Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
TINSLEY
T he thundering in my ears is so loud, I can’t tell whether it’s from the storm outside or my pulse when I spotted Puma’s Lamborghini. Seeing him leaves me dizzy with fear.
I should’ve told Aiden about the incessant texts.
He should’ve told me he was somehow involved.
Is he watching my back or is it something more that I don’t know about?
Voices rise and fall from the boutique downstairs before moving outside. I’m huddled in the back of the storage closet, probably ruining supplies because I’m wet from the rain.
It’s hard to know if it was the change in weather or something else, but things have felt off all day. I’ve been on edge like I’m sliding toward another unknown. There are crater-sized holes starting with Aiden’s sudden departure from Bubba’s, to finding him in his office, and the strange meeting with Officer Henley. Also, there is the potential Estelle Blanchard connection, the FBI file on Aiden’s desk, and now Puma shows up in Butterbury.
He has holes in his awareness too because I have zero interest in the so-called musician. However, I didn’t think he’d find me in Butterbury—must’ve made the connection from some social media posts when I first got to town.
I lean against the back of the closet, feeling rung out like a rag, except I’m soaked. My breathing slows, but there’s no doubt Puma saw me run in here, not to mention I probably left a trail of wet footprints.
Thankfully, Louella Belle didn’t question me when I yelled, “ I need to hide !”
My leg cramps so I quietly slip out of the closet. The rain pounds against the window panes in the front of the office. I creep over to see if Puma’s car is still parked in the street below.
I imagine Puma thinks I know things about his trouble with the law and wants to keep me quiet. Now, would be a good time to have a bodyguard and a lawyer. I think about my family. I doubt they’d help me at this point. Not one of them has reached out to see how I’m doing.
Two dark figures dot the street below. Aiden stands taller than Puma and shoves him toward his car. Rain flies from his jacket as he points at the guy who scrambles to get into the vehicle and then speeds away.
I press my hands over my face. “What is going on?” I whisper.
Confusion and questions batter me as I slide to the floor and lean against the wall, head in my hands.
Footsteps approach and Aiden appears at the top of the stairs. “Tinsley, please come with me.” His tone sounds a lot like the agents dressed in black who woke me up from my diva dream.
That’s when the realization comes back. I knew I recognized his blue eyes.
“You were there when Puma was arrested. I thought I was crazy for thinking you were the Southern Agent.” No, I was crazy for ignoring my intuition. For falling so blindly for him.
Aiden’s shoulders droop like he’s the one caught breaking the law.
There should also be rules and regulations about breaking people’s hearts because if I’m right, Aiden should go back to jail. Only this time, I won’t be in the next cell, all starry-eyed and buying into his talk about how I’ll be the future Mrs. Mayor.
When I don’t move, he says, “We have to talk.”
Crossing the room feels like moving through cement. Like I’m pressing against the driving wind outside. It’s as if whatever drew us together before repels us with the power of a massive magnet.
We hurry across the street and return to the office. As usual, Brave is excited to see us, but I can’t match the enthusiasm. He plonks down on my feet when I drop into a wooden chair. Aiden sits stiffly at his desk.
“What can you tell me about Harold Jerrold Pumanowksi?” Aiden asks with a certain smugness—the kind reserved for “Suit Aiden”—and danger, which usually goes with biker Aiden. Right now, I’d prefer cowboy boots delightful Aiden.
“Is this an interrogation? If so, I already told the other agents everything I know, which is next to nothing. I’ll tell you the same thing I told them.” I clear my throat. “I vowed to swear under oath that I didn’t even know who the vice president is. But if they were to ask me who starred in the latest Casablanca remake as well as the original, I could give you names and birthdays. Though now I do know who the VP is.”
“This isn’t an interrogation, but why was Harold looking for you?” Aiden’s posture is fierce like he’s ready to tear the musician’s throat out and break his fingers, but his expression softens.
“Who? Puma? I don’t know. He’d been texting because he wanted to catch up. I thought maybe he wanted to apologize.” I go on, speculating and describing how the texts escalated the more I ignored them.
Aiden crosses his arms in front of his chest and huffs. “Sounds like Tinsley-splaining to me.”
If I had long nails still, they’d be digging into my palms. “Did Taylor use that term? That’s rich. What else did he tell you about me? In case you guys didn’t notice, which seems odd since the rest of the town seemed to, I’ve changed. But it turns out I didn’t know you at all.”
“I can explain.”
This time I huff and fold my arms in front of my chest. “Please do. From what I’ve seen, you’ve easily shifted between a maverick biker dude, easy-going in slacks and a button-down shirt but hiding a prank behind your smile, a businessman in a well-tailored suit, and a hardworking guy who wants to help his town. I don’t know who I’m getting when, and should’ve known better than to trust you. I was afraid the joke was on me. I was right.”
“Only partially right, Tinsley. I wasn’t pranking you. Far from it. Everything between us was real. Is real. But the truth is that I’m a federal agent. I’ve been on this case for a while. As I gathered intel, it grew and grew, going beyond a corrupt mayor in a small town all the way to the governor. There are some bad actors involved, and I’m only now putting the pieces together.”
