Page 132 of My Favorite Hero

“What?” I gasped, quickly looking at her again, before focusing on the road. That was news to me.

“Oh, ah, I might have looked them up when you told me about them.”

“Tell me what else you found out,” I asked, wanting to know, for some unknown reason.

“Your brother left the firefighting game. He never made it. He works for a security company—like a rent-a-cop.”

“Jesus,” I muttered. “How the mighty have fallen.”

“From what I saw, he quit before he was told to leave.”

“Wow. It’s fucking hard to get into the job. I was lucky. He used every favor he ever stored up to make it.”

“He didn’t last.”

“Interesting.”

“He and Miriam only have the one son. They live in your parents’ basement and have done so since he changed careers. She works at a local grocery store.”

“Holy shit. She had never worked while we were together. Even in high school, she didn’t have a job. Her parents footed all the bills.”

“Her parents live in Thailand now.”

“Jesus, Casey. You knew all this and didn’t tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure you wanted to know.”

“Anything else?”

“Not really. Your dad retired, and your mom sells Tupperware.”

I shook my head. “Should I ask how you found all this out?”

“I, ah, have skills.” She squeezed my hand. “I don’t think your ex is living the life she thought she would.”

“Don’t care. They deserve each other.”

“Good.” She paused. “Please tell me you feel a little vindicated?”

I pulled into the driveway, turning off the lights. “I feel grateful I have someone in my life like you. I feel the need to take you inside and show you how grateful. I have the desire to take you out again to make up for tonight.”

She shook her head. “I loved tonight—even with them being there. It gave me a chance to say what I thought.”

“You said it well, Pixie. You were fierce.” I leaned over and kissed her. “Now, no more talk about them. Let’s finish the night off the way I wanted to.”

“Which is?”

“Buried inside you, listening to your little noises that drive me crazy, then holding you until you fall asleep.”

“I approve of this plan.”

“Then let’s go.”

Chapter Thirty

JESSE

Casey slept in her usual position, curled on her side, her hand over my heart. As I often did when I watched her, the oddest thoughts came into my head. Tonight, it felt as if she were protecting my heart—the way she had fiercely protected me earlier.