Page 22 of Deadly Conflicts

James awkwardly patted Ally’s back. “You’re being mushy and it’s throwing me off. I’m not sure how much of this I can take.

Ally blew out a long-suffering sigh only the youngest of four children could muster. “Well, just so you don’t think I’ve gone completely soft, you should also know that it took months for Mandy to stop worrying about you leaving her.”

James frowned at the conversational transition. “What?”

“She mentioned it when we were talking about Vince leaving,” Ally explained. “I told her that I never worried about him leaving because I was young and dumb and she mentioned that she spent your first few months together terrified you would leave because your love burned so brightly she thought it would eventually run out of fuel.”

“I hate that,” James muttered. “How can she think something so ridiculous?”

“She doesn’t think it now,” Ally clarified. “She thought it back then. She said she’s not sure when she realized you weren’t leaving, but when she got to that point it was if the pain in her chest lessened. She felt happy and loved.”

“She is loved,” James said. “She’ll always be loved.”

“Then don’t give her a hard time for telling me about your fight with Vince,” Ally prodded. “She doesn’t deserve it. She just wanted to know if she was missing something.”

James stilled. “What did you tell her?”

“The truth,” Ally replied. “I told her you were a good brother and I treated you terribly.”

“So you didn’t tell her about the time I punched Vince and threatened his life?” James was ashamed to admit how juvenile he was at the time, but once he said the words it was almost a relief. “I was going to own up to it earlier but … I didn’t.”

“She won’t care,” Ally said. “Well, I mean she might care a little. She’ll be more worried about you than anything else. It will be okay, though. She won’t judge you.”

“She never does.” James rubbed the side of his cheek. “I guess I should find her.”

“And get your bracelet,” Ally said, her eyes twinkling. “She got a matching one for herself.”

“I know you think that bugs me, but it doesn’t,” James said. “If she wants me to wear a bracelet with a shark charm, I’ll gladly do it. That’s love.”

“And that’s why you’re a great husband,” Ally said, shaking her head. “Mandy hit the jackpot with you.”

“We hit the jackpot with each other,” James corrected. “For the record, I think Jake feels the same way about you.”

“Oh, it’s a mutual admiration society,” Ally said, giggling. “Go and find Mandy. Then I think everyone wants to meet up for lunch.”

“That sounds good,” James said, resting his hand on Ally’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “No matter what, Ally, I’ll always be your big brother. I’ll always love you. No fight could ever change that.”

Ally smiled. “Thank you … and right back at you.”

AFTER fruitlessly searching for Mandy for half an hour, James joined Ally and Jake at a picnic table close to the river and fidgeted on the bench for what felt like forever. Finally, Jake couldn’t take it a moment longer.

“Do you want me to go looking for her with you?”

James shook his head. “I texted her where we are. I just … why didn’t she text back?”

“It’s loud,” Ally replied. “She probably didn’t hear the phone.”

“She knows it makes me crazy when I can’t find her,” James muttered.

“And that’s exactly why she’s heading in this direction,” Ally said, grinning as she pointed toward the parking lot to their east. “It looks like she’s been shopping.”

“She could turn it into an Olympic event,” James said, relief washing over him when he caught sight of his wife’s familiar blond head. “She’s here.”

Jake smirked when he locked gazes with his boss and friend. “Were you really worried about her?”

“Have you forgotten how much trouble she finds?” James shot back.

“No,” Jake said. “You should’ve let me go with you to search for her instead of tying yourself up in knots.”