Page 27 of Love Unbound
“She cried for days after you left,” Levi snapped gruffly. “I suggest you think twice before you do this, Freeman, because I won’t stop at one next time.” Leaning back in his chair, he tilted one corner of his bewhiskered mouth up in a grin, his blue eyes twinkling. “Now that that’s settled, how about we get drunk?”
Chapter 17
“Okay, so, run this by me one more time,” Tessa said, twisting her face in confusion as she unloaded a box of new releases while Jodi scanned them in and placed them on the shelf. “Our door has been unlocked every single morning, our security tapes are all missing, but nothing has been taken? Why would someone break in and then not even take anything but the video surveillance tapes?”
“I don’t know,” Jodi murmured, straightening and tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Until we figure it out, just be careful in the morning when you open. We should probably tell Kit for the weekend, too.”
Tessa stood, dusting off the knees of her tight black jeans. A faded Jack Daniels t-shirt was tied at her waist, leaving several inches of her abdomen bare between the knot and the top of her high-rise jeans. Her blonde hair was left down in loose waves, and as she straightened, she pushed her red rimmed glasses back into place on her nose. She bit her bottom lip, her trademark red lipstick unmarred. That lip stain deserved an award for longevity, Jodi thought with a smile.
Tess reached for a bottle of water and chugged half of it in one swallow. “That reminds me, since you’re off this weekend for the wedding. What is your answer going to be? Have you decided yet?”
Jodi shook her head, walking over to the counter and taking a bite of the breakfast sandwich on the counter. She and Tessa had come in before opening to get started on new stock that had beendelivered the night before. Tessa had brought breakfast for the two of them, which Jodi had been grateful for. That’s when Tessa had seen the flowers Jodi had left on the counter overnight and had started in on questioning Jodi.
“I don’t know what I’m going to say,” Jodi said after swallowing the bite of the breakfast sandwich. “I want to say yes.”
“So, say yes.”
Jodi rolled her head over her shoulders, stretching the muscles out. The boxes of books they’d carried up from the back were heavy. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
“Seriously, what is so wrong with a fling? How long has it been since you got laid?” Tessa asked candidly, reaching for and taking a bite of her own breakfast. After swallowing, she continued, “What’s the saying? Save a horse, ride a cowboy?”
Jodi laughed, choking on a swallow of coffee. “Oh my god! Tess!”
“What?” Tessa exclaimed, laughing to herself. “If you don’t, dammit I want a go! He’s fine as hell!”
Jodi laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
Tessa threw a wadded-up napkin at her, and it bounced off her shoulder to the floor. “I know you don’t want a fling, but I think a good roll in the sack with that man would do you a lot of good. And he’s obviously into you. No one sends flowers like that—” she motioned to the bouquet, “—unless they really like someone.”
“They were apology flowers,” Jodi said.
“Who cares what kind of flowers they were? They’re gorgeous. I think you should say yes. Just see where it goes, please! I have no love life. I’m living vicariously through yours,” Tessa whined.
“Oh, good lord,” Jodi laughed, rolling her eyes. “You might be waiting a lifetime for me to get back into the dating scene.”
“I think had your Freeman not shown up when he did, that would be a true statement,” Tessa said, clearing the remnants of their breakfast off the counter and throwing it into the trash behind her. She leaned on her forearms across the counter toward Jodi, whispering conspiratorially, “Call me crazy, but I think he showed back up right when he was supposed to.”
Picking up her purse, Tessa slipped it on over her head before heading toward the door. “I’ll see you later for margaritas, bish.”
Chapter 18
“Shots! Shots! Shots!”
Kyle the bartender obliged, lining up a row of shot glasses, fluidly pouring out the clear liquor in a line without spilling a drop.
“Shane, you poor bastard, get over here!” Kasey Corcoran, Free and Shane’s cousin, shouted over the noise in the crowded dive bar. Kasey, along with Free’s aunt and uncle and younger cousin, had traveled north from Texas for the wedding. Kasey had joined them for Shane’s bachelor party, and was making sure the poor groom was getting properly hammered. When the small group of guys had downed their shots, Kasey yelled, “Another!”
Free groaned, waving his hand across his throat in a slicing motion, pleading for a respite. He hadn’t recovered from the hangover from the night of drinking he’d done with Levi the night before, and was sporting a helluva shiner beneath his left eye. Shane was happy and hammered, having a blast playing billiards and losing brilliantly. Kasey, who was several years younger than Free, was one of the best friends he had in Texas, aside from Roxy. He was glad his extended family had made the trip for his brother’s wedding.
Kasey slumped into the empty chair beside Free, wrapping one arm around Free’s neck and pulling him in for a tight hug. “Tell me, will there be any hot girls at this wedding this weekend?”
Free wriggled out of the choke hold and chuckled, pattingKasey on the back. “Hell if I know, man. I’m sure you’ll seek out one of the bridesmaids. I’ll tell you right now, the Kendall women are off-limits. I mean it.”
Kasey’s dark blonde head bobbed in an enthusiastic and drunk nod. Free hadn’t seen his cousin this hammered since the night his girlfriend had broken up with him, and that was three years ago. Kasey was a hellion, but typically was the broody, silent type. This Kasey was in rare form, and Free didn’t envy him the hangover he was sure to have in the morning.
“Who gave you the black eye, man?” Kasey asked, gesturing to his bruised face.
Free chuckled again, taking a sip of his PBR bottle. “The Kendall women’s dad.”
