Expecting a Fortune, page 13
“I’ve got it.” On an impulse, Bea smoothed the strands behind Carly’s ear.
Memories of her mom flashed in her mind, along with what she’d felt back then when she and her mother had cooked and baked together. A strong sense of caring hit Bea, and she knew what she wanted to be for Carly.
A guide. A teacher. An encourager. A protector if need be. And when she was older, a friend. She wanted Carly to know that with her, she’d always have a place to just be herself.
“Thanks.” Carly smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
After the photos and videos were done, they cleaned up again.
Devin was still a no-show.
While Carly was in the bathroom, Bea sent him a text, asking if he was on his way.
He didn’t reply.
The teen came back into the kitchen. She glanced at the phone in Bea’s hand. “Did you hear from Dad?”
“No, not yet. But if you need to work on your homework... Oh, wait—it’s Friday. Are you hungry? We could make dinner?”
“That’s okay. Mom and I are picking up something on the way home.”
“Your mom? Isn’t she still on her way back from Corpus Christi?”
“Nope. She’s here. I texted her your address, and she’s on her way to pick me up.”
Bea wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t going to stop Carly from going with her mom. “Well, we should pack up the tartlets.”
They were almost finished boxing up the desserts when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Bea said. Maybe that was Devin.
She opened the door.
Devin’s ex-wife stood outside. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she was a pretty, adult version of her daughter.
She offered a hesitant smile. “Hello. I’m Lauren, Carly’s mom.”
Neither one of them had probably anticipated meeting this way, but it was happening.
Bea rolled with it. “Hi, I’m Bea. Come on in. Carly’s still packing up the tartlets in the kitchen, but she won’t be long.”
Lauren walked inside. “Thanks for helping her with the bake sale.” Genuine friendliness was in her tone. “I’m so tired from my trip, the best I could have done for her tonight was put sprinkles and chocolate chips on some store-bought cupcakes. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”
“Not at all. I enjoyed it. And Carly did most of the work. Come see what she did.”
They went to the kitchen.
Carly showed her mom the tartlets.
“Wow!” Lauren exclaimed. “Those look amazing. Great job. They’re going to sell out before the first hour of the bake sale.”
“I know.” Carly beamed.
“We’ll have to be careful taking them home.” Lauren handed the teen her car keys. “The thermal bag I use for groceries is padded. It’s behind the back seat. Go ahead and put your backpack in the car now.”
Carly left the kitchen.
The front door shut, and Bea and Lauren stood silently in the kitchen.
The dark-haired woman offered up a small smile. “I really do appreciate you helping Carly. I hope Devin didn’t dump the task on you and leave.”
“No, it was fine. He didn’t need to be here.”
“But he should have gotten back in time to pick her up. As soon as Carly told me he was working on a story, I knew what happened.” Hints of exasperation filled Lauren’s face. “When he’s caught up in a story, everyone around him gets shut out. Nothing else matters.”
Nothing else? On a reflex Bea almost laid a hand on her stomach, but she caught herself.
But not before Lauren noticed. Her exasperation morphed into a swift explanation. “I’m not saying Devin’s a bad guy. He’s just—”
The front door opened, and Lauren grew silent.
Carly returned, and Bea shifted her attention to helping her pack the bag.
As the three of them stood at the door, the girl looked from Bea to her mom as if unsure what to do next.
Lauren motioned to Carly. “What are you waiting for? Give Bea a hug and say thank you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Bea followed Carly’s lead into an embrace. Happiness filled her as the teen tightened her arms around her.
After Lauren and Carly left, she leaned back against the door. Happiness faded. Where was Devin? Was he okay?
He gets distracted and forgets what he’s supposed to do. We’re used to it...
When he’s caught up in a story, everyone around him gets shut out. Nothing else matters...
Carly and Lauren’s comments played through her mind.
I’m not saying Devin’s a bad guy. He’s just—
He’s just what? As Bea pondered the question, remnants of the doubt she’d felt years ago when she’d first noticed cracks in her marriage started to surface. No. This wasn’t the same situation. She just needed to voice her concerns to Devin. He’d understand.
A rapping on the door startled her out of her thoughts, and she opened the door.
