“I mean,” James drawls, clearly intent on capitalizing on our awkward silence, “you both clearly like each other, you’re both super attractive, so I know that’s not an issue, and you two know each other better than anyone. I mean, it only stands to reason that you would be together romantically. So, how come—”
“Cut it out,” Dozer growls at his father.
James shrugs, trying for a goofy, abashed expression, but it merely comes off as smug and knowing.
I don’t know if it’s because my life has turned upside down and I got a good taste this morning of how preciously short it could be, but I become reckless in my quest to answer James’s question.
Reaching out with my foot, I playfully bump Dozer’s shin. “How come you and I have never dated?”
Dozer’s eyes practically bug out of his head, and James leans forward in his chair, avidly watching the interplay between us. I keep my tone light and teasing. “I mean… surely, you’ve thought about it? I know I have.”
Dozer’s mouth drops open in shock over my admission. “You’ve thought about it?”
I give a tiny shrug. “I had a crush on you our freshman year. But your head was often stuck in books, and you were awkward and shy with girls. Chase, unfortunately, got the jump on you.”
I hope my playfulness takes the pressure off Dozer to admit something he might not be willing to right now.
To my surprise, he has an answer, and it’s very familiar because it mimics my own. “I never wanted to ruin our friendship. After Chase died, you needed me as a friend more than ever.”
I smile at Dozer tenderly. “I did need you. And you were there. You’ve always been there.”
“Always,” he says.
Our eyes lock, and I don’t know what any of this means, but clearly James does. He coughs and scrapes his patio chair backward as he stands, grabbing his drink. “I… um… have something I need to do.”
And with that, he leaves Dozer and me alone on a romantic, moonlit patio.
“Dozer,” I begin, deciding I’m going to lay it all out.
But I’m cut off as the patio door opens and my mom sticks her head out. “Honey… Thea really wants you to come tuck her in.”
This is definitely poor timing, but Thea comes first. I regret the way Dozer’s expression seems to shatter and then go blank. As if a moment has been lost.
I smile at my mom and stand from the chair. “I’ll be right in.”
I feel desperately in need of regaining what we had experienced so that we can reopen this conversation after I get Thea settled.
But once again, my mother interrupts. “And she wants Uncle Dozer to read her a story.”
My gaze drops to Dozer, and a smile beams on his face. He is more than happy to be needed by Thea. Not to avoid what is clearly a conversation we need to have, but because he adores my daughter.
Dozer rises, and my mom disappears back into the house. To my surprise, Dozer holds out his hand, palm up—a silent request for me to place mine in his.
I do so, and he lifts my hand to brush a kiss over my knuckles. It’s a gesture he’s never done to me before—we’ve never done anything more than friendly hugs—and it’s decidedly intimate. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, we do,” I agree.
Dozer turns toward the door, keeping my hand gripped firmly in his.
He doesn’t release it until we step over the threshold and into the house. My skin tingles where we were touching.
Side by side, we silently move up the stairs to one of the guest bedrooms where Thea waits for us.
CHAPTER 7
Dozer
We’re in Pittsburgh, and I feel infinitely better to be within the protective walls of the Jameson fortress. With Jess, Claire, and Thea safely deposited in one of the apartments and under Joslyn’s kind care, I head down to the second-floor conference room. Inside, I find Kynan, Bebe, Jackson, and Cage. I assume he’s assigned Jackson and Cage to this case, and they’ll be the primary field agents under his direction.
Bebe jumps up from her chair when she sees me and rushes in for a tight hug. She’s not the most expressive person when it comes to emotion, but within that embrace, I can feel every bit of her fear because I’m putting my neck on the line for Jess and her family.
“I’m so glad you didn’t get dead yesterday,” she whispers. Not an elegant use of words, but I get what she’s saying.
“I’m glad I’m not dead either.”
We break apart, and as I move to take a chair at the conference table, Kynan asks, “Everybody get settled in?”
I nod. “Your wife has everything under control. While we were in Miami, my dad bought way too many toys for Thea, so she’s happily playing. Last I saw, Joslyn was pouring coffee and uncovering cookies.”