The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection

Chapter 6-1

Chapter 6

“What the hell, lady?” he yelled, slamming his fist against the fancy silver SUV that had nearly run him over. But then, Jed hadn’t been watching where he was going after getting his brother’s package—actually, the package was from his brother’s sweet new wife, Emily, and it was filled with the homemade blackberry jam that Jed loved. He’d damn near had a heart attack when he stepped into the crosswalk in downtown North Lakewood and met the blaring horn and screeching brakes of a careless driver. He cursed his luck as he gazed at the shattered jars of sweet blackberry jam oozing all over the filthy street.

He stormed to the driver’s window, which was opened by the prettiest redhead he’d ever seen. She held a cell phone, and Jed was pretty sure he knew what the careless woman was doing.

“See the corner and those white lines? It’s called a crosswalk. Just where the hell did you get your driver’s license, anyway?” Jed was beyond irritated as he yanked off his hat and batted at his dusty, worn jeans. He didn’t miss the hardened glare of the blue-eyed beauty as the window slid up and she drove away, rolling over the rest of the package and speeding around the corner.

He threw his hat and stomped in a circle around the shattered jars.

“Jed, everything all right?” Mr. Heckle, the owner of the hardware store, hobbled out. He was an aging, gray-haired gentleman who had been born and raised just outside North Lakewood. “Do you want me to call the sheriff? I can, you know. Saw what that crazy woman did, almost running you down and all.”

“No. It’s fine, but if I could borrow a dustpan and broom, I’d be much obliged. Better clean this mess up.”

As he swept up the shattered glass jars and brown paper wrapping, dumping it all in the garbage, he felt his irritation at that arrogant woman crank up a notch. He loved Emily’s jam, and he’d been dreaming—actually, salivating—since she’d promised to send a batch his way. Normally, he could let it go when someone pissed him off. But this... After waiting like a little kid at Christmas for Emily’s sweet treat, it was a disappointment that he struggled unsuccessfully to forget, considering he would have to do without the sweet berries spread over his morning toast.