Laura seemed to be zeroing in on her secrets. The last couple of weeks her friend had asked some incredibly specific questions that made Nell think Laura was suspicious. It should be annoying, but it was kind of a fun game. The good news was she had a creative imagination. “There’s now a time travel element. I finally figured it out. It’s what’s been missing all along. You see, there’s this odd artifact in the barn and when my heroine touches it, she meets her own great granddaughter, who also happens to be a bombmaker.”
She saw the minute the light in Laura’s eyes died. Score another one for Nell. Sometimes she thought her superpower was being able to drain a person’s will to live simply by talking.
It was kind of a sucky superpower.
Henry always listened to her. He never zoned out or shut her down no matter what she was talking about. She could be talking about the most boring aspects of public policy and Henry would stare right at her and ask intelligent questions.
“All I’m saying is it seems to me Henry’s being responsible. Yes, he should have told you he had the guns, but you can be hard to talk to about these things,” Laura said with a sigh.
Her heart ached. “Henry’s never found it hard to talk to me.”
“I have to think there’s a reason.” Holly sat back. “How much do you know about who he was before he came to Bliss?”
She’d thought about this all morning. “I thought I knew a lot. Like when we’re talking it feels like he’s told me things, but I look back at the conversations we’ve had about his past and I realize he always deflects. I know he’s an only child and he doesn’t know who his father is. His mom died when he was young, but he doesn’t like to talk about that. He went to college and discovered a love of history and that’s about it.”
“Have you ever read anything he’s published?” Laura asked, seemingly diverted away from the other mystery.
“Of course. He’s got a bunch of papers he published on his computer. He didn’t bring the copies of the journals with him. He had a roommate who threw them out. He thought they were supposed to be recycled with the other paper products.” She’d thought about trying to hunt down copies for their anniversary. It might be a good project.
“That’s sad.” Holly waved at someone walking in.
“It’s weird.” Laura nodded, greeting someone behind Nell. She leaned in. “Rachel’s on her way over. Nell, I think you should talk to Henry. You have to be open and honest about what you’re worried about.”
“I’m not truly worried about the guns. I’m worried about the lies. He lied by omission, and I worry he’s lied about other things,” Nell admitted.
“Would it change how you feel about him?” Laura asked, her voice low.
That was the question she didn’t want to ask at all. “I think I need to consider that. I need some time before I confront him. It could be pregnancy hormones.”
“Who’s got pregnancy hormones?” Rachel Harper stood at the head of the booth, her strawberry blonde hair up in a ponytail. “Because I’ll trade stories with that lady. The best way to deal with hormones is to follow all your homicidal impulses.”
Laura had flushed and Holly’s mouth closed.
Rachel’s face lost its snarky look. “I’m sorry. Is it a secret thing? I won’t say anything. I promise.”
Should she tell Rachel? If she told Rachel everyone would know, and she’d wanted to wait for a while longer. Telling Holly and Laura was one thing, but…
“It’s not a secret that Alexei, Caleb, and I are trying.” Holly gave Rachel a bright smile. “But I’m not pregnant yet. Although I am full of hormones.” Holly gave Nell a wink. “I’ve already told both my men to buckle up because being pregnant can make you do crazy things.”
Like suspect her husband was anything but prepared for trouble that might come their way. Henry was a good man. He’d proven it to her over and over again.
She would find those journals for him. She would replace something he’d lost and she would forget about accusing him of something she was sure he hadn’t done.
“Well, I hope it works and soon. I would love to have another pregnant lady to hang out with.” Rachel’s hand went to her barely there belly. “I’m almost sure this one is a boy, and I fear for my sanity. Now I came over to let you know we’re moving book club out to Jen’s because I have feelings about this one. Deep, personal feelings.”
Nell had missed the last two book clubs. They were held on a monthly basis, and every month one of the ladies picked a book to read and discuss. “Why would your feelings mean we need to change locations?”
Laura snorted slightly. “I was wondering if you would pick up on that.”
Rachel’s hands went to her hips. “Laura picked a book called Her Two Cowboys by the romance author named Libby Finn. It’s a ménage where this dipshit chick thinks she can handle her stalker with kindness or something, but then she finds these twin cowboys in a small town and falls for them. It’s a good book and that woman’s mind is filthy, but damn, the heroine could be a little more trusting, you know. It’s ridiculous that she won’t tell the sheriff the mob is after her. Also, those two men are so much smarter than my husbands. But seriously the fact that the heroine accidently ends up kissing the wrong brother is silly. You can always tell.”
Yep, she would be missing book club again. She was totally skipping out because while she had a thick skin, she did not need to hear about all the ways she’d gotten it wrong. She got
