Page 42 of All Dressed Up

CHAPTER NINE

Will wrapped his fingers around the cold metal bars. It’d been three hours since Ernie had slapped handcuffs on him and read him his rights.

Not long after, he got a personal escort through town in the cop’s patrol car to a concrete cell for the night.

He gripped the bars and pulled with his frustration to no avail. Yeah, he’d majorly f’d up.

He knew it was wrong to take a swing at Emma’s pop, but when the man sneered at him, throwing his father’s past is his face, the nerve he’d been carrying all these years had been struck.

He turned around and leaned back. The whole night had been one hell of a disaster. He shouldn’t have shown up to Buttermilk Blooms in his condition.

No. No. He should have never been in that condition in the first place. Maybe he hadn’t been three sheets to the wind, but he’d nevertheless been on a collision course.

He had to grow up and start acting like an adult. No more hitting the bottle in the daytime out of pity over a woman who didn’t want him. No more losing control.

He needed to be the man his mom trusted with her business. The man who Rachel had gone out of her way to help.

He let out a deep groan. He’d been insensitive to all Rachel had done to orchestrate this night, never mind way out of line when he did finally show up. Once he got out of here, he had a lot of apologizing to do.

She’d be first on the list to make things right, followed by Mrs. Stevens and Emma.

“Okay, slugger.”

Will pushed his body off the bars, straightening. “Hey, man.”

Ernie stood on the other side of the cell in full uniform, the handcuffs that had been slapped on Will earlier dangling from his hip. He jammed a key in the cell’s metal lock and swung open the bars. “You’re free to leave, Jenkins,” he said with authority.

“I am?” That was a surprise to hear. He’d been told he’d have to stay until the morning when bond was set.

“Jesse’s not going to press charges,” Ernie explained, escorting Will down the hall. “You can pick up your wallet at the front desk.”

“Look, I’m real sorry how things went down.” If he was going to change his behavior, it started with admitting what he did tonight was wrong. “I lost my cool, but I can assure you it won’t happen again.”

Ernie leaned in. “Tell you the truth, you probably did Sheila a favor. I suspect I would have been arresting her tonight for far worse if you hadn’t taken a swing when you did.”

Will chuckled. “Yeah. She’s feisty that one. Is the guy all right?”

Ernie nodded, moving behind the front desk. He unlocked a drawer and pulled out Will’s wallet, handing it over. “He’s sporting one hell of a shiner, but he’ll be fine. With any luck, he’s crossed the town border and headed back to wherever he came from.”

“Good.” Will shoved his wallet into his back pocket. He’d left his phone at the flower shop with Rachel. She had his car keys, too. “Can I call for a ride?” It was well after midnight, so he’d have to wake his brother up, who would no doubt bust his balls over this for many days to come.

“You don’t need to call anyone,” a soft voice came from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Rachel standing at the entrance. The long black dress she’d worn earlier flowing to the floor. At some point in the night, she’d slipped on a jean jacket and pulled her hair into a high ponytail.

“Hi,” he said, feeling more than a little embarrassed that he didn’t see her there—among other things.

“Hi.” She walked over and handed him his phone. “I had Donovan drive your car home. I’ll give you a ride.”

“How long have you been here?”

Ernie came up beside them. “Way too long. You owe this pretty lady an apology for ruining her night.”

He most certainly did, and he didn’t need the town cop or a mug shot to tell him that he’d royally screwed up. The disappointment all over Rachel’s face was a sucker punch to his gut. “I’m sorry” didn’t seem to cut it, but he said it anyway. “I really am.”

“Why don’t we go. Good night, Ernie,” she said, opening the glass door and heading out.

“Good night, Rachel.” Ernie patted Will on the back. “Stay out of trouble, Jenkins.”

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