Page 102 of Beat around the Bush
My back hit the wall and I tensed. “I did. I just leave it up there because that’s where we’re most likely to get robbed.”
His eyes pinned me. “But the thief didn’t steal from the register, did he? He stole from the shelves.”
My brows pulled together. “How did you know that?”
The items stolen during the break-in weren’t public record.
He shrugged. “I know a lot of things.”
Realization dawned on me. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Ding, ding, ding.”
“But why? Why break into a feed store?”
“I wanted the shiny new toy in town. And I would have been successful if you hadn’t called thecops so quick.”
I couldn’t help the shiver in my bones. “You don’t want this, JP. What if you go to jail? What about your puppy?” I was using anything I could to get him to reconsider whatever his plan was.
He took one giant step, placing himself directly in front of me, and slammed his hands into the wall beside my head. “There’s no fucking dog! And there’s no chance I’m going to jail. You’ll be out of here before anyone knows something is up. Now shut your mouth. I want to play.”
38
Lennon
I’d read over the contract probably forty times at this point, highlighting the important bits, the numbers, the logistics. As far as my mom and I could find, there was nothing screaming a red flag at us. It was all perfect.
Beckham sat at the island across from me while Mom cleaned up from dinner. “If you keep staring at the damn paper, it’s going to burst into flames,” Beckham said.
I shot a glare at Beck from where I stood, my hands braced on the island on either side of the paper.
“It’s a big decision, Beckham. Give him a break,” Mom chimed behind me.
Beck shrugged. “I didn’t even read the contract for the circuit. I just signed, and off I went.”
“Oh, so it wasn’t all the horses bucking you off that made you dumb, you’re just naturally that way?” I joked.
Mom smacked my shoulder with a dish towel as Beck laughed. Growing up, we all teased each other relentlessly and I missed that with Beck being gone so often.
It wasn’t like staring at the contract was going to suddenly make anything pop up on the page that told me not to sign, so I grabbed the pen, scribbling my name down on the line at the bottom with today's date.
Something so simple to solidify something so big.
“Oh, shit,” Beck murmured, watching me sign.
I tossed the pen down on the counter, taking a step back.
Mom peered around me to look at the paper, then erupted in a shriek. “Lennon, you did it!” She wrapped her arms around me from behind, squeezing me hard with the dish towel still clutched in her hand.
I smiled, staring down at the still-wet ink of my name. “It’s officially mine.”
“Well, not until you give it to the leasing company,” Beck pointed out, like the smart-ass he is.
I glared at him and he pressed his lips together with a shrug and an eyebrow raise.
Mom dropped her arms from around me, spinning me around to look up at me. “I’m so proud of you, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
