17. Angie

Chapter 17

Angie

T wenty-seven days. I’d managed to keep my cool with Remi constantly in my way for almost a month. On top of working my shifts at the hospital, in the two weeks since axe throwing, I’d spent my time coming up with chores Remi deemed appropriate. And a lot of what he did, I had to go back over and redo anyway.

I’d also gone on three more dates with Dan—dinner and a movie, mini-golf, and an escape room. We didn’t escape. He’d seemed disappointed in my non-extreme date night choices, so I’d promised him more adventurous options in the future, buying time for more lessons with Remi. Things were progressing just as I’d planned. Maybe a little too fast for what I’d normally prefer. Dan was already dropping hints about weddings and babies and such. Where I’d normally put on the breaks, I was on a timeline, and it was full steam ahead.

I tugged my Chevy baseball hat over my forehead until the brim touched my large sunglasses and ducked lower in the passenger seat of Lili’s made-over Audi. The sun had set a half hour ago, leaving the car to be sheltered by darkness.

Remi had begun to act funny, started being nicer to me. His happy-go-lucky personality reminded me of hot Chris number three, Chris Pratt, especially in his role as Starlord. Hence, I was subjected to a man who constantly joked, fought to make every chore fun or turning it into a challenge, an extreme sport. If he sank the four-wheeler in the creek one more time …

It was weird having someone else in the cracks of my life, aware of what I was doing minute by minute. I took care of myself. Remi turned out to be one observant little puppy dog. Like the other day, he’d brought lunch to me in the field, so I didn’t skip it. He was an irritating trip hazard at times but also loyal, shadowing my every move and getting me what I needed before I even knew I needed it.

His behavior sent warning bells off in my head. And his phone conversation I’d overheard wouldn’t leave me alone.

That was why Lili and I were here, in her car, waiting for him to leave my house. We’d both come prepared with snacks and sweatshirts. I’d insisted the car remain off, the chill outside making its way in. Although I’d wanted to keep Lili out of this, her involvement was necessary since Remi would recognize all my cars.

It was bros’ night out at Tractor’s Bar and Grille, providing me with the opportunity I’d been waiting for. I tipped my head back against my headrest, agitated with myself that I knew Remi’s schedule.

Even Dan had made a special trip to Clear Springs for this guys’ night. He wanted to get to know my friends and be a part of my life. Dan spared only a brief kiss and hello to me before he was off to the bar. Which was all fine and good, with the exception of Remi. If it weren’t for our agreement, I was certain he’d do something to sabotage my relationship with Dan.

“What are we doing here, staring at your house again?” Lili whispered through her bite of peanut butter and sauerkraut sandwich.

Her large, pregnant belly brushed the base of the steering wheel. The rank smell of her choice of food hung in the air. I gagged and stared at my front door, tempted to give up and walk into my house.

But I didn’t. I needed answers.

“A stake out. I’m telling you, there’s something off about him.” I’d plied Remi with questions, and the only other information I got out of him was that he lived in Dallas and loved extreme sports.

The cog in the corporate machine comment did nothing to give me a clue as to why he was here. Why my farm? Why this small town?

His knowledge of the inner workings of a man’s mind and all things extreme had come in handy with Dan. Handsome, sweet, not boring Dan hadn’t ghosted me yet like all other potential Mr. Angelina Johnsons. Dan had gone over several ideas for another extreme-sporting date, ranging from skydiving to cliff jumping. I’d done my best to talk him into a sport where I was at least tethered a secure surface. Dirt Biking. With my basic knowledge of riding a bicycle and a four-wheeler, surely Remi could handle teaching me the rest.

And I’d have to get over my acrophobia. Exposure therapy helped with paralyzing fears, and I was ready to be different, to let go of everything that’d been holding me back from being a part of a true relationship.

Lifting the binoculars, I aimed them at the front porch light and examined the front door. Mama’s windchimes swayed and even with the car windows closed, their tinny sounds still made their way to my ears.

