Lawton Ridge Duet Series

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

TYLER

Everleigh drives me to Mimi and Pop’s house before she opens the boutique Friday morning. I need to borrow Mimi’s Cadillac so I can run errands today. Yesterday, I submitted an address change form at the post office, opened a checking account, and made a list of items I still need to buy. I have some money from before I got arrested, but it won’t last long.

“Send my love to Mimi, okay?” Everleigh tells me when she pulls into the driveway and parks.

“I will.”

“If she baked anything, promise to sneak me a pocketful.” She chuckles, and I shake my head before getting out of the car. As she backs out of the driveway, she lays on the horn, causing me to jump. She speeds off, and I’m sure she’s probably laughing her a*s off.

Even though it’s not even eight yet, they’re early risers. I’m sure my grandmother has already drunk a pot of coffee and called a handful of friends all while Pops tinkers in his workshop in the backyard. As soon as I walk in, I’m surrounded with childhood memories. The smell of cookies wafts through the living room, and I hear Mimi chatting on the phone in the kitchen. When I enter, she immediately grins and waves me over.

“Susan,” she interrupts. “Susan, I gotta let you go, honey. Tyler just walked in.”

Seconds later, she ends the call. It’s hard not to smile when I’m around my grandmother. She stands and pulls me into a tight embrace.

“I was wonderin’ when you were gonna come see me again. Didn’t wanna have to beg.”

“Oh, Mimi, you know I had that interview a couple of days ago and then had errands to run yesterday.”

Her eyes light up, and I can tell she’s waiting for the news. I eye the cookies on the plate on the table and snatch one. A chuckle escapes me as I think about Everleigh wanting some as I eat half of it in one bite.

“You gonna leave a woman waiting?” she finally asks.

“I start Monday,” I tell her around another mouthful.

She looks relieved, but I’m sure she already knew. Nothing gets past her. Rumors wrapped in sprinkles of truth fly around here like mosquitos in the summer.

“Good, good. Jerry wouldn’t have been able to handle my wrath if he didn’t hire you,” she says matter-of-factly. Grandma can be scary, especially when she gets her entire knitting club together to wreak havoc on shady people. They’re equivalent to a mob in Lawton Ridge.

Mimi checks the time, then turns to me. “You hungry? Want me to make you some breakfast before you go?”

I shake my head. “Nah, that’s okay. Hopefully, it won’t take too long to update my license.”

She snorts. “Are you kidding me? You obviously haven’t been to the DMV here in ages. It’s an unorganized disaster. People line up at six in the morning and wait all day to be seen. Let me make you something, I insist.”

“I drank a protein shake for breakfast.”

“Then I’ll make you a sandwich for later.” She opens the fridge and pulls out some chopped rotisserie chicken and mayo. Mimi makes the fattest sandwich I’ve ever seen. It won’t fit even in a sandwich bag, so she places it in a gallon Ziploc, then stuffs cookies in another one before handing me a giant glass of sweet tea.

“Better get going if you want to make it out of there before dark.”

After I take her gifts, she pulls her keys from her purse, then hands them to me. Before I go, I kiss her on the cheek and tell her I’ll be back as soon as I can.

On the way across town, I can’t get Gemma off my mind. She looked at me like she wanted to murder me, and as far as I know, she might. Even though I begged her to come with me, I knew it was best to leave on my own. I needed to protect her from the emotional baggage I bear. Considering I’m a felon now, it seems like it was the right decision after all.

After I arrived at the DMV, I realize Mimi wasn’t joking. There are no empty spaces in the lot, so I parallel park on the street, then walk inside and grab a ticket. Every seat is taken.

Hours pass, and I eat my sandwich and cookies, grateful Mimi packed me a lunch. I swear sloths are working the counter. An hour before close, my number is finally called, and I take my photo. By the time I leave, I’m annoyed as hell I spent my entire day waiting there.

When I show up to Mimi’s just after five with two empty Ziploc bags, she flashes me a smirk. The “told you so” is implied, and I just shake my head with a grin. She offers to drive me home, but I tell her I want to walk. After she sees my face and how frustrated I am, she doesn’t argue.

“Please make sure you call me when you make it home. Love you, kiddo.”

“I will, Mimi. Love you too,” I say as I walk out the door.

On the way home, I call Liam. He’s two hours behind me, so I hope he’s home, but he usually answers unless he’s doing a stakeout.

