“Oh, yeah,” I replied as we headed toward the kitchen. “I realized that a long time ago.”
“I kind of forget it’s there,” she confessed.
“Me too.”
“Really?”
I shrugged. “I notice the shoulder and the hip more, because I don’t want to hurt you when I’m holding you.”
Rosemary stopped. “You haven’t hurt me.”
“Well, I don’t want to start.”
“Hey, Danny boy,” Chance called from halfway down the stairs. “You got a minute?”
“You good?” I asked Rosemary.
“I’ve been living here for three weeks,” she replied, patting my shoulder consolingly. “I think I can walk into the kitchen on my own.”
Chance met me at the bottom of the stairs and then led me out into the front driveway. We’d almost made it to the trees when he finally stopped.
“I think I’ve found him,” he said quietly. “I followed the money. It’s the only company that’s receiving payments and doesn’t have any connection to Keihley, Morren, or Adamson. Two properties: a house in Missouri and a warehouse in Arizona. Looking at records, someone is living in the house.”
“You got him.” I slapped Chance on the back. “Fantastic fucking news. But why are we out here?”
“I didn’t want to ruin the day,” Chance grumbled, tipping his head back and forth. “You know, the bridal shower shit.”
“Wait, you’re not going to tell them?”
“I will,” he hedged. “Later. After the party.”
I debated silently for a moment, then nodded. A few hours wouldn’t make any difference.
A car rolled up the driveway, and two men climbed out. I waved at Reese’s honorary fathers as they headed toward the front door. I guesssomeboys were allowed. I was definitely going to give Rosemary shit about it later.
“I’ll call Dalton after everyone has left,” I said, looking back at Chance. “Have him head over so we can set some plans.”
“We’re getting closer,” he replied, rubbing his hands together. He smacked them together once. “Cool, good talk.”
I stood there staring as he strode away.
“Why the hell did you tellmenow?” I called after him.
“Had to tell someone,” he replied, throwing his hands in the air. Without another word, he climbed into his truck and fired it up.
Great, now I’d have to keep it to myself all day surrounded by people, while he was off doing whatever the hell he wanted. I wasn’t even surprised.
When I got back inside, all the women were in the living room, and Reese was fluttering around in a short white dress. She was practically glowing as she touched the tables, the flower vases, and the presents. Pete, the man who’d stepped in when she was a teenager to be the adult she needed, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head happily.
“What?” Rosemary said, stepping into my view. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened,” I replied, lowering my voice in hopes that she would too.
“Spill it,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder. “I know every expression on your face, and something is going on.”
I knew with absolute certainty that she wouldn’t let it go. After asking for nothing for so long, hiding what she needed from me, carrying the weight of our separations silently, it was as if a switch had flipped in my mate after the night at the Cavendish house. Nothing was off limits anymore. The closeness I’d wanted, the easiness I’d seen between my brothers and their mates, I had that now too. Rosemary told me what she needed when she needed it. There was no hesitation on her part—and she fully expected that to work both ways.
“Come with me.” Taking her by the hand, I tugged her toward the stairs and back to our room.
