Page 53 of Rising Heat

Coop folds in half.

“What?”

“A wooden spoon.”

The wheeze that comes out of him is almost concerning.

Tyler and Trick just stare.

“She threatened you with a spoon?”

“She didn’t threaten me.”

“Then why’d she have a spoon?”

“I don’t know Ty, I guess she planned on attacking me with it when she thought I was an intruder.”

Coop is fully crying now, and even Trick’s mouth twitches.

I’m aware I’ve earned this.

Tyler leans against the rig and smiles.

“So. Verdict? Was I right?”

“The drain’s fixed.”

“That’s not the verdict I’m asking for.”

His voice drops just enough that I know exactly what he’s asking.

“She’s our tenant,” I answer too quickly.

Tyler nods once, like that was a complete sentence and also like it wasn’t.

“Yep.”

Coop looks between us.

“Sooo… what’s the move?”

“There is no move.”

The answer comes out faster than I mean it to.

Fast enough that Tyler notices.

His eyebrow shifts almost imperceptibly.

“That’s—”

“That’s reality.” I set the clipboard down. “She lives in our house.”

It comes out rougher than I mean for it, settling over the bay. Tyler’s grin dials back as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah,” he said. “She does.”

I meet his eyes. Eight years of calls, two years of sharing a mortgage, and over 30 years of sharing everything else that mattered. He knows exactly what I’m not saying. That she’s upstairs.