Chapter 23
BODIE
I stared at my dad from across the desk and waited for him to start talking.
“We didn’t intend to get into the cigar-smuggling business.” Dad gestured to where his cigar sat on the edge of the ashtray. “You know how much I enjoy them.”
“Go on,” I said, my nerves coiled tighter than a spring.
“Last time I was down in Mexico I was sitting on the beach, minding my own business. We were at that resort your mom likes so much, what’s it called?”
I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Doesn’t matter what it’s called. What happened?”
“Guy saw me enjoying a stogie. Started up a conversation. Next thing I know we’re making cash hand over fist by just bringing in some shipments for him occasionally.”
Pops grunted. “Easiest money we ever made.”
“Too easy. You had to know you’d get caught.” I rolled my eyes.
“We wouldn’t have if your dad hadn’t gotten so damn greedy.” Pops narrowed his eyes as he flipped his knife closed.
Dad put his hands out, palms facing me. “I’ll admit, we got in a little over our heads.”
My phone rang. Tempted to ignore it, I glanced at the screen. Dallas area code. Probably someone trying to sell me something. I dismissed the call and set my phone on the desk.
“Go on, Dad.”
Before Dad could say a word, the phone rang again. Same number. Dammit. I couldn’t even sit and have a conversation without someone bothering me. Ready to give whoever was on the other end of the phone a piece of my mind, I barked, “Hello?”
“Bodie? It’s Lacey.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the number.
“Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. What’s wrong?” Something had to have happened. Why else would she be calling from a strange number? Come to think of it, why would she be calling at all?
She took in a ragged breath. Her voice came out shaky. “I’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding.”
It didn’t take a cop’s intuition to know something was wrong. Very wrong. “Are you okay? Where are you?”
“Well, that’s the thing,”—she let out a shaky laugh—“I’ve been arrested.”
“Arrested?” The chair screeched on the tile as I stood. She had my full attention. “What the hell happened?”
“Um, I’ve only got three minutes so I don’t think I can cover it all. Is there any chance . . .” She paused, clearing her throat.
My entire body tensed while I waited for her to continue.
Her voice came out quiet and small. “Do you think you might be able to come get me?”
My pulse thudded through my temple as I tried to wrap my head around what she said.
“I’m so sorry. Never mind. I shouldn’t have called. I just didn’t know who else to try. I’ll figure it out.”
“Wait.” The line went dead. Now what was I supposed to do? How did Lacey go from dress shopping with Adeline to sitting in a jail cell in Dallas somewhere?
“Can y’all excuse me for a minute?” I left my dad and pops sitting at the desk.
As I made my way to the door, I tried to call back.
After too many rings to count, the call flipped into an auto-answer.
I navigated through the voice mail system until I found someone to talk to.
After verifying my credentials, the clerk on the other end of the phone line was able to confirm that Lacey was being held in a station on the west side of Dallas.
I called to let them know I was on my way.
What else could I do? She didn’t have anyone else.
It’s not like Luke would swoop in and save the day.
And Mr. Cherish was restricted to house arrest.
Dammit, arrested. The one thing Lacey was most ashamed of—her dad’s arrest—had happened to her. She must have been going through hell. Which meant the sooner I got to her, the sooner I could figure out what had happened and how to get her out of the mess she must have found her way into.
I ducked back into the office. “Can we finish this later? I’ve got to go.”
“Cherish girl got your boxers in a wad?” Pops asked.
I didn’t have time to argue with him. Not with Lacey waiting. “This conversation isn’t over.”
Over four hours later I sat on a plastic chair in the soulless lobby of the Dallas police station, waiting for Lacey to be released.
I’d gone over the details of the night with the arresting officer.
She wasn’t going to face charges as long as I promised to take responsibility for her until she left the Dallas jurisdiction.
I stifled a yawn as I cut my gaze from the door to the clock.
The second hand ticked. It was after one in the morning.
The smell of burned popcorn hung in the air from someone’s late-night snack.
If she didn’t come out soon I might fall asleep right there on the unforgiving, bright orange chair.
A door squeaked open. Lacey emerged, arms clamped around her middle like she’d just survived a traumatic experience that would haunt her for days.
“You okay?” I jumped to my feet and rushed to her side.
She nodded.
“Okay, let’s get out of here.” I put an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the parking lot.
She followed my lead, her head tucked against my shoulder. The night air was a welcome change from the stale interior of the station. As we walked toward the truck, I pressed the fob to unlock the doors. I wasn’t going to force Lacey to talk; I’d wait until she was ready.
I held her door and helped her climb in.
She seemed so fragile. What had happened to the woman who’d told me to “back the hell off” a few weeks ago?
She had to be in there somewhere. Maybe a good night’s sleep would help.
By the time I’d walked around the truck and climbed in, she’d buckled her seat belt and stared straight ahead.
Her shoulders slumped, her chin didn’t hold that same confident angle I’d grown accustomed to.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to make the drive back home tonight. How do you feel about finding a room here in town and we can head back first thing in the morning?”
She nodded.
Okay. I pulled out of the parking lot and pointed toward home.
On the outskirts of town there was a decent hotel I’d stayed in before.
