Chapter 14
***MALCOLM***
He couldn’t help but be pleased with Rose’s compliment, not just because it was true, he had worked really hard, but because she could see the value of the building just like he had.
“Come on, I’ll show you the bar. It’s still a mess, but I think the space has a lot of potential,” he said, pulling her across the entryway and through the big wooden doors.
“It’s a little dark in here, but once I pull down the shutters covering the windows and get rid of the wood paneling, it should brighten up nicely. ”
After flicking on the light, he led her to the center of the room, then spun her slowly in a circle. “Imagine it the way I described it,” he said. “Elanie thinks it would make a great jewelry store or something like that.”
“A bookstore, it’s the only thing that makes sense,” Rose said, a dreamy look on her face.
“When I was a kid, I always dreamed about opening a bookstore. I had it all worked out in my mind, what it would look like and the people who would work there. It was a place I could go in my head when things got tough. That probably sounds stupid or a little crazy to you…”
“It’s not crazy, it’s sweet and a little sad,” he said, pulling her into his arms, his protective instincts awakened again by the pain in her voice. “I wish I could have been there for that little girl. I hate to think about you being that sad.”
“It was a long time ago,” she said, but didn’t step away from him for several wonderful seconds. “I’m a big girl now, but someday, if I can find the money, I’m going to open that bookstore, and it’s going to be everything I dreamed it would be.”
He looked down at her, “I bet you will,” he said. “Now are you ready to swing that sledgehammer? This place won’t be anything but an old bar if we don’t get to work.”
“I guess so, but you’ll have to show me what to do,” she said, hesitating when he held out the heavy tool. “I’ll probably suck at this too, just like I did at pool.”
“I don’t think you can suck at breaking things,” he said, forcing the handle into her hand. “Just pick it up and swing it. The goal is to smash the bar into small enough pieces we can get it out the door and onto the trailer so I can take it to the dump.”
She took the sledgehammer, letting out a little grunt when she felt the full weight, but shifted her position, then lifted it into the air and let it crash down on the bar.
A smile slowly spread across her face when it splintered with a satisfying crack, then she looked over at him.
Before she could take another swing, he handed her a pair of leather gloves and a pair of goggles, then stood back and watched as she demolished the bar with several well-placed strikes of the heavy tool.
When she finally stepped back, chest heaving, cheeks pink, eyes sparkling with pleasure, it took all his control not to sweep her into his arms and kiss her.
But he’d promised to go slow, and he wasn’t going to break that promise.
Instead, he grinned at her, took the sledgehammer from her hands, and set it aside.
“Told you that it would be fun,” he said. “I bet you feel way better.”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” she said, the big grin still on her face. “But I have a feeling I’m not going to like the next part.”
“You don’t have to help me, I can do it on my own,” he said. “It shouldn’t take me more than a couple of hours, and then maybe we can go have some fun.”
“I helped make the mess, I’ll help you clean it up,” she said, shaking her head. “Then we’ll talk about fun.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Timmons. No wonder Roger put you in charge,” he said, pretending to be upset. “But you’ve got a deal, let’s get to work.”
It was late afternoon before they swept up the last of the mess and carted it out to the dumpster behind the building. “Well, it looks like an entirely new place,” he said, walking around the empty room. “It also looks much bigger.”
“I don’t think you’ll have any problem renting it,” Rose said, walking over to the window. “Especially once you open the shutters up. There’s going to be wonderful light in here. I can’t believe they had it all closed up like this.”
“It does seem like a waste, doesn’t it?” he asked, then saw that the sun was almost ready to set. “We’ve been at this all day. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”
“I passed starving an hour ago, but I didn’t want to stop,” she said, grinning at him. “I’m thinking another one of those cheeseburgers might just hit the spot, but we’re both filthy; we should go home and change.”
“I think I’ll starve to death before then,” he groaned. “But I guess I can wait that long, and I’m buying. You worked hard today, you deserve it.”
“I won’t argue with you,” she said, grinning at him. “But I’m ordering a chocolate shake too.”
He laughed. “I don’t think that will break the bank,” he said. “Come on, let’s go. If we’re lucky we’ll get there before the dinner rush.”
***Rose***
“That’s it, I’m done,” Rose said, throwing her napkin on top of the last of her fries. “I can’t eat another bite, and don’t you even mention the ice cream place down the street.”
