Looking up quickly, his cousin reached for his phone, finger flicking over the screen.
“Huh, he sent it to me too. This spring. I won’t be going unless I sneak in as a waiter. Too bad. I’d like to see Shaunessy with the old noose around his neck.”
Callie glanced at Jack, her eyes sad.
Jack swiped his fingers over his message. “Has he been seeing someone? You said you keep in closer contact with him. I thought he was undercover in Miami for a while.”
“He was. She was his informant. He casually mentioned her a few times recently so I wondered. You know Chris was never one for getting serious. She must be something special.”
The two of them typed out responses and both phones went off a moment later. He whistled when he saw the picture their friend sent.
“Check her out. I’d place her in the not-too-shabby category.”
Heather walked past and her elbow bumped into his head. Hard. He narrowed his eyes at her and scowled. “Hey, I can’t be happy for my friend?”
“I’m sure your friend wouldn’t appreciate you ogling his fiancée.”
“Did you want me to ogle you instead?” Her elbow hit him again.
“I am kind of surprised Mr. Control himself fell for his informant.”
Openly admiring Callie, Jack said, “I can see how it happens. Sounds like Chris will have a happier ending than me.”
Callie reached across Jonathan and squeezed Jack’s hand while patting their son’s head. “It wasn’t all bad. We have him.”
Jack’s eyes darkened. “You get the best part though.”
The room fell silent and Scott moved into the kitchen to shuffle things around and give the couple time to get their emotions under control. Heather moved up next to him.
“I actually think about killing Victor myself sometimes, if only to end the pain those two are going through.”
He looked down at the intensity in her eyes. “I’m not sure you’d do well in prison. Stripes aren’t really your thing and there’s no maid or cook to order around.”
Pinning her to the counter, he pushed her arms above her head before she could elbow him again. “Easy there, warrior princess, I’m teasing.”
As he leaned in, her breath hitched. She stared at his mouth and he couldn’t take his eyes off her lips. They all but begged him to kiss them. They’d done this casually before as a ruse but this time wasn’t pretend.
“Make sure you don’t damage me,” he whispered close to her ear. “I need the goods if I’m to stop in for conjugal visits. Unless you think you can sweet talk the warden.”
Heather twisted but movement behind them stopped her from whatever she had planned.
“We’re going to put the little guy to bed. We’ll see you in the morning.”
Scott stepped away from Heather and they both gave Jonathan a good night kiss.
Once they were gone, Heather poured herself a cup of tea and Scott grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat on the couch next to her. Awkwardness from his previous behavior surrounded them.
“They won’t be up again tonight.”
“How do you know?” he asked, twisting the top off his brew and taking a sip.
“We’re leaving tomorrow for Connecticut. They’ll spend all night having sex. They’ve been like rabbits this whole week.”
“How do you know? Have you been spying on them, you pervert?”
She smacked his arm. “No, but I’ve been cleaning up the rooms downstairs and there’s been tons of condoms in the wastebasket. I doubt they’re making balloon animals.”
“Making balloon animals. A new euphemism for getting it on, maybe?” He almost spit out his beer at that thought. Putting the bottle down on the end table, he winked at Heather.
