Page 11 of Will (The Cowboys of Calamity, Texas #3)

Chapter Seven

The next morning Honey woke before sunrise, surprised she’d slept so well after the wild ride of the past two days.

She stretched under the cozy warmth of the vintage crazy quilt she’d inherited from her grandmother, feeling ready to take on the day.

Because she finally had Will Pierce all to herself.

A shiver of excitement shot through her. She’d be able to turn in her profile story, and then make the big move to Austin for her new job.

She opened her laptop and started a new document entitled WILL PIERCE. She took a deep breath and tried to gather her thoughts. After five minutes, she began writing about everything that had happened since she’d walked into the Crossroads Bar.

Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, then she heard the bathroom door close.

Lifting her fingers from the keyboard, Honey glanced toward her closed bedroom door. The cheap lock on the doorknob had broken shortly after she’d moved in, but the landlord still hadn’t replaced it.

Not that she believed Will would ever walk into her bedroom uninvited. He’d been the perfect gentleman last night after they’d brought his belongings upstairs to her third-floor apartment. Never even so much as hinted that he’d like an invitation to join her in her room.

Honey sighed.

The front door of her apartment led straight into the living room and kitchen as part of the open floor plan. Past the kitchen was a hallway with her bedroom on one side and the lone bathroom on the other. At the very end of the hallway was an open enclosure containing her washer and dryer.

She still felt bad about Will sleeping on the hardwood floor in her living room, even though he’d refused to take her bedroom when she’d offered it. She’d fit better on the love seat than he would, although it was much too short for either of them.

But apparently Will was as stubborn as he was handsome because he’d refused that offer too, insisting he’d be fine sleeping on the floor.

She hadn’t believed him, but had given him her meager supply of spare blankets and pillows so he could build a makeshift mattress in the open space between the living room and kitchen.

Then they’d each gone straight to bed.

Honey wasn’t used to having a six-foot-three hunk roaming around her apartment. She’d thought about starting the interview on the way home last night, but she’d still been too upset thinking of Aunt Cynthia. A stab of guilt rippled through her.

Why didn’t she just climb out of that dumpster and talk to Ronnie? Why didn’t she ask him what kind of interesting lead he was talking about?

Then she mentally shook herself. Honey didn’t live in regret. She preferred action.

Which meant today she was going to pepper Will with questions and learn everything she could about him. Because as soon as they found The Destroyer, he’d be out of her life forever.

When she heard the shower running, Honey jumped out of bed and headed for the kitchen.

She hadn’t wanted to disturb his privacy by walking into the living area while he still slept, but this was the perfect opportunity to grab a bottle of orange juice, then head back to her room and continue writing.

When she reached the living area, she was surprised to see he’d already placed his neatly folded blankets and pillows on one end of the love seat. Moving to the refrigerator, she opened the door and grabbed a bottle of juice.

She’d just taken her first swig when a loud knock sounded at the front door. She froze for a moment, then placed the bottle on the counter and sauntered toward the front door.

When she reached it, she looked through the peephole and was surprised to see her brother, Theo, standing on the other side.

Quickly unlocking the door, she swung it open. “What are you doing? The sun’s barely up.”

“Hey, good morning to you too, sis. I can’t believe you’re still wearing that old Dallas Cowboys nightshirt. How long have you had it? Ten years?”

She ignored his question and asked one of her own. “Why are you here?”

He held up the tool bag in his hand. “I’m here to fix that outlet by your kitchen sink. The one you’ve been bugging me about for a month now.”

He walked past her and set his bag on the counter. After high school, Theo had become an electrician since it was a good skill to have on the ranch.

“I know it’s early,” he said, sounding contrite. “But I’m driving to Comanche to pick up a bull this morning, so the timing worked out for me.” Then he smiled. “Besides, I’ve always enjoyed visiting my favorite sister.”

“Honey!” Will called out from the hallway. “I just got a text about that license plate!” He rounded the corner into the living area, his gaze fixed on his cell phone. Except for the blue towel slung low around his hips, he was almost fully naked.

“Will Pierce?” Theo said, looking shocked to see his old friend. Then his gaze drifted down, and his face contorted with anger. “Are sleeping with my sister?”

