Maybe he’d misread the signals in the moonlight. It had been an intense conversation, although he’d barely been able to think about anything except the soft curves wrapped around him.
And the fact that some asshole was harassing her.
“Hey, Sam. I have a couple of minutes. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t bullshitting me. She’s okay?”
Sam thought of what he’d just heard. He’d bet his Bobby Orr jersey she hadn’t shared that with anyone, not even her brother.
“Mostly. You know the name of some asshole she was seeing back in California?”
“No. She never mentioned anyone. Why?”
Sam sighed. That would have been too easy. “Apparently, he’s trying to claim some of her work and sell it.”
“What the hell? She kick the slime ball to the curb?”
Literally. “She did. Fired him too. But he still trying to contact her.”
Joe’s growl echoed Sam’s own reaction.
“Next time she loses her phone, see if you can find out who he is.”
Sam laughed. “I’m sure she’s got it passcoded.”
“So what? You’re a hotshot FBI special agent. Figure it out.”
“And you’re her hotshot FBI special agent brother. You figure it out and let me know. Knowing your sister, it’s the chemical formula for stainless steel or some secret code of the name for her TeenySaurs.”
Joe laughed. “Probably. But you’ll make sure she’s safe? I’m not going to be able to get away for a while.”
“HRT running you ragged?”
Joe’s sigh was heartfelt and made Sam wonder if his friend was close to burning out as well. “There are idiots everywhere. We’re heading down to Texas as soon as the plane’s fired up.”
Hostage rescue was a difficult job and Joe’s talent for figuring out each hostage-taker’s needs was legendary. Which meant he was on call for the bad ones. And there were always bad ones.
“So, how areyoudoing, Sam?”
Sam held in the sigh. He didn’t know how to answer the simple question. Because Joe was more brother than friend and he wanted a real answer.
“I’m okay. Just not real sure what comes next. Not sure if I can go back. If I want to.”
When he spoke again, Joe’s tone was completely serious. “You need to take your time. Don’t rush back for anything. There are lots of options within the FBI. Maybe it’s time for something different within the organization. Or for something completely different outside of it.”
Sam looked at the forest surrounding the lake and then back at the lodge, where a light shone in Tansy’s room at the top of the house.
“I’ve got five weeks of vacation, but I already told the boss I’ll be taking a leave if I need it. I’m not rushing anything.”
His thoughts turned back to Tansy. He wouldn’t rush there either. Wanted to, but wouldn’t.
Should he even go there?
What would Joe think?
Before he could figure out how to broach the subject with his friend, Joe swore.
“Gotta go. Give Tansy a hug for me and tell her I’ll call her soon.”
And he was gone.