Chapter 8

eight

. . .

Demi

It had beena week since I’d last seen my brother. I’d spoken to the program director and was relieved that Slade had been readmitted for a temporary stay. Apparently, they’d reached out to my grandfather, and he’d covered the bill. He hadn’t said anything to me, and I was starting to realize that my entire family functioned around endless secrets. It was hard to keep track of who knew what anymore.

My parents hadn’t said a word about Slade, so I figured they didn’t know about what had happened. Although, I hadn’t said a word either, and I knew exactly what had happened.

Of course, my parents freaked out about the front door. My mom was worried about me living downtown and about my safety. She’d always been a worrier. My father, on the other hand, had all sorts of theories regarding the break-in, and most of them included pointing the finger at the gym next door to me.

I’d seen Romeo run past Magnolia Beans through the large window every morning for the last week, and he hadn’t stopped in to say hello since the night I’d slept at his house. He’d been cold the following morning when we both woke up, and he’d barely said two words to me before I’d made my way back home.

I hadn’t told a soul what happened, and no one had asked where I’d slept.

“That was quite the rush today,” Peyton said, fanning her face even though it was cold as hell outside. “I swear, we just keep getting busier.”

“I know, and then we’ve got all the nosy people that can’t stop talking about the break in. How does everyone find out everything in this town?”

“I know! Our town slogan should be Magnolia Falls, where everyone knows your name and your business.”

We laughed as the door swung open, and my mom and dad stepped inside with Benjamin Lowden and his crew right behind them. They wanted to up the security system at the coffee shop, along with adding extra security to my apartment upstairs. I’d agreed because otherwise, my mother had threatened to start sleeping here with me.

“Hey there. I’m going to start in the kitchen. Feel free to spoil us with those famous lattes everyone’s talking about,” Benjamin said, as he and his guys moved to the kitchen.

I chuckled, and Peyton got to work making their drinks.

“I just saw some guy covered in tattoos going into the gym next door. Are we sure it was teenagers who broke the glass on the door? What if it was a strung-out gym rat who was looking for cash and got scared when the alarm went off?” my father said, and I rolled my eyes.

If he only knew it was his own son who’d been the one to break in and rob the place.

“Strung out? Seriously, Dad. They’re professional fighters who work out in the gym. Working out and drugs don’t usually go together. I know the owner, and he’s definitely not breaking into businesses for cash.”

“That Knight kid took over the place, right?” my father asked, crossing his arms over his chest. The way he referred to Romeo pissed me off. “His dad was a train wreck. Spent some time in prison, if memory serves. And his kid and his friends were always trouble.”

My mother shook her head. “They were kids. Our own son has made his fair share of mistakes. We don’t like when people judge him, do we?”

“Well, even Slade said they were trouble back in the day, so there you go.” Dad shrugged.

Slade, his son, who he wasn’t even speaking to? The guy who’d just robbed his own sister? He was our moral compass now?

“Well, by all means, he’s a great judge of character.” I made no effort to hide my sarcasm. The way he spoke about Romeo and his friends bothered me. Romeo was an asshole most of the time, but he wasn’t a bad guy. He was moody, and he didn’t seem to like me for reasons I couldn’t wrap my head around. But if this was the way my father had behaved around him, it was likely that he’d been rude to him and his friends over the years.

“He warned us about those guys long before his boating accident, Demi. He wasn’t on drugs back then. Trust me. These are not people you need to be talking to,” my father added.

“Jack, stop this nonsense right now.” My mother gaped at my father.

“Are you for real? Nash and Kingston did the renovation on this place. They were great to work with and very professional. Romeo owns the gym next door. He’s been in a few times, and they’re all nice guys. Romeo was the one who called the police the night of the break in. I hardly think he’d be calling the cops on himself.”

“They did do a great job on this place, and I’m grateful that Romeo called the police on your behalf.” My mother smiled before raising an eyebrow at my father.

He could be very judgmental at times, but I’d never noticed it as much as right now.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We can agree to disagree.”

