“Why not?” Clover says. “This is great. We can all hang out together and—”
“We’re not dating.”
“What? Why not? You clearly have a thing for her and—”
“She’s not interested in dating me. We’re just friends and I’m… She’s helping me out with something and…” Shit. Why didn’t I have a plan for this? I groan dramatically. “I haven’t told her I’m famous. She thinks I’m a college professor.”
“You lied to her?”
“I know it’s wrong, Clover. I know that. But I haven’t met a single person since I was a kid who didn’t know who I am and what I can do. She looks at me like I’m a regular person and I just need to know…” Damn it, I’m really going to say it, aren’t I? “I just need to find out how I measure up without the fame and the money and the fans.”
“Aw, you poor, poor world famous, rich beyond belief, rock star. Of course I’m okay with you lying to my young, sweet, impressionable baby sister.”
Are we talking about the same person? “We’re not dating. In a few weeks, I’ll be heading back to LA and she’ll never see me again. Trust me when I tell you she probably won’t even care.” And the reality of that is a punch to the gut for which I’m unprepared.
“I don’t like this. You need to tell her soon.”
“Fine. I’ll tell her soon. I promise.” I just need a few more days with her first.
“If you don’t tell her, I’m going to tell her.”
“No. You can’t even let on to her you know she and I have been hanging out—”
“It’s fine. I’ll pretend you’re a college professor or whatever, and I won’t tell our sisters.”
“Clover, you don’t under—”
“Someone’s calling me. I’ll send Jared your way. Gotta go.”
I hang up and drop my head in my hands. I have a very bad feeling about this.