Chapter Thirteen #2
“Okay,” he said before flipping the steaks. They sizzled on the grill, and the place already smelled like heaven. “Here goes. I had a no-good mother who abandoned the family not long after I was born.”
“Oh,” she said. “That’s awful.”
“Thankfully, I was too young to remember that,” he said. “Except that my father then died young. He was a good person by all accounts.”
The phrase only the good die young came to mind. Though, experience had taught her that wasn’t always the case.
“So my siblings and I were brought up by extremely loving grandparents on their paint horse ranch,” he continued as though that explained everything.
When she arched an eyebrow, he continued, “My grandfather was a US marshal. He is the most stand-up person I’ve ever met.
” He shrugged. “That was how he saved the money to buy the paint horse ranch for my grandmother. They eventually built the business enough for him to work the ranch full-time. I guess I figured if I could be anybody, I’d want to model my life after his. ”
Blakely had heard everyone who worked in law enforcement had a story. “Thanks for telling me yours.”
“I never talk about my family,” he admitted as the steaks sizzled. “They’re done.”
“I’ll grab plates,” she offered.
Dalton motioned toward a cabinet as he pulled the steaks off the heat. Standing next to him felt like the most natural thing.
“Here you go,” she said to him as she held out a plate. He tossed a gorgeous ribeye on top with a smile that could cut through ice. “I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to eat with everything going on. My stomach usually rebels first when I’m under stress. But my mouth is already watering.”
“It’s good to eat so you can keep up your strength,” he said.
“After we eat, I’ll make a call to the hospital to check on Bethany,” she said.
“While you do that, I should check on my grandparents. They’re in the hospital,” he said.
“I’m hoping that no news is good news for both of us.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” he said as he plated the second steak.
They fixed up baked potatoes standing side by side.
His spicy male scent filled her when she took in a deep breath.
It would be so easy to lean into Dalton’s strength.
But then what? What would she do if she learned to depend on someone else?
Not everyone will let you down. Those words coming out of nowhere shocked the hell out of her. Were they true?
“This food is amazing,” she said, redirecting her focus after sitting down and taking the first bite.
“Steak is my specialty,” he said.
“Do you mind if I ask you another question?”
“Shoot,” he said, before adding, “Forgive the word choice.”
“Have you ever thought about reaching out to your mother?”
“No,” he said in a tone that said case closed.
The question was a mood killer. The rest of the meal was spent in silence. When Blakely had taken the last bite, she said, “I’ll clear the table and do the dishes.”
“I can help,” he said. She knew better than to argue when anyone offered help in the kitchen.
They each took their dishes to the sink. Not a bite was left on either, so they didn’t need the trash disposal. After rinsing plates, knives and forks, she placed them in the dishwasher while he put on a pot of coffee.
“Do you want a cup?” he asked.
“It’s too late for me,” she said. “All I want is to know that my sister is still in stable condition, a shower and a bed.”
“Take the main bedroom,” he said, again in the tone that said arguing would be a mistake.
“Do you have anything I can change into for sleeping?”
“I’ll put something out while you make the call to the hospital.” With that, he disappeared down the hallway.
Blakely made the call. It was quick and to the point. Bethany was stable. No one else had come to see her.
Dalton returned a few moments later. “Lay your clothes out, and I’ll throw them in the wash. We can get up early tomorrow to swing by your house before court.”
Cooking in the kitchen and making plans to go back to work tomorrow were reassuring. It was the little things, she’d learned, that gave a sense of normalcy in difficult times.
“Okay,” she said.
“I put a robe out for you to use,” he said. “And an oversize T-shirt.”
She liked the sounds of those things. After thanking him, she headed into his bedroom. It looked similar to the other rooms, unfinished. The bed was big and had comfortable-looking blankets and pillows. She tested it as she walked past. This was going to be like sleeping on a cloud.
A pink robe that was her size hung on the door to the bathroom.
A sting of jealousy caught her off guard.
She’d been clear there was no future for the two of them.
Dalton was honest and respectable. He was honorable, which seemed in rare supply with people these days.
All she had to do was take one look at her brother-in-law.
That wasn’t completely fair. She didn’t know the real ins and outs of her sister’s marriage. Greg, no matter how off he seemed or how desperate he looked, was a decent person. He was clearly torn up about the affair he’d been having. He seemed…she didn’t know the right word…maybe lost?
Seeing him at the hospital had been a wake-up call too.
Bethany had been keeping secrets. She hadn’t been confiding in Blakely.
Guilt nearly consumed her at letting her younger sister down.
If Blakely had known about the problems, she would have been able to help.
It was possible the situation wouldn’t have gone this far.
A shower helped wash the day away. Reluctantly, she wrapped herself in the pink robe after drying off. A toothbrush still in its wrapper waited on the counter. She brushed and then set her clothes outside the bedroom door for them to be washed.
When she opened the door, she heard the low hum of Dalton’s voice.
It reverberated through her, lighting all kinds of fires that didn’t need to be lit.
Was he talking to the owner of this pink robe?
As much as she knew in her heart he wouldn’t betray another woman by kissing her, they hadn’t exactly talked about whether or not he was seeing someone.
Was it her business?
No.
Did a growing part of her want it to be her business?
Yes.
So, what did she plan to do about it?