That's right. It's what I wanted, wasn't it? I'd wanted Cade to leave me the hell alone, to stop prying. He'd always had a jealous streak.
Jed was talking again, lingering. Expecting me to ask him inside?
"You know, June," he said. "I always had a thing for you, way back in high school."
"High school crushes," I said, trying to be casual, trying to steer the conversation away from where I thought it was headed. I didn't need some awkward declaration from Jed. "We grow out of them."
Had I really grown out of mine?
"It's more than that, June," Jed said. "You moving back here...I think it's maybe life giving us a second chance. Maybe it's fate's way of bringing us together again." Before I could say anything, let him down gently, he moved in toward me, to kiss me.
And I...ducked out of the way.
Literally, ducked. Like I was a boxer, bobbing and weaving away from a punch.
"Jed." I backed toward the door. "I don't think I'm really in a place right now where I'm looking to start something serious, and I'm not sure - "
My eyes darted behind him, to Stan's house, a reflexive movement, really. But Jed noticed, and turned, looking behind him. When he faced me again, his expression was dark. "Him," he said. "I heard he was back in town."
I shook my head. "No, it's not him. It's me. I'm just not comfortable - "
I was lying. I wasn't fooling anyone. Including myself.
Jed held up a hand. "Say no more. I know when I'm being let down easy." He stepped down from my porch, and turned toward his car. "I'll see you both around, June."
You both.
I swallowed hard as I watched him walk away. Damn it. I didn't need trouble with Jed now, too.
As he pulled down the driveway, I looked up to see Cade, standing on the front porch at his father's house, his arms crossed over his chest.
Watching me.
Axe
“Where were you?” Crunch asked.
“I went out for a ride,” I said as I pulled off my boots and stood them by the front door.
"That was a long ass ride," Crunch said. "You've been out most of the day."
"What are you, my fucking mother?" I asked. I'd been out riding since dawn, and I was still worked up. Seeing Jed bring June home last night, watching them stand on the porch like that, after what was obviously a date, had my guts churning. But I was trying to be a better man. No drinking, no crazy jealousy. No going psycho and beating the shit out of someone.
I could do it, right? I proved it to myself by not jumping the fence and going over there.
If Jed would have kissed her, though...
Shit, I'd be in jail right now.
"It's quiet in here," I said. "Where is everyone?"
"April is giving Mac a bath," Crunch said. "You and I, though - we need to talk."
"Yeah, sure, man," I said, looking around the room. "Where's my dad?"
"I think he's in the bedroom or something. Not sure."
"Is this business we need to talk about?"
"Yeah," Crunch said.
“Alright, let’s go out on the porch.”
“Let me just grab the laptop. I need to show you what I found.”
Crunch pulled up a rocking chair across from me, his voice low. “I've been searching around, looking for intel on the warehouse fire."
"What's the deal?"
"See for yourself." Crunch turned the laptop screen toward me, and I read the headline, my brain barely processing the words.
“Multiple Bodies Found in Warehouse Fire Outside Las Vegas,” I read.
"Yup," Crunch said.
I looked up at him. "Multiple bodies."
What the fuck?
"Read the article."
I scanned the words, willing it to sink into my brain. Three bodies found.
Incinerated.
"Three bodies found." I spoke the words slowly.
“Shit.” I scanned the rest of the article, willing it to sink into my brain. “That’s us.”
"Obviously it's not us," Crunch said.
"There was no one else in the warehouse," I said. "Who the fuck would it be? Did you see anyone in there?"
"I don't know, man," Crunch said.
"This is not good."
“No? What are you talking about?” Crunch asked. “From where I’m sitting, it’s fucking ideal. The club thinks we’re dead. The heat’s off of us. We're fucking dead men.”
“Yeah, the club thinks we’re dead now. What about when those bodies get ID'd? They're not ours.”
“You read the article. They were incinerated. You think they’re going to be able to fucking ID them any time soon? No.”
“DNA testing, dental records, whatever, man,” I said. “You’re the fucking nerd. You should know this CSI type shit.”
“Dental records?” Crunch laughed. “When the fuck was the last time you were to a dentist, man - either of us.”
“I was in the military, jackass,” I said. “They could get those records.”
“Good luck with that, and with the DNA,” Crunch said. “Both of those things take time. You were in the military years ago, which means your records are with the VA now. And that place is a hot fucking mess, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Could it really be that easy?