She reached out to touch me, and I quickly wrapped my fingers around her wrist. If she had reached her goal before I could stop her, she’d know I was a liar, and then I’d never get rid of her.
“Please don’t touch me.”
She stuck out her bottom lip. “You’re no fun. I just wanted to play a little. It’s boring here, and I need something to do.” She licked her lips.
I put her hand on her lap and let go. “Sorry, but I’m meeting a buddy soon.”
“Franny, this guy bothering you?”
I groaned. I had heard the guy walk in, but I hadn’t paid him any attention, as I figured he was just another flyer.
Just my luck, she had a boyfriend. How cliché.
Franny looked up and stuck out her lip. “Yes, Frank. He tried to make me touch him”—she pointed to my lap—“there.”
I rolled my eyes. Now, she was playing innocent.
I turned around in my seat and looked up at the guy. He was about half a foot shorter than me, about seventy-five pounds lighter, and not the least bit intimidating. But I didn’t want to get into a pissing match with him, so I stayed seated.
The guy narrowed his eyes at me. “You touched my fucking sister?”
Well, look at that. I was wrong. She was his sister.
“Technically, yes, but only to remove—”
I ducked as the brother swung at me. At the same time, I rolled my body as I’d been trained, slipping out of my seat. The guy’s back was now to my front, the force of his missed swing spinning his body forty-five degrees.
“Look, I don’t want to fight you. I did nothing to disrespect your sister. She came on to me, and I politely turned her down.”
Frank jumped at hearing me behind him and spun to face me. “You calling my sister a slut?”
“What the fuck? No. I’m just stating facts. Jesus Christ.”
“He’s lying,” Franny yelled.
What a hypocrite.
Her brother’s lips thinned into a tight line. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
I heard a beep from my carry-on.
“Excuse me,” I said and walked over to open my bag.
The two siblings stared at me in shock, like they couldn’t believe I was going to check my phone when we were in the middle of a fight.
And while a part of me itched to brawl, too, in the end, it wouldn’t be worth it.
Mad Dog: I’ll be there in five minutes.
I threw my duffel over my shoulder and turned my screen black. “Franny, Frank, it was nice meeting you both, but my ride is here.”
“You can’t just leave,” Frank protested.
I pointed to the man behind the counter, who held a phone in his hand. “See him? He’s two seconds away from calling security. Now, I don’t feel like sticking around and giving a statement. Do you?”
“Yes,” Franny said at the same time Frank said, “No.”
I grinned and slapped Frank on the shoulder. “There you go. I don’t think you’re stupid at all.” I spun on my heel and headed for the stairs as the two started to bicker.
Less than ten minutes later, I had my luggage, and I was getting into Maddox’s SUV.
He held out his hand, and I clasped it, pulling him close.
Maddox pounded my back. “Good to see you.”
We released our hands and sat back in our seats.
“You, too.”
Maddox put his vehicle in drive and asked, “How’s the knee?”
I squeezed it. It was a little sore after I’d dodged Frank’s fist, but I thought I was going to be okay. “Great.”
“Good, because we’re going to be busy.”
I smiled. “That sounds like heaven.”
Maddox laughed. He understood where I was coming from.
“How long did it take you to get the kids to bed? You showed up earlier than I’d thought you would.”
“I’m glad because it felt like forever. The baby’s teething.”
I grimaced. “I’ll be sure to keep quiet when we get back to your place.”
“About that…”
I turned my head to Maddox. “About what?”
“Addison made arrangements for you to stay in my old apartment above the accounting place.”
I sent a special thank-you into the night for smart and generous women. “I can see why you married her. That was nice of her.”
And she probably didn’t want me bothering her kids any more than they would bother me.
Maddox snorted.
“Am I missing something?”
Maddox shook his head. “Nope. She’s just not as nice as you think she is.”
Whatever business Maddox had with his wife, I wasn’t going to ask.
“It’s all the same to me. I can go to bed when I want and wake up when I want. No crying kids. I think it’s pretty nice.” I grinned to myself. “Of course, now, there’s no chance I’ll get to accidentally see your wife naked again.”
Maddox growled and reached for my shirt while I howled with laughter and swatted his fist away.
“Watch the road, dickhead.”
“Don’t talk about my wife naked.”
“Dude, it was a joke.”
Maddox huffed. “It’d better be.”
I laughed again. “I missed you, man.”
He eyed me out of the corner of his vision. Slowly, a smile formed across his face. “Yeah, I missed you, too.”
2
Olivia
As I drove into Brook Creek, I noted once again how different it was from Des Moines. I hadn’t been to the small town since Addison and Maddox got married. Whenever I got together with the two of them, they came to Des Moines. I thought I had forgotten just how little their town was. It felt safer, and right now, I could use safer. My last case had taken a toll on me.
When I had started my own firm, I’d had to be there practically all the time. But we were big enough now, with enough associates and a couple of unnamed partners, that I could take a few days off. It was going to be tough for me not to call in every hour while I was gone though. Even after all I’d been through, I would never abandon my work.
Putting all that out of my mind, I walked into Addison’s office, grateful for the air-conditioning. Summers were hot in Iowa.
“Hello,” Addison’s assistant greeted me.
I had never met her before. Maddox’s niece used to work for Addison, but now that she was close to graduating, working for Addison had gotten to be too much for Serena.
“How can I help you?”
“I’m Olivia. Addison is expecting me.”
“Come back here,” Addison yelled from her private office.
I chuckled. “Thanks,” I told the assistant and walked back.
Addison stood from behind her desk and came around to give me a hug. “I’m so glad you came.”
When we separated, I looked her up and down. “Did you doubt that I would?”
Her brown eyes lit up with a smile and a tad of guilt. “I thought maybe you were going to change your mind.”
I laughed. “I did think about it once or twice, but I’m here.”
“And I’m glad you are.” She looked at her desk. “Do you mind if I finish up this one thing, and then I’ll take you upstairs to the apartment?”