The Certainty of Deception (9 page)

“Little brother, I’ve seen you charm the robes off judges.  You’ve got this.  She loves you.  You love her.  The rest will work itself out.”

I licked my lips, tasting the film of Texas dirt on my skin.  “I can do this.”

“Just promise me,” Jared’s face tightened in concern, “promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll behave in there.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.

“You have a tendency to get, well,” his eyes rolled toward the sky, searching for the right words, “
overzealous
when it comes to her.  I know you love her, but it’s been two months.  Take things slow.  That’s all I’m saying.”

My initial reaction was to deck Jared, but I’d agreed to bring them along for a reason.  So, if I needed to keep the Neanderthal under control, I would. “I promise.”

“We’re right here with you.  She means a lot to all of us.” 

I furrowed my brow, confused.  “Gav, you barely know her.”

Playful Gavin disappeared in an instant.  The brother I’d grown up with, the one who protected me when our father lost his temper, appeared.  “I don’t have to know her.  I know
you
.  Because she’s important to you, she’s important to me.”

“Thanks,” I breathed.  Gavin smiled, giving me a slight nod.  He opened the door, holding it for Jared and myself.  “Here goes nothing.”

Inside Evans Bodyworks, the smell of cattle became diluted by the rubbery scent of tires and age.  The low, paneled ceiling bore the marks of water stains matching the old, yellowed, tiled floors.  Shelves of product lined the room.  Parallel from the main entrance stood a wooden counter with a single cash register.  It was the perfect setup for a little Mom & Pop shop.  I figured Bill brought in a rough half-mil per year
, which wasn’t bad for an establishment such as this.

Upon entering the store, anticipation pulsed throughout my entire body.  For the first person my sight landed on was McKenzie.  She stood behind the cash register, peering down at a clipboard in her hand.  My gaze travelled slowly down her body, taking in every inch of her delectable figure.  My fingers twitched to touch her long, golden blonde hair that hung over her shoulders in soft waves.  She rubbed her finger across her cute button nose that was all too kissable, drawing my attention to her shapely lips and long neck. 

McKenzie tossed her hair back over her shoulder, revealing her round breasts through her fitted tee shirt.  I licked my lips, dropping my eyes to check out her taut frame and stopping at her curved hips.  Behind that counter I knew there was the longest pair of short legs I’d ever seen.  Mickie stood about five-foot-one, two tops, but those legs.  How I remembered the way they felt wrapped around me, as I moved in and out of her, bringing our bodies to new heights of pleasure.  A tiny groan slipped out of me.  I shifted my eyes to see if Gavin and Jared heard me, but they appeared lost in their own observations.

A tall, platinum blonde man, with grease smudged across his cheek, walked up to her.  He couldn’t be more than thirty-five, but his sheer size made him appear older.  His barrel-chest, noticeable even through his navy-blue uniform shirt, pressed against her back, as he looked over her shoulder.  Amusement danced within his glassy green eyes.  “Whacha doin’?” he asked. 

She hunched her shoulders forward, unfazed by her new companion.  “Inventory.”

Thick coiled arms reached around her, grabbing the clipboard. 

“Hey!  Give that back!” McKenzie protested.  She dropped her pen onto the counter and leapt into the air, grappling at his arms in an attempt to retrieve her belongings.

The oversized brute laughed, keeping his arm held high in the
air, making it impossible for tiny McKenzie to gain the upper hand.  This guy had to be about six-three or four, and that was a rough guess from a distance.  One thing was certain; he was bigger and taller than me. 

McKenzie’s face grew redder the more she struggled against him.  Her incoherent cries for him to return her work went unnoticed by his deep laughter.  My insides exploded into red, hot rage.  Blood boiled beneath my skin.  I could feel the vein pulsing in my neck, and even imagined that I resembl
ed my father when he was pissed.  A single thought managed its way through my mind. 
I could take this fucker. 
I’d go for the kneecaps.  He wouldn’t know what hit him. 

“Hey!” I yelled, stepping toward them.

Both McKenzie and the oversized asshole froze.  Her head shot in my direction.  Our eyes met and she took three steps back from the beast, only to be blocked by the counter.

Her hand flew to her mouth.  “Andy,” she gasped.

