Page 101 of Sunkissed Colorado

Zandra nodded with a blank expression. She’d gone inside herself, as she sometimes did when she was feeling vulnerable. “Anything else?”

“I also asked Teller to check on Jessa’s brother. Find out what Leo’s been up to.” My eyebrows lifted as I read the next message.

Teller

On Leo Mackenzie, we’ve got an arrest earlier this year for felony assault in Fort Collins. Bar fight. But he jumped bail. Known associates haven’t seen him since, no credit card use, nothing. Either he’s hiding out, or he’s dead.

“Maybe that’s why Paula said she hadn’t heard from Leo,”Zandra mused. “He’s got warrants out for his arrest. She’s trying to protect him.”

And what better place for a man to go when he was desperate than to his mother?

Yet there hadn’t been any sign at Paula’s house that more than one person lived there. Also, wouldn’t his mom’s house be the first place the police looked?

I sent a text thanking Teller for his help, then tucked my phone in my pocket. When I opened my arms, Zandra came right to me, fitting herself against me. “What were you saying about dinner?” she asked.

Before I could answer, there was another phone notification.

“Dang it, now that’s mine. Seems we’re destined to be interrupted today.” Z pulled out her phone, making an annoyed huff when she saw the message. “My mother wrote. She actually apologized and asked if I would come for dinner tonight.”

My heart sank a little because dinner with her parents wasn’t the evening I’d had in mind. “Happy to come along for moral support.”

“No, I can’t subject you to that again.” She rubbed her face and groaned. “I’ll go. If I refuse, then I’m the bad guy who won’t forgive. And who knows, maybe things will start being different.” She gave me a weak smile.

“Hope so.” Ireallyhoped so, for her sake.

“Sorry to bail on you for dinner.”

“Another time. Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll take you home so you can get your car.”Home. Meaning my place. Would she want to keep living with me and the guys after Manny made his decision?

Was I overthinking this? Probably, and it wasn’t like me.

The sun was setting as we pulled up to the house. She didn’t bother going inside, just jumping out of my truck. I got out too and walked her to her car.

“Can you feed Chloe for me?”

“Sure. Coco and I have an exciting evening ahead of us. Nail painting, hiding under the couch…”

Z smiled, going onto her toes to give me a soft kiss. Right here on the street where anyone could see. “Save some energy for me? For when I’m home later?”

“I’m planning on it.”

As she drove down the street, I stood on the sidewalk, my gaze not leaving her taillights. Felt like my heart was leaving with her.

I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, but if Zandra drove away from me for good, I wasn’t going to be okay with it. “So do something about it, O’Neal,” I murmured to myself, wiping a hand down my face.

Then I heard a scoff.

My eyes zeroed in on the figure hiding between an SUV and a lifted truck. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I grated out. “In front of my house?”

Tommy Pickering stepped more into view, glancing up and down the quiet street. “You own the road? Looks like public property to me. Anybody could walk by and see you pining away for your boss’s granddaughter.”

Rage flared in my veins, but I kept it down. “Have you been watching Zandra? Leaving notes?”

“I might’ve seen her when she was staying at the Pine Cone motel. Wasn’tthata surprise? Little Zandra, all grown up.”

Rage made my vision blur. “You’ve been following her.”

“No. But if I was, could you blame me? She’s an even sweeter piece of ass than back in high school.”