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“No, we don’t mind, David. Why don’t you come on over? Tank’s driving us today. He spent the night at our house last night and he’s staying with us again tonight,” Gray said past his tight jaw.
Cheryl looked between all of them; you could see the calculation in her eyes.
“Are you from out of town, Tank?”
He looked at Cheryl. “No, my apartment flooded and the repairs are still being completed. So, Gray and Sam were nice enough to offer me a spare room.”
She looked at Gray and then her eyes slid to Sam. They narrowed, and Sam could tell she was having none of this conversation.
David stood quickly. “Cheryl, it was nice meeting you.”
He looked at Gray, Sam, and Tank. “Should we get going?”
They all stood and began walking out, David first. Gray pushed Sam in front of him and behind David as they walked. Tank was right behind Gray, leaving Cheryl to follow. When they stepped out in front of the restaurant, Tank ran over to his SUV and opened the back door and ushered Sam inside. Gray climbed in the front so it wouldn’t look suspicious and Tank climbed in and had the doors locked and the engine roaring so fast Sam was stunned a big guy like him could move so fast. They looked out the window and waved at David standing on the sidewalk with a very stunned Cheryl.
Once they lost sight of them, Gray looked at Tank. “What’s going on?”
Tank looked at him and back at the road. “I texted David when Cheryl walked over. I could tell her behavior was off—stiff and controlled. Actually, too controlled. You both did great, baiting her a bit. It gave me the chance to watch her reaction. When David came to sit with you, I knew he had some information on Cheryl. I think when we get back to the house, he’ll fill us in.”
Gray looked back at Sam, who felt the blood drain from her face, a slight shiver tickled her spine, and the gooseflesh raised on her arms.
“It’s okay, Sam We’ll keep you safe, do you understand me?”
She nodded slightly. Her thoughts ran from one conversation to the next as she replayed dinner and Cheryl’s comments and studious examination of the two of them.
When they closed the garage door, Gray jumped from the truck and opened the rear door for Sam. She scooted to the door and before she could step down, he scooped her up into a hug so tight she struggled to breathe.
“Sam, it’ll be okay, understand?”
Sam nodded her head as much as she could.
“Did you travel with her? Go on an intimate weekend somewhere?” An inane question, but her stupid brain seemed to malfunction.
He pulled away just enough to look at her. “No, we never went on an intimate weekend anywhere. She snorted back there because she was constantly bitching about wanting to go somewhere for the weekend. I told you, I didn’t have feelings for her. During our relationship, she was always the one pursuing me. I didn’t ask her out, she just invited herself or made herself available. When weeks would go by, and I didn’t take her to Mom and Dad’s for Sunday dinner, she would invite herself. I just went with it. Yes, we had sex, but we never made love. I’ve only ever made love to you.”
She stared into his beautiful chocolate eyes. The sincerity in them was a sight to behold, the slight creases at the corners seemed more pronounced now, the puffiness under them proving just how little he’d been sleeping these past few days.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He shook his head and squeezed her again.
“When will you get it, Sam? I’ve never been in love with anyone but you. Anything that ever happened in my past was me trying to get by until I found you.”
The tears slipped from her eyes before she could blink them back. He used his thumb to swipe them away. David popped his head out into the garage. “It’s all clear in here.”
She smiled into her future husband’s face as the smirk that lifted a corner of his lips mirrored her thoughts. He took her hand and led her to the house, into the kitchen and then the living room. He motioned to the sofa and gently nudged her to sit as he poured them each a glass of wine. “David, Tank, do either of you want anything?” Both shook their heads. They entered the living room and Gray sat next to her, while David and Tank each took a seat across from them. David set his laptop up on the coffee table and booted it up.
“Gray, what do you know about Cheryl’s husband?”
Gray shook his head. “Nothing. I don’t even know his name. When she was getting married, she called me to tell me. I congratulated her and she invited me to the wedding. I told her I could make it and that was it. The day before the wedding, she emailed me the time and place in case my plans changed, but I had no intention of going. It didn’t matter to me. I was happy she had found someone.”
David nodded. “Okay, how long after you broke up with her did this happen?”
“I didn’t break up with her, she broke up with me. She knew the relationship wasn’t going anywhere. I didn’t love her, never did. She wanted more; I couldn’t give it to her. So, she broke up with me and about four months later, she called and told me she was getting married. About a week later, she got married and I heard they moved to Michigan.”
“Did she ever tell you about seeing a psychiatrist or having any problems with anger or violence?”
His brows rose into his hairline, his eyes rounded in shock. “No, of course not. I wouldn’t bring someone to my family if I thought they were going to bring problems. That may seem closed minded, but ...” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
