Something's Gotta Give (Tempered Steel Book 3) (11 page)

“I remember those first few weeks well. I could hardly sit up on some days and the smell of frying bacon sent me flying into the bathroom.” Dixie smiled. “You’re going to have to face Chance now. So far, Chance had given you the space to find your way, but this is a whole new ballgame.”

“I know,” Georgia leaned her head against the back cushion and sighed. “Can we talk about Sam and Angel, please?”

Georgia was thankful Dixie took the not so subtle hint and regaled her with the crazy love life of one of her best friends. “And to think, they’ve been married all this time. Ginny about blew a gasket when she found out about it! They are still looking for the construction company arsonist as well as the scumbag who assaulted Angel. She’s lucky if she gets to go to the bathroom by herself. If Sam had his way, he’d have her under lock and key until this criminal is caught.”

They talked for a few more minutes about mundane things, and Dixie brought up the Halloween bash in three weeks at Nick’s place. “Say you’ll come, Georgia. Chance would be so happy to see you. You could tell him, then.”

“Tell him what, Dixie?” Georgia asked with a grin.

“How much you love him, honey,” Dixie smiled wide. “And that you’re going to have his baby.”

Dixie laughed at Georgia’s grimace, then turned serious. “I mean it, Georgia. Show up at the Halloween party and tell Chance. If you don’t, I will. He deserves to know. And you know how important a father is in a child’s life. Don’t try and deny him his child.”

Georgia nodded. Dixie was right. She’d gotten herself into this mess, thinking she could have a lovely affair with no strings, but Chance deserved to know.

They continued to gossip a bit, then paid for their order and walked back to the grocery store. Dixie looked up at Georgia’s pale face. “One more piece of advice sweetie. Eating something light first thing in the morning, like a Poptart, will combat the morning sickness. If you’re lucky, it only lasts a few weeks.”

“And what about Chance?” Georgia needed all the advice she could get on telling him about the baby.

Dixie purposely misunderstood. “Oh, he’ll last more than a few weeks, sweetie. You’re going to be stuck with him forever.”

Georgia laughed as Dixie waved goodbye. Looked like matters were being taken out of her hands. She could be the same old, scared, Georgia, and run. Or she could stay and be brave. She didn’t really have a choice. If she ran, Chance would come after her. Dixie would see to that.

So, it was time to be brave.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Angel, honey, I don’t mean to tell you ‘bout your business, but this place needs some pumpkins or ghosts, or something. It is Halloween.” Miss Maisy declared as Georgia walked in the door to Merrywidows, Angel’s lingerie boutique.

Angel shared a grin with Georgia. Miss Maisy had taken to coming over every day to check on Angel and make sure the place was secure. She told Georgia it was her civic duty. Georgia personally thought it was so she could have an excuse to check out the store and still hold her head up at the Baptist Church. The good reverend Pyle wasn’t exactly a fan of boutique. Georgia personally thought he was a pompous ass.

“Well, Miss Maisy, if you’d like to go out to the back cellar and grab some decorations, that’s where I keep them,” Angel politely returned.

“I can’t go down there! My knees are bad, you know. You there,” she pointed to Georgia. “You’re a strong girl. You go on down and grab me some props.” She patted Angel’s arm. “Now don’t you worry. We’ll have this place looking Halloween festive in no time.” She herded Georgia down the hall to the back door, mumbling about lace looking like cobwebs. Georgia looked over her shoulder and mouthed, “Help me!”

Before she was out the back door, Georgia heard Angel talking to Adam, the security guard she had hired. “If you need a break, I don’t think anyone is going to mess with me while Miss Maisy’s here. There’s sandwiches in the kitchen and Frankie left some banana bread, if you’d like.”

“You know I’m going to miss the good food when I leave.” Georgia heard Adam comment as she headed outside to the cellar.

Georgia thought he’d miss Frankie, too. She hadn’t missed Frankie and Adam’s whispered conversations, or the way Frankie was spruced up when she came into work. Georgia rather thought Adam’s dark good looks were a perfect complement to Frankie’s pale complexion and bright red hair. Not to mention her effervescent personality and his quiet charm. Adam better watch out if Frankie set her sights on him. He’d be a goner for sure.

She laughed as she heard Miss Maisy giving Adam instructions on how to make his sandwich as she came back in.

Georgia passed down the hall and stopped as she reached Angel’s office. “I need a key.”

“What key?”

“The key to the lock on the cellar.”

“Oh! It’s sitting under the gnome next to it,” Angel replied.

“No, it isn’t and didn’t you know that’s the first place burglars look. It’s like putting up a big arrow saying, ‘Look here! I placed the ornament close so you wouldn’t have any trouble finding the key under it’.”