“Okay,” Mom said. “Let’s focus on the security system. I’d like to discuss the idea of getting a wooden door for your entrance so that it’s not glass and wouldn’t be so easy to break into.”

“It’s a coffee shop. I can’t hide it behind a large wooden door. Anyway, there’s a window beside the door. They could just break that.”

“Your mother would like that window removed, too.” Dad covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing.

“What? Mom, you are overreacting. It was teenagers. It happens. But with the cameras you’re having installed, I don’t see it happening again any time soon.”

“Fine. We’ll start with the cameras and the added security. My concern is your safety, sweetheart. I’m hoping it was just a bunch of teenagers getting into trouble.”

“You both already know my thoughts on the matter.” He held his hands up to stop us both from arguing. “I guess time will tell.”

It took everything I had not to throw Slade under the bus. I’d always protected my brother, but I was not okay with my father blaming innocent people for something their son did. I bit my tongue.

“Anyway, I heard the Knight kid is going to fight some famous boxer. I can’t understand why anyone would want to get their head bashed in for a couple of bucks,” Dad said.

“It’s hardly a couple of bucks if you’ve been paying attention at all to the news. He’s fighting a contender for the belt. It’s a big deal. And he happens to be a professional boxer. He’s an athlete. This is his sport.”

“Since when did you get so defensive? Don’t we deal with enough stress from your brother? I hope you’re not going to start giving us trouble now, too.”

Was he serious? He was comparing my sharing my opinion to the hell that Slade had put them through, all because I didn’t agree with what he was saying about Romeo and his friends?

“Jack, that’s not fair.” My mom tucked my hair behind my ear, and her smile reached her eyes. “He’s just worried about you, sweetheart. Let’s focus on getting the cameras installed and doubling up the security.”

“Your apartment door will have three dead bolt locks and a camera of its own outside the door.” My father walked around, inspecting the walls as if he were seeing if he could add security behind the drywall.

I loved my parents so much, but they could be overbearing at times. I think the trauma they’d been through with Slade had made them even more controlling when it came to me. I hadn’t felt it to this extent over the last few years because I’d been away at school. But now that I was here, it was definitely more extreme than ever.

My mom excused herself to use the restroom, and my father pulled up a chair and motioned for me to sit across from him.

“Your mom is worried about you. She doesn’t like you living above the coffee shop.”

“She doesn’t, or you don’t?” I quirked a brow.

“You know what a worrier she is. You live downtown, you’re next door to a gym full of random guys, and everyone in town knows who you are. Who we are. It’s no secret that we have money. I don’t like you living here.”

“That’s incredibly judgmental. Not everyone cares about money, Dad. The guys at the gym are the least of my worries. And I’m almost twenty-three years old. I’m an adult, and I’m also quite capable of taking care of myself.”

“We’re your parents, and we love you. It’s not judgmental; it’s the truth.”

“Well, Ronny has money, and he’s more frightening than anyone I’ve ever dealt with before,” I whisper-hissed.

And that included my addict brother, who’d broken into my place of business wearing a face mask.

He leaned forward as he glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “I handled things with Ronny, and you know that. He got the message loud and clear. You don’t need to worry about him anymore. Subject closed.”

God, he could be so stubborn. “I’m just saying… No one at the gym has been inappropriate in any way. It’s the people we know that are more alarming.” I raised a brow. Dad could think what he wanted, but it was the truth.

“Point taken, Demi. Just do me a favor. Keep your head up, and be aware of your surroundings.”

I didn’t have time to argue because my mom came out of the restroom, and we got busy following Benjamin around and making sure he turned my cute coffee shop into a damn fortress.

The rest of the day went by in a blur, and Peyton convinced me to go to Whiskey Falls bar tonight. I hadn’t spent much time in Magnolia Falls since I’d turned twenty-one because I’d been away at school. It was fun that I could get into bars now without worrying about fake IDs, which never worked well in small towns. Everyone knew your name and your age.

