Page 11 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge

“Hear me out,” he started, searching for the words.“You’ve been handed a lot lately and—”

“Are you about to say that I can’t handle this?”

“No.”He would never put it in those words.She was strong enough to handle anything and had a stubborn streak a mile long.Being strong and stubborn could send a person down the wrong track in a hurry.Strong and wrong could be a dangerous combination.“I think you deserve a chance to grieve your sister and adjust to your new responsibilities.”

“That’s just another way of saying I’m incompetent,” she quipped.“Well, don’t worry about it.Ms.Bart has made it clear that I’m the last person who should be—”

“The old biddy needs to keep her opinions to herself as far as I’m concerned,” he ground out.He probably shouldn’t let himself get worked up, despite how fast his protective instincts flared at someone criticizing the job she was doing.Evie’s mind was made up.If there was one thing he’d learned from her years ago, it was how far she could dig her heels in when she made up her mind about something.Owen threw his hands in the air.“You know what?Never mind.I give up.”It wasn’t like him to quit, but he knew when he’d lost.Fighting Evie wasn’t what he’d come here to do.So, he turned to leave.

She issued a sharp sigh.“I’m taking out my frustration on you when I should be saying thank you.”

Owen stopped.

“I’m so angry,” she continued.“This whole situation is so unfair to the children, my sister, and my brother-in-law.They should be the ones witnessing their kids’ milestones, not me.”

He had to pull on all his strength not to turn around, wrap her in his arms, and do his level best to offer reassurances he had no business making.The best thing he could do for Evie was listen.

So, he took a couple of steps away and then turned and leaned his hip against the counter.It was enough space to guarantee he wouldn’t shatter his willpower—willpower that was necessary to keep him from touching her.Besides, she needed to vent.

“It’s all so unfair to the kids.They have to grow up without knowing either of their parents.”She didn’t mention anything about missing out on knowing their grandparents, certain she would see their strict rules as bad for the children.He agreed.Beaumont had said the whippings made Owen and his siblings stronger.However, they’d only served to make each Sturgess child count down the days until they were free of him, and not one had looked back.Beau, Owen’s half-brother, was the only one who wished for a relationship with the absentee father.Beaumont had surprised all six of them with a seventh child, proving that he’d not only been a horrific father but a cheater, as well.

“And, seriously, Owen, who am I to bring up these kids?”

The question was rhetorical.

She continued, scrubbing a plate while she talked, “I’m not qualified at all.Plus, I don’t know how I’ll make enough money to cover all the expenses.The kids get a small amount from their dad’s military service, and then there’s the tiny bit they get from Social Security.Combined, it’ll be enough to keep us afloat by the hair of our chinny chin chins.But I have no idea how I’m going to be able to afford things like a new car when we need it.Don’t even get me started on being able to help them with trade schools or college.”

Those things were a long way down the road, but this wasn’t the time to point out the fact.Besides, he couldn’t think of a better way to spend Beaumont’s money, aka Owen’s portion of the inheritance, than to use it to help others.He would look into setting up anonymously funded college scholarships.Though Evie’s stubbornness meant she would demand to know who’d set them up.Maybe he could bring up the subject down the road.Right now, all he could think about was how nice it was to be in the same room again.It was as though all the time that had passed had been reduced to minutes, not years, and they were two young adults hanging out and discussing life, though they had a few wrinkles now and a lot more life experience.

“I have no idea how to raise humans, Owen.”Evie stopped mid-rinse and set the plate in the sink.“In fact, I made up my mind a long time ago that I would never have kids.”She added, “Don’t get me wrong, I love my niece and nephew, but I planned to be the cool aunt who lived in the city and took them to movie theaters and water parks—not the person who scrubbed behind their ears or took them to endless doctor appointments.”She caught his gaze.“Do you have any idea how many appointments these kids have to go to?I have no idea how I’m supposed to fit in my job, which, by the way, I’ve taken a short leave of absence from because I don’t have enough money saved to take any real time off work.”She picked up the same plate and started scrubbing it again.

Owen decided against pointing out her mistake.

“I have another week of vacation before I take a pay cut to be out of the office,” she continued.The more she talked, the more tension seemed to ease out of her body.Her muscles had been balled up tight until now, looking like they might snap.

She exhaled slowly before rinsing the dish and setting it in the sink instead of the drying rack.If this continued, he was going to have to let her know.

Not the time, Sturgess.

“Plus, I have an apartment in Dallas and, let me tell you, the rent is not cheap.”This was something else he could help her with once he was able to access his inheritance.Would she let him?

She whirled around on him.“I’ve kept you here too long, Owen.”She took a step toward him.“I’m sure you have better places to be than here.”

The determined look in her eye said he was about to be kicked out.

“You’ve washedthe same plate three times,” Owen said with an amused look in his eyes and a smirk that made her want to wipe it off his face.Or kiss him.Neither option would end well.

Taking another step toward him resulted in her tripping over the ripple in the old carpet that needed replacing.Owen reacted, catching her a half-second before her face plowed into his chest.The man still had the reflexes of an athlete.

She managed an awkward as hell apology before gripping the counter to steady herself.Taking a step back guaranteed a little more space between them.

“I don’t want to keep you, Owen.I’ve taken up enough of your time.”

“What if I told you that I don’t have anywhere else to be?”he asked before adding, “Remember, I was headed to a fishing trip.”

“By yourself?”

He nodded.She shouldn’t be surprised.Owen didn’t mind being alone.It was one of his better traits.Other teenagers needed to travel in packs.Not Owen.He’d walked down the hallways looking like he didn’t have a care in the world, didn’t care who talked about him behind his back, and didn’t have to go home to a tyrant.

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