Page 104 of A Matter of Time

I shook my head. “I can take the train, no worries.”

“No, idiot. I will drive you so nobody kills you on your way to work. What time does your boss get in?”

“Eight.”

He grunted.

“And tomorrow night he’s got an event, so you’re gonna hafta fend for yourself at dinner.”

“Maybe I’ll bring ya some food and eat with ya.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

He threaded his fingers fast through my hair and he yanked me back to him, hard, his breath warm across my face. “You doubt me?”

I smiled wide, laughing softly, thinking that the man had no idea how often he touched me. “No, sir, Detective.”

Another grunt before he shoved me away and left the room. I looked back at the two women and found them both staring openmouthed at me.

“What?”

“Jory,” Regina breathed out. “Sam—he—oh. How long are you staying with Sam?”

“Just until the end of the court case, like I told you. Why?”

She nodded slowly, and her mouth made a slow O as she dragged in a breath.

“What case?” Rachel asked her mother.

“I’ll tell you later. Jory, honey, we all just love you,” Regina said quickly, and I smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

Her eyes were absorbing me.

“I promise you it’s usually not so eventful around here.” Rachel gave me a big fake smile, lying through her teeth.

I shrugged. “It’s okay. Sometimes families fight, right? No big. But hey, I’m sorry I can’t finish up the dishes, but Sam’s ready to jet.”

“Honey, you helped enough already,” Regina said quietly. “I was going to tell you to go sit down and watch some football with the men anyway.”

“Like I didn’t enjoy every minute of it.” I grinned lazily. “I had a great time.”

“Well, you fit in just perfect,” she assured me. “So don’t be a stranger.”

I darted across the kitchen and hugged first Regina and then her daughter. “Thank you so much.”

Sam came back into the room, and they both stared at him.

“What?” he asked irritably.

His mother just shook her head.

“Okay then,” he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek and then Rachel’s. “I’ll see ya.”

I took my coat as he held it out for me and reminded him that we needed to stop at the store on the way home because we needed cereal for the morning and Tide so I could finish the laundry.

“Whatever.” He yawned, the exasperation not lost on me.