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Her pulse jerked. Justin’s mother had known hers, too? Did she know about the affair between her husband and Annette Wade? Did she know about Nate? Marley cast a quick glance at Dale, but he avoided her gaze. Jordan just glared at her. Justin watched his mother, who gave nothing else away.
“So I’ve been told,” Marley replied. A defensive note had crept into her voice and she discovered she wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Normally, she didn’t run from confrontations, but this woman chilled her clear through.
Justin stepped forward. “We were just on our way out.”
It felt like a rescue when he placed his hand against the small of Marley’s back and guided her past his parents. Diana’s sharp gaze pierced her back like a knife. Marley shivered. Something told her Diana knew everything.
“Sorry,” Justin said as they rode the elevator down. “I shouldn’t have provoked her.”
“You don’t have to apologize. In fact, I should thank you for not saying anything about Nate and your grandfather.”
He waited for her to exit first. “Didn’t seem a good idea to add more to Jordan’s plate right now, but I still have to tell him at some point.”
She nodded her understanding, because, truly, she did. As they crossed the parking lot, she handed her truck keys back to him. “You know where you’re going.”
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“I’ll probably go back to see Nate for awhile. Tell him about Jordan,” she added in an apologetic tone. “Maybe see if he remembers anything else.”
He nodded. “I’ll be done around six. You want me to pick up dinner on my way over?” He was obviously extending his own olive branch.
“Who says you’re coming over?” She wanted to remain angry for the things he’d accused her of earlier, but didn’t quite pull it off.
“Marley, until we know who and why, you’re not staying alone.”
The firm statement would’ve raised her hackles if the entire morning hadn’t been just strange enough that him spending the night again sounded reassuring.
“Don’t worry about dinner,” she relented. “I’ll cook.”
His expression softened, too. “I’ll bring dessert.”
She wanted him for dessert. Could she tell him to just bring himself?
****
Marley jerked awake, her hand closing around the grip of her Glock.
“Easy, Jessie.”
At the sound of Justin’s voice from behind the couch, she rolled onto her back and blinked up at him with confusion. “Jessie?”
“As in James?” he said dryly. “I figured you had your gun somewhere—ah, there it is. Would’ve been smarter to lock the damn door.”
She sat up with a yawn and placed the weapon on the coffee table so she could rub her dry, aching eyes. “I wasn’t planning to fall asleep.”
“Marley, that’s something you have to start remembering to do the moment you come in.”
“I was working on the porch earlier—going in and out—it didn’t make sense to lock it right away.”
A glance at her watch made her eyes widen. Almost seven! Her couple minute rest break had turned into a two-hour snooze. She stood, stretching her arms high above her head as she turned around. Cool air whispered across her stomach where her shirt hiked up.
Justin stood midway between the living room and the kitchen, a bag in each hand, staring at her. The warmth in his gaze chased away the chill. When their eyes met, there was no mistaking the desire that reached across the room to stroke her pulse. She lowered her arms, made herself breathe, and walked toward him.
“What’s that?” She indicated his purchases.
He held up one bag, then the other. “Dessert. Wine.”
Caught in the heat of the moment, she raised an eyebrow and lowered her tone. “You wouldn’t be planning to liquor me up so you can take advantage of me, would you?”
