The O’Connells Books 7 - 9 E-Book

Lorhainne Eckhart

• Herausgeber: Lorhainne Eckhart, INC.
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: The O'Connells Box Set
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 551

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Dive into small-town romance and thrilling suspense with "The O'Connells Books 7 - 9 Box Set Collection." In the heart of Livingston, Montana, the O'Connell siblings navigate the perilous aspects of love in this captivating series. This collection includes "The Hometown Hero," "Justice," and "The Family Secret."

"The Hometown Hero" reunites responsible older brother Owen O'Connell with his former rival, Tessa, after a high school plumbing emergency uncovers a shocking discovery, intertwining their lives in unexpected ways.

In "Justice," small-town sheriff Marcus O'Connell conceals a long-held family secret that becomes a target for leverage. As the pressure intensifies, Marcus grapples with personal and professional challenges, making life-altering decisions to safeguard his family's well-being.

"The Family Secret" delves into Iris O'Connell's journey as she confronts the truth behind her husband's mysterious disappearance, uncovering a revelation that could forever alter their lives. Join the O'Connells as they face danger, love, and the bonds that hold them together in this exhilarating box set.

Leseprobe

The O’Connells Books 7 - 9

The Hometown Hero - Justice - The Family Secret

COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2020, All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Editor: Talia Leduc

THE O’CONNELLS BOOKS 7 - 9

The O’Connells Box Set

Book 3

LORHAINNE ECKHART

Contents

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

About the O’Connells

The O’Connells Books 7 - 9

The Hometown Hero

Justice

The Family Secret

What’s coming next in The O’Connells

The Fallen O’Connell, Chapter 1

Other works available

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

About the Author

Series Available

Links to Lorhainne Eckhart’s Booklist

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

Sign-up for Lorhainne’s Newsletter & Monday Blog

Like Lorhainne on Facebook

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Lorhainne’s Audiobooks on Audible

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About the O’Connells

The O’Connells of Livingston, Montana, are not your typical family. Follow them on their journey to the dark and dangerous side of love in a series of romantic thrillers you won’t want to miss. Raised by a single mother after their father’s mysterious disappearance eighteen years ago, the six grown siblings live in a small town with all kinds of hidden secrets, lies, and deception. Much like the contemporary family romance series focusing on the Friessens, this romantic suspense series follows the lives of the O’Connell family as each of the siblings searches for love.

The O’Connells

The Neighbor

The Third Call

The Secret Husband

The Quiet Day

The Commitment, An O’Connell Novella

The Missing Father

The Hometown Hero

Justice

The Family Secret

The Fallen O’Connell

The Return of the O’Connells

And The She Was Gone

The Stalker

The O’Connell Family Christmas

The Girl Next Door

Broken Promises

The Gatekeeper

The Hunted

The O’Connells Box Set Collections

The O’Connells Books 1 - 3

The O’Connells Books 4 - 6

The O’Connells Books 7 - 9

The O’Connells Books 10 - 12

The O’Connells Books 13 - 15

The O’Connells Books 16 - 18

The O’Connells Books 7 - 9

Dive into small-town romance and thrilling suspense with "The O'Connells Books 7 - 9 Box Set Collection." In the heart of Livingston, Montana, the O'Connell siblings navigate the perilous aspects of love in this captivating series. This collection includes "The Hometown Hero," "Justice," and "The Family Secret."

"The Hometown Hero" reunites responsible older brother Owen O'Connell with his former rival, Tessa, after a high school plumbing emergency uncovers a shocking discovery, intertwining their lives in unexpected ways.

In "Justice," small-town sheriff Marcus O'Connell conceals a long-held family secret that becomes a target for leverage. As the pressure intensifies, Marcus grapples with personal and professional challenges, making life-altering decisions to safeguard his family's well-being.

"The Family Secret" delves into Iris O'Connell's journey as she confronts the truth behind her husband's mysterious disappearance, uncovering a revelation that could forever alter their lives. Join the O'Connells as they face danger, love, and the bonds that hold them together in this exhilarating box set.

About this book

In this shocking O’Connell family novel, a brother’s secret is exposed, opening up old wounds and creating a scandal that could rock the community.

Big brother Owen O’Connell was only sixteen when his father mysteriously disappeared, forcing him to become a father figure to his five younger siblings. If you were to ask them, they’d say Owen is the perfect older brother with the perfect life: He’s single, a plumber, working his own hours in a close-knit community. Owen, though, knows that appearances are often deceiving.

When he is called to a plumbing emergency at the local high school after a grad prank goes wrong, he finds his old rival Tessa Brooks, now a teacher, holding a broken pipe in the middle of the flood, thinking she can fix the problem. However, the two soon make a horrifying discovery: the body of a student tucked away in a closet.

The event brings authorities flocking in, and in the ensuing chaos, Owen realizes that someone knows too much about his family. Having carefully held the family together since his father disappeared, he is determined to keep their secrets right where they are, dead and buried. But sometimes, secrets get revealed in the most scandalous of ways.

ChapterOne

Owen O’Connell, eldest of six, couldn’t remember what it was like not to have responsibility resting upon his now broad shoulders. He couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t have an eye on his younger siblings, worried about something they’d done or could do, or something that could come after any one of them. Even though everyone was grown now, with their own lives, he still felt that kind of responsibility. Though it hadn’t been his choice, he couldn’t shake the incessant need to know what was going on with his three brothers and two sisters, considering they all found their way into their own brands of trouble. The biggest lesson of all, which he’d learned long ago, was not to share anything with anyone about his life or his family’s.

