backyard.
Cade pulled her to the side of the house, and leaned down to give her a crushing hug. “That I missed you. I saw your car here and wanted to see you for a minute before I go back to the station.”
It was too good to be true, having Cade care about her this way. She felt small, protected, in his arms. “I miss you, too. Are you going to be working all night?”
“Until late. We had the computer training session today, which slowed me down, so I still have all our local leads on Emily’s murder to process. I’ll drive by when I start home, and if your light’s on, I’ll stop. That okay?”
“The light’ll be on.”
She smiled up at him, wishing they were more than just an item. If they were married, she wouldn’t have to fall asleep with her light on, hoping he’d come by. He would come home to her, and crawl into bed next to her. And he’d be there when she woke up.
But Cade hadn’t spoken much of marriage just yet, and neither had she. The very idea of his being in love with her in the first place was a blessing she’d never expected. Wouldn’t he wake up any day now and realize how repulsive she was, with the burn scars that marred the side of her face? Wouldn’t he realize there was a reason no one had snapped her up before now?
But he didn’t seem repulsed. He seemed enchanted.
Headlights lit up the drive next to them, and they saw Jonathan pulling his pickup into the driveway. Cade let her go, and she stepped back.
Jonathan got out of the truck, wearing a pair of dress slacks and a button-down shirt. His fisherman’s wardrobe had been relegated to the back of his closet once he was sworn in as mayor, but Blair knew he would never get used to “office-wear.” He looked tired, but he was grinning as he came toward them. “Hey, don’t let me interrupt anything,” he said on a chuckle.
“You weren’t,” Blair said. “I was just going in.”
Cade grinned. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
She smiled and nodded, then headed back inside. Later tonight couldn’t come soon enough.
J onathan didn’t follow Blair inside. Instead he closed his door and leaned back against the truck, crossing his arms. “So, Cade. Just what are your intentions with my sister-in-law?”
Cade returned his best friend’s grin. Jonathan had asked him that dozens of times in the last year, and Cade always evaded. But Jonathan knew his intentions. If he didn’t, he was blind. “I have to go.”
Jonathan caught his arm. “One day you’re gonna answer that question.”
Cade couldn’t hide anything from him. They’d been closest friends for over fifteen years. Jonathan had seen Cade with every date he’d ever had. He’d critiqued his relationships in college, advised him through romances in his twenties.
“Never mind,” Cade said. “When something happens, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I want to know before,” Jonathan teased. “Come on, Cade. You’ve got it bad. The question is, what do you plan to do about it?”
“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Jonathan laughed. “So you do have plans?”
“I have plans. But you’re not exactly confidant material, since you’re married to her sister.”
“Hey, my lips are sealed, man.”
They heard the back screen door slam, heard Sadie’s voice talking to Caleb on the porch.
“Go ahead, she can’t hear you.”
Cade just stared at Jonathan for a moment. Finally, he caved. “All right. But if word gets out, I know where you live.”
Jonathan moved closer to hear Cade’s secret.
CHAPTER 11
M arcus Gibson wasn’t home to greet Sheila when she reported for work the next morning, but he hadn’t forgotten her. He’d left a note taped to the door, addressed to
Sharon.
Since it gave her instructions on what to type today, she assumed the note was for her. She hoped he’d get her name right when he wrote out her paycheck.
The note directed her to the key hidden under the mat. Why hadn’t he just left the
Cade pulled her to the side of the house, and leaned down to give her a crushing hug. “That I missed you. I saw your car here and wanted to see you for a minute before I go back to the station.”
It was too good to be true, having Cade care about her this way. She felt small, protected, in his arms. “I miss you, too. Are you going to be working all night?”
“Until late. We had the computer training session today, which slowed me down, so I still have all our local leads on Emily’s murder to process. I’ll drive by when I start home, and if your light’s on, I’ll stop. That okay?”
“The light’ll be on.”
She smiled up at him, wishing they were more than just an item. If they were married, she wouldn’t have to fall asleep with her light on, hoping he’d come by. He would come home to her, and crawl into bed next to her. And he’d be there when she woke up.
But Cade hadn’t spoken much of marriage just yet, and neither had she. The very idea of his being in love with her in the first place was a blessing she’d never expected. Wouldn’t he wake up any day now and realize how repulsive she was, with the burn scars that marred the side of her face? Wouldn’t he realize there was a reason no one had snapped her up before now?
But he didn’t seem repulsed. He seemed enchanted.
Headlights lit up the drive next to them, and they saw Jonathan pulling his pickup into the driveway. Cade let her go, and she stepped back.
Jonathan got out of the truck, wearing a pair of dress slacks and a button-down shirt. His fisherman’s wardrobe had been relegated to the back of his closet once he was sworn in as mayor, but Blair knew he would never get used to “office-wear.” He looked tired, but he was grinning as he came toward them. “Hey, don’t let me interrupt anything,” he said on a chuckle.
“You weren’t,” Blair said. “I was just going in.”
Cade grinned. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
She smiled and nodded, then headed back inside. Later tonight couldn’t come soon enough.
J onathan didn’t follow Blair inside. Instead he closed his door and leaned back against the truck, crossing his arms. “So, Cade. Just what are your intentions with my sister-in-law?”
Cade returned his best friend’s grin. Jonathan had asked him that dozens of times in the last year, and Cade always evaded. But Jonathan knew his intentions. If he didn’t, he was blind. “I have to go.”
Jonathan caught his arm. “One day you’re gonna answer that question.”
Cade couldn’t hide anything from him. They’d been closest friends for over fifteen years. Jonathan had seen Cade with every date he’d ever had. He’d critiqued his relationships in college, advised him through romances in his twenties.
“Never mind,” Cade said. “When something happens, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I want to know before,” Jonathan teased. “Come on, Cade. You’ve got it bad. The question is, what do you plan to do about it?”
“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Jonathan laughed. “So you do have plans?”
“I have plans. But you’re not exactly confidant material, since you’re married to her sister.”
“Hey, my lips are sealed, man.”
They heard the back screen door slam, heard Sadie’s voice talking to Caleb on the porch.
“Go ahead, she can’t hear you.”
Cade just stared at Jonathan for a moment. Finally, he caved. “All right. But if word gets out, I know where you live.”
Jonathan moved closer to hear Cade’s secret.
CHAPTER 11
M arcus Gibson wasn’t home to greet Sheila when she reported for work the next morning, but he hadn’t forgotten her. He’d left a note taped to the door, addressed to
Sharon.
Since it gave her instructions on what to type today, she assumed the note was for her. She hoped he’d get her name right when he wrote out her paycheck.
The note directed her to the key hidden under the mat. Why hadn’t he just left the
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