Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SARAH
“ W hoa!” June yelps when the wind takes her hat clean off her head and blows it down the beach. “I guess I didn’t need that hat anymore.”
“I think it’s time to take this party inside.” I pick up the plate of sandwiches and my drink. “Looks like we might get a spring storm.”
“We could use some rain. It’s been such a dry spring,” Luna adds as we walk inside, just in time to hear Tanner ask Wolfe a question.
“Hey, did you ever tell Luna about that race you want to do?”
June and I look at each other, and Luna erupts with, “What fucking race?”
“I take it that’s a no,” Apollo says and sips his beer. “Oops.”
“What race, Wolfe?”
The man in question rubs the back of his neck and looks grim as he turns to his fiancée. “It’s a charity race, Luna.”
“Yeah, well, a charity race ended your career, so that doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“Shit,” Wolfe mutters and walks to the windows.
“Should we leave for this conversation?” June asks me.
“Hell no,” Apollo answers. “I want to watch them fight. We should make popcorn.”
“You’re such a toddler,” June grumbles, but none of us look away from Wolfe and Luna as they square off.
“I haven’t agreed to it,” Wolfe continues.
“You haven’t even breathed a word about it to me,” Luna replies. “But apparently, your buddies know. Do the girls know, too? Are they expected to keep it a secret until you can find the right time to break it to me? Probably while we’re having sex or something, when you can sneak something by me.”
“Jesus.” He paces away from her and then back again. “No. Look, it’s a race in Miami that sounded like fun. I miss racing, Luna. I’ve never kept that a secret.”
“You can’t race.” She grips his shirt in her fists, and her eyes plead with him as she speaks. It makes my heart hurt for my sweet friend. “You absolutely can not, under any circumstances, race a car. It could kill you, and if that happened, I’d be so mad at you, I’d kill you again.”
“I didn’t tell you because I likely won’t get clearance to do it anyway, so there’s no reason to upset you. It’s a moot point.”
“No, it’s not, because if a doctor did lose her mind and say, Oh, okay, you can race , you’d actually freaking do it. Admit it.”
“Oh, yeah, I’d fucking do it in a goddamn heartbeat and wouldn’t think twice about it.”
Luna shakes her head and releases his shirt, stepping back from him. “After everything you’ve been through, and everything we’re trying to build together, you’d risk your life just to drive a car?”
“ Just to drive a car?” He crosses his arms over his chest, and I cringe.
That was the wrong thing to say.
“What, exactly, do you think I did for a living, Luna? Drive a fucking taxi? Because trust me, no one’s giving taxi drivers three million dollars when they win, or a Ferrari because it’s part of their contract.”
“ Three million ,” I whisper to Tanner, who nods, not taking his eyes off of our friends. “Whoa.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Luna’s clearly frustrated as she pushes her hands through her dark hair. “I meant that you’re willing to throw away so much for the sake of driving a car.”
“Is that an ultimatum?” he asks, his voice suddenly very cold.
I sidle over and slip my hand into Tanner’s, and he gives it a squeeze.
“Not only can I not watch you race ever again, but I won’t , Wolfe. The thought of losing you that way keeps me up at night and fuels my nightmares, so if you think that I’d willingly live through it with you, you’re crazy.”
“So, if I say yes, we’re through? You’ll walk out on me, and that’s it for us?”
“The fact that you’d even consider saying yes, and that you kept this from me, has me questioning some things right now, if I’m being honest.”
“Fuck that, Luna.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head emphatically. “I practically carried you up the cliffs by my house, more than once, because you couldn’t manage it on your own. You black out for hours. You’re in so much pain it takes my own breath away, and you’re telling me that you’d consider doing the one thing that could fucking kill you?”
“It’s like breathing,” he hisses, and takes her shoulders in his hands. “Don’t you get it? It’s my goddamn lifeblood, and it was torn away from me. I didn’t get to choose that.”
“You can choose it now,” she says, her face suddenly ashen. “You’re in control now. Wolfe, you know you can’t do this.”
He blows out a shaky breath and then yanks Luna into his arms and hugs her close.
“I just wish I could have it back, just for a little while, so I could say goodbye to it in my own way.”
“I know.” She rubs soothing circles over his back. “I know, and I’m so damn sorry. I really am.”
June sniffles and wipes away a tear, and I realize I have tears of my own on my cheeks that I swipe away.
It must be torture to lose something that you love so much like that.
“I never planned to accept the invitation,” Wolfe admits as he kisses Luna’s head. “I know that I can’t. But it felt damn good to be asked.”
“Of course, it did.” She pats his cheek and then twists his ear.
“Hey!”
“That’s for not telling me.” Now she pats his cheek again and smiles softly. “I wouldn’t really leave you. Probably.”
“Good to know.”
“I feel like I should pay admission to this show,” Apollo says, and Tanner nods.
“At least twenty bucks a person,” Tanner agrees.
“Smartasses,” Wolfe mutters, but gives us all a smile. “Sorry.”
