Page 12 of Rescued Dreams
“Thanks, this smells good.” Maria said, “He’s closing his business and handing off a lot of cases to others. He’s shifting his job to more of a support role, but I’m not sure if investigating is what we want to do. I have a remote job consulting also, and that takes up a good chunk of my time. Working together might not be the right answer. We just don’t know yet.”
Kane swallowed a bite of food. “We’re actually talking to some friends of friends about joining a search and rescue team.” He glanced at Ridge. “They work out of Benson, where they have a whole K-9 team.”
Maddie said, “Benson?”
Kane winced. “I know you don’t want to go, but Maria and I need the right jobs forus. Her consulting gig isn’t full-time, and I need to feel like I have my thing.”
“And Ridge gets the right job forhim.” Maddie stood. “And no one cares what’s right for us.” She stepped onto the coffee table so she could get out of the sectional area.
“Maddie—”
“Iknow.” But she didn’t stop walking until she was upstairs, where she slammed the door.
Ridge winced, glancing at Ella. “Is that how you feel as well?”
Ella scrunched up her nose. “I want to pass this calculus class. I want Mom to come to our graduation, but she said she ‘isn’t sure what her plans are.’ Maddie doesn’t know what she wants her major to be, so how can I pick a college?” Her voice hitched.
Ridge’s heart squeezed in his chest. This wasn’t just about them all moving, it was about all the things the two teen girls in his house were dealing with.
“And I want that woman we shall not name to un-dump you.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Ella shrugged. “You can’t tell me not to worry about you. She made you so unhappy you’re leaving town, and now we all have to go.”
“Ella—”
“I have a test tomorrow.” She gathered up her books and left the room.
Ridge set his plate on the coffee table and ran his hands down his face, groaning.
Kane said, “Is this a bad time to ask if it’s still okay that I stay here for a while?”
Ridge lowered his hands and looked at his cousin. The guy had been given back pay for his time serving the Army and his pension owed during the time he was supposedly dead, and Maria had been cut a check from the CIA for services rendered.
“Maria is going to get an apartment.”
Ridge shrugged. “Sure, whatever. We can work it out tomorrow.”
He almost laughed, even though there was nothing funny about this. He needed to do something about…everything. Before the girls decided to ignore their schoolwork and try to fix things themselves. Before he got a real job offer in Benson and had to make a final decision.
Kane set his bowl on the coffee table. “In that case, I’ll go get my overnight bag.”
Maria stood. “I’ll go with you.”
Ridge sat alone in his living room, trying to figure out how to fix the mess that was his life. Preferably before something else happened.
FIVE
Amelia walked into the firehouse just after five in the evening, almost an hour before her shift was due to start. She cleared the entrance, and down the hall to her left, Ridge emerged from the chief’s office.
Great.
Just what she needed when she’d come early specifically to talk to Macon.
He lifted his chin. “Hey.”
Keeping it professional. The way she needed it to be—the way she wanted. “Hey.” Amelia had to clear her throat. “You’re in early.” She didn’t want it to sound like she was fishing for information, but it was what it was.
