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Todd’s eyes widen, and he studies me for a moment. “Did you do something?”
“What? No!”
“Then why are her nightmares back? I thought you two went to counseling to sort all that out.”
“We did, we are.” Pausing, I grit my teeth and ask, “Could you talk to her? Feel her out? See if she’s okay?”
Todd raises both eyebrows at me and leans back on the stool. “Okay, I will, but if she asks me to keep it a secret, I’m going to.”
Athena chose well when she made friends with Todd. He’s loyal, loves her, and has threatened to kill me on more than one occasion if I hurt her.
“I’d never ask you to break her trust.” Standing, I walk around the island and stir the pasta. “I might ask you to bend that trust a little but never break it.”
Todd barks out a laugh. “Yeah, right. And thank you for letting Shannon and me stay on.”
“Why did you?”
“Stay on?” I nod at him. “Because I can tell she’s not right, and I don’t think it has anything to do with you.” Todd shuffles from foot to foot. “And there’s something I haven’t told either of you.”
Tilting my head to the side, I look at him with a quirked eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“Athena’s home in Boothbay was broken into. They tore up her house pretty good.”
“Do you know who?”
Todd shakes his head. “Could’ve been kids.” He’s pursing his lips and staring at the ceiling.
“But you don’t think so?”
His eyes come back to me. “No. Maybe Athena knows who it is, or maybe it was just someone passing through looking for a quick buck.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Todd smiles. “I wanted you two to have a fabulous wedding and a stress-free time. Her parents knew.”
“Youshould’ve told me.”
I’m not mad exactly, more annoyed. Todd is a good friend, but I need to know if something is happening and it’s tied to Athena’s past.
Todd strums the kitchen island. “I know. But Mr. and Mrs. Boswell didn’t think I should tell either of you, so I kept my mouth shut.”
“Yeah, it would’ve worried her. Let’s keep it between usfor now.”
“Sounds like a plan. And thanks again for letting Shannon and me stay on.”
Shrugging, I say, “It’s not a problem. Athena likes having you here.”
“Yes, she does,” says Athena as she walks barefoot toward us.
She’s wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe her mother bought her years ago. It has holes in the sleeves from Lulu chewing on it.
Todd quirks an eyebrow at me. “Don’tyoulike having us here?”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Of course, I like having you both here. How long are you staying?”
Standing, he embraces Athena. “See, he’s trying to get rid of us already.”
Athena laughs and slaps his chest. “Don’t be silly. Where’s Lulu?”
