“We’ve got the gun,” he said.
“I’ll feel better when ballistics determines that’s the murder weapon.” After a beat, Brit said, “Honor’s going to Sanders Ranch on Friday to talk about her book. She invited me, but I don’t want to go?—”
“I’ll go with you. It’ll give me a chance to put the squeeze on Jordan.”
“He won’t be there.”
Fuck, I’m not gettin’ a break.
“Why not?”
“Honor said Jordan doesn’t like Craig or his cult. I’ll see if Addison will go with me while you build your case against him.”
He collected her hands in his. “I love you, Brit.”
She smiled. “I love you too.”
“I’m not just saying that.”
“Okay.”
Tell her.
“I want to build a life with you.”
Her eyebrows jutted up, her mouth dropped open, but she said nothing.
He leaned over, kissed her. “Do you want that?”
“Are you telling me this because of the baby?—”
“I’m telling you because I adore you. But it doesn’t matter what I want if you don’t want the same thing.” After a pause, he asked, “Whatdoyou want, Brit?”
“I want the family in my paintings. I want to be able to rely on you, to know you’ll be in my corner, that you’ll never leave me. I want you to be my rock.”
He kissed her cheek, stared into her eyes. “That’s the kind of husband and father I want to be.”
“How do we know?”
“Know what?”
“That we won’t drift apart or that one of us will want out?”
“It’s a commitment we make… and we work together to keep,” he said.
“It’s not that simple.”
“What’s the point of any of this if we can’t share it with each other? Life is a challenge, our jobs are too damn demanding,kids take priority.” He caressed her cheek. “A few years ago, I asked my mom if she was going to start dating. She told me she was lucky to have found the love of her life, and that she could never replace my dad. She believes his spirit is with her, and that she’ll be with him again.”
“What do you think about that?”
As he stared into his eyes, the answer came to him. “I never understood that, until now. True love never dies, it just changes.”
Tears pricked her eyes. Her kiss was filled with love.
“Lean in, Brit. I got you.” He placed his hand on her tummy. “I’ve got both of you.”
32
