Bart turned to Frank, who nodded.
“He doesn’t talk too much. We’ll take you up on the offer,” Bart said as Riley escorted them toward the kitchen.
The doorbell rang again, and Caroline went to greet the next visitors.
“Does something seem off to you?” Jameson whispered to Rebecca. “She hasn’t shed a tear.”
“She’s still in shock,” Rebecca explained. “Caroline doesn’t know any of these people, and she must face them alone. I don’t understand why Nancy didn’t stay to help her. She knows Thomas’ friends. Why didn’t they wait to come after the funeral?”
“She seemed upset. Nancy’s older. Maybe she needs some time to gather herself,” Jameson offered.
“Yeah,” Rebecca said, distracted by Caroline, who greeted a flow of friends and sent them to the kitchen for a meal. “Don’t leave her alone.”
“I don’t plan on it,” he said, knowing Rebecca saw the same thing he did.
Two hours later, Rachel smiled sweetly as she took Caroline by the shoulders. “Thank you for your concern. As you can understand, she’s in shock. If you don’t mind, I’m insisting she lie down for a while. The next few days will be taxing on the poor thing. She’ll need her rest.”
The visitors nodded in understanding as Rachel steered Caroline toward the doorway. When her gaze met Jameson’s, she tilted her head, silently telling him to take her friend.
The team put the house in order while Jameson escorted Caroline to the pool house, hoping to give her some downtime after such a long day.
Caroline sat on the couch and stared at the long list Nancy gave her earlier.
“I didn’t realize Dad suffered from money problems. I mean, he spent money on an investigator searching for me. I remember he always put aside funds for all the taxes. I guess he struggled more than he wanted me to know.”
“When someone dies, sometimes it brings out the worst in people,” he said gently. “It sounds as if Nancy’s son wants a piece of the pie.”
“She did take care of both my parents,” she reasoned. “It’s only fair she take a portion of the estate if she kept up the taxes and such.”
“I’ll send this home with Garrett. Julio can give it to our lawyer to review,” Jameson told her. “It’s a precaution.”
“Like having extra men here?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “Because we care about you.”
Caroline nodded. Something seemed to bother her, but she didn’t say anything. He glanced at the list, and it seemed very thorough.
“Why don’t I make us a couple of grilled cheeses and we watch a movie?” he suggested.
“I’ll make the grilled cheese. You pick the movie. I’m tired from learning all your super SEAL moves,” she said, yawning.
He knew the taxing day took a toll on her. Wanting to take her to bed and make slow love to her, Jameson tapped the urge down. She suffered a great loss, and he knew she needed patience and love.
Love. What a word. He fell for her from the moment he saw her with Cain. He finally got his shot with her, and then, they lost her dad. She still didn’t show any emotion concerning her loss, other than expressing the lost time. Somehow, it sent red flags in the back of his mind.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Caroline stood at the graveside wearing the navy-blue dress, her mother’s pearls and the honeybee pin, tributes to her father. The officiant said a few words about her dad’s service to his country, the friends he made, and his greatest achievement, his daughter. It felt like all eyes stared at her, wondering where she went while Thomas grieved for her mother or when he grew gravely ill.
The anger continued to build as she stood beside Nancy, while people gave them their condolences. She didn’t know any of his friends, whereas Nancy greeted all of them, asking about their families. The injustice of it all boiled deep in her belly. She wanted to know all these people who touched her parents’ lives.
With the ceremony finished, she accepted the flag, holding it to her chest. When the guns went off, she jumped at each round. Jameson placed a hand on her back, letting her know he supported her, but she felt…numb.
She walked up to the casket and laid a single red rose in his coffin before they lowered it.
People held tissues, quietly sobbing, yet she couldn’t muster a single one. It stayed locked inside and bubbled with the mixture of her frustration, anxiety, fear, and outrage.
Everyone filed out of the tent, leaving her and Nancy alone. Nancy hugged her, walked to the grave, and dropped a rose inside.
