rivalry.
Missy pranced in the seat, anxious to unload. I reached over to release the harness just as she sneezed. Bulldog drool shot out all over the inside of the Jeep and onto me.
“Yuck.” I pulled out a box of tissues from the middle console and wiped her sticky chin. Behind me, Fluffy rubbed her nose with her paw. She’d also been a causality of Missy snot.
I gently held her narrow face and cleaned her off. She watched me, not sure what I was about. “There you go, girlfriend.”
I scratched the top of her head and kissed her lightly. Fluffy licked my cheek, then turned away as if embarrassed.
I winked at Missy. “Well, well, well. Looks like Her Highness is warming up to us.” I rubbed Missy’s head and gave her a few kisses, too, not wanting her to feel left out of the love fest.
“Alrighty then.” I wadded the tissues into a ball and shoved them back into the console. “Let’s hit it, ladies.”
I slung my Louis Vuitton travel bag over my shoulder and raced the dogs up the stone walkway. We’d made it halfway to the house, when the front door swung open.
“I see you brought friends.” Grey’s deep voice made me feel a little dizzy.
He looked like home in his jeans, black t-shirt and mussed hair, and he smelled like dinner. More specifically, garlic mashed potatoes. My stomach growled.
“Never leave a soldier behind.” I planted a quick kiss on his mouth.
The dogs raced through the doorway. Missy immediately headed for her bed. Fluffy had no idea where she was going, but she wasn’t about to be left out. She immediately started her own investigation, starting with the kitchen.
Grey locked the door for the night, then grabbed my bag and tossed it on the bench in the hallway. “Must be serious. Louis’s heavy.”
“Mitch brought a wife.”
He grinned and raised his brow. “He was living a secret life.”
I nodded. “Nikki Rosa Isabel Espinoza Langston. I can already hear Mama. ‘What kind of name is that? Is she a prostitute? You cannot have an
He draped his arm over my shoulders and tucked me close to his side. He was the only man I’d ever dated who could make me feel petite.
“Poor Mitch.”
“He’s a big boy. He knew what he was doing. I feel bad for Nikki, she’s very nice. But it’s better for her to know the real Barbara Langston.”
“She does take some getting used to.”
“Amen. I’m sorry we’re so late. Have you already eaten?”
“I waited.”
We headed for the kitchen where he’d prepared an amazing dinner of grilled salmon, steamed broccoli and those garlic smashed potatoes I already mentioned. In the center of the round glass table sat a bottle of my favorite Pinot Noir.
I kissed him on the cheek. “I am the luckiest woman alive. It smells delicious.” I washed my hands at the kitchen sink. “Today was kinda wild. You wouldn’t believe it.”
He pulled out my chair. “Try me.”
We sat, and Grey poured the wine. His shirt sleeves were casually rolled to his elbows, exposing his forearm muscles. He placed my glass next to my plate, then poured some for himself.
I rested my chin in the palm of my hands and stared at him. I took a deep breath and savored the moment. “I’ve missed you.”
He looked over the rim of his wine glass; his eyes promised to make it up to me.
I shivered. “Stop it.” I tore my gaze away from his face and concentrated on my dinner. “This is so delicious. I just realized I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
“Something kept you away from food?” He chuckled.
I savored a fork full of potatoes, then launched into my day. “First, Owen summoned a small group to his office this afternoon to inform us Mona was broke. So broke, she’d filed bankruptcy last month.”
“I’m sorry I missed that meeting.”
“Liar,” I said around a mouthful of salmon. I swallowed and then continued, “He gave me a copy of Mona’s will. She named me Fluffy’s guardian.”
“You get Fluffy?”
“Her well laid out plan of revenge. As her new owner, it’s my job to find her a bodyguard. Interested?”
His lips twitched. “No. Why does she need a bodyguard now?”
I pointed a floweret of broccoli at him. “I have no idea.”
I filled him in on the meeting and explained about the insurance money for both Darby and Fluffy. By time I was finished, so was dinner.
“How’s Darby holding up?” He leaned back in his chair and sipped his wine.
“She wouldn’t tell you, but not good.” I placed my utensils on my empty plate and pushed it aside. “I want to tell you something-a number of somethings. But you have to promise not to get upset until after I tell you everything.”
Grey pushed his plate aside too and sighed knowingly. He looked at me in that way that said he was done arguing. “I’m not sure I want to make that promise.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t get upset.” We both knew that was a given. “Just wait until I’m finished. Then you can yell at me.” I shot him a self-deprecating grin.
I downplayed Darby’s and my excellent adventure of breaking and entering (I used very passive verbs), but I was a good girl and didn’t leave out a single detail.
The muscle in his check twitched, and his green eyes sparkled with a great deal of irritation. But being the gentleman he was, he didn’t say a word. Yet.
When I admitted to poking my nose into Malone’s investigation, I thought he was going to explode like Old Faithful. “I promise I’m going to call Malone first thing in the morning and let him know about Cliff’s notebook.”
“I specifically said to stay away from Cliff.” His curt tone was not for show.
I had the stray thought that the make up sex tonight would be great. But I didn’t think he wanted to hear that right now.
“He wasn’t there. I swear.”
Under the table my legs pumped up and down with a life of their own. “Oh, and I have something I want you to look at.” I hopped up and grabbed my cell.
Spilling my guts to Grey had been more emotional than I’d expected. To be honest, I hadn’t really given it much thought. Oh, I’d known he’d be upset, but I figured he’d get over it. By the look on his face when I’d left the table, he didn’t look like he wanted to get over it anytime soon.
I came back with reinforcements-the dogs.
“You’re not going to stop this, are you?” He gathered the plates and carried them to the sink, clearly upset and exasperated.
The dogs sniffed the floor beneath the table looking for leftovers. Fluffy was so bold to actually sniff the table. Bad dog.
“I can’t.”
“Is this because of Caro?” Grey began loading the dishwasher with his back to me.
It was a simple question, and I understood why he was asking.
“Not at all. This is because Darby’s innocent.” I set my phone on the counter and helped him load the dishes. We worked in silence.
Once we finished, I said softly, “I need your help.”
“I know.” He leaned his back against the counter and tucked his fingers in his pockets. He wasn’t happy. “I’m more than a little upset, Mel.” I opened my mouth to answer, but he raised his hand for me to keep quiet. “But I know you’re going to do what you want. The only way I can reassure myself you’re not going to run head first into trouble is to do what I can to help.”
