Max gives Abby a quick kiss—the look they share afterwards can’t be described as anything other than loving—and then he is moving down the hallway.
I quickly race to follow, dragging Thea along with me as I refuse to let go of her hand.
Max doesn’t say another word to me. I hope Grandma can’t feel the tension between us.
I understand why he’s upset. It wouldn’t be the first time I have abandoned my family for work, and he doesn’t realize I was over two hours away.
Stepping into the private room, my breath leaves my lungs, and I feel dizzy.
Grandma is attached to wires and a drip. Machines are on either side of her, each loud beep like a stab to my heart. She looks frail lying in bed, and I have never seen her appear so fragile. I want to rush to her side and hug her, try to protect her from whatever wishes to take her away from me, but I can’t even bring myself to reach out and take her hand. She is too breakable right now. Part of me wishes I never had to see her looking so weak. The woman I know is strong-willed and independent.
“Stop gawking at me and come over and give me a kiss,” Grandma snaps, her voice strong and stern. The same as I remember.
“Sorry.” I strain to even get the one word out, clearing my throat as I step closer to her bed and lean over, giving her a kiss on her cheek. She feels cold. Is that normal?
“I don’t know why I have to end up here to have you visiting me. That needs to change.” She gives us both demanding glares.
Straight away, I feel like I’m five years old again.
“We will,” Max immediately promises.
“Yes.” I nod, knowing this would be laughable if the situation were different, given two grown men are acting chastised.
“Good. I’ll be out of here by tomorrow, so I expect you both to have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“Grandma, the doctor hasn’t cleared you to—”
“Pish-posh. I will be out; don’t you worry. Now, what do you boys want me to cook?”
“How about me and Abby cook you dinner? We can still eat at your house so, that way, you can stay home,” Max compromises.
“Speaking of your house,” I interject, “do you really think you should still be living there? You shouldn’t be alone—”
“I will never leave that house, Aiden Camden Mercer, and I will forget you ever suggested such foolery.”
I only barely resist rolling my eyes as I collapse into the chair by her bed.
“I can see that eye roll in your mind, you know. Now, tell me, how many bad guys did you catch today?”
I snort, rolling my eyes just for her benefit now.
“Technically two. One I arrested this morning. He was working with a gang. The other one is more complicated. It might even be on the news by now. I didn’t so much as catch him, since he is already dead, as find his burial ground. Last I heard, they had the estimate at over eighty victims. There are probably more to discover, too.”
“What?” Max gasps, his gape looking comical.
“A slow day, then?” Grandma smiles at me, but I see her pride in me glowing in her gaze.
“I’ve had slower,” I jest, winking at her and loving the mirth in her eyes as she stares back at me. “It was way out in Bakersfield; otherwise, I would have been here sooner.”
“You didn’t have to rush back here, especially since I will be seeing you tomorrow night,” Grandma says softly, her hand reaching out to squeeze mine gently.
“Of course I did.”
Grandma lifts my hand, and I help her guide me to her face where she gives me a kiss. “Thank you.”
She turns to Max then, commenting on his “fish out of water” look and then proceeding to grill him about when he is going to have the wedding, even though he hasn’t even proposed to Abby yet.
I listen halfheartedly, my focus solely on Grandma, until I finally feel Thea’s hand resting on my shoulder.
I look over and smile at her, quickly glancing back to Grandma before either she or Max sees me. Max is still giving details about the possible soon-to-happen wedding; however, Grandma is looking right at me.
“Are you tired? You should try to get some rest, Grandma,” Max mutters to her, his stare still full of concern.
“I am a little tired,” she agrees, and Max and I both take that as our cue to stand.
Max kisses her first, and as soon as he moves away, I step forward to do the same, but her words stop me.
“I’d like just a quick minute alone with Aiden, if you don’t mind, Max?”
“Of course not,” he answers her before looking at me. “I’ll see you outside.”
“You don’t have to wait. I’m sure Mom is tired, too,” I tell him, wondering if he is still angry at me, despite knowing now I wasn’t nearby when he called. I’m not in the mood for a fight with him.
“I know. I’ll see you out there.” As Max stares at me a little longer than usual, I know he’s trying to convey something, but I’m too worried about Grandma to fully understand it.
I merely nod at him and then sit back down, part of me already knowing what she is going to want to talk about. It only takes her about two seconds after Max closes the door for her to confirm my suspicion.
“Hi, Thea. Thank you for visiting me.”
I look over to see Thea smiling. Her eyes are sad, however, as they gaze at my grandma. The fact that she feels worry for her makes my heart beat a little faster in my chest.
“Tell her I said hello back, and I am very happy to see her looking so well, considering.”
I relay her message, watching Grandma looking pleased with Thea’s words.
“So, when did you both go and fall in love?” she bluntly asks, her question making both me and Thea gape, much like Max was doing earlier.
“Love?” I finally wheeze out.
“Of course. I may not be able to see Thea, but I can see how you’re looking at her. I was married to your grandfather for forty-one years before he passed away, and I still love him to this day. I know what love looks like, and you have it all over your face.”
