Page 44 of Search for the Truth
“Something’s wrong with you. What is it?” Liam nodded toward her. “You’re hurting somewhere. Where? Don’t lie. I can tell.”
Blake motioned to her head. Bruce’s finger, still wrapped around hers, went with it.
“My head,” she said. “We were actually at the store for some sinus meds and ran into Price on his way home. Then I became impulsive and decided to show up here. Price, quite easily I might add, gave up your address with no questions asked. You might want to have a chat with him about that.”
Liam had no doubt that the man had a soft spot for Blake, and if it had been just anybody, the information wouldn’t have come out.
“Which, by the way, I’m going to go ahead and grab and take home now,” Blake added. “Since I have officially intruded and we’ve officially come up with a plan, it’s time to go home and see if I can’t attempt some kind of supper.”
The smile looked as tired as she sounded. It was almost the same expression she’d been wearing while sitting in the sheriff’s office after Ray and Chase had gone after her.
The McClennan cousins and the same questions came to mind again.
Had they been going after him and gotten her instead? Or had they gone after her trying to shake him?
Coincidence?
Accident?
A poorly laid out plan?
A feeling of protectiveness pushed through him so fast that he didn’t have time to think about his words until they were already out there between them.
“I can cook.”
HOURSLATERANDall Blake could think was that life sure was a blur.
Next to her in bed was none other than the sheriff of Seven Roads. If she had been a shier woman, she wouldn’t have pointed out the oddness. Instead, she snorted and said exactly what was on her mind.
“Had you asked me who would be the first man to share my bed since coming back to Seven Roads, I don’t think its sheriff would even be in the top ten of my guesses.”
Blake was wearing an oversized baseball T-shirt that read Kelby Creek Fighters and a pair of extremely unattractive flannel sleep shorts. Her wet hair was sloppy in its short braid, and she knew from a hesitant glance in the mirror before getting into bed that her face was pale and flushed all at once.
Her sinus issue had revealed itself to be more of a cold. Before that realization, though, Liam had insisted on following them home to cook. She had started running a fever before Liam had even started making dinner. It had given her enough time to switch to the right medicine and to also let Lola know hownormalthis was. Liam was there as an investigative partner. An acquaintance that had been in the trenches with her during their field escapade.
A friend?
Blake wasn’t sure why she couldn’t bring herself to label the man as that.
After all, would she let someone less than that into her home? Into her bed?
She glanced over at the man in question. He was sitting next to her with a children’s pink plastic desk between them. On its top was an empty bowl of chicken noodle soup.
If he was offended by her joke, he didn’t show it. Instead, he actually lobbed one back.
“Funny, I thought this was exactly how I was going to spend my first bedroom experience with the opposite sex after my divorce.”
Blake let her mouth hang open for a second. He laughed after seeing her expression.
“What? You didn’t expect the quiet guy to make a divorce joke?”
Blake couldn’t help herself.
“No,” she admitted. “I’m still getting used to hearing you say more than one or two words at a time, and now you’re getting personal? Maybe the cold meds are making me hallucinate.”
Liam rolled his eyes, but there was a good-naturedness to it. He pointed to the covers that had shifted off her when reaching for the TV remote. Wordlessly, Blake pulled it back up and over her lap. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Liam had been quick to take on a mothering roll once he realized she was sick. He’d been fussing after her worse than Lola.
“Stay warm and I’ll talk your head off.”