Devin’s expression was filled with genuine remorse. “Bea, I’m sorry.” He glanced down as he rubbed the back of his head. “Will you let me explain what happened?”
The first step in being able to voice her concerns was listening. Bea opened the door wider and let him in. After shutting it, she faced him, but she left her hand on the doorknob.
Devin held up his hands in surrender. “I realize none of what I’m about to say is a good excuse. I should have made it back when I said I would. But the press conference started late. And then I had people to interview. One of them gave me a lead on another story, and I made a stop to follow up on it. That side trip took longer than I anticipated.”
“Why didn’t you respond to my text and tell me that?”
“My phone was on silent.” He grimaced. “It’s a habit. When I was starting out as a cub reporter, my phone rang in the middle of an important interview. I lost the exclusive, and I almost lost my job. Ever since then, I’ve made sure that didn’t happen again. Usually, I remember to change the setting back to normal, but I didn’t until a little while ago. That’s when I saw I missed your text as well as Lauren’s.”
He looked so sincere, but...
Devin took a step toward her. “Rather than texting or calling you back, I wanted to explain face-to-face.”
Telling him what Lauren and Carly had claimed about him would sound like an accusation. And she wasn’t trying to start a fight. This also wasn’t about his ex-wife or his daughter—this moment was about them and their relationship.
Bea released the doorknob and walked closer to Devin. “I understand your work is important, but what if something had happened to Carly or me and we really needed to reach you? You can’t go MIA like that. I was worried.” Admitting that aloud made her heart constrict in her chest.
“In the future, I won’t chase the next story.” Devin took hold of her hand. “And I’ll answer my phone. I promise.”
Bea gave in to the need to be closer to him, and he immediately took her into his arms.
Kissing her temple, Devin’s chest rose and fell with a deep breath. As she laid her head to his chest, their breathing synced.
He held her a bit tighter. “Thanks again for helping Carly. Lauren said she’s really excited about showing off what the two of you made tomorrow.”
“I’m glad,” she murmured.
“I am bummed that I missed out on being the official taste tester.”
The desire to be with him was undeniable, and Bea weighed whether to give in to it. “I still have ingredients left.” She leaned away and looked up at him. “We can make them at your place.”
Chapter Seventeen
A light breeze blowing heat and a bit of smoke from the grill on the back deck at Devin’s house brought him out of a happy trance. If he didn’t keep his mind on what he was doing, the steaks he was cooking for him and Bea would burn.
But he couldn’t stop looking at her through the window into the kitchen, where she was making salad to go with dinner.
He’d thought Bea wouldn’t want to come back to his place after he’d shown up late. But thankfully, she’d forgiven him, despite how badly he’d screwed up. In the future, he would be more present. He had to find a better way to balance his duties to the newspaper and being there for everyone. Or he could lose Bea, and the chance to have more wonderful moments like tonight in the future.
The experience of preparing a meal together was even better than he’d imagined. From the moment they’d walked into his house, their actions had been synced. She’d instinctively known where everything was, or he’d anticipated what she’d needed before she’d asked. It was as if Bea had always been there...that she belonged in this house with him.
He finished grilling the steaks and went inside.
As Bea put the salad into bowls, Francis watched intently as if he was enamored with her. Devin chuckled to himself. He couldn’t blame him.
Bea glanced over her shoulder. “Perfect timing. I made buttered toast. I tried to make garlic toast, but...” She laughed. “It’s so weird to not be able to stand garlic anymore. Roasted garlic on the grill would have been great with the steaks. I feel like I’m depriving you of the good stuff.”
Devin walked up behind her and kissed Bea on the cheek. “You’re not depriving me of anything, sweetheart.”
Bea leaned slightly into him. She was the perfect fit, and it took everything within him not to slide his arm around her waist and mold her backside to his front. He had the good stuff. Her—within arm’s reach instead of miles away.
Devin set the platter with steaks on the stove, then opened the oven to grab the baking sheet with the golden-brown triangles of toast. “Everything’s ready. Let’s eat.”
After dinner, while Bea made the tartlets for dessert, Devin took Francis on his last walk for the night. The anticipation of returning to Bea intertwined with a sense of contentment that she would be there, waiting for him.
Needing to express what he felt, he spoke to the dog, who was wagging his tail as they walked home. “Francis, I’m a lucky man.”
