Southern Exposure (Southern Desires Series Book 2) (10 page)

“The guy was suspicious as hell. I needed to do more digging.”

“So I should stop the repairs? This is not the most efficient way to remodel a home.”

Don’s sarcasm was appreciated. He needed to keep it light between them. No one needed to know what he suspected.
Only if there is something they need to know, will I bring them into the loop.

“I won’t break down any more walls without talking to you first.”

“Great, but if you do, next time why don’t you take the blame? I can’t believe you threw me under the bus like that. Should I expect everything that goes wrong to be my fault from here on in?”

Mark laughed. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Thanks for the advance warning. I won’t try so hard to impress anyone if I’m going to be the fuck-up.”

“No one here for you to impress Don.” Mark gave him a warning look.

“Point taken. But I’m telling you, next vacation spot I’m picking, and you’re not going to have any say in it at all.”

“We’ll see about that.” Mark was in the habit of giving orders, not taking them unless they came in an official document.

“Not going to tell me what you saw?”

“Just keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. I don’t want Hannah or her friend catching wind that I’m—”

“Researching. Yeah, I know.”

Mark nodded and pulled out his cell phone. “You might as well get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

And I have some digging to do, and it’s best you’re not looking over my shoulder while I do it.

“B
ailey, I can’t believe you!”

She smiled and asked, “What? You mean standing there, watching you kiss some hunk in your kitchen?” Bailey grabbed a drink from the fridge and took a seat at the kitchen table as if she, too, had grown up in that house. Hannah saw her friend’s bags sitting in the foyer. As always, Bailey had packed like she was moving in permanently.

“Yes, that too.”

“Well, that’s what you get for inviting me over and not sharing that you have a hottie of a boyfriend. Or was this your way of telling me?”

He is a hottie, isn’t he?
Hannah shook the thought from her mind. “He isn’t my anything. He works for me, but besides that, he’s nothing to me,” Hannah said with her hands on her hips as though that was going to help get her point across.

“So are you lying to just yourself or me too? Because, what I saw was no professional relationship. You are so into that guy. And just in case you haven’t noticed, he’s into you as well.”

I don’t want to think about it. It’s an impossible situation. One that will only end in having my heart broken.

“You’re reading too much into it. It was just a kiss.”

Bailey raised a brow, not buying a word of it. “Hannah, you were in the man’s arms and if I hadn’t entered, I’m sure there would have been a lot more than just some heavy petting going on. Damn. I was jealous. I can’t even remember the last time a man held me like that.”

“Will you please drop the subject?” Her voice was sharper than she intended.

Bailey patted the seat next to her. “We’ve been friends for ten years. You and I have discussed everything with each other. All the good times and all the bad. I am not going to let you shut me out now.”

She was right. Their friendship meant everything to her. Hannah took the seat next to her but didn’t know what to say. “It is all very confusing.”

“Anything with men usually is.”

Bailey had so much more experience with men than she did. All Hannah had was a boyfriend in high school who she kissed a few times and one guy she dated for the year she was in Providence.
Maybe talking it out with Bailey will help me get my head on straight. Understand what I’m feeling.

“Okay, but please don’t make fun of me.”

“Hannah, I’m your friend; of course, I’m going to tease you about it. But only because I love you, and you know that.”

Oh, I do. I don’t know how I could’ve gotten through these past few years without her. If she hadn’t come when my dad died, I think I would’ve lost my mind.

“So why don’t you start by telling me where you met Mark.”

Hannah hesitated. She couldn’t claim they had the most romantic of meetings. “Have I told you about my cousin Sissie in Texas?”

Bailey rolled her eyes. “The one who owns the bar that you’d go visit during the summer when you were a kid?”

“Yep, the one and only. I guess Mark was there visiting his sister or something when Sissie met him. Apparently, they got to know each other. He said he was a contractor. She gave him my number, he accepted the job, and bingo, now he’s here.”

Bailey was tapping her fingers on the table and shaking her head in disbelief. “What kind of contractor? For all you know Sissie was drunk and doesn’t even remember giving him your number. You know how she gets.”

