“She’s been around for a while, since before Morgan died. It was always established I was off-limits, and she never tried for more,” he said, opening a bottle of wine he pulled off my rack. “Wine?”
“Yes, please,” I said. “Glasses are above the dishwasher.”
“I remember,” he said, grabbing a glass and pouring a liberal amount of wine into it.
“Why didn’t she try for more?” I asked as he slid the glass to me.
“If she’d tried while Morgan was alive, she’d be missin’ an arm, and after she died, don’t know, don’t care.”
I took a sip of wine and swallowed. “Do you miss your wife?”
He leaned over the counter and met my eyes. “Every minute of every day, but the pain isn’t what it used to be.”
“How so?”
“I fell in love with someone who filled the void.”
“Am I that person?” I joked.
“Did you just mess with me, Dimples?”
I smiled. “Did I do it right?”
He grinned. “You sure did, baby.”
“So, answer the question now.”
“Morgan and I had somethin’ amazin’,” he said. “We also had three kids who I love more than life, and we were a team, so I really thought I’d lose my mind when she died. If it weren’t for them, I probably woulda climbed into her grave with her, but they kept me going. I can’t really explain it, but when I met you, the pain of her loss suddenly loosened around my heart, but once I was inside of you, it was gone. It took ten years to drop that anchor, baby, and it’s because of you that I could.”
“Wow,” I whispered just as the microwave dinged.
He pulled the food out and grabbed plates, while I sipped wine and thought of more questions.
“How is Sonja messing with the club?”
“We’re still figuring that out,” he said. “But she obviously knew about you and thought she might be able to do it through our relationship, so this leads me to believe we have a mole.”
“Snowcone.”
“That’s where the evidence is pointing.”
He slid a plate and chopsticks toward me, then grabbed a beer and sat beside me.
“Can I help?”
He smiled gently. “Love you for askin’, baby, but I seriously don’t want this touchin’ you. I’ll probably have someone on you, but I’ll keep it low-key.”
“Have you ever killed anyone?”
He studied me. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.”
“I want to know.”
“Yes.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Not tellin’ you that.”
