He didn’t need Zee reading his face. Not that he knew what she’d see. He just wasn’t himself since she showed up at the Black Heart.
The rest of the morning passed quickly as he stood guard while the actor moved between scenes. At one point, an unauthorized vehicle stopped at the end of the road, and he immediately had his phone in hand, calling in backup from the local police to urge the fans away from the set.
When the day wrapped, the sun was dipping lower behind the ridgeline. Church drove them back toward town, thinking of what would have happened if he hadn’t overheard Zee asking Gabe to spend the night in the parking lot.
The place was covered in security cameras and no one would disturb her there. But Church would never let Matt’s widow go without shelter.
When they reached the parking lot, she sliced a shy look at him. “Do you happen to have a key get in?”
“Yeah, I do.”
They entered the building. Just inside the door was a small stack of boxes. Zee made a beeline to them and bent to read the label.
“They’re mine,” she determined, picking one up.
Then he saw it—the product photo clearly displayed on the cardboard.
Wireless security cameras.
Motion sensors.
Church’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like this at all.
“Zee.”
She balanced a second box on top of the first, clearly used to doing everything herself. But he was here now, and he wasn’t going to let her carry the boxes—or anything else—alone. After all, she was his fake wife.
He stepped up and took them from her. She didn’t quite meet his gaze, so he dipped his head, meeting hers. “I’ve been staying on the Black Heart Ranch. There’s no safer place. You won’t need these.” He shifted the boxes against his hip.
Her brows pinched together. “Church—”
“You don’t have to tell me why you ordered these—”
She blew out a breath.
“—yet. But we’ve got security, cameras, and people around all the time. You’ll see when we get there.”
She didn’t speak. But, whatever she was hiding had put a guarded look in her eyes.
“I’ll take the couch,” he announced.
She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut across her.
“It’s more comfortable than any of the bunks in the barracks.”
When she didn’t try to argue, he nudged the third box with his boot. “Grab this box. We’ll move your things now.”
Because the thought of her going to that empty rental alone—possibly afraid—didn’t sit right with him at all.
* * * * *
Zee stood beside the truck while Church placed the last of her belongings into the back seat.
The evening air had cooled quickly once the sun dropped behind the mountains, and she hugged her arms around herself, both from the chill and the seriousness of what she was doing.
Sure, she was moving. Again. But seeing everything she owned in the world through Church’s eyes… It stung.
Everything she owned now fit into a small pile. A couple of duffel bags. Three cardboard boxes. The security equipment she’d had delivered to their workplace.
