sort of figured that’s what ex meant.”
“He’s a little over six feet,” she rushed on, eager to ignore the heat creeping into her cheeks. Blushing? She didn’t blush. She didn’t stammer. She didn’t act like a freakin’ idiot. “Short, dark hair. Very fit. Scar on his left bicep.”
“If I see anyone that fits the description, I’ll send them your way. By the way, what’s your name?”
“Abby. Abby Trent. Yours?”
“Brent Braddock.”
“Nice to meet you, Brent.”
“My pleasure.”
The last word conjured all sorts of images as Abby climbed into her car and headed back to the Skull Creek Inn, and straight into a cold shower.
Because the last thing Abby intended was to get side-tracked by a man. She had a job to do and she fully intended to stay on course.
No matter how much she suddenly wanted to take the nearest Exit to Sexville.
5
“I’D ALMOST GIVEN UP on you,” Cody said when Brent finally walked into Mary Sue’s Wedding Nirvana. Mary Sue’s was the one and only bridal shop and tuxedo rental in Skull Creek and the last place Brent wanted to be at the moment.
His pulse pounded and his muscles clenched. He was wired. Desperate. Hungry.
“You were supposed to be here a half hour ago.” Cody stood to the left near a small sitting area. He worked at the buttons on his white tuxedo shirt. “All the other guys have gone and left.”
“Sorry to miss the party but I had something I had to deal with.” Brent sank down into one of the leather chairs and tried to ignore his brother’s curious gaze.
Cody arched an eyebrow. “Something or someone?”
“Does it matter?”
“No, it’s just that you might want to watch yourself around here. It’s a small town. A safe town. The last thing we need are rumors flying.” He finished the buttons and shrugged on the black jacket. He turned towards Brent. “What do you think?”
“I’m glad you’re the one getting married and not me.”
“It’s not so bad.” He flexed and the fabric pulled and tugged. “Granted it’s not nearly as comfortable as a T-shirt and jeans, but I’ve suffered through worse. Speaking of which, the offer still stands. We’d really love to have you in the wedding.”
“I’m not really a wedding kind of guy. Love and marriage and forever and ever …” He gave a shudder. “Not my thing.”
“You don’t have to marry anyone. You’ll just be standing up with me.”
“Maybe next time.”
“There won’t be a next time.” Cody looked so certain that Brent almost believed him.
He might have if not for the all important fact that his brother was a friggin’ vampire. Translation? Temporary. Things might be picture perfect now, but it wouldn’t last. While Miranda herself seemed cool with it, there were others who wouldn’t be so accepting. Someone would eventually find out that there were bloodsuckers living in Skull Creek and then all hell would break loose. It always did.
Brent had learned that firsthand and it was a lesson he didn’t intend to forget. He’d barely gotten out of Jamison, Texas, without being staked, and all because he’d been stupid enough to fall in love. Or at least he’d thought it was love. It had been early on, right after he’d been turned. He’d been desperate for his life back. For a sense of normalcy. And then he’d met Lila. She’d been pretty and sweet and just like that he’d been able to see the two of them settling down and living happily ever after.
A stupid fantasy. That’s all it had been. He’d needed to feel like a man again, just a man, and she’d wanted someone to take care of her. The minute she’d seen the truth, she’d turned on him and run back to her family. Her father had told the entire town. They’d come for him then. Captured him. Tortured him.
They’d known he was a bloodsucker with the strength of ten men. But there’d been five times that many. They’d overpowered him, chained him up, beat him. They’d been ready to stake him, too, but he’d managed to work his hand free just in time. He’d made it out, but barely. He wasn’t risking his afterlife or his heart ever again.
Love—if there even was such a thing—sucked, no pun intended, and nothing good could come of it.
Not for Brent.
And certainly not for Cody.
His brother might be playing at normal now, but he wasn’t. He never would be and eventually the shit would hit the fan and he would have to leave.
“I’ve got Dillon compiling a list of all the Rose Braddocks in the United States,” Brent told him, determined to pull him onto a safer subject. One he could actually do something about. “Once he’s done, I’ll start checking them out.”
“Before the wedding?”
Cody looked so nervous for a split second that Brent couldn’t help himself. “I’ll be there next Saturday for the ceremony, I just can’t promise anything else.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
“What difference does it make?” He shrugged. “So what’s with the blue? I thought most tuxedos were black?”
“Miranda likes blue. She says it brings out the blue in my eyes.”
Brent grinned. “You’re worse off than I thought, little bro.”
“Yeah,” Cody admitted, but there was none of the surprise or worry Brent would have expected at such an admission. His brother actually looked happy. “The house is almost done.” When Brent turned a questioning look on Cody, he added, “The one I’ve been building for the past six months? The one I’ve told you about a dozen times? My wedding gift to Miranda?” Brent shrugged and Cody added, “They just put the floors in yesterday. There are still a few minor things left to do like the phone jacks and the cable hookup, but for the most part it’s finished. I spent the day out there yesterday to make sure everything got done.”
“With workers in and out?”
“There’s a basement that locks from the inside. The workers only have access to the front door.” His gaze met Brent’s. “If you need a place to crash, I keep a key stashed near the front porch that unlocks the basement. You could camp out until the wedding.”
“The motel’s just fine.”
“I’d really like you to take a look and tell me what you think about the place.”
“Does it matter what I think?”
“No,” his brother said in all honesty, “but I’d
