Page 37 of Saltwater Promises
Chapter 16
For the rest of the picnic, Lynn was quiet. She was still talking – it wasn’t like she was completely ignoring him. But the warmth was gone.
She tried to explain why she was upset, but he didn’t hear her, apparently. As they sat there, basking under the clear blue sky, Mike went over the conversation in his head again and again.
Clearly, it made her suspicious that they’d run into each other on Orcas Island. She said as much. That, however, truly was an innocent accident.
His repeated attempts to see her might not have been, but the initial event was. Mike cringed at the memory of saying he wasn’t trying to seduce her. Who was he trying to convince – Lynn, or himself?
She said that he had a pathologic inability to open up to people. That stuck in his mind. What did she mean by that?
His first instinct was to brush it off. His career had required that he keep things private, nothing more.
That wasn’t his job anymore, though. He was still working, maybe, but not technically on the job.
And Lynn wasn’t stupid. She knew that he was on to something. He could tell her about it, but it could put her into danger.
“What did you think of the cider?” she asked, jarring him from his thoughts.
He turned to her and smiled. “It’s good. Very good. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Me either,” she said softly.
Maybe she was right. Despite not telling Margie and the kids about his suspicions, they still ended up getting involved. By trying to keep them ignorant of his fears and theories, he didn’t protect them. It actually left them completely exposed when danger did strike.
Hecouldtell Lynn about everything. It wasn’t classified. It wasn’t a real investigation. It was just him, connecting the dots. And with her in Jared’s orbit, she might find herself in danger at some point anyway.
Still, she was an artist. She didn’t need to hear about these imbeciles. But there was a chance that she might become ensnared, and the greatest danger might be if she didn’t know anything about what he was doing.
Or perhaps the greatest danger was that if he failed to open up to her, this would be the last time that he ever got to see her.
“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked with a slight smile.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said.”
She let out a sigh, lying back on the blanket as she closed her eyes. “Don’t trouble yourself.”
“You were right.”
“And?” Her eyes were still closed. She looked so peaceful with her hands behind her head.
He smiled. “I know. You’re usually right. I wouldn’t say always, though. I don’t want you getting a big head.”
“Sure.”
He let out a sigh. “You’re right. I could be more open with you. It has nothing to do with not trusting you. I trust you fully.”
“Lucky me.”
He laughed and she smiled again, clearly pleased with herself. Mike looked down at her and studied her face, the delicate slope of her nose, the freckles dotting her cheeks…
He simply wouldn’t be able to stand it if she refused to see him again. He had no choice but to tell her.
Mike cleared his throat. “I’ll tell you everything. Everything that’s happened, what I’m looking for, and what I’m involved with. But you have to promise that you won’t try to help.”
She sat up. “Because you think I’ll mess it up?”
“No. Because you could be killed.”
