Summer Lovin': A Wounded Hearts Novella (5 page)

M
itch listened
to the clanging of the band—or was that his brain?—for a few seconds then started off the dance floor in search of his estranged wife. Enough with this bullshit. He was sick and tired of her walking out on him. They needed to hash this thing between them out one way or the other.

He only hesitated long enough to grab his jacket and take a deep calming breath. Rebecca was driving him crazy. Maybe it would be best if he let her do as she so obviously wanted and divorce him. Then they could continue on with their lives, instead of living in this limbo. The problem was he couldn’t picture letting her go. She’d wormed her way under his skin that night in Vegas and he couldn’t seem to extricate her.

Mitch punched a hole through the crowd, anxious to find her. He headed in the same general direction she’d taken but stopped when Ty slapped him on the back.

“Hey, glad you could make it.”

He shook his friend’s hand while searching the crowded room. No sign of her. Where did she disappear to so quickly?

Sighing, he focused on Ty and his new wife, Katy. “How’s the theatre working out?” He’d been grateful for the opportunity to update the old Twilight Theatre last fall for Katy and her family. The building was a town landmark and the job had been a bonus for his business.

She beamed up at him, a ray of sunshine with her shiny blonde hair and yellow dress. “It’s perfect. Ty and I can’t thank you enough. We’re getting bookings from as far away as Seattle. They heard of the new multi-level stage and want to try it out. Isn’t that great?”

Mitch swallowed his envy as she gazed adoringly at her husband. He craved someone like that to share his successes with. He was damn tired of going back to an empty house at night.

He smiled at Katy’s enthusiasm. “You can thank your husband. Those plans of his kicked butt.”

“I have more where they came from. We should talk,” Ty said, sliding an arm around his wife’s trim waist.

Mitch had enjoyed the challenge of making Ty’s dream a reality. If he had more ideas of that caliber… “I’m interested. Meet me at the office tomorrow.”

“Meet for what?” The unmistakable rumble came from behind and Mitch tensed before twisting to meet Jack’s ever-so-friendly scowl. Laurel stood at his side, ravishing as always, her pale pink nails wrapped around his arm.

“Just talking business, bro, no worries.” Ty grinned, not in the least intimidated by his older brother. “Good thing I’m a happily married man or I’d be thinking of stealing your wife away tonight. You look amazing, Laurel.”

Laurel smiled good-naturedly. “You Garretts are all the same, natural born flirts.”

Mitch smirked. Ignoring Jack, he leaned over and bussed first Laurel’s cheek, then Katy’s. “Fun as this is turning out to be, I need to get going. I’m trying to catch up to someone.”

That caught the women’s attention.

Damn.
Women’s intuition was a scary thing.

“She ducked out the back door,” Katy said, and grasped his arm. “Don’t go unless you mean it, Mitch Taylor. Someone scared her off men a long time ago. She doesn’t need you if you’re not serious.”

He appreciated the warning; they were only trying to protect their friend. Actually Mitch was relieved Rebecca had a strong support network. There was nothing worse than feeling alone in this world. He should know.

“Honey, they have to work out whatever it is for themselves,” Ty said, and gave Mitch an awkward shrug.

Mitch smiled and patted Katy’s hand. “Don’t worry, I promise not to hurt her. I only want what’s best for Becky.” And if that included him, so much the better.

* * *

R
ebecca pushed open
the steel exit door and reveled in the cool caress of night air on her flushed body. She’d like to attribute her warmth to the crowded party but knew it had more to do with Mitch and her momentary loss of control. Thank goodness none of her friends had seen them necking like a couple of teenagers or she’d never live it down.

Becky prided herself in being the levelheaded member of their group. She was the one others came to for advice. Ironic really, since she didn’t have the foggiest idea what to do with her own love life.

“Well, what do we have here?”

She inhaled a startled gasp as two men came out from the shadows of the building and scared the crap out of her.

The tall, skinny one sneered. “Hello, pretty lady. Did you make a wrong turn?”

She backed up against the door, her head shouting to get the hell out of there.

“I don’t want any… any trouble.” She pushed, but the door wouldn’t budge.

“Hey, ain’t you that teacher we saw this afternoon?” The other man moved closer to stare at her through blurry eyes and Becky’s heart crammed into her throat. It was Tommy’s guardian, or whoever he was. This wasn’t good, not good at all.

“Look, you guys can go back to whatever you were doing.” She really didn’t want to know. “I have a friend joining me right away. He wouldn’t like it if you bothered me.”

“Ooh, tough talk, teach. Except I don’t see anybody out here except us chickens,” Tommy’s guardian cackled. Then the smile slowly faded and something much darker took its place. “I think maybe I should be the one to school you a lesson. One on how to mind your own good goddamn business.” He grasped her arm and yanked her away from the door so hard she fell against his sour-smelling body. “What do you think of that, Teach?”

