Chapter Twenty-one
Honey fought with the doctor to get released the next morning, and her mom surprised her by battling even harder. “You need to stay here.”
“No. I need to go home. Mel said she’d check in on me.”
Her mom flinched as if Honey had slapped her. Her hands went up in warning and made Honey stop talking. “No way, Honey Bolder. No way you’re going back to that disgusting apartment in that horrible unsafe district. You’re either coming home with me or staying with Mel.”
When Anita got up on her high horse there was no way short of duct taping her mouth to get her to back down. Sighing in surrender, Honey took the stiff hands and held them. “Fine. I’ll move. It was only a temporary place in the city so I could work at the Country Music Hall Museum.”
“By the way, when were you supposed to start there?”
Fibbing didn’t come easy and so Honey turned away as if to start gathering her clothes. “I have an appointment with one of the directors soon.”
“Let me know, and I’ll come into the city and visit while you’re on shift. I seldom get downtown anymore, but I do enjoy the occasional visit.”
To get her mind off the subject, Honey teased her. “Why don’t you ask Bernie Horwitz to bring you in?”
Blushing, Anita waved her words away. “Oh, that man. Always trying to strike up a conversation.”
Honey detected a small chuckle woven into the complaint, and this time it held a tiny bit of affection. “Mom, you like him.”
“Like him? He’s a pest. But, he has a good heart… and a green thumb.”
“And from the sound of things, he makes you laugh, and you’re not afraid of his attention anymore. I’m glad.”
“With you never home now, I get lonely. Guess he saw me out in the yard trying to keep busy in the gardens. He’s taken to helping me with the heavier chores.”
Honey let her mom ramble on about the planting they’d done trying to keep the few flowers they could grow from getting too much sun and soon she had herself all ready.
Mel arrived to take her home just in time, and they both shuffled her mom along to lunch and then dropped her off with strict instructions for her to lock her doors and keep her alarms on even during the day. Honey added, “Mom, let Bernie know about those threatening text messages so he can keep an eye open in the neighborhood as well.”
“Yeah, yeah. You just take care of yourself, Honey. Then I’ll be happy.” Her mom caressed her face where some of the swelling had disappeared and kissed her forehead. “Go. But call.”
Finally, the girls were alone and could talk openly. “Did the police find any videos of the attack?” Mel jumped right in.
“The last officer said the only camera nearby had been sprayed over. They had no witnesses, nothing. The dark and their masks made it impossible for me to identify them… well other than Tansy’s voice. Mel, I could have been wrong.”
“No way you were wrong.”
Honey looked over; her face filled with doubt. “But I might have been. Think about it. I expected them to be the only ones who had any reason to jump me. So my brain filled in that information. I couldn’t swear without a doubt that it was her.”
“What about the text messages?”
“They were crude and threatening, sure. But first of all, it’s not definite who sent them. And it doesn’t mean those same jerks followed through. The police need more than that to prove they’re responsible.”
“At least, Metro P.D. are on your case now, right?”
“Right. Along with thousands more like it.” Honey’s tone showed she didn’t hold out a lot of hope for getting satisfaction. “And we both know, if you’re waiting for an admission of guilt, you can forget about it.”
“Pretty much what I thought myself.” As her next words exploded, Mel’s foot got heavier on the gas. “I just hate to think that mangy little bitch might get away with this.”
“Well, unless we can come up with compelling evidence that she and her gang were behind the attack, we’re hooped. And please… slow down before you get a speeding ticket.”
“Oh, sure. Speeding tickets, the cops are lickety-split on the scene. Get the shit kicked out of you, not so much.”
Honey had no idea why that made her laugh, but it did. Soon both girls were roaring.
Mel finally calmed down and pulled up in front of Honey’s apartment. “Look, I know you’re not going to like this, but Luke came over earlier and wrangled information out of me about the mess at the school and the court case.”
“Wrangled? What… he held you down and poured truth serum down your throat?”
“Almost. He looked at me with that smile… you know the one he hardly ever uses.” Mel practiced but gave up.
Honey crossed her arms and waited.
“I’m sorry. But he hypnotizes me. His way of looking at you… it forced me to share cause he meant to find out, Honey. Truthfully. Pretty soon, I was babbling away like a wingnut escaped from an asylum.”
Laughing now, Honey’s voice soothed. “That’s messed up. So… what gems did you share?”
“Everything.”
***
Honey finished packing and waited for Mel to return to pick her up. They’d arranged for her to have a couple of hours to clean up, and then she’d stay with Mel for the night and search out another place the next day. Problem was, trying to find a room she could afford during tourist season would be brutal.