“Grandma, she’s a ghost. I can’t … we can’t…” I wince, my denial completely lacking.
“Love doesn’t know limitations. It doesn’t matter how you fall in love or the reasons you shouldn’t, only that you do. I see it, and I don’t know whether to be thrilled that someone has been able to thaw that heart of yours finally or heartbroken for you because of the tragic circumstances.”
“I care about Thea, a lot. She’s…” I look over at her, knowing this is going to be harder to say with her standing right next to me. “She’s everything I could want in a woman, and if things were different, and I had met her before I had already lost her, I probably would be talking to you about love. But we can’t go there. Thea’s stay here isn’t permanent and…” I shrug, seeing the worry in her eyes replaced with sadness.
“All the more reason for you to take what time you have and fly. Be in love. Be happy while you can. I was lucky to have your grandfather for many years, but if I could have only had him for a few weeks, knowing how broken my heart would remain after I lost him, I would have loved him for every second of those weeks without regret.”
I look back at Grandma, seeing tears pouring down her face. The beeping increases, causing me to worry I have upset her and damaged her health.
“Okay, Grandma, I won’t waste any time. I promise.” I grab her hand, squeezing it as hard as I feel comfortable with.
She gives me a little smile, the beeping already slowing down, and her eyes flutter closed before she forces them back open.
“I should go, Grandma. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” I lean over, giving her a kiss and wishing she would hurry up and truly get better.
I can’t deal with losing her. She’s been a huge part of my life. Mom worked two jobs to support us when we were growing up, so Grandma spent most of my life looking after me and Max. She is more like a second mother to me, and I can’t imagine my life with
out her.
“Yes, don’t forget to ask Max what you can bring. Thea should be able to help you pick something out. Let her dress you again, too. You looked so handsome the other night.”
“How do you know I didn’t dress myself? I already owned those clothes long before I met Thea,” I complain, not willing to believe how I looked has made that much of an impression to have Mom comment about it at dinner and Grandma bring it up now.
“Because you never deviate from what you always wear. Don’t fight her; she knows best.”
“How can I be getting ganged up on when you guys haven’t even officially met?” I complain only halfheartedly. Honestly, I’m thrilled to see them getting along, even in this impossible situation.
“We’re good friends, aren’t we, Thea?” Grandma looks over my shoulder, eerily staring straight at her.
“Yes, we’re great friends,” Thea answers.
Grandma smiles again when I relay that to her.
“See? Now go home to bed; it is far too late to still be up. And drive carefully, no falling asleep at the wheel.”
“Yes, Grandma.” I give her another kiss before grabbing Thea’s hand and smiling when she tightens her grip.
We leave just as two nurses enter, checking over Grandma and the machines which are thankfully sounding calm again.
I walk back into the waiting area, finding Mom asleep, leaning on Abby’s shoulder. Abby appears barely awake, too.
Max is still pacing and moves straight over to me.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t realize you were so far away when I called. I just assumed you were at Headquarters, and when you took almost two hours to get here, well, I just thought you didn’t drop everything to come. I was angry, and I should have let you explain.”
Max winces as soon as he finishes speaking, as though he’s waiting for me to yell at him. Maybe before I would have. I would have been furious at the way he was a complete asshole to me. However, I’m too tired to bother. What’s more, knowing how badly Thea is missing Flynn, it seems stupid to start a fight with my brother, especially over something so small.
“It’s fine. In the past, I’ve been an asshole to you, so it makes sense you would jump to that conclusion. I never meant to put you guys second, but I know I have. I have missed having you in my life, Max, and I realize now that work isn’t everything. There is more to life. So, how about we just forget about earlier and focus on getting Grandma out of that house. She needs to be in a nursing home. I know she doesn’t want it, but it’s not safe for her to be alone in that house, and none of us are home often enough for it to make sense for her to live with one of us. We need to be united on this; otherwise, she’s going to fight us over it, and it won’t happen.”
Max nods, relief evident over his face before determination takes over.
“I’ll speak to Abby about it; she’s good at selling stuff, so a nursing home shouldn’t be a stretch for her.”
“Good.” I stare at my watch, seeing it is almost three in the morning. “We should go. Do you need me to take Mom home?”
“Nah, she’s on the way for us.”
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Max gives me a quick hug. Over his shoulder, I see Abby smiling at us. She is happy to see us getting along, and that quickly makes her okay in my book.
We all walk out together, and I have to endure another bone crushing hug from Mom. Then they are all too soon packed away in Max’s car and driving off.
“Are you okay?” Thea’s hand finds mine again. She tugs on my arm to get me moving towards the car.
“I just need her to be okay.”
“She will be. You’ve seen how strong she is. She isn’t going anywhere she doesn’t want. Any higher power that exists can see that.”
“I just sometimes forget how old she is. She’s pushing eighty, but she acts like she’s still the same as when Max and I were kids. She is still racing around, doing her own thing, being self-reliant and refusing any help. She thinks she can still do it all, and sometimes, I forget she can’t.”
