Billionaires Don't Like Nice Girls (A BWWM Romance) (6 page)

Her fawn skin had glowed with golden undertones in the sunlight, and escaping tendrils of spiraling deep brown tresses framed her face in shimmers. And those kissable lips, high-cut cheekbones and sparkling dark eyes would have turned any man’s head. What a beauty.

And her body, toned and firm yet rounded in all the right places. Legs that stretched forever. High perky breasts that would fit in his big hands … well … without doubt, Kent considered Phae Jones the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

And the fact that she was so clueless about her beauty made her even sexier. How the woman was still single was an unsolvable mystery.

He was pulled from his reverie when James walked up to his table.

“James,” Kent said, “have a seat.”

The stocky man sat in Phae’s vacated chair. “Sparkin’ my cousin, are ya?”

“I’m trying. I made a complete ass of myself, though. You should have heard the bumbling way I asked her out.”

“Did she accept?”

“Kind of. I’m supposed to meet her at the fair this weekend. How fun is that? It’s like I’m a teenager again. A date at the fair.”

James motioned to the waitress, pointing at Kent’s coffee cup and then to himself. “I know you’ve got a thick skin, but I’m not sure it’s thick enough if Phae’s gonna be in the picture. She’s—”

“Don’t bother. I’ve heard it all. I think half your family paraded by today. Phae was full up with it, which is why she ran out of here when she saw you. Thanks a lot for that, by the way.”

“Doesn’t she know we’ve been friends since you were a tadpole?”

“Enough with the hillbilly act, already. And no, I didn’t get a chance to tell her.”

Kent and James thanked the waitress for the hot coffee.

Kent picked up his cup. “You always said you had a lot of family in this town, but I never realized exactly how many.”

“Yeah, well, we had more important things to talk about when we were kids, like how big a slingshot needs to be if you want to shoot yourself to the moon.”

The men smiled in remembrance as they sipped their steaming coffee.

“I miss those old days sometimes,” Kent said. “We’ve grown apart over the years, but I still think of you as the best friend I ever had.”

James tugged at his belt. “You’ve been busy running that big company of yours, friend.”

“And you’ve been protecting the citizens of Zeke’s Bend.”

James cleared his throat. “So, I take it some of my kin gave you an earful about Phae today?”

James never changed, Kent thought. Even as a child, James used a gruff facade to mask his kind nature. Kent, however, spoke his feelings as soon as he felt them, a trait that had gotten him into all kinds of trouble as a child and sometimes even now as a full-grown man in his thirties.

He grinned. “I don’t know what to believe, James. Phae is exciting and intelligent from what I’ve seen, but your family tells me she’s a man-eating shrew.”

“Man-eating shrew?” James chuckled. “They were giving you a hard time. She’s not that bad. Phae speaks her mind and that doesn’t sit too well with the men who come sniffing around her. She didn’t used to be that way, though. Before she went off to college and got that job in Chicago, she was soft-hearted as anything and the biggest pushover you’ve ever met.”

“I can’t imagine her ever being a pushover.”

“She still is, most of the time, though you wouldn’t know it unless you look past her crusty surface. I think it’s good that she’s learned how to say no, and if she makes a few people upset because she says what she thinks, well, that’s their problem, not hers.”

Kent raised an eyebrow. “Why is she working as a beautician when she’s got a degree in business?”

“She doesn’t have any old degree. She graduated from Harvard Business School.”

Kent nearly choked on his coffee. “Are you serious?”

“Yep. Everyone was real proud of her. She graduated top of her class and got a big time job with a corporation in Chicago. From what I heard, she was doing well. Then a few years back, she suddenly moved back home. Signed up at a beauty college in Rollinsburg and after she got her license, opened her shop.”

“What happened in Chicago?”

“She’s never really said. Just says she missed home. I don’t think she ever told anyone except Grandma Jones. Word was that Grandma Jones had the biggest fit you’ve ever seen. I heard the argument nearly took the roof off her house. I don’t know who won, but Grandma wouldn’t talk about it with anyone. And of course, neither did Phae.”

Kent silently wondered at James’ cavalier attitude. “So you still don’t know what happened in Chicago, after all this time?”

