“You want to go there now?”
She did. In fact, she wanted them out of Brad's pocket and away from both of them.
“Can just you and me go and do this now, and come back here soon?”
“I'm coming.”
“You don't need to, Brad.”
“I'm coming too.”
She hadn't even realized Katie was within hearing distance.
“I really don't want this to get out, or people to see the photos.”
“Katie's a detective, Macy. She's good at policing, she understands things, sometimes better than me. Hard to believe, I know, but there you go.”
“All right. Just let me go and tell Annabelle to watch over Billy until I get back. I'll tell him I forgot to lock up the shop or something. You all head over to the Lair and I'll be there soon.”
Her son was happy enough with her excuse, but she felt the eyes of her friends on her. Ethan got to his feet.
“I-I need you to stay here for now, Ethan, can you do that for me, please?”
He nodded and reseated himself, and she felt their eyes follow her until she was out of sight.
Brad's bloodwas alternating between boiling and freezing. He wanted to rip something apart and at the same time pick Macy up and run for the hills.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. He was falling for her.Don't be an idiot, you've fallen, he admitted. Hard and fast, without even knowing what was happening.
You knew, the voice in his head said.Because you can't keep away from her. You hear her voice all the time, smell her scent, imagine her wrapped around you. Listen for her laugh when she's near… you're doomed.
He saw her appear, head lowered as she walked, almost as if she carried the entire town on her shoulders.Come on, girl, put those shoulders back,he thought. As if she heard him, she looked up and found him through all the people milling before her.
“I thought you had headed to the Lair.”
“No you didn't, you knew I'd wait for you.”
“True. Hoped, then.”
“Texan, remember. We do gentleman well.”
“And arrogance.”
“That too.”
Brad took her hand again, and they walked up the street. Stores were open and had displays set up outside, and Macy smiled and waved, yet as they approached the Lair, she started to tense up.
Cubby met them at the door and walked them silently through the outer office. Macy and Brad took chairs before his desk, while he took up his position behind Katie, who once again had the seat.
“I was walking around the carnival when a man came up to me. I hadn't seen him before, Cubby.”
Brad sat silently listening, with the pictures burning a hole through his pocket. God, the thought of her being subjected to what he’d seen in just two of those photos made his stomach revolt. He’d try to smile, play things liked nothing had upset him, but he was upset… in fact, he was angrier than he’d even been before in his life.
“He came up to you and handed you something?”
She nodded.
“It was an envelope. Brad has it.”