He took in his home workshop, a small garage at the back of his two-bedroom bungalow at the edge of town. The cottage to his right was owned by an old woman in her nineties, now in a nursing home, whose grandson had been considerate enough to move in and share his love of hip-hop with the entire neighborhood every night after midnight. The place on the left was a rundown rental with three feet of perpetually overgrown grass, but at least they were quiet.

In the back of his van, were the box of elbow PVC pipes he’d just bought to replenish his supply. The van was faded, older. It was missing his company name, O’Connell’s Plumbing, but considering he didn’t need to drum up business, as most everyone knew who he was, a company decal would’ve been wasted dollars. If anything, Owen was the one O’Connell who couldn’t and wouldn’t part with one dime unnecessarily.

He spotted the ancient rusty Datsun as it pulled up and parked behind his van. The engine purred before it shut off, and the squeal of the car door revealed Lori Kramer, slender and five foot five, with sandy blond hair that stopped at her shoulders. Her pretty face still bore the pissed-off expression that had been there since their fight outside the diner where she worked as a waitress. Their on again, off again relationship, which was non-committal and, as far as he was concerned, had no strings attached, no longer worked for her. So what had she done but demand he figure his shit out, as if he were the one who had issues? He didn’t, he told himself, but those had pretty much been her exact words: his issues, his lack of commitment.

Finally, because he could feel her drawing closer and hear her flip-flops on the pavement, he was forced to lift his gaze, taking in the godawful mustard dress uniform from the diner and the small box she was carrying. He put down an old pipe, wiped his hands on a damp cloth, and gave her everything, seeing the spark in her brown eyes, the light freckles over the bridge of her nose. She dumped the small box on the workbench beside him, and he took in some things of his: a shirt, a toothbrush, some old tools he’d used while fixing her sink, and a watch he hadn’t missed. He wasn’t sure what else was in there. When he lifted his gaze to her, she didn’t say anything for another second.

“Your things.” She gestured rather forcefully.

He lifted the old shirt, which he’d forgotten about, and said nothing, taking in everything in the box. He wasn’t too inclined to respond.

“You know, I asked you to pick up your things,” she said. “Since I didn’t hear from you, here I am, driving them out to you. This is just one more reason we’re not together, Owen. I can’t get you to actually be part of a relationship, to show up, to follow through on anything. You want me only when you want me…”

He let out a rough sigh, knowing she was about to go on and on to fill the silence, something she always did. There was a point he stopped listening and a point at which he was just done, like now.

“I get it,” he said. “Apologies. Sorry you had to make the trip over. Anything else?” He rested his hand on the box and took in her face, her lips, which he’d kissed so many times. He liked her, but even now, this situation seemed to be heading fast to confrontation, all because of her need to argue, to push, to get him to…what? Be serious about her when his focus was everywhere else.

As she’d so explicitly put it, she wanted the kind of commitment he could never see in their relationship.

“That’s it? That’s all I get?’ She gestured between them quite dramatically. What the hell did she want from him?

He laughed. “Jesus Christ, Lori, what the fuck is this? We’re over. You’ve said your piece already—repeatedly. I get it. You don’t need to hammer it to death, if that’s what this is. This isn’t working. Sometimes things don’t. That’s life. Again, thanks for bringing my stuff, but I’ve got nothing else for you. Not sure what you want me to say.”

He knew he sounded like an asshole, but he just rested his forearm on the box and flicked his hand. This was something else she did, push and push when things didn’t quite go the way she wanted. He could see she just didn’t want to let it go, and her anger seemed to hold her where she was.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said. “Is that what you want to hear from me? I can’t feel something just because you want me to. It doesn’t work that way. You’ve made your feelings clear, as I’ve made mine. I’m not in the same space you are, because of…”

“Yes, because of your family, I know,” she snapped. “You’re all about the O’Connells. Your nose is in all of their lives. All I wanted was to be included. You spend almost every night with them, but I thought maybe I would get tossed a crumb of what’s left of you. You never took me once to meet your family. We weren’t there yet. You never came out and said those exact words, but getting you to talk and express any kind of reasonable emotion is beyond me. I started to realize we were never going to get ‘there,’” she said, complete with air quotes.

He sighed. “Okay, this has been fun, but I’ve got work to do, and I’m not rehashing this same old conversation about how you don’t understand me. I don’t understand you, either, or your need to share everything…” His phone rang, and for a second, he thought the gods were smiling down on him with the interruption. He reached for it, taking in the fact that Lori was still standing there. “I have to take this,” he said.

She inclined her head, but she didn’t move. Great, so she wanted to take another chunk out of his ass.

He answered and pressed his phone to his ear, giving Lori his back as he took in the rest of his shop. “Yeah? Owen here.”

“Owen, this is Rita Mae, down at the high school. We’ve got ourselves kind of a problem down here, a plumbing emergency. There’s water everywhere. It’s coming from the second-floor girls’ bathroom. We’re not sure what happened, but…”

“Okay, on my way. Has anyone shut the main water valve off yet?” He turned around and took in Lori still standing there, her arms crossed, taking in everything he was saying.

“No, custodial is gone for the day. I have a call in to them.”

Owen shook his head. “No, look, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in less than ten.”

He’d shut the main off himself, find out what the problem was, and fix it. At least this was his get-away-from-Lori card, he thought as he hung up and pocketed his phone. He could sense that she just didn’t want to let go of this fight. He reached for his keys, giving his shop one last look, but everything he’d need—all the tools and supplies—was already in his van for exactly this reason.

“I have to go, Lori, an emergency call,” he said and started walking out of his shop. When she didn’t move for a second, he reached up to pull the garage door down, waiting until she finally did. She had realized this was it, and she walked past him and out of the shop.

