“Baby, I don’t know,” he replied. “We need answers from her.” He didn’t look happy about it. “I need you to promise that you’re not going back there until we have a plan.”
As desperate as I was to get Wesley back, I agreed we needed a foolproof plan. “I won’t disappear on you again,” I promised.
“You can’t guarantee that.” He was resigned. “Just tell me you’ll do your best.”
“I always do my best.”
He made a face.
“I’ll do my extra special best going forward on this one,” I added.
That nudged a smile out of him. “Eat your dinner. Then you can give me my massage.”
“I thought you were going to coddle me?”
“Maybe we should coddle each other.”
Another idea I could get behind. “I like the way your mind works.” I shoved a huge chunk of crab in my mouth, splashing butter on my cheek in the process.
I SLEPT LIKE A ROCK. GALEN’S MASSAGEled to romance — they always did — but both of us seemed to need the intimacy to settle. My dreams were dark, shadows chasing me at every turn. A voice led me to safety each and every time.
That voice belonged to my mother.
When I woke the next morning, Galen was already up and working on his phone. He didn’t say anything — not right away — but he tugged me to him so my head rested on his chest. He kissed my forehead and then went back to typing.
I allowed myself to be grumpy for a few minutes — I was never going to be one of those people who woke up with a smile on my face — and then focused on what Galen was doing.
“Any news?” I asked hopefully, already knowing the answer.
He shook his head. “I’m going back out there after breakfast.”
“We are?” That surprised me.
“Not we.” He glanced down at me. There was a stoniness to his countenance. “I’mgoing back. I’m taking Booker.”
Oh, so after making up we were going to start this morning with a fight after all. “You can’t stop me from searching for my grandfather.”
“I have no inclination of stopping you. I want to check out that area without the threat of my fiancée going missing. If you’re there, I’ll be a nervous wreck.”
My eyes narrowed to slits.
“I’m not saying you can’t go,” he started.
“That’s good, because you’re not the boss of me.” I sounded like a broken record, but I couldn’t stop myself.
He continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “I want to get a feel for what we’re dealing with. Besides, you have work today.”
“What work?”
“You’re the mayor. Isn’t today the day you allow open hours for residents?”
He was boxing me in. “I’m sure the residents will understand if I’m not available.”
He arched an eyebrow in challenge. “Have you met the residents? There’s no way they’re going to pass up open hours, even if they do feel sympathy for you.”
I hated —absolutely loathed— that he was right. “Galen?—”
“No. I get that you want to find Wesley. So do I. More than anything. We’re not going to risk a repeat of yesterday. We need more information.”
