Take Me Down (The Knight Brothers 2)

“Do you think they’ll have a room?”

He sighed. “They’ve got one foot in the grave, so to speak. The place isn’t really up and running but I’m sure they won’t turn you away since they have the space. Tell you what. I’ll drive you up the road with your things and you can see what Emily and her dad can do for you.”

“What about the station?” Parker gestured to the pumps and the open garage bays.

The other man shrugged. “I’ll lock the doors. Besides, I’ll only be gone five minutes max. Guaranteed I won’t miss anyone.”

Small-town living, Parker assumed. “Thanks. I appreciate the ride…”

“Matt. Matt Banks,” he said, holding out his hand for a shake.

“Thanks, Matt. Parker.” None of that Mr. Knight bullshit was necessary for him.

He grabbed his suitcase from the trunk of the car and let the other man drive him to the aptly named Ruby Rose Inn. The wood-framed structure was painted a deep red with white trim and snow covered the surrounding bushes and grass. But the closer he got, the more he realized that the outside looked as if it had seen better days. The paint was chipping and the roof was old.

But at least it had a roof, he thought, as Matt pulled the car to a stop.

“If you have a problem, give me a call and I’ll come back to get you. Though I can’t see Emily turning you away. She’s a sweetheart,” he said, a look of longing in his gaze as he spoke of the woman who owned the inn.

There was a story there, Parker thought. Or Matt wanted there to be one.

“You coming in?” Parker asked as he opened the door and climbed out.

“Wish I could but I can’t leave the place unattended for that long. Tell Emily I said hi.”

“Will do.” Parker retrieved his suitcase from the back. “Thanks for the ride.”

He looked up at the inn and hoped like hell the owners took pity on him and gave him a room for the night.

* * *

“Men suck.” Emily Stevens pounded the dough for the bread she was making for her dad and glanced up at her best friend, Harper Sanders.

“Did the asshole call again?” Harper raised an eyebrow, a talent she’d always had and Emily envied.

“He did. I’m thinking of changing my number except he knows where to find me, so what good would it do?” She shivered at the prospect of seeing her ex-husband again. She never knew when the bastard would show up to harass her.

“You could file for a restraining order.”

She looked at her friend through lowered lashes. Where Emily was thin … but for the tummy pooch she still had, Harper was curvy. Where Emily was blonde, Harper was dark haired. And gorgeous. And her best friend in the entire world, bar none. They’d been inseparable until Emily moved to Chicago to try her hand in the big city. The city … and the man she’d met there had all been a mistake.

“I can’t prove emotional abuse and you know it,” Emily reminded her friend. “I just have to hope Rex gets the hint and moves on.” To some other unsuspecting woman who thought he was the amazing man he appeared to be on the surface.

She’d moved back home and away from the son of a bitch almost a year ago. She’d filed a petition of separation and had to live apart from him for one more year before the divorce would become final in the state of Illinois, where they’d married and lived. Unless he came to his senses and didn’t contest the damned thing. So far he was ignoring the fact that she wanted out, showing up on occasion to pretend he was a misunderstood great guy who wanted his wife back.

She knew better.

Hell, he knew better.

He was a lawyer who didn’t like to lose, and by her walking out, he considered that a loss. Being rid of him in any way, she considered a win.

Emily wanted the life she had now – living in her small town, baking for Harper’s Coffee Shop, and lying low.

“Look, we can talk to my brother. Gary’s your lawyer and you know he’ll help you,” Harper said.

Emily shook her head. “He already told me the process is playing out. He said to document any bad behavior, but other than that, Rex calling me or coming by isn’t harassment.”

Harper pulled on her long black hair and groaned. “I call bullshit. I’m going to talk to Gary.”

Since Harper was stubborn, Emily didn’t argue. “I’m through with the opposite sex.” Had been for longer than she’d been separated, in fact. But there was no use dwelling on things she couldn’t change … or bring back to life.

She shaped the bread and slid it onto the tray and into the oven before turning back to her friend. “No more men,” she said one last time for good measure.