He pulled down the door and slipped on the lock that would keep out no one who really wanted to get in. Her Datsun was still parked behind his van, and she stopped at her door and took him in. For a minute, he thought she was going to start in on him again. That was just something she did—another reason, he realized, why not seeing her had actually lifted a weight off him. Lori, although fun at times, could be a lot to handle.

“Lori, I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know how many ways I can say it, but it’s over. I’m not where you are. I hope you find someone who can give you what you’re looking for, but it’s not me. You said it, and you were right, so let’s just leave it at that.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she let out a sigh instead. Evidently, she’d changed her mind. She shook her head, slipped into her vehicle, started the old heap, and pulled away.

And instead of feeling sad at the ending of their relationship, he felt relieved.

ChapterTwo

Owen took in the local high school and the few teens in the parking lot, because school was now out for the day. He remembered the concrete institution fondly, but he thought that was mostly nostalgia, because it was also a reminder that for him and his siblings, school hadn’t been a happy social time. Today, if you asked him, he wouldn’t be able to recall any of the fundamental knowledge that had been crammed into them back then.

He pulled his tool kit from the van, looping the strap over his shoulder. In just his faded blue T-shirt, he felt the chill in the air as he pulled out his phone and saw Karen’s text: Can you pick up some wine on your way over? Jack and I have to meet with a client and are running late.

Right, everyone was going to Marcus and Charlotte’s new house, which they’d just signed the papers on, across from Ryan and Jenny’s. At least Marcus was now married, with a baby on the way, and then there was his adoption of Eva. Marcus, out of all of them, was the one who had really pulled his shit together.

Owen strode up the sidewalk, seeing the cracks in the cement and remembering the spot where he’d dropped his history teacher’s keys into the freshly poured concrete. Helga Adams had made every day in that class a living hell for him. To this day, he’d never shared with anyone the fact that he was the one who had taken her keys from her desk. Even though she’d accused him, she’d never been able to prove it.

He pulled open the front door and spotted Rita Mae, redheaded and slender, about ten years his senior, coming from the office. Evidently, she’d been waiting for him, as she hurried his way. His sneakers squeaked on the industrial concrete floor, looking right and left to see if anything out there was coming his way—just a habit he couldn’t shake.

“Owen, thank goodness you’re here,” Rita Mae said. “It’s quite a mess. There’s water everywhere, and I don’t know what to make of what happened. You know, every year about this time, I expect those seniors to pull something. When I heard there was water coming down the stairs from the girls’ bathroom, I just knew it was them. I hope it’s not going to be too bad! It seems the kids are getting more creative every year with their so-called pranks, which are destructive to school property. From the toilet paper decorating the entire hall to Mr. Goodman’s motorcycle on the roof of the school last year—though how they got it up there, I have no idea—and now this, something just has to be done with those kids…”

He was following Rita Mae down the hall, and he took in how quiet the place was. “So, speaking of misfits, where’re all the kids?” he added as he started up the stairs. “Seems rather quiet, considering.”

“You’re right,” she said. “School’s out for the day, and we don’t see many sticking around, maybe a few here and there. It’s amazing, though. Today it’s absolutely deserted, which tells me every kid in the school likely knew this was going to happen and skedaddled instead of having to answer questions and face the music. What is it with teenagers?”

He wondered whether she expected him to answer. He took in the water on the stairs, a thin stream. As his feet splashed through the puddles, he realized Rita Mae was still talking, carrying on about the seniors. He knew well those kinds of pranks, that kind of trouble. The O’Connells had been neck deep in it at one time.

Marcus had been the worst. Any time trouble happened at school, nine times out of ten, Marcus had been behind it, had known about it, or had been a part of it. Then there was Ryan. Owen had lost count of the number of times he’d pulled his younger brothers out of something: doing graffiti, keying the principal’s car, letting air out of the science teacher’s tires… His other younger brother, Luke, had pretty much taken care of himself. Karen was one he’d had to watch extra closely, and then there was Suzanne, who had always given the impression that everything was fine even when it wasn’t. Now look at them. He wondered if he’d ever be able to shake his need to herd them all, to keep tabs on all of them.

As he topped the stairs, he spotted the sheen of water coming from the bathroom just ahead, where the door was open. He found himself looking at the concrete block walls, the girls’ sign on the open door.

Rita Mae went in first and peered around the corner. “Owen is here now. OMG, look at you, girl! This mess…”

He wasn’t sure whom she was talking to at first, but as he stepped into the bathroom, he saw her: her blond hair pulled back into a neat bun, her slender curves in navy slacks and a white tank top, her flat shoes in the water on the floor. The paneling had been pulled off the wall that led to the plumbing, and he could see the wrench in her hand. She was reaching as high as she could on tiptoes to bang the red valve, which he knew was the water shut-off.

She turned her head. All the while, water was still spraying out from what he could now see was a busted pipe. For a second, he felt shocked, looking into her face, oval perfection. Her white tank left nothing to the imagination, soaked. She could’ve won a wet T-shirt contest, as it was practically sheer over her perfect breasts. He had to remind himself this was Tessa Brooks, his first crush, though that had crashed and burned, and she was now just an old rival.

Right. Someone had mentioned long ago that she was now a teacher.

“Well, are you going to do something, or are you going to just stand there and keep staring at my breasts?” she said, then made a rude noise. He thought she’d dropped the F-bomb under her breath. Right, she also had a smart mouth. He’d forgotten about that.

She turned back around and gripped the wrench, about to swing it and pound away at the red lever again, so he reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding it just as she went to swing again. It was that damn competitive drive, as if she thought she could do everything better than him.

“Whoa, what the hell, Tessa? Stop before you break something.” He went to take the wrench, but she seemed to grip it harder, giving him everything in that one look. He was still holding her wrist, but he didn’t let go, just stepped in right beside her. She was tall and slender, with perfect curves, about five inches shorter than him. Pull it together, Owen. Her eyes were blue, vivid, and flashing with hellfire—and then there were those lips.

