Page 45 of Faking I Do
“Let’s go, miss.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. Let me go.”
“You assaulted an officer.”
“I stepped on someone’s toe.” I cast a quick glance to where Officer One hopped on one foot, his shoe with a hole in the toe held in his hand.
Officer Two put an arm on my shoulder and spun me toward the door. “You have the right to remain silent . . .”
He continued to read me my rights. Or at least I thought they were my rights. I tuned out right about the time I realized this wasn’t part of the entertainment. I was being arrested. For assaulting an officer of the law.
“So you’re not here to take off your clothes?” I winced as I realized the mistake I’d made. “Adeline? Celeste?”
“You ruined my bachelorette,” Adeline shrieked. She must have finally realized what was going on. It didn’t take her but a few seconds to storm across the room and step in front of me. “You’ll never make this work. I should have known better than to try to work with you.”
“Me?” I tried to cross my arms over my chest, forgetting they were secured behind my back. “All I’ve done is try to help you.”
“I’m done. Find someone else to do your story on.” She took one more look at me, letting her dark brown eyes slide up and down my pathetic attempt to fit in. “Just go.”
My heart did a slip and slide all the way down to my toes. “Adeline, wait. We can work this out.”
Adeline and Celeste turned their backs on me, probably afraid I’d contaminate them with my sheer awkwardness and stupidity. Great, just great. Four hours from home and it looked like I was on my own. Surely they’d follow behind in the limo. Someone would come bail me out. I couldn’t spend the night in jail. I was the mayor.
Suddenly, the sheer severity of my actions crashed down on me. I’d failed myself. I’d failed my family. But most important, I’d failed my hometown.
CHAPTER 23
BODIE
I staredat my dad from across the desk and waited for him to start talking.
“We didn’t intend to get into the cigar-smuggling business.” Dad gestured to where his cigar sat on the edge of the ashtray. “You know how much I enjoy them.”
“Go on,” I said, my nerves coiled tighter than a spring.
“Last time I was down in Mexico I was sitting on the beach, minding my own business. We were at that resort your mom likes so much, what’s it called?”
I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Doesn’t matter what it’s called. What happened?”
“Guy saw me enjoying a stogie. Started up a conversation. Next thing I know we’re making cash hand over fist by just bringing in some shipments for him occasionally.”
Pops grunted. “Easiest money we ever made.”
“Too easy. You had to know you’d get caught.” I rolled my eyes.
“We wouldn’t have if your dad hadn’t gotten so damn greedy.” Pops narrowed his eyes as he flipped his knife closed.
Dad put his hands out, palms facing me. “I’ll admit, we got in a little over our heads.”
My phone rang. Tempted to ignore it, I glanced at the screen. Dallas area code. Probably someone trying to sell me something. I dismissed the call and set my phone on the desk.
“Go on, Dad.”
Before Dad could say a word, the phone rang again. Same number. Dammit. I couldn’t even sit and have a conversation without someone bothering me. Ready to give whoever was on the other end of the phone a piece of my mind, I barked, “Hello?”
“Bodie? It’s Lacey.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the number.
