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He gave me a confused look.
“You told me about all you do for your in-laws, but you never mentioned all the emotional support you’ve given them. You kept your company together, the one that you and Marie started, even without Marie. You just soldiered on raising James. I know you have Renzo and the rest to support you with this, but who have you leaned on emotionally?”
He stiffened. He didn’t like where I was going. “You’re making too much of this. It’s just what you do. You handle things.”
“How long have you been courting me since you’ve decided to move here to Jasper Creek?”
That question caught him off-guard. “I don’t know. Weeks?”
“Bullshit, you anal so-and-so. You know it’s been four weeks and three days, just like I do. How many times have you pried information out of me? Tried to make me feel better, or take care of me?”
He shrugged.
“Exactly. I didn’t bitch about it.”
He barked out a laugh.
“Okay, maybe I complained a little. All I’m saying is, for this thing to work between us, you have to let me be here for you. You need to learn to lean. Is that so hard?”
He began to relax and I saw my opportunity to snuggle even closer.
“It is hard,” he whispered. “Even with Marie, I took the lead on everything. She liked me handling things.”
“I’m not Marie.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Can you talk to me? Can you tell me exactly why you’re worried about James?”
This time he shifted so he could look me dead in the eye. “It’s not just James. I worry for Millie, for Ruby, for Harvey’s wife and daughter… for you. Everybody who is close to those of us working on this project. Code found something. Apparently, Pacific Rim made an offer to an outfit like ours three years ago, after they did the same kinds of things. Permit hold-ups, screwing with the financials, sabotage on the worksite. But then one of the wives of the developers was in a nasty car accident. It was a hit and run. The developer sold to Pacific Rim at a loss a week later.”
My gut clenched. “You really think they would go that far?”
“Code still isn’t sure that it wasn’t just a coincidence. He’s digging. But I’m worried.”
“And the others?”
“We’re all worried, but it’s Ford and I who are the most concerned. Probably because we were both in the service.”
“You said you’re worried for me. What can I do to take that worry off the table?”
“Lock your fucking front door!”
I reared back at his yelled words. “Shit, I guess that’s really bothered you.”
“You think? You should have been doing this all along, but now? Now, it’s imperative. Promise me.”
I placed my hand on his chest. “I promise.”
“I want to install a Ring camera on your door.”
I didn’t want one of those things. Not at all. “Okay.”
“Try not to be alone. If you have to go someplace, take Angelica or Ernie or Leslie.”
“I’ve got it.”
He let out a deep breath and he smiled. “This shit has been eating at me.”