“Take your hands off me,” she said, enunciating each word carefully through gritted teeth so there was no chance he’d misunderstand.

Water was still spraying out, soaking his shirt now too, and what did he do but put his other hand on the wrench to pry it from her? He tossed it onto the floor in the water, then somehow maneuvered her back and reached up to shut off the water. The spray stopped, and the water slowly drizzled and then dripped.

“It was one hand, Tessa,” he said. “Now that I’m here, you can let a professional fix this before you break something and turn what’ll likely be a simple fix into something far more costly and time-consuming.”

She didn’t pull those magnificent blue eyes from him. She could tell him to fuck off with just a look, and he could see she was likely thinking of a way to tell him how she could and would do things better than he would.

“I was trying to turn the water off and almost had it, Owen.”

He knew she hated him. At the same time, everything about her brought up unsettling and frustrating feelings inside him. He took in the counter, seeing the gray duct tape, and he reached for it and lifted it. Rita Mae had evidently realized she was in the middle of something personal and had quietly stepped out.

“You planning on doing something with this?” Owen said, tossing the duct tape back on the wet counter and setting his tool case beside one of the sinks. He took a better look at the busted pipe, wondering what had caused this. He doubted this was a prank. More than likely, from the looks of it, the pipe was just old and had been about to give for some time.

“I was planning on fixing the pipe,” she snapped. “I was going to turn the water off and then duct tape it until it could be fixed. You know, I’m not completely useless, Owen. I have two hands and the ability to problem-solve, which was exactly what I was doing. Then here you are, showing up and thinking I’m out of my depth. I’ll have you know I had a handle on the situation, and⁠—”

“Are you finished?” He cut her off, facing her.

She was standing there, holding her ground. The woman was infuriating, and he quickly remembered how she never had gone quietly into the night. No, scratch that. She had never sat back and counted on him for anything. As if she had realized how indecent her shirt was, she simply crossed her arms under those amazing breasts and gave him everything.

Confidence. Two can play this game.

“Evidently,” she said, then gestured to the tools and the sink. “I’ll leave you to this, then.”

He had expected something else from her. No, he had wanted something else. Her walking away that easily should’ve been a relief, but there was something about her attitude that he craved. What was it about Tessa? He had anticipated fighting with her, sparring with her, because their arguments had been on another level. No other woman could compete.

“So how did this happen?” he added, taking in her confusion as she stepped back. “Rita Mae said it was a school prank, seniors, but these pipes are old, no longer up to code. Corrosion and wear is what this looks like.”

He took in the pipes intently only because he was finding it damn difficult to keep his gaze from her. When he reached up for the red shut-off lever, he felt how corroded that was, as well.

“I have no idea,” she said. “I was in my classroom, finishing up for the day, and was just about ready to pack it up and leave when something caught my eye. I stepped out of my classroom to investigate and saw water everywhere. I followed it into the bathroom here and found all this…”

As she gestured, someone screamed. In the second that followed, Tessa gave him everything before darting out the door ahead of him. Around the corner, he spotted Rita Mae standing outside a room labeled Janitor, staring down at something in shock.

As he stepped behind both women and took in the closet, he realized what the problem was. He was staring at the body of a young man, curled up, unmoving. On pure instinct, he moved both Rita Mae and Tessa aside and crouched down, seeing the lifeless eyes of what looked like a student. He reached in and checked for a pulse, but just looking at him, he already knew he was dead.

ChapterThree

“Look, I have no idea what the hell happened,” Owen said to Marcus, his brother, the sheriff, as he took in the scene at the school. “I was called to a plumbing emergency. There was water everywhere.”

He’d pulled out his phone and called Marcus after making the discovery, which had brought in what seemed like everyone. Tessa was talking with one of the crime scene techs, and Harold, his brother’s lead deputy and Suzanne’s partner, was speaking with Rita Mae. He took in the body, which had been photographed and was now in a body bag, being wheeled away. Another deputy, Lonnie, was in the bathroom, and the kid deputy, Colby, was directing the emergency workers to move the body down the stairs.

Owen was still having a hard time shaking the fact that he’d found a kid in a closet, dead. It was surreal, the entire scene.

“Any idea who the kid is?” Owen said. His arms were crossed, and he glanced around, taking in everyone. Tessa ran her hand over the back of her neck, strong and confident but shaken as all hell. He could see it only because he knew her better than he was comfortable with. Tessa had a difficult independent personality, and anyone else would’ve had to look real hard to see it.

“Jackson Moore,” Marcus said. “You know the Moore family? He’s one of Susan’s four kids. A hard call that’ll be.”

Owen winced. The Moores had been in Livingston as long as his family had—longer, maybe. He could see this was the part of the job his brother didn’t like. Who would want to face parents and tell them their kid was dead? This was the kind of thing that just didn’t happen in their town.

“You said the water’s off?” Marcus said. “We’re going to have to shut this down for now, so you won’t be fixing anything for a bit. We need to investigate, find out what happened. With all the kids and everyone in the school, it’s going to be like finding a needle in a haystack—or we could get lucky.”

From the way his brother said it, he knew that was wishful thinking. But then, someone had to have seen something.

“Fine, I get it,” Owen said. “School will be out too, then. I’ll fix it when you give the all clear. How old was Jackson, anyway?” He didn’t know why he needed to ask. It was irrelevant now, but he just wanted to know.

“Pretty sure he’s Alison’s age,” Marcus said. “What a waste. He never even had a chance at life, at screwing up or choosing something or creating something… Shit!”