“I don’t know. The kind that fixes houses obviously. Sissie wasn’t drunk, and you know good and well just because she runs a bar doesn’t mean she’s a drunk. Heck, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her drink a lick of alcohol in all the years I stayed with her. She is loud and wild already. You don’t want to add alcohol to enhance that personality.” Hannah laughed softly. It was then she realized how much she missed seeing Sissie too. “Wow, it’s been too long since I’ve seen her. Yet she is still watching out for her baby cousin.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that about your cousin. But I’ve heard the stories and I do want to meet her someday.”

“Maybe someday you will.”

“Let’s get back to business. I want to make sure I understand clearly. You’re telling me you let this man in your house, and you don’t have any references or know exactly what he does? He could be a—”

“He’s not.” Hannah couldn’t believe she was getting the same lecture from her best friend that she received from Mark the first day they met.
Why is everyone worried that some creep is out to get me? I’m a grown woman.

“What’s his last name?”

“Collins. Why?”

“Where is he from?”

Hannah struggled to remember if he ever mentioned that. “I don’t know.”

“What company does he work for?”

And this is where it gets awkward. She’s really going to question my sanity now.
“He doesn’t have a job.”

“You said he’s a contractor.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “That’s what Sissie told me, and I trust her, Bailey. I didn’t have a mother growing up, but she was the closest thing I had. She’s atypical, but I know she loves me and wouldn’t send anyone who would hurt me.”

“Oh, Hannah. What am I going to do with you?” She pulled out her cell phone. “Okay, first let me see what I can find about Mark Collins. You said he has family in Texas. I’m going to guess in Honeywell where Sissie lives.”

She sat while Bailey tried a few Google searches. “Bailey, I don’t feel comfortable with you doing this.”

“Why?” Bailey looked at her as if she had two heads.

“I guess I don’t want anyone snooping on me, so I don’t snoop on them.”

“Oh, that’s sweet. Very naïve, and you might end up a victim of a horrible crime, but very sweet.”

Bailey searched some more but appeared to find nothing.

“He doesn’t seem to be flagged as a serial killer or anything, so stop worrying. He’s not on the most wanted list, sexual or criminal.” She put her phone away. “My psychopath radar didn’t go off when I met him, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I need more information. You said he isn’t working, so how is he here? Or better yet why is he here?”

“That is simple. He needs a place to stay, and I need help.”

“You mean he’s homeless?”

“Yes.”

“So there are two old vehicles parked outside. I take it they belong to Mark and his friend?”

Oh, this is going to be a long night at this rate.
“Yes. Let me save you some time by telling you everything I know.”

“Finally!”

“He travels from place to place and works very cheap. I mean honestly, Bailey, I’m paying him so you know he isn’t charging much. When he saw how big the job was, he reached out to his friend, Don, who is also really struggling. This works out great for everybody concerned. I will get my house repaired, and they aren’t sleeping under a bridge somewhere.”

“Hannah. I need you to be really honest with yourself here. When you look at Mark, do you see that man jobless, never mind homeless? No way. He’s built like he spends half his day in a gym. Something about this doesn’t feel right. Homeless? Jobless? Totally broke? I know, don’t judge him, but someone has to keep their feet planted on the ground and not wrapped around the waist of some beefcake.” Bailey waved her hand in front of her face like a fan. “Damn, girlfriend, that was a hot scene I walked in on.”

She didn’t want to think about it. “Well, that was a one-time thing. It’s never going to happen again.”
It can’t happen again. She’s right. I don’t know him well enough. Hell, I don’t know him at all. I only know how he makes me feel when he’s close—amazing and scary as hell. But it doesn’t matter anymore as it’s not happening again. Never again.

Hannah knew she’d need to tell herself that over and over because she didn’t believe it either. His kisses were like chocolate melting in her mouth. All they did was leave her wanting more.

Stop thinking about it.
“I’m really glad you could come for a visit. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Even with Mark here?”

Especially with him here.
“You’re my BFF.”

Bailey hugged her and said, “You know it, girl. Now let’s talk about something else.”

“Sounds good. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other.”

“I know. The last time I was here was when your dad passed away.”

