14. Talon
14
TALON
“ T alon?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s Aspen.”
“I know who it is,” I say with a sigh as I throw my pencil across my desk, the shop phone pressed to my ear. I don’t mean to be a dick, but I know what’s coming, and I’m pissed because it’s late and I should have been home hours ago.
“Nice to talk to you too,” she deadpans. “And while I’d love to catch up, I need your help.”
“Cora know you’re calling?”
“She would if she answered, but listen, if she asks, I called the other place but no one answered.”
My lips twitch. “Noted.”
“That guy is a creep, and you trying to interrupt my beach and queso day aside,”—I chuckle but she just keeps talking—“I’ll pick you any day.”
“I’m flattered.”
“I bet. Will you come get me? I’ve been here for an hour already and I just?—”
“I’m on my way. Text me your location. You’re safe, right?” I ask, my voice a little gruffer than normal as I rattle off my cell number. The thought of either one of them being hurt because some douchebag hasn’t fixed the Goddamn problem along with Cora being too hardheaded to listen is something I can’t handle.
Not today, and not ever.
“Yeah, just would rather be home, in the tub with a glass of wine.”
“Where’s Cora?”
“She had plans and had to leave early.”
My grip on the phone tightens, and images of some asshole’s hands on my girl cloud my vision as my cell vibrates on the desk. I barely see it because all I can focus on is those two words rattling around my brain.
My girl.
She’s not my girl, but I think that’s the problem.
Maybe that’s always been the problem.
“I’m on my way,” I tell her.
She sighs. “I’ll be here.”
Grabbing my keys, I climb into the tow truck and plug the address into the GPS. I know how to get most places in and around Magnolia Point, but I’m not taking any chances right now.
Letting out a low whistle, I park behind the Taste of Magnolia and stare up at the historic home with its white pillars and pristine landscape. It’s beautiful, and I can’t help the twitch of my lips thinking that Cora and Aspen had landed an event like this.
But my smile fades as Aspen comes around the back of the truck to stand at my door.
“Come sit in here, and I’ll just tow it back to the garage and give you a ride home.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, and I don’t miss the hopefulness in her tone.
“Yeah, no sense tryin’ to get this sorted out right here.”
Nodding, she climbs in and rests her head back on the headrest as I pull around to the front and climb out to hook it up.
It doesn’t take long—I could do most of my work in my sleep which is indicative of my expertise and also my lack of social life.
“She answer you yet?” I ask as I pull myself into the cab.
“No. But I don’t expect her to.”
“She on a date?”
“That’s her business,” Aspen says with a smirk, her head tilting to the side to look at me, “but it’s interesting seeing you jealous.”
There’s no reason we need to delve into it. She already knows I am.
“Why don’t we talk about why you think my brother is a douche?”
“Hard pass, Banks.”
I cover my laugh with a cough and focus on the drive back to the garage. Aspen talks for most of the way, only requiring me to throw in some random commentary or a grunt every now and then.
It’s also the most interaction we’ve ever had.
Pulling into the lot, I’m surprised to see the lights are all on inside. I park and we both get out. “I just need to grab my keys.”
Holding the door open for her, I watch as Aspen walks inside and zeroes in on where my brother is typing away at the computer.
“What are you doin’ here so late?”
“I had some stuff to take care of and…” His eyes drift to Aspen and he swallows hard, his body tensing as he takes her in.
Interesting.
“Hey Phoenix,” she purrs, leaning against the desk, “can you give me a ride home?” My brother’s mouth opens and closes without making a sound. She holds up her hand. “I promise I won’t even hit on you.” Her tone is flirty but it lacks her usual delivery.
“Oh, I don’t know. I…”
“Really? You’re gonna be like that after one kiss?”
“That’s not—” he starts, and she slams her hands on her hips as my eyes widen in surprise.
“You better hope my brother never finds out you were too much of an ass to bring me home when I was stranded after workin’ all day. That shit would never fly in my hometown.”
Her bravado is slipping, and I hustle toward my office to grab my keys. I can’t hear what he says, but I watch her shoulders slump, and I want to punch my brother in the face.
Hearing me call her name, Aspen turns and catches the keys easily when I throw them to her. “Aspen, I don’t want you to have to wait, so take my truck and I’ll get it later. Sorry he’s being such a dick.”
“Thanks,” she says with a tight smile, and I want to make a joke about her remembering me being so nice when Cora comes here on a warpath, but I don’t. “Talon?”
“Yeah?”
“Maybe don’t tell her she needs a new flux capacitor.”
Son of a bitch.
She leaves, the door closing quietly behind her, and my brother remains unmoving in his spot.
“You’re a fucking idiot,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Like you have any room to talk.”
“Cora lives to hate me, and I can’t get her alone long enough to make her hear me. But you,” I say, pointing to the door where the rumble of my truck turning over sounds, “you’re punishing her for the mistakes of others.”
“I’m not—” He whips around to face me, his hands balled at his sides.
“You are and she was right to call you out on it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Maybe not. But I do know that if you don’t pull your head out of your ass, she’s going to stop chasin’ you, and you’ll only have yourself to blame.”
“Fuck off, brother. Deal with your own shit and leave me out of it,” he says, stomping toward the door and practically ripping it off the hinges as he goes.