Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ll start with an apology.

•—•—•—•—•

The heat beats down on my back as I check my watch for heart rate and time. My thighs and calves burn when I pick up the pace, trying to beat my own best record. Thirty-three… thirty-two… thirty-one… My feet cross over the sidewalk that ends my route right as the stopwatch hits thirty seconds.

I slow to a jog, rounding the corner, and curse under my breath when I spot Miller on the front porch. He’s lounging on the swing, one foot on the floor, rocking back and forth. It crosses my mind to keep going, but my legs have other ideas and start to cramp.

“Were you being chased?” he asks from underneath the bill of his hat.

“Nope, beat my time.”

“By?”

“Thirty seconds.”

“Overachiever.”

“Lazy ass. Maybe tomorrow you can join me.”

“It’s hot as balls out here. I’m not into self-torture.”

“Why didn’t you let yourself in?”

“Because when I turned the corner, Connie was beating on your door. I parked on the side street and waited until she left.”

This doesn’t explain why he didn’t let himself in after she left, but my body is screaming at me for hydration, and I don’t care what the reason is. The news that Connie was here kills my runner’s high. I punch in the code on the lock and leave the door open for him to follow me to the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?”

“Did you see her?”

I arch my eyebrows, eying him as I gulp down a bottle of water.

“I’m going to assume you did since you decided to run five miles in ninety-four-degree heat.”

“I saw her. She was the center of attention. It didn’t seem appropriate to approach her and interrupt. Annie was busy telling everyone about DG Creations, and the one time I had my shot at getting her alone, Mom accosted me and yanked me into the volunteer lounge to give me the third degree.”

What I don’t tell him is that I purposely stayed out of sight to watch how she handled herself. I got a glimpse of the businesswoman and the hometown success in action. She didn’t disappoint. Her smile radiated brightly, her words were laced with sincerity, and she accepted the compliments with grace. The shot I missed was when she went to the restroom, and I was fully prepared to chase her.

“Dad gave me the rundown of what happened yesterday.”

“It’s good I don’t have to repeat it.”

“How are you?”

I shrug, tossing the empty bottle in the trash and grabbing a new one to stall answering his question.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this, man. It has disaster written all over it. You’ve got too much at stake to lose your mind again.”

“I know that, Miller, but cut me some fucking slack.”

“How about we head out of town this weekend? Blow off some steam and have a good time.”

This is code for get drunk and get laid. Miller and I head out of town a few times a year for this sole purpose. It’s easier to be discreet and keep our business private if we don’t stand a chance of running into the women we fuck. In my case, there’s a less likely chance word would get back to Connie than if I hooked up with someone local.

“Not this weekend. Cole has his end of the year baseball banquet.”

He nods in understanding and moves to the fridge to get a beer, obviously planning to stay a while. Both our heads swing toward the front door when there’s a jiggling sound, followed by a series of loud knocks.

“I’m going to sit this one out. Good luck.” He twists the top off his bottle and tips it my way.

“Chicken shit.”

“Connie’s a cunt, and I’m on the verge of telling her that. Don’t want to be the reason you have to go back to court.”

“Appreciate it.” I chuckle and head toward the sound of her shrieking my name.

The shrieking stops when she sees me approaching. Her eyes grow wide right before they narrow into slits.

“Where are my kids?” I open the door, glancing at the driveway to her empty car.

“Our kids are with my parents for dinner.”

“Are they okay?”

“Of course.”

“Do you need money?”

“No,” she snarls with a hiss.

“Then there’s no reason for you to be here.” I make a move to close the door, and her arm darts out, stopping me. She makes a move to step inside, and I block the entrance. She was invited here when I bought the place, per the court order. She had every right to see where the kids would be spending their time. Otherwise, she doesn’t invade my space.

“You want to talk, we’ll talk outside.” I sidestep her, giving her no choice but to back up.

“You’re a piece of work. Is she in there? Is that why you’re half-dressed, prancing out here with a smile on your face?”