A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones
25
Reason You Need Coffee #247:
It’s difficult to work with your eyes closed.
—SIGN AT CAFFEINE-WAH
Levi’s words threw her. Did he honestly think she and Womack were a thing? She loved the older man. Had for years. But not like she loved Levi. Because she did. She loved Levi.
The truth hit her hard. It was more than a schoolgirl crush and had been for years. Decades, probably.
Sun dwelled on that fact as she showered and changed into fresh clothes. The fact that her longtime affection for the man had turned into a deep and fervent love, almost desperate in its depth. Painful in its scope. It would be impossible to pinpoint an exact place or time it happened. Maybe it had always been the vibrant thing that it was today. Maybe she’d been in denial.
Nah.
After driving to her office, she suffered through an afternoon of briefings and interviews and paperwork, all punctuated with a constant barrage of texts to her parents to check up on the kids.
When she got back to the hospital room, she found her mom reading in a chair, her dad snoring on a built-in love seat, and her daughter gone.
“She snuck out?” she asked, appalled. She gaped at her mom. “Didn’t we just talk about this?”
Her mom jumped to her feet, shushed her with an index finger over her mouth—Sun’s, not hers—and led her across the hall. “We keep finding her like this,” she whispered when Sun saw Auri curled up beside Cruz, careful not to put any weight on his wounds. Their arms were interlaced. Her face centimeters from his.
Sun felt like the Grinch when his heart started swelling painfully in his chest. “How is she?”
“A little dizzy, but no pain. She ate well, too, considering.”
“Has it sunk in that they had to shave part of her head yet?”
“No. We’re going to let her stay in denial as long as possible.”
“And Cruz?”
“He only wakes up when the nurses come in and make Auri go to her own bed. He’s delirious, starts fighting them until they finally let her come back just to calm him down.”
Sun shook her head. “I never wanted this for her,” she told her mom. “This intense of a relationship at so young an age.”
“You can hardly blame her. You were the same way.”
“What? I was never this intense when I dated. I don’t think I ever fell in love. Not really.”
“Because your love, your intensity, was focused elsewhere.”
They’d known how she felt about Levi almost before she knew it herself.
“I got this, Mom. You two go home and get some rest.”
“I’m only going to agree to this because your dad will pay for it dearly if he sleeps like that all night. But we’ll be back in a few hours.”
After they left, she sat on the recliner beside Auri. Cruz opened his eyes and looked at her over the girl in his arms.
She stood. “Hey, handsome. Do you need anything?”
His lids drifted shut as though he couldn’t hold them open, but he fought and won, if only for a few minutes. He shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Sheriff,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.
“For what, baby?”
“I tried to stop him.”
“Cruz, you saved my daughter’s life. And you almost paid for that with your own. I owe you everything.”
He looked away, unconvinced.
“Cruz,” she said softly, “why didn’t you tell us about your dad?”
He pressed his mouth together, then said, “They would’ve taken me away. Probably would’ve sent me to my dad’s foster dad in the Switch, but only if he had wanted me. He’s getting too old to take in foster kids. Hasn’t had any in years.”
“And you’re afraid you’ll be a burden.”
“I know I will be. Besides, it’s really far away.” He glanced at Auri’s sleeping face, then looked away as though he didn’t want Sun to know the real reason he wanted to stay. “If not, they’ll send me to a children’s home, most likely, and the closest is in Las Vegas.”
“Well, I have an idea. I’m looking into it, okay?” She didn’t want to promise him anything in case the state wouldn’t allow Cruz to stay with Quincy.
He nodded. Just barely.
Unable to help herself, she brushed his hair off his brow. “No matter how this turns out, I am so sorry, Cruz. I can’t imagine what you went through. How alone you must’ve felt.” When a familiar wetness gathered between his lashes, she bent over the kids and kissed them both.
Auri, who’d been awake through the whole conversation because she squeezed Sun’s hand thanking her, smiled sleepily.
