Page 25 of Deadly Forever

Mandy’s expression softened. “Do you want to talk about it?”

James studied her serious face for a moment, briefly wondering if there was a right answer to the question. “Can we eat first?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” James cupped her chin and gave her a soft kiss. “Maybe the food poisoning will make it so I don’t have to talk about my feelings after dinner, huh?” He jumped as she swatted him, chuckling at her outrage. “Just out of curiosity, what made you want to cook?”

“It wasn’t about cooking,” Mandy explained. “It was about wanting to do something nice for you. I don’t care what you say – and you don’t have to talk about it because I already know what happened in your office – but I know you’re hurting. I wanted to do something to make you feel better.”

“Just being here makes me feel better,” James said. “How do you know what happened in my office, though? Did Grady call you?”

Mandy shook her head, her blond hair brushing against her shoulders. “I can read people, too,” she said. “Granted, I’m not as good at it as you are, but I saw that Mr. Landers was more upset than angry. He let his emotions take the form of anger, but he’s really a broken man.”

“You are a smart woman, my baby,” James said. “He is definitely a broken man. They’re both broken men.”

“And they have no idea why their sons did what they did?”

“No.” James pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. “I don’t know what to do, Mandy. I need to know why these kids did what they did just as much as their parents need it. I simply do not understand.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve been thinking about that,” Mandy said. “Do you think that whatever is in that sealed filed will be able to help?”

James stilled, surprised. “I don’t know,” he answered after a beat. “If you have a sealed file as a juvenile, it’s generally a big deal. They seal it because they don’t want it to ruin any potential future employment for a minor.”

“I know,” Mandy said, licking her lips. “That’s why I’ve decided to ask Judge MacIntosh if he’ll look at the file for us.”

“I thought you were against that.”

“I am … er, well, kind of,” Mandy conceded. “I also know that it could be important so I’m willing to compromise. I’m going to ask him to look in the file and tell us if he thinks it’s important. We’ll go from there. Can you live with that?”

James nodded, love momentarily overwhelming him as he tightened his arms around Mandy’s waist. “I love you so much. Thank you.”

Mandy blinked rapidly to quell the tears threatening to spill over. “Thank you for being my husband.”

“I don’t even care about getting food poisoning now,” James said, kissing the tip of her nose. “That’s how much I love you.”

The joking words were enough to break the spell and Mandy shook her head as she stepped away. “You’re a terrible man.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” James said, instantly contrite. “I’m sure the odds of you giving me food poisoning are only … seventy-five percent or so.”

Mandy scowled. “I ordered the pasta from Olive Garden and only kept it warm in the oven,” she snapped. “I have breadsticks and salad, too.”

James brightened considerably. “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he enthused. “You’re the best wife ever.”

Mandy made a face. “I could be an excellent cook if I wanted to be,” she sniffed. “I simply think my time is better served in other places.”

“I agree,” James said solemnly, grabbing the front of her shirt. “One of those places is going to be our bed in exactly an hour, so you’d better eat up, wife. I’m going to cook something special for you before the night is out.”

Mandy didn’t want to encourage his attitude, but she couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds like a plan.”

“It does indeed, wife. It sounds like the best plan.”