Instead of drooling over his broad chest under those thermals and wondering what his biceps looked like underneath his thick flannels, I’d already know.
Jackson hadn’t been fully naked in front of me yet, but things were progressing. I was becoming addicted to his hands and mouth on my body. Since that first time he’d made me orgasm, I’d been in a constant state of desperation, needing him just a little bit more and more.
As I walked into the kitchen with the dirty utensils, Mom smirked. “Thinking about him again?”
“Yeah.” I smiled.
“I remember those days.” She looked longingly down the hall where Dad had disappeared into the living room to get the movie started. “Oh heck, I still have days like that.”
“I’m glad.”
Their marriage was the one I wanted.
Mom and Dad hadn’t been able to have more kids because of Mom’s blood pressure during her pregnancy with me. She’d been willing to try, but Dad had refused. He hadn’t been willing to gamble with her life, because they were a pair. Two pieces to a whole. They didn’t just love each other, they were best friends.
I wanted that kind of devotion.
“I’m happy for you, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I finished helping her with the dishes as she made the popcorn, then we joined Dad in the living room for a repeat viewing of his favorite Marvel movie.
By the time the Avengers were battling alien invaders, the popcorn bowl was empty except for some kernels, and I was stretched out on the chaise lounge, nearly asleep.
Between the chaos of the summer camp and the long nights with Jackson, I was worn out. So close to dreamland, I barely felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I shook myself awake on the third ring, scrambling to answer it before it stopped.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Jackson asked in a panic.
“At home. What’s wrong?”
“Have you seen Thea?”
I sat up, a chill creeping up my neck. “No. Why?”
“Fuck,” he spat. In the background, beer bottles crashed as he threw them in the garbage. “We need to find her.”
“What’s going on? Is she okay? Is it Charlie?”
“Charlie’s fine. Thea went for a walk and we can’t get ahold of her. I guess there’s some shit going on with somebody emailing her threats. I don’t fucking know. But Hazel called worried and Thea’s not answering her phone. Now the cops are out looking for her.”
“What?” I gasped, slapping a hand over my pounding heart.
“Let’s go, guys. You gotta get out of here.” Jackson’s voice was muffled as he stifled the protests. He must be kicking people out of the bar.
I waited for him to come back on the line, sliding on my flip-flops that I’d kicked off earlier.
“I’ll call you later, babe. I’m trying to get this place closed so I can go help find Thea.” The fear in his voice terrified me. He’d never sounded scared before.
“I’ll come help.”
“No,” he snapped as more beer bottles crashed. “Stay home.”
“Jac—”
The phone went dead. When I pulled it away from my ear, Dad had paused the movie and both he and Mom were looking at me with worried eyes.
“I need to go.” I shot off the couch. “Something is happening with Thea, and Jackson is really worried. Someone has been threatening her and the cops are searching for her. I couldn’t really understand, but I should be there for him.”
“Okay, honey.” Dad stood too, following me down the hall and to the front door. “Let me walk you to the bar.”
I nodded, glad for his company. As he slid on his loafers, I stepped outside and looked up and down our street for any sign of Thea.
“Lock this, Betty,” Dad told Mom.
“I will.” She waited for him to join me on the sidewalk, then shut the door.
The walk to the bar was more of a sprint with Dad hot on my heels. I went right inside, passing two guys on their way out, with just enough time to see Jackson grabbing his keys from next to the cash register.
“Hey.”
He whipped around with an angry scowl. “What the fuck, Willa? I told you to stay home. You shouldn’t be out walking around by yourself.”
I pointed over my shoulder just as Dad came inside.
“Nate.” Jackson’s anger deflated. “Thanks for walking her down.”
“You bet.” Dad placed his hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to get back to your mom. Let me know if we can do anything.”
“Okay. Thanks, Dad.”
He kissed my cheek, then nodded good-bye to Jackson.
I unglued my feet from the door and hurried behind the bar, sliding my arms around Jackson’s waist.
He wrapped me up tight. “Sorry for snapping. I’m just worried.”
“It’s okay. What can I do?”
“Lock the front door.” He let me go and handed me his keys. “I need to put some food in the fridge, then we can go.”
As he disappeared into the kitchen, I locked up the front and swiped a few dirty glasses from a booth in the corner. When I got back to the kitchen, Jackson was practically throwing things in the refrigerator.
I helped him clear off the big prep table in the center of the room, then followed him as he marched out the back door. He took one of my hands and with the other called Hazel.
“Fuck. She’s not answering.”
“Let’s just go to her house.”
He nodded, his hand gripping mine even tighter as we changed direction to cross the highway.
Hazel and Thea’s cottage was nestled right against Flathead Lake. Most of the locals lived on my side of the highway, except for a few remaining homes like Hazel’s that had been there for sixty-plus years.
She could probably make millions if she sold her lot to a rich out-of-stater who wanted the lakefront property, but money wasn’t all that important to Hazel. I think she liked to wake up each morning to the sound of waves hitting their shoreline and have a beautiful view as she worked in her vegetable garden.
I’d make the same decision if I were in her shoes.
It didn’t take us long to reach Hazel’s cottage. Jackson normally held back his strides when we walked together, but tonight, I was practically jogging so he didn’t have to slow down.
The moment we turned down Hazel and Thea’s street, I spotted three sheriff’s cars parked in front of the cottage. Two deputies were standing in the center of the lawn while Hazel stood off to the side.
Jackson let go of my hand and ran right to her. The minute she saw him, she opened her arms and waited for him to rush into her embrace. I wasn’t sure who was holding who.
When I caught up, Jackson let Hazel go with one arm so he could tuck me into his free side.
“Any word?” Jackson asked.
Hazel nodded and looked over her shoulder. “She’s right there.”
The three of us awkwardly spun around to see Logan holding a shaken and pale Thea around the corner of the house. They were talking to Sheriff Magee.
Jackson’s entire body relaxed, his arm around my shoulders getting heavy as he sighed. “Thank fuck. She’s okay?”
Hazel nodded. “Someone came after her. I don’t know who or why.”
“When did Logan get here?” I asked.
“Earlier tonight. He was the one who found her.”
Found her where? Who had threatened her? I held back my questions, hoping someone would offer us an explanation soon. Maybe Jackson already knew what was going on and he’d tell me later.
Sheriff Magee said something to Logan, then gave Thea a pat on the shoulder. The three of them ended their conversation and walked our way. The sheriff rounded up his deputies and they all loaded into their cruisers while Thea and Logan came toward us.
Logan was wearing suit pants and a starched white shirt, probably having come from a business meeting. But his suit jacket was missing, along with his usual collected presence. His dark hair had been raked back one too many times and the dark strands were askew. His face was nearly as pale as Thea’s.
She looked more frazzled than I’d ever seen her, her eyes wide and dazed. Her hands clung to Logan’s waist as she walked, but she forced a small smile as she looked at me and then Jackson.