“He just … uh … seemed a little too old for her.”
Brantley was definitely in agreement.
“The nature of their communication?” Evan asked. “Could you tell if there were issues?”
“It didn’t seem they were unfriendly if that’s what you’re asking. I asked Ava a couple of times if there was anything she needed. She would assure me she’d take care of it. If she spoke to him at all, you wouldn’t know it. He was up here at least once during every one of her shifts.”
“Is there anyone here she might’ve confided in?” Evan asked. “A co-worker?”
“Not Ava, no. She kept her head down at all times. She would speak if spoken to and was always polite, especially to customers, but she didn’t seem to have many friends.”
“Thank you for your time.” Evan produced a business card. “If you think of anything else, don’t hesitate to call.”
They left Joseph nodding in the aisle and headed back to the SUV.
“I’m not liking Harrison Rivers all that much,” Evan said, spinning his keys on his finger. “Assuming he’d been pursuing her at the time, she could’ve been underage.”
Yeah, Brantley’d picked up on that, too. Based on the facts JJ had supplied, they’d married when Ava was eighteen, which meant the courtship likely started before then.
“Where to next, boss?”
“Back to HQ. We’ll see if JJ’s learned anything that’ll help.”
“Baz texted,” Evan noted. “Said Trey and Magnus were going to talk to the best friend. They found out she works at Spencer’s in the outlet mall.”
“What the hell is a Spencer’s?” Brantley asked, glancing over at Evan.
He got a shrug in response. “Got me.”
“Well, if we’re lucky, Ava’s hidin’ somewhere, and the best friend’s keepin’ her secret.” Brantley didn’t think that would be the case, but he was aiming for optimism here.
When they returned to HQ thirty minutes later, he had only one thing on his mind. They weren’t professional thoughts plaguing him, either. He knew it was in his best interest to shove them down, but the moment Reese stepped out onto the front porch, he knew he had to face them head on. If he didn’t, there was a good chance this heat would blaze into an inferno, and Brantley would snap at a less convenient time.
“I’m gonna head in the house for a few minutes,” Brantley told Evan as he parked. “I’ll catch up to you in a bit.”
“I’ll see what JJ’s got,” the other man said, sauntering off toward the barn.
Brantley closed his door and walked toward the porch, meeting Reese’s gaze as he did.
“You wanna sandwich or somethin’?” Reese offered, motioning toward the house behind him. “I’m tryin’ to find a way to be useful.”
“Is that a euphemism?”
A myriad of expressions flitted across Reese’s face. Surprise, confusion, followed by feigned innocence, belied by the spark in his brown eyes. “Why would you say that?”
He stared at Reese, letting him see just how tightly he was wound. “Just checking.”
Perhaps Brantley could forgive him for just a little while.
Reese must’ve read his mind because he grinned, and that dimple in his cheek flashed, making Brantley’s entire body go hot. Christ, it had been so long since he’d seen this man’s smile. At the same time, it felt like only yesterday.
Now, as he followed Reese up the steps and through the front door, the only thing he could think about was having his wicked way with him. It wasn’t appropriate considering the circumstances, not to mention the status of their relationship. However, Brantley had never been able to resist Reese before, and it looked as though some things never changed.
“If you haven’t had lunch,” Reese began, closing the door, “I’ll make—Oomph.”
Before Reese could get out his lunch offer, Brantley had him up against the wall, crushing him to the wall while he plundered his mouth with his tongue.
Aww, Jesus.He was so fucked. If he’d thought giving in would be beneficial in any way, he was damn wrong. There would be no turning back, and while he wasn’t ready to move forward, he couldn’t seem to help himself.