Hannah couldn’t get that time out of her mind. So many people from the area had come to pay their respects, but Bailey . . . she’d come all the way from Rhode Island just to make sure she was okay.
Always a faithful and dear friend.

“Yeah, and things haven’t gotten any easier since then either.”

“Why? You don’t have to stay here, you know. You can go back to Providence with me. I have an extra bedroom with your name on it anytime you want it.”

She knew Bailey was sincere with her offer. “I truly want to, but I can’t.”

“Mark?”

I wish it was that simple.
“No. My father’s last coherent conversation with me was about this house. He asked, no begged, me to keep this place and raise my family here one day.”

Bailey looked at her with concern. “Is that what you want? I know years ago you said you wanted out of here. That you’d never return, but it’s okay if you changed your mind. That’s a perk of being a woman. You had five years in and were only three years off finishing vet school, hon. Your dad’s not here anymore. He wouldn’t’ know or care if you had to sell and move away. I’m sure all he would want is for you to be happy. Are you happy, Hannah?”

Hannah wasn’t sure what she wanted. That was one of the major problems. One minute she wanted to be here and then next she wished to be as far away as she could get.
Why isn’t it clearer what I should do?

“Hannah, you don’t have to decide right away. Remember my door is always open to you.”

“Thank you, Bailey. One day I might take you up on that.”

“Enough serious talk.”

“Agreed.” Hannah didn’t ask Bailey down for a visit so they could get all sad and emotional.

“Let’s start by you telling me how he kissed. Because when I came in your legs had a death grip around his waist, you were moaning your head off, and your clothes were still on.”

Hannah laughed and shook her head.
If she thought that was hot, she should’ve felt that impressive, hot, hard cock pressed against my core, but we’re so not going there.
Yes, this is going to be a long, fun night. Somehow Bailey always knows how to make me smile, even when I don’t know I need cheering up. I’m so thankful for that.

“M
ark. Mark!” Hannah screamed up the stairs.
He said I couldn’t go up there, but the least he can do is answer me when I call for him.

“I don’t mind running up there to get him for you,” Bailey offered sweetly.

“Dangerous for me is also dangerous for you.”

“Do you really believe it’s dangerous? He’s probably just sitting up there watching television or something and doesn’t want to get caught screwing off.”

Bailey had a point. Hannah honestly had no idea what they were doing upstairs; that’s why she was yelling for him. Before the construction started, her apartment needed work, but not a renovation. Last night it sounded like they were having a wild frat party and the guys were wrestling or something.

She had warned him about working so early in the morning, but was she going to need to do the same for the middle of the night? Although she and Bailey were still talking hours after the commotion upstairs stopped, that wasn’t the point. How was he to know they were awake until the wee hours of the morning reminiscing about the good ole college days?

This morning she was dragging, totally exhausted, and all she wanted was a slow, peaceful start to her day. That changed the moment she walked into her bathroom and found her ceiling was wet and water was on the floor.

Standing at the bottom of the staircase, she called out one last time, “Mark.” If he didn’t respond, she was going to march upstairs no matter what he said.

It wasn’t Mark who appeared but his friend, Don.

“Morning, Hannah. Mark stepped out for a minute. Can I be of some help?”

He was speaking to her, but she saw his eyes on Bailey. Who wouldn’t look at her? She was perfect. Tall, dark hair, with an athlete’s body. Total opposite of her.

Bailey was playing right along too. “You must be Don.”

Don reached his hand to Bailey. Hannah thought a quick handshake and they could get back to the issue at hand, the ceiling in her bathroom. But instead, Bailey reached out her hand and Don brought it to his lips and kissed it.

Bailey acted all sweet and shy, and Don was eating it up. Hannah rolled her eyes. Their little flirting session was not the reason she was standing there. Neither of them seemed to remember she was in the hallway with them.

“And you must be the lovely Bailey.”

“Bailey, this is Don Farrell. Don, this is Bailey Tasca. Now can we talk about what
I
need for a minute?” Hannah was shocked at how snappy she sounded. She wasn’t sure why.
So what? A man I don’t even care about is flirting with my friend. I’m not jealous.

