If I Had You (Christmas In Harper Falls) (7 page)

“First,” Rose said reasonably. “No one is
arguing. Jack
stole
your roll. Drew
gave
Tyler his coffee.
Second,” she continued before Alex exploded again, “Sam Laughton is
not a letch. He likes women. Treats them with respect.”

“But —”

“Anything,” she continued, “that is going on
between him and Lila, is one hundred percent consensual.”

“She’s right, Alex.”

Dani squeezed his hand. She understood why he was worried.
All the years Alex was in the Army, he did his part to keep this country safe.
It was an important job; one he was good at. Keeping his sister safe wasn’t
possible. For the first time in ten years, the siblings lived in the same town.
Overprotective brother mode came naturally. It was up to Dani and his friends
to help him dial it back several notches.

“Lila should be here, with us. Now.” Alex looked
around the table. “Do you know why she isn’t?”

“Because her brother is a pain in her ass she’d rather
not deal with?” Jack suggested not so innocently.

Alex gave his old friend a dirty look.

“She’s with that, that…
movie producer
.”

“I doubt he has her chained to the radiator.”

“Really?” Dani turned to Drew. “Why did you
have to put that image in his head?”

“That’s it.” Alex took out his phone. “What’s
his number?”

Deciding a phone call was better than rushing over to
Lila’s, Rose pulled up the number on her phone, hitting dial before handing it
to Alex.

“What are you going to do?” Dani asked her fiancé
warily. When he didn’t answer right away, she laid a hand on his arm. “Do
not embarrass Lila.”

“Don’t worry,” Alex reassured the love of his
life. Unfortunately, his cold, steel smile negated his words. “I’m just
going to invite him for a friendly drink.”

“At
Tom Tom’s
?” Jack asked with a grin.

“At
Tom Tom’s
.”

TOM TOM’S
WAS a Harper Falls institution. Opened by a
first Gulf War vet, it was considered a rite of passage to have your first
legal drink there. If you were underage, you better not sneak in. Tom Unger had
a nose for sniffing out a fake I.D. Once caught, you weren’t allowed back in,
legal or not. Everyone knew the rule. Those who tried to get around it paid the
price.

Once a month Tom closed early. Other vets from the area
gathered to play poker, air out their personal problems, or simply hang with people
who had seen the same kind of hell and lived to talk about it. This was one of
those nights.

Sam didn’t know any of this when he agreed to have a drink
with Lila’s brother. That he was going at all, didn’t sit well with the lady.

“You don’t have to do this,” Lila told him after
he got off the phone with Alex. “He’s treating me like a Victorian virgin.
You can’t deflower or debauch me.”

“No debauching? I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Besides,” Lila continued, not buying into Sam’s
attempt at humor, “we only have a few days. This is my time.”

“We’ll have all night,” Sam assured her. “One
drink. Two at the most. I charm your brother; assure him I’m as tame as a
pussycat. Once I calm his fears, we can enjoy the rest of the week.”

“You don’t know my brother,” Lila told him.
“He’s a hard-ass when it comes to protecting the women in his life. He
sees me as the same girl I was when he left home to join the Army. I’ve tried.
Dani’s tried. Nothing can break through that thick skull.”

“I can testify; you are all woman.”

“Whatever you do, don’t even hint that you’ve seen me
naked.”

Sam put his arms around her, pulling her close.

“If push comes to shove, I can take care of
myself,” Sam assured her. “I trained with an expert in Krav
Maga.”

Between them, Alex, Jack, and Drew were over six-hundred
pounds of solid muscle. Lila knew if there were a fight, it would be one on
one. Alex wouldn’t bring his friends into it. Unfortunately for Sam, Alex alone
would be more than enough.

No matter how much
training
Sam had, her brother’s
experience was garnered out in the field. The desert of Kuwait, the mountains
of Afghanistan. She didn’t want to hurt his male ego, so she kept quiet. But if
push came to shove, Sam would be pushed and shoved into the hospital.

“I can’t talk you out of this?”

“Lila.” Sam kissed the end of her nose.
“Drinks at a local bar. What’s the worst that could happen?”

SAM WATCHED AS the lights of Harper Falls faded behind them.
What
was the worst that could happen
? Three large men could kill him, dispose
of the body, and use each other as alibis. Maybe Lila was right. This was not a
good idea.

“Where
is
this place?” he asked Alex. When
Lila’s brother didn’t answer, he turned to the men in the back of the SUV.
“I thought Tom Tom’s was in Harper Falls.”

“Technically, it’s outside the city limits,” Jack
told him. The usually smiling man’s face wore an unusually stern expression.

“Sit back,” Drew said. “We’re almost
there.”

Ten minutes ago, getting in the big, black SUV seemed like
the logical thing to do. No point in taking two rigs, Alex told him.