“Hello, Mickie.”

“Can we help you?” the barbarian growled.  A deep scowl flattened his face.  He dropped the clipboard onto the counter and stepped around to the front.

Neither McKenzie nor I moved.  We were locked in a cosmic moment that transcended time and space.  This was real.  We were in the same room, breathing the same air.  Deep down, I wanted to scream at her.  I wanted to demand answers for every question I’d had since she left.  The pain I felt burdened me every moment of everyday.  But something in her eyes stopped me.  My heart demanded my brain to look further.  My pain was deep, but it was possible that hers might be just as deep.  I swallowed my pride.  This was neither the time nor place to go on the defensive.  My being here already had me on the offensive, which was exactly where I needed to be.

“Sir, can we help you?” he repeated.  The oversized gorilla sounded irritated as he moved closer to me.  I veered my attention to him.  In the corner of my eye, I caught McKenzie release a deep breath, dropping her shoulders.

A hand landed on my shoulder.  I cocked my head to the side, catching Jared’s warning look.  I rolled my eyes; unclenching my fists that I’d been unaware I’d balled until now. 

“Why, McKenzie Evans, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Jared said, releasing my shoulder and taking a step forward.

McKenzie dashed out from behind the counter.  “Oh my God! Jared!” she screeched, darting toward us.  She flung herself straight into Jared’s open arms.  His face broke into a tremendous grin as he lifted her off the ground, twirling her around. 

Jealousy reared its ugly head inside me.  A pit in my stomach the size of Texas threatened to make me sick.  Gavin had ensured I could trust Jared, but there he was, with my girl in his arms.  So much for my pride. 

Gavin moved next to me, bumping my shoulder.  Jared returned McKenzie’s feet back to the floor, taking her hands in his and stepping back from her.  He gave her a once over, grinning ear to ear.  “You look fantastic.”

“What on earth are you doin’ here?” she asked.  She glanced my way.  A smile brightened her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“We came to see you, Silly.”  Jared dropped her hands and tweaked her cheek. 

The brute took another step toward us, closing the distance.  From this vantage point, I caught a glimpse of the name patch on his shirt.  Gage.  What a name.  Seriously?  Who would name their kid that?

“Is that a problem?  We can leave if you want us to,” Gavin quipped.

McKenzie patted Jared on the arm.  She approached Gavin and me, and wrapped her arms around my brother’s neck.  The smell of her perfume flooded my senses.  All of the tension in my body released at just the smell of her skin.  This woman had too much control over me still.

“You better not.  I’m just surprised.  Liv said y’all were headin’ to Vegas.  I never expected you to stop here on your way.”

Hmm, so Olivia had contacted her.  Jared jerked his head to meet my eyes.  We were thinking the same thing.  Olivia had played up how much she missed McKenzie and how they’d barely spoken since she’d left.  Yet here was proof that Olivia was still in contact with Mickie.  What a little liar.

“Is it so surprising that I wanted to see you?” I asked.

McKenzie stepped back from Gavin, her eyes cutting to me.  Her blissful smile shifted.  Happiness, sadness, curiosity, pain, anger, shock; all of these emotions flashed across her face.  “I guess not, Drew.”

Drew, where only seconds earlier it was Andy.  That minor detour wasn’t going to derail me.  My heart told my mind to take a back seat and took over.  Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms and held her to my chest.  At first she stiffened in my embrace, but then she exhaled, wrapping her arms around my back.  I closed my eyes and let the moment wash over me.  My skin tingled at her touch.  My heart beat so hard in my chest; I feared she could hear it.  The urge to kiss her was overwhelming. 

Dipping my head, I brushed my lips to her ear.  “It’s Andy to you, sweetheart, and don’t you forget it.” 

McKenzie shuddered in my arms.  For a moment she stopped breathing.

“Andy,” she whispered.  Her arms tightened around me.  Slender fingers dug into the flesh of my back, crushing the fabric of my shirt into my skin.  I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drink in the heat of her body pressed against mine.  Slowly, I stroked her hair, playing with the ends.  A soft moan rumbled from her chest.  The world dissolved around us.

Someone cleared their throat, pulling us back to reality.