I slipped into my fitted white bodysuit, a distressed, short jean skirt, and my favorite cowboy boots. Country music, cold beer, and cute boys were the plan tonight. I hadn’t dated anyone in months, as I’d sworn off the opposite sex after what happened with Ronny right before I’d graduated.

Not that I’d ever considered dating him. We’d been friends leading up to that night. But the experience had completely freaked me out, and afterward, I’d thrown myself into the renovations at the coffee shop and focused on starting my own business. I had no desire to date.

But I was ready to get my flirt game on. I added some waves to my hair and dabbed on some lip gloss and a few coats of mascara. It had been a while since I’d taken the time to get ready.

Peyton and I walked the short distance to Whiskey Falls, where we were meeting up with a few friends from high school. Thankfully, it was no longer snowing outside, which made wearing this jean skirt a lot more tolerable.

“Roxy and Taylor are meeting us there,” Peyton said, handing me her pink rhinestone flask. I took a sip and coughed as the cool liquid moved down my throat.

“Is that whiskey?” I gasped at how strong it was.

“The Daily Market’s finest,” she said with a chuckle when I handed it back. “Oscar is such a grump. He carded me like he didn’t know my age. It’s so annoying.”

Oscar Daily was her dad’s best friend, and he owned the grocery store in town. The man had a way of making you feel like you were breaking the law when you bought booze, even if you were legal.

“He stopped into the coffee shop the other day when you were off, and he told me he didn’t think this town was going to buy coffee at my prices. Meanwhile, he was cashing in on his free cup and complaining about the price.”

We both laughed as she pulled the door to the bar open, and the sound of Zach Bryan’s sexy voice had us swaying our hips from the moment we stepped inside. Roxy and Taylor waved us over to a large table they were at, and I groaned because Blane, Scotty, and Brayden were sitting beside them. I dated Blane Johnson for a few months during my senior year of high school. He’d cheated on me at our senior prom when he’d gotten wasted, and I walked in on him balls-deep in Sabrina Marsh in a coat closet.

Good times.

I’d broken up with him immediately. We hadn’t been all that serious anyway, but it wasn’t exactly the way I’d planned on spending my last prom. But he’d taken the breakup hard and acted like the victim during the whole thing. He’d blamed me because I hadn’t slept with him, and apparently, he had a bad case of blue balls, so he had no choice but to bang Sabrina while I was only a few feet away at the after-party.

I can’t make this shit up. That was his defense.

After he’d chased after me, I’d kicked him in the balls and told him to lose my number.

He’d called every day for the next six months, long after I’d left for college, and I’d ignored him. He’d finally given up, but now, every time I ran into him, he acted like I’d broken his heart.

“Mr. Blue Balls is here,” Peyton whispered against my ear as the smell of whiskey wafted around me.

“Well, looky here,” Blane said as he pushed to his feet. “The girl who got away in the very flesh.” His words slurred as he wrapped his arms around me, and I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me.

“Hey, Blane. Good to see you.”

“Yeah. I’m just in town for the weekend. It’s my grandmother’s ninetieth birthday. I was going to come by the coffee shop tomorrow. I heard you’re killing it.”

“I don’t know about that, but it’s going well so far,” I said, as I pulled away and made my way around the group, giving everyone a hug and trying to put some distance between me and Blane. I sat on one of the chairs across from him and made small talk with everyone.

Of course, Blane shoved Scotty out of his chair and settled right beside me. His best friend, Brayden, gave me an apologetic look. Blane was clearly heavily intoxicated. We ordered a round of shots and beers, and I tipped my head back after we all clinked our glasses together. I could feel the booze as it hit my system. I reached for my beer and felt some sort of pull. My head turned to see Romeo Knight holding what looked like a glass of water, surrounded by his best friends and a bunch of women I didn’t recognize.

Dark eyes locked with mine as his tongue slipped out and ran along his bottom lip. I smiled, and he looked away when someone beside him laughed. I forced my attention back to the table as Scotty told us that he was going to propose to Brynn next weekend. They’d dated all through high school, and I was surprised he hadn’t already done it.