“But I had nothing to do with it.”
Aiden gives a short nod. “I know.”
Something sticky yet slippery wells inside. “Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Aiden hesitates. He’s hard to read. Multidimensional, unlike a scripted character. I hardly knew him, at least not how I thought I did. Realization dawns like a fiery sun. The liquid turns lethal and then into flame. “Because you didn’t trust me.”
“No, that’s not it. Not exactly. I didn’t want to endanger you.”
“Have all the geese in Butterbury been parading around, knowing the truth while this little ugly duckling was in the dark?” My voice is shrill as the tears return. They’re dense like the rain beyond the windows.
Brave makes a doggy sigh as if he senses how upset I am.
“No, not even Officer Henley knew until after he released us from jail. And you are not an ugly duckling.”
“Tell that to my sister Victoria.” I’ve rarely spoken of my family because there are ruins there, as fragile as the ones in Rome.
“Tinsley, trust me when I tell you I wanted to protect you. All I can say is that this case has to do with national and foreign alliances, nuclear assets, and a lot of money.” He balances his elbows on his knees and rests his head against his hands.
“You could’ve just said so in the beginning.”
“Not even my family, sisters, or the guys knew until recently.”
“Leaving me the last woman standing.”
Aiden shifts closer to me and says, “That fits since I was the last man standing.”
“How can I trust you when our relationship was built on a lie?”
“It wasn’t a lie exactly. More like concealment of the truth.”
I cock my head. “Then let me rephrase. How can I trust you when our relationship wasn’t built on truth?”
“It’s not like you told me that Puma had been texting you.” His tone turns sharp.
“And I ignored and deleted him.”
“But you could’ve been in danger. He didn’t look like he was fixing to take you on a date.”
I shiver. Aiden is a capable man. He was going to protect me from Brave, who he thought was a wolf. Plus, he’s professionally trained as a federal agent. Physically, I feel safe with him. Emotionally, I feel anything but. It’s like I jumped into a jungle ravine. All manner of creatures, poisonous insects, carnivorous plants, and what feels like a deep, natural love for this man could take me out at any turn.
I have to protect myself. “Aiden, technically, your case is the reason that I lost my social standing. I could get revenge and return to my old life.” Or spill the truth about how I love him.
He goes still. “What do you mean?”
I narrow my eyes. “I know where you keep Murder Doll.” I have never seen the thing but the name alone sets his teeth on edge. At the moment, it’s the only thing I can think of to get back at him, considering he has my emotions twisted like a Goga student.
“You wouldn’t.” His eyes narrow.
We have a stare-off. It’s everything I can do to hang onto my anger and not give in to the temptation of his blue eyes.
“Murder Doll,” I whisper to keep myself from falling off the rails and back into his arms.
He flinches.
Guess I found his weak spot. “Why didn’t you bother to tell me that you were in Malibu that night? That you knew who I was? You had every opportunity.” I want him to say something that erases all my doubt, but it’s carved into this conversation now. There’s no erasing or ignoring the truth and the pain. Mae didn’t have to warn me about breaking her brother’s heart. She should’ve reserved her sister-bear ferocity for him.
“Tinsley, if you dealt with the kinds of people I do on a daily basis, you’d understand that it was only to protect you.”
“I want to appreciate that. I do, but how can I when I didn’t even know that I needed protection? When I only knew half of you? If you looked at it from my perspective, you’d see that I don’t know how I’ll be able to trust you.”
“I’m sorry,” he says softly. “I’m sorry, but I was just doing my job.”
I want to accept his apology, however, the but I was just doing my job add-on threatens to cause a Tinsley Tantrum. “What comes first? Us or your job?” I’ve seen how this scenario plays out in my family and don’t like the result.
Aiden’s shoulders drop and he gazes between his hands at the floor. “I just have to finish this case.” His voice is low as if he’s talking to himself.
“I want to believe that, but how can I?” I start toward the door. Brave follows me. I don’t know whether I want to stay or go. For Aiden to follow me or remain in his office.
I’m not sure of any of it other than I wish we could rewind and go back to yesterday. Then again, that wouldn’t change that he’s a chameleon. That I believed the vague explanation that he was in business, finance. That I’d doubted my memory and that he was the Southern Agent.
The guys I used to date were celebrities with a side of bad boy. Aiden is no different, except he’s a good guy—at least when it comes to his job. As for us, I ended my man-cation early and fell for him.
Unfortunately, I was right. The joke was on me.
The rain lightens when I go to the boutique. Louella Belle offers to bring me to Toby the Trailer. I’ll stay there tonight, pack up, and call my family. If I have to, I’ll beg them to help me this one last time. Rhondy will understand that I have to leave on short notice. Beatrice too. My new friends, my new life. Boom. Gone.
Just when I’d started feeling like this was home, it’s time to go. This town isn’t big enough for Aiden and me.
