“What are you doing back in Stowe? You didn’t call me to tell me you were coming!” Bekka admonished.
“I decided to come back on the spur of the moment. Don’t worry. I was going to call you.” I gave my hunky driver a look and he laughed. “Just here to finalize a few things.”
“That’s wonderful. Are you okay? Are you hurt? I heard about all the craziness. The press were here for days. Did you see Tilly had an interview? She only spoke wonderful things about you and about Montgomery.”
We’d tried to keep my name out of the press, but with almost all the players… dead, why bother? I wasn’t going to hide. Not any longer.
“I noticed. Fabulous,” I answered as I glared at the nondescript building with butterflies in my stomach. “Look, bestie. I’m getting ready to head into the morgue. Can I call you back?”
“The morgue?”
“I need to finish the chapter with Danny, but I promise you I’ll call you back in a few minutes. We’re heading to Tilly’s after that.”
“Fleur. I need to talk to you,” she insisted.
“We will. Maybe head back to Tilly’s. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Love ya, bestie.”
I ended the call before I lost my nerve. Tears I didn’t need.
“Are you okay?” he asked a full minute later.
Nodding, I turned my head. “I am. Closure will be good for me.”
“You know, when my dad died, I was completely numb as well. Not a single tear shed. I rolled back to work like his life didn’t mean anything, although that’s not the way I felt. I just didn’t know how to handle grief. When I arrived in Stowe, I’d never felt so angry or betrayed in my life. I was an asshole.”
“Tell me about it.” I arched an eyebrow, able to grin.
“What a bad girl. I admit it. When I started hearing stories about my dad, I thought to myself, not a fucking chance. But I knew the stories are true. Somehow, I feel closer to my father by having come here. Everyone in town truly showed me how much family means. You’re very lucky to have such a closeknit, extended family.”
After tugging off the seatbelt, I inched closer. The closeness was also something I desperately needed. “You’re a good man, Montgomery Prince.”
“Just good. Not great?”
“Watch it.”
The few moments I allowed were special. Just being together with no need to say anything.
Hearing the squeal of tires dragged our attention at the same time and as he’d done so many times before, he was ready to whip out his weapon.
“Relax, cowboy. That’s Bekka.” What in the hell could be so freaking urgent? She pulled up so close to my side of the SUV that I was fearful she’d scratch it.
Her frantic mime of rolling down the window and the crazy look in her eyes were almost frightening. But I lowered my window in case there was an emergency.
“What is going on?” I asked.
She was out of breath. “You need to come with me.”
“You know what I’m about to do.”
“No! Right now.” She jammed her finger on the panel of the driver’s door with enough force I feared she’d broken some bones.
“What is going on?” Montgomery asked.
“You’re coming too. You’re a part of this town now, Mr. Prince, whether you like it or not. Now come on.” She threw the gear into reverse until a dust cloud formed with the gravel she’d just exterminated.
We looked at each other and I knew I had my mouth open. “O-kay. Follow her.” What the hell was she doing?
For the few blocks, she drove as if there was a fire she was running to, not from. But she roared into a spot near Tilly’s.
