“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Kane said. “Cullen’s friend should have answers from Angela soon, if she is willing to talk, and that’s a big ‘if’. We need to find out why.”
“You really don’t think it’s just because she’s mad and sad?” Jill asked.
“No,” Law, Asher, and Cullen said at the same time.
“Why not,” Jill asked.
“You go,” Law nodded to Kane.
“Why did he give Lesley a false name? Why didn’t he introduce himself as Tim Goshen? Why did he approach you as a member of the HOA? If everything was above-board and all he was, was worried about his wife, he would have been upfront. This smells to high heaven.”
“I don’t like it. My buddy is pretty sure Angela is waitressing at a truck stop on the outskirts of Casper. He’s going to go see her in the morning. Hopefully, it will all get cleared up then,” Cullen said.
“Until then, you need to be cautious and alert, Jill,” Asher said forcefully. He might have been talking to Jill, but his words were really meant for Law.
“She’ll be staying with me from now on until we have this sorted out.”
She pulled away from him. “Oh, I will, will I?”
“Yes, you will.”
She gave him a long look, reached over, and shut off the zoom call. “Let’s discuss this like adults—you know, where you tell me you’re worried about me, and ask me to stay with you?”
He could see that she was almost with him. He smiled.
“How about if I tell you that I’m really worried about you, and I really, really want you in my bed at night?”
She wound her arms around his neck. “That works.”
Chapter 11
“Tell me about Jill.”
Law had been expecting this call. He knew he was safe because this was the second night that Jill was zoned out in front of her computer trying to race through technical manuals to meet a deadline to fix someone else’s fuck-ups.
He wiped the grease off his with the garage rag and picked up his phone and put it to his ear. Even though he was ninety-nine percent sure that Jill wouldn’t be coming into the garage, there wasn’t any reason to take unnecessary risks.
“What do you want to know?”
“Why haven’t you copped to her before?”
“Copped to her? What kind of expression is that? I mentioned her to you a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah, but this is something serious, you wouldn’t have pulled in Kane if it wasn’t.”
The Triumph motorcycle was looking good. It had taken him damn near a year to be able to pull the tarp off and start to work on it, but now he was happy. It was bringing back happier times spent with Xavier.
“Law, are you listening to me?” Asher demanded.
“You wanted to know how deep I’d gotten into with Jill, and if I really thought I was ready for a serious relationship. Yes, I heard that. Instead of calling you a “kettle”, I decided to admire Xavier’s motorcycle.”
Asher sighed out a laugh. “I guess it is a bit of the pot calling the kettle black. Did you talk to Professor Roberts’ referral?”
This time it was Law’s turn to sigh. “Yes. I did it specifically because I knew I was falling for Jill and I wanted to make sure I could come to her whole. I didn’t want to be fucked in the head with anger and guilt.”
“That’s great!”
“You’re really annoying, you know that, don’t you?”
“Right back at you. So tell me about this miracle worker who got your ass in to see a psychologist. She must be special.”
“She is. You already saw she’s gorgeous, but she’s smart as a whip, but she is clumsy as hell and she talks to her flowers when she has to work out a problem. She worked as an EMT in downtown Houston for a couple of years. She understands real life.”
“Even though she talks to flowers?” Asher chuckled.
“Yep,” Law grinned.
“Do you love her?”
“Every morning when I wake up with her beside me, the day is better and brighter. When I get to fall asleep with her in my arms I feel content. It eats at me when I don’t know where she is, I want to make sure she’s safe at all times. Is that love? Is that forever?”
“Can you picture growing old without her?” Ash asked softly.
“Hell no. I want her ass tied to my side. I want to make her life better, I want to take care of her. Selfishly, I want all that beauty and sparkle drenching my life.”
“Oh Baby Brother, you’ve got it bad. Drenching your life. Did you take poetry classes in between all of your sports classes?”
“Fuck you,” Law said without any real heat. “Does this sound familiar?”
“Fuck yeah. Except for the drenching part. I want to have Eden’s laughter and wildness beside me forever, that’s why she has my ring on her finger.”
“So have you set the date yet?”
“It’s either March or June. Eden has to go to Montana to bump some heads to get things settled.”
“What?”
“What with Becker’s trial and all the jobs she’s been getting, she pawned some of the planning off on her two sisters. They are arguing about which is the best venue for the reception.”
“Did you tell Eden you want March?”
“Hell no, I’m staying out of it. Get in the middle of a sister fight? I don’t think so, my man.”
Law chuckled, at least that was one thing he wouldn’t have to worry about.
“But I know Eden wants to get married as soon as possible too, so I’m guessing March will win out. But we’ll see. This will tell me a lot about the family dynamics.”
“What about her brothers?”
“Yeah,
