Page 96 of Nixon’s Promise

Nixon pulled out his phone and stepped out of the room. He pulled up the number he wanted and pressed call.

“Everything okay?” she rushed out.

“All good,” Nixon returned.

“All? No one got hurt? The bridge?”

“The bridge is fine.”

“Anyone hurt?”

“Only the bad guys, babe.”

“Thank God.” Nixon felt her relief first in his gut, then his heart.

McKenna had been worried about them. About him. And damn if that hadn’t felt good.

“Do me a favor, yeah?”

“Anything.”

“Make sure you’re locked up tight in there and don’t go into the office until I get back.”

“Okay.” The uncertainty was clear, but McKenna readily agreed.

“Okay. Gotta run.”

“Be safe.”

“Always.” Nixon disconnected, feeling better after hearing her voice. But there was still a nagging feeling this wasn’t over. He didn’t like that Miller knew about McKenna. And not for the first time he wished her bigass mutt of a dog wasn’t so friendly.

Yes, their night had been the very definition of a shitshow. But McCabe was still in custody and the Ben Franklin Bridge was still intact. Not bad for a night’s work.

37

I was trudging up the stairs, wondering if new wrinkles would form overnight if I didn’t do my nighttime exfoliate-and-moisturize routine, then I wondered if I cared. I was too tired to do anything but brush my teeth and fall into bed.

It had been a long day and I missed Nixon. He’d called again to tell me it would be doubtful they’d leave Philly for a while. They had a mess to clean up—his words. And he hadn’t elaborated on what the mess was.

The whole operation took less than an hour from the time he’d first hung up with me, entered the Declaration House, took out the bad guys, and called me again. But I’d swear on a stack of Bibles it had taken days. Those minutes I’d waited to hear from him again were scary.

All I could think about was all of the things I’d wanted to say to him but hadn’t. I thought back and replayed all the time I’d spent with him. His smile. How he was laughing more and more. How he acted with Zack and Mandy. How he acted with me. His touch, his lips, how he could be sweet in his own bossy, alpha way.

A lot had changed in my life since my dad had died. More responsibility than I thought I could handle fell on my lap, leaving me no choice but to take it on before I even had time to mourn the loss of my dad and stepmom. Instead of the tragedy bringing what was left of my family together, in our combined grief, it had almost torn us apart.

Mandy, Zack, and I were all alone in the world. Three orphans. But for them, I’d take on the world. I couldn’t fail them. I wouldn’t. However, some days it was overwhelming.

Then Nix swooped in and had taken some pressure off, and that meant the world to me. He’d been taking on more and more with my siblings, my animals, and me. The more he shouldered, the more I wondered if I was taking advantage of his kindness, or if one day he’d look at me as a burden.

That was a depressing thought.

I finished brushing my teeth, didn’t bother washing my face, and yanked back the covers. Sliding into my cool sheets, alone, I thought about the conversation I needed to have with Mandy and Zack about Nix spending the night. I was going to do it tonight during dinner, but Mandy had been so excited to tell me about the lacrosse game and the new boy she was talking to, I didn’t want to interrupt.

Then after dinner Mandy had gone upstairs to do homework, which was code for she wanted to text Caleb in private. Zack helped me clean up and feed Sally and Goat. All the while he’d peppered me with questions about summer jobs and signing him up for driver’s training. I couldn’t find an opening to broach the topic of sleepovers and breakfast, so I left it alone.

I’d laid in bed for hours. My mind wouldn’t shut off even though I was exhausted. I thought over the last few months and the changes that had transformed my brother and sister. Something I’d always be grateful to Nixon for. He’d opened my heart in a way I never thought possible.

My phone beeped with a text, pulling me from my contemplation.