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“I need to lower my walls more?” Sophie wasn’t sure she could. Those barriers had been in place since the breakup with her college boyfriend.She’d completely misjudged where that relationship was going and had avoided anything but casual hookups since because she was afraid to make that mistake again.
“You need to open a gate or a doorway,” Luna suggested. “Talk to him about how you feel. That’ll encourage him to express himself, too. You might be surprised at what happens.” Luna got up and went back to her work, leaving Sophie to think.
Surprises weren’t always good things. If she did try to have that conversation with Owen and it went badly, what would she do? She tried to imagine how she’d approach a discussion about them, as a couple, with Owen. She played the scenario out in her head, but it was impossible to predict, to control the outcome.
No. It was safer to stay silent, let what was between them fizzle. She was a risk-taker with her work but not in her love life. An honest discussion with Owen might reveal a terrible truth—that he wasn’t serious about her at all.
TWENTY-SIX
The following morning Owen walked the trail that led to the overlook where he and Sophie had watched the sunset. He sat on the same rock now warmed by the spring sunshine. It didn’t warm his heart any. That had dropped into a deep freeze.
When Sophie had finally returned to their cabin the evening before, she’d made no comment about either the case or them. He’d taken that as a sign to keep his mouth shut, so he had. Internally, though, he was still processing what it all meant.
He shook his head and tried to put that aside. His job here wasn’t done yet. He’d protect Sophie until this was resolved, and he would help make sure her friends were safe as well. He’d committed to that. Nothing else. Keeping that thought in mind, he dialed Ethan to check in with him.
“Hey,” Ethan answered. “You caught me on my way to work. Everything good?”
“Fine. You guys okay?”
“We are. Helen’s anxious after what happened with Razor,” Ethan said. “If Wilson’s not afraid to kill someone personally, that raises the stakes and alters my opinion of the threat he represents.”
“Yeah. I didn’t think he was the type to get his hands dirty directly. He must be feeling desperate.”
“And desperate is dangerous.” Ethan stated what they both had been thinking. “I’m taking Helen on a little trip this weekend. If we get farther away, she might relax some. At least, that’s my hope.”
“It’s a good idea.” Owen could hear the worry in Ethan’s voice for his pregnant wife, and it made perfect sense to him. If Sophie were carrying their child, he’d do absolutely anything to make sure she was safe and happy.
Wait, where had that thought even come from? He never expected to be in that situation with her or anyone. The past twenty-four hours had reminded him why he didn’t get involved. He’d let himself be vulnerable around Sophie. As usual, it had bitten him in the butt, and now they were barely speaking to each other.
“Any luck tracking down Sean?” Owen asked to get out of his own head. He’d never met Julia, but he was concerned for her, especially since Wilson’s behavior was escalating. The sooner they got her protection, the better.
“Still working on it. Joe gave me some places to start, and I’ve got feelers out with some guys from the team. Everyone’s sense is that he’s in the area. But you know, if a SEAL doesn’t want to be found…”
He’d be impossible to locate. Yeah, Owen got that. Sean could be anywhere. But maybe they’d catch a break and Sean would surface and be willing to help them out. It might even be good for him to have some contact with friends again.
“What’s your next move?” Ethan asked.
Getting Sophie to talk to mewas his first thought. He didn’t express it. “Finishing up with this damn couple’s retreat.” It was the final day of activities and then the other couples would leave. Luna had given him and Sophie permission to stay on as long as they needed to. At least, they wouldn’t have to pretend to be in a relationship anymore. That should have been a relief but somehow wasn’t.
“What’s wrong, Owen? I know the investigation took a shitty turn, but you aren’t yourself.” Ethan had that right.
Owen could blow off the question or give a flippant answer. That would be his usual MO. He decided to go for the truth instead. “I screwed up the clue about the green. I was sure it meant the golf course. It didn’t. Now, Sophie’s blocking me out.”
“You two got shot at, too. That could be what’s worrying her,” Ethan said.
“It’s worrying me, and it’s why I told her that she’s not leaving the resort until Wilson is taken down. If there’s a lead to follow, I’ll go alone.”
There was a pause before Ethan spoke again. “Do you think that’s…maybe going a little too far? Sophie’s committed to solving this thing. And giving everything that’s on the line, I can’t blame her. I get changing your game plan, taking more precautions now that you know what Wilson’s capable of. But putting her on lockdown? That seems a little extreme.”
“If extreme is what it takes to keep her safe, then that’s what I’ll be,” Owen shot back. “But anyway, now she’s not sharing anything with me. Yesterday, she spent the entire day with Luna. Last evening when I asked her to talk through the case with me, she claimed she was exhausted and went to bed. Same thing this morning. Crickets. She’s not talking to me.”
“Give it more time, Owen,” his friend suggested.
“I don’t think time’ll help.” It felt like they were done. Done as partners. Done as lovers. Of course, he’d been the one to push her aside when she’d tried to kiss him, to give him comfort. Shit, he should have known not to let feelings get mixed up in this. He and Sophie had hurt each other before. Why did he think this would be any different? “And the thing is that we were good working together, bouncing ideas off each other, problem solving. I haven’t had that with anyone since I left my team. Now, it’s like she just views me as security and not part of the investigation.”
He’d stupidly thought they’d had something more than just working together. Something emotional and real.
“Well, if you’re handing down ultimatums about what she’s allowed to do and not hearing her out, that might be part of the problem,” Ethan pointed out, making Owen flinch. “But look,” his friend continued, “I know your heart is in the right place. You’re doing this because you care. I’m sure Sophie knows that, too. What I think the two of you need is to really talk things out and figure out where you stand. Sophie appreciates a straight shooter.”