Rebecca let out a yelp just before his lips mashed against her teeth. His tongue poked out and tried to force an entry. Becky bit down hard and he jerked back. The next thing she knew she was seeing stars as his fist exploded against the side of her face. She tasted blood and gagged, not sure if it was his or hers. He let go and she fell to her hands and knees, barely registering the scrape of cement breaking skin.

Stunned, she panted through the pain then tried to scramble away but the skinny guy grabbed her hair, tipping her head back while he fought with his zipper. “We’re going to have us some fun tonight,” he crowed.

Petrified, Becky reached up and frantically tried to free herself from his grip, her breath see-sawing so hard it burned her chest.

A muted clang and then a roar sounded in the distance followed by the sudden release of her hair. Rebecca sank to the ground, the pavement cool against her aching face, and let the tears flow.

M
itch pushed
the steel bar to open the exit doors and peered to see through the rays of light streaming from the hallway. They could use some better illumination back here. Rebecca wouldn’t be foolish enough to wander around in the dark, would she?

Something turned his gaze to the far side of the alley and his heart stopped. Time warped. Becky was on the ground with two dark, hulking figures standing over her. One of them had her hair twisted in his fist, yanking her head back viciously.

Mitch saw red.

A growl rose from his chest and he charged them, the urge to kill taking over logical thought. They noticed him at the last moment and attempted to run, casting Rebecca aside like a piece of trash.

That was their first mistake.

The second was assuming he’d let them go.

He caught the guy who had hurt her with a roundhouse jab to the chin, snapping his head backward with a resounding crack. He dropped like a felled tree.

Mitch crouched to make sure Becky was okay. Her sobs twisted his insides into a knot of helpless rage. He brushed a gentle hand down her back to let her know she was safe, and cursed when she recoiled.

Anger rode him hard.

His focus shifted to the asshole cowering against a stack of garbage cans. He pulled his cell from his pocket, rose and stalked the scum, more than ready to pounce if he even breathed wrong.

“Tidal Falls County Sheriff’s Office,” a competent female voice chirped in his ear.

“I need help. There’s been an assault.” Mitch hesitated, “You’d better send an ambulance.”

“Okay, sir, slow down.” The dispatcher became all business. “I need your name and where you are so we can send someone to assist. Are you in any danger?”

Mitch turned to check on the fallen man who had started to groan. “No, but…”

Something slammed his head with the force of a sledgehammer. The blow drove Mitch to his knees. Squinting through a haze of pain he watched the blurry form step carefully around him, throwing the two-by-four aside and hefting his partner to his feet before the pair of them loped off down the alley.

Fuck.

Talk about your rookie mistake. He deserved the splitting headache no doubt heading his way. He felt around on the ground until his hand connected with the cracked body of his cellphone.
Great.

Giving up on the phone he rose and stumbled back to Rebecca. She lifted her head as he kneeled beside her and Mitch swore a blue streak. Her right eye and cheek had already turned several shades of purple and her lip was split and sore looking.

“Oh, baby,” he murmured. He laid a gentle hand against the injury, wishing like hell he could draw the pain into his body.

Rebecca raised her shaking hand in turn and touched his aching forehead with cool fingertips. “You’re bleeding.”

Mitch ignored that, more interested in making sure they hadn’t done anything worse before he arrived on scene. “Did those bastards lay a hand on you?”

Her eyes overflowed. She shook her head. Mitch sighed his relief. He flopped down on his ass and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her up tight against his heart while sirens wailed in the distance.

The exit doors slammed back on their hinges. First Jack—who’d probably received a call from the station—then Ty, Jared, and half the damn town spilled into the alley.

“What the hell, Taylor?” Jack demanded, towering over their prone bodies.

Mitch didn’t bother to raise his head from its safe haven against Rebecca’s tousled hair, it hurt too damn much. “Hey, chief.”

“Give them some room,” he yelled, and Mitch scowled as the words reverberated in his brain. “C’mon, back it up.” Then he crouched beside them and Mitch would’ve smirked at the crack from Jack’s knees if he didn’t hurt so bad. “What happened, Mitch? Is Rebecca hurt?”

No shit, Dick Tracy.

“Nah, we just decided to take a break. Out here…” He glared at Jack. “In. The. Freaking. Alley.” His tone rose with each syllable, but he couldn’t help it. The adrenaline had ebbed, leaving him shaking and about to go bonkers. What if he hadn’t followed her? Who the fuck were they? Where was that ambulance?

Rebecca lifted her head and the men around them collectively swore.

“Holy shit.”

“What the hell happened?”

“Calm down,” Becky lisped, her poor lip swollen and discolored. “I’m fine. Mitch showed up before anything worse could happen.” She turned her gaze on him. “I guess I owe you. Again.”

Mitch’s brows lowered. He didn’t need her feeling beholden to him. It was sheer good luck that he happened to be in the right place at the right time. First with that kid’s guardian, then… hey, wait a minute. Why hadn’t he noticed before?

“It was him, wasn’t it? The same asshole that bothered you this afternoon at school.” He turned to Jack. “Why haven’t you caught him yet? If you did your job, this never would’ve happened.”