The door was still open, and Owen took in the small closet, how dark it would’ve been, still filled with cleaning supplies, brooms, mops, and janitorial equipment. He didn’t know what to think.

“So was he murdered?” Owen said. He knew he’d never get the sightless eyes of the young man out of his mind. It was never supposed to happen this way—a wasted life. What the hell had happened?

The look from Marcus was one he knew well. “You know I can’t talk about that. It’s too early, anyway. Coroner will need to figure it out. Couldn’t see anything, any visible marks to give us a clue. How the hell did he get into that closet? Why was he there?”

There was a lot to figure out. He looked around, seeing how upset Rita Mae was. Harold was walking over toward them, calm, collected, together, one of his brother’s best deputies. Marcus reached out and touched his shoulder. “I’ll have someone grab your tools, but this is a crime scene now. Let me know if you hear of something. Keep your ear to the ground, and let me know if you think of anything that could help.”

He watched as his brother moved away with Harold, discussing crime-scene things that he knew had nothing to do with him. He took in Tessa, for the first time realizing she was completely out of sorts. It took her another second before she realized he was walking right toward her. He could hear Rita Mae crying, but he kept walking.

“You okay?” was all he said as he stopped in front of Tessa, whose shirt was still damp and indecent. He gestured helplessly. He didn’t even have a jacket to give her.

“Sure. Seriously? Of course I’m not. That was Jackson Moore. He was one of my students. How is it possible that he’s dead? It’s wrong, so wrong that this could happen. What the hell was he doing in that closet, anyways?” She lifted her hands and then let them fall helplessly to her sides. “Any idea what happened, how he died?”

The more he looked, the more he saw something in her blue eyes that made him not want to walk away. She didn’t show this side of herself to just anyone. There was just something about her. He sensed her vulnerability.

He shook his head. He knew she was asking the same questions he was. “Where’re your things?” he said. “We should grab them and then go.”

She lifted her hand in a gesture and started to one of the classrooms down the hall. Inside, he took in the empty desks, the old chalkboard, the same as when he’d gone to school. She opened a drawer and pulled out her purse, then tucked a laptop from the desk into a case. He took in the cream-colored sweater looped around the back of the chair and reached for it.

“Here, put this on,” he said, holding it up, taking in those blue eyes that seemed to connect with him for just a second. Would she argue? “Tessa, your shirt. Come on, you have to be cold. You’re still wet.”

She must’ve known, as she slipped her arms into her sweater, and he rested his hands over her shoulders, feeling her tension and the stress of the moment. He let his hands linger. Of course she was upset. He could feel it.

There was something about her hair, that fine blond hair. He ran his fingers over the strands that fell here and there from her bun, then tucked a few strands behind her ear and let his hand fall away. He made himself step back.

She didn’t pull her questioning gaze. For a moment, he was positive she was fighting the urge to lean closer. He could see it. At the same time, she wouldn’t let herself. He gestured to the door behind him and then ran his hand over her shoulder again and around her back to steer her there.

“We should go,” he said. “I’ll walk you out.”

She was about to shake her head. He could just tell when a woman wanted something even though she denied it, but Tessa was a master of control, of making sure she would never have the one thing she wanted. She didn’t give in, and he was well aware he was as stubborn as she was.

“You don’t have to,” she said. “I’m a big girl, Owen. I can look after myself. Been doing it for years.”

At any other time, he’d have said fine and walked away, but something about the situation had him digging his heels in. “No,” he said. “I’m sure you’re capable of looking after yourself, Tessa, but seriously, a kid just died. Don’t be so damn stubborn. You’re upset, I’m upset. Be human for a second. This isn’t about that. Let’s go. I’ll walk you out.”

He could sense without her saying a word that she was happy he was insisting. Her hand was on her computer bag, and he reached for it and took it from her. He didn’t know how he did it, but he had her walking out of the room. He took in the cops, the crime scene, and Marcus, who was talking to one of them but gave Owen a look. Something passed between them as he led Tessa out to the stairs, where water was still running down in a thin stream.

“Careful on the stairs,” he said. “It’ll be slippery.” He just couldn’t help himself. He let her go first as she held the rail.

“You know, Owen, you don’t have to walk me out. I already told you…”

“You’ve said that already, Tessa. Just stop it, okay? This isn’t the time to be so stubborn.”

She stepped down off the last step and looked up to him, and for a moment, he could see she might be having trouble with something.

“Any idea of what happened?” she said. “I mean, Jackson was kind of a loner. He had a few friends in class, but he kept his head down. Why would he have been in that closet?” She lifted her hands, adjusting her purse over her shoulder. She was struggling and wasn’t about to leave it alone. Could he blame her? Hell, he needed a shot of something after this.

He somehow maneuvered her around and had her walking to the front door again. The questions kept circling in his mind, too. “Rita Mae said something about a prank, about how she was waiting for something. Know anything about that?”

“You mean the grad pranks from the seniors that happen every year around this time?” She was so close to him as she walked, and he opened the front door and gestured for Tessa to go first. She did, but she seemed to linger a bit as if waiting for him, then fell in beside him again, walking down the steps.

He took in the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles. She gestured to a light blue compact in the parking lot not far from his plumbing van.

“Yeah, those ones,” he said.

She sighed as she kept walking, and he pressed his hand to her lower back because he just couldn’t keep from touching her. “Honestly, I don’t know, Owen. With the deserted halls and the flooding, that was honestly my first thought, too. It seems as if someone knew something…”

She stopped at her car and let out a sigh, then reached into her purse and pulled out her keys. He watched the way she clutched them, then hesitated, looking over the roof of her car as if thinking some heavy thoughts.

“You good to drive? I can follow you home,” he added.

She gave him everything again. “What happened between us, Owen?”

