CHAPTER THREE
“O kay, let me get this straight.” Paisley’s forehead is creased into deep lines. “Colton is still acting like your bodyguard?”
“Yep,” I confirm with a pop of my lips. “If Brody wasn’t following us, his best friend would be.”
She shields her eyes from the sun while glancing at her husband. “Is that true?”
My brother’s perma-scowl locks onto her. “Shouldn’t have run off on a rescue mission without telling me.”
She slams to a halt on the sidewalk. “Is this a punishment?”
“Safety precaution,” he corrects. “More for her than you.”
Frustration rises when his head tips at me like I put myself in this position. “Nobody is coming after me.”
“There’s always a risk,” he says smoothly.
“But we’re just going shopping at Life’s a Stitch.” Paisley points at the brick building on the next block.
“The craft store is extremely dangerous.” A dramatic eye roll pairs well with my sarcasm.
My bestie glances between me and Brody. “Then why do we need a chaperone?”
“They’re paranoid,” I mutter.
She grips my arm. “What aren’t you telling me?”
I inhale a lungful of fresh air, but it doesn’t offer clarity. “According to the overbearing men in our lives, it’s not for us to worry about. Isn’t that right, brother?”
He grunts, but doesn’t dispute the explanation regurgitated by Dad and Colton.
Paisley tugs me off to the side, avoiding fellow pedestrians. “Is this about that creepy guy we had to meet to get Echo back?”
“Yes.”
“Did you find out who he is when you talked to him alone?”
“Yes,” I repeat.
“And?”
“It’s probably better if you don’t know.” I’d kept her in the dark on purpose, but that makes me somewhat of a hypocrite.
Her blue eyes narrow in agreement. “Tell me, Bee.”
“He’s…” I blow out a heavy breath. “Colton’s father.”
Paisley’s jaw drops. “No way.”
“Mhmm, caught me by surprise too. I wasn’t sure if I should believe him, but why would he lie?
Anyway, that whole ordeal caused Colton to double down.
It’s worse than before, which was already suffocating.
He’s following me ev -er-y-where,” I drag the word out for emphasis.
“Even to the arena on my own property. I can’t ride my horse without a shadow. ”
“But he isn’t here now,” she notes absently.
“Only because this one is,” I remind her with a stab of my thumb at the glowering grump. As if we could forget my brother’s intrusion.
“Seems strange if Colton has been hounding your ass harder than ever.”
“Thanks for that visual.” I clench involuntarily, but then a realization strikes. My stare whips to my brother. “Where is he?”
The intensity in my voice catches me off guard. It’s not that I care. Nope. Not even a little bit.
“Gave him the night off,” Brody drawls.
A prickling sensation sneaks along my nape. “Is he confronting his father?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cut the shit. You know by now that he wanted me to pass along a message to Colton.”
“Which is…” Paisley interjects.
“Shit, sorry.” After sending a scathing glare to my brother, I turn back to my friend to fill in the rest of the details. “Turns out that scary dude runs illegal operations in these parts. Whatever that means.”
“It’s not your business,” Brody grunts.
“But it’s Colton’s to inherit.”
Paisley huffs. “I’m lost. Again.”
“That’s the message,” I clarify. “His dad is ready to retire or whatever criminals do in their golden years.”
“What’s Colton going to do?”
I shrug. “Beats me.”
We turn the force of our joined attention onto my brother. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Just drop it, yeah?”
“Unlikely.” I tap the toe of my boot into the concrete.
“He’s tying up loose ends,” my brother shares almost unwillingly.
My curled upper lip isn’t impressed. “How ominous.”
Brody pulls at the cuffs of his shirt, looking ready to throttle me. “Are you going shopping or what? I have work to do.”
“Feel free to go do it. We can take care of ourselves.”
“Gave Colton my word that you wouldn’t leave my sight while he handles things.”
“Uh-huh, how precious. Remind me,” I coo and tap my chin. “Who’s in charge?”
His annoyance skewers me. “Not you.”