“Nope. Phae keeps to herself. Sylvie and Neesa drag her out and about every so often, but mostly Phae is a homebody. She takes defense and martial arts classes over in Rollinsburg, though. Last I heard, she was working on her black belt. She could have it by now. Anything else you want to know, you ask her.”

Kent decided he would do that. He loved a good mystery, especially when those mysteries came packaged as nicely as Phae Jones.

“Those classes must be what keeps her in such great shape,” he said. “You know I’m a leg and butt man, and I’ve got to tell you that your cousin has both for days and days. When I first saw those stems of hers the other day, I thought I’d—”

“Stems? Good one, Frank Sinatra. Anyway, I may be your friend, but you’ve gotta remember she’s my cousin, and one of my favorites at that. Since her dad moved to Boston, all us Jones men have gotten protective of her. She needs a man to look out for her, so watch your tongue.”

Kent raised his arms in the air and said in a drawl, “I’ll go peaceful, Sheriff. Don’t start a-shootin’ at me.”

James squinted. “You keep your hormones under control, and we’ll get along fine.”

“Does Phae know she needs the Jones men to look after her?”

“Don’t tell her I said that. She thinks she doesn’t need anyone or anything. She won’t even come to family reunions. Says she sees everybody all year long and doesn’t see the point of it.”

James chuckled lightly, then added, “I gotta admit, I kind of agree with her. You ought to see these reunions. Hundreds of kids crawling everywhere, everyone talking and yelling at the same time. Gives me a headache. I’d stay at home like Phae, but Mama would rip my ears off if I did.”

“Sounds wonderful to me,” Kent said. “I always thought it would be great to have a big family.”

James snorted. “Sometimes I’d like a rest from mine, but I guess I’m mostly thankful.” He paused and began to buff his badge with a napkin. “You know, you could help me out a little. If you married Phae, that’d be one less person I’d have to worry about and you’d have that big family you always wanted.”

“I’ve only seen the woman twice, James. We’re not ready for the altar quite yet.”

The sheriff gave his badge one last stroke then looked up at Kent. “Just makin’ suggestions. Besides, you owe me. Aren’t I the one who rescued you the other night?”

Kent had reached his limit on laundry pole jokes. “Don’t get on that again. I’ve heard every lame joke there is about it. I do have some pride, you know.”

“You’re right, my friend. I apologize.”

Kent saw the teasing glint in James’ eyes and knew he was full of it. “So, what, exactly, is the fine police force around here doing to catch this Captain Nice Guy?”

“Why would we catch him? He’s done a lot of good things for folks.”

“I know, and I guess that’s okay, but you can’t have a vigilante running around righting the world’s wrongs without anyone to double-check his verdicts. I’d think you’d see that after what happened to me. It may have worked out in the end, but what if he’d had a gun?”

“Nah. the other night was a fluke. It’s never happened before. The guy is careful and never tries to do my job for me.”

James looked solemnly at Kent and spoke in a low voice so he wouldn’t be overheard by the other diners in the cafe. “Once, about a year and a half ago, I got a call at the office from a man who wouldn’t identify himself. He said there was a house over on tenth street that was being used as a meth lab. He gave the address and hung up. I checked it out, to be on the safe side, and sure enough, the caller was right. I got to make one of the biggest drug busts in county history.”

“It was Captain Nice Guy who made that call,” James continued. “He didn’t interfere and he didn’t take the law into his own hands. I’m telling you, he’s careful.”

“How do you know it was him?”

“He uses an electronic voice disguiser when he calls. He’s reported numerous things using it.”

Kent toyed with the glass salt shaker on the table, fidgety and unwilling to drop his opinion. “What else has this guy done?”

“Little things mostly, like replacing stolen bicycles and finding lost dogs, though it’s hard to say for sure. He’s been at it longer than the public knows. Who could say?”

“I’d think that would make you nervous. This guy sounds like he could cause trouble for you if he switched loyalties. After all, nobody’s seen him, so he must be good at slipping in and out of places unseen.”

James grinned. “You’re getting a little carried away, don’t you think? What do you think the man’s been up to all this time? Practicing for a future career as a cat burglar?”

“Okay, you’re probably right. But something about it doesn’t sit right with me. Do you have any guesses who he might be?”

“I have my suspicions, along with everybody else in this town. Guessing who Captain Nice Guy is has become one of our favorite games.”

