“So that’s a no about coming into the city?”
“I’ll think about it, but it’s not in my plans for today.” Or any day.
“Right.” He pauses, and I can hear him shift behind his desk. “You fell for her, huh?”
“Yeah.” I don’t sound happy about it.
“Do you want my opinion?”
I scoff. “Not especially.”
His voice drops, and he’s as serious as I’ve ever heard him. “For what it’s worth, she cares about you too, or she wouldn’t risk coming back here. You were in the hospital when all of that went down. You don’t know how ugly it got for her, and I don’t think there would have been a better way for her to say she loves you. Think about that before you get angry at her for being here.”
“I wasn’t going to get mad.”
“Yeah, you were, if you aren’t already. She’s digging into a situation you’d rather forget, and it’s going to piss you off. Don’t let it. There’s no harm in it. When she’s done, put it to rest, and move on. With her, without her, whatever you need to do. You’ve been healing. I understand more than you give me credit for, but you can’t live like this forever. I mean that with every honest intention I have.”
“I hear you.” I don’t like what he’s saying, but there’s more truth to his words than I want to admit.
“Good. I’ll keep you updated if she finds anything. Do you want me to pass along any messages?”
“Tell her I have room. She’ll know what that means.”
“Got it. Have a good night and look at the contract I emailed you this morning. I think we can get more out of him if we squeeze a little harder.”
“I will. Keep them safe, yeah?”
“Nothing’s going to hurt them. You have my word. She’s a looker.”
Beau hangs up on my laugh.
Talia could do a lot worse than Beau, if he decides love is enough to slow him down.
Tiredly, I rub my hands up and down my face. Devyn’s in Cedar Hill. At least I know where she is, what she’s doing, and that she’s safe, but I don’t miss her any less. To give myself something to do, I look into adding on to the cottage for living space for Talia and plan my own unwanted trip to Cedar Hill which comes a lot sooner than I thought it would.