Page 58 of Grant’s Heat

But Elijah stayed calm as a summer breeze. “She did not. No.”

“I distinctly remember sitting in this office talking about that woman and pyromania in the same conversation.”

“Arson and pyromania are two different things,” I said coolly and with authority. Believe me, I’d done plenty of research—and way past what you found on Wikipedia.

“Look. I don’t know what the two of you are covering up for that woman, but so help me God, if I find out she lit a fire on that job site the night her husband died and one or both of you knew about it? You will wish it was you under that falling beam instead of her husband.”

“For fuck’s sake, Sebastian! Get a grip on yourself,” Elijah said. “You’re trying to make connections where there aren’t any because you’re in a panic. You know the shit’s about to hit the fan because someone tampered with the equipment that killed Sean Gibson, and you’re looking for any way to divert the attention off yourself.”

God bless Elijah Banks. Because if that had all come from my mouth, it would’ve just seemed like I was defending Rio. But when he said it, it finally made Bas take pause.

Then he went on. “I don’t think a three-ring circus of naked cheerleaders would be able to get the attention off you in this situation, my friend. In case you haven’t noticed all the reporters hanging around that job site, they’re waiting to scoop up any scrap or morsel they can about what happened to cause that accident. Hell, someone down at the police station has probably already leaked the investigators’ reports to them.”

Finally, I found my voice again. “Focusing on Rio’s teenage mental health problems won’t help anyone right now. I’m going to point out again, she is Abbi’s sister, just about. Hurting Rio is just going to hurt Abbigail. I don’t think that’s something you want to do, man.”

“Don’t tell me how to handle my woman.”

I held my hands up in front of me. “That’s the last thing I would try to do. Lord knows I have no experience in the field. I just know the close relationship those two have, and I saw some pretty strained moments at the baby shower. Did Abbi tell you about that?” Yes, finally, a chance to change this damn subject altogether.

Please take the bait. Please take the bait. Please take the bait. I kept up the mental chant while staying busy with nonexistent lint on my slacks.

“Yes and no. I got the overly emotional Abbigail version of the conversation. So you stayed for the whole shower? What’s wrong with you, man?” Bas chuckled while asking.

“Rio kept giving me tasks to do. Every time I thought I was home free, she’d have something else she needed help with.”

“So you’ve basically stepped in as the man of the house around there?”

“Don’t even joke about that shit. She’s in a bad spot emotionally. But the last thing she’s looking for is a replacement for the husband she just lost. She’s a good friend.”

“Well, then. Tell us what the women were arguing about,” Elijah said, jumping in on supporting the subject change. There was no way he actually wanted to hear the details, but anything was better than letting Sebastian have control of our camp’s spirit stick again.

“Well, apparently Bas and Abbi think it’ll be nice to honor Abbi’s brother by using his name for the baby Shark’s middle name. Rio said she didn’t mind but has some…bitterness…currently where Daddy Shark here is concerned.” I paused for a moment as bigger puzzle pieces started clicking into place. “Oh shit…dude.”

I cradled my face in my hands as the gravity of the situation, as it pertained to Rio, really sank in.

“What is it, Grant?” Elijah asked.

“It’s just hitting me from a different angle.” I waved my hand around the office. “All of this.”

Sebastian’s phone rang with the familiar ring we all knew to be Abbigail’s personal number, so he excused himself and moved away from our trio to talk to his baby mama. But I was glad for the time alone with Elijah, who understood what was really going on with me and Rio. Well, more than anyone else, at least.

“Talk to me, brother. What’s going on?” he asked once Bas was out of earshot.

“Rio has been off and unstable. That’s probably being generous, in a matter of terminology.” I winced at my own word choice, instantly consumed by guilt from saying something unfavorable about the woman I cared so deeply about.

“Okay.” He waited for more information.

“When I think about the impact of this news, about her husband’s death not being an accident, per se, it’s going to be explosive. Actually, that’s probably an understatement.” I rubbed the back of my neck, where tension was causing the muscles to ache. “Rio has so much resentment for Bas already, and she’s going to see this only one way, and that is as Sebastian’s fault. If someone wasn’t trying to hurt him, her husband wouldn’t have been caught in the crossfire. Sean Gibson would still be alive.”

“Do you think she will physically act out?” Elijah asked. “As in, we need to have a fire extinguisher on hand?”

“I hope not.”

“Well, you’ll just have to keep a close eye on her.”

“She told me to stay away from her today, before I left to come here.”

“Why?” Elijah pressed. “Why would she say that to you?”