Chapter 35

LYNN

It's clear I'm way more nervous than Joey is as we wind our way up the mountain to Mama's house the following evening in his truck. The fact that I've been staying at his place means there's no doubt everyone in my family and beyond knows we're sleeping together. Which probably spells trouble for both of us tonight. No way will those yahoos let this slide without at least commenting, no matter that it's none of their beeswax.

"You've had jimmy leg for the last ten minutes," Joey says, pulling a hand from the steering wheel and reaching over to lace his fingers with mine.

"Your wrist." I gesture to the only hand steering us up the mountain, even though I know his wrist is fine. I'm coming to terms with my feelings for Joey in the innermost secret section of my heart, but my avoidance instincts haven't gotten the memo and refuse to quit.

"I'm fine. You've seen the progress I'm making."

Since we both know it's true, I move on. "It isn't too late to back out, you know." Half of me wishes he would, and the other half wants to strut into the house carrying a banner declaring him my hot-ass boyfriend.

"I'm not backing out," he declares, lifting our joined hands and kissing the back of mine. Damn, he is just too good to be true sometimes. When he drops our hands to the center console again, he smiles at me, holding my gaze a little too long for someone whose eyes should be trained on the steep, winding roads ahead. "Did I tell you I did a deep dive into the Counting Crows last summer?"

I raise my brows at him. He knows good and well he never told me that. "Oh yeah? They're one of my favorites."

"I know."

"You texted me that Adam Duritz is a poet, but I never texted you back to say I agree."

His lips quirk. "I already knew from the way you listened to ‘Round Here' the first time I kissed you."

Warmth suffuses my chest. "You remember that?"

"Of course I do. I remember everything when it comes to you."

He's trying to melt my heart like an ice cream sundae on a hot Carolina sidewalk. And it's working a little too well. "Joey…" I begin before trailing off. I don't know what to say. I'm not used to this kind of openness, and it scares the shit out of me. Letting him in this far wasn't part of my plan.

He lets me off the hook by focusing his gaze on the road and asking, "Do you have ‘A Long December' in one of your millions of playlists?"

"Duh." I roll my eyes in mock disgust and plug my phone into his truck's USB port, happy to sweep my emotions aside. Seconds later, the familiar piano intro fills the air.

Then Joey Martel rocks my world. "I used to listen to this all the time and think of you," he says.

Oh, god. So much for an escape from my emotions! Joey's eyes remain trained on the road, but try as I might, I can't help riveting mine to his handsome profile as Adam Duritz's vocals begin.

From the way Joey occasionally snags my gaze while the song plays, I can tell those are some of the lines that made him think of me.

"Maybe this year will be better than the last."

"If you think that I could be forgiven, I wish you would."

"All at once you look across a crowded room to see the way that light attaches to a girl."

Each time, the intensity in his eyes has my heart threatening to claw its way from my chest. Holy shit. That bulletproof vest around my heart is being torn to shreds right here in this truck cab.

I'm falling in love with this man.

But since my voice is stuck in my throat, I do the only thing I'm capable of at the moment. I squeeze his hand and smile.

* * *

"Nothing?"Cash asks, his tone incredulous.

"You got cotton in your ears, young man?" Duke responds, his bushy white eyebrows drawing together.

Cash turns his gaze from Duke, who's seated across from him at the joined picnic tables, to Carter and Sunny at their spot down the way. "I thought you said he could find anything."

"He can." Sunny defends her grandpa.

I've introduced Joey to enough people tonight to challenge Jumbo's memory skills, but there's no way he could forget Sunny's name. The woman is the physical embodiment of sunshine, with fiery red hair and a yellow sundress with bright red trim and shoes to match. I adore her.

There were too many people to fit in Mama's kitchen, so we're all packed onto two picnic tables in the backyard as we feast on the best chicken and waffles for a hundred miles. Joey must agree because he's already on seconds beside me.

"Maybe… there's nothing to find," Carter chimes in, but it's met with scoffs from Miller and Denny.

