“I don’t even know him. He doesn’t know me, and?—”
She cuts me off. “Aren’t you guys having a child together?” She laughs. “I’m pretty sure you at least like each other a little.”
“But . . .” It comes out almost as a whine.
“Collins,” she says softly, “what difference does it make that you didn’t know him before or that you get to know him while you live with him?”
“I can’t have a conversation with you when you make sense,” I joke. “By the way, how are you?”
“I found out Davis is fucking his secretary and her best friend, as well as a couple of his clients.” I close my eyes. “And he still refuses to divorce me.”
“Why don’t you come visit me and get away? My house isn’t anything big, and I don’t have air-conditioning, but at least you’ll be away.”
“You really know how to sell a holiday.” She laughs.
The bell rings, letting me know a call came in. “I have to go.”
“Call me later. Love you.”
I spring into action, and for the rest of my shift, I don’t have time to think about Theo.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THEO
“Theo,” Collins calls. I look over my shoulder at her, sliding one leg into my jeans. “I have to go home.”
My body goes tight. “Why?”
“We’re going out with your cousin, and I need clothes for it.” She cocks her hips against the doorjamb.
“What’s wrong with the clothes you have?” I look at the shorts and tank top she wore to work.
“Theo,” she says my name in sort of a warning, “I could have just left while you were in here and gone to my house.” I glare at her. “So if it’s not too much trouble, I would like to go get a change of clothes.”
“Will you pack more than one outfit?” I ask her as I slip my T-shirt on. “You should pack enough clothes for the week.”
“We’ll see,” she replies.
“That means no. My father would always say, ‘We’ll see,’ but it’s code for no.” She laughs, and I walk to her, wrapping my arm around her waist and kissing her.
“Let’s go, or we’ll be late,” I urge, but I don’t release her, staying in the same spot.
“You need to let me go,” she says softly. I feel a twinge in my chest with the words. I look into her eyes, seeing a lightness in them I didn’t see when we first got together. I don’t think I will ever let her go.
“Not a chance in hell.” I hope she gets the meaning. I don’t know when it happened, or how it happened, but there isn’t a day in my life that I remember or want to remember with her not in it.
“Theo . . .”
“Don’t say my name like that, or else I’m going to call my cousin and cancel the fucking thing and we’ll eat dinner in bed,” I warn her. She looks down, and I can see her blush. “Save that thought. I want to take you out.” I slide a hand in hers as we walk to my truck.
We make our way to her house. Caleb and I were here this morning to take a look at her box, and it is plain as day that the wires were cut. I pull into her driveway. “Why don’t you go ahead without me?” she suggests, putting her hand on the handle. “And I’ll meet you there.”
“No,” I reply, not willing to leave her here alone when I can’t see her. I get out of the truck and look around for Claire. Every single time I arrive somewhere or leave, the first thing I do is scan the area. “If anything, we can come and get your car tomorrow after work.”
“Am I going to get any say in this?”
“I’m compromising by coming back here tomorrow.”