She removed herself from my hold, taking a step back.  Angel blue eyes met mine, and I gave her my best smile.  She loved my dimples, and they were most prominent when I smiled. 

“It’s good to see you, Mickie.”

“You, too.”

Gage had moved to the point of standing behind her.  I’d been so lost in McKenzie I didn’t even notice his advances.  He glared at me, with his arms crossed over his chest.  “So, Kenzie, who’s our guests here?”

McKenzie side-stepped, maintaining her closeness to me, but distancing herself from this behemoth.  “Of course.  Gage Lawson,” she motioned toward our intruder, “this is Jared Christopher, Gavin and Drew Wise.  They’re my friends from Florida.”  McKenzie pointed to each of us as she called our names.

“Well, any friend of Kenzie’s,” he started, thrusting his hand to me.  A predatory snarl curled his lip.

“Is a friend of mine,” I finished, accepting his handshake.  He squeezed my hand tight, almost crushing it.  I fought the urge to rub or shake out my hand after he released it.  The territorial monster inside me reared its ugly head.  I wanted to beat this jerk with his own beef
mitt.

Gage shook hands with Gavin and Jared as well, but his focus remained on me.  I guess he didn’t like the moment of affection that transpired between McKenzie and me.  Well, tough shit. 

“Gage is a mechanic here,” McKenzie explained.  “Speaking of which,” -she tapped him on the arm- “don’t you have a job you’re supposed to be doing right now?”

Gage curled his lips upward toward his nose, shaking his head.  “One of the other guys can handle it.  I want to stay here and get to know your friends better.”

“You know how Mrs. Conrad gets when she has to wait too long.  Go,” McKenzie urged him.

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring at her with pure defiance.  Thick muscles coiled, straining the fabric of his uniform shirt.  His broad jaw jetted out, almost begging me to punch it.

“Gage.”  Her tone rose as she spoke to him.

“Fine.”  He rolled his eyes like a petulant child.  “I’ll be right back.”  He turned on the ball of his heels and marched away.

As the door to the work bay slammed closed, McKenzie dropped her head, growling in aggravation.  “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it, Mickie,” I soothed.

“No harm done,” Jared reiterated.

“I have no idea what everyone is talking about.  I thought,” -Gavin tapped his chin, staring off into the distance- “what’s-his-name was a delightful person.”

“Oh, yes. Delightful.  More like a mammoth.  Do you feed him steroids, McKenzie?  Geez!  He’s huge!”  McKenzie waved Jared off, laughing. 

“He wasn’t
that
big,” I observed with a hint of sarcasm.  The only thing I could think of was a guy that big had to be small in
other
places.  That thought alone puffed up my ego, because I knew that was one area I didn’t lack in.

“You need to wear your glasses, little brother.  Your depth perception must be off.”

I rammed my elbow into Gavin’s arm.  “Oh, shut it.  I only need my glasses for reading.”  Which wasn’t true, but I wasn’t about to admit how bad my eyesight really was.  Most days I wore contacts.

“Old fart,” Gavin jeered.  Between the three of us, Gavin, Andie, and myself, I was the only one who needed glasses.  And even though Gavin was several years older than me, he enjoyed calling out my age any chance he could. 

“Smelled like a fresh one to me,” my snarky remark shot back.

“Wait! Hold on.  You wear glasses?”  Mickie’s mouth dropped in surprise.  “I didn’t know you wear glasses.  You never wore them in front of me.”

“I’m more concerned about the farting.  Drew, you seriously didn’t just fart?” Jared grilled.  Laughter exploded at the seriousness of the expression on his face.

“No. If I farted, you’d know it.”

“He’s not kiddin’ there.  He could stink a fox out of its own hole,” McKenzie declared.  Her lips twitched with amusement.

Gavin buckled over in laughter.  “Hell, I think the stench coming from outside is better than the toxic fumes that exudes from Drew’s ass.”

“What smell?”  Her amused smile bloomed into a beautiful laugh.

“You must be kidding.  There’s no way that you could ever get used to that!”  Gavin thumbed behind us toward the door.

“Oh,
that
smell.”  She rolled her head.  “At least you can get used to it.  The shit that Drew releases into the atmosphere should be deemed bio-hazardous by the EPA.”