Chapter Twelve
Rick
Ineeded two days to scrub the entire lighthouse down, and my back was killing me by the time I was finished.
There isn’t anything left of Devyn Scott.
It doesn’t get her out of my head, or my heart.
The days after she left were the emptiest and longest days of my life. Every second felt like a million hours, and on the first night about ten, after knocking back a half a glass of Glenlivet, I collapsed into fresh sheets and fell into such a restless sleep I didn’t get any rest at all.
The second day, I ran into town for groceries and more booze. I saw my masseuse who said Devyn had done a great job and that I’m lucky she’d been around.
Lucky.
Yep.
There was no reason to linger in town, and after I put groceries away, I spent the rest of the evening in my office, my attention divided between staring at the texts Devyn sent me, the first telling me she’d made it to Portland, and the second, asking my opinion on where she and Talia should live. I hadn’t meant to miss her phone call, and I should have called her back. I can’t bear the sound of her voice when I can’t hold her, and I took the coward’s way out and didn’t respond at all.
Her question about her living situation didn’t help.
I last until the third day when despondent, sad, lonely, and needing a friend, I call Beau on his cell.
“Rick. What’s up?”
He sounds happier than usual, which is unusual because Beau is one of the happiest guys I know. He must have a hot date tonight and is already looking forward to it.
“She’s gone.”
She’s gone and didn’t tell me when she was coming back. If she was coming back.
“I know. She’s here.”
I lean forward in my chair. “She’s there? You mean in Cedar Hill?” I don’t know what she’d be doing in Cedar Hill, don’t know why she would risk going to the city with Stevie Johansson on her tail.
“Yes and no. She’s in the city, but she’s here. In your office.”
“My office?”The office I haven’t sat in since I was hospitalized after the accident. “What is she doing?”
“Looking through the accident reports. You know, I thought she was crazy, but she might be on to something. I’m giving her full access. Maybe she’ll find something, or if she doesn’t, it will call her off. Either way, she’s here with her sister. She’s a looker. Did you know that?”
I bristle. I don’t like him looking at her. “Devyn’s gorgeous. Keep your hands off. She’s mine.”
Beau chuckles, and I want to punch him through the phone. “Not her. Talia. Delicate little thing. What’s her story?”
Devyn might not like me sharing, but if Beau has his eye on Talia, he needs to know the truth. “She was hooked on Sweet. Went through rehab, now Devyn keeps her on a tight leash. She can’t party with you, Beau.”
“No, I don’t suppose she could,” he muses. “Still, she’s pretty. Anyway, they’re staying at my place tonight. I don’t like the thought of them running all over, and I’ll put a couple extra men on them, too, in case Stevie hears she’s in town and decides to cause trouble.”
“Thanks.”
“You bet. You wouldn’t want to drive in, would you? You’d make it in time for dinner. We could double date. Better yet, order the plane to pick you up. We could hang out all afternoon.”
“Devyn isn’t there to hang out.”
Beau laughs. “You’re right about that. She’s got a bug up her ass, but she’s a solid reporter, so if there’s something to find, she’ll find it.”
“I already told her OSHA went over it with a fine-toothed comb. She’s not going to find anything.”