Chapter 3 #2
The phone clunked like Lacey had dropped it.
I knew my best friend had taken on too many obligations since she’d been elected mayor.
And she’d added even more to her overflowing plate when she married Deputy Sheriff Bodie Phillips last spring and became the sole contact for Ido’s budding wedding business.
But somehow, with everything else she had going on, she’d always found time for me. At least until recently.
“Hellooooo?” I said. “You there?”
A click came through the phone. “Go ahead. Sorry about that. You were saying?”
“I was trying to warn you that you’re going to be getting a call from a guy who stopped by the Phillips House.”
“A guy? What kind of a guy?” Lacey still sounded distracted. She’d lost interest in other men when she’d tied the knot with her own childhood crush.
“A hot-as-hell piece of man candy I’d like to lick in all the right places.” I smiled to myself. That ought to get Lacey’s attention.
Silence. Usually Lacey would shoot back a snappy reply to a comment like that. Instead, a deep laugh rolled through the speaker.
“Should I be worried?” Bodie asked.
My cheeks burned like they’d been seared on a flaming barbecue grate. “Bodie? Where’s Lacey?”
Lacey’s laughter filled the cab of the pickup. “I’m right here. I’ve got you on speaker. You might want to curb your enthusiasm. Not everyone needs to know how long it’s been since you had the chance to lick a proper piece of man candy.”
Stunned into momentary silence, I contemplated hanging up. “I realize y’all are married now but for the love of all things holy, do you have to share everything with him?”
The phone clicked again. “I’m sorry. You’re off speaker now. Feel better?”
“No. In fact, I don’t feel better. Who else knows how long it’s been since I’ve licked anything?”
“No one. Bodie just stopped by with some paperwork I needed to sign. He’s leaving now.” The sound of a smacking kiss, then a giggle from Lacey made my stomach churn.
“Want to call me back after you’ve violated your husband in the privacy of your public office?”
“No. He’s gone now. I promise. Please, fill me in on this lickable man.”
“Forget it.” I pulled into the drive of the group home where my brother lived. “I try to do a good deed by giving you a heads-up and now I’ll never live it down.”
“I’m sorry. It’s too easy to poke fun. Seriously, though, what did he want?”
“He wants to talk to you about renting the warehouse.”
“For what?”
“I have no idea. But I gave him your card, and he said he’d be giving you a call. My duty is done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to drive Zeb to his appointment and get back in time to meet the roofing guy.”
Lacey clucked her tongue. “Did you get his name?”
“Who, the roofing guy?”
“No, the man candy.”
“Yeah, Alex somebody. Said he used to play football against Luke and Zeb. He grew up over in Swynton and came by with his sister.”
“Not Alex Sanders,” Lacey said. “If you’re talking about Alex Sanders, then your lickable man candy assessment is right on the money. Oh hell, he was hot back in high school.”
“Well he’s matured into hotter hotness, and he’s going to be looking you up, so be forewarned.”
“Hmm. You know I’m off the market but if there’s new lickable man candy in town, I think it’s only fitting that you take a chance.”
I pressed my hand to my heart as it began to thump in double time. Figures that Lacey would make a suggestion like that. “You only want me to settle down so you don’t feel so guilty for being so freaking happy all the time.”
“You may be right about that. It really is a downer when you shut me up when I try to talk about how great married sex is.”
“I’ve got to go. My ears are on fire and as it is I’ll never be able to take anything Deputy Phillips says seriously again.”
“Just don’t let him cuff you. You have no idea where those handcuffs have been.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.” I ended the call. Let no good deed go unpunished.
I’d only been trying to give Lacey a heads-up.
Now I had unwelcome visions of my best friend and Bodie and a pair of department-issued handcuffs floating around in my head.
As if I needed anything else to make me painfully, uncomfortably, achingly aware of how long my current dry spell had lasted.
As I shoved all thoughts of Alex Sanders out of my mind, lickable torso and all, I made my way to the front door.
Zeb stepped out onto the stoop, his service dog by his side.
He didn’t go anywhere without Semper, not since I’d finally found an organization that could provide him with a highly trained dog to help him with his debilitating PTSD.
I’d been so impressed with Zeb’s improvement since he’d started working with Semper that I’d been volunteering with the group to identify rescue pups that came into For Pitties’ Sake that might be good candidates to enter their training program.
If I couldn’t do my part by actively serving in the military, at least I could try to make those who did serve more comfortable when they returned home.
“You ready?” I glanced up at Zeb.
“Let’s get this over with.” He didn’t even try to pretend he didn’t hate the required therapy sessions he’d agreed to attend as part of Semper’s placement.
“Hey, I met someone you used to face on the football field today.” Maybe Zeb remembered Alex. I hadn’t planned on mentioning it, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask, just in case he could provide some background info that might give Lacey an edge. Yeah, for Lacey’s sake, I told myself.
“Oh yeah, who’s that?” Zeb’s hand shook slightly as he climbed into the front seat of the truck.
“Alex Sanders. Ring a bell?”
A hint of a smile cracked his lips in two. How long had it been since Zeb had worn anything but his usual frown?
“Sanders. Hell yeah. He rang plenty of bells in his day, if you know what I mean.”
I held the door open for Semper to hop into the back seat, then huffed out a breath as I slammed the door. So the lickable man candy was probably a manwhore. Figured.
“What’s he doing back?” Zeb asked. “Last I heard he dropped out of college, hopped a plane, and no one’s seen him for years.”
“I don’t know. He stopped by the Phillips House while I was over there today and wanted to talk to Lacey about the warehouse. I think his sister was with him.”
“Well tell him I said hi next time you see him, okay?” The trace of a smile still hanging on his lips, Zeb gripped the door, probably trying to prepare himself for the nerve-racking five-minute drive to the therapist’s office.
“You ready?”
At his nod, I shifted into gear. I had no plans to see Alex Sanders again. He’d probably be in and out of Ido before the dust settled around his boots. No one who escaped the doldrums of small-town life and had any say in the matter ever came back for good.