For several moments, Kent considered what James had told him. What made a person slink around at night doing good deeds for others? Why not simply be up front about it and take the deserved credit?

Kent couldn’t understand why the man had made everything so secretive. It didn’t make sense. Something else was going on here, and Kent wanted to be the one to discover it.

“How do you know,” he asked James, “that the Captain is a man? He could be a woman.”

James burst out laughing. “A woman? You’ve got to be joking. What kind of woman would do the stuff this guy does? Oh yeah, I can see it—some woman out on the prowl, looking for criminals. I wonder if she paints her nails while she’s on stakeout.”

Kent scowled.

James slapped his thigh and hooted even louder. “You’ve been watching too many movies, friend.”

Kent ignored him. We’ll see, my friend, Kent thought as he shoved the salt shaker back into the shiny metal napkin holder.

The waitress walked up and offered to refill their cups. Kent declined.

“I’ve got to get home before Aunt Eugenia finds out I’m gone,” Kent said. “I’ve already pushed my luck.”

“You’d better hurry. I don’t want her finding you with me. She’ll accuse me of being a bad influence again. Remember when she did that?”

“As I recall, you spread trash all over her back yard and made me play in it.”

James wasn’t impressed. “Don’t start. You know it was you who threw that trash everywhere because you wanted to pretend we were on a treasure hunt. Best treasure I found was a half-eaten cupcake covered in grass clippings.”

“Hey, that was an ancient offering to Pharaoh Tut.”

“You were a bossy kid. Imaginative, though,” James said with a grin.

“I wasn’t all that bossy.”

“Hell you weren’t. You’d get full of yourself and start bossing me around like I was one of those servants you had back at your folks’ mansion. I’d have to take you down a peg or two every now and then to remind you what’s what.”

“You’re exaggerating. I wasn’t that bad. And anyway, I’ve outgrown it.”

James cocked an eyebrow. “Sure you have. Anyway, here’s a warning. Don’t try bossing Phae around, not if you don’t want to be taken down a dozen pegs at a whack.”

Kent tossed some money on the table and rose from his chair. “James, your cousin can take me anywhere she wants. And now I’m getting out of here before you start attacking all my other faults. Not that I have many.”

The two men chuckled as Kent walked away.

Before Kent reached the door, James called out. “Hey there, Luke. Did I ever tell you I’ve known that fellow by the door there just about forever? Yep, we were buds every summer when he visited his aunt.”

Kent opened the door and almost managed to slip away before hearing James’ punch line.

“Yep,” James called, “I knew that fellow a looooong time before he got all famous for knocking himself silly on laundry poles.”

The cafe patrons hooted.

As he shut the door on their catcalls, he wondered if he’d ever live that one down. Probably not.

Chapter 6

PHAE STOOD IN FRONT OF the small booth and inspected the growing crowd. She glanced at her watch. It was nearly seven-thirty. She peered around the fairgrounds once again.

“I can’t imagine who you’re looking for,” Neesa said, fussing with a pink crepe paper bow affixed to the front counter.

“I’m not looking for anyone. I’m impatient to get home.” She sighed and turned to Sylvie. “Honestly, you can’t have a kissing booth in this day and age. There’s too many diseases.”

“I’m doing all the kissing, so I don’t see what your problem is.” Sylvie strolled up and plopped down on a metal stool behind the counter, smiling at the passersby and batting her eyelashes.

“My problem is that we aren’t doing any business,” Phae said, leaning against the counter.

“Quit that!” Neesa interjected. “You’re mashing my decorations. And stop griping. She’s only kissing on the cheek.” She propped her hands on her hips. “And if we aren’t doing any business, it’s your fault. You’re supposed to be the barker. So get on out there and bark, sister. Bark, bark, bark.”

“I’m not some damned dog,” Phae mumbled as she shuffled to the front of the booth. “But fine, I’ll do it.”

She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to do this stupid thing. In a bored, weary voice, she called out, “Hear ye, hear ye. Gather around.”

People swarmed past, paying her no attention.

She rolled her eyes and waved sloppily. “Buy a kiss from the pretty lady. Sure, it’s only a kiss on the cheek, but you can’t be too careful these days. Guaranteed mono-free.”