“I’m here to help.”
I’m not sure if I trust the sentiment or not. He’s not the most forgiving man in the world. Heck, he still brings up the time that the church ran out of communion mid-mass. If there was ever a time to forgive, that was it.
“Violet,” Cash says, leaning into my head for a long kiss, “we’re fine. Go inside please. I want to know you’re safe. It can be dangerous down there in the rain. Use your risk analyst brain. You know this.”
“Exactly, and that’s why I want to help. You’re going to get hurt. It’s wet, slippery, there’s still active lightning, and—”
“Your dad is here to help me.” He squeezes his big hand over mine, warm and rough. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Considering my dad has moved the animals with Cash many times before, I know he’ll be better help than me, but still… I check for any weapons behind my dad’s back as I climb the porch steps up into the house. After what he heard tonight, I wouldn’t put anything past him.
Bella opens the door before I officially reach it, her eyes wide as she says, “Why am I getting the feeling that everything just went sideways tonight?”
“Because it did,” I say, stripping my wet clothes off at the door. “Andrew blew everything up at the party.”
She brushes her long blonde hair back. “What do you mean?”
I drag in a heavy breath. “I mean, he told everyone that he saw Cash and I fucking in the supply room, and that he ran into us in the general store in town today.” I shake my head as I pick up the soaking dress. “It’s a mess.”
“Damn!” Bella grins and twists her blonde hair to the side. “I’m impressed. Y’all are like monkeys.”
“It’s certainly wild.” I swallow back a smile. “Now, I just have to hope my father doesn’t murder him.”
“Nah. Your dad is a good man. He might punch him a few times, but I suppose that’s warranted given the situation,” Bella says as she grabs a towel from the hall closet and runs it back to me.
“Either way, I think we need to eat something. I suddenly need cookies, like immediately.”
She hands me a plate of warm, gooey, chocolaty goodness as I wrap the towel around me tight. I should run upstairs and take a hot shower, but shoving cookies in my mouth takes top priority. “They came out of the oven a couple of hours ago. The kids and I made them. They told me you named them the best taste testers ever.”
I grin and take one from the plate, the towel wrapped around my waist as I stare out the kitchen window. I can’t see much in the dark, but the light from the trucks sort of illuminates their faces, and I swear it looks like they’re talking.
What would they be talking about? What is there to say?
I can’t imagine it’s good.
Maybe they’re just debating where they’ll take the horses. I should’ve been inquisitive about that on the way home, but my heart was in my throat, and my stomach was somewhere on the floor of his truck, so it was hard to make conversation about anything not directly involving all the people that now know I was taking it in the ass in the distillery stock room.
What the hell has gotten into me?
I saved my virginity for twenty-six years. I’m modest. I’m discreet. At least I thought I was until… Cash.
With him, my entire body is buzzing. With him, I’m alive in a way I didn’t think was possible.
“I need a distraction before I spend way too much energy imagining what they’re saying.” I grab another cookie. “What’s up with you? I know you have something going on. I could hear it in your voice earlier.”
Bella drags in a heavy sigh and lets it out slowly. “You mean how I’m sort of…accidentallystalking my sister’s ex?”
My mouth drops open like a judgy, little whore who isn’t doing something very similar. “What? I thought he moved out of town after they broke up. Something about a construction company and needing space.”
“Yeah, well… he’s back temporarily, with a few guys from his construction crew. I guess they’re going to renovate some houses on the west side of the lake.”
My brows narrow as I grab milk from the fridge. “I thought your sister wanted the lake houses? They bought them together, right?”
She shrugs. “He offered her double what her payout would have been, and she took it. Now she has me going over there to see what he’s doing to the place, but,” a slow sigh escapes her, “you should see this man. I don’t remember him being this handsome.”
“Yes, you do!” I laugh. “You most certainly told me you thought he was hot back in the day.”
“No, I didn’t.” She rolls her eyes and grabs a cookie for herself.
