Page 40 of Head Over Feels
“Well,”Gregsaid, “Apparentlyno one is going to officially introduce us.Felix,I’mGreg, and this isCraig.I’msorry we keep running into you under difficult circumstances.”
Felixwinced. “Thanks, it’s nice to actually meet you.Um, thanks for the referral toMalcolm.”
Gregopened his mouth to respond, butBriancleared his throat. “Felix,I’mBrian.Thecops said you two could leave as long as you go to the station this afternoon to give your formal statements.I’munder orders to take you to the ranch.”
Felixnodded, butIwas surprised. “Theranch?Imean, we can get a hotel room or something.”Awayfrom prying eyes and nosy friends.
Brianscoffed. “Areyou kidding?AnddepriveColeof whatever gossip he thinks this is?”Hewaved a hand vaguely between me andFelix. “Notto mentionJason’sfeeling all bodyguard-like about you, andWill’sacting like he wants to tuckFelixhere under his pillow to keep him safe.”Hescowled. “Ihave all three of them texting me separately to tell me to bring you directly to the ranch.Thecat included.”
Well, fuck.
Felixshifted beside me. “Atleast they have a hot tub, and you know they’ve got booze.”
Iside-eyed him a little.Hewas holding himself pretty stiffly.Thepain in my leg wasn’t any worse than it’d been after my last surgery, butFelixwasn’t used to being hurt.
“Okay, fine.Ihope they’ve got swimsuits we can borrow.”
Iwas forced to endure bothCraigandGreghugging me before we could leave.Greggave me a smirk that told me he knew how uncomfortable the show of affection made me, but he did it anyway, the asshole.
Fosterarranged forBrianto bring hisSUVright up to the police tape, which meant we didn’t have to dodge reporters to get in the car.Ihoped the media would assumeI’dbeen the target and leaveFelixalone.
Iglanced atFelixsitting in the back seat withMariposa’scarrier on his lap.Hisface was pale, and his eyes were still red and puffy from crying.Ihad the oddest urge to reach through the opening between the front seats and put my hand on his leg.
Ididn’t.
ButIresolved then and thereIwasn’t going to leaveFelix’sside until they caught the bomber.Imight not be able to carry a gun or defend him with hand-to-hand combat, butIcould put myself betweenFelixand any danger that came looking for him.
WhenIwas sureBrianwas focused on the road,Itook my phone out and opened the photo of the unicorn.
* * *
Willwas on the front porch of the ranch house and waved atBrianto drive on past.Wherethe hell were we going?
“Theyjust finished the guest cottage,”Felixsaid.Itwas the first time he’d made a sound since we’d left the crime scene.Myhouse.Sincewe’d left my house.Iclenched my phone in my fist but didn’t look at it.
“That’swhatJasontold me,”Briansaid. “Youguys get to test it out before some musician friend ofCole’scomes to stay at the end of the month.”
Pastthe main house, the driveway curved around and suddenly we were in front of a little house.Cottage?Bungalow?Whatever.Itwas small.Theoutside was fieldstone accented with stained wood shutters.Abunch of baby shrubs had been planted in front.Don’task me what kind.Theywere green.
JasonandColewere standing in the open doorway, each holding the collar of a youngLabrador-looking brown dog.AfterBrianpulled to a stop, the dogs, followed byJasonandCole, charged down the walkway to the parking area.Coleheaded toFelix’sdoor andJasonopened mine.
“Well, hell, this is some five-star service,”Icommented asIhandedJasonmy crutches.Ihad to grip his shoulder for support to get out of the car.Everymuscle in my body felt like it had knotted up during the ride over.
Willappeared whileIwas sorting my crutches out.HegrabbedMariposa’scarrier whileColewalkedFelixup to the little house, his arm aroundFelix’swaist.Anunreasonable surge of jealousy flared in my chest.Fuck.Thatwasn’t good.
Jasonwas normally much more reserved thanColeorWill, but his expression was downright grim as he greeted me and grabbed my backpack.Fuck,Felixdidn’t have any of his own clothes.Notthat mine looked bad on him, but he probably wanted something of his own to feel comfortable.Maybethe cops would let us go byFelix’splace to pick up some of his stuff after they’d cleared it of bombs.
Fuck, bombs.Ireally needed a minute to wrap my head around that.I’dthought guns were what scared me the most these days, butIwas going to have to add bombs as a close second.
Iwas introduced to the puppies,ReinerandBrooks.Mariposahissed at them from her carrier.Shecould handle calm dogs likeFosterandCraig’sLily, but puppies were not on her approved list.
Insidethe house,Coleexcitedly showed us the bedrooms. “Incase you need both of them,” he said with a wink.Felixdidn’t look amused.
Timefor a topic change. “Hey,”Isaid. “We’reboth a little bruised from earlier.Anychance we can get a snack and then use your hot tub?”
Mentioninga snack caused more of a time suck thanI’dexpected.ApparentlyColehad sent some poor sucker who worked for them toCostcothis morning after they invited us to stay.Thefridge and freezer were packed to the gills with food, and there was an entire cabinet of snacks—candy, chips, snack cakes, you name it.
Jasonnudged me and opened yet another cabinet.Thisone, to my everlasting gratitude, was filled with alcohol of various types, all with primo labels.Nice.Igave him a thumbs up.Colewas still talking about snackage to a tired-lookingFelix.