When she heard the knock at the door, she was dumbstruck to find Luke leaning against the doorframe rather than her pal. With his hands in his front pockets, he appeared relaxed – unlike her rioting emotions.
“Ahh, hi. Sorry, I was expecting Mel.”
“I know. She told me. Said you’d be staying with her because you had to move. Look, I have a friend who’s away from town for a few months, and he left me the keys to his apartment. It’s not far from the city, and it’s in a good neighborhood. You’ll stay there.”
“What a compelling invitation. I love being asked. Makes me feel like I actually have a say.”
“Sure. I’ll help you move.”
“Seriously? Look, do I have a choice?”
“You do. Where’s your bags?”
“Luke. Stop. I mean it. I don’t know your friend and why would he be willing to let me rent his place anyway?”
“No rent involved. And… because he knows me. If I say you’re good people, that’s all he cares about.” This time he stopped long enough to look down into the worry on her face and his creased into the grin that melted hearts. “I know you only intended to spend the summer here, working at the museum. He’ll be traveling until the fall. It fits the bill for both of you.”
Honey backed away to sit down on the nearby chair, his charm all but making her swoon. “Let me think. It’s happening too fast.”
“Okay, how about this. I’ll take you to see the place and if you like it, then you stay tonight. If it helps, we can take it day by day. And I swear, I’ll call before dropping in like this again.”
He’d crossed his arms, posing again by the doorway, his muscular frame leaning nonchalantly as if he didn’t have a care in the world. She looked closer and saw the twitch in his cheek and felt the stress he’d worked hard to hide. He cared about her answer. She knew it like she knew she craved his lips on hers.
“Fine. I’ll take my overnight case but leave the rest of the things in my car.”
Luke hesitated. Then shrugged. His tight-fitting gray sweater-shirt revealed his muscles relaxing. “Show me what you need.”
In a short time, they were on their way to his car. “Where did the attack happen, Honey?”
“Excuse me?”
“Last night when you were brutalized. Where did they assault you?”
Honey hesitated but finally replied. “Back there by the parking lot. I was heading past those green garbage bins, and they jumped me as I was walking.”
He stopped to track her pointing finger and then continued on to his truck to help her inside. When he joined her, he resumed his questions. “Do you know how many girls there were?”
“I only saw three. They wore masks and hoodies.”
“Yet you knew one for sure. That’s what Mel said.”
“I think I recognized her voice. But I couldn’t swear to that in a court of law.”
“Anyone else have reason to beat you up and not take your phone or your purse?”
“Nope.”
“Compelling, right?”
She expressed her agreement without saying a word. Her face said it for her. “You know what? This might sound sick but it’s kind of a relief. They got their revenge and now it’s over. I can let it go and get on with my life instead of having to look over my shoulder.” Honey prayed that Mel didn’t tell him the part about the final messages.
“Think again, sugar. Those bitches never let go… not after someone pepper sprays them.”
Before Honey could come up with a retort, Luke pulled into an underground parking space and opened his door. Soon, he’d unlocked the apartment with a fob and handed it to her. “It’s quite a large place and has a nice view.”
While he showed her around, Honey could have sworn she heard a prideful sound in his voice. “He told me to lock his personal gear in the office, which I did before I came to get you. Everything else you’re welcome to use.”
Honey spun around and excitement bubbled. “It’s gorgeous. I love it. And you’re right about it being in a center location.”
“Yeah. It’s pretty sweet. You make yourself at home and stay out of trouble. I need to go and get ready for tonight’s show.”
As if a thought hit him, he turned back and caught her right behind him. He reached out his hands to steady her since she almost ran into his body. “You rest tonight. No partying. No Nudies.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
This time he broke into a laugh. “You’re one sassy lady, know that?”
“And you’re one for giving orders.”
His arms tentatively gathered her close as if she were delicate. Then he put his face close to hers before bringing her in for a hug.
She had the sensation of being treated like a precious object and loved how it made her feel.
When his lips searched for hers, she gladly reciprocated. Their kiss started as a light caress and soon became heated to where they both had trouble breathing normally.
He’d pulled her into his body, making it impossible not to feel his excitement. Melting, she pushed even closer. They continued the kiss, his tongue finding hers in a way that insisted she welcome him.
Which she did.
Impossible to ignore her growing passion, she melted, all her defenses disappearing.
That’s when he wrenched out of her arms, grabbed the doorknob, and headed out, his voice trailing behind him. “You’re hurt. I’ll be back.”