Deadly Conflicts (Hardy Brothers Security Book 21) (12 page)

James shrugged. “Because I like to win.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “I think the Hardys are too competitive for their own good,” he said. “You’re all desperate to win even though you’ve already claimed the top prizes.”

“Yes, well, we are what we are,” James said, reaching for the refrigerator door. “Now help me with the hamburgers. I need to feed my wife if I’m going to plan a surprise proposal.”

“And you say Mandy is work,” Jake muttered. “I think you’re the one who is work.”

“And just think,” James said brightly. “Mandy says that Ally and I are the most alike.”

“That, my friend, is a terrifying thought.”

“
H
ow much longer
?”

Mandy appeared at James’ elbow and fixed him with a cute smile. She was dressed down in simple cut-off shorts and a
Jaws
tank top, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, but she made James’ heart skip a beat when he gazed at her.

“We haven’t even put the burgers on the grill yet,” James replied, waving his spatula for emphasis. “Chill out, wife. I will feed you. Don’t fret.”

“I love it when you use words like that,” Mandy teased, resting her chin on his shoulder. “I’m hungry, though.”

“You know, there’s a simple solution to that problem.” Grady stood next to James, a beer in his hand. “You could always pretend you’re the wife and do the cooking.”

James punched his brother’s arm and shook his head. “Don’t say things like that to her.”

“That’s right,” Mandy said, feigning anger. “It’s not a woman’s place to cook food anymore. Get out of the past, butthead.”

James loved it when his wife got feisty – especially with Grady. They had a unique relationship. They fought like cats and dogs – almost like brother and sister – but when she was really upset, he was almost always the one who helped her out of her doldrums. They enjoyed messing around with one another, though. “That’s right,” James said, bobbing his head. “Not only is this not the past, but in the present we don’t want food poisoning. There’s a very good reason why my wife doesn’t cook.”

Mandy frowned, affronted. “Hey!”

“Oh, baby, I love you more than anything,” James said, adopting a soothing tone. “We both know you can’t cook, though. If we didn’t have a phone to order takeout and I couldn’t grill, we would starve.”

Grady snorted. “You guys are totally screwed if the zombie apocalypse comes to pass.”

“Yes, but if the sharkpocalypse comes we’re going to be the winners,” Mandy said, poking the end of Grady’s nose for emphasis. “We’re not going to help you either. I’m going to let the sharks eat you so we can get away.”

“That’s so ridiculous I’m not even going to comment on it,” Grady said.

“And the zombie apocalypse isn’t ridiculous?” James challenged.

Grady shrugged. “It’s a lot more probable than the sharkpocalypse,” he said. “I mean … all you have to do to get away from a shark is stay on land.”

“Not if the polar ice caps melt and the world is flooded,” Mandy pointed out.

“I never thought of that,” Grady said, taking Mandy by surprise and grabbing her around the waist. “Let’s test your swimming prowess out right now, shall we?”

“Let me go,” Mandy said, vainly wriggling against Grady as he shuffled her toward the pool. “I don’t want to swim.”

“Oh, no,” Grady said, struggling to hold onto Mandy without spilling his beer. “You’re all mouth. I want to see you swim from the shark.”

“James!”

James lifted an eyebrow but otherwise remained motionless. “What’s up, baby?”

“If you let him throw me in the pool there will be no fun and frolicking for you tonight.”

It was an empty threat. They both knew it. Still, James always wanted to be his wife’s hero. “Let her go, Grady.”

Grady stared him down for a moment. “What if I say no?”

“Then you’re not getting any food,” James shot back. “She’s wearing her favorite shirt. The chlorine will ruin it.”

“You guys are absolutely no fun,” Grady said, reluctantly releasing Mandy and grunting when she elbowed him in the stomach.

Mandy hurried back to James and wrapped her arms around his waist. “My hero.”

James couldn’t help but smile. “That’s a role I’ll gladly take,” he said. “Just for saving you, though, you have to hold off on the onions tonight.”

“Oh, you’re such a smooth talker,” Grady said, taking a seat between Sophie and Louis. “I can’t believe you’re talking like that in front of our parents. It’s so … disrespectful.”

James had almost forgotten that his parents were present. Louis’ ominous words at Peter’s house still haunted him, although he had no idea what they meant. “Our parents have four children,” James said after a beat. “I’m sure they understand about onions.”

