Chapter 29
29
Spencer
“You’re killing me with these dresses, Kitten.”
Cortney executes a twirl that sends her flowy, ivory skirt swishing around her calves. “Is it okay? You said to wear something nice, but I wasn’t sure if that meant clean or glamorous.”
“This is perfect.” I lean against the doorframe to her home and give her a slow once-over. She’s paired the dress with a black strappy sandal that showcases her toes painted a shocking red. Filthy thoughts fill my head. I wonder if the polish matches anything else.
“Where are we going?” She slings her purse strap over her head and switches on the porch light.
I push off from the frame and take her hand. “I’m taking you on a first date, Fairview Valley style.”
“Wasn’t our honeymoon like one big first date?”
Hearing her call the trip our honeymoon fills me with so much warmth I might start boiling from the inside out.
Fuck. I like the sound of that.
Right then and there, standing on Cortney’s front porch, I decide that someday I’m going to take her on our honeymoon. A real one. The right way.
“That wasn’t our first date.” I lean over and kiss her cheek. “That was like a pre-date.”
“What kind of woman am I that I have sex on the pre-date?”
She squeaks as I abruptly stop and yank her into my chest. “My favorite one.”
“Smooth.” She melts into me, giving me half her weight.
“This is me rescheduling from when you got that migraine. It’s nothing much, Kitten. You’ll have fun.”
“Well, now I’m even more excited.”
I swing open my passenger door and lift her into my truck. The sight of her soft, round ass in my face sends blood rushing to my cock. While she settles, I reach down and adjust my dick. It’s like I’m a teenager again, and a solid breeze blows by. I have a permanent stiffy when she’s around.
She busts me with a laugh, eyes glittering in the evening sun. “Something wrong, Spence?”
“I think this is turning into a medical issue. Isn’t there a danger to having chronic erections?”
“We could go back inside. Do something about it.” She bites her coral pink lip.
“After,” I rumble, my tone thick with want. “I’m going to feed you before I fuck you.”
I buckle her in, kiss her cheek, and jump into the cab to Cortney’s enjoyment.
“You’re pretty quick, considering you carry around that baseball bat in your pants.”
Hooking her around the back of her neck, I kiss her hard. “Be a good girl for dinner, and I’ll show you exactly what I can do with it.”
“Oh my.” She fans her hand in front of her face.
The smirk I wear remains permanent for the entirety of our short drive.
“You’re taking me to The Rocks.”
I unclick my belt. The nylon retracts into the holder with a whirl. “Told you I was taking you out Fairview Valley style.”
“I can’t wait for a Rueben special.”
“He’s still here?”
“Still here and still cooking up the best burgers in this county.”
I scrub my palm over the back of my head, suddenly feeling nervous. Brushing against my scars sends a pulse of unease through me. The thought of so many people seeing my appearance at once isn’t the only thing to blame. I also planned to talk with Cortney and air out a few long overdue skeletons.
“I haven’t been here since I’ve been back. Thought it’d be the perfect way to revisit some old memories.”
“I love this idea. We used to come here all the time.”
“I remember.”
I hop out and round the engine to open her door.
“We sure ate here a lot for not having a lot of cash.” As she talks, she slips her hand in mine as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Maybe it is.
Maybe being together is just this simple.
We might be in our forties, but at the heart of us, we’re still just two kids crazy about one another.
“Don’t you remember? We’d buy the lunch special and ask Rueben to cut it in half.”
“Yes! I always made sure you got the bigger half.”
“You did eat most of the fries, Kitten.”
Her elbow nudges my ribs. “Only because you let me.”
Stepping into the old bar is like walking back into some of my oldest memories. The air still smells like crisp fried food and stale beer. The same regalia hangs on the walls. I feel as if I look in the back corner, I’ll see a group of my friends playing pool. Sometime over the last few decades, the stools were replaced and the lighting over the bar swapped out, but it mostly looks the same.
Even the people.
The lights above the bar feel like a spotlight. We place a drink order with the guy wearing a bandanna. He knows his way around the rails and slides our glasses over faster than I can dig out a crisp bill.
I duck my head and squeeze Cortney’s hand, pulling her toward a table near the back. Dark and quiet. Somewhere I can blend in. The faces blur together as we stroll past, nameless people studying the scars on my skin.
“On a good day, Rueben would accidentally mess up someone’s order and let us have it.” Reminding her of the past works as a distraction to my present discomfort.
She nods along. “And somehow, that extra meal always turned out to be something we liked.”
“Funny how that worked out.” Our eyes meet across the table.
She sighs and drops her chin into her hand. “I missed you, Spence.”
Reaching across the dinged wooden surface, I stroke my finger along the soft skin of her arm. “Missed you too, Kitten.”
“Life is funny. You waltzed out of my life, and twenty years later, you waltzed back into it, and somehow, we’re able to pick up right where we left off.”
“I wouldn’t say I waltzed out of it.” The edge of my tone is harder than I intend.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be flippant.”
