Page 26 of Heaven Help Me

“Hey!” I say in a high-pitched voice that sounds creepy to my ears. “I bet you keep your mommy and daddy on their toes, don’t you? I like your flower!” I point to the flower pinned in her wispy dark blonde hair.

She reaches up with chubby hands and pulls it out, then hands it to me.

“Oh.” I take it, unsure if that’s the right thing to do. “Thank you.”

I bark out another set of instructions, trying to stay far enough behind that Betsy won’t know who we’re following but not so far that I lose the tail. I’ve done this hundreds of times over the years, but never while trying to entertain a small person in the back seat.

Harlow starts kicking her legs and pointing to the flower. I try to give it back to her but she pushes it toward me with surprising strength for such a little thing. I hold it up and she waves her arms wildly. I try to hand it back. Her face crumbles.

“Okay, okay,” I mutter, shoving the flower clip into my own hair.

That earns me some mouth sounds lubricated with plenty of spit and some hand clapping. It’s better than crying, even if I look ridiculous. I give the next direction a little too late and Betsy’s tires let out a squeal as she takes the turn too quickly, but she doesn’t panic. She just rights the car and guns it. I can appreciate that kind of steadiness in a person.

When we end up pulling into a hospital parking lot, Betsy puts the car in park and turns to study me with curious eyes. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but if you’re fu—” Her eyes cut to her daughter. “If you’re effing with Deuce, I’m all in. That boy needs someone who has some spice.”

Hmm. Betsy’s smarter than she lets on.

“I feel it’s our job as women to keep our men on their toes,” I explain without really explaining anything.

Her face splits into a grin. “You’re kind of weird, Landry, and I haven’t figured you out yet, but I really like you.”

I look at her daughter, who’s got one foot in her mouth with an impressive show of flexibility, then back at Betsy. “Well, I like you too, Betsy.”

I hop out before she tries to hug me or something, but don’t get very far before she’s got her window down, elbow hanging out, watching my every move.

“I owe you one,” I tell her, walking backward for a moment. Deuce is walking into the hospital with another man. They’re too far away for me to make out who the stranger is.

“I’ll hold you to that!” Betsy calls after me. Harlow lets out a giggle, and despite myself, I find it pretty dang cute.

I jog away, heading for the same doorway Deuce went through. The hospital is humming, healthcare professionals and patients everywhere I look. Makes it easy to blend in, but harder to keep a tail on Deuce. I end up losing him at one point and have to resort to ducking my head into doorways to find him again. I see things I wish I hadn’t. They really need to make hospital gowns with more coverage.

My adrenaline is pumping. For the first time since hitting the border of the town of Heaven, I feel like myself. I happen to walk by an abandoned nurses’ station on my way to finding Deuce. One of them left their lab coat right there on the back of the chair. I take a quick look around and don’t see anyone watching me. I slide my arms through the jacket and then duck through a door when the mob of nurses returns to the station. It’s a supply closet.

“Yeah, baby,” I mutter.

I hit the jackpot. Clean, folded scrubs line one shelf. I grab some and duck behind a stack of boxes, abandoning my floral ensemble for one that’ll have me blending in completely. I put the white coat over the scrubs and head back out to the corridor. Striding past the nurses with my nose in the air, I keep looking for Deuce.

I finally find him, lounging in a fucking chair. I roll my eyes and reach for the knife I keep strapped to my person at all times. I pause when I hear a female voice whispering inside the room.

“Thank you, Debra. You’re the best nurse around here.” Deuce’s voice is velvety sweet. Ew. I don’t want to stand here and listen to Deuce flirt. Gross.

The door opens and a nurse slips out, giving me a head nod as she walks away. Jesus. Her cheeks are pink from blushing at Deuce’s flattery. God, women are so dumb to fall for him.

When the coast is clear, I kick the door open and lunge inside. That kick would have been more effective if I wasn’t wearing these stupid kitten heels, but whatever. I’m inside the room.

Deuce jumps to his feet. I take in the rest of the room in an instant, only seeing one old man in a hospital bed. Why is Deuce here and who’s the old man?

Deuce hisses at me, demanding to know why I’m there. I demand to know why he’s here. He looks all fierce and angry, even after I tuck away my knife. If I didn’t know better, I’d be all hot and bothered by his sexy growl as he blocks me from seeing the man in the bed. But I do know better. This man is not to be trusted. Not at seventeen years old and not now.

“I followed you,” I deadpan. It’s pretty fucking obvious, isn’t it?

Deuce doesn’t even blink those green eyes of his. “Yeah, I know. Why did you follow me?”

“You didn’t tell me where you were going.”

“Are you my keeper or something?” he snaps right back.

“No, but you’re my keeper. Shouldn’t you be watching me at all times instead of flirting with nurses and shirking your duties?”