Page 50 of Beehives and Broken Heroes

“You knew how he thought eight years ago—”

“Please, Alana.”

She breathed out and glanced heavenward, then said, “I’ll give you a week. If you haven’t caught him, I’m sending my people in. If he sets another fire, I’m sending my people in. If I think things are spiraling out of control, I’m sending my people in. If even one more person finds out about him or me or any of this, I’m sending my people in.”

“I understand.” It was the best he was going to get, and he was going to take it. He had to. Because if Grant thought he was cornered, he’d blow out of here faster than a tornado. “Thank you.”

* * *

“The best way to find out if you can trust someone is to trust them.”

- Ernest Hemingway

Allie couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so tired. She hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep all night. She’d been too busy tossing and turning like a whirling dervish, too worried about Brandon back at the house all alone. He was a strong man, a tough man, but he’d been terrified. She’d seen it in his face, though he’d done his best to hide it from her and Sheriff Chris and the deputies.

She knew a little of his life in the military, knew the kind of person he’d had to be to do that kind of job. Practically fearless, to do the things civilians couldn’t. So why had he been afraid? They’d gotten the horses out, no one was hurt, and the barn hadn’t even burned down.

Jo slept in the bedroom in their apartment, so Allie was careful not to wake her as she got ready, then headed downstairs to open the honey shop at five to nine. She crossed the store to the front doors, flipped their sign to open, and unlocked the door. She was about to turn, but she caught sight of Brandon across the street in her peripheral vision.

She immediately smiled as she took him in. It amazed her that even at this distance, without looking right at him, she knew it was him. She was pretty sure she could pick him out of a lineup with her eyes closed. Everything in her was drawn to everything in him.

He wore a small smile, but he looked exhausted and had a five-o’clock shadow. She wasn’t surprised; he probably hadn’t slept either. He spoke to a pretty brunette woman with high cheekbones and a warm smile. Allie had never seen her before. But the balloon festival had been going on for a few days, the colorful nylon peeking over the tops of the cultural hall and floating around the town, and lots of tourists were coming through. Nothing like at the Fall Festival, but nothing to turn your nose up at. They’d had excellent business for days.

The woman reached for Brandon, and he leaned down to hug her. When he pulled back, he placed a quick kiss on the woman’s cheek.

Allie raised her brows. Okay, so he knew her. She racked her brain, trying to recall if he’d mentioned he had a friend coming into town. She came up with nothing. That didn’t mean anything. This could be the mysterious, though bossy, sister.

The woman waved goodbye to Brandon, and he turned to the honey shop. She grinned as he looked both ways, then ran across Main in practically three bounds. Dang, his legs were long.

She opened the door and went out to meet him on the sidewalk.

A smile spread over his tired face as he took her in. “Sunshine,” he said, and he scooped her into his arms.

“Good morning to you too.” She giggled.

He set her down and planted a deep and slow kiss on her lips. Her knees nearly gave out right there on the sidewalk, but she’d already fainted in front of him once; she had no intention of doing anything of the kind ever again. Her man was a warrior, and she’d be a good counterpart for him if it killed her.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all morning,” he said.

She smiled up at him. “I’m glad.” Taking him by the hand, she led him inside. “Oh, who was that woman?”

He frowned, the exhaustion that had momentarily left his face returning full force. “What woman?”

She pointed in the direction the woman went. “The brunette you were talking with across the street.”

“Her?” He cleared his throat. “That . . . that was Chris Spencer.”

“Chris Spencer? Your B.O.T.s friend?” Allie glanced outside again, hoping to catch another glimpse of her. “I thought Chris was a man.”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Chris is short for Christina.”

“Oh.” She lifted her brows. “Whoops. I just assumed . . . Wait.” She glanced up at him. “That doesn’t seem fair. She’s half your size!” She tried to picture the woman, who was about the same size as Allie, trying to knock Brandon and his giant body to the ground.

He laughed. “Trust me, that woman is a lot more vicious than you think. I’ve seen her take down guys almost as tall as me and twice as thick.”

Allie grinned. “Well, in that case, I’m sorry I missed her. I’d love to meet the woman who could lay you flat.”

Brandon put his arm around her. “I said I’d seen her do that to other men. I never said she’d done it to me.” He waggled his brows at her. “You can feel free to try anytime, though.”

---