Ty stepped forward. “Hey, man, cool it. Whatever it is you’re talking about, you know Jack’s doing everything he possibly can.”

Jack glanced at his brother over his shoulder. “It’s okay, Ty. He has reason to be pissed. I’d feel the same way.” The deputy’s car turned into the alley with the ambulance hot on its tail. The emergency lights flashing on the walls created a surreal image of the scene.

Jack rose and went to meet the car, leaving an uneasy silence in his wake. Mitch nodded to Jared, who reached down and helped Rebecca to her feet. Ty held out a hand to Mitch. He contemplated ignoring him but thought better of it and grabbed on, squeezing his eyes shut against the resulting pain and dizziness at the change in elevation.
Whoa
, might have a bit of a concussion going on. Getting hit in the head with a chunk of wood could do that to a guy.

The ambulance attendants rushed over with medical bags and proceeded to twenty question Becky who was looking worse by the minute. Mitch waved away the one who turned to him. His only concern was to see that Rebecca got the care she needed. A few minutes and a thorough exam later a gurney was brought out against her wishes and she was headed for the hospital.

Mitch followed to the back of the ambulance and watched them load her inside. The female attendant turned to him, her hand on the door, “Are you a family member of the patient?”

How was he supposed to answer that one? Screw it, he intended to ride to the hospital with her and there was only one sure-fire way to make that happen.

“I’m her husband.”

P
eter Montgomery was
sick and fricken tired of do-gooders getting into his business. It wasn’t like they were going to hurt that teacher-lady. They was just havin’ a bit of fun with her, that’s all. He cursed and yanked Davey into a recessed doorway as a cop car raced past. Just what he needed, the fucking cops on his tail. It didn’t matter that his stupid sister’s ex was the sheriff. There’d be no help from that quarter.

“Where’s that bottle o’ whiskey I told you to hold on to?” He held out a shaky hand and frowned, grasping his wrist to hold it steady.

Davey backed up another step and almost tripped over a cement stair. “I dropped it when we ran.”

Pete cursed and lunged forward.

“It slipped.” Davey covered his head and cowered. “I didn’t mean to. C’mon man, take it easy.” He felt around in his jacket pockets and pulled out a silver pint flask. “Here, have some of this, it’s better anyway. One-eighty proof. I made it myself.”

Pete snapped it out of his hand almost before the idiot quit yammering. He twisted the cap off, gave the top a swipe with his coat sleeve, and took an appreciative sniff. Yep, Davey knew how to make some damn fine hooch, that’s for sure. The first sip burned its way down his gut like a dragon’s breath and he let out a little gasp.

Davey reached for the flask and Pete batted his hands away, glaring. Then he lifted the half-full container to his lips and drank deep, letting it wash the anger and frustration away.

“Hooyah,” he wheezed when the carafe was finally drained. He stumbled and lost his balance for a minute, smacking up against the tin-sided building.

“Shh,” he said, and then laughed.

Davey stood him up and retrieved his now empty flask, stuffing it into his jacket. “Thanks for sharing, man. C’mon, we better get movin’ before the cops show up.” He shoved a shoulder under Pete’s arm, almost reefing the thing out of its socket.

“Take it easy. I use that once in awhile you know.” He guffawed at his own crude joke.

“Yah, man, you’re a riot. Let’s go.” Davey helped him get his feet moving in the right direction. “I have more ‘shine where that came from.”

See? Things were looking up already.

* * *

R
ebecca lay
in embarrassed silence as the ambulance drove them to the hospital. Wonder how good her chances were that no one heard Mitch’s little announcement? A glance at the smiling EMT gave her her answer. Damn it.

What was he thinking? They’d carried this secret around for so many years. Nobody was going to understand. Her friends were going to freak out. And what about her mom?

Oh, my God.

“Your heart rate is climbing. Are you in pain?” the paramedic asked, placing two fingers to her wrist and checking her watch.

“No. I really don’t need to go to the hospital. You could let me out at the corner. I can walk.” She started to sit up but the EMT put a hand to her shoulder, pressing her back down.

“Just let them do their job, honey,” Mitch said, humor warming his voice.

Rebecca glared at him. “You’re not helping here.”

He met her look, unrepentant. Then his gaze roamed her face and the amusement died. His jaw clenched and he nodded toward the injuries. “She going to need stitches?”

The EMT leaned over to check Mitch’s forehead. “No, but they’ll want to hold her to check for possible concussion.”

He hissed and pulled away from her touch.

“You too.”

“Just take care of Becky, I’m fine.”

The paramedic hesitated, then shrugged and sank onto her seat. She picked up a clipboard and started filling in the info. “So, have you two been married long?”

“We’re not married,” Rebecca answered.

“Five years,” Mitch said.

The EMT looked from one to the other of them, eyebrow reaching for her hairline.

Rebecca shot him a shut-up-or-die glare. “We’re separated. It’s been so long I’d forgotten.”

The paramedic eyed them skeptically, then made a note on the clipboard. “Yep. Check for concussions.”