I tip back my beer, ignoring the feeling of someone staring at me. “Not your apology to make, Kitten. I just don’t want you to ever think leaving was easy. It was one of the hardest fucking things I’ve done.”
Until the fire and losing Lucas, leaving Fairview Valley was the most difficult moment of my life. A moment that stretched over two fucking decades.
Not my father walking away.
Not starting my life over a state away.
Nothing compares to the self-inflicted pain I suffered because I was too weak to stand up for myself and my family.
“What is it?” The warmth of her hand covering mine returns me to the present. Her fingertips naturally fall along the ridge of damaged skin, but I take comfort in the way she doesn’t flinch.
“There’s more to the story.”
She throws her hands up and leans back in her seat, picking up her drink. “Great. I tattooed myself again for a man, and he’s about to tell me about a secret wife or something.”
“You’re the only wife I intend to have in this lifetime, Cortney Powell.”
“You mean that?” One sentence turns her voice from sarcastic to emotional.
“Would I say it if I didn’t?”
“I’d like to think not. That’d be cruel.” The lower line of her lashes glisten as she blinks rapidly.
“What do you say, gorgeous? Think you’d be willing to give another man a chance?” I lean closer, and my voice dips. “That man being me.”
She leans closer too. “Are you proposing?”
My lips spread in a wide grin. “Not yet. This is just a conversation. When I get down on one knee, I want to make sure we’re on the same page.”
“My life has been entwined with yours since we were teens. We’ve been writing our story in the same book.”
“I don’t know. There’s lots to go over.”
“Like what?”
I’m momentarily distracted by the couple at the bar looking our way. I shove away the vulnerability.
“What’s your favorite color?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Today, it’s coral. Last week, it was hot pink.”
“See and mine’s green. We just learned something new about each other.”
“Your favorite color has always been green.”
The gotcha awaits on the tip of my tongue. I lean forward on my elbows. “Ah, but yours used to be blue. Cerulean. Not navy.”
“I’m impressed.” Cortney leans back in her chair and crosses her arms. The move deepens her cleavage. Her creamy skin is soft and inviting where it spills above the square neckline of her dress.
“Since you can’t quit looking, are you a tits man or an ass man?”
A scan of our surroundings reveals two men beside us salivating. I shoot them a scowl. “Yours,” I blurt.
“Sorry?” She laughs.
“Whatever you have.” I wave my hand vaguely across her torso. “I’m into it. Your tits look fantastic in that dress, but then I remember burying my tongue between your ass, and I can’t choose. What about you?”
A rosy blush stains her cheeks. “I, well, everything you do is amazing, but I really liked when you… you know.”
“Licked your ass?” Leaning forward, I drop my voice and fill in the blanks. “Me too.”
Her body shivers before my eyes.
“What other questions do you have?”
“Do you have any for me?”
Cortney retrieves her cocktail. Her lips are sultry as they wrap around the black straw. “Are you okay with the fact that I won’t be able to have any more children?”
The next beat of my heart is a hard thump. Her direct question is exactly what I expect from her, and I don’t intend to skirt around the answer.
“I want you.” My gaze is steady on hers. “I could keep this simple and just say yes, but honesty is never easy. I hate the fact that my screwup led to a future where the two of us will never get to see if our babies get my eyes or yours. The way that hurts is as mental as it is physical. If we come to a decision someday that we want to parent together, then we’ll adopt. If not, I’m okay, gorgeous.”
The hollowing of her cheek gives away the way she bites the inside. “I’d like that. I’m sorry we missed that chance.”
“Me too.” Lifting her hand to my lips, I brush a kiss over her knuckles. “That’s enough questions for now. Order yourself another drink, and grab an app if you’d like. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” She smiles and picks up her menu.
I doubt she needs it. She’s lived here long enough to know the choices from memory. And if she’s still the girl I knew, I’d put money on her ordering a double bacon cheeseburger with fries and seasoned sour cream.
It used to be my favorite too.
Ducking down the hall to my left provides an escape from the busy bar. The crowd is growing as evening stretches into Saturday night. As much as I try to avoid it, the whispers and stares are starting to get beneath my skin. Nosy gossipers are filling their buckets to spread around church tomorrow morning. I can imagine the fake well-wishers using my misfortune during prayer service, pretending to give a shit for their fellow citizen.
It's exhausting being a spectacle.
But I refuse to be forced into my home, away from the public eye. I know once people get used to my appearance the whispers will fade. I just have to ride it out until then.
Cortney deserves it.
I think I may deserve it too.
A quick splash of water on my face seems to sort me right out. For a moment, I imagine Lucas looking up at me and laughing his ass off. Without a doubt, he’d enjoy my discomfort here a hell of a lot. Lucas never let anything hold him back or get him down. The guy just loved life in all its forms.
I’m determined to start living my life that way too.
I pull my phone out and send a text to my group chat with my brothers.
Me
Are you two free tomorrow around 11?