* * *

“I guess I’m lucky Theo didn’t punch me.” Will cranked the steering wheel of the Chevy Malibu while making a quick left out of the Paradise Apartments parking lot.

“He wanted to,” Honey said, “but there wasn’t any room left on your face for a new bruise.”

“Hilarious.” Theo had not been happy to see him, dripping wet and almost naked, in Honey’s apartment. “Do you think he bought our story?”

“ Our story?” Honey shook her head, one hand gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles were white. “I still can’t believe you told him we were living together .”

“But we are living together. And what else was I supposed to say? Something like: Sorry, Theo, I put your baby sister in danger from a possible psycho and now I’m hiding out in her apartment in case he shows up ?” He shrugged. “ Maybe we should just tell him the truth, that we met up in a bar.”

She stared at him. “Do you really think that’s a better answer?”

Will sighed. “You’re right. His reaction might have been even worse. And he’s gotten bigger since high school, so I’m not sure I could take him.”

“Okay, new house rule.” Honey held up her left hand. “You’re not allowed to fight my brother or anyone else in my apartment without my permission.”

“Even The Destroyer?”

She hesitated. “Okay, for him, I’ll make an exception. If I can join in too.”

Will knew they were both trying to keep it light, since it was possible, they’d be confronting The Destroyer in less than an hour.

Dave had received Mr. Whiskey Sour’s name and address from his contact at the DMV.

Apparently, his real name is Cyrus Kendall, and he’s a private investigator in Bodine, Texas, about twenty-five miles south of Calamity.

Honey had insisted on coming, too, and had even threatened to call a rideshare if Will left without her. And since Will had already shared the text with her, she had the address and would show up whether he liked it or not.

“What’s the map say?” Will asked her. For some reason, her audio system wasn’t working this morning. He’d found that a little suspicious and worried someone might have tampered with it, but she assured him it had happened before and was always a little glitchy.

“We’ll stay on this road for another thirty miles, then we’ll be in Hampton.”

“Then Mr. Cyrus Kendall will receive a surprise visit.”

“Aka The Destroyer,” Will said.

“Since he’s a PI, it’s less likely he’s The Destroyer, but he might know who is.”

Something in her voice made him wonder if she was thinking about their deal.

“I’m a man of my word,” he assured her, his voice growing more solemn. “If by some miracle this case is solved today, you can still interview me for that profile story.”

Honey gently placed her hand on his bare forearm and squeezed it gently. “Thank you, Will. I appreciate that more than you know.”

Her brief touch was electric, sending shock waves throughout his body.

Shock waves he couldn’t think about now, despite the slow build that had begun last night on that hard floor with only a thin door between them.

Hah! Who was he fooling? The build had begun the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, and it had been anything but slow.

The next moment, her hand was back in her lap, and she was gazing out the front windshield, completely oblivious to the effect she had on him.

Maybe that was a good thing. Because he needed to keep his focus on bringing down The Destroyer if he wanted to get his life back.

“Oh, one more thing,” she said, turning to him with a mischievous smile. “Since you told my brother we’re living together, I guess you’ll be going as my plus one to a wedding reception tonight.”

He blinked at the change of subject, but kept his eyes on the road. “What?”

“Don’t worry, the reception doesn’t start until eight, but my original plus one can’t make it. Colin’s a colleague at the Chronicle , but he messaged me yesterday saying his boyfriend had an emergency appendectomy, so he won’t be able to make it to the reception.”

“Let me get this straight,” Will said. “You were upset that I told Theo we’re living together, but now you want the whole town to know?”

“Oh, Will.” She laughed, shaking her head. “The whole town’s going to know by noon today. Theo will tell my dad, then Dad will tell Mom, then Mom will Aunt Jo. Aunt Jo will tell Aunt Cynthia, of course, and soon after that, most of Calamity will know we’re living together.”

“Okay,” he said with a chuckle. “I grew up on a ranch near a small town, too, so I get it.” He put up his visor. “Who’s the lucky couple?”

“The reception is for Sheriff Ben Kane and Lauren McBride. They’re having a private ceremony this afternoon, then the big reception tonight.” She offered a smile. “And knowing those two, it should be a lot of fun.”

A silence eventually settled between them as they neared Bodine.

“Ten miles away,” Will said when they passed another mile marker.