As she looked at her friend’s face then back at Don, it dawned on her.
I am jealous. I want this. I want the fun and easy flirting to be Mark and me. But there can’t be any us. It’s not meant to be. I know it, and I think he does too. But I don’t want a reminder of what I’m missing.

Don finally let go of Bailey’s hand and said to Hannah, “Sorry. I was lost in her sweet green eyes.”

Hannah wanted to remind Don that she had green eyes too, but the man was captivated with Bailey. Hannah was used to that. She had the outgoing, bubbly personality that drew people to her. She found the saying that blondes have more fun was so overrated. Bailey was fierce and fearless.
And here I am pretending to be both, when the truth is I’m a marshmallow and ruled by fear. I’m just really good at not letting people see it.

“That’s nice, but it won’t fix my wet bathroom, will it?”

Don arched his brow then his eyes widened. “You have water in your bathroom?”

She nodded and waved for him to follow her so she could show him. They’d just entered her apartment when a loud crash rumbled through it. “What the—?”

As she tried to run to the noise, Don grabbed her arm and said, “Wait here.”

She had no intention of staying put and started to follow. Then another hand reached out and grabbed her arm. Turning, she saw Bailey’s hand holding her arm.

“He said to wait.”

Bailey had never been a rule follower. Heck, anytime Hannah got in trouble in college it was because Bailey had talked her into doing something she swore they’d never get caught for. The worse time was when they were caught in their bikinis, swimming in the school pool after it closed. The school took pictures of them swimming and then posted pictures of them cleaning the girls’ locker room in their bathing suits as a warning that crime does not pay. It wouldn’t have been so bad except that photo also made the local newspaper as an example of how serious the college was in cutting down partying. Hannah never drank alcohol, but from that day forward people would approach her with cards saying who she could call if she needed a designated driver.

“This is my house, Bailey. I need to know what is going on.”

“I agree, but what can you do about it?”

Hannah looked at her then down the hall to where Don had run off to. There was nothing she could do. She’d proven that over and over again these last few years.
No matter how hard I try, I have no control over anything. Not my dad’s illness and not this house falling down around me. Why do I allow myself to hope? Hope is for fools who believe it will happen. I know and live in reality. It’s not pretty, but it’s mine. No matter how I try, and how much time these two guys are willing to give me, I can’t pull off the impossible. Miracles are for other people. They don’t happen to me.

Don came back out of the bathroom, and the look on his face spoke volumes.
Maybe I don’t want to know what happened.

“Hope you ladies don’t need anything important in there.”

“Why?” She closed her eyes as though the answer would be less painful doing so.

“A pipe broke last night. I guess more water got out than we thought.”

“I can deal with water.”

“It caused your entire horsehair plastered ceiling to come crashing down. Surprisingly your shut-off valve was working so I was able to stop your entire apartment from being flooded.”

There wasn’t that much water. What is he talking about? My entire apartment?
“I could’ve soaked up the water with a towel.”

“That may have been the case before the ceiling smashed your toilet and water was gushing everywhere. Or don’t you notice I’m a bit wetter than before I went in?”

Hannah looked at him and only then noticed his pants were soaking wet.
No toilet. And this has to happen when I have company? Why? Is there any other way besides the hard way?

“How did this happen? I mean the water from upstairs in the first place?” If it was their fault, then no matter how bad she felt that they had no place to go, they were both out of there today. She might want to help them, and but she couldn’t afford any more repairs than she already had.
Actually, I can’t afford any repairs never mind more.

“Old houses. Things let go. We were lucky last night that Mark just happened along when the pipe broke. Otherwise, you’d be looking at much more damage than just one room down here.”

Old rundown houses like this, you mean. Dad, why hadn’t you told me how bad things were here? You didn’t need to be sending me money at college when you needed it to take care of things at home. Maybe if you had, things wouldn’t be the way they are now.

Tears started streaming down her face.

“Look at what you did. You made her cry,” Bailey said to Don.

“What did I say?” Don asked puzzled.

Hannah just stood there, her face in her hands, crying and trying to block everyone out.