When Sun woke up the next morning to the sound of nurses checking on the kids, she opened her eyes to the most beautiful sight in the world. Levi Ravinder on one side of the bed, dozing beside her daughter, and Quincy Cooper on the other, dozing beside Cruz. Auri was in bed with Cruz again, but they were about to kick her out to change his bandages.
Cruz was awake, his gaze heavy lidded but alert. He was studying Quincy, as though trying to figure him out. She’d often done the same.
Since the nurses were nanoseconds away from waking them up, Sun stood, walked over to Levi, and pressed her mouth to his. He was so darkly handsome, she had to steal a quick kiss before he woke up. Either women kissed him in his sleep often or he hadn’t been asleep after all.
He returned the kiss immediately, going so far as to wrap a hand around the back of her neck and angle his head to deepen it. His tongue brushed softly against hers, causing a tremor low in her abdomen before she broke contact.
She leaned back to look at him. His whiskey-colored irises studied her as she gestured toward the nurses. “They need the redhead back in her own bed and you’re in the way.”
He offered her a single nod, stood to gather the pixie into his arms, and carried her across the hall to her own bed while Cruz looked on, gazing at her like she’d hung the moon. An emotion Sun understood all too well.
One of the younger nurses woke up Quincy, her eyes sparkling with interest. He smiled appreciatively.
Sun followed Levi. “I didn’t know you were coming back.”
“You didn’t ask,” he said, matter-of-fact.
She cast a worried glance over her shoulder at Cruz. “He has a hard road ahead of him.”
Levi eased Auri onto her bed as though she were made of fine crystal. Or nitroglycerine. Either way.
“He’ll have a lot to deal with,” Sun continued. “Not only did he lose his dad, but he took a life. I’m worried what that will do to him.”
After draping the blanket over Auri, Levi looked across the hall at Cruz. “We’ll be here for him. Whatever it takes.”
“I think he should talk to someone.” When Levi nodded, she added, “Speaking of talking to someone, I thought I would have a chat with your friend, Keith Seabright.”
“I saw him last night. He’s doing a lot better.”
“Good. I still need to have a chat.”
“I don’t think he remembers much.”
“Yeah. I still need to chat.”
She found Keith Seabright in a room two floors down. He was just as stunning in person as he was on video. Average height and lean. Wiry and strong. Still in military shape eight years after his honorable discharge. He looked like a child star from Hollywood who’d grown up even better looking than he was as a kid.
She introduced herself and got his side of the story firsthand. Levi had already told him what happened with Elliot and Adam, so he was up to date on current events.
“We’ve had an alarming amount of stabbings lately,” she said to him afterwards.
He laughed but regretted it instantly.
She narrowed her eyes and watched him a long moment before saying, “I’d like you to stay in Del Sol.”
“Is this a don’t leave town kind of thing?” he asked, his voice hoarse and deep.
“No,” she said with a soft chuckle. “This is an I’m about to fill a lieutenant’s position and I’ll be down a deputy kind of thing. There’s an opening. I’d like you on my team.”
Levi seemed just as surprised as Seabright at the proposition. Maybe more so.
“You don’t even know me,” he said.
“I’ve done my research. Ran a background. Talked to some of your COs. According to everyone who’s ever met you, even Levi Ravinder—”
“Never heard of him.”
“—you’re kind of amazing.”
“I never said amazing,” Levi argued.
Seabright raised a brow. “Too late. No take backs.”
“It’s not a take back if I never said it.”
“Here’s how I see this working out,” Sun said, interrupting the lover’s quarrel.
He tucked a hand behind his head, slowly, each movement deliberate, and said, “This should be good.”
“You marry Addison.”
His brows shot up.
“You guys rent that house on Apollo Drive. The pretty one with the ivy?”
Levi nodded. “Oh, yeah. The Duran house.”
“Exactly. Then you, Addison, and the boys move in, you go to police academy even though you could probably teach at it, and then you become my latest and greatest in sixteen weeks. Give or take.”
“You’ve given this some thought.”
“I have. I want you on my team. With your experience, I can hire you on as a sergeant.”
“What if I say no?”
