Edgar harrumphed, but his eyes were warm as he took in our closeness, the way Hope leaned into me. “Just you know, I have my eyes on you, boy. I get the slightest sign you’re not treating her right—stepping out, working too much—I don’t care. I get the slightest sign, and I’ll take care of it.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. What was Edgar going to do? Challenge me to a bout of fisticuffs?
No, he’d probably hire a hitman and find Hope another husband.
I tried not to grin at that thought. Edgar wouldn’t have anything to worry about. Treating Hope right was my top priority. Always would be.
Instead of taunting him, I said, “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. But I want to know—how? How did you know that I’d fall in love with Hope? How did you know I’d be back? That Prentice would die? And how did you get him to agree to force us into marriage?”
Edgar just shook his head. “I didn’t know that you’d have feelings for my Hope. Not for sure. I had a hunch. And Prentice? I can’t answer that. I don’t know who killed him. I just knew he was playing with fire, and it was only a matter of time. I wanted Hope covered in case you didn’t come back on your own.”
“What does that even mean?” Hope asked, exasperated.
“It means I told Weston Garfield everything I know about Prentice’s murder, which wasn’t much.”
“And what about how you got Prentice to force our marriage in the first place?” I pressed. It was the one thing that made no sense.
“That’s not mine to tell, boy. Let’s just say your father owed me and I collected. The rest is in the past. Leave it there and focus on your future.”
“I don’t know that I have a choice, Edgar. Someone seems to have it out for the Sawyers. Feels like the past is coming for me—coming for us—one way or another.”
Edgar shook his head. “I can promise you that whatever is going on now, whatever hornet’s nest Prentice stirred up before he died, it has nothing to do with what your father owed me. Nothing. Now, what I want to know is when is Hope going to quit working for you so she can concentrate on decorating the nursery and being a mother?”
I glanced at Hope to see her rolling her eyes to the ceiling, shaking her head, a tiny smile curving her lips.
“Hope can do both. Hope can do whatever the hell she wants. What she’s not going to do is take orders. From anyone. Is that clear?”
“She’s your problem now. If you think you can keep her in line without ordering her around, then by all means.…”
“I don’t know, I like it when she gets out of line,” I said, squeezing her hip and ignoring the affronted look Edgar gave both of us.
He’d been all fired up for Hope to get pregnant. I was assuming he knew how I got her that way. Hope’s cheeks were pink as she jabbed her elbow in my ribs.
“I don’t know what I want to do, Uncle Edgar,” she said, the laugh still in her voice. “I’ve never had a baby before. I like working with Griffen, and since he works from home, who knows? We’ll figure things out as we go.”
Not caring that we had an audience, I turned my face to press a kiss to her temple, breathing in her sweet apples and cinnamon scent.
I loved this woman with every fucking inch of my heart. With every cell in my body. I didn’t care if she wanted to work with me, or somewhere else, or quit to raise our kids, or do all the above. As long as she was with me and she was happy, I’d have everything I wanted in life.
“You need to be careful,” Edgar cautioned, leaning forward, his eyes serious. “Harvey’s good, but just because he hasn’t spread that will around doesn’t mean Prentice didn’t share the contents with anyone. I’m glad to see you have security locked down here. Your Hawk stopped me at the gatehouse and escorted me in, wouldn’t leave my side until Savannah gave me clearance. He wouldn’t give me the details, but he said the grounds are covered, that no one’s getting anywhere near the house without him knowing.”
“That’s right. The house is as safe as we can make it without turning it into a bunker. You don’t have to worry about Hope.”
“Then you keep your eye on the Inn, Griffen,” Edgar warned. “With the house inaccessible, anyone after you is going to target the Inn. That’s what I would do. It’s too visible, a symbol of the family. Public. And a hell of a lot harder to secure than the Manor. Tell Royal and Tenn to be sharp. They’ve already had some trouble there, could be the usual, but maybe not.”