Thea stands in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. Her free hand lifts as she caresses my face lightly, the heat from her hand almost zapping me.
“She’s still invincible to you. I’m sorry to say she’s not infallible, but she is one hell of an amazing woman. She’s proud of you and what you have achieved. So am I. You’re incredible, Aiden, and one day, your grandma will leave you, but she won’t leave your heart or your memories. For now, she has determination, strength, and stubbornness running through her body. She won’t let this get her down. She will hold on.”
I let go of Thea’s hand, wrapping both arms around her and holding her tightly against me, finally getting the hug I have needed from her all night. In the darkness of the night and the quiet of the parking lot, I take comfort from Thea’s touch.
We stand like this for a long time, until voices begin to echo in the distance. Knowing we are going to be interrupted soon, I reluctantly pull away, grateful I will be sleeping with Thea wrapped around me tonight.
When we get into the car to begin the long drive home, I can tell there is something on Thea’s mind. When her fidgeting begins to annoy me, I finally call her on it.
“I’m just thinking about what your grandma was saying.”
“Which part?” I ask her, knowing which moment she means. Does she really want to have this discussion at three in the morning after an incredibly long day?
“Are we really going to do this? Are we going to admit we—”
“Thea,” I cut her off, feeling like a jerk to do so, but I continue on quickly, ignoring my better judgment to stop. “I can’t do that. I said what my grandma needed to hear, but I’m investigating your murder. If I admit there might be more to this than just incredible sex and me caring about you, it might affect the case. I might begin to worry that solving your case means you will leave me.
“What if I can catch the bastard who hurt you, but I hesitate because I fear you will disappear? Then I just let a murderer go free, able to kill more women because I can’t bear the thought of losing you. I can’t do that, and to make sure I don’t, I need for us to not define what is happening.”
“But you were the one who pushed for this. You wanted me—”
“For sex. It was just sex for me. At least, at first. I do care about you, Thea, but I can’t be in love with you.” I turn to look at her, watching as she takes in my words, seeing anger and sadness moving through her eyes before tears well up, and then all I see is fear.
I look forward again, biting my tongue when I feel ready to tell her I’m lying. Tell her I already care too much about her. Tell her I probably do love her already. It doesn’t matter if I don’t admit it to her, because there is no way I won’t be gutted when Thea leaves. I’m going to suffer my first broken heart, and there is nothing I can do to stop it.
“You’re right. I don’t want another victim out there that could have been prevented if we hadn’t been distracted. I don’t want another family losing their loved one. I don’t want another life ruined. Let’s catch this guy and stop his killing. Let’s bring him to justice.” She sounds confident now.
When I take another peek at her, there are no tears in her eyes, no fear or sadness lingering over her face, only determination. I wish that made me feel better, but it doesn’t.
I’m not sure this day can get any worse until I get home and find my front door ajar.
Grabbing my gun from my side, I begin to search the house. I find it empty of any intruder, but since the only thing that appears to have been taken or disturbed are Eric Bell’s files, I can hazard a pretty good guess at who broke in.
“Fuck!” I shout, punching my table as I stare at the empty area they were stacked in.
There goes any lead I could have found in them.
***
After an even longer night of filing a police report and declining to allow forensics in to process the scene—since I already
know there won’t be anything to find—I finally fall into my bed and pass out.
I try to stay awake, needing to make sure Thea is okay and wanting to listen to her breathing as she falls asleep. She feels tense in my arms, though, so I know she is awake.
I feel like an ass for what I said to her earlier, but before I can try to make her feel better, I close my eyes, and sleep pulls me under.
The next time I wake up, it is because my cell phone is ringing loudly, and I am in my bed alone.
The first call is from my captain, giving me an update on what has happened since I left. Eighty-three bodies discovered, yet there is still more area needed to be searched. The oldest body they found they believe was buried thirty-five years ago. They have been able to identity five of the more recently buried women from dental records, and the captain is hoping that number will rise as they are able to move more bodies to the lab. A press conference has already happened. Apparently I have all major networks nationwide begging for an interview from me.
No way.
I fill the captain in on the missing files, but I can tell he’s not as angry as I am. If anything, after commenting about the safety of me being in my own house, he shifts the conversation back to Gerald Rumple.
Frustrated by the discussion, I tell him I have another call waiting and have to go. He doesn’t call me on my bullshit lie. As soon as I hang up, though, I actually do find another incoming call. This one is from Max.
I answer, standing up and making a move downstairs. I don’t smell any food cooking, which has me worried Thea isn’t here. What if she disappeared in the night? What if she tried to say goodbye to me, but I slept through her leaving?
The thought chills me, but then I find Thea sleeping on the couch and sitting on my kitchen counter is an empty bowl with a box of cereal next to it. She’s giving me cereal for breakfast?
I open the fridge, finding we still have eggs and bacon, although she hasn’t bothered to cook it.
I don’t mind eating cereal, and I don’t give a shit if this is her way of being angry with me, except she’s already told me she loves cooking. It relaxes her, and after yesterday, if she ever needed some relaxing, this is it.
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