If Lacey didn’t offer up any opinions, I’d take charge.
She might bust my balls tomorrow but in the state she was in right now, she didn’t appear to have the energy left to give me a hard time.
We drove in silence until I stopped in front of the hotel.
“So, is one room with two beds okay or do you want your own room?” I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
The idea of sleeping anywhere near Lacey almost made the enchiladas I’d scarfed down for lunch reappear.
Not that I was opposed to sharing a room.
But Lacey wasn’t the kind of woman I could mess around with.
Even if she was, knowing her brother would kick my ass for touching her would ensure I kept my hands to myself.
“One room is fine. I don’t have the cash to cover my own.” She tilted her head but didn’t meet my eyes. “Two beds, right?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Yep. Two beds. You want to come in with me or wait in the truck?”
“I’ll wait here.”
“I’ll leave it on. Back in just a sec.” I needed to say something but I had no idea what. Something that would put a smile back on her face and chase away the sadness in her eyes. One step at a time. First step—I needed to get us a room.
The clerk at the desk didn’t give me any trouble.
Check-in took about three minutes from start to finish and before I’d had a chance to come up with step two, I was headed back to the truck.
I hadn’t thought to pack a bag and Lacey didn’t have anything with her so there was no need to worry about any kind of luggage.
I knocked at her window to get her attention. She startled then rolled it down.
“Room two-forty-two. You want to turn off the truck and hand me the keys?”
She did before grabbing her purse and climbing out of the truck. Standing on the pavement next to me, she seemed to shrink.
“Come on. Let’s get you tucked in. Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
Lacey followed behind me, fresh out of attitude. The silence seemed louder than any griping she’d done before. I’d never admit it to her, but I kind of liked her loud attempts at trying to run the show better than this complacent quietness.
The room wasn’t anything special. Two double beds with a small nightstand between them.
“Which one do you want?” I asked.
“Doesn’t matter.” She tossed her purse on the one closest to the window. “You don’t snore, do you?”
I hung my jacket in the small closet area. “It’s kind of late to be asking about that, don’t you think?”
The start of a smile lifted the edges of her lips. I’d take it.
“You don’t by chance have an extra shirt, do you?” Lacey took off her jacket and turned to face me. Rows of circles lined her shirt.
I squinted, reading the print at the top. “Lick Me?”
“No thanks. When the last guy tried that I ended up in jail.” She slumped into the chair next to the TV. “I never should have come to Dallas.”
I had been waiting for a conversation starter like that to fall into my lap. “It’s not your fault. The officer said you pack a mean stomp on the foot.”
Lacey groaned as she cradled her head in her hands. “How did I not notice the difference between the stripper cops and the real cops?”
“Maybe because the real cops were just as buff as the strippers?” I tried to joke. Somehow the thought of a stranger putting his mouth on her shirt fired up a few nerves. Easy now. Even though I’d always kept an eye out for Luke’s younger sister, Lacey wasn’t mine to protect.
She snorted. “I wasn’t in the mood to check out their pecs.”
“How about now?” I flexed, first one position, then another, in trying to get another laugh out of her.
Shaking her head, she blew off my lame attempt at humor. “Can I ask you something serious?”
I put a hand on the back of her chair and spun her around to face me. The bed creaked as I sat down on the edge. I wanted to give her my full attention. “What’s up?”
“Why did you come and get me?” Her palm landed on my knee. She kept her gaze trained on the spot where her fingers rested against my leg.
My heart kicked up a notch at the contact. “Because you called.”
“But I hung up on you.” Blue eyes met mine, ratcheting my pulse up even higher.
I put my hand on hers. “I’m there for you, Sweets. Anytime. Okay?”
“Because of Luke.” She nodded, sliding her hand out from under mine.
“No.” The firm tone in my voice surprised her. Hell, it surprised me. She met my gaze again. “Because of you.”
“What do you mean, because of me? I’ve done nothing but try to boss you around since I took over as mayor. And all you’ve done is try to help me.” Her eyes reflected a combination of confusion and hurt.
Wanting to reassure her, I took her hand again.
She didn’t pull away. I ran my gaze over her fingers.
“I’ll always be there for you, Lacey. We’ve got a history together and your family has always been there for me.
Even when mine . . .” I stopped. The shit my dad and pops had going on was too near the surface to share.
She stood, pulling my head to her chest, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “I know.”
My hands went to her back, rubbing small circles over her spine.
She smelled like someone had spilled a gallon of vodka all over her then sat her out in the sun.
Her shirt stuck to my cheek. I was tempted to flick my tongue out and see if the circles really did taste like salt.
But this was Lacey. So what if she’d grown up in the time she’d been away?
It didn’t matter that being this close to her made me painfully aware of just how much she’d changed from the gangly girl she’d been.
“For what it’s worth”—she leaned back and searched out my gaze—“I’m sorry.”
I pulled back, my cheek sticking to her shirt. “No need to apologize. I’ve got your back and you’ve got mine. We’re like . . .”
“Family.” The way she said it made me think she didn’t like having to claim me as some sort of kin.
“That’s not a bad thing, you know.” My hands fell from her back as I stood.
She shrugged before she stepped away. “It can be.”