“Then I’ll bring you in for kidnapping, you’ll go to prison for the next thirty years, the boys will grow up without a father, and Addison will spend the next three decades visiting you in jail. But I hear conjugals are a reward unto themselves.”
“Hmm,” he hummed. “Can I sleep on it?”
“Sure.” She stood to leave. “You have twenty-four hours. Also,” she turned back to him, “thank you for keeping Elliot safe.”
“From what I hear, I owe you the same thanks.”
“Let’s call it even. Twenty-four hours.” She started to leave, then turned back to him. “I almost forgot. Elliot said you had a contact in the Delmar family. Was it Agent Wilcox?”
“I could tell you—”
“Yeah, yeah.” She left to find Quincy waiting for her in the hall outside Seabright’s room.
“I’m really beginning to question your recruiting techniques,” he said.
“What?” she asked defensively. “They’re effective.”
“Right. Don’t you think you’re playing a dangerous game with Hailey’s life? Have you met her uncle Clay?”
“Shhh,” she shushed, leading him away from prying ears. “For your information, she came to me.”
“Because she’s innocent. She didn’t know what she was getting herself into.”
“Quincy, did she tell you what’s going on?”
“No. She wouldn’t tell me anything. But I can guess. Also, I can hardly talk around her, so it wasn’t like we had an actual conversation after you left yesterday.”
“Wow. How did I not pick up on your infatuation?”
“I’m not—” He gave up. “Does Ravinder know?”
“That you’re in love with his sister?”
“No, about whatever’s going on.”
“Not that I’m aware of, but you know Levi.”
He shrugged. “Not as well as you, obvs.”
There was something terribly charming about a grown man using the word obvs, but she wasn’t about to let him know that.
“Why am I just now learning about all of this?” he asked. “What is Clay Ravinder up to?”
“I didn’t want to involve you until I knew what was going on for sure. And I still don’t. Not exactly.”
He crossed his arms in frustration. “Everyone was right about you growing up.”
“When they said I had a sparkling personality and would probably be queen of the world someday?”
“When they voted you most likely to be institutionalized for inducing mass hysteria in children and small animals.”
“Oh, yeah. I still have the sash.”
Auri thought they would never leave. She loved her grandparents more than banana pudding with Nilla Wafers, which was saying a lot, but she had things to do. People to see. Apologies to give.
She texted Sybil, who’d bombarded her with texts after she’d heard what had happened, giving her the A-OK. Then she looked at Cruz as he slept. He lay on his back but his face was turned toward her. She lay pressed against his side, one arm under her head—the non–submissive hemogoblin side—and one over his chest. His ridiculously long lashes fanned across his cheeks like crescent moons. So. Not. Fair.
She rubbed her nose against his, and he raised his lashes. “I’m going to see her before my grandparents come back,” she whispered.
He nodded sleepily. “I want to go.”
She giggled. “You can’t.”
“They said they’re going to get me up and walking today. May as well start now.”
“Not on your life, Mr. De los Santos.”
The bashful smile that spread across his face melted her. She wouldn’t be surprised if her grandparents found her a mere puddle on the floor when they got back.
“Can you apologize for me, too?”
“Of course.” She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. “And when I get back, we can talk if you want.”
“About?”
She cupped his cheek in her hand. “When you’re ready.”
“If this is about the devil’s doorbell, I was born ready.”
She laughed softly and slipped out of bed. Pushing her IV stand wasn’t as difficult as she thought it might be. She snuck past the nurse’s station and got on the elevator, ignoring the few questioning glances that came her way.
She tapped on Mrs. Fairborn’s door and eased inside to the sound of a moan. Alarm spurred her forward. She found the woman in bed, an arm thrown over her head, a drink in the other hand, and a horrible moan coming from her throat.
“Mrs. Fairborn!” Auri rushed up to her, dragging her IV stand and knocking it first into a chair and then into an important looking piece of equipment with lots of buttons and lights. “Are you okay? Can I get someone?”
“Oh, it’s you, Aurora. No, I’m fine, sweetheart. I’m just really enjoying the service. Once they figure out I’m okay, they’ll send me home. No one waits on me hand and foot at home anymore. All my servants left me when I never paid them. It’s horrible.”