There it was, the million-dollar question. He was too stubborn, and so was she. “Life, everything…nothing,” he said, then shrugged, knowing it wasn’t an answer. He didn’t know when it was that his feelings for her had changed, which single moment had had him walking away. She didn’t pull her gaze from him, and Owen didn’t step back.

He found himself nodding. “You want to grab a drink?”

She said nothing for a second, giving him everything. Her eyes, the blueness… No one could compete with her. He expected a no, hell no, but instead she clutched her keys and seemed to consider it. “Yeah, a drink seems appropriate. So where?”

“Pop your things in your car, and I’ll drive. The Lighthouse?”

She held her keys up, and he saw that part of her that never went quietly as she said, “The Lighthouse sounds great, but I’ll drive.”

ChapterFour

“Never realized you were a gin and tonic woman,” Owen said, taking in Tessa as she sat on the bar stool beside him, leaning on the old dark wood bar top and swirling a plastic stir stick in her drink after squeezing in a lime.

“And I never expected you to just get in my car and let me drive,” she replied. She tapped the stick on the edge of her glass and set it on the bar counter, then lifted the glass and took a swallow.

Owen gripped his double shot of whiskey. A pint of beer wasn’t going to do it for him. He needed something stronger and with a bite.

“There you go, not answering,” she said. “Why do you do that? I don’t get it. This here…” She gestured between them.

He stood and leaned beside her, not missing the scent of lavender. Maybe it was her shampoo or soap, but it was one of the little things about her that unsettled him. “What don’t you get?” he said, though he knew damn well what she was getting at, and he didn’t need to be such a prick about it. He sensed the minute she was about to get up and leave, so he reached out and grabbed her arm before she could slip off the stool. “Sorry,” he said. “Look, I don’t know why I do that.” He did, but saying that was easier than answering, because sharing anything with anyone was something he never did.

She gave him everything, standing so close now that he could feel her.

He could have stepped back, but he didn’t want to. “Sit down and finish your drink,” he said. Any other woman would have sat down and finished, but there was something about Tessa that wasn’t easy or uncomplicated. He sighed. “Please, Tessa, come on.”

“You going to keep avoiding answering me and playing games? Because I have to say, Owen, it’s the quality I like the least about you.” It was so matter of fact, the way she said it, that for a minute he really took her in, and he didn’t miss the sincerity mixed in with all the annoyance.

“Sorry, it’s not deliberate. Just a habit, I guess.” He swirled his whiskey and took a swallow, looking around, seeing faces he knew. When he gave her everything again, he saw the confusion on her face, as if she were thinking. What he’d have given to know what was going on in that head of hers.

“It’s a damn annoying habit, Owen.”

He leaned on the bar beside her as she sat back on her stool, lifted her glass, and took a swallow of her drink.

“What do you want to know?” he said.

“As in, ask you anything?”

What was it about that question that had him wanting to roll his shoulders and shake off the feeling that was setting him on edge?

“Geez, you can’t even hide how uncomfortable you are at that simple question, as if there’s something you don’t want anyone to know.”

“No, seriously, ask me.” He knew it had come out rather sharply.

That brought a smile to the edges of her lips. “Fine. You never answered me about my car. I insisted on driving, and you didn’t argue. I half expected you to do that thing you do and walk away or say no, or take my keys, maybe.”

He couldn’t help the laugh that burst out. “Take your keys? That would be something, Tessa. You’d likely have decked me.”

She raised her brows. “There you go, not really answering. It’s as if you have this secret that you need to hide. Now I’m convinced there’s really something there. Do you have a secret, Owen?”

The way she asked had him finishing his whiskey and lifting his hand to the bartender. “No secret,” he said. “And, honestly, I don’t know why I just let you drive. With the shitshow we walked out of at the school, the bad scene, it didn’t feel right to argue. Evidently, you didn’t want to give up control by getting into my van and driving with me, so I let you have this one. So what about you, Tessa? Why are you so driven? Why the need to do it yourself? Everything about you, it seems, is a fight. If I say blue, I’m pretty sure you’d say red.”

The bartender strode over.

“You want another drink?” Owen said.

Tessa just shook her head. “I’m good.”

“I’ll take a pint of your ale,” Owen said. “Bring another gin and tonic, too,” he added, taking in the shock on Tessa’s face when the bartender walked away.

“I said no. What don’t you understand about that?”

He wanted to laugh at her, at the fire and fight. Anyone else would’ve likely taken the damn drink. “Force of habit, I guess—and I’m not drinking alone.”

Her lips twitched, and she inclined her head. “Okay, you’ll get a pass for today only, but I’m not getting drunk, so if that’s your plan…”

What was it about her? He could go back and forth with her all day. “No, not my plan, but if I recall, just a second ago, you were busting my balls about evading and not answering, yet here you are, doing the same thing.”

She stilled as she lifted her glass, and for a second, as she gave him everything, he could see how she hadn’t expected that.

“You’ve always been driven,” he said. “You’ve never been the kind of woman to sit back and be meek and go with things. I always expect a fight about everything with you, as if you can see only your way and think only you can do it. Why?” He wondered if she’d answer.

She lowered her gaze and then flicked those blue eyes up to him. “Okay. What if I say I don’t know, and it’s just who I am?”

He was shaking his head. “Bullshit,” he said just as a pint of ale appeared in front of him, along with a short glass of gin and tonic with a twist of lime on the side for Tessa.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile and a lift of her chin to the bartender. It faded as she gripped her glass and lifted it, finishing off her first drink and then sliding the glass away to reach for the second one. “I don’t want to be disappointed,” she said. “I just find it easier, and it hurts less to be the one deciding for myself. The moment I depend on anyone, I’m disappointed and hurt. I don’t like feeling that way, and yes, it’s about not being in control of things that affect me. I learned long ago to do things by myself, so if that’s what you’re seeing…” She gestured at herself. He could see how uncomfortable she was.