While Sam greeted Jack and Drew, Lila took Alex aside. He
couldn’t hear the heated conversation; he could tell it was mostly one sided —
Lila’s side. She was animated, gesturing, her finger pointing. All the while,
Alex stood silently, arms crossed over his massive chest. When Lila finally
wound down, without a word, Alex gently patted his sister’s shoulder, then
kissed her cheek.

“Damn it, Alex,” Lila called out as they left the
shop. “Behave yourself.”

Thinking of that moment, Sam wondered if the little,
unconcerned wave he gave Lila as the door closed behind him, was the last time
he would see her. It was silly. Alex and his friends were not going to kill
him. Beat him up? That was possible. He could take a punch from a normal man.
Unfortunately, these guys, with their training, experience, and size, were
anything but normal. His big words to Lila about Krav Maga were said to
alleviate her worry. He knew he was no match for these men. Unlike Lila, he
hadn’t realized he would need to be.

“Here we are,” Jack called out.

Whatever Sam expected, it wasn’t this.

The parking lot of the long, dark green building was empty;
a single light over the door cast an almost eerie glow. Not the most welcoming
sight.

“Is the place open?”

“Yes and no,” Alex said as he put the SUV in park.

Sam slowly unbuckled his seat belt. The other three men were
already out of the vehicle, waiting for Sam to join them. He’d asked for this, no
backing out now. With a resigned sigh, Sam reached for the door handle.

The cold night air hit his face, bracing after the heated
SUV. Jack slapped him on the back.

“Don’t look so glum. You aren’t going to your
execution.”

“Is that a promise?”

Jack looked at Alex, then shrugged. “I can almost
guarantee it. Damn, it’s colder than a witch’s tit. Let’s get inside.”

“I SHOULD HAVE kept my mouth shut,” Lila said. She
paced the length of her apartment, then turned. The three women and two dogs
watched, back and forth, back and forth. Like they were witnessing a one-sided
tennis match.

“What were you going to do?” Dani asked.
“Hole up here for the entire week? Alex was bound to find out Sam hadn’t
left town. More than shit would have hit the fan after that.”

Lila stopped, her fists clenched in frustration. “Why
is it any of his business?”

“That was my question,” Tyler said. “It got
me a very dirty look.”

“Of course, Jack and Drew had to jump in and be all,
we
men have to protect
our women
.” Rose shook her head. “I
think they just wanted to be there to cheer Alex on in case a fight breaks
out.”

“What?”

“Nice going,” Dani said to Rose. “Lila, calm
down. Do not grab your keys.”

“I need to get to Tom Tom’s.”

Lila headed for the door, and then remembered it was winter.
Before she could backtrack to her closet, Dani calmly took the car keys from
her hand and led her to the sofa.

“Sit.”

“But…”

“Listen,” Dani settled her friend. Pouring a glass
of wine, she handed it to Lila. “Nothing is going to happen. I made Alex
promise he would deliver Sam back to you in the same condition he was in when
he left.”

“No black eyes? No missing teeth? Sam has great
teeth,” Lila told the other women. “No caps or veneers. He was born
with them.”

“I’d be more worried about his balls than his
teeth.”

“Really?” Dani exclaimed. She turned to Rose.
“What is with you tonight? I’m trying to put out a fire. You’re trailing
behind with a can of gasoline.”

“Sorry,” Rose said. She grasped Lila’s hand.
“Dani’s right. Alex isn’t a hot head. Jack is a born peacemaker. Drew is
the wild card. You never can tell what he might do.”

“Hey,” Tyler exclaimed. “No need to throw my
man under the bus.” Thinking for a moment, she backtracked. “Okay,
I’ll give you that one. Drew can be unpredictable, which I love. But he has no
reason to go after Sam, or egg Alex on.”

“See?” Dani said, patting Lila’s hand
reassuringly. “Sam will be fine.”

As if sensing her distress, Cooper padded over. He put his
head on Lila’s knee, eager to comfort.

“You understand, don’t you?”

Lila put her arms around his neck, burrowing her face into
the fur. The big dog seemed to understand they were talking about Sam.

You fell in love him right away, didn’t you, boy?

Cooper’s big brown eyes seemed to say, “
You, too
.”

Me? No.
Lila sighed.
But I’m falling.
Hard
and fast.

“I’LL SEE YOUR dollar and raise you two more.”

“Somebody’s feeling lucky.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it. Skill, my friend,
nothing but skill.”

Sam grinned. The two men exchanging words did so with little
heat and obvious affection. Old friends, easy camaraderie. The entire group
felt like a laid-back social circle. He had to remind himself these guys met
for a reason other than poker. They were a support group. Vets helping vets. He
didn’t belong. Normally, he would feel out of place. An intruder. Tonight was
an exception. They allowed him, Jack, and Drew in because one of their own
requested it.

“You’re awfully quiet, Sam. I thought you show business
types talked all the time.”

Sam looked at Tom Unger. He owned
Tom Tom’s,
was the
group’s unofficial leader. It was obvious they looked to him, followed his
rules — happily. Be respectful; don’t drink too much. Screw up one time too
many, don’t come back.