“For what?” June asks. “It was a damn good show. I give it a seven out of ten. By the way, when do I get to drive the Ferrari?”
“Never.” Wolfe smirks and reaches for his beer. “You may ride in it. But you’ll never drive it. You couldn’t handle that car.”
“Uh-oh,” I mutter as June’s eyebrows climb into her hairline, and she blinks at Wolfe for ten full seconds before flipping him the bird.
“I can drive anything ,” she replies and bares her teeth. “Even your fancy car. But that’s fine. I don’t want to, anyway.”
I hide my laugh behind my own glass of water.
“You can’t even drive a backhoe,” Apollo adds with a smirk. “You’d kill yourself in a muscle car.”
June whips around and glares at Apollo.
“If looks could kill,” Tanner whispers, and I press my lips together so I don’t laugh.
“I missed them,” I say, not bothering to whisper now. “All of their drama and quirks keep us on our toes.”
“You have plenty of your own drama,” Luna reminds me. “And speaking of, have you heard anything about Angela?”
“No.” I shake my head. “And I probably won’t.”
“Right.” June nods and then rolls her eyes. “That girl is vindictive. You watch your back.”
“If I watch my back any more than I already am, I’ll have a permanent kink in my neck.”
“For such a nice girl,” Apollo says thoughtfully, “you sure have a lot of people who don’t like you.”
“It’s a gift.”
“So, I’m hoping that I can cut my hours back to part time. I don’t want to quit altogether right now, but I really would like the chance to focus more on my art and explore the possibility of making a living from it.”
Gordy’s eyes narrow. He always looks so grouchy, but I know that he’s just a big teddy bear.
He is with me, anyway.
“You listen to me,” he says, shaking his finger at me. “You only get this one life to live, and you have to do whatever it is that makes you feel good. Makes you feel proud. I knew that working for me was just a stopover until you found what that was.”
My jaw drops. “You did?”
“Sure. You came home sad, and a little broken, but the important thing is that you came home. You’re figuring yourself out, and I’m damn proud of you for that, kid.”
He’s always called me kid.
“I’m over thirty and just starting to figure myself out.”
“Many folks never do, no matter their age, so don’t be hard on yourself. You can talk with Sunny and work out a schedule with her. I’ll give her a heads-up. Do what makes you happy.”
“Thank you.” I know it’s not terribly professional of me, but I love Gordy, so I cross the space between us and hug him. “You’ve always been here for me, no matter what, and I can’t tell you how much I love and appreciate you, Gordy.”
“Don’t get too mushy now.” He may sound gruff, but his face is soft as he smiles down at me. “Same goes, kid. Now, I have to get back into the kitchen.”
The rest of my shift runs smoothly. Sunny and I are able to work out a schedule that works for both of us, and when I bounce out to my car at seven in the evening, I feel excited about the possibility of selling my art.
The sun is just setting when I turn my car toward Tanner’s house, but suddenly, the front, left side sags, and I hear an awful flapping sound.
I ease the car to the side of the road, and when I climb out, I scowl at the flat tire.
“Damn it.” I kick it, then reach for my phone, but I don’t have any service, and I’m definitely not currently on Wi-Fi. I really need to get my phone figured out. “At least I’m not far from home.”
I’ve already been on my feet most of the day, and they’re not happy with me, but the walk doesn’t take long, and when I’m safely in Tanner’s house, he turns to look at me and frowns.
“I didn’t hear your car.”
“That’s because I had a flat tire, and I had to abandon it.” I blow out a breath. “Can I please borrow your phone so I can call Wolfe and ask him to tow it?”
“How did you get home?”
“I walked.”
His eyes narrow now, and he leans closer, as if he didn’t hear me. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I walked, Tanner. It’s fine. I’m fine. I just need to have my car towed.”
“No, it’s not fine, Sarah. We agreed that you wouldn’t be alone until we figure out who’s been breaking into your place.”
“What was I supposed to do, wait in my car until someone came to find me? It was less than a mile, and it’s not dark yet. I’m fine.”
“We’re fixing your phone situation first thing tomorrow morning.”
“I have to work.”
“You need a phone,” he counters. His voice is calm, but his eyes are not . “This is a safety issue now. So, we’ll go to Newport and figure it out tomorrow.”
“I don’t remember you being this bossy and controlling when I was in high school.”
He doesn’t answer me. With his eyes pinned to mine, he taps his phone and presses it to his ear. “Hey, Wolfe. Sarah had a flat tire and needs a tow. Do you have a company you use for that? Great. Yeah, she’s home now, but the car is parked on the side of the road. Where is it?” he asks me.
“On the corner of Seaside Lane, not too far from Huckleberry Delight.”
Tanner relays the information. “Great. Thank you. Just let me know how much it is. Talk to you later.”
He ends the call, and I just stand here and stare at him.
“I should have been the one to do that. It’s my car.”
Tanner sits on the couch and leans forward, his elbows braced on his knees.
