As the bartender approached I leaned over the bar so he could hear me, and Wilder’s hands tethered me at the waist.
“Yes ma’am, what can I get you?”
“Two Bud Zero please.” I’d had enough to drink, remembering the aftermath of a certain engagement party.
When the bartender turned to take two bottles from the refrigerator, I looked around the bar taking in the quirky memorabilia on the walls and shelves around the room. There was even an old bicycle hanging from the ceiling. There were secluded booths around the sides of the bar and when my gaze moved across them I almost jumped out of my skin.
“Brownie?” Wilder’s mouth dropped to my ear. “You okay?”
“Don’t do it straight away but look over to your right in the booth at the end.” My voice trembled as an unexpected fear spiked. Maybe not fear but surprise and maybe a little unease.
“What the hell is it? You’re trembling.”
“It’s Glenn.”
I felt Wilder shift behind me, when his hands gripped my waist tighter he cursed. “Is that fucker following us?”
“Don’t know, but don’t you think it’s weird he’s here?” I turned in his arms to see his jaw was tight and pulsing. “I don’t know why but it doesn’t feel right to me. Feels like he’s invading our privacy somehow.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He stiffened. “I’m going to ask him what he’s doing here.”
“No, honey, don’t.” I grabbed hold of his arm that was still caging me in. “I’ll pay for the beers but let’s just leave.”
I flashed my card and took the two bottles and turned back to Wilder and passed him one of the drinks.
“Don’t let him know we’ve seen him,” Wilder said from the corner of his mouth. “Head toward the tables near the door.”
We did as he suggested, Wilder’s hand at my back, and when we reached the one closest to the door both placed our drinks down and slipped away.
The air outside was cool but I felt chilled to my bones. Something wasoff about Glenn being in the bar. Something I couldn’t put my finger on, but it was something that made me feel uneasy.
We walked quickly back to the truck, my hand firmly in Wilder’s as I resisted the desire to check behind me. Once we got inside we turned to each other and even in darkness I could see the furrow to his brow as he looked through the windshield to the street stretching out in front of us.
“We can’t jump to conclusions, but why the hell is he out here in Clementine Hills. I’ve never heard him say he’s going anywhere except to Downtown Bar & Grill, unless he’s going home to Denver.” Wilder’s hand reached for mine.
“Maybe he met someone?” I suggested.
“Hmm, I don’t know. There was no one with him and just one glass on his table.” He glanced at me and gave me a tight smile. “Anyway, let’s go back to your cabin and forget about him. Unless you want to grab a drink at Downtown?”
“No.” I suddenly felt desperate for him. To let him peel off the skimpy black lingerie I was wearing.
Smiling, he turned away and turned on the engine. “Excellent idea.”
I wanted to believe he didn’t think it was as strange as I did, but the way he gripped the steering wheel made me think otherwise.
Chapter 42
Every Breath You Take – The Police
Wilder
Seeing the cabin with the low light shining through the shutters, I heaved a sigh of relief. Getting Tally home was my main aim. Not just to get her out of her clothes but because the tension in the truck was as thick as mountain fog. Her hand gripped mine like she might fall off the edge of the world if she didn’t. Maybe being home would ease the tension that had her sitting ramrod straight.
“You okay, Brownie?” I cupped her face searching her eyes for her worry, so that I could take it from her. Take it from her and damn well blast it into the atmosphere, never to be seen again.
“Feel a little sick, you know?” Her tongue came out and flicked along her bottom lip. “The whole thing with Declan sending the messages and then seeing Glenn at Rafferty’s,” she shrugged. “I don’t know, it felt odd him being there.” She cleared her throat and picked at the button on her coat. “He said something about me and you, once.”
My chest was tight and my throat dry. “What the hell did he say?” The hand that wasn’t holding hers gripped my knee.
