“I’m worried about you. You’re a single woman who lives by yourself. What if something happens to you?” She shook her head. “I could never live with myself if I didn’t try to do something to keep you safe. Tommy isn’t working right now. He planned to stay here for a month to help Maddox with the house, but now that the windows are done, that can wait.”
I tried to imagine what it would be like to have Tommy come home with me.
While he had stayed the night and we’d spent a lot of time together, could I handle him practically living with me?
More importantly, could I handle the feeling I had right now—that I liked the idea of him living with me?
What happened when he went back to Virginia? Or worse, what happened if we got sick of each other?
I was really enjoying being with him, but it wasn’t permanent.
I wasn’t going to say no outright because I didn’t want Addison to worry, and I had to admit, I would feel safer with Tommy around.
It just wasn’t a simple thing to say yes or no to.
“I’ll think about it,” I told her.
“I was hoping for a yes, but I’ll take it.” She leaned closer to me. “Between you and me, this would be something good for Tommy, too. I think he’s a little lost now that he retired from the Navy. I saw Maddox struggle with it. It’s hard to go from having a job that you feel is making a difference to not doing anything.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So, I’d be doing this for Tommy?”
She grinned. “If that’s the way you want to look at it, then yes.”
I laughed. “We need to really try a case together again. I’d love to see you at work in court.”
She chuckled. “Thanks. I like to think I haven’t lost all the skills I learned in school while working here in Brook Creek.” Her smile slipped from her face, and her eyes turned concerning. “Please think about it for real though, okay?”
I nodded. “I will. But it’s not all up to me. Tommy has to be on board with it. And I don’t want him to do it because he has to even if you think it would be good for me. There are other things I can do to make my place safer.”
Addison sat up straight. “You’re right. Let’s ask him.” She raised her arm in the air and waved. “Tommy,” she yelled out.
I shook my head and hissed, “Not now.”
She lowered her arm. “Why not? Now’s perfect.”
Tommy and Maddox walked back to our table, and I groaned.
“What’s up?” Tommy asked.
“I’m worried about Olivia when she goes back home. I know you planned to stay in Iowa for a few more weeks. What if you went back with her to keep her safe until the police find who’s been sending the letters? I’m sure Maddox wouldn’t mind putting off the work on the house.”
“Of course not, babe,” Maddox said. “Olivia’s safety comes first.”
I turned around in my seat and met Tommy’s eyes. “You don’t have to come back with me. You didn’t come here to be with me, you came to be with your friend, and I don’t want to hog all your time.”
I held my breath, waiting to see what he had to say.
“When do you plan to go home?”
“Tuesday. I was planning to be here a week. Unless something comes up,” I had to add because something could always come up. I was already feeling guilty about staying that late. I should be working on Tate’s new case.
“Why don’t we see what happens after this weekend? Maybe the police will find something before Tuesday.”
For some reason, this was the perfect response. If he had said no, I thought my feelings would have been hurt, but if he had said yes, I thought I’d be uncomfortable. We didn’t know each other that well, and if he jumped at the chance to stay with me for a few weeks, I’d think something was wrong with him.
I am a hard woman to please.
I laughed out loud at my thought because it was so true.
“What’s so funny?” Addison asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing. Just thinking about how fickle I am.”
“Kind of out of the blue, but I’m not going to argue.”
“Ha-ha,” I said sarcastically.
I turned around to the guys, only to see that they had already returned to their pool game.
“You like him, don’t you?”
I looked back at my friend. “He has a certain appeal.”
“Yes.” She clenched her fist in victory. “I knew it.” She smiled. “He’s good in bed, isn’t he?”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Oh, Addison.”
“What?”
“You make me laugh.”
“Just tell me.”
“Yes, he’s good in bed.”
She patted herself on the back…literally. “Chalk that up to another thing I’m right about.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Now, tell me how you two ended up in bed together.”
“Fine,” I said even though I was dying to tell her everything. I put my elbows on the table. “I have you and the window you uncovered to thank.”
27
Tommy
It was getting late, and the bar was closing in about an hour. “Is it time for us to leave yet?” I asked. “I’m starting to feel real old with all these young kids out.”
I didn’t often feel thirty-eight, but being around a bunch of young twenty-something kids made me feel every bit of my age.
“I’m ready to go, too,” Addison said. “Serena is probably wondering when we’re going to get home.” She groaned. “Tomorrow morning is going to suck. Just once, it would be nice if the boys slept in.”
Maddox put his arm around her. “We’ll take turns, so both of us can sleep. I’ll take the first shift.”
She kissed him. “God bless good husbands.”
The four of us finished our drinks and strode out into the warm night air. As we walked out, Addison stumbled against Maddox.
“Oops,” she said with a laugh.
“Are you sure either of you should be driving?” I asked. “It would look
