Page 9 of Veiled

I decide to get back in the Jeep and make my way back to the nothing little town I drove through, finding the bar I drove past and parking outside. I see lights on, and a couple of cars are parked outside, so I assume they’re open.

I lock the Jeep and head inside. The five people inside stop what they’re doing to stare right at me, their eyebrows raised.

Great. I’m back in high school all over again. Yes, I know I stick out here. Thanks for staring, townsfolk.

I make my way to the back of the bar, where an older woman wearing a black t-shirt studies me carefully but greets me with a smile. “What can I do for you, sweetie?”

Well at least she seems fairly friendly, even though I still feel eyes on me from where a jukebox is playing country music that makes my ears bleed, and the whole place smells like smoke and some sort of meat. I think.

“Do you know if there’s a hotel around where I could stay?”

Her eyebrows lift in amusement, and yeah, that’s what I was afraid of. “Well, I think Sam Kershaw was renting out a couple of his places. I don’t know if he’ll do that for a night or two though. Usually rents on a monthly basis.”

I nod my head at that and pull out my phone. Still no bars. “And how would I get hold of him?”

She eyes me cautiously, and I just hold my damn breath, sure she’s about to have one of these country-boy behemoths escort my ass out of here any moment. She looks past me, and time moves slowly because yep, I’m getting tossed out of here.

“Sam?”

“Yeah, Rose?” An older man walks over from where he was standing with another man by the pool table.

Rose—the nice woman behind the bar smiles and then nods in my direction. “This young man is looking for a place to stay. Didn’t you say you were renting out your cabins?”

The man looks me up and down, sizing me up as I shift uncomfortably while he takes in my suit. His eyes land on my shoes for an awfully long time before they travel back up to my face. “That’s two city boys in one week.”

My jaw nearly drops at that moment because he has to be talking about Justin. “Guess we’re drawn in by the scenery out here. Pretty peaceful.”

He studies me carefully. I’m not liking the stare-down, but then he nods. “Okay, I’ll need to run a credit check and get some paperwork. How long are you looking to stay?”

Somehow, I don’t think I should say “no longer than I have to,” so I settle on, “I can pay you for a month to start.”

He nods at that.

“I’ll need a deposit. If you pass the credit check.”

I nod, not at all worried when I’m sure I could pay him in cash for a year’s rent tomorrow—you know, if I could find a damn bank. “Not a problem.”

Goddammit, please don’t let me be stuck here the entire month for Justin to pull his head out of his ass and come home.

I’m not sure I can even take a full week.

Chapter Four

JUSTIN

Iget back from a long walk and am surprised when I see Sam’s truck parked outside. I instantly wonder if something is wrong. He’s usually not here this time of night. He comes by in the morning to check up on his cabins and the property surrounding it about twice a week.

But the sun is almost completely set now, and it’s pretty damn late in the day for him to be here.

And then I spot the other vehicle parked next to his.

No.

The same damn rental Jeep that Waylon was in earlier today.

I walk outside of my cabin, my hands shaking, I’m so pissed off, but I try to keep my composure. “Sam,” I say as I reach him.

The kind older man looks at me with a smile. “Hey, city boy.”

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