Malcolm laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said. “Tonight, I was thinking about the bakery down by the park. They have the best cream puffs you’ve ever tasted.”
“Uhhh, how can you be thinking about more food after that?” she said, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have to eat for a week after that.”
“Nah, we worked hard today,” he said, grinning at her. “You’ll be starving by breakfast.”
“I will be if you’re cooking,” she said, then couldn’t help the huge yawn that took over. “I think I’m about ready for bed.”
“It looks like it. I’ll get the check,” Malcolm said, waving at the waitress as she passed by. “Just in case I didn’t say it enough, thank you for your help today. It would have taken me twice as long to clean it up without your help.”
“I had fun,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I’ve never demolished something before. It was good therapy, I should be thanking you.”
“What are you thanking him for, sweetheart?” a voice that made Malcolm go completely tense interrupted. “Is he actually buying you dinner for a change?”
“Go away, Thomas, we’re trying to have a nice dinner,” Malcolm said, not looking at the other man. “You’re not wanted here.”
“What’s the matter? Are you afraid I’ll mess up your pathetic attempt to score by telling the little lady the truth about you?
” Thomas asked, looking like he was enjoying himself.
“Or maybe you already told her all about it, and she doesn’t care.
Maybe she’s one of those kinds of women, maybe she’s so desperate she doesn’t mind sleeping with a murderer. ”
She gasped, couldn’t help herself, then glanced over at Malcolm, who had gone completely white and looked like he wanted to kill Thomas and prove him right.
“It’s not our fault if your people keep running away; cruelty doesn’t breed loyalty,” he said, his voice so calm it was frightening.
“My relationship with Rose is none of your business, now move along before you force me to cause a scene.”
“I might enjoy that,” Thomas spat at him. “I’m tempted to call you on that one, but I have places to be. Just know that we’re not far away, we will find out what happened to Diego and Sebastian, and then the Sigmas will pay and pay dearly.”
Thomas turned and strode off, rejoined his table, then stared at them, his eyes full of mistrust and hatred, and she couldn’t help but shiver as she turned to Malcolm.
He was staring right back at Thomas clearly not willing to back down even a little bit, but finally had to look away when the waitress dropped the check on the table.
Thomas was still glaring at them as they made their way toward the door, and she knew that this was her chance.
The door was open like it would never be again, and she had to take advantage of it now.
“Malcolm, what is he talking about?” she asked when they got outside. “I don’t for a second believe that you’re a murderer, but…”
“It’s complicated, there are things about me that you don’t know,” he said, reaching for her hand.
“I didn’t kill anyone. I honestly don’t know what happened to Diego and Sebastian.
If you want my guess, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But it doesn’t surprise me that they would blame us, we’ve been at war with them since we were freshmen.
They’re not good people, Rose. They’re the kind of people who commit murder.
They were running a gambling and prostitution ring up until this year.
Don’t listen to a word that Thomas says. ”
“They’re your rivals,” she said, relief beginning to spread through her. “You swear that you’re innocent?”
“I swear, I didn’t have anything to do with either of them disappearing,” he said, shaking his head. “Thomas is just trying to stir up trouble, the Kappas are famous for that, along with a lot of other things.”
For the first time since her stepfather had told her what she was going to be doing, Rose felt the guilt lifting from her shoulders.
Now she could tell Chet that Malcolm and his friends weren’t involved.
She was done spying, done lying to him, and for the first time since they’d met, she could just be herself.
The nightmare was over, she’d done what Chet had asked, her sister would be safe, and she could get on with her life.
A part of her wondered if she could get away with never telling Malcolm the truth about why she was there, but her conscience told her differently, and she knew that before they could move on, she’d have to tell him.
It wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation; there was little doubt that he would be mad, and rightfully so, but she just hoped that he would forgive her when she explained.
Looking over at him, she opened her mouth to start the conversation, but he already looked exhausted.
She didn’t want to add to it. There was no hurry, the truth would still be there in the morning.
Then they could truly have the fresh start that they’d talked about, no secrets between them, no lies standing in their way, everything would work out, and for the first time in her life, she might actually be happy.
“I’m so glad, I didn’t think it was true,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “You just don’t seem like the kind of guy who could be tangled up in something like that.”
“Let’s go home and forget about the whole thing,” Malcolm said, squeezing her hand. “It’s been a long day, I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.”