“I’m so angry right now,” he begins, his voice a study in controlled fury, “you might want to watch yourself.”
“What, exactly, are you angry about, Tanner? I couldn’t just sit in my car. I’d rather walk home than back to Gordy’s.”
“Something could happen to you.” He swallows hard, and his jaw tightens. “And that’s not acceptable.”
I straddle his lap and frame his face in my hands. “I’m fine. I’m not hurt. Flat tires just happen, you know? Maybe I drove over a nail, or maybe the tire just needs to be replaced. It doesn’t mean that someone booby-trapped it.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You’re becoming paranoid,” I inform him as I lean in to brush his lips softly with my own. “I’m okay. I promise.”
His arms loop around me now, almost desperately, and he hugs me close, burying his face in my breasts and holding on tightly.
“There have been too many shitty things happening lately,” he says at last. “Just humor me and take the morning off so we can handle your phone.”
“Done.”
His head comes up in surprise. “That was too easy.”
“No, I get it. If the roles were reversed, I’d be freaking out, too. We’ll get it fixed, and if something happens to my car again, I’ll wait there, with the doors locked, while I call for help.”
“Thank you.” Some of the tension melts away as he hugs me again. “Now, let’s get you naked.”
“Naked?” I giggle when he reaches under my shirt and tugs it up and over my head.
“I have some adrenaline to work off.”
His hands turn me into goo as he works me over, undressing and exposing me, kissing and teasing me, and when he finally lays me down on the couch and covers me, pressing inside, I think I might go blind from the pleasure of it.
“Holy shit,” I mutter when we’re a pile of sweaty, panting flesh. “I should get a flat tire more often.”
“Absolutely not.”
“You know, one of the most annoying things about living in Huckleberry Bay is that it’s so far from everything,” I say the next morning as we drive through Newport to go to the cell phone store. “There aren’t many easy errands we can run.”
“It’s a trade-off, that’s for sure.” He finds the store and pulls into the parking lot, cutting the engine.
“Let’s get this handled,” I say and walk in ahead of him. It’s early enough in the day that there’s no one waiting ahead of us.
“How can I help you?” A man with the name Justin on his lapel greets us.
“I’m having phone issues.” I explain about not having service, and Justin heads straight for the computer to bring up my account. “Do I just need to replace the phone?”
“You canceled your service with us last week,” he says with a scowl.
“I absolutely did not cancel my service.”
His face is lined with confusion as he taps some keys. “It says here that you came into this store on Wednesday afternoon and canceled your service.”
“I was in the woods on Wednesday afternoon,” I inform him. “But either way, let’s just get it set back up.”
“Sure, that should be easy enough.” But when he taps some more keys, he loses the smile on his face. “Actually, it says here that you owe about six hundred dollars in fees, and I can’t reinstate your plan without you paying that first.”
I stare at him, certain I just heard him wrong.
“That’s impossible.”
“No, there are fees for canceling before your contract is up, and given that you’ve had this plan for less than a year, the fees are high.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I didn’t cancel.” My heartbeat picks up at the thought of spending that much money on something I didn’t do.
“The computer says you did.”
“Okay,” Tanner says, cutting in. “We won’t be paying that today, and we will contest it. In the meantime, add her to my plan.”
Justin looks like he wants to argue with that, but then he just shrugs.
“Yeah, okay. I’m probably not supposed to, but I don’t care.”
“Can I have my old number back, please?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
As Justin taps away at the computer, I’m reminded how freaking long it always takes at the cell phone store, and how much I hate it.
Suddenly, Justin sighs. “I’m sorry, I can’t give you the number back because it’s been assigned to someone else.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” I protest. “Justin, it’s been turned off for a couple of days, not weeks or years. They must hold those numbers aside for a little while before reassigning them.”
“Usually they do, but if someone requests it, they’ll release it.”
Tanner’s hand on my shoulder tightens.
“Are you telling me that someone requested my number?”
Justin’s face pokers up. “I can’t give you that information. All I can say is that the number isn’t available.”
“Fine. Just give me a number, and I’ll figure it out.”
“Why would someone request my number?” I demand once Tanner and I are back in his vehicle. “It’s not special.”
“Someone is really dicking with you,” Tanner replies as he pulls out of the parking lot, his face set in grim lines.
“It’s a coincidence,” I begin, but when he shoots me a warning look, the one that says he’s pissed, I just shrug. “Okay, maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t. It’s mostly just a pain in the ass.”
“It’s harassment,” he mutters. “I think it’s time you got an attorney, Sarah.”
“For what? I don’t have proof of literally anything. ”
“Then we’ll hire a fucking private investigator. We have to do something because I can’t just sit back and watch all of this shit happen to you, over and over again. It’s not okay, and it has to stop.”
“The private investigator isn’t a bad idea.” I tap my lips with the pad of my finger, thinking it over. “They might be able to dig something up that we haven’t.”
“I’m glad we see eye to eye on that one.”
“Do you know any PIs?”
Tanner nods. “As a matter of fact, I do.”