“Bailey is doing what Bailey can do right now. She’d be happy that I’m coming to you.”
“Thank you.” Still hoarse. I heard something else there, a tone that had me blinking my eyes rapidly. “I’ll have a drink ready for you, man.”
I grinned into the phone. “Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t do something too stupid today.”
“You’re right. That was always your job.”
We hung up and I sent off an email to my assistant. She would reschedule the meetings that Josh didn’t know about. Two different worlds that I was walking between. The business world and the shadow world. I went over the line daily, and one of these days there’d be a time when I would only exist in one.
Moves. One at a time. I was making them.
I was finding my grandfather.
I was tracking my grandfather.
I was cornering my grandfather. He just didn’t know it, but when he did, when everything was lined up, then andonlythen I would cross that line for the last time.
I only hoped I’d be able to return to this world.
I also called Torie. “I want you to take Tamara and Melissa and go to the Chesapeake. I’m coming to Naveah to spend the day with Matt, so I’d like you to be at the house with Bailey.”
There was no hesitation on her end, just the background music playing. “You got it. We’re just hanging?”
“Spend time with her. Meet her where she’s at. Right now, she’s cutting carrots.”
“Carrots?”
I grinned. “Carrots. Try and make her laugh. Be there, pull in Seraphina and Cyclone if you can.”
“Got it. Maybe I’ll wash the potatoes.”
A brief chuckle, but that’s all I had in me. “I’m sure Theresa has that under wraps, but you can force the issue if you’d like.”
“Take Theresa on? I don’t think so.” She snorted. “I’ll take care of your girl, boss. I care about her, too.”
“I know.”
We hung up, and then I texted Bailey.
Love you. With Matt today. Check in later, please.
But I knew she wouldn’t. She had started not carrying her phone with her, so I handed mine to Josh when we pulled up to Naveah. I wasn’t here to work, for once.
SIX
Bailey
A week later
Kash was holding me.
He was kissing me. I was kissing him back.
Then he was sliding inside, and I stopped wanting to cry.
Another week later
I was sitting on the couches by the bowling lanes.