Read Online Hometown Hero (Hometown Alaska Men Book 2) by Joleen James - Free Book Online
Authors: Joleen James
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ready," Brandi said, smiling, "but Tawney was just about to tell me why she's really in Alaska."
"Really?" Star said, taking a seat on the sofa next to Tawney. "Shopping can wait. I'm all ears." She bounced Will on her knees. "We are dying to know, right, Will?"
The baby smiled.
Both Star and Brandi gave Tawney their attention. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She wanted to come clean with her sisters.
"I had a stalker."
"What!" Star cried. "Did you go to the police?"
"Of course," Tawney said. "It didn't help. My stalker is a rich, powerful mobster. He owns the police. He wanted to own me."
"Oh my God," Brandi said, her brows drawing together. "Tawney, I'm sorry."
"I had a restraining order, but he was smart. He used his hired men, or goons as I call them, to bring me presents, follow me, even enter my apartment when I wasn't home. The last straw came on the day I left. I'd come home and found a present on my pillow. I knew then I had to disappear, and that's what I've done."
"Oh, honey." Star rubbed Tawney's arm. "I'm so sorry. I'm just sick for you."
"Me, too," Brandi said.
Tawney smiled. "I've wanted to leave Vegas for a while. He gave me an excuse to go. I’m not sorry I left."
"I think we should tell the local police," Star said. "It wouldn't hurt for them to be on alert."
"No," Tawney said. "I can't risk them putting my name through some kind of database. My stalker has people everywhere. He'll find me. It's best to let it go. I don't think he can trace me here. Even if he found out my real name, I've left no paper trail. I never used an Alaska address on anything in Vegas."
Star and Brandi exchanged a look.
"Don't make me sorry that I told you," Tawney said. "Please, keep the info to yourselves. The less people who know the better."
Star nodded. "Okay, but I don't like it."
"Okay," Brandi agreed.
Tawney smiled. "Let's go shopping. This day is about Star, not me."
"I'll get Will's jacket." Brandi stood.
"Would you feel safer staying with me?" Star asked.
"I’m good here. Rick's made it his job to be my protector. I think he feels like he owes me. He walks me home. He even got me a phone. One that's not traceable to me."
"Does he know?"
"No, I think he's just worried about me. We have a couple of regulars at the bar Rick's worried about. I think they're harmless, but Rick's being careful."
Star's eyebrows shot up. "You don't say? Well, as far as protection goes, an ex-cop is pretty good protection."
"And he's right next door," Tawney reminded her sister.
Brandi took Will from Star, putting Will's jacket on. "All set, let's go have some fun. You can fill Star in on your new job on the way."
"New job?" Star asked. "Wow, I'm feeling left out on everything."
Tawney linked her arm through Star's. "Let's go."
* * *
Rick locked the door to The Junebug. The street was empty, the night silent. The sky had a thick layer of clouds shrouding the town, but he didn't need moonlight to find his way home. Rick rounded the corner. The temperature had warmed to a balmy thirty-eight, giving them a reprieve from freezing temperatures. He still wore a hat and gloves, but the air no longer felt like needles on his skin.
He wondered how Tawney's job interview with Liv had gone. He'd missed Tawney tonight. The bar had seemed dull without her, his shift dragging on and on. The locals had missed her, too. Especially Mel and Harry, the latter switching from his usual beer to Southern Comfort. Rick finally had cut Harry off, putting him in a taxi for home.
Tawney's place was dark when Rick went by. No doubt she was asleep. He let himself into his cottage and pulled his hat off, tossing it on the chair near the door. His gloves and coat followed.
His body begged for sleep. He'd spent the day at the cabin stacking firewood, cleaning the gutters, and doing general maintenance before starting his shift at The Junebug. He'd put in a full day's work and then some.
He stripped off his clothes, leaving
"Really?" Star said, taking a seat on the sofa next to Tawney. "Shopping can wait. I'm all ears." She bounced Will on her knees. "We are dying to know, right, Will?"
The baby smiled.
Both Star and Brandi gave Tawney their attention. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She wanted to come clean with her sisters.
"I had a stalker."
"What!" Star cried. "Did you go to the police?"
"Of course," Tawney said. "It didn't help. My stalker is a rich, powerful mobster. He owns the police. He wanted to own me."
"Oh my God," Brandi said, her brows drawing together. "Tawney, I'm sorry."
"I had a restraining order, but he was smart. He used his hired men, or goons as I call them, to bring me presents, follow me, even enter my apartment when I wasn't home. The last straw came on the day I left. I'd come home and found a present on my pillow. I knew then I had to disappear, and that's what I've done."
"Oh, honey." Star rubbed Tawney's arm. "I'm so sorry. I'm just sick for you."
"Me, too," Brandi said.
Tawney smiled. "I've wanted to leave Vegas for a while. He gave me an excuse to go. I’m not sorry I left."
"I think we should tell the local police," Star said. "It wouldn't hurt for them to be on alert."
"No," Tawney said. "I can't risk them putting my name through some kind of database. My stalker has people everywhere. He'll find me. It's best to let it go. I don't think he can trace me here. Even if he found out my real name, I've left no paper trail. I never used an Alaska address on anything in Vegas."
Star and Brandi exchanged a look.
"Don't make me sorry that I told you," Tawney said. "Please, keep the info to yourselves. The less people who know the better."
Star nodded. "Okay, but I don't like it."
"Okay," Brandi agreed.
Tawney smiled. "Let's go shopping. This day is about Star, not me."
"I'll get Will's jacket." Brandi stood.
"Would you feel safer staying with me?" Star asked.
"I’m good here. Rick's made it his job to be my protector. I think he feels like he owes me. He walks me home. He even got me a phone. One that's not traceable to me."
"Does he know?"
"No, I think he's just worried about me. We have a couple of regulars at the bar Rick's worried about. I think they're harmless, but Rick's being careful."
Star's eyebrows shot up. "You don't say? Well, as far as protection goes, an ex-cop is pretty good protection."
"And he's right next door," Tawney reminded her sister.
Brandi took Will from Star, putting Will's jacket on. "All set, let's go have some fun. You can fill Star in on your new job on the way."
"New job?" Star asked. "Wow, I'm feeling left out on everything."
Tawney linked her arm through Star's. "Let's go."
* * *
Rick locked the door to The Junebug. The street was empty, the night silent. The sky had a thick layer of clouds shrouding the town, but he didn't need moonlight to find his way home. Rick rounded the corner. The temperature had warmed to a balmy thirty-eight, giving them a reprieve from freezing temperatures. He still wore a hat and gloves, but the air no longer felt like needles on his skin.
He wondered how Tawney's job interview with Liv had gone. He'd missed Tawney tonight. The bar had seemed dull without her, his shift dragging on and on. The locals had missed her, too. Especially Mel and Harry, the latter switching from his usual beer to Southern Comfort. Rick finally had cut Harry off, putting him in a taxi for home.
Tawney's place was dark when Rick went by. No doubt she was asleep. He let himself into his cottage and pulled his hat off, tossing it on the chair near the door. His gloves and coat followed.
His body begged for sleep. He'd spent the day at the cabin stacking firewood, cleaning the gutters, and doing general maintenance before starting his shift at The Junebug. He'd put in a full day's work and then some.
He stripped off his clothes, leaving
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