Louis chuckled at his children’s banter, enjoying the way they interacted. “I certainly do,” he said. “Your mother and I solved that particular problem by eating onions together. If you both do it, no one complains or notices.”

“Let’s do that,” Mandy suggested. “You know I love onions on my hamburgers.”

James sighed, resigned. “Fine. You have to rub me in the hot tub tonight, though.”

“Ooh, that sounds fun,” Rose enthused. “We should all meet for a double date in the hot tub this evening. I’ll bring a bottle of wine so we can really cut loose.”

“Um … sure,” James said, faltering. “I … that sounds great.”

Grady almost fell over he was laughing so hard. “Ha, ha. I think the sharkpocalypse is about to hit after all.”

Mandy looked almost sad when she shifted her clear blue eyes to James. “We can sleep in the guesthouse tonight if you want,” she whispered. “We can create our own sharkpocalypse with the projector once we’re alone.”

James smiled. She always knew how to make him feel better. “I’m so glad we have a good lock on that door.” He kissed the tip of her nose and kept his voice low. “You didn’t tell me how your outing with Jake went.”

“I thought he told you.”

“He did,” James confirmed. “He said you were wonderful. I already knew that, though. I wanted to hear about things from your perspective.”

“Oh, he got Ally the most beautiful ring ever,” Mandy enthused. “She’s going to be so happy. I almost wish I could be there to see it when he pops the question.”

“That’s a little weird, baby,” James said. “I’m pretty sure they’re going to do something filthy when that happens. I’m sure you remember what happened when we got engaged.”

“Yeah. You pulled your truck in the garage and lowered the door and we went at it like drunken teenagers at a kegger because we didn’t have keys to the house yet. It was a dream come true because I always wanted you when I was a teenager.”

James chuckled, delighted. “You shouldn’t want to see that part,” he said. “That’s private.”

“I don’t want to see
that
part,” Mandy clarified. “I just want to see her get everything she’s ever wanted.”

“We will get to see that,” James said. “It’s not a one-day thing. It’s a forever thing.”

Mandy’s smile was so pretty it almost blinded James. “I’m glad I get to spend forever with you.”

“Oh, wife, you have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that,” James said. “We’re definitely sleeping in the guesthouse tonight.”

“You’re so romantic.”

“Oh, baby, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

A
LLY WAS
quiet when she entered the house, Jake thoughtful as he trailed behind her. She’d answered questions and laughed when appropriate over the course of the barbecue, but she didn’t appear to be herself.

Jake locked the front door and set the security system before dropping his keys on the sofa table and moving closer to the woman he loved. “What’s wrong, angel? Do you feel all right?”

His voice was barely a whisper and they’d been silent for so long the questions jolted Ally back to reality. “I’m fine.” She plastered a smile on her face. “I was just thinking.”

Someone else might’ve been fooled by the act. Jake knew every smile in her repertoire, though, and he recognized the fact that the happiness she professed didn’t make it all the way to her eyes. “Come here.” Jake pulled Ally to him, wrapping her in a tight hug as he rested his cheek against her forehead. His mother used to check to see if he had a fever that way when he was a child. It stuck with him, and now he associated the gesture with love. “You don’t feel warm.”

“I’m not sick,” Ally said, tilting her head back so she could meet Jake’s steady gaze. “I’m fine. Honest.”

“You’re not fine, Ally,” Jake countered. “I can tell when you’re fine. You put on a good show for your parents’ benefit tonight, but you weren’t yourself. Why don’t you want to tell me what’s going on?”

Ally opened her mouth to answer and then merely shrugged.

“You don’t know what’s going on?” Jake prodded. He wasn’t used to being the one forcing a conversation. It felt alien to him.

“I just feel a little out of sorts,” Ally answered. “I think I’m just tired. We were up late last night and then I got the call from my boss early this morning. That put me in a bad mood. Running into Vince outside the office didn’t help.”

Jake narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?”

“I told you about that,” Ally said.

“No. This is the first I’m hearing about it.”

“But … .” Ally broke off, biting her lip. “I guess I didn’t tell you. I told James. He was the reason Vince followed me.”

“What do you mean he followed you?” Jake worked overtime to control his temper, but he seriously wanted to punch something. Vince’s face would do nicely, but that wasn’t an option. He had to remind himself that Ally wasn’t at fault here and raising his voice would do nothing but alienate her – and that was the last thing he wanted.

