Men Times Three (27 page)

TJ hung his head in acceptance. Whatever it took, he had to try one more time with Marnie.

“TJ?”

He raised his head, convinced his name had come from inside his head. The buzz from the sander had affected his hearing, in spite of the ear protection. He turned and blinked.

“Marnie!” He wanted to grab her to his chest, but her face stopped him.

She glowed. Just glowed.

“God, you look good.” So fucking good.

“Dennis offered to buy me out of the club.”

“I see.” Everything stopped. The distant birdsong, the wind in the trees, the beat of his heart. “Did you accept?”

She slowed her approach, put some sway in her hips and a light of sexy anticipation entered her eyes. “He'll come up with some numbers. We'll discuss it.”

“I see,” he repeated, unsure of her signals. She could just be here for a few days, like usual. This didn't mean she wanted to move here. She could have other plans for a new business in the city.

“You don't seem happy.” She drew closer. “I told Dennis I had a lot to consider. My dreams, my goals, my feelings for you.”

“For me?”

She stood kiss-close and looked up into his face.

He was afraid to believe what he read in her eyes. That light of love might be something else.

“I also need to consider your feelings for me.”

“You know how I feel. Do you need to hear it again? Because I'll yell it from the treetops if that will convince you.”

“I'd love to hear it again, but let me say it first. I love you, Thomas John O'Banion, and I want you for the rest of my life.”

He grabbed her to his chest so tight she gasped. “I was blind to the possibility of selling out to Dennis. I never even considered walking away because I only thought of myself. My ambitions, my dreams. I'm sorry I didn't call you, but my phone was destroyed and I wanted to tell you in person.”

He kissed her, but she tore her mouth off his. “I love you, TJ, and I always will.”

“Took you long enough,” he breathed against her lips.

“Give me a break; I was only thirteen when this started.”

H
olly held the end of a tape measure for Deke as he paced off the length of his envisioned kitchen. They'd spent most of Sunday morning here, going over his plans for the house. Her phone rang and, seeing her brother's number, she answered immediately. “Hi, Damien! How'd it go?”

“Are you sure Jack was at work all week?”

“As sure as I can be.” Marnie had confessed to calling Jack at work.
Family
. “When he picked up, dear cousin Marnie disconnected. Why?”

“Because he's not home and it looks like his mailbox is stuffed full. I'm not sure he's been there lately.”

“Jack was never efficient with routine stuff, like mail. Besides all his bills are paid online.” Hearing Jack's name, Deke looked over, a frown clouding his features. He approached with a wary expression. She covered the mouthpiece. “My brother, Damien, checked Jack's place for me.” To Damien, she said, “Thanks, yes, I'll let you know if I see him.”

“And when do we meet this new guy?” Damien asked.

“Just as soon as we can take a day to come visit.” She smiled at Deke and touched his hand. “You'll like him, Damien, I promise.”

Her brother gave her a “we'll see” hum and one more word of caution. “If Jack shows up there, Holly, you call the cops.”

“I will. I promise. I love you, too,” she said. Not that Damien ever said the words, but she always felt them. They disconnected at the same time.

“My brother, Damien, wants to meet you soon. The silly codicil says none of the men in the family can come to the inn for a year, so we'll have to go to Bellevue to visit him. The rest of my family will probably be there, too, so be prepared.”

He grinned. “Fine, I do okay with family. I may even pull out a white shirt, cords and a sports jacket.”

“No plaid?” She feigned horror.

He chuckled. “That's all fine, but what's happening with Jack?”

“Don't get upset, but he sent this card along with that huge bouquet on the coffee table at the inn.” She hated having to tell him, but they were past the point of arguing about how much she should share. He needed to know about Jack's newest attempt to get her attention.

“He sent those flowers? I figured one of you women picked them up.” Then he read the card that had been tucked so innocently into the bouquet. He glared at the words, then at her. “You're saying you've had this card since yesterday? And you didn't tell me?”

“I called my brothers. Which is probably what I should have done months ago when Jack kept”—she was
so
not going to tell him how often she'd slept with Jack since the divorce. Or that sometimes, she was the one making the call for a hook up.

“Jack kept what?” He looked at her with suspicion.

“We slept together for a short time after the divorce. I thought it would ease the transition. There. Now you know. Feel better?”

“I feel like shit! You should have told me about this!” He shoved the card at her. She grabbed it and slid it back into her pocket.

“Yelling at me won't help. The thing is, Jack doesn't seem to have been home and now, I'm wondering if he's here again.”

“But Marnie called him at work.”

“That was midweek, this is Sunday. He's off today. He could be here right now.”