And he hoped to stay that way by avoiding the missteps he made earlier. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the people he cared about, including Bea. Today was a sign. He had to do better.
Back at the house, Devin came in through the garage. After washing up at the sink in the laundry room, he joined Bea in the kitchen.
The promised tartlets were on a platter, and she was topping them with whipped cream.
He joined her at the counter.
The sweet scent of vanilla wafted in the air.
“Ready for dessert?” she asked.
This time, as he slid his hand around her waist from behind, Devin gave in to the need of feeling her flush against him. “Uh-huh.”
Looking over her shoulder, she fed him a peach tartlet, and the flaky, fruit-filled pastry filled his mouth.
“That’s good...” he murmured.
“Was it worth waiting for?”
“Absolutely.” Devin loosened his hold as she turned to face him.
Her gaze met his as she cupped his cheek. “Let me see.” Bea briefly pressed her mouth to his, gently sucking on his lower lip as she eased away. “Oh, yeah—that’s perfect.”
She pressed his mouth back to his. Her teasing and slow, sweetly torturous kisses unleashed a hunger inside of him.
Devin cupped his hands to her butt, kneading her soft curves. Bea followed his lead as he lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him.
He wasn’t just lucky. He was the luckiest man on Earth.
* * *
As Devin carried Bea down the hall, she abandoned worry and doubt. No, they didn’t have forever to make important decisions, but tonight they could wait. They could embrace time.
In his bedroom, removing each other’s clothes became a slow exploration. Feather-light caresses and needy kisses followed each piece of clothing that fell to the floor.
When they were finally skin to skin on the bed, Bea longed so desperately to feel him inside of her, but he made her wait, exploring every inch, every sensitive spot on her body until she burned with erotic sensation.
Devin murmured near her ear. “You’re beautiful.”
And she truly felt beautiful and wholly desired by Devin as he worshipped her with more kisses and caresses that intensified her need for him.
Bea writhed and bowed up. “Devin...please...”
Holding her gaze, he slowly entered her. He moved his hips, igniting pleasure in places she’d never known existed. As she reached her orgasm, Bea felt as if every barrier, every wall of protection had splintered apart. All that was left was him. Wanting him. Needing him. Falling for him. Even possibly on the verge of loving him.
Afterward, wrapped in his arms, unease crept into her contentment. She’d trusted and believed in her ex-husband. And she’d overlooked his faults so many times, only for him to let her down? What if Devin was the same way, but she was blinded by how much she cared for him? What if she was wrong about him, too?
Pushing the thought aside, she snuggled up against him, searching for peace in the warmth of his embrace and the steady beat of his heart.
Soon, Bea fell asleep. She dreamed of holding a baby that resembled Devin in a room filled with friends and family. But he wasn’t there. Suddenly the room was empty, and it was just her and the crying child.
Awakening in a sweat, she disentangled herself from Devin’s arms and sat up.
Half asleep, he rasped, “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” She slipped out of bed, threw on his T-shirt, and went into the bathroom.
After cooling her face down with water from the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. “It was just a bad dream. I’m not alone,” she whispered. “That won’t happen.”
But what if it did?
* * *
The next morning, fatigue and last night’s dream hovered over Bea as she made her way to the kitchen.
Devin glanced over at her from where he stood at the counter. While she was still wearing his shirt that she’d slept in, he was dressed in a gray T-shirt and black athletic shorts, looking sexy as ever.
“You’re up. I was just about to bring you a cup of coffee and some tea.” He held up two mugs. “I wasn’t sure which one you wanted, so I made both.”
Walking over to him, Bea swiped the remains of the dream from her thoughts. Worry was on overdrive in her mind for no reason. “Coffee, please.”
He handed her one of the mugs, and she kissed him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Hey—when I came back from walking Francis, I heard your phone buzzing in your purse. It sounded like more than one text message coming in.”
“Really?” She paused to take a sip of coffee. “Maybe it’s Tanya.”
“What time are you supposed to be at the café?”
“Around one.”
“That soon...” Leaning back against the counter, Devin took hold of her waist and brought her closer. “We need to plan for an entire weekend together. Maybe an overnight trip. We could drive to Corpus Christi or even fly out to Dallas.”