“Tyler! I was just thinking about you. How are things going?”

I told him about my interview yesterday, but we didn’t chat long. “Fine, I guess.” I let out a huff.

“Uh-oh, what’s wrong?”

I talk about my shitty day, and how I’m so f*****g sweaty I can barely stand it. The humidity here is smothering compared to Las Vegas. I continue, explaining how stressed I am, and how I’m still paranoid as f**k. It’s gonna take a little while for me to get settled and feel back to normal.

“I guess I’m just second-guessing coming here,” I admit. “Everything feels wrong, like I’m living in the twilight zone or something. It’s more awkward than I thought it’d be, and I already feel like the town outcast.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. You’re just not used to being in public. Give it time.”

I let out a laugh. “It’s this place and these people. While I waited at the DMV, everyone looked at me like I was a chained-up dog ready to bite one of them because I was in prison.”

Liam laughs, but he’s not laughing at me. “Shoulda got your rabies shots before going home. On a serious note, I bet it’s just in your head. I remember when all that stuff was going down with Victoria, I swear everyone was watching me. Even older ladies in the grocery store. I trusted no one. I think when you go through a lot of s**t, it f***s with your head. And you’ve had your fair share. Honestly, they can f**k off. You’re doing the best you can, and you’re a good guy, Tyler.”

A small smile meets my lips. “You’re right. It’s put me in a shitty mood, though.”

“Probably the heat. Just remember you didn’t do time because you’re a criminal. You went to prison because Victoria is a vindictive b***h. You wanted away from the O’Learys and leaving gave you the freedom to move on from your past. I’ll always be grateful for you, and if you change your mind, my home is always available to you. Maddie would be overjoyed if you came back.”

“Means a lot, man.” My voice trails off as I think about Victoria and all the hatred I have for that woman. I have over five years’ worth of pent-up rage waiting for her. If she knows what’s best, she’ll leave me the f**k alone and forget I ever existed. “I wish I could find a way to get her back without getting my a*s back behind bars,” I admit. “She’d deserve it.”

“Wait, huh? What are you talking about?” He sounds alarmed and shocked. But she ruined my life.

“Victoria. I want to get even.”

Liam lets out a calm breath. “Awful idea, Tyler. You need to find a gym and work out your aggression before you do anything stupid. She won’t stop if this starts again. She lives for drama and has an endless supply of money to make anything illegal she does go away.”

I take everything Liam says into account, but it doesn’t release my pent-up anger. While letting it go is the responsible thing to do, I don’t know if I’ll be able to.

“You’re right. I should find a place to work out. I miss boxing. The fighting I did behind bars wasn’t for fun.”

Liam clears his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, you shouldn’t be. I made a choice, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but being in a place like that changes you. And I’m not sure it was for the better. Either way, I’d do it all again for you and Maddie in a heartbeat.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I wish things were different. I wish none of this had happened. It’s something I live with every day, and sometimes, the guilt is a lot to deal with. I’m fully aware of how my s**t affected your life. I just hope it doesn’t ruin your future.”

Now, I feel like a steaming pile of s**t because this call wasn’t intended to put Liam on the spot or bring him down.

“I never had a brother, Liam, and you’re the closest thing to one I’ve ever had, and I’d do anything for you. You’re my chosen family. Don’t feel remorse over a damn thing because without all that, who's to say you’d have Maddie right now. It was the catalyst that brought you together, so no f*****g regrets.”

Liam chuckles. “I should probably get back to the gym too. I think I’ve gained thirty pounds during Maddie’s second pregnancy with all her junk food cravings.”

His words cause me to snort. “Not a terrible idea. Get rid of your baby belly. There’s only one here, and I haven’t stepped inside since before I left for the military, but I’ll go check it out tomorrow. Honestly, it probably still looks the same.”

“Well, go find you a bar and have a beer for old times' sake.”

When Everleigh’s condo comes into view, that becomes a better idea. “I think I might.”

“Hell, have two.”

I quickly ask him about Maddie and how she’s managing so close to her due date, and by the time I unlock the front door, we end the call. Once I’m inside, I grab some clothes and go to the bathroom to happily wash off this shitty day. Before I make it there, Sassy is on my heels, barking like I’m an intruder.

“Sassy, no!” I try to make my tone as commanding as possible, but she gives zero f***s about it and tries to nip at my ankles. “Sassy,” I say in a sweet tone. “Wanna treat?”