“Call the flower shop,” he ordered. “Ask when the order was placed and whether or not it was in person.”

He clasped her hand and hurried her into his truck. “We'll go to the inn, check things out. Eli planned to take Holly on a tour of the Peninsula. They've probably already left.”

“Huh. They've likely shoved each other off a cliff somewhere.” Her dry humor brought a smile to Deke's mouth. She climbed in and dug the card out of her pocket again. “The number for the shop must be on the envelope. We threw that out.”

“We'll dig through the trash until we find it.”

She called information, but none of the store names sounded familiar. She pulled up her memory of the truck. “It came from a grocery store! Some of them have florists and also deliver.”

“I've used them myself.” He looked sheepish. “I sent some to Misty, on the off chance—”

“You could get back together with her?” She finished his cutoff thought. “You keep that in mind when you feel like judging me,” she said.

With a half-grin, he pulled the truck onto the road and headed toward the inn. She made more calls. One to Kylie, the next to Marnie.

“Kylie and Eli are about an hour away and heading back now. Marnie's phone is still messed up or something.”

“Try TJ's place,” he said and gave her the number.

Marnie answered.

“Hey, Marnie. You're there.”

“I am. What's up? You sound agitated.”

“We've kind of lost track of Jack.” She explained about the bouquet and the warning on the card. “But it's pretty vague. I mean it's sort of nothing, you know? A match made in heaven and all that. I mean, it's a common enough saying about married couples and it was one of his favorite things to say after we fought.”

“Typical of you to ignore the
burn, baby, burn
part. Meet us at the inn right away.”

 

After Marnie hung up she looked at TJ. Concern filled his eyes. “Holly. She called about Jack.” She sat on the side of the rumpled bed, a cold trickle of alarm skating along her nerves. “She always gives that man the benefit of the doubt. None of the rest of the family does. Her brother went to his place and says it looks like he hasn't been there in days.” But he'd been at work when she'd called the other day.

TJ leaped to his feet and grabbed his jeans, shirt and socks to dress. “I'll call Chuck and put him on alert again. Can't hurt.”

“Thanks,” she said through the sweatshirt she pulled over her head. She felt safer just by TJ being there. “We shouldn't overreact,” she cautioned. “But the note on the card was ominous, even though Holly doesn't agree.”

She pulled on the rest of her clothes and followed him out to his truck while he called his friend, Chuck. Just hearing him advising the police officer of the situation warmed her heart.

TJ was the man. The man for her.

Thomas John O'Banion finished what he started, did what he promised and took care of his own. With him, she could have a full and fulfilling life.

She'd be part of a real team, a true partnership. He'd known from the beginning what they could have together. Halfway to the Friendly Inn, she slid across the seat to sit close. “I love you, Thomas John, with everything I have.”

He looked at her with seriously sexy focus. The man was killer gorgeous. “I love you, Marnie Dawson, with everything I am.”

 

Eli pressed the accelerator to ten miles over the posted speed limit. An urgent tattoo in his brain thrummed, making it hard to sit still as he drove. “I've got a bad feeling, Kylie,” he said.

“Me, too.” She looked worried. “I should have said something yesterday, after the flowers came. Holly's face went white when she read that card. But she was so private about Jack before that I let it pass.” She bit her lip and looked guilty.

He slid his hand over hers. “Don't beat yourself up. You didn't know all their history. You're new to the family, remember?”

Her face glowed with happiness. “Thanks.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek as he drove.

They'd hiked a short trail in the Olympic National Forest and discovered another thing they had in common. “Hey, we've gone over three hours without a cross word between us,” he commented.

“A record. And we only stopped for sex once,” she said, followed by a sexy purr. “Holly was right, though.”

“About?”

“Sex in a truck with an O'Banion is not easy. You guys are huge!”

A warm flush rose. “I hope you mean that in the best way, but let me know next time if I hurt you. I'll slow down.” They'd gone at it fast and furious.

She stretched her legs and pressed her feet against the floor-boards in response. “I'd tell you if it hurt. I feel great.” When she kissed his cheek, he eased up on the gas pedal. “But two tall people in a truck cab makes for cramped quarters. That last maneuver, though?”

“Too much? Too deep?”
Too fast, too rough.

She grinned. “Really hit the spot.” Her eyes shot sexy sparks and he relaxed. Sooner or later, he'd learn her signals and their communication outside of bed would be just as good as in. She slid her hand from his knee to his crotch in the best style of communication they had.

His cock responded the way it always did to Kylie. “Easy there, we'll be home soon.”

