Page 68 of Tactical Revival

“Honey, trust me that things will be okay.” She squeezes my hand. “And if you can’t trust my words, trust in God. He’s never let you down, and He’s certainly not going to stop now.” She arches a brow. “Why don’t you tell me about how things are going with that gorgeous detective?”

“What?” The conversation change, has me confused.

“Don’t treat me like a fool, Margot. I see the way he looks at you. And more importantly, the way you look at him.”

“We’re just friends.” My cheeks heat, though, because even with everything going on, my thoughts drift to our near-kiss. “I do like him, though. I just don’t see how it would work.”

“Which part?”

“Matty needs me. He needs stability.”

“And you don’t think Jaxson could provide that?” Her tone tells me that she does.

“I do, I just don’t want to risk starting something and having him get attached. Besides, Jaxson is one of Michael’s best friends.”

“Which makes me like him even more. Your brother is an excellent judge of character. He never did like Chad.”

“Fair enough.” I laugh. “Still, Jaxson may not even be interested in taking us on in that way. It’s one thing to date, it’s another to take on a child, too.”

“The man has been living at your B&B in a tiny apartment when we both know he could have bought an actual house.”

“Mom.”

“Am I wrong?” She arches a brow again, and I shake my head.

“You’re not wrong. But he’s been able to save money staying with me, so I imagine that was some of the draw.” Again, I leave out his financial help because if I tell her, she’s going to read way more into it than there is.

“I very much doubt that.” She stands. “Now, I have to go cook, but I wanted to forewarn you that I have every intention of inviting him over for dinner since he’s currently staying with your brother and Reyna.”

The smile that graces my face comes out of nowhere, as do the butterflies that flutter to life in my stomach.

My mother grins. “That’s what I thought.”

CHAPTER 19

Jaxson

“Roses are red, violets are blue, wherever I go, you’re coming too. By the seashore, by the seaside, I’ll be forgotten, swept away by the tide.”

The riddle is on repeat in my head as I continue staring at the words Lance wrote on the office whiteboard. Like a word problem, I start crossing off the information that I believe is clouding the true message.

Roses are red, violets are blue. That one is easy enough, it’s a simple beginning to tie the rest of it together. I draw a line through it.

Wherever I go, you’re coming too. That could simply refer to the fact that I’m trying to find her. Or referencing the fact that this person followed me from LA. I underline it with a green marker, then move onto the third part.

By the seashore, but the seaside, I’ll be forgotten, swept away by the tide.

Swept away by the tide.

Is she being held somewhere near the ocean?

The door opens and Michael strolls in. He offers me a paper cup full of coffee from Kyra’s bakery, then turns to face the board. “Any ideas?”

“None. And I’ve been staring at it for hours. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

“Is this the same format as the other riddles?” he asks.

“No. They were all different, but this one is lacking something the others had. He loved to put the information right in front of my face, that way when I saw it, it was a flashing neon sign to remind me how I failed.”

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