Uninterrupted time with Devin would be heavenly. “Either one sounds nice to me.”
Her phone rang in the living room.
Sighing, Bea reluctantly stepped out of his arms. “I better answer that.”
In the living room, she dug her phone from her purse. It was her brother. He never called...unless it was important.
She answered. “Hi, Asa.”
“Hey—sorry to interrupt your morning, but did you hear the news?”
From his tone, it wasn’t good. Her heart dropped. “Did something happen to Esme or Ryder? Or the boys?”
“No—as far as I know, they’re fine. It’s Wendell. He fell at the house late last night and was rushed to the county hospital. A group text went out about it.”
“I haven’t checked my messages yet.” Worry trickled through her. “How is he?”
“Lily and I went to see him this morning. From what I’ve heard, he’s going to be fine, but all the bumps and bruises he sustained are taking a toll on him. A simple fall can become a serious thing at his age. Everyone in the family has been asked to check on him.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks for letting me know.”
They said their goodbyes.
Bea looked through her text messages and found the one Asa had mentioned. She glanced at Devin standing in the archway to the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“No. It’s Wendell.”
Devin joined her by the couch. “What happened?”
“He fell last night and had to be rushed to the emergency room. He was admitted to the hospital. Asa and Lily went to see him this morning.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” A concerned look came over Devin’s face as he sat on the arm of the couch. “I really hope...”
“What?”
“The day we went to pick up Francis from the shelter, when we were in the car, I mentioned to you that I had visited Wendell at Fortune’s Castle.”
She frowned. “You did? I don’t remember that.”
“You had a lot on your mind. I made a joke about aliens from Venus just to get your attention. Anyway, when I went to see him, I asked him about Clint Wells, the foreman who’d worked at the silver mine during the accident. The conversation seemed to upset him.”
“What did he say?”
Devin shook his head. “Nothing really. I’ve been trying to find someone who knows the whereabouts of Clint’s wife and daughter. Wendell said he didn’t.”
The identity of the fifty-first miner. Edgar and Elias’s part in the collapse of the mine. Now the foreman’s family. Too many unanswered questions still remained about the silver mine collapse. But she also got the sense that Wendell knew more than he let on.
Memories of her mom flashed in her mind, along with what she’d felt back then when she and her mother had cooked and baked together. A strong sense of caring hit Bea, and she knew what she wanted to be for Carly.
A guide. A teacher. An encourager. A protector if need be. And when she was older, a friend. She wanted Carly to know that with her, she’d always have a place to just be herself.
“Thanks.” Carly smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
After the photos and videos were done, they cleaned up again.
Devin was still a no-show.
While Carly was in the bathroom, Bea sent him a text, asking if he was on his way.
He didn’t reply.
The teen came back into the kitchen. She glanced at the phone in Bea’s hand. “Did you hear from Dad?”
“No, not yet. But if you need to work on your homework... Oh, wait—it’s Friday. Are you hungry? We could make dinner?”
“That’s okay. Mom and I are picking up something on the way home.”
“Your mom? Isn’t she still on her way back from Corpus Christi?”
“Nope. She’s here. I texted her your address, and she’s on her way to pick me up.”
Bea wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t going to stop Carly from going with her mom. “Well, we should pack up the tartlets.”
They were almost finished boxing up the desserts when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Bea said. Maybe that was Devin.
She opened the door.
Devin’s ex-wife stood outside. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she was a pretty, adult version of her daughter.
She offered a hesitant smile. “Hello. I’m Lauren, Carly’s mom.”
Neither one of them had probably anticipated meeting this way, but it was happening.
Bea rolled with it. “Hi, I’m Bea. Come on in. Carly’s still packing up the tartlets in the kitchen, but she won’t be long.”
Lauren walked inside. “Thanks for helping her with the bake sale.” Genuine friendliness was in her tone. “I’m so tired from my trip, the best I could have done for her tonight was put sprinkles and chocolate chips on some store-bought cupcakes. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”
“Not at all. I enjoyed it. And Carly did most of the work. Come see what she did.”
They went to the kitchen.
Carly showed her mom the tartlets.
“Wow!” Lauren exclaimed. “Those look amazing. Great job. They’re going to sell out before the first hour of the bake sale.”