What was taking him so long?

My parents adored Remi, and they missed Jared. Papa’s dream had been to pass down the farm to his only son. To work the land together. Jared had never been interested in farming, not like in the way I had. We’d lost Jared to the dream of becoming a world-famous musician back in high school. The last time I’d received a postcard from him, he’d been in Nashville.

Sure, we texted off and on. He’d tell me about his gigs. One day, I might even be able to travel and watch him play. Despite how my parents hated his choice, Jared possessed a true talent for guitar. His voice was one of the best I’d ever heard. And as his Irish twin, I had been his first fan.

My parents played house with Remi now, sending him off to the grocery store, inviting him to dinner, and running sandwiches out to the field for his lunch. It was sickening. Maddening, really.

They couldn’t replace their biological child with a man who’d been a stranger to them less than a month and a half ago. But they ate up the flattery he laid out for them, buffet style, every day.

Lili shoved the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth. “Ooh. Ooh,” she managed around the food in her mouth and tapped my shoulder. “The door.”

I dropped the binoculars to my chest. Mr. GQ walked onto the porch, my mother hot on his heels. She waved, and he turned and responded to something she said and hopped into his truck. I suspected he’d bought his 1990s white F150 solely to bolster his role as the farmer, which was a strike against him.

We only drove Dodges in this family.

“Follow him.” I nudged Lili into action. “But don’t let him see you.”

“That’s kind of hard since we’re the only two cars on the road.” She shifted into gear and pulled onto the street.

We meandered to the back entrance of the Mountain Meadows neighborhood, my personal hell on Earth. He turned into the driveway of the model home and turned off his truck.

“What is he doing here?”

“He lives this close to you?” Lili asked at the same time. She drove past him and looped back to park across the street, in an inconspicuous location where we could continue our stake out.

We both ducked under the dash as he walked to his front door, spinning his keys in his hand.

“What do we do now?” Lili rested her hand on her oversized abdomen.

Remi disappeared inside his home. I had to get in there, search through his garbage, find any clue to indicate why he was here.

“We wait. When he leaves, we’ll sneak inside.”

“You’re an expert in breaking and entering, are you?” Lili shook her head. “I don’t know, Ang. Following him is one thing, but breaking into his house could get us thrown into jail. I could lose my medical license.”

“Only if we get caught. I promise. We won’t.” I toyed with the binoculars’ strap hanging around my neck. “And no one locks their doors here.”

“Whatever.” Lili leaned against her seat. “I’m in. But you owe me a dandelion crown. Plus, Blake has been annoyingly protective since I got knocked up.”

“I don’t blame him.” Blake’s protectiveness umbrellaed everyone he considered family, including me. “And deal.”

Lili drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. “You—” she hesitated. “You must like this guy to go through all this trouble.”

Like him? No, not even a little bit. A blush flushed up my neck, contradicting my thoughts. The fact was, I’d come to rely on him far too much in both my farm and personal life.

“BS.” Lili pointed to the house. “I mean, have you noticed the muscles on him? And the way he treats your parents? Tell me you haven’t fallen slightly in love with him.”

I hadn’t told Lili about seeing his text messages after the plane or about his admission to being a player. She didn’t know about our deal. In any arrangement, I hated to be on lower ground than my opponent, which led me here, sitting across the street from Remi’s house on a Friday night.

Something in his house would give me the edge in our arrangement. “I’m so far from in love with him I may as well be in Antarctica.”

Lili’s raised eyebrow, slight tilt to her head, and way she looked at me through her lowered lids told me she didn’t believe me.

I turned on the radio and kept quiet. What was the point in talking if she wouldn’t believe me. It didn’t matter anyway. A few minutes later, Remi and Myles left the house. I couldn’t help but appreciate his going-out look. He’d shoved his Stetson over his thick, dark hair. He wore fresh jeans and a tight blue shirt with the top buttons undone … Yeah. Fantasies I’d gotten lost in the prior week resurfaced. I caged them in the back of my mind.