She took a drink of her juice as though she were sipping a piña colada on the beach. Not that Auri had ever had a piña colada on a beach, or anywhere else for that matter, but someday hopefully.
“I wanted to apologize.”
“For what, sweetheart? For saving my life?”
“No one told you?”
She gave her a patient smile.
Auri pressed her mouth together, trying to gather the courage to tell her the truth. After a couple of false starts, she finally fessed up in a lengthy soliloquy that bordered on Shakespearian. “I’m the one who told Billy Press the necklace was at your house. I mean, I didn’t say your house specifically. I told him it was still at the old boardinghouse. He must’ve figured it out. I took a picture of it because I was going to use it to prove you were a serial killer a long time ago, then I changed my mind about exposing you for being a maniacal murderer because I don’t want you to go to jail since you don’t brush your teeth and I thought I would steal the necklace to botch the chain of custody and give it to my mom so she could get it back to the family, and then I thought maybe you could write a letter so that after you died people would know that the drifter Hercules Holmes was innocent all along.”
“I see,” Mrs. Fairborn said, her brows knitting in confusion.
“Anyway, none of that matters.” She wanted to take Mrs. Fairborn’s hand but didn’t dare. The woman probably hated her. “It’s my fault you were attacked. It’s my fault you and Cruz almost died. He wants me to apologize for him, too, but he has nothing to apologize for. It was my idea. All of it. And I am so, so sorry, Mrs. Fairborn. I promise I will never almost get you killed again if it’s the last thing I do.”
The woman’s pale face softened. “What if I told you I’m glad this happened.”
Auri gaped at her.
“Well, not the getting attacked part or you and Cruz almost dying, but I’m glad you found those articles.”
“You know about the articles?”
“Your grandparents told me. I’ve been silent too long, Aurora. People need to know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“Yes. Elusive as it so often is. The last time I tried to tell it, I was intimidated into keeping my mouth shut. Threatened.” Mrs. Fairborn held out her hand. Auri took it instantly, the elder woman’s smooth skin like tissue paper between her hands. “No more. Women have been intimidated into silence for too long. When we get home and everything returns to normal, you come to my house and we’ll chat. You can be my voice. You can tell the people what really happened all those years ago.”
“You’re not mad?”
“No, sweetheart.”
“So, you’re not going to kill me and bury me under your floorboards?”
A tinny cackle erupted from the woman that ended in a short fit of coughs. “Never,” she said after she recovered.
Sheepish didn’t even begin to describe how Auri felt. But there was still one thing bothering her above all else. “I don’t understand, Mrs. Fairborn. Why was Billy so obsessed with that necklace? It’s an antique ivory cameo, so it is valuable, but I looked them up. They aren’t worth that much. Four thousand dollars? Maybe five? And the casing is just brass.”
“Exactly.” She poked her with a spindly finger, then pointed to her purse, a small fuchsia thing sitting on the overbed table.
Auri handed it to her then watched as she filtered through her belongings.
“And why did that girl’s family make such a fuss about their niece running away with it? They were more concerned about this damned necklace,” she said, lifting the necklace out of her purse, “than they were their own niece.”
Auri gasped. “How did you get it?”
“I insisted the paramedics allow me to grab it when they brought me to the hospital.”
“They let you take evidence from a crime scene?”
“I’m old, dear. You’d be amazed at what you can get away with when people think you’re senile.”
Auri’s admiration increased tenfold.
She took Auri’s hand and placed it on her palm. “I want you to take it.”
Guilt assaulted her with such force, it paralyzed her lungs and stung her eyes. “I couldn’t possibly, Mrs. Fairborn.”
“I insist. You two saved my life.”
“After we put it in danger.”
She gave her a dismissive wave. “Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to. I trust you to do the right thing and think about why that family cared so much about an ivory-and-brass necklace.” She closed Auri’s fingers around it and patted her hand.
Auri’s curiosity got the better of her. “There has to be more to this.”
“Precisely. I never figured it out. Maybe you can.”