“I know.” Carly beamed.
“We’ll have to be careful taking them home.” Lauren handed the teen her car keys. “The thermal bag I use for groceries is padded. It’s behind the back seat. Go ahead and put your backpack in the car now.”
Carly left the kitchen.
The front door shut, and Bea and Lauren stood silently in the kitchen.
The dark-haired woman offered up a small smile. “I really do appreciate you helping Carly. I hope Devin didn’t dump the task on you and leave.”
“No, it was fine. He didn’t need to be here.”
“But he should have gotten back in time to pick her up. As soon as Carly told me he was working on a story, I knew what happened.” Hints of exasperation filled Lauren’s face. “When he’s caught up in a story, everyone around him gets shut out. Nothing else matters.”
Nothing else? On a reflex Bea almost laid a hand on her stomach, but she caught herself.
But not before Lauren noticed. Her exasperation morphed into a swift explanation. “I’m not saying Devin’s a bad guy. He’s just—”
The front door opened, and Lauren grew silent.
Carly returned, and Bea shifted her attention to helping her pack the bag.
As the three of them stood at the door, the girl looked from Bea to her mom as if unsure what to do next.
Lauren motioned to Carly. “What are you waiting for? Give Bea a hug and say thank you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Bea followed Carly’s lead into an embrace. Happiness filled her as the teen tightened her arms around her.
After Lauren and Carly left, she leaned back against the door. Happiness faded. Where was Devin? Was he okay?
He gets distracted and forgets what he’s supposed to do. We’re used to it...
When he’s caught up in a story, everyone around him gets shut out. Nothing else matters...
Carly and Lauren’s comments played through her mind.
I’m not saying Devin’s a bad guy. He’s just—
He’s just what? As Bea pondered the question, remnants of the doubt she’d felt years ago when she’d first noticed cracks in her marriage started to surface. No. This wasn’t the same situation. She just needed to voice her concerns to Devin. He’d understand.
A rapping on the door startled her out of her thoughts, and she opened the door.
Devin’s expression was filled with genuine remorse. “Bea, I’m sorry.” He glanced down as he rubbed the back of his head. “Will you let me explain what happened?”
The first step in being able to voice her concerns was listening. Bea opened the door wider and let him in. After shutting it, she faced him, but she left her hand on the doorknob.
Devin held up his hands in surrender. “I realize none of what I’m about to say is a good excuse. I should have made it back when I said I would. But the press conference started late. And then I had people to interview. One of them gave me a lead on another story, and I made a stop to follow up on it. That side trip took longer than I anticipated.”
“Why didn’t you respond to my text and tell me that?”
“My phone was on silent.” He grimaced. “It’s a habit. When I was starting out as a cub reporter, my phone rang in the middle of an important interview. I lost the exclusive, and I almost lost my job. Ever since then, I’ve made sure that didn’t happen again. Usually, I remember to change the setting back to normal, but I didn’t until a little while ago. That’s when I saw I missed your text as well as Lauren’s.”
He looked so sincere, but...
Devin took a step toward her. “Rather than texting or calling you back, I wanted to explain face-to-face.”
Telling him what Lauren and Carly had claimed about him would sound like an accusation. And she wasn’t trying to start a fight. This also wasn’t about his ex-wife or his daughter—this moment was about them and their relationship.
Bea released the doorknob and walked closer to Devin. “I understand your work is important, but what if something had happened to Carly or me and we really needed to reach you? You can’t go MIA like that. I was worried.” Admitting that aloud made her heart constrict in her chest.
“In the future, I won’t chase the next story.” Devin took hold of her hand. “And I’ll answer my phone. I promise.”
Bea gave in to the need to be closer to him, and he immediately took her into his arms.
Kissing her temple, Devin’s chest rose and fell with a deep breath. As she laid her head to his chest, their breathing synced.
He held her a bit tighter. “Thanks again for helping Carly. Lauren said she’s really excited about showing off what the two of you made tomorrow.”
“I’m glad,” she murmured.
“I am bummed that I missed out on being the official taste tester.”
The desire to be with him was undeniable, and Bea weighed whether to give in to it. “I still have ingredients left.” She leaned away and looked up at him. “We can make them at your place.”