Peyton shouted when our favorite song by the Zach Brown Band, “Chicken Fried,” started playing through the speakers, and most of the bar moved to their feet. I hurried out to the dance floor with the girls, raised my hands over my head, and swayed my hips. We were singing along to the lyrics when Blane stumbled out to the dance floor. He was harmless but a little annoying in the way he kept leaning in to talk to me and spitting all over me.

I pressed my hands against his shoulders to push him back a little, just as Romeo appeared out of nowhere. He wasn’t dancing. He wasn’t singing.

He looked pissed off, per usual.

He twisted Blane’s arm behind his back as he leaned down and whispered something in his ear, and my ex-boyfriend winced. Before I knew it, Scotty and Brayden were helping Blane off the dance floor. When I turned around, Romeo was gone.

“Looks like you’ve got yourself a sexy protector!” Peyton shouted in my ear as she continued jumping up and down and having a good time.

I watched as Blane left the bar with his friends, and my eyes locked with Romeo’s again. He hadn’t left. He was back in his seat, and no one there seemed aware of what he’d just done. His eyes were hard, and he looked pissed.

What the hell is his problem?

I tried to shake it off and danced to a few more songs before returning to our table to sip my beer. My phone vibrated, and I looked down to see a text that had my shoulders stiffening and my back going ramrod straight.

Unknown Number

Hey, D. Long time no chat. I was hoping we could talk sometime soon. Clear up this misunderstanding.

I got these random texts every once in a while, from unknown numbers, and I knew exactly who it was. I’d blocked Ronny’s number when I’d gotten the restraining order against him. I blocked the number before tucking my phone into my back pocket and pushing to my feet.

Nothing would sober you up quicker than a text message from a guy who scared the shit out of you.

I leaned into the table where my girlfriends were taking another shot. “I’m going to head home. I’ve got to be up early.”

“What?” Peyton whined. “We got you another shot.”

“You drink it.” I kissed her cheek. “I had a lot of fun.”

“I’ll be coming in for a nice, hot latte in the morning,” Roxy said as she wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so glad you’re living back home now.”

“Me, too.”

“I’ll come see you tomorrow,” Taylor said, as she reached for my shot glass and tipped her head back, downing the liquid. “I have a hunch we’ll all need one of those special concoctions you keep telling us about.”

“Yes! We love the magic hangover juice,” Peyton said. “Are you fine walking home alone?”

“Of course. It’s less than two blocks away, and we’re in Magnolia Falls.” I gave them each a hug goodbye before heading for the door.

The temperature had dropped, and I definitely regretted wearing my short skirt now. A sound behind me had my head whipping around.

Romeo.

My stomach dipped with excitement, but I raised a brow and feigned irritation. This man was so hot and cold. I couldn’t read him at all. “Are you following me?”

“Well, we do live next door to one another, Beans.” His voice was all tease as he moved in stride beside me.

My cheeks heated that he’d used the nickname.

I still couldn’t believe I’d shared that story with him.

If I’m being honest, I couldn’t believe he’d actually remembered the name.

“The timing seems strange, though, right?” I chuckled. “You happened to be heading home at the exact same time that I am?”

“Don’t read into it. I’m leaving. You’re leaving. Don’t you keep reminding me that we’re neighbors when you push those endless free drinks at me?”

Romeo Knight has a sense of humor. Who knew?

“The one free drink you passed on?”

“Maybe I’ll cash in on it someday.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and kept his eyes in front of him.

“You also managed to run Blane Johnson off, too. Were you just being neighborly?”

“Blane is an asshole. He was hanging all over you, and I could tell you didn’t like it. If that makes me neighborly, so fucking be it.”

He paused when we turned down the alley, and I stopped to fish my keys out of my purse. “I’ve seen you running every morning. Looks like you’re training hard already.”

He nodded, and his eyes settled on my mouth before they snapped back up to meet my gaze. “Get inside. It’s cold.”

Like I said. The guy was giving me a bad case of whiplash.

I rolled my eyes and put the key into the door and stepped inside without another word.