“He said James didn’t give him his cell phone number so he looked up an address,” Ally explained. “He thought just showing up at James’ house was a bad idea so he looked me up. He wanted me to give him James’ cell phone number because the office phone goes straight to voicemail.”

“Oh.” The answer made Jake feel a little better, but only marginally. “I still don’t understand why he followed you to the office.”

“He said he was pulling up when I was leaving and he honked to get my attention and I didn’t notice so he followed me.”

“Did you hear honking?”

Ally shrugged. “A lot of people honk at me when I’m driving,” she said. “I tell myself it’s because I’m hot, but in reality, I think they just don’t like the way I drive. I’ve learned to ignore it.”

Jake didn’t want to laugh, but he couldn’t help himself. “Your driving has worried me on more than one occasion,” he said. “What did Vince say to you?”

“Just that he needed to talk to James.”

“And that’s it?”

Ally nodded, but for some reason Jake didn’t entirely believe her. He had a feeling Vince hit on her. She wouldn’t admit to something like that because she didn’t want to upset him. Instead of pressing her, though, Jake opted to let it go.

“I’ll be glad when we find his stupid car,” Jake said, brushing Ally’s hair away from her lovely face. “If we never have to see that guy again, you won’t hear me utter one word of complaint.”

“You never complain anyway,” Ally teased, kissing his chin before resting her head on his chest. Jake hugged her close as he swayed back and forth, enjoying the way her body melded to his. “Can I ask you something?”

Jake smiled. “When Mandy says those words to your brother he says he wants to deafen himself with Q-tips.”

“Yes, but she knows that and enjoys playing with his emotions,” Ally said. “I have a legitimate question.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“Do you ever think about our future?”

It was a simple question, but it caused Jake’s heart to drop to his stomach. She was fishing. Did Mandy say something? No. It was impossible. She loved Ally too much. Still … . “I think about our future,” Jake confirmed. “I think it’s going to be great.”

“But … do you ever think of what comes next?” Ally pressed, lifting her chin so she could stare into Jake’s eyes. “What do you see for us?”

“Happiness.” Jake knew it was too simple of an answer but he didn’t want to show his hand before he could surprise her with a big proposal. He wanted everything to be perfect when they had the big discussion. This was not what he had in mind. “What do you see for us?”

“I want to get married and have a family.” Ally refused to pull punches. “You want that, too, don’t you?”

“Ally, I want you and all of that,” Jake said. “I … what are you getting at?”

Ally licked her lips, unsure how to proceed. “Nothing,” she said finally, shaking her head. “I just want to be loved.”

“You are loved, angel,” Jake said, cupping the back of her head. “I swear that I’ve never loved anything as much as I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She smiled, and this time the emotion made it to her eyes, although they were still tinged with sadness. “I guess I’m just feeling pouty today.”

Something niggled the back of Jake’s brain. “Did Vince say something to you?”

“No.”

“Did Mandy?”

Ally shook her head. “Mandy? What would she say to me?”

“Nothing,” Jake answered. “I just … don’t worry about it. I think your parents showing up out of the blue has everyone acting differently from what they normally would. That festival job came out of nowhere and ruined a holiday weekend, too. Now we have to deal with that jackass Vince and his stupid car.”

“You really don’t like Vince, huh?” Ally’s eyes twinkled, causing a sense of relief to wash over Jake. She was in there. Maybe she really was overtired.

“I think he’s a dick.”

“You and James should form a club,” Ally suggested. “James can be president because he likes being the boss and you can be the treasurer because you’re good with money.”

“Very cute,” Jake said, tickling her ribs. “I want to be the president, though. I really hate that guy.”

“I think he likes that people hate him,” Ally said. “I think he gets off on it.”

“He doesn’t want you to hate him,” Jake pointed out. “Perhaps he only likes it when the men in your life hate him.”

“Perhaps.” Ally pursed her lips as she mulled the statement. “I guess it doesn’t matter. He says he’s grown as a person, but I’ve learned that anyone who says things like that hasn’t changed at all. I think he’s playing a game.”

“We’re starting to think the same thing,” Jake said. “Peter says that word on the street indicates the car theft was an inside job. That doesn’t necessarily mean it was Vince – he has employees, after all – but we can’t rule him out.”

“I don’t know why he would steal a car.”

“I don’t either.” Jake kissed Ally’s cheek and rocked her for a moment. “How about we take a long bath and I’ll rub your back? Then we can go to bed early. How does that sound?”

“Pretty good as long as I get to rub something of yours in there, too.”