Chapter 25 #2
“Yeah?” She dug into her chili, her stomach still twisted up, but at least they were talking.
She hated that he hadn’t come to her, wasn’t sure how long it would take her to process that.
She could forgive him, but it didn’t take away the hurt.
Or the damage to her trust. They’d always been honest with each other. Maybe too honest.
“Yep. I’ve made a chore schedule for the boys. And if you’re on board, I want to hire a bi-weekly cleaner. You and I are working our asses off right now, and while the kids will be doing some stuff, they’ve got school and sports.”
“They need to just be kids some days,” she murmured.
“Exactly. I know we talked about hiring a cleaner before, but you didn’t love the idea.”
She mostly hated the idea of a stranger in her house. “I’m actually open to it. As long as I get to vet them.”
“Of course. So…on a scale of one to ten, how mad are you? Before you answer I’d like to make it clear that the rest of the house looks as good as the kitchen and I plan on going down on you later tonight until you come. Hopefully more than once.”
She laughed at the deadpan way he said it, knowing he wasn’t joking.
And her stomach was doing flips again. “I’m not mad, just disappointed and hurt.
Honestly. We could have had a conversation and figured things out instead of having no communication and things just falling apart the last six months.
Don’t get me wrong, I could have spoken up sooner or…
I don’t know. I’m really just hurt. And you broke my trust in a way…
This sucks.” But she was still down to get naked later, which told her just how much she’d missed him.
“I wish you were mad. And I’m sorry that I hurt you. More than I can say.”
She could hear the sincerity in his voice, see it in his expression. This was the man she’d married. The one who’d been open about everything. “Thank you.”
“So…can I ask you about Berkley? And your case? Also, I think she’s plotting my murder after that colossal screw-up.”
Knowing that they had a ways to go to come back from all this, but still feeling lighter, she nodded.
“She would never kill you, but only because you’re the boys’ father.
And this case…” She shook her head. “Peter and I have followed up on so many leads. Reed, that’s the vic, was a mostly stand-up guy from what we can tell.
Or he was until recently. He got into some debt from gambling and owed money to the wrong kind of guys. ”
“Ah, so that’s why you were at Myron’s? And sorry, I have to ask—that dick had that picture up at his work?”
She smothered a smile, knowing he wouldn’t appreciate that she was amused. Right now she was still pretty hurt, but she loved that he cared. “He did.”
“I want to wipe that smug look off his face every time I see him.” He spooned more of his chili, looking a little murderous.
Which she shouldn’t find so hot. “And how often do you see him?”
Mike paused. “Fine, fair. But twice a year is enough for me.”
She just shook her head. “We’re trying to follow the money, essentially, with Reed’s murder. But we’re going around in circles.”
“And Berkley really woke up at Henry’s place? I know you’re not on that case but you hinted there was a connection?”
“The style of murder was almost exactly the same. Whoever stabbed them was precise and struck right in the same place. That kind of kill takes skill, meaning that it’s likely not the first. Or even the second.
Whoever did it is a killer. And the amount of DNA at both crime scenes is ridiculous.
It’s like someone went through a bunch of garbage cans, found random shit, and then sprinkled it all over their houses.
It’s mostly nail clippings, hair, but there are other fibers too. ”
“You do love a mystery.”
“Not when it could involve Berkley. God, she looked so scared at the station. I wanted to pummel Dewey for talking to her without a lawyer.”
“Another asshole I’d like to throat-punch.”
She snickered. “Get in line.” Sighing, she sat back. “I’ve missed this, missed talking to you.”
“Me too. I didn’t realize how bad it was until about a month ago.
Then I didn’t know how to fix it, and I kept telling myself I would talk to you.
Then I’d get sucked back into a coding problem and…
” He reached across the table, took her hand in his bigger one.
“I never want to lose you. I know how lucky I am to have you and our boys.”
“Same,” she whispered. “And we’re going to be okay.” She felt it in her bones. They just had to start talking again. Start acting like a damn family that actually liked each other.
He started to respond but her phone rang, Peter’s familiar ringtone.
She sighed. Peter never called after hours unless it meant they had to go back to the station or follow up on something that couldn’t wait.
But thankfully Mike just grinned. “I’ll make you a fresh pot of coffee and pack a to-go thermos.”
That tight band around her chest loosened again as she slid off her stool and rounded the table to hug him hard. “Thank you.”
He hugged her back. Hard, and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll throw in the brownies I made too. Tell Peter not to eat them all.”
She laughed as she leaned back up to look at him. “I might not share at all. And I love you.”
“I love you too… Also, I planned a spa weekend for the two of us a month from now at that place you love in Wilmington. Already talked to Apollo. He’s going to stay with the boys. I’ll text you the dates so you can ask for them off. It’s a make up for messing up your birthday.”
That stupid instinct was on the tip of her tongue to tell him it was all right, but it wasn’t. And she was glad he was doing something to make up for it.
They really would be okay, she knew it.
But she sighed again when her phone started ringing another round. “Yeah, yeah,” she muttered to Peter who couldn’t hear her. Hopefully they’d finally gotten a break.