“Smokey! I said I was buying.”
“You can get the next round.” He looked at me. “You look beautiful.”
“This isn’t a date!” I insisted, and Smokey chuckled.
“Well aware of that. You’ve made it clear, yet here we are. Both of us are holding a drink in a bar. One would almost say that’s close to a date.”
“You’re a smart ass,” I replied, and Smokey laughed harder.
“Took me a lot of hard work to achieve that status. So, Miss This Isn’t A Date, and My Name is Medusa, although I know it’s April, tell me a bit about yourself.”
I settled onto a bar stool that Smokey held out for me and asked my own questions, directing the conversation away from me. Sure, I wasn’t searching for a relationship, but a new friend was welcome. I wasn’t staying in Spearfish long. As soon as Clara was healed, we’d discuss our next actions. I just hoped Clara agreed with my plans. If not, they could always be changed. I was amenable to a point, as was Clara. We’d find a solution. Meanwhile, I could enjoy Smokey’s attention even though I didn’t plan to act on it.
Chapter Three.
Harlequin
Iswear to God I was being haunted. Yesterday morning, I’d taken a mechanic to the hospital after the blasted idiot dropped a heavy toolbox on his hand—he’d broken it. I’d been on run-around call. While in the ER, I thought I’d spotted April. Of course, that was impossible. But for a few moments, I was shocked stupid.
Typically, I hadn’t seen the nurse full on, but only from the side. The wealth of emotions had rocked me, and I’d been stunned as I dealt with them. No way that was April, because she’d never set foot back in Spearfish, but for a split second…
No, that wasn’t April.
Then last night, as I entered the bar, a crowd of people had come out, and once more, full curves and a glistening sheen of brown hair caught my attention. Before I could check, I was inside. When I tried to shove my way out again, another group had hindered me. By the time I got outside, the ghost of April had gone.
Shit, I was bone-tired. Because of the suspected sightings, I’d not slept. Truth was, I’d done such a number on April that she’dnever return home. That hurt because April adored Clara, but I knew Clara flew out to wherever April was several times a year. Again, I’d avoided Clara as best as I could. Seeing her would have been too painful—a massive reminder of what I’d thrown away. Undoubtedly, Clara blamed me for April running, and she’d be right, too. Years had passed before I’d moved past the point where I thought of April daily.
Why I was imagining April now, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t appreciative. She was probably living the life of Riley, married and maybe even had kids. No doubt she was happy and successful; everything I’d wanted for her. Could I be feeling lonely?
“Medusa,” Big Al boomed and laughed, catching my attention.
“Really? Damn, she seems a smart ass,” Levi replied.
“Yeah, nice girl. Curves a man would love and a clever attitude. Medusa’s got sass,” Big Al agreed.
“Medusa?” I asked, wondering what the hell they were jabbering on about. Some of the conversations around Hellfire were weird, to say the least.
“Smokey nearly crashed into a woman yesterday when she hit the brakes in front of him. She then leapt out of the vehicle and fled,” Big Al explained.
“What?” I mumbled, curious regarding the direction of their conversation and the relation to Medusa. Why was a Greek snake-headed goddess so important to a car crash?
“Seems the woman had a rattler in the car, which had terrified her, so she’d pulled over before getting bitten. Smokey contacted Calamity, who looked at the picture Smokey sent and told him it wasn’t poisonous. Turns out Calamity had said it was dangerous and highly toxic, but predictive text had kicked in. As a reward for being so brave—”
“Or stupid,” Levi butted in.
“—the woman agreed to buy Smokey a drink as thanks. Have to admit, she hadn’t dressed to kill—jeans and a top—but those curves, shit, those jeans were pasted on. But Medusa turned up and left alone. Smokey was tickled by the fact Medusa didn’t drop her panties at his feet like the usual bimbos.”
“Nice. Okay, I’m hitting the sack,” I said with a yawn. Two more nights and my turn would be done.
???
A piercing scream broke my sleep, and I leapt out of bed, yanking on jeans before I even realised I was doing so. A second cry, filled with pain, came from somewhere below as I stamped into my boots. Already running, I pulled on a tee and raced down to the rec room.
There, Olivia, Chance’s youngest daughter, was standing covered in blood and screaming. Campbell, Big Al and Tati’s adopted son stood with her, looking terrified.
“Liv fell out of the tree!” Campbell yelled as soon as he spotted me.
“No shit!” I gasped as I noticed a broken bone that had pierced through her skin. No wonder the kids were screeching.