Angel huffed. “Well, I never go down there except to bring up decorations. I started storing them in one of the spare rooms this year so the only stuff left down there is for Halloween thru Christmas.” She looked around her office. “Where did I put that key?”

“Problem?” Adam walked into the room.

“I can’t find the key to the cellar,” Angel mumbled.

“Well, I’ve got bolt cutters in my trunk. You can send Miss Maisy to get you a new lock and key,” he replied.

Angel leaned over as Adam and Georgia did the same. She whispered, “Perfect! By the time she gets back, it will be too late to decorate and I can do it tonight.”

Georgia grinned. “Good plan. She mentioned something about filling out the bra cups with little pumpkins.”

After a few minutes, the back door opened and Georgia came down the hall. She walked over to the desk.

“Angel, I know you have this lingerie boutique, and the other thing online…” Georgia blushed. “But, honey, is there something else you’re selling?”

Angel was nonplussed. “What are you talking about?”

Georgia motioned for Angel to follow her outside. Adam stood next to the cellar door with a fierce frown. “Want to explain this?”

Angel was completely confused now. “What?”

Georgia took her hand. “Go on down, Angel.”

With trepidation, Georgia watched Angel as she took the steep steps into the cellar. Made out of rough rock and cement, it was little more than a small cave. A lone light bulb hung from the ceiling, barely illuminating the room. The decorations were clearly marked for Halloween and Christmas, but it was what was on the other side of the room that made Georgia seek Angel out immediately. Packages were shoved against the wall from floor to ceiling. On the floor, a package had been torn open and its contents spilled.

Georgia glanced at Adam as he headed down behind Angel. She heard her cry out.

“It’s heroin,”

“Angel! Look at me! I know this isn’t yours.” Georgia saw Adam give her a little shake. “We need to find out who did this, though.”

Georgia stepped aside to let Angel through. She grabbed Georgia’s hand. “I need Sam.”

“I’ll call him.” Adam reached for his phone.

Georgia led Angel out and into the brisk autumn air. She was terrified for her friend. “It’s like last time, Angel. Only someone is setting
you
up.” She gathered her in for a hug. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but honey, could it be Sam?”

Georgia remembered all too well the anguish Angel suffered when her horrible father had planted drugs on Sam. In order for Angel to save him, she had made a deal with her father to never see Sam again. Up until a few weeks ago, Sam had refused to even talk to Angel.

Angel pulled back in horror. “No! No, Sam would never do this to me. He loves me, Georgia.”

“He’s a stubborn man, Angel. Are you sure he forgives you? I hate to say it, but you have to at least consider it. Maybe he set this up, and then had a change of heart. We discovered it before he could remove it.”

Angel pulled out of Georgia’s arms and faced her. “Stop! You do not know Sam! He would never hurt me like this.” Angel ran an agitated hand through her hair.

“Angel, honey, men don’t always think straight. He has hated you for ruining his life and sending him running. He’s liable to do anything to hurt you,” Georgia pleaded softly.

“He’s not like your father, Georgia. Sam is an honorable man. And so is Chance.”

Georgia blanched and turned away, but not before Angel saw her tears. “Think what you want then. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Georgia said over her shoulder as she absorbed the pain of Angel’s words.

“Georgia, stop. I’m sorry. I, I just know it’s not Sam.” Angel reached for her friend. “Please, honey. Help us figure this out.”

Georgia nodded. Wiping her tears, she said, “You mentioned something about a job when the guy attacked you. Maybe this is the job he referred to.”

“It’s possible, but only a small portion of the problem.” Adam walked back over to them. He glanced at the girls. “No way he hauled all this in at one time. This,” he waved to the cellar, “has been going on awhile. So who’s been here on a regular basis?”

“Aren’t you going to call Ben?” Angel whispered.

“Nope. Orders are to stay with you until Sam gets here,” Adam replied.

Angel ignored the fact that he saw Sam as the boss in lieu of the issue at hand. “Isn’t that illegal, Adam?”

Adam grinned. “Let’s just say it’s on a need to know basis. Sam will tell me when Ben needs to know. After all, my job is to protect you. Getting you arrested might hinder that.”

Georgia heard the roar of the motorcycle flying down the main street of town. “If he’s not careful, he’s going to be the one in jail.”

Sam pulled into the parking lot. He was off the bike and grabbing Angel before she had time to say anything. “Are you okay?” He hugged her.

He squeezed her tighter then slowly let her go. “It’s going to be all right. Show me.”

Georgia stood aside as they went down the steps. Minutes later, Sam rushed past her and lunged at Adam. Georgia and Angel tried to intervene.” What’s going on?” Georgia shouted.

“Stop!” Angel tried to grab Sam’s arm as Georgia reached for Adam. “He thinks it was Adam.” Angel shouted.

