folded his arms over his rib cage, and she couldn’t help but a

ne line leading downward to his navel. She felt the dreaded

was eyeing her lazily, his blue eyes stu

feeling well.” She thrust the bag toward him. “I

e bag. Then he stepped

a minute then fo

dn’t have come all the way over h

tchen from the living room then looked back at her aga

ppeared she let out a long breath. She turned her attention to the bag on t

chen and set about looking for a bowl. When she found one, she hastily transferr

e timer went off on the microwave, Gray sauntered back in, this time we

s,” he protested as she ge

ected. “It’s a

plings before plopping the bowl in front

m. “Faith, sit down. You

bably be goin

s?” he asked as he st

uld you a

a habit out of running

him like a deflated balloon. “Oh, no, I

mouth in mortification

“At least y

o start being more direct,” she

inned. “Then maybe you’ll te

direct,” s

. Not only are you beautiful—and adorable—but you’re an excel

ef in his eyes. He was t

worthy of my beauty or culi

spoon in sal

hour is almost over, and I have a lo

ten anything

back to the office. I just want

ace, his expression int

er jeans. She reached into her pocket for her keys and headed

up her arm as his finger

u,” he sa

’d thought he would last night. But again, she was d

he said as she started

ding. When she rounded the corner into her office, she was su

ght. “I thought you guy

ith you,” Connor said. “Bu

al expression. “I took some chicken and dumplings over

said with an approv

kin and took her chair behind the desk. “He seemed to be feeling better. I think

ay with you, Faith?”

its rise halfway to her mouth. She set the s

ne. Why on ear

ied,” Connor said. “You j

her mom called when she wasn’t in the office? Did t

her into their lives. No way would she burden them with issues involving her

ce interrupted her dire tho

two worry too much.” She smil

“Worrying is w

she do if her mom called when Faith was out of the office? What if Pop or Connor answere

rip. Why now? Why after all this time did her mother have to worm her way—or try to worm h

hink of Gray?”

d up in sur

ntinued. “Too bad about his partne

riously. Had Gray decided to tak

that I know of. Far as I kn

d like he wasn’t goin

bite of pizza. “I don’t se

e and Fai

a man just needs a change

ically at her as Connor reached for the phone. Faith lunged f

s cheerfully as her fr

hen she heard the person identif

to her father. “It’s fo

took it, Faith’s gaze flickered over to see Connor staring at her

ffice with it, heading to the larger trash can in the back. As she stu

is concerned gaze

going on

s other hand cupped her chin and d

come to me with

at his loving concern. “Yes, I know, bi

fall. “I’m here when you’re ready to talk abo

knuckle then turned and wa

. She knew Pop would take over, shield her from the calls, even going as far as to change the business number or screen all the cal

other was out of sight and out of mind? When she didn’t have to

her teeth in irritation. Don’t let her do this to you. Not a

how hard she tried to steel herself against the emotional fallout her mother caused, it always hit her square in the c

g,” she whispered. “

s careful to adapt a serene expression, hopefully something that didn’t

oing to come over for dinner ton

ld I miss corn do

rlic bread. Connor’s coming, so you t

onnor, who raised his

great, Pop. I’ll

head. “You take care and be sure and leave here at a decent hour

r face against his chest. He seemed surprised at first

tonight,” he

still wasn’t one hundred percent after taking a bullet in the leg the

e shirt that clung to him like a second skin. Though

t of everything but what he should be

en had been lifted. In Dallas, he’d woken up every single day to the reality of Alex’s murder. He’d eat

en he was with Faith, he forgot about Alex, Mick

in his injured leg quivered and rolled. He forced himself to slow, and then

s aching lungs. Punishing himself wouldn’t help. It might make him feel a little b

ped it around his neck. With one of the ends, he mopp

hone into his pocket. He hadn’t even gotten to the door when his pocket pulsed