Page 115 of Fragile Sanctuary

Lifting the baking dish into the air, I grinned. “Chocolate peanut butter poke cake.”

Silas groaned. “Chocolate, peanut butter,andcake? All of my favorite things in one.”

Carlos just started clapping.

At least I had my community amid all the upheaval in my life. People who made me smile and laugh, who were there in good times and bad. And when I really thought about it, that’s what you needed in life: people who helped you make the best out of any circumstances.

We demolished the cake. The guys told stories of ridiculous things that had happened on past jobs. I laughed to the point of tears. And then they all helped me clean up.

One by one, they left for the day, until only Shep and Anson remained. “Hey,” I said, glancing at Shep. “What happened to Owen?”

It wasn’t unusual for him to disappear for a few days. He’d take off on his bike and ride, probably end up shacked up in a roadside motel with whatever woman he could talk into bed. But I hadn’t seen him in weeks.

Shep winced. “I had to fire him.”

My eyes widened. “Seriously?” It wasn’t that I didn’t think Owen had earned that with his behavior over the years, but I never thought Shep would actually pull the trigger.

“It was time. I wanted to give him a chance to grow up, to change, but it just never happened.”

I wrapped my arms around Shep in a hug. “You’re a good one.”

Shep hugged me back and then ruffled my hair. “So are you. Thanks for the incredible food.”

“Anytime. I’m thinking Mediterranean bowls tomorrow.”

Shep chuckled. “Can’t wait to see what they think of that.” He gave Anson a chin lift. “See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Anson echoed.

Shep headed out the back door, and Anson locked it behind him. I hit the start button on the dishwasher and closed it, peeking over the island to make sure Biscuit was still sleeping in his bed. Since the dinners had started, he’d come around the crew. They played fetch with him and gave him scratches now. It wouldn’t be long before he was ready for adoption.

Anson’s hands landed on my shoulders, kneading the muscles there. I let out a moan. “I’ll give you forever to stop doing that.”

He chuckled. “Gonna tell me what’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours?”

I turned to face him, leaning into his body. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been off. Going a million miles a minute, hardly sitting down for more than a handful of seconds, never calming.”

I scowled at him. “You know, there are downsides to dating a profiler. You see too much.”

Anson grinned and brushed his lips over my temple. “Not a profiler. Just a guy who works construction.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “There are downsides to dating a handyman with a genius brain.”

He nipped my earlobe. “Talk to me, Rho.”

I sighed. “I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin. I like being productive. Having a purpose. I’m just spinning my wheels with too much energy to burn. I’ve been half-tempted to ask Shep to give me a job.”

Anson slid his hand up my spine, his fingers curling around the back of my neck and squeezing. “I think you’d look pretty damn hot rocking a tool belt.”

I grinned up at him. “The one time I tried to help with something, I broke my thumb with a hammer.”

Anson winced. “Maybe we keep you away from the tools, then.”

“Unfortunately, that’s probably a good idea.”

His fingers slid into my hair. “I can think of a few other things that might burn away a little of that energy.”

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