the stairs, her braless jiggle was apparent.
“Bill?” She rushed past the dining room. “Honey?” She sped through the kitchen. “Bill?” Into the living room. “Honey!”
Bill emerged from the basement with his phone in hand, still in his robe and slippers. She kissed him on the mouth, leaving a glossy residue. She wiped it with her thumb, then leaned against the wall, watching Bill type a message on his phone.
“It’s the warehouse,” Bill explained. “We’re short again.”
“Not today, Bill. You can’t fly out there today.”
“I’d be back before Mom and Dad’s plane touches down . . . tomorrow.”
“No, Bill. You know what always happens. Once you’re out there, you’ll get pulled for who-knows-what. It’s just two days before our wedding. No, you can’t go.”
Bill pulled her into a hug and kissed her lips softly. “I
have
to go, Samantha. I promise I’ll come directly home, and I’ll make sure I’m not available for emergency fill-ins. Besides, your day is so full, you won’t even notice I’m gone,” he said, trying to reassure her.
Samantha sighed and pushed past him. Bill shook his head, looking at her scornfully. “Samantha, I’m not trying to fight with you today. It’s
my
division. If they can’t count on me, then who?”
“You took time off for your wedding. They shouldn’t even be calling you. Why can’t they get someone else?”
“Because there is no one else. I
have
to do this, Samantha. And, as much as I want you to be okay with this, I’m going whether you support my decision or not.” He walked away.
What was the use in arguing with him or getting angry? She had come to understand that his job was stressful and demanding. Whether she liked it or not, he was going.
“Fine. I’ll drive you to the airport.”
“Love you.” He managed a tight-lipped grin as he continued toward the bedroom.
15
Hill didn’t know what was going on, but he knew better than to ask any questions. He pushed his wheelbarrow to the pile of heavy stones he needed to move and loaded them into it one by one. He looked up at the window, but Caitlin wasn’t there. As he moved about, trying to finish his checklist of tasks before the rain came, he noticed the harried activity around the house.
Adam was walking toward Hill, who looked around to make sure none of his tools were laying nearby. After his first encounter with the man, he’d told Gabe and Ty to make sure the tool trailer was always locked. He didn’t want to give Adam another opportunity to ambush him. Not again. He wanted to be always ready for him.
Hill stood tall as Adam approached. At nearly six feet tall and two hundred twenty pounds of solid muscle, most people were intimidated by his stature alone.
Most people
. Adam Church wasn’t one of them.
“Can you help us out?” Adam asked. It wasn’t a question, but more of a command because he walked away before Hill had an opportunity to respond.
Hill followed Adam into the basement through an outside door. There were two other men already down there. A foul odor hit Hill in the face the moment he entered the basement. He gagged, barely able to stave off vomiting. But he managed. He saw several large trunks lined up. The two men picked up one of them and hauled it upstairs and out to the U-Haul truck. He and Adam picked up another. It was heavier than Hill had expected. Luckily, he still wore his work gloves, so he was able to grip the trunk steadily.
After the last trunk was loaded onto the truck, Adam invited them all into his study for a cigar and a drink. Hill seriously considered declining, but curiosity got the best of him. As they walked through the rambling home, Caitlin walked down the stairs, gliding as if someone were carrying her. Adam awaited her at the bottom of the staircase and kissed her as she took the last step. Hill looked away. As they continued on, Hill snatched a glance. Caitlin did the same, brushing her arm against his as they
“Bill?” She rushed past the dining room. “Honey?” She sped through the kitchen. “Bill?” Into the living room. “Honey!”
Bill emerged from the basement with his phone in hand, still in his robe and slippers. She kissed him on the mouth, leaving a glossy residue. She wiped it with her thumb, then leaned against the wall, watching Bill type a message on his phone.
“It’s the warehouse,” Bill explained. “We’re short again.”
“Not today, Bill. You can’t fly out there today.”
“I’d be back before Mom and Dad’s plane touches down . . . tomorrow.”
“No, Bill. You know what always happens. Once you’re out there, you’ll get pulled for who-knows-what. It’s just two days before our wedding. No, you can’t go.”
Bill pulled her into a hug and kissed her lips softly. “I
have
to go, Samantha. I promise I’ll come directly home, and I’ll make sure I’m not available for emergency fill-ins. Besides, your day is so full, you won’t even notice I’m gone,” he said, trying to reassure her.
Samantha sighed and pushed past him. Bill shook his head, looking at her scornfully. “Samantha, I’m not trying to fight with you today. It’s
my
division. If they can’t count on me, then who?”
“You took time off for your wedding. They shouldn’t even be calling you. Why can’t they get someone else?”
“Because there is no one else. I
have
to do this, Samantha. And, as much as I want you to be okay with this, I’m going whether you support my decision or not.” He walked away.
What was the use in arguing with him or getting angry? She had come to understand that his job was stressful and demanding. Whether she liked it or not, he was going.
“Fine. I’ll drive you to the airport.”
“Love you.” He managed a tight-lipped grin as he continued toward the bedroom.
15
Hill didn’t know what was going on, but he knew better than to ask any questions. He pushed his wheelbarrow to the pile of heavy stones he needed to move and loaded them into it one by one. He looked up at the window, but Caitlin wasn’t there. As he moved about, trying to finish his checklist of tasks before the rain came, he noticed the harried activity around the house.
Adam was walking toward Hill, who looked around to make sure none of his tools were laying nearby. After his first encounter with the man, he’d told Gabe and Ty to make sure the tool trailer was always locked. He didn’t want to give Adam another opportunity to ambush him. Not again. He wanted to be always ready for him.
Hill stood tall as Adam approached. At nearly six feet tall and two hundred twenty pounds of solid muscle, most people were intimidated by his stature alone.
Most people
. Adam Church wasn’t one of them.
“Can you help us out?” Adam asked. It wasn’t a question, but more of a command because he walked away before Hill had an opportunity to respond.
Hill followed Adam into the basement through an outside door. There were two other men already down there. A foul odor hit Hill in the face the moment he entered the basement. He gagged, barely able to stave off vomiting. But he managed. He saw several large trunks lined up. The two men picked up one of them and hauled it upstairs and out to the U-Haul truck. He and Adam picked up another. It was heavier than Hill had expected. Luckily, he still wore his work gloves, so he was able to grip the trunk steadily.
After the last trunk was loaded onto the truck, Adam invited them all into his study for a cigar and a drink. Hill seriously considered declining, but curiosity got the best of him. As they walked through the rambling home, Caitlin walked down the stairs, gliding as if someone were carrying her. Adam awaited her at the bottom of the staircase and kissed her as she took the last step. Hill looked away. As they continued on, Hill snatched a glance. Caitlin did the same, brushing her arm against his as they
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