She growls, and I repeat the magic word, raising my pitch and walking into the kitchen to grab her doggy biscuits. As soon as Sassy sees the bag, she sits and wags her tail.

“Of course,” I mumble and throw a handful down before heading back to the bathroom.

Ever since my release, I’ve taken my time in the shower. You don’t realize how much privacy is taken for granted until it’s snatched away. All freedoms revoked, along with your dignity. Once I finish, I wait for the water to go cold, then dry off and get dressed. Sassy still barks at me as though I’m a stranger, and I hope she gets used to me soon. Before Everleigh even asks me to walk her, I grab her leash, and we take off down the street. Those ten minutes with her give me time to get lost in my thoughts.

Once we’re back, I remove the leash, and she drinks from her water bowl until it’s empty, so I refill it. Taking Liam’s advice, I grab my wallet and walk the few blocks to The Ridge Pub. It’s close enough not to need a ride home, which is convenient. Everleigh’s place is in the perfect location. It’s close to her business and the downtown square, which is the most popular place in town. Thankfully, my job is within walking distance too. So as long as the weather stays nice, it won’t be a problem making it on time.

After a quick five-minute walk, I enter the pub, then sit at the bar. I look over the menu, realizing just how hungry I am. The bartender comes back, and I notice it’s a guy I went to high school with, but he pretends not to recognize me. Or maybe he doesn’t. It’s been over a decade.

“Whatcha having?”

“Bud, tall. Shot of tequila. And a double cheeseburger with fries.”

He nods, and after entering in my order, he returns with the tequila and beer. I take the shot, hoping it loosens me up some. Greg, or maybe his name is Craig, picks up the empty glass, and I order another. I’m two shots and a beer in by the time he brings me my burger.

Food is another thing I took for granted before I knew better. Between mush and mystery meat, I could barely choke it down.

When I’m halfway done eating, I see Everleigh, Gemma, and Katie walk past the large glass windows, then open the door.

I keep my head down so they don’t notice me. But damn, I can’t help but glance at Gemma. Yesterday, Everleigh told me they were doing a photoshoot with some of her new inventory. The three of them look fierce as hell, but Gemma steals the show with her loose curls and dark makeup.

I watch through the bar mirror as they find a table, giving me the perfect view of them.

After I finish eating, I order another beer and notice Donald McDouche walking toward their table. The guy was a total asshole in high school, and even now, he looks like a grown-up twelve-year-old.

He leans against the table, and he offers to buy them all drinks while obviously checking them out, though none of them are showing any interest.

Everleigh isn’t having it and rolls her eyes, then asks him to go away, but he doesn’t get the blatant rejection. When he continues to bother them to the point they all look uncomfortable and annoyed, I grab my drink and walk over.

I’m not sure whose eyes are wider—the douchebag’s or the girls’.

Everything goes silent as I look at Donald. By the way he swallows hard, he knows exactly who I am. “Can I help you with something?” I ask.

“I was just offering to buy these ladies a round,” he slurs.

“And they said no, so you can move on.” I wave my hand in the air, eyeing the space behind him.

“They can speak for themselves.”

I look at Everleigh, and she smirks. “We did...twice. So here’s a third: you can f**k off.”

Grinning, I hold out my hand with the beer in it. “Well, there you go. f**k off.”

Donald hisses, then walks away with his d**k tucked between his legs.

I suck in a deep breath, hyper aware that Gemma is staring at me.

“And my brother saves the day! Reminds me of when you threatened the seventh-grade bully who kept throwing spitballs at me.” Everleigh laughs.

Chuckling, I nod. “You good now?”

“I think we can handle ourselves,” Everleigh says, then takes a sip of her drink.

“Alright, good.” I turn to walk away.

Gemma speaks up. “You should join us.”

I look at her like she’s lost her mind. “Join you?”

“Well yeah, unless you have other plans.” Her voice lowers.

“Yes, come sit!” Everleigh scoots over and pats the empty seat next to her.

“As it gets later, the creepier the guys get. It’ll be nice having you scare them off for us,” Katie says.

“I’d be intruding. You’re obviously having a girls' night.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Everleigh smacks the seat again, demanding me with her scowl.

“C’mon, sit.” Gemma gives me a sweet smile, and that’s when I know I’m f****d.

It’s easy to be a disappointment when I’m so far away, but when she’s staring at me with such a deep intensity, it’s hard as hell to say no.