Neither my mother nor my father answer their cell phones. I try John and it goes to voicemail, so I leave a message. I gather my things from around the trailer. I’m stuck here—no car, no boyfriend, nothing except this dog who doesn’t leave my side.
He’s a girl’s best friend, all right. I snuggle up with Brave and he places his paw on my hand. Such a good, loyal boy.
An hour later, my phone rings. I jolt, afraid it’s Puma. The scene on Main Street replays in my mind. My breath sticks until I see it’s my brother’s name scrolling across the screen.
“John? The adult lady child needs your help,” I say when I answer. “Thanks for calling me back.”
“Yeah, Mother and Father mentioned you’d called them. When I asked what was going on, they weren’t sure. When I asked why they didn’t know, they said they didn’t answer.”
My chest craters. Is he just calling to remind me they’ve all but disowned me? Is it really just Brave and me?
“Our family situation is a bit muddled, a lot dysfunctional,” he says after a beat.
“Ya think so?” I ask, not glad that’s the case but relieved he sees it now.
He snorts. “Yeah. Sorry for doubting you back at the cottage. I knew the thing about Mother. Tried to ignore it. As for Father, work came with less drama. But I’ve followed Puma Palmer’s case. Obviously, you didn’t have anything to do with it, but Mother and Father don’t see it that way. They think you’ve given the family a bad name.”
“But if they’d let me explain...” The second the words are out of my mouth, it’s like a carrier pigeon flies into my line of sight. Its message says the same thing except replaces me with Aiden. I let him explain a bit, but didn’t extend the understanding I want from my mom and dad.
“Sure they’ve worked hard, but they’re wrapped up in status. It’s like you were always an afterthought,” John says.
I don’t know whether to cry with sadness or relief. “That’s exactly how I’ve always felt. I just want a family. To love and be loved.”
“I wish things were different, but—”
But I am loved. Aiden loves me. He said so himself. And he showed me that by being my Bubba against Beatrice’s Benjamin. But it was Puma who spilled the symbolic soda on my shirt.
“Listen, I want to help you out. If you need any legal assistance, just give me a call.”
“I need transportation assistance,” I say even though I’m not sure where I’ll go.
“Ah, that’s right. The stolen car. It didn’t even occur to me that was Mother and Father’s BMW when you were at the cottage.”
“I’m still stuck in the small town where I got arrested, but I have no way to leave.” I brace myself for a disapproving scolding.
John says, “I’ll get you a plane ticket and a car service in the morning. What’s the nearest airport?”
Even as the generous offer is out of my brother’s mouth, I feel torn. Do I really want to leave? What’s waiting for me? Where will I go?
I belatedly answer, “Savannah, I think.”
“It’s late. Why don’t you call me in the morning, and we’ll get it sorted out.”
“I appreciate it.”
We hang up, and I gaze into the night. In the distance, the leaves of the trees on the hill leading to Aiden’s house flicker with light.
It isn’t only that I can’t trust him, but he didn’t trust me. Not with the truth of who he is and his job. Not by showing me his house. Not with much at all...except his heart, but was that even real?
For a moment while on the phone with John, I’d wavered, and considered trying to fix things here. I don’t really want to leave Aiden or Butterbury, but what other choice do I have?
I should sleep well having made my decision, but I toss and turn, hot, humid, and miserable.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Brave wakes with a long, mournful howl.
“Me too, buddy. Me too.”
The next morning, I want to go to Bubba’s and visit him, Tammy, and the restaurant one more time. Walk through the field to the hives, and apologize to Beatrice for having to put off her dream.
Instead, Aiden waits for me with the Maybach running to bring me to Sweethearts—little does anyone know it’s my last shift. I don’t meet his eyes, but imagine they’re as dark-rimmed as mine. The drive to town is agonizing silence. His tight grip on the wheel may as well be a vice around my chest. The sky is clear, but the air sticks in my lungs.
“Thanks,” I say when he drops me off in front of Sweethearts Bakery & Café.
“I can keep Brave for you today if you’d like,” Aiden offers when I’m halfway out of the car.
I pause, considering. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m leaving, Aiden.”
“No,” he says sharply. “Please don’t—”
“Aiden, I have to.”
“What about us?”
Inside, I have a Tinsley Tantrum and my mind spins with lots of Tinsley-splaining. On the outside, I remain calm and clear. “I don’t think it’s going to work.” The words are like shards of glass in my throat.
“Are you saying it’s over?”
Now, I’m underwater, choking. “I’m not sure it was ever—” I slam the door and bring Brave to the boutique where I find Camellia behind the counter.
Unlike yesterday, Aiden doesn’t follow me. Doesn’t come to my defense.
But I guess this time, I’m my own enemy.
Truth is, I don’t want it to be over. Not at all, but I don’t know how I can accept his love.
Camellia greets Brave. “Everything okay? I heard you had some trouble yesterday.”
Swallowing back tears, I wave my hand dismissively then trot to the door to go over to the bakery for what will be my last shift. “Yeah, everything is fine. It was just a misunderstanding.”
I guess I’m a decent actress after all.