“What the hell is going on here?” Mark barked from behind her and Bailey.

“Your friend made Hannah cry!” Bailey shot at Mark. “And she doesn’t cry. She’s one of the toughest people I know. I didn’t see her cry when her dad died, so whatever he said, must have really hurt.”

Mark shot Don a questioning look.

“I didn’t say anything, trust me,” Don said seriously.

“Everyone out,” Mark said.

“I’m not leaving my friend,” Bailey said, wrapping her arms around Hannah’s shoulders. “As you can see, she needs me right now.”

Don gently touched Baileys’ arm. “Let’s give them some privacy. If she doesn’t want Mark around, I’m sure she’ll let us know.”

Bailey said firmly, “I’ll be on the porch if you need me, Hannah.” Then more softly Hannah heard her say to Mark, “If you hurt my friend, you’ll answer to me.”

Hannah heard them arguing and wanted it to stop, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. All she felt was weakness within her, and she didn’t want anyone to witness it. The room became quiet, and she hoped they’d all gone.

But she wasn’t alone. The strong arms she’d come to know were being wrapped around her. She didn’t need to open her eyes. It was Mark’s touch. One she yearned for. Like he had when he’d held her on the bed, he simply held her, tenderly, and let her cry it all out. It didn’t matter if the others were there or not. Mark was there and holding her. For the first time in ages, she didn’t feel alone. Everything didn’t feel so overwhelming anymore. It was like the weight on her shoulders was lifted.

She sniffled as the tears stopped. Hannah didn’t want him to let go. She felt safe, secure, and she didn’t want that feeling to end. But he did let go. His arms slowly loosened around her, and she knew she’d be facing the issues at hand once again, alone.

But he didn’t leave. Instead, he reached for her hand, led her to the living room, and had her sit on the couch. He left the room, but she heard the faucet in the kitchen running, and he came back with a cold glass of water.
Damn you, Mark. Why are you being so sweet?

Mark hated seeing her cry, but hearing that Don was the cause shook him up more than he could justify to himself.
Why? I’ve seen more women cry in my lifetime than I can count. So why is this one affecting me so much? She’s not hurt, not dying, so why do her tears feel like they are physically squeezing my heart?

All he knew was she was upset, and he needed to be there. Not Bailey, but him. She might not want him there, but he didn’t care. As long as he was there, she was under his wing, his protection, and she was just going to need to deal with it.

He sat down beside her and waited until she drank some of the water before he spoke. “Hannah. Bailey said Don made you cry. Tell me what happened. Tell me what he said.”

Mark wasn’t sure if Don had let it slip about what went down last night. He normally was one he could trust, but there was so much he’d left out that it was possible Don hadn’t taken it as seriously as he should’ve.

“It’s too hard to explain.”

“Why don’t you give it a try?”

She looked at him, her sweet green eyes still glistening from the tears. He wanted to kiss them away. Tell her that he was here and nothing would ever hurt her again. But the truth was, he was here now, and that was all he had to offer her.
Sad, but true. Even if I wanted to be the man for her, I couldn’t be. I’d be gone so much and she’d cry for a whole other reason.

He’d seen so many marriages end or suffer tremendous strain due to the husband’s or wife’s deployment. And the ones still married, they missed their kids’ birthdays, graduations, and hell one even missed his daughter’s wedding. They’d received the message about it, but they were so deep undercover on a mission they’d been working on for nine months that they couldn’t let him go. Oh, he could’ve gone but not without jeopardizing the mission and the other men. And when it came to the team, the mission and each other came first. It was how they survived out there. If something went wrong, all they had was each other. Help would come, but there was no guarantee it was going to make it in time.

“Mark, you’re not here to listen to my problems.”

“I’m here for many reasons, Hannah. So tell me.”

“This place is getting to me that’s all.”

He understood why. There was so much to do and no one there for her. All he could picture was what it would’ve been like for Casey if she had to face things all alone. Things might have ended so differently for her. Hannah didn’t have a big brother watching out for her, never mind any parents. He was glad she had Bailey, who stuck up for her, but she was only here for a short visit.

“Is it the amount of work?”