I walked to him and explained, “We’re kind of a nutty bunch.”

Eric’s dark eyes tilted down to mine and that was when I realized I had to admit he was definitely hot.

“I know,” he replied then his mouth formed a smal grin. “I read the papers.” Then he went on, “Miss Hendrick’s County?”

Jesus.

I was going to kill whoever was talking to the reporters.

“That was a long time ago,” I told him.

“That was a long time ago,” I told him.

“They have a swimsuit competition?” he asked.

My eyes narrowed and my hand went to my hip.

“It was a teen pageant. They didn’t do swimsuits, just fitness.”

His eyes got a pleasant, warm look about them which made him even hotter and he muttered, “Shorts then.” Good grief.

“Um, don’t you have a thing for Stel a?” I rudely reminded him.

“No shot,” he returned without hesitation or apparent bad feeling.

“So, you’re feeling like branching out?” I asked, cocking my head angrily to the side.

“Nope. Just lookin’ for happy thoughts. You in a teen pageant fitness routine, wearin’ shorts, is a happy thought,” he returned.

Holy cow.

I decided right then and there that he might not be a member of the Hot Bunch but he could join the team in a shot.

Then his eyes lost their flirty warmth and went hard and serious (yep, definitely could be a member of the Hot Bunch). “Cal one of your boys, I got things to do and I gotta go. They need to know Stel a’s lost her bodyguard.” I nodded, he turned to leave then twisted back to look at me.

“Keep her away from the papers.”

With that, he was gone.

The door had barely closed on Eric when Uncle Tex boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”

boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”

Duke growled back, “Wel what?”

Uncle Tex threw his meaty paws up in the air and boomed (again), “Wel , it’s time to lay the truth on Stel a!” Duke nodded his head and his eyes went to the door.

“Damn straight. But it ain’t me that’s gotta lay the truth on her.”

“I’l agree with that,” Jet put in firmly and everyone looked at her.

Jet had shared with al of us the crazy, intense and heartbreaking story about Mace and his sister. We’d al been told to keep quiet (direct orders from Mace, who told Lee, who told Indy, who told the Rock Chicks) but Jet didn’t like it, not one bit. She looked like she’d just lost patience with keeping Mace’s secret.

“You don’t say shit, Loopy Loo,” Tex warned Jet.

“Someone has to –” Jet started.

“Ain’t gonna be you,” Tex went on.

“But –” Jet pushed.

“No lip. Get to work,” Tex ordered even though, freakishly, considering the crush of people Fortnum’s had seen the last several days due to al the newspaper coverage the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch were getting, they were in a lul and only had a few people hanging out at tables.

Jet glared at Uncle Tex.

Uncle Tex glared back.

Jet had a quiet attitude that usual y worked real y wel .

But no one had enough attitude to out-attitude Uncle Tex.

He was a crazy man.

He was a crazy man.

“Oh al right. But he’s got one more day,” Jet gave in.

“Jet, darlin’ –” Duke’s started his soft warning.

“One. Day,” Jet finished and flounced behind the espresso counter.

I caught Duke giving Uncle Tex a look and I figured Mace was going to get a head’s up cal but I was worried Mace wouldn’t care.

I went to my bag to get my phone, flipped it open, hit the side button, put it to my ear and said Hank’s name. It rang once before he answered.

“How’s it goin’, Sunshine?” His deep voice said in my ear and, like always, I got a ful body shiver.

I set the shiver aside and answered, “Not good. We just had a scene. Stel a got to Fortnum’s a little while ago tel ing us she cal ed Mace and asked for her keys back and he told her to meet him here. Mace came in, gave Stel a her keys, barely looked at her, didn’t say word one and took off.

Al y went nuts, caught him before he left and started yel ing at him. Mace didn’t even blink. Stel a got upset and ran into the books. That Eric guy just left. Told me to let you know he went.” I paused and then went on, my voice dropping to a whisper, “I can’t believe it Whisky, but it looks like it’s over.

Mace isn’t giving her anything. I don’t know what’s happened and she’s slid back to wherever she was yesterday during the gig. It isn’t a good place for her to be and I’m worried.”

“He gave her keys back?” Hank asked.

“Yes, without a word. He’s not a demonstrative guy but he’s pretty big on PDA with her. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t even get near her. It’s so un-Hot-Bunch-like, it’s unreal,” I replied.

“Don’t worry about it,” Hank told me, sounding supremely unconcerned.

I tried to get through to him, why, I didn’t know. Probably because I thought he could get through to Mace. I thought Hank could do just about anything.

“You don’t get it, Whisky. Something bad happened.

Stel a told us that –”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Hank!”

“Sunshine, don’t worry about it and don’t tel anyone, especial y f**kin’ Al y, what I’m gonna tel you right now.” I went silent.

Hank correctly assessed this as my agreement and went on, “I spent the morning with Mace. He’s got the ful picture about Stel a. When he left Lee’s office this morning he told Lee and me that he was goin’ to get some keys cut.

Everything’s fine.”

I let out a relieved breath.

Mace didn’t give her back her keys.

He gave her back a set of her keys.

I smiled at the phone.

Hank kept talking. “I’m gonna be late but I want you to wait up for me. Boys are busy but they’re doin’ drive-bys. I stil want you checkin’ in occasional y.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t let Shamus out. I’l see to him when I get in.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

His voice went soft and I got another shiver when he said, “Later, sweetheart.”

“Later,” I replied.

“I love you,” he finished, my body went solid but before I could make a noise I heard the disconnect.