“We’ll see about that.” I loop my arm through Paisley’s and drag her forward. “Let’s ditch him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” But a backward glance makes her shiver. “Oh, maybe it is. He looks positively feral.”
“Is he following us?” My gaze remains fixed forward.
“And then some. Me likey his sex face.” Her throaty tone makes me gag.
“Gross. Not sure I’ll ever get used to the two of you together.”
“Give it time. We’re still new.” She blows him a kiss.
“And extremely affectionate.” I turn to see Brody hot on our heels. “You’re making it harder to get rid of him.”
“Like he’ll ever lose track of us in this town. People will snitch instantly.”
My fingers curl around the door handle of Life’s a Stitch. A warm burst of heat and the overpowering fragrance from scented candles welcomes us. “I’ll crochet a blindfold for him unless you’d prefer to do the honors.”
Paisley scans the large store stocked with potential. “You know buying a boatload of crafts and not doing a damn thing with them is more my thing.”
“And not leaving you two unsupervised is mine.” Brody appears like a pest I’ve tried and failed to exterminate, looping his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“Impossible,” I groan while fetching a cart. “How can I get a moment’s peace?”
“Quit putting yourself in dangerous situations,” my brother suggests unhelpfully.
“Dad said these people weren’t necessarily dangerous.”
He snorts. “That’s a pacifying statement if I ever heard one. He avoids upsetting you whenever possible.”
My stomach drops. “Is Colton in trouble?”
Brody chuckles, but the mocking sound tapers off when he notices I’m not amused. “Don’t underestimate him, Bee.”
“I have no idea what he’s up against.”
“There’s not much that can stop him.” His glare drills into me.
An icy shiver creeps down my spine. “And why is that?”
“Ask him tomorrow.”
“He won’t tell me anything. The guy is a vault of secrets.”
Which is the way it should be. Whatever Colton is hiding doesn’t involve me, much like he said. I’m determined to keep my distance.
“You’ll be surprised what you can drag out of him.” My brother’s muttered tone suggests that’s upsetting for him to admit.
“Puh-lease,” My hand blindly grabs a bag of cotton stuffing, squeezing harder than necessary. “He’ll do whatever you tell him, as I’ve unfortunately experienced.”
“Mhmm,” Paisley mutters absently while dumping an armful of glitter jars and rhinestones into the cart.
When Brody smiles at his wife and her selection, I almost topple sideways. “Whatcha making, Twinkles?”
“Not sure yet.” She boops him on the nose. “But we can never have too much sparkle.”
He makes a rumbling noise in his chest and hauls her against him for an indecent hug. “You can decorate me again.”
My best friend melts into his embrace. “Deal, husband.”
As a hopeless romantic, their obvious love and near constant displays of affection fill me with giddiness.
I could kick my feet and giggle at their combined happiness.
But as Brody’s younger sister, I’ve got the serious ick.
My focus averts with purpose while they continue discussing creative uses for Paisley’s purchases.
A shudder rolls through me and I swerve into the next aisle. Footsteps don’t follow. A peek over my shoulder finds them in the exact same position. I could probably slip away from these two lovebirds without notice.
The cart squeals when I slam to a halt. An idea forms in my mind like a complicated crochet pattern.
My smile stretches as the details solidify and a feasible plan of escape stitches together.
Just for a few days to be free of my last name.
The microscope this town puts me under has gotten too focused over the past several months.
After Mom passed, I realized she shielded me from more than bad boys and speeding tickets.
Although, I bet she’d be tickled pink to know how close Colton is guarding me in her absence. But that’s not the point.
Privacy and autonomy are taken for granted. I’m desperate for a small slice right now. That’s all I need. The urgency that constantly claws at my chest goes quiet and I can breathe.
“What’s that look for?” Paisley is suddenly in front of me, blessedly detached from Brody.
I blink from the daze, but my grin remains. “A design just spoke to me.”
“Love when that happens. The project actually gets done,” she sighs.
A renewed sense of excitement puts a spring in my step. “It’s the best.”