Chapter Seventeen
A light breeze blowing heat and a bit of smoke from the grill on the back deck at Devin’s house brought him out of a happy trance. If he didn’t keep his mind on what he was doing, the steaks he was cooking for him and Bea would burn.
But he couldn’t stop looking at her through the window into the kitchen, where she was making salad to go with dinner.
He’d thought Bea wouldn’t want to come back to his place after he’d shown up late. But thankfully, she’d forgiven him, despite how badly he’d screwed up. In the future, he would be more present. He had to find a better way to balance his duties to the newspaper and being there for everyone. Or he could lose Bea, and the chance to have more wonderful moments like tonight in the future.
The experience of preparing a meal together was even better than he’d imagined. From the moment they’d walked into his house, their actions had been synced. She’d instinctively known where everything was, or he’d anticipated what she’d needed before she’d asked. It was as if Bea had always been there...that she belonged in this house with him.
He finished grilling the steaks and went inside.
As Bea put the salad into bowls, Francis watched intently as if he was enamored with her. Devin chuckled to himself. He couldn’t blame him.
Bea glanced over her shoulder. “Perfect timing. I made buttered toast. I tried to make garlic toast, but...” She laughed. “It’s so weird to not be able to stand garlic anymore. Roasted garlic on the grill would have been great with the steaks. I feel like I’m depriving you of the good stuff.”
Devin walked up behind her and kissed Bea on the cheek. “You’re not depriving me of anything, sweetheart.”
Bea leaned slightly into him. She was the perfect fit, and it took everything within him not to slide his arm around her waist and mold her backside to his front. He had the good stuff. Her—within arm’s reach instead of miles away.
Devin set the platter with steaks on the stove, then opened the oven to grab the baking sheet with the golden-brown triangles of toast. “Everything’s ready. Let’s eat.”
After dinner, while Bea made the tartlets for dessert, Devin took Francis on his last walk for the night. The anticipation of returning to Bea intertwined with a sense of contentment that she would be there, waiting for him.
Needing to express what he felt, he spoke to the dog, who was wagging his tail as they walked home. “Francis, I’m a lucky man.”
And he hoped to stay that way by avoiding the missteps he made earlier. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the people he cared about, including Bea. Today was a sign. He had to do better.
Back at the house, Devin came in through the garage. After washing up at the sink in the laundry room, he joined Bea in the kitchen.
The promised tartlets were on a platter, and she was topping them with whipped cream.
He joined her at the counter.
The sweet scent of vanilla wafted in the air.
“Ready for dessert?” she asked.
This time, as he slid his hand around her waist from behind, Devin gave in to the need of feeling her flush against him. “Uh-huh.”
Looking over her shoulder, she fed him a peach tartlet, and the flaky, fruit-filled pastry filled his mouth.
“That’s good...” he murmured.
“Was it worth waiting for?”
“Absolutely.” Devin loosened his hold as she turned to face him.
Her gaze met his as she cupped his cheek. “Let me see.” Bea briefly pressed her mouth to his, gently sucking on his lower lip as she eased away. “Oh, yeah—that’s perfect.”
She pressed his mouth back to his. Her teasing and slow, sweetly torturous kisses unleashed a hunger inside of him.
Devin cupped his hands to her butt, kneading her soft curves. Bea followed his lead as he lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him.
He wasn’t just lucky. He was the luckiest man on Earth.
* * *
As Devin carried Bea down the hall, she abandoned worry and doubt. No, they didn’t have forever to make important decisions, but tonight they could wait. They could embrace time.
In his bedroom, removing each other’s clothes became a slow exploration. Feather-light caresses and needy kisses followed each piece of clothing that fell to the floor.
When they were finally skin to skin on the bed, Bea longed so desperately to feel him inside of her, but he made her wait, exploring every inch, every sensitive spot on her body until she burned with erotic sensation.
Devin murmured near her ear. “You’re beautiful.”
And she truly felt beautiful and wholly desired by Devin as he worshipped her with more kisses and caresses that intensified her need for him.
Bea writhed and bowed up. “Devin...please...”
Holding her gaze, he slowly entered her. He moved his hips, igniting pleasure in places she’d never known existed. As she reached her orgasm, Bea felt as if every barrier, every wall of protection had splintered apart. All that was left was him. Wanting him. Needing him. Falling for him. Even possibly on the verge of loving him.