“So who hurt you? Who is it that disappointed you, Tessa?” he said, though he didn’t think she’d answer. For all the years he’d known her, there was still so much about her that he didn’t know.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I guess it was just my dad, all the times he said he’d do something and then wouldn’t, all the broken promises. To him, they were little things. Something always came up, from the trip he talked about, to the bike he promised me, or a game, an event, a show, dinner. There was always something, as far back as I can remember. I’d get excited about something and then wait all week for that one thing, and then he’d have a bad day at work, or something would happen, and my parents would say that was life and I needed to get over it. I learned the promises he made were just dreams that would never happen, so after that, with anything anyone said, I knew if I counted on someone, I’d be disappointed. So yeah, I did it myself, everything.” She was self-assured and unapologetic.

He took her in, considering the thing he’d never known about her. “So you automatically think everyone is out to disappoint you and can’t be trusted to follow through on something? You think you’re the only one who can do it right? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s what it sounds like to me.”

She furrowed her brow, and for a moment, he thought she’d argue. “You make me sound horrible, Owen.” She lifted her chin to him, and he could see how she’d gone from semi-relaxed to overthinking.

“No, I don’t think you’re horrible by any means, Tessa. I never said that, so don’t put words in my mouth. I’m sorry your dad did that, but don’t you think by assuming everyone will let you down, that’s exactly the expectation you’re putting out there for everyone? Sometimes you can set standards so high, Tessa, that no one can meet them. Not everyone is your dad, but sometimes stuff does come up.”

He didn’t move from where he was, so close to her. He could see this topic was associated with hurts buried beneath so many layers, and getting to the bottom of it was like peeling an onion.

“I won’t apologize for who I am, Owen.” She gave him everything as she set her glass down. Was she considering leaving?

“I’m not sure why you think I expect an apology,” he said.

It was there in her face, her expression, as she shrugged. “Well, you just said you think my standards are too high.”

He made a rude noise. “Don’t think that’s what I said. I’m just questioning your motives, is all. That’s all that is, Tessa. I’m not in your head, but most folks are just doing the best they can.”

She pulled in a breath, and he didn’t miss the way her chest rose. He couldn’t pull his gaze from the curve of her breasts as he dragged his gaze back up to her face. She could never be lost, even in a sea of pretty women. None of the women he’d dated could hold a candle to Tessa in personality. He held her gaze and took in her gorgeous pink lips, her narrow nose, and the hairline scar on her cheekbone.

“So is that what you’re doing, Owen, your best?”

He didn’t know how to answer her, but he knew what she was asking. “It’s who I am, Tessa. I don’t know how to be any other way. May not be what you’re looking for, but it is what it is.” He lifted his ale and took a swallow, letting his gaze linger on her, taking in all of her.

“You have a lot of secrets, Owen.”

He said nothing for another second as he took in the two of them, the bar, and the fact that he hadn’t thought of the kid they’d found dead for a few minutes now.

“Don’t we all, Tessa?”

This time, she lifted her drink and didn’t bother to answer.

ChapterFive

His brother was waiting for him outside the school when he pulled up with Tessa. Her car was a compact stick shift, and after two drinks, it had been she who said they needed to go. He’d paid the bill, refused her money, and sat uncomfortably in the passenger side with his knees pressed to the dash.

“Pull in here and park,” he said, gesturing, seeing the way Marcus and Harold both gave him everything as they talked with each other.

“You have a hard time not giving orders, don’t you?” she said as she parked and pulled up the emergency brake.

“I’m a man, Tessa, and one who doesn’t know how to sit back and do nothing—or is that what you would prefer?” The way he said it, he knew she understood their conversation had gone way beyond casual. Maybe it was that the two drinks had eased away the guard that seemed to be a part of who he was, who she was.

She pressed her tongue to her lip but appeared unaffected, looking straight ahead, out the windshield. Neither of them moved. He knew his brother was waiting, staring at the two of them, but at the same time, he didn’t want to let Tessa off without an answer.

Her hand squeezed the knob of the gearshift, and he took in her ringless fingers. He’d never asked her about who she was seeing, and it wasn’t lost on him that she hadn’t, either. Every woman he met, the first thing she always asked was if he had a special someone. The answer was always no.

She gestured toward him. “Thanks for the drink, for the company, and for making this moment bearable.” Then she turned her head to him, giving him everything again. He knew he had his answer from her lack of response. Even her distinct blue eyes seemed to ease and soften a bit.

He jutted his chin to his brother and then gave everything to Tessa again. “Have dinner with me.”

Her eyes widened. He knew she hadn’t expected it. Hell, he couldn’t believe he’d asked. She shook her head. “That’s not a good idea…” she started, but he reached over and rested his hand over hers, feeling how she responded.

“It’s just dinner, two old friends sharing a meal.”

She shut her eyes for a second, inhaled, and he could feel her tension. His hand was still over hers. She stared down at it but made no move to pull hers free. “Why do you want to have dinner with me, Owen?”

“Does it matter why? Do I have to have a reason? Don’t be difficult. Just go with it, Tessa. Don’t overthink it. It’s just dinner. I’ll talk with Marcus, and I’ll pick you up from your place.” He took in her surprise.

“You mean tonight?”

He’d have laughed at her expression, considering there wasn’t a woman he’d ever had to talk into dinner, into spending time with him, or into bed. “Unless you have plans,” he said.