“Oh, I can talk your ear off if the situation warrants
it,” Sam said. He took a sip of beer. “I’m still wondering if I’m
here for a talking to or an ass whipping.”

“The ass whipping is up to Alex.” Tom chuckled.
“Don’t look so worried. He’s a reasonable sort — most of the time. Mess
with a man’s sister, reason tends to fly out the window.”

“I’m not messing with —”

“We’re all fond of Lila,” Tom interrupted.
“She’s like one of my own.”

Hearing this, the other men at the table chimed in. Lila was
either a sister, a daughter, a friend. Steve, new to the group and younger than
the rest, let everyone know she was hot. The comment earned him some warning
looks and an elbow to the ribs. From Sam.

“Hey,” Steve complained. “I didn’t say I
would ever do anything about it. Isn’t a guy allowed to look?”

“Absolutely,” Tom told him. “Look, enjoy.
Keep your mouth shut. Understood?”

“Understood, Tom.”

Impressive. A few softly spoken words, direct eye contact.
Tom had the respect of these men. It was genuine, and, if Sam wasn’t mistaken,
mutual.

“If you ever want a job as my assistant director, let
me know. You’d keep everyone in line with a single look.”

“I’ll keep the offer in mind,” Tom said.
“Now, let’s get down to why you’re here tonight.”

“Finally,” Alex exclaimed. Tom deliberately put
the two men on opposite sides of the table. In theory, great. Sam could have
done without an evening of dirty looks.

“Alex.” Tom’s voice was firm. “When you
called me to set this up, you agreed to let us take Sam’s measure before
anything was said or done.”

“We’ve been here two hours, Tom,” Alex pointed
out. “I’ve known you to
take a man’s measure
in thirty seconds.
What’s the holdup?”

Unoffended by Alex’s outburst, Tom shrugged. “I’ve made
up my mind about Sam. Didn’t take long.”

“Then —”

Tom held up a hand, instantly silencing Alex.

“I didn’t want to influence anyone. You and Lila are
family, son.”

Sam saw Alex swallow hard when Tom called him son. It seemed
the older man was more than a friend; he was a surrogate father. Suddenly this
all made sense. If Alex’s father were alive, he would consult him. Now, that was
Tom’s job.

“Sam is a good man,” Tom told them. “A little
arrogant. Too used to getting his own way,” he looked at Alex. “Sound
familiar? You met your lady in another country. Her brother was here,
blissfully unaware of what was happening.”

“I respected Dani,” Alex said, a bit defensively.

“I respect Lila.” Sam directed his words to Tom.
His glanced at Alex, wanting him to understand. “I’ll admit this
get-together threw me. I’ve never had a brother, or any family member, worry about
a woman I was seeing. Lila is very lucky to have all of you in her life.”

“Well said, Sam.” Tom looked around the table.
Each man nodded. When his eyes stopped on Alex, everyone grew quiet.

“She’s my sister,” Alex grumbled. There was less
heat, more resignation. “Don’t hurt her.”

“I would rather cut off my left nut.”

“Hurt her,” Alex told him, “I’ll do it for
you.”

“FINALLY.” LILA JUMPED up when she heard the door to
the shop open. “I thought they would never get back.”

“Four hours,” Dani reminded her. “That’s
about average for poker night.”

“Seemed like an eternity.”

Lila stopped herself from racing down the stairs. The
slightly sick feeling in her stomach grew. The sound of feet on the stairs,
more than one pair. One more second, she would scream.

Alex was the first one into the room.

“Don’t give me that look,” he said. “Loverboy
is still in one piece. See?”

Sam looked fine. No visible marks. She started to go to him
but her brother’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“Nope.” He pulled her close, giving her a loving
hug. “Big brother first.” Alex kissed her cheek, and then whispered,
“He was never in any danger.”

“I know,” she whispered back. Her arms tightened
around his waist. She loved him so much. “I was afraid you might stick him
on one of Jack and Drew’s planes, and then have one of them fly him out of
here. Maybe Timbuktu or Kathmandu.”

“Mmm, it was a thought.” Alex laughed when Lila
punched him in the arm. “He’s here, isn’t he? No harm done.”

“Was there any?” Lila asked Sam after everyone
left. “Harm done, I mean.”

“I’m good. Perfect.”

“You’ve come out of this with your ego intact,”
Lila laughed. “What went on tonight?”

“Guy stuff,” Sam said. He removed his coat and
gloves before bending to pet a wiggling Cooper.

“Guy stuff? What? Spitting and cursing and peeing
standing up?”

“Pissing.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Guys say piss, not pee.” Sam took her in his
arms, his grin wide.

“I hate that word; it’s… crude.”

“My point exactly.” He kissed a trail along her
jaw. “Men
are
crude. Get a group of us together, and it flows like
water. Raunchy jokes. Some bragging over sexual exploits.
Past
sexual
exploits. No mention was made of any current relationships.”