“Most recently, yes. But maybe you heard I was kidnapped by my boyfriend a few years ago.” Her thumb rubbed along the rim of the mug.
He nodded.
“I started working at Steele the next month. Kurt was willing to hire me in the middle of Colin’s trial. He and Dan had helped with the rescue, so of course they knew the whole story. But I was the tragedy,the stupid one who fucked up and picked the wrong guy.”
Todd had recounted the basics for Jeff during their last job together. Jeff had been uncomfortable knowing her story without her being the one to tell him, so it was a relief that she knew he knew. “From what I heard,” he said, “you held your own and helped fight back.”
Her cheeks turned pink and she shrugged. “I didn’t have much choice.”
The thought of her taking fire made him queasy. “You always have a choice. Plenty of people would have cowered in the back seat.” With her fragile appearance, it was easy to forget she had guts.
“My parents always said I was too loud, too bold, too assertive. I guess sometimes it’s not a bad thing.”
He scoffed. Her parents were assholes. “What did they want? A mouse?”
She gave him a tightsmile as she set her mug on the counter and tugged the tie from her long hair. “I think they would’ve loved a mouse. Or at least a good pet like my older sister. My middle name even means harmonious or obedient child.” She gave a light snort as her hair came loose. “Emily and I were the rebels.”
Her eyebrows quivered and she bit her lower lip.
Jeff itched to replace her fingers with his ownas she combed them through the dark strands before twisting the whole mass into a perfectly messy bun.
“I was supposed to be quiet, respectful, and compliant,” she said, dropping her hands to tug the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “I was supposed to join math club, not cheerleading. Be a valedictorian, not a B student. Become a doctor or lawyer, not an employee relations specialist.”
“I’m sure they wanted what they thought was best for you.”
“Maybe.” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I should be over it by now, and it’s hardly the most pressing thing going on right now.”
“I’m not sure we ever get over our upbringing, and as a father, it scares the hell out of me. What if I screw up my kid with my good intentions?” Jesus. Why had he said that?
“The fact that you’re thinkingabout it pretty much guaranteesthat’snot how you’ll screw him up.”
Jeff couldn’t hold back a tight laugh. “Good point.” His amusement was short-lived as the dread resettled on his chest like a steel plate. “Now I just need to find him.”
Talk about screwed up. Who knew what the poor kid had seen in his short life? Jeff had barely been part of it, and now Evan had lost his mother. Poor, fucked-upBridget had probably scarred their kid irrevocably. Once Jeff found Evan, he’d look into therapy.
“When are you leaving?” she asked.
“Soon.”
She removed her new phone from the charger she’d plugged in above the kitchen counter. “I’ll schedule a ride.” Her fingers swiped the screen and tapped.
“No.”
She looked up in surprise. “I can make a new account. Anyone paying attention won’t knowit’s me.”
“That’s not what I meant.” What the hell was he doing? “Come with me to North Carolina.”