Maybe Lili had been right in calling BS, but attraction wasn’t close to love.

They drove off in Myles’ little car. We waited another few minutes. “Okay. Let’s go.”

I led the way across the miniscule, manicured lawn, regulating my pace so my pregnant friend could keep up.

She huffed up next to me in the alcove of the front door. “Woo, these babies take a lot out of me. That lawn felt like it was a mile long.”

I kept a lookout around the corner in case they’d return for a forgotten item while Lili turned the knob.

“Crap dammit.” She jiggled the door handle. “It’s locked.”

What? My heartbeat picked up its already racing pace. Who would go through the trouble of locking their door in small-town Idaho? The answer came to me before my question fully formed. Someone who’d spent their whole life in Dallas. Someone who had something to hide.

“Let’s go around to the backyard and check for open windows.” Glad I’d instructed Lili to wear dark apparel, I led the way to the back patio.

Testing out the first few windows with no success, I clenched my hands against my side.

“This place is Fort Knox.” Lili stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a red Jolly Rancher. “I guess we can call it a night and head back home.” She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth.

“No. There’s one more window.” I pointed to the small bathroom window above our heads. “Here. Give me a boost.”

“Why don’t you boost me up there?”

“Are you serious? You look like you swallowed two watermelons. You wouldn’t fit.”

Lili folded her arms. “And I’m not supposed to lift anything heavier than a thing of paper towels. You should have thought about having a pregnant woman as an accessory to your crime.”

“Here.” Two patio chairs sat next to the solid sliding glass door. I dragged one over underneath the window. “Keep this stable for me.”

I climbed onto the chair and tested the window. “It’s open!” I whisper-shouted to Lili. “I’ll climb through and let you in the front door.”

“Roger that.”

Shoving the window wide open, I braced my hands on the ledge and jumped. I straightened my elbows and leaned halfway through, shifting my arms in front of me.

“You good?” Lili’s voice muffled through the window, currently plugged by my butt.

“I think so!” I hollered. “As long as I can get my hips through.”

I scanned the area beneath me. A vanity was to my left, littered with various manly stuff, an electric razor, and beard trimmings. The bathtub and toilet were to my right. Maneuvering to the left, I shimmied further into the bathroom. As predicted, my butt lodged in the window frame.

My abs burned, but I still reached for the hand towel hanging on a ring over the sink. I pulled. The towel ring gave way as my bottom half zipped through the small opening. Curling my arms around my head, I crashed to the floor.

“Angie!”

I groaned and peeked back at the window.

“ Angie .” Lili’s fingertips appeared on the sill.

“I’m good,” I called. “Meet me at the front.”

Her fingertips vanished, and I stood, stretching my back. I pulled my phone from my bra and turned on its flashlight as I made my way to the front entry.

I opened the door for Lili. “Quick.” I motioned her inside.

I closed the door and we both collapsed against it.

“Do you think anyone saw us?” Lili peeked out the side windows.

“No.” I returned to the hall leading to the bathroom. Two bedrooms exited into the same hall, and one of them had to be Remi’s. “You check that one, and I’ll go through this one.”

Lili nodded and took off. I walked into the room. The blankets on the bed lay jumbled in a mass. Clothes had been scattered on the floor, and several crumpled papers surrounded a small trash can underneath the desk. The Wranglers and stained white shirts gave him away.

“Lili.” I poked my head back into the hallway. “This is his room.”

She came to join me and searched through the garbage while I dug through his dresser. There was nothing in his underwear drawer, as I’d searched that one first. The other drawers proved just as fruitful.

“Password protected.” Lili flicked the laptop closed.

I lay on my stomach and looked under the bed. The beam of my phone’s flashlight caught the edge of a briefcase.

Yes.

I yanked it out from under the bed.

The sound of the front door opening echoed into the room. Hugging the briefcase to my chest, I met Lili’s eyes and dove behind the bed after her.