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“Well, I didn’t tell you that the FBI showed up after I did some more digging on Carelli,” Bently said.
Charli cut Finn a questioning glance.
“What do they have to do with this?” Finn asked.
“Agent Mallory informed me that is above my pay grade.” Bently’s voice was tinged with bitterness. “But don’t worry. I’m not backing down. We will figure this out. I’ve got some connections, and I’m asking around.”
“Keep us in the know,” Finn said.
“Of course. You two stay safe. I still have a shift taking turns outside your house, but my resources are thin. If there is a bigger emergency in town, they might get called away.”
“Thank you, Bent.”
“You got it. Keep our girl safe.” Bently ended the call.
Finn slipped the phone into his back pocket. His shoulders seemed weighed down by the news.
Charli threaded her hand through his. “Let’s go get those treats you promised me.”
“Okay.” He leaned in and kissed her temple.
It was sweet, but disappointment settled in her belly. He hadn’t given her more than a chaste kiss or made a move beyond holding her these last two weeks. Is he still blaming himself and pulling away? Is he not attracted to me anymore?
Everything he did screamed that he loved her, from the way he took care of her to the way his eyes lingered. So why isn’t he making a move? She pulled away, grabbing her coat off the hook and slipping it on.
As he helped her into her boots and zipped them up, the urge to ask him welled within her. She swallowed, holding it at bay. Fear over him rejecting her was stronger. She didn’t want him to respond out of pressure, but out of his own desire. So why does he stop things when I try to go further? I made it clear I was ready . . . didn’t I?
His phone dinged. Finn pulled it out, the corner of his mouth turning up at whatever was on the screen before he slipped it back into his pocket. Opening the door, he motioned her through. “After you.”
* * *
They went to the grocery store first. Finn added two cartons of peppermint stick ice cream, while Charli waddled by his side. Her back and hips ached. Her belly felt like a watermelon stretched to the max. Everything hurt. She added some fresh produce and the basics they needed along with chocolate chips, because she’d been baking up a storm at the house. Being stuck inside and not working was driving her crazy. She’d needed something to keep herself busy. There was only so much cross-stitch and reading a woman could do.
Finn held up a bag of white chocolate chips. “Next time you feel like baking, can you do a batch of white chocolate macadamia cookies?”
“You like those?” she asked, surprised. Never in the time she’d known him had he asked for those.
He shrugged. “Brynn made them for Christmas, and I may have been the one to eat most of them.”
“I’ll ask her for the recipe.” She smiled.
“Thanks.” He kissed her cheek. Finn’s phone went off again. He pulled it out. Brow wrinkling in concern, he tipped the screen away from her as he typed out a reply.
What the hell?
“Who was that?”
Finn diverted his attention to the other side of the aisle. “Where would the nuts be?”
She pointed to the spot a little farther along, unease slithering inside her. What is he hiding now?
Charli was about to demand an answer when a familiar voice said, “Hey, guys.”
She turned, taking in the tall, handsome beekeeper pushing a cart with one hand and holding the hand of his daughter with the other. “Roman, happy New Year.”
“You too.”
Charli waved to the little girl. “Hi, Ariel.”
