“Oh, I’m sorry I woke you.”
“You didn’t, I was waiting for you to come to bed anyway.”She shook her head and sighed heavily.
“What?”
“What I’m about to say is weird.Anyway, I’ve been alone most of my adult life.I never do relationships because I never knew if I was going to go undercover or not.Not once while I was on an assignment had I ever slept with anyone.I know we’re under assignment here, but there’s something about this gig that feels real.I can be myself, and I don’t have to worry about what I have to say or do.I feel safe.”She saw understanding in his expression and didn’t take up the conversation again until he buttered his toast, slathered grape jelly on it, and brought it to the table, on a paper towel.
“Go on,” Paul said as he took a bite of his toast.
“With all that said, since we started a real relationship, I can’t seem to sleep without you beside me.It’s weird, because like I just said, I’ve been alone for most of my adult life.I don’t know if it’s you, this gig, or the location, but I don’t feel like we’re working undercover here.I feel like this is our real life.”
“So do I,” he admitted.“I also don’t feel like we’re playing house either.This is real for me too.It might feel different once the others start to arrive, but until then, I like what we have.Also, the others won’t always be living under our roof, at least not after they get their own house to live in.I figure a couple of weeks at the most before they move.They can have the basement.”
“Yeah, when is Gator and Laci going to be here?”
“Within the next couple of weeks.I heard from Gator again, and he said that Kessler reached out to him and Laci.”
“For?”
“Asking Laci if she wanted to become a real estate agent.She jumped at the opportunity.She said that she would look into vet clinics, and tell them she’s available if they need her in a pinch.”
“Ah, do the houses, and work at the clinic to keep busy.”
“Something like that.”
“Good.Now, I have one more question for you, then I’m going to go get ready for when Sally and Warren arrive.”
“What’s that?”
“Have you discussed any of your findings from Eddie’s notebook with Warren yet?”
“No, have you said anything to Sally?”
“No, it’s not my place, and I didn’t even tell her about Cass, Flynn, or Kessler coming here.We never talk about Eddie.She does tell me about Paula.It turns out that as much time as Paula took off while working for Sally, the younger woman thinks of her as a friend.There are weekly updates from Paula.She’s doing good, she’s still living with her brother, but she’s been able to find a well-paying job, and her brother is telling her to save her money to find a place of her own.He is encouraging her to have a nest egg before moving out so she will have the funds to fall back on, and also to not take the first apartment she sees.There’s a small house in the same neighborhood as her brother that she has her eye on, and is working toward the downpayment.”
“Good for her, I love a happy ending.”Paul reached out and took her hand in his when she went to walk past, and he pulled her down to give her a kiss.“I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you lately.”
“You’re not neglecting me.Neglecting me would be totally avoiding me, or not speaking to me.We talk, we interact, you’re just busy.One of the reason’s I took the job at Sally’s was to give me something to do.I know how intense you can get when you’re doing your research.I’ll let you know if you’re really neglecting me.”She kissed him hard, then laughed as she walked away.Before he could follow her, he heard motorcycles come down the driveway.He looked out and sighed heavily.As much as he enjoyed hanging out with Warren and Sally, he wanted some alone time with Petra, but made the mental note to have his way with her when they returned from this run.
He refilled his coffee cup and went out on the porch to watch as his two friends drove into the drive, turned around, and faced their bikes toward the main road.As soon as they dismounted, he lifted his cup toward them.
“Coffee?”
“Sure,” Warren said as he started forward, but waited for Sally to go before him, always the gentleman, even with his sister.As Paul watched him, he had a thought, and decided to wait until they all had coffee before he voiced it.
Five minutes later, they were sitting at the kitchen table, and Petra had joined them.She sat to wait for the coffee, she looked at Paul with a frown.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he sighed as he reached out and took one of her hands in his.He looked between the three of them.“I might be going out on a limb here, but I feel we’re all friends here.”
“We are,” Sally said.
“Good, then you shouldn’t be offended by the question I’m about to ask you.”
“What’s that?”Warren asked as he sipped his coffee.
“You say you’re brother and sister, but why do you have two different last names?”