Afterward, wrapped in his arms, unease crept into her contentment. She’d trusted and believed in her ex-husband. And she’d overlooked his faults so many times, only for him to let her down? What if Devin was the same way, but she was blinded by how much she cared for him? What if she was wrong about him, too?
Pushing the thought aside, she snuggled up against him, searching for peace in the warmth of his embrace and the steady beat of his heart.
Soon, Bea fell asleep. She dreamed of holding a baby that resembled Devin in a room filled with friends and family. But he wasn’t there. Suddenly the room was empty, and it was just her and the crying child.
Awakening in a sweat, she disentangled herself from Devin’s arms and sat up.
Half asleep, he rasped, “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” She slipped out of bed, threw on his T-shirt, and went into the bathroom.
After cooling her face down with water from the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. “It was just a bad dream. I’m not alone,” she whispered. “That won’t happen.”
But what if it did?
* * *
The next morning, fatigue and last night’s dream hovered over Bea as she made her way to the kitchen.
Devin glanced over at her from where he stood at the counter. While she was still wearing his shirt that she’d slept in, he was dressed in a gray T-shirt and black athletic shorts, looking sexy as ever.
“You’re up. I was just about to bring you a cup of coffee and some tea.” He held up two mugs. “I wasn’t sure which one you wanted, so I made both.”
Walking over to him, Bea swiped the remains of the dream from her thoughts. Worry was on overdrive in her mind for no reason. “Coffee, please.”
He handed her one of the mugs, and she kissed him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Hey—when I came back from walking Francis, I heard your phone buzzing in your purse. It sounded like more than one text message coming in.”
“Really?” She paused to take a sip of coffee. “Maybe it’s Tanya.”
“What time are you supposed to be at the café?”
“Around one.”
“That soon...” Leaning back against the counter, Devin took hold of her waist and brought her closer. “We need to plan for an entire weekend together. Maybe an overnight trip. We could drive to Corpus Christi or even fly out to Dallas.”
Uninterrupted time with Devin would be heavenly. “Either one sounds nice to me.”
Her phone rang in the living room.
Sighing, Bea reluctantly stepped out of his arms. “I better answer that.”
In the living room, she dug her phone from her purse. It was her brother. He never called...unless it was important.
She answered. “Hi, Asa.”
“Hey—sorry to interrupt your morning, but did you hear the news?”
From his tone, it wasn’t good. Her heart dropped. “Did something happen to Esme or Ryder? Or the boys?”
“No—as far as I know, they’re fine. It’s Wendell. He fell at the house late last night and was rushed to the county hospital. A group text went out about it.”
“I haven’t checked my messages yet.” Worry trickled through her. “How is he?”
“Lily and I went to see him this morning. From what I’ve heard, he’s going to be fine, but all the bumps and bruises he sustained are taking a toll on him. A simple fall can become a serious thing at his age. Everyone in the family has been asked to check on him.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks for letting me know.”
They said their goodbyes.
Bea looked through her text messages and found the one Asa had mentioned. She glanced at Devin standing in the archway to the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“No. It’s Wendell.”
Devin joined her by the couch. “What happened?”
“He fell last night and had to be rushed to the emergency room. He was admitted to the hospital. Asa and Lily went to see him this morning.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” A concerned look came over Devin’s face as he sat on the arm of the couch. “I really hope...”
“What?”
“The day we went to pick up Francis from the shelter, when we were in the car, I mentioned to you that I had visited Wendell at Fortune’s Castle.”
She frowned. “You did? I don’t remember that.”
“You had a lot on your mind. I made a joke about aliens from Venus just to get your attention. Anyway, when I went to see him, I asked him about Clint Wells, the foreman who’d worked at the silver mine during the accident. The conversation seemed to upset him.”
“What did he say?”
Devin shook his head. “Nothing really. I’ve been trying to find someone who knows the whereabouts of Clint’s wife and daughter. Wendell said he didn’t.”
The identity of the fifty-first miner. Edgar and Elias’s part in the collapse of the mine. Now the foreman’s family. Too many unanswered questions still remained about the silver mine collapse. But she also got the sense that Wendell knew more than he let on.