Sutton
Yep. What do you need?
Silas
It’s the Lord’s Day, so it depends what you want
Sutton
You aren’t religious
Silas
So? Neither are you and we still celebrate Christmas
Me
I just want to talk. Don’t have to make a big deal out of it.
Sutton
Come by my place tomorrow
Me
Thanks, Sutt
Silas
I’ll be there, but I’m bringing donuts
Sutton
If you don’t bring one with pink sprinkles for Nellie, she’s going to riot
Silas
salute emoji
The walk back to the table isn’t as heavy. I’ve got my girl back, my hometown, and if everything goes well, my family.
If everything goes well. Because I have a feeling they’re going to be pretty mad at me come tomorrow.
Furious even.
Stepping out of the hall, I allow my eyes to adjust to the space. They dim the lighting further as the night crowd continues to develop. A group of rowdy girls dance at the back of the room, and the crack of pool balls on the occupied tables can be heard above the chatter and music.
Finding my table, I move straight from content to furious myself. Cortney’s back is rigid, arms flailing animatedly as she talks to her ex. He must have been here watching us. There’s no way he just happened to show in the five minutes I stepped away.
The urge to charge over there nearly propels me forward, but I force my muscles to relax. I thought I sent him a clear message at the garage. Maybe he has a death wish. By the looks of things, I’m not going to be the one to deliver it.
My woman is fired up, and she’s not afraid to show it.
Something is off, though. Cortney is upset, but Sebastian seems too calm. Too controlled. Almost as if he’s in charge of the situation. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his jeans. From my location, he appears to be fighting a smile.
Our server stops by, interrupting their heated discussion. Sebastian intercepts Cortney’s cocktail straight from the tray. He grips the drink with his fingertips and entire palm hovering above the rim.
Fuck this guy touching her shit. I take that as my cue to intervene.
What was that?
Sebastian isn’t even looking at her glass. Neither is Cortney. But I watch in horror as an object sinks slowly to the bottom of her drink, the bubbles racing around it as it dissolves.
Forget furious. I move straight into a blacked-out rage.
Sebastian watches Cortney as he places the drink in front of her and hands the empty one to the server. A soft smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. His eyes flash with satisfaction.
I’m going to wipe the fucking floor with that smirk.
Neither of them sees me coming. My approach is from Cortney’s back and Sebastian’s side. They jump back as I reach in and steal the drink out from in front of her.
My arm is a blur as I sidearm the cocktail into an empty wall behind us. Glass shatters in a cascading shower. Pink juice runs down the wall in rivulets like an exploded firework. A couple of high-pitched screams join the cacophony. Conversations cease, but the music plays on, the upbeat country song a mockery to the destruction unfolding.
“Spencer, what—” Cortney doesn’t finish her sentence.
In the next breath, I have Sebastian by his shirt. Fear replaces his satisfaction from a moment ago.
“No, hold on. It was just a sedative! I just wanted her to go home. I wasn’t going to do anything nefarious.”
I don’t even give him time to flinch before my fist flies into his face. Bone crunches beneath my knuckles.
“Wrong move, motherfucker,” I snarl.
His body crumples into a heap on the sticky hardwood floor with a scream.
My heart thunders.
Nobody breathes.
Nobody moves.
I shake out my hand and flex my fingers. My cheek twitches with a wince.
“Oh my god, Spencer. Are you okay?” Cortney leaps from her seat.
“You didn’t drink anything, did you?” I hold her on either side of her neck, tilting her head back as I run my thumbs over her jaw.
“No. I didn’t get a chance.”
Relief swims through my veins.
“I… you… you came out of nowhere and just… Wham! ” Her energy radiates off her as she punches her fist into her palm. “You decked him. What the hell happened?”
“He put something in your drink.”
She sucks in a shocked breath. “What?”
I toss a wad of bills on the table. “Date’s over.” Cortney lets me sling my arm over her shoulders and steer her toward the door.
“Wait!” The bartender rushes over. He holds out a white towel filled with ice for Cortney to take. “For his hand.”
“Thanks, Bobby.”
Or not. In order to put it on my hand, I need to stop holding Cortney. Something I’m not keen on doing.
Noticing my dilemma, she pulls out of my hold.
“Put this on.” She gingerly takes my right hand in hers. She scrutinizes the redness and swelling knuckles before setting the ice on top. The cold more than the pain coaxes a hiss from between my teeth.
“’Bout time someone put that kid in his place.” Bobby adjusts his red bandanna and stalks off.
“We should get out of here.”
I follow Cortney’s gaze over her shoulder to Sebastian on the floor. A group has formed around him, but he’s still on his hands and knees, blood dripping from his face.
“Let’s go.”
My body vibrates with rage. The sooner we get back to her house, the better.
We make it two strides before the last person I want to see walks through the entrance, a vengeful gleam in his eye.
With his hand on his gun, Sheriff Jim Perry smiles sinisterly. “Where are you going?”