Rock Chick Reckoning (Rock Chick #6)(91)

Stel a was there too with her new hot guy, Eric and, I had to admit as much as I didn’t want to, Eric was definitely hot. I was thinking about how Mace without a word handed Stel a the keys to her apartment.

Or, even more to the point, Stel a’s face when Mace turned around and walked away.

Or, even more to the point, Al y losing it and fol owing Mace in order to scream at him on the sidewalk outside of Fortnum’s in clear view (and easy hearing) of everyone inside who stood watching the show.

Al y went on about Mace being a “f*cking macho idiot” and quoting the lyrics of Bil y Joel’s “And So It Goes”, informing Mace that Stel a sang it to him the day before even though he wasn’t there to see it. Then taking her life in her hands by going so far as to shove his shoulder and asking him, in a near shriek, “What the f**k’s the matter with you? ”

At that, clearly done, Mace put a shoulder to her bel y, picked her up, carried her back into the bookstore, set her on her feet and, again without a word, turned on his boot and walked away.

Stel a, frozen through al of this, had gone pale as a ghost when Mace returned and then left without glancing in her direction.

Al y stared angrily at the door and then declared,

“Electric shock treatment. That’l bring him around.” At Al y’s words, Stel a came unstuck, turned to Eric and murmured, “I’m sorry,” and then she bolted into the back of the store.

Daisy and Indy took off after Stel a.

Ava and Jet laid into Al y.

I watched Eric who was staring into the bookshelves after Stel a.

I walked to him and explained, “We’re kind of a nutty bunch.”

Eric’s dark eyes tilted down to mine and that was when I realized I had to admit he was definitely hot.

“I know,” he replied then his mouth formed a smal grin. “I read the papers.” Then he went on, “Miss Hendrick’s County?”

Jesus.

I was going to kill whoever was talking to the reporters.

“That was a long time ago,” I told him.

“That was a long time ago,” I told him.

“They have a swimsuit competition?” he asked.

My eyes narrowed and my hand went to my hip.

“It was a teen pageant. They didn’t do swimsuits, just fitness.”

His eyes got a pleasant, warm look about them which made him even hotter and he muttered, “Shorts then.” Good grief.

“Um, don’t you have a thing for Stel a?” I rudely reminded him.

“No shot,” he returned without hesitation or apparent bad feeling.

“So, you’re feeling like branching out?” I asked, cocking my head angrily to the side.

“Nope. Just lookin’ for happy thoughts. You in a teen pageant fitness routine, wearin’ shorts, is a happy thought,” he returned.

Holy cow.

I decided right then and there that he might not be a member of the Hot Bunch but he could join the team in a shot.

Then his eyes lost their flirty warmth and went hard and serious (yep, definitely could be a member of the Hot Bunch). “Cal one of your boys, I got things to do and I gotta go. They need to know Stel a’s lost her bodyguard.” I nodded, he turned to leave then twisted back to look at me.

“Keep her away from the papers.”

With that, he was gone.

The door had barely closed on Eric when Uncle Tex boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”

boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”

Duke growled back, “Wel what?”

Uncle Tex threw his meaty paws up in the air and boomed (again), “Wel , it’s time to lay the truth on Stel a!” Duke nodded his head and his eyes went to the door.

“Damn straight. But it ain’t me that’s gotta lay the truth on her.”

“I’l agree with that,” Jet put in firmly and everyone looked at her.

Jet had shared with al of us the crazy, intense and heartbreaking story about Mace and his sister. We’d al been told to keep quiet (direct orders from Mace, who told Lee, who told Indy, who told the Rock Chicks) but Jet didn’t like it, not one bit. She looked like she’d just lost patience with keeping Mace’s secret.

“You don’t say shit, Loopy Loo,” Tex warned Jet.

“Someone has to –” Jet started.

“Ain’t gonna be you,” Tex went on.

“But –” Jet pushed.

“No lip. Get to work,” Tex ordered even though, freakishly, considering the crush of people Fortnum’s had seen the last several days due to al the newspaper coverage the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch were getting, they were in a lul and only had a few people hanging out at tables.

Jet glared at Uncle Tex.

Uncle Tex glared back.

Jet had a quiet attitude that usual y worked real y wel .

But no one had enough attitude to out-attitude Uncle Tex.

He was a crazy man.

He was a crazy man.

“Oh al right. But he’s got one more day,” Jet gave in.

“Jet, darlin’ –” Duke’s started his soft warning.

“One. Day,” Jet finished and flounced behind the espresso counter.

I caught Duke giving Uncle Tex a look and I figured Mace was going to get a head’s up cal but I was worried Mace wouldn’t care.