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Clem and Scarlett had stayed back to take care of all the kids, while the rest of them were all here to support West and Flick. Alec and Mia were back there with them right now. Mia to take care of Flick. And Alec to sit on West if necessary.
“She’s his girlfriend,” Tanner said, wincing. He was looking worse for wear but since it was self-inflicted, Butch had little sympathy.
“My fake girlfriend,” he corrected. Although that didn’t feel right. Nothing about what he felt for her was fake. “She’s a friend.”
“Who’d you lose?” Maddox asked, confused.
“How do you get a pretend girlfriend and then lose them?” Beau asked. He scratched his head. “I’m confused.”
Butch sighed and explained about meeting Lara, then the wedding, and Chandler’s threat.
“So, you spent last night with her, and now she’s not answering your calls?” Beau shook his head. “Brother, haven’t we given you the talk about how to please a woman in bed?”
Butch lunged toward Beau. Maddox and Raid jumped up to grab him.
“Whoa! I didn’t realize it was a sensitive subject.” Beau held up his hands, but he was grinning wickedly. “That didn’t feel like fake-anger, bro.”
“Beau,” Maddox warned, letting Butch go as he watched him carefully. As though he thought he might explode.
“She’s out there with no money, no phone, and no way to contact me. And if I hadn’t gone to rescue Tanner’s ass, I’d have been with her this morning when I got the call about Flick.”
“Fuck,” Tanner muttered. “I’m sorry, man.”
Butch sighed and pinched the top of his nose. “Not your fault. I called the hotel on my way here, and she’d already left, anyway. Fuck. Where the hell is she?”
After he found her, he was never letting her out of his sight again.
26
She took it back.
Renard was a terrible person.
She glared at him and then across the table to where the sheriff of Haven sat, staring at her calmly. She guessed he was a handsome guy. Although everyone seemed to pale when compared to Butch.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “I don’t know why Renard called you.” She glared at the man as he put a plate of food in front of her. She looked down at the cheesy omelet hungrily.
Her stomach was so queasy, though, that she wasn’t sure whether she could eat or not.
“Small bites, girly. And I called him because you’re in trouble.”
“I am not.” She glanced over at the sheriff. “I’m really not.”
The sheriff, who’d told her to call him Jake, sighed. “You’re not in trouble, Lara. I just want to know what happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
Both men stared at her sternly.
She sighed. “Look, I just had an argument with my stepfather. I walked out of the house and I didn’t have any money on me, plus my phone is dead. I got tired, so I sat down and had a nap. That’s all.”
“This argument with your stepfather . . . is that how you got that bruise on your cheek?”
“No, I bumped into a door. I’m clumsy,” she lied.
“Girl, you need a guardian. Someone to spank your ass each time you lie,” Renard said.
She could feel herself growing red.
Jake sighed. “Renard, enough.” He turned back to her. “Is all your stuff back at your stepfather’s?”
“Oh, no. I can’t stay there. I live in Nashville. I just came to my sister’s wedding.”
“Where have you been staying?” Jake asked.
“I’ve mostly been at the Crabapple motel in Freestown.”
“That dump. Why would you stay there?” Renard snapped.
“Renard,” Jake warned.
And Renard let out a huff.
“So, do you want me to take you there?” Jake asked. “Is that where your belongings are?”
“No, my stuff isn’t there.”
Jake just stared at her, and she sighed. She knew he wanted a straight answer. “My stuff is at Butch Malone’s place.”
Surprise filled Jake’s face. “You know Butch?”
“Yes.”
“And he has your things?”
“Yes. Could you take me there?” she asked. “Or do you know how to get hold of him? I wish I’d memorized his number.”
“Let me make a call. Stay here with Renard.”
Wow. That was abrupt. She stared after the sheriff in surprise as he walked out of the room.
Renard leaned back against the counter and nodded to her food. “Eat up, girly.”
“You called the cops on me!” She scowled up at him.
“Jake isn’t just a cop. He’s the sheriff. And in Haven, that means he’s in charge of everyone’s welfare. Including yours. Had to call him in. I wouldn’t be a good guardian for you.”
“I don’t . . . I don’t need a guardian.” She knew how things worked in Haven. That most women had a guardian who watched out for them. Gave them rules to keep them safe. “I don’t live here.”
“Doesn’t matter. I found you and brought you home. You belong to Haven now, girl. And you ain’t going anywhere until I’m sure you’ll be safe. That’s what I meant when I said our lives were entwined now.”
