Page 27 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge

“Beaumont would never have allowed that,” she said, reaching out to touch his arm in a show of empathy.He knew what it was like to grow up without one of your parents.Owen never talked about his mother, and the fact had never crossed her mind until now.

Physical contact was a bad idea.Sparks flew.Her fingertips burned from the desire to roam over his muscled chest, abs, and other places she probably shouldn’t think about with babies in the room, considering the heat warming her in places that had been long dormant.

Evie wasn’t a prude by any stretch of the imagination.Dating hadn’t been a priority.

“No, he pretty much erased our mother’s entire existence when she left,” he said, pouring another cup of coffee.“Which is why I know how important it is to leave all the family pictures up.”

“I wondered about taking them down.”She had thought they might be painful reminders of losing those closest to the children.“I decided to keep them up.”

“You can always add to them over the years.In a way, it can make them feel like the family changed and expanded while keeping memories alive.”

“She won’t have many of either of her parents.”Evie motioned toward Olivia.

“No, but she’ll have you.”

“Looking at her mother’s face in the pictures might be making her sad,” she said.“Olivia doesn’t have words, crying might be her only release.”

“Makes sense to me.”He joined her at the table as she retrieved her sister’s laptop.“Being able to talk to express feelings is something a whole mess of adults haven’t quite learned to do.”

For that, she laughed.

“Truer words have never been spoken.”She sat at the head of the table so she wouldn’t be sitting directly next to him.This spot left a little more room in between them—room that made it easier to control her physical response to him.“I don’t have any idea what her password is, so…”

Much to their surprise, the screen lit up and no password was required.

“That’s shocking.”She studied the icons on the screen.

“People left their cars running to drop a package off at the post office until recently.”He glanced around the room.“Who around here is going to open her laptop and snoop around for bank information?”

“Okay, good point.”He was right.Why would Simone have protected the password to her computer when she’d been the only adult in the house?The kids wouldn’t be able to use one for years, and even then, Simone had been the most squeaky-clean person in the world.She would’ve handed over her laptop without question to her kiddos when they were old enough to use one.“I need to go through my sister’s personal belongings.It’s just been…hard.”

“Take your time,” he said.“You don’t have to rush it, unless you plan to go back to your job sometime soon.”

“I went on leave, letting my boss believe I’d be back.”She didn’t look up from the screen.“In part, because I couldn’t imagine resigning and making this my life.The other part was that I need to keep an income and benefits coming until I figure out my next moves.”

“No need to rush.”

“Spoken like someone with a trust fund.”She regretted those words the instant they came out of her mouth.

“Is that what you think?That I’m tainted because I have an inheritance I don’t want or need?”His tone was sharp, pained, even though he tried to cover that last part with an angry overtone.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way, Owen.It came out before I had a chance to think about it.You’re honestly the nicest, most caring person I’ve ever known.”She locked gazes with him despite how it made her insides knot and her throat dry.“I’m sorry for saying that.It wasn’t fair to you.Can you forgive me?”Those last words were loaded.She wanted him to forgive her for what she’d just said, as well as for how much she’d hurt him years ago.Back then, she’d only been able to focus on how she’d felt about their situation.

“I don’t know, Evie.You still haven’t told me what I did wrong before, and I can’t figure it out.I thought we were friends.”He stood up and started pacing.“Best friends.I missed you like crazy after you left.Maybe it was because I thought more of the friendship than you did.I assumed we were on the same page, but I never could have…” He shook his head.“Let’s just say that I should’ve reminded myself of that old saying:When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.”

It broke her heart into pieces that he believed he’d done something wrong.“It wasn’t you, Owen.”

“Right.”He compressed his lips.“It wasn’t you.It was me.Is that what you’re going to say next?Save it.I’ve heard that bullshit line before.”

With that, he set down his coffee mug hard enough to draw attention from the kiddos and then stormed out the back door.

Evie wanted to jump to her feet and follow, tell him how much leaving had nearly killed her, how she couldn’t be around the man she loved without them being together.How she’d missed their late-night talks and how she could tell him everything without worrying about being judged.

Where would that leave her?Them?

Right now, he was a lifeline of friendship she couldn’t bring herself to let go of.She needed his help, needed him, more than she wanted to.

Emotions battled each other, vying for control.

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