"Maybe Winston's daughter just wants to reconnect for real? Is that so hard to believe?" Rosie adds.

"Yes," most of the Brooks family replies in unison. I hold my tongue because now that we know Duke didn't find anything, I'm in a quandary over the whole Larry situation.

"Oh, come on. Winston is perfectly nice. He's just a little crusty around the edges," Mama says, standing to grab the serving platter. "Now, y'all better wrap up this conversation because Adrina and Wes will be here soon." She turns to stride into the house. "I'm gonna top up the chicken."

"Hey, Duke," I say, catching the older man's attention. "I think you should introduce yourself to Winston, maybe have a sit-down."

"And why would I want to do that?" He frowns at me with a drumstick poised in front of his mouth.

"You could pump him for information."

"That's not a bad idea," Maisy says. "A little guy talk could reveal things he might not say to Ginny."

"I've got enough friends. I need another one like I need a flippin' top hat and a tuxedo. Besides, I don't trust people I don't know," Duke responds before chomping into his drumstick.

Sunny sends us a subtle gesture, communicating that she'll work on him.

"So, we've got no leads. Just conjecture." Cash sums up the situation, tossing his napkin onto the table. Hollis, his girlfriend, puts an arm around his shoulders.

I look at Joey to see him watching my brothers. When I catch his eye, he raises his brows and jerks his chin in their direction. I know what he wants me to do.

Luca sighs next to me. "Some kids started a fire, Miller crashed a car, the brewery had a break-in, Larry was stolen, Clarence Cody's goons trashed Ginny's house and tried to shut down Blue Bigfoot, and my dad got laid off. Bad shit happens. Apparently, it just happens more often around here. Is that what we're thinking now?"

Glances are exchanged across both tables before Carter finally speaks up. "I guess so. Damn, I wish I'd had the brake lines checked before they towed my car to the junkyard."

"I'm not saying anything." Miller throws his arms up, and Cart elbows him in his unprotected gut. Miller groans and cradles his stomach.

Everyone looks so dejected and lost. I mean, having proof that a giant, rich real estate conglomerate has it in for you wouldn't exactly be welcome news, but it would at least give us all a united enemy and purpose.

In lieu of that, I feel a duty to open my mouth. "I found Larry." A dozen sets of eyes swing my way, and I audibly swallow. Joey gives my knee an encouraging squeeze, and I force myself to continue. "I followed that lead Miller gave me about the customer who thought he saw Larry at a gallery in Raleigh."

"You didn't tell me about that." Maisy turns to Miller while Hollis, Rosie, and Sunny all swing narrowed eyes at their respective Brooks boyfriends. See? They all keep things from the women in their lives.

"Joey and I went to the gallery. It's definitely Larry," I say. "I could tell by Miller's flip-flop marks on his foot."

Several sets of eyes turn to Miller, who shrugs. "I was eight. What do you want from me?"

I continue, knowing I can't exactly stop now. "The gallery didn't buy Larry, nor is he for sale. He's on loan from a collector who bought him from who I assume is the thief."

"You know who these people are?" Denny asks, rising to his feet like he's about to run off chasing the burglar.

"Yes." I nod. "I spoke with the collector, and he gave me contact info for the person he bought it from. Whoever it is lied and said Larry has been in his family for years. The guy who bought him is a Morton Frye expert, so he knew it was the real deal the minute he saw it."

"Then let's go get this asshole!" Cash stands as well, followed by Miller, Denny, and Luca.

"I'm not done eating!" Duke shouts, waving another drumstick in the air. My brothers ignore him.

"Wait!" Hollis yells. "You need to let the police handle this."

"No way," Cash responds. "This guy broke into our business and stole our dad's prized possession. This is personal."

"If you go stomping off to Raleigh to go head-to-head with this unknown criminal, I'm calling the cops myself!" Rosie declares.

All conversation devolves from there into individual couples bickering and pointing, and I can't get a word in edgewise. Even Hollis and Cash's dogs get in on it, barking and howling as they run circles around the tables. I look at Joey and sigh. This is gonna be a long night.