I was the one who told her about Chloe’s kidnapping and the saboteurs who were caught. And how the Sheriff had brushed aside the idea that someone else had hired them. I hadn’t known she would investigate it further, but I should have. She had never been a Danvers fan, often investigating cases he called closed. She’d been convinced he was corrupt, but had never proven it.
I chose my words carefully. “My sister was wonderful. She was an amazing mom and the best sister I could have ever asked for. But she had a strong sense of right and wrong and adriving need to expose the wrong. She would have investigated this with or without you. I knew she was working on something that excited her, and I never asked about it. I could just as easily blame myself as you.”
He started to reach for me but pulled back, as if he didn’t know if I would welcome his touch. But Cassie had made her choice, and that was to help Ethan solve this mystery. Experience had taught her to be a quick, but good, judge of character, and she never would have continued working with him if she didn’t approve of him. In a way, that approval made it easier to accept him in my life.
I hesitated only briefly before I stepped forward and slid my arms around his middle, hugging myself to his chest, soaking up the comfort provided by his warmth. His arms wrapped around me, cocooning me, creating a sense of safety, and the tears I’d held back the last few weeks as I struggled to be strong for Jonah rushed out.
He continued to hold me through my entire breakdown, his palms sliding up and down my back, whispering platitudes of support that I would have dismissed from anyone else but were somehow believable from him.
I rubbed my cheek against his chest, feeling the damp spot left by my tears. “Sorry for crying all over you.”
“You can cry on me anytime. Though I hope to build a life with you filled with more happy tears than sad ones.” He pressed a kiss against the top of my head, giving me one last squeeze before releasing me. “What do you need from me right now?”
I thought about it for a minute, weighing my next steps. “I think the first thing we need to do is check Cassie’s car and confirm whether someone tampered with it. The sheriff left a message earlier saying the car was ready to be released.”
“I’ll talk to Mason. We’ll have it towed to his workshop.” Ethan’s lips pressed into a tight line. “I also want to check on theconstruction crew when they’re back in tomorrow. See if one of their scents matches what I’m smelling here.”
“Do you think one of them is the thief?”
“It might explain why the scent is familiar to me.” His fingers raked through his hair. “But Mason did a background check on the company and nothing questionable popped up.”
We tidied up the mess, not wanting Jonah to see it. Luckily, nothing of his was broken. I made some calls and arranged for Cassie’s car to be towed to Mason’s workshop in the morning. By the time we finished, we had to run to make it back to the house for supper.
We weren’t able to discuss what we suspected with anyone, as Jonah was there. Instead, we smiled and laughed as he shared stories about his day. Ethan squeezed my hand under the table, and I gave him a soft smile, relieved I wouldn’t have to deal with this all alone. We would find the answers together.
SEVEN
Ethan
I groaned as the sun shining through the cabin window woke me. Hannah tried to take the couch, saying it was too small for me, but I refused. I didn’t regret my choice, but I was paying for it this morning. I spent the night alternating between curling up in a small ball and hanging my legs over the arm of the love seat. Neither position was comfortable.
I folded up the blanket and stacked it on the pillow Hannah had given me before stretching out my aching muscles. I was mid-stretch when Jonah’s door opened and he wandered out with a yawn. He stopped, his head tilting to the side as he observed me with questioning eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
A curse almost slipped out. I had snuck in after he fell asleep the previous night and planned to leave before he woke up. We didn’t want to worry him or make him feel unsafe. My mind was blank as I tried to come up with a cover story. My gaze slid to Hannah’s door. We should have thought about this last night.
Jonah’s gaze followed mine, and I could see him trying to fill in the blanks. Suddenly, a big grin lit his face. “Are you seeing Aunt Hannah?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “Thisis awesome. We’ll get to stay here, and I’ll be able to ride Tank forever and ever!”
“Slow down, buddy.” I sat on the couch, patting the cushion next to me. He bounced into the seat, near vibrating with excitement. “First, you and Hannah aren’t going anywhere. You’ll always be welcome on the ranch. And Tank will be here for you to ride, regardless.”
He stared up at me, eyes wide and hopeful.
“Second, I like your aunt. And I like you.” I gave him a serious look. “Tank and the ranch aside, are you okay with Hannah and I getting together?”
He nodded his head hard.
“Take a minute, Jonah. If I’m in your aunt’s life, that means I’m in yours, too. I’d be here to help raise you.”
Jonah chewed his lip. “Like a dad?”
I swallowed, fighting to keep my voice even. “If that’s what you want.”
“I’ve never had a dad.” His matter-of-fact tone had my heart aching for him. “I asked Mom for one once. She said it was one of the only things she couldn’t give me.”
“I’m sure she wanted to.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. But she said hopefully Aunt Hannah would find a man, and then I’d have an uncle, which was almost as good as a dad. But I might want a dad instead.”