Both women were yanked off their feet and away as a spray of cold water hit the men. While Chance held Georgia, and Nick had Angel, Brandon wet down the two combatants.

“Keep it up, gentlemen, and I’ll charge admission to the mud fight,” Brandon stated.

Adam reluctantly moved off Sam. With his right arm, Sam took another swing at Adam. “Dammit, Sam! I didn’t do put the drugs there. Now calm the fuck down and let’s figure this out.” Adam touched his ribs and winced.

“What the hell’s going on? You’re lucky we saw you roaring down here when we were heading to my bar for a beer,” Nick stated as Brandon went to wind the hose back and put it away.

“Heroin in the cellar. A lot of it. Someone’s setting Angel up,” Sam mumbled as he spit blood. Angel fished a tissue from her pocket and began dabbing at his cut lip.

Georgia went to check on Adam’s injuries. Being so near Chance was making her heart hurt. “Let’s take it inside. Miss Maisy’s going to be back anytime now, and we need those decorations in the house so she has no reason to question what we’ve been doing here. Then we can figure out what’s going on.”

***

Concluding that the less people involved, the better, Chance took Georgia home. As he headed down the driveway, he became colder, more remote. He turned to look at her in recrimination as the For Sale sign became visible in the fading sun.

“Were you even going to say goodbye? Or were you just going to run?” he growled. Opening the driver’s side door, he glanced back at her. “Don’t even move a hair.”

Georgia watched him come around to the passenger side with a wary eye. “Chance, it’s not…”

“Shut up, Georgia! I don’t want to hear your excuses.”

He grabbed her by the elbow and led her up the porch steps. “Stay here. Given that this town seems to be going to hell in a handbasket, I’m going to make sure you’re safe.” He marched into the house. Georgia could hear him slamming doors open. In a few minutes, he was back.

“I know you won’t let me stay in the house with you, but I’m staying in my truck. I’m watching over you whether you want it or not. I love you.” Chance pierced her with an angry gaze.

“Chance, you don’t have to stay in the truck,” Georgia said softly. If he stayed, she could explain about everything. With a deep breath, Georgia prepared to tell him all.

“Oh no, Georgia. I’m not going to let you use me again,” he spat out. “I showed you how much you mean to me and you just took it. I told you I loved you and you didn’t say a word. I thought you were scared, but now I know. You just don’t care.” He swept an angry arm at the realtor’s sign. “This tells me just how much you love me. The decisions are all yours. The choices are all yours. Well, not this time, baby.”

He marched her into the house and tossed her on the sofa. “You do what you have to, Georgia. I’ll keep you safe until you leave. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to be a handy fuck, sweetheart. I’ve got more pride than that.”

Georgia cringed at his words. He was so wrong, on so many counts, but she knew he wouldn’t listen. He was too hurt, the pain too raw. She gave up trying to reason with him. She simply nodded.

She didn’t know how long they sat there in silence. At one point, she must have nodded off. She awoke to find her head in Chance’s lap. He wasn’t stroking her hair, or touching her. He simply stared the other way as she sat up.
I’m so sorry. Please, look at me. Call me Peaches. I’m screwing this all up but I don’t know how to fix it.

The crackling of her police scanner reverberated throughout the room.
Shots fired. Possible victims. 1801 Main. Need ambulance.

Chance and Georgia exchanged glances as the address registered. “Oh, God, it’s Angel’s.”

Georgia jumped off the sofa, Chance hot on her heels.

***

The scene was chaotic when Chance and Georgia arrived. Firetrucks, ambulances, police cars, crowded the small main street. Folks were milling around, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was going on at Merrywidow’s Boutique. Chance elbowed his way through the curious spectators until he spotted Sam holding a bloodied Angel in his arms. Georgia swayed next to him.

“Don’t you dare faint on me! She needs you.”

Georgia nodded. He was right. Angel needed her. But what about him? Could he ever see his way past all the misunderstandings and fears?

Georgia walked over to Angel and the paramedics, Chance only a step behind. Angel’s shirt and hands were a bloodied mess, too much blood for Angel to be sitting up and crying. She noticed the medic cutting away Angel’s blouse at the arm, revealing the swiped burn of a bullet that grazed her.
Okay, the blood wasn’t Angel’s.

Next, she looked Sam over. He appeared disheveled but none the worse for wear. That left only….as his name sprang to mind, the coroner and his assistants wheeled out a gurney. The body was covered head to toe.
Adam.

Georgia listened to Sam as he recalled the events of the evening. “We found the heroin supplier. It was Angel’s salesman, Bob.” He went on to tell how Bob had tried to kill Angel, about Adam coming through the glass door, and taking the hit meant for her. “We need to get to the police station.”