The next night, after Charlie was asleep, Nash knocked lightly on Olivia’s door.“It’s me, Nash.”
In only seconds, Olivia opened the door.She wore flannel sleep pants and a tank top.He nearly drooled.
Yanking his eyes away, a quick peek showed Ella asleep on her small bed, her dragon clutched tightly in her arms.
Olivia’s laptop sat on her bed along with a couple of notebooks and pens.She’d been working on her writing like she did every evening.
“Sorry to bother you, but I hoped to talk for a minute.”She nodded and those big eyes looked over to check on Ella.
“Will we disturb her if we talk in here?”
Olivia shrugged.“Maybe.She’s sometimes a light sleeper.”
He pointed at the wall separating their rooms.“You okay if we head to my room for a bit?We’ll hear her through the wall if she needs you, and I won’t keep you long.”
Olivia nodded and reached for a sweater lying on the bed.He kept the sigh internal when she covered up her pretty shoulders and breasts.
He led her to his room and gestured to the desk chair for her to sit in.No way could he focus on the conversation if she sat with him on his bed.They could head downstairs if she had a baby monitor, but this was the next best thing.
As if reading his mind, Olivia sat.“Troy’s got a baby monitor on order for me.Mostly, I like to get my writing done while she’s sleeping, but it will be good to have it if I need to leave the room.”
He nodded.“I carried a monitor on my hip for the first few months.I set it on my nightstand and turned it up loud.Charlie was in the next room, but I always panicked that I’d fall into a deep sleep and not hear him cry.”
She smiled.“The worry is real.They’re so little.”
He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable, so he figured he’d get to the point.“I want to talk about the man who you think might want to snatch Ella Mae.”
The light in her eyes dimmed, and she lifted her feet onto the chair and wrapped her arms around them.“Why?”
“I want to help protect you and Ella.It’s better to know the enemy and be prepared with a defense.”
“This isn’t the army.We’re not at war.”
He smiled.“I know, but the theory is valid.You’ve made smart decisions and done everything right to keep you and Ella safe.I’d like to help.My job in the military was to strategize.To help in both offense and defense.I can do some online surveillance if you tell me Adam’s surname.The army taught me a few tricks I can use.”
Her arms tightened around her legs.“How did you know his name is Adam?”
“You mentioned it that day in the kitchen when you told me the basics of your history.You said you were worried Adam’s obsession with your friend might extend to Ella.I’m guessing Mary Mae was that friend.”
Her smile softened.“She was.Mary Mae and I bonded when I moved into the group home.She’d only been there for a few days and we shared a room.There were eight of us.Liam was her boyfriend almost from the moment they saw each other.A truelove at first sightmoment.That never changed over the years I knew them.”
Nash would have said he didn’t believe in love at first sight.He and Charlotte had known each other for months before dating, and their love had grown steadily and strongly.
But his attraction to Olivia had been more of a punch to the solar plexus.He was pretty sure it had mostly been lust, but his feelings had quickly morphed as he’d seen how she protected the girl, how she’d been afraid but determined to do things anyway.
“Did both Liam and Mary Mae die in the same accident?”
Her frown returned.“Yes, although I’m not convinced it was an accident.Liam was a careful driver.”
Holy hell.“You think Adam killed them?”
She shrugged.“I think it’s possible.Their car was shoved over a guardrail.The paint on the fender and bumper proved that, but no one came forward with information so that the police couldn’t get anywhere in the investigation.It was deemed suspicious and left as an open case, but they didn’t have the manpower to deal with it.”
“I’m sorry.That’s terrible.Was Ella in the car?”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears.“Yes.She was in the back seat in her baby seat.It saved her life.She was sleeping when the paramedics found her.”
Nash’s heart fluttered.“That poor baby.I know her parents would be glad she lived and she’s with you.Does Adam follow you on social media?Has he ever emailed or called you?”