“Good, I'm tired of talking,” she teased. She turned her face to the passenger-side window. “When you go to see the Himalayas, will you go alone? Or do you have a travel buddy?”

“I travel alone, unless you'd like to come?” The invitation slipped out easily. “We could go for a couple of weeks. Maybe after the inn's doing well enough that we can afford a trip like that. I've got to get back into a work routine.”

She removed her hand from his leg. “Don't talk like that, Eli. It's not fair.” She went rigid. “Show me the courtesy of being honest.”

Stunned, he turned to stare at her. “Now, see, this is where we end up in an argument. I say something nice and you take it wrong. What's the matter with suggesting a vacation at some point in the future?”

“You want me to believe you'd like me to join you, when we both know that in a few weeks, you'll be itching to leave.”

“Why do you think I travel?” His curiosity was simple, but he doubted her answer would be.

“To escape responsibility. Like all men!” she blurted, then immediately looked contrite, but he didn't care.

A burn started in his gut and worked its way to his face. Her eyes widened and she clamped her jaw tight. He faced the road, hit the accelerator and white-knuckled it back to the inn.

Just as he passed the “Welcome to Port Townsend” sign, his phone rang. “What?” Beside him, Kylie jerked at his gruff tone.

“Eli? It's Sam Whitaker.”

“Sam, yeah, what's up?”

“I'm working at the gas station today.” He sounded out of breath. Excited.

“So? You want tomorrow off? Can't come in?” Eli wanted Sam off the phone in case one of his brothers needed him.

“No. It's kind of weird…” He trailed off.

“Sam, I'm tied up right now. Busy. What can I do for you?”

“I saw this guy again today. He was buying gas. He filled five jerry cans.” Eli sat up straighter, looked over at Kylie and tapped her leg to get her attention. The burn of anger was doused with icy dread.

“What guy bought jerry cans full of gas?” he said to bring Kylie up to speed. She blanched.

“Remember that Holly told me to call about the job with you guys?”

“Yeah, sure, Holly turned you on to us.” He nodded while Kylie hung on every word.

“A guy was kind of in her face that day. He grabbed hold of her behind Deke's truck when she put her propane tank in the back. I never said anything, because it looked sorta personal, you know, and once I saw her with Deke, I figured I should keep my mouth shut. I don't want to get in anyone's business.”

“What do you mean you saw Holly with a guy and it looked personal?” he repeated for Kylie's benefit. “Exactly what did you see?”

“He had her from behind and, you know, slid his hand down, you know, under her—”

“Jeans? He molested her?”

“I figured he
knew
her, that she
liked
him! Then when I saw her with Deke, I thought I should keep my mouth shut. The guy didn't hurt her or she would'a called out for help, right?”

“Right, Sam. If he hurt her she'd have called for help. But are you saying you saw this guy today and he filled up jerry cans with gas? Did he say what it was all for? That's a lot of gas.”

“That's what I said, you know, that it was a lot of gas, and he told me to shut the fuck up and looked a little, you know, wild-ass crazy. Kinda mad.”

“When did he leave?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. Church just got out and we've been busy like always at this time on Sunday and I just now got the chance to call you. I didn't feel right not saying anything.”

“Thanks, Sam. If this guy comes back, let us know right away, but don't tell him you called me. I'll see you tomorrow. I appreciate you calling me, Sam. You did the right thing.” When he slid the phone to the seat beside him, Kylie grabbed it.

“We've got to call the others. Jack has jerry cans full of gas?”

“And Sam said he had a wild look in his eyes. He's dangerous and doesn't care who gets hurt.” But she was already on the phone with Holly. What the hell was the bastard up to?

If he was crazy enough to immolate himself for Holly's sake, one can would be enough. But if he wanted to burn down the inn…

“Call 9-1-1. Tell them there's a possible arson at the Friendly Inn. Make sure you say possible. Never mind, just give me the phone when they answer.” When she didn't quibble at being given an order, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Thanks.”

 

TJ heard sirens in the distance before he even reached the turn that would lead him into the inn. A glow of light through the trees that lined the driveway said the firefighters would be fully engaged. “Oh, shit. Look over there; does that look like firelight?”

“Oh God. Yes! Go faster!” Marnie cried.

“We can't block access for the fire trucks,” he said as he pulled to a stop at the side of the road. He opened his door and jumped out into the ditch. He left his four-way flashers on and helped Marnie down.

Deke's pickup roared up and TJ waved him over. As Deke rolled his window down, TJ said, “We'll have to go in on foot.” Sirens wailed closer and Deke inched his truck as far off the road as he could. The light from the fire grew brighter and a distant crackle urged them to move faster.