That was her out, but he didn’t think she was one of those women. He could be wrong, but Tessa had never played those kinds of games. She just didn’t roll that way. “You mean other than a ton of homework to mark, lesson plans to ready for tomorrow, and Netflix to watch? No, I have no other plans.”

He figured that was the only answer he was going to get. He settled his hand on the door and rested it there a second before pulling it open. “Great. I’ll finish up here and see you at yours.”

She nodded as he pulled his hand away and stepped out of her small car. “Owen…” she called out.

He leaned down, resting his hand on the door frame. For a second, he was positive she’d changed her mind. He said nothing but gave her everything.

“How do you know where I live?” she said.

What was he supposed to say to that? He’d always known where she was—first at the apartment she’d rented until five years ago, then at the small house she’d rented for six months by the river before moving in the middle of the night, then at the duplex she’d rented from a couple until they sold it the year before, and then the small house five blocks from his place, which she’d finally bought.

“This is a small town, Tessa. You should know that if someone isn’t telling someone about someone else’s business, that person doesn’t live here.”

And the fact was that every time her name had come up when people talked, he’d always listened.

She made a face, put her clutch in gear, and tapped the stick shift with her hand. “So who’s talking about me?” she said.

This time, he allowed a mischievous smile to pull at the edge of his lips, and he winked. “I’ll tell you tonight at dinner,” he said, then stepped back, closed the door, and patted the roof of her car. He waited while she backed up and drove away before taking in his brother. Harold had gotten into a cruiser and was pulling out, and Marcus took a few steps toward him, all the while taking in Tessa as she drove off.

Marcus gestured with his thumb to her. “Didn’t know you two were friends,” he said. Owen knew Marcus likely wanted to ask a lot more than that.

“I’ve known Tessa a long time,” Owen said. “She was upset. We went for a drink.” he added.

Marcus nodded, but he seemed distracted.

“So you talked to Jackson’s parents?” Owen said. The last thing he wanted to talk about with anyone was Tessa or anything about the personal side of his fucked-up life.

“Yeah,” Marcus said. “I had Lonnie head over, and he broke the news. I need to speak with them later. They have a ton of questions that I don’t have answers for.”

He could see how this was eating up his brother. He carried a lot of weight on his shoulders, being sheriff. If he screwed up in any way, the chances of his re-election would be slim, considering all eyes were on him now.

“You have any idea how he died?”

His brother said nothing for a second. “Too early to say for sure, but the coroner said early signs show asphyxiation. From what, we don’t know. Are drugs involved?” Marcus shrugged. “We’ll have to wait for the tox screen to come back, and then we’ll know more. We’ll track down the kids from school, his friends. The school still doesn’t have security cameras, but someone knows something. We’ll find out. Oh, I put your tools into your van for you. I’ll let you know when you can get in and do the repairs. School’s closed for now, so the kids will have a few days off while we investigate.”

What could he say to that?

“You think someone killed him?” Owen said. “When I showed up, Rita Mae was going on about grad pranks. You know how they go. You and Ryan were thick as thieves in everything that went down.”

Marcus didn’t smile, just glanced away and then winced. “Yeah, well, can’t say for sure. At least I have an idea where to start, considering I was one of those kids.” He patted Owen’s shoulder. “You heading over to Ryan’s tonight?”

He shook his head. “Not tonight. I have plans.”

Marcus took him in, then looked down the road where Tessa had gone and back to him. “Tessa or someone else?”

There it was, his annoyance at anyone asking too many questions about his personal life. “Just dinner, catching up with a friend,” Owen said. “See you Friday. I take it you’re working late.”

He thought there was a hint of a smile on Marcus’s face, then another wince. “Yeah, I’m working late. I’ll stop in at home, check in on Charlotte and Eva, but this is a hell of a thing. Of all the years we’ve lived here and all the crazy things that may have happened in this town, finding a kid dead in the janitor’s closet at the school is something I never would’ve expected. I don’t know, Owen. Whatever turns up, I just have the feeling this isn’t going to have a happy ending for anyone.”

Owen watched as his brother strode away to his cruiser. The emergency vehicles were still there, and there was tape across the door to mark the crime scene. As he walked to his van, he was feeling something he hadn’t felt in a good many years, as if more secrets were brewing, ones that could rock his hometown.

Whatever it was, he hoped it would be resolved quickly. He couldn’t have explained that tightness in his chest, that weight he’d been carrying for so long. There were secrets he didn’t talk about, which seemed to simmer in a place inside him that he’d once thought was safe from anyone.

He took in the school, pulled in a breath, and forced himself to think of Tessa. The diner where he’d once gone was exactly the place he wouldn’t be taking her tonight.

ChapterSix

There was something familiar about her street, he thought as he parked in front of a faded yellow bungalow with an attached garage in front and a flower bed similar to what his mom had planted—her fall garden, as she had always called it.

He strode up the driveway behind Tessa’s compact, seeing her neatly trimmed grass and the ladder leaning against the side of the house, next to gutters that needed to be put up. The door was closed, and, seeing the tape over the doorbell, he knocked instead, taking in the missing trim around the windows.

He could hear her footsteps, and then the door opened. Her wavy blond hair was now hanging long and loose, and she’d changed into a red and white blouse and faded blue jeans. For a second, she said nothing, her hand resting on the door.

He felt uncomfortable, uneasy. This sense of awkwardness was something he’d never felt from her, and he found himself taking her in, seeing a change in her, as if the moment she drove home, she’d had a chance to go back to that edginess and had realized she couldn’t really like him.

How had they found themselves here?

“Why do you do that?” she said, her voice accusing.

He didn’t have a clue what she was getting at. He looked past her into the house, where an empty hallway led back to a kitchen, he thought. “Do what?” he said. “Do you want me to stand out here, or are you going to invite me in?”