Page 40 of Be Courageous

Tony heaved an exasperated sigh and closed his eyes. “You know I can’t talk about this.”

“But this is a civilian matter because Staskiewicz retired from the Teams, andthenhe was killed. The only reason why you couldn’t talk about his death was if it related in some way to— Oh. Itisa military matter.”

He opened his eyes again. “Yeah. And like I said, I can’t talk about it.”

“Then I’ll torture you until you do talk.” With a determined look on her face, Ruby delved a hand under his shirt and proceeded to tickle him.

Tony didn’t so much as flinch. “You can’t break me. I’ve been trained to resist interrogation.”

“Oh yeah?” She jumped to her knees and redoubled her efforts.

Tony bore the torture for as long as he could stand it. Bursting into laughter, he grabbed her wrists, flipped her onto her back, and rolled on top of her.

“Oh.” To his alarm, she blanched, then whispered, “I have to throw up.”

He lifted his weight off her, watching with concern as she hung her head over the edge of the bed while covering her mouth.

“Trash can!” Tony sprang out of bed to retrieve it. By the time he shoved it under her, she was drawing deep breaths, some of her color returning.

“I’m okay now. I think I just ate too much.”

He left the basket by the bed just in case, then sat next to her. “You didn’t have to eat that much just to please Mama, you know.”

“I know.” She averted her gaze and gnawed her lower lip, making him think she might say something more on the subject of his mama’s overbearing attitude. “I’d better take a nap,” she declared, instead. “All that turkey made me sleepy.”

“Tryptophan. You’re not the only one.” He crawled back over her, putting his back against the wall and pulling the blanket over them.

With a contented little sigh, Ruby snugged closer as he spooned her. “You sure you won’t tell me what James said?”

Tony smiled a little. “You’re relentless. Listen, I’m gonna put that new part in Mama’s washer tomorrow morning, and then I think we should head home by noon to beat the traffic.” Ruby stiffened in his embrace. “What, you want to stay longer?”

“I’m thinking we should go to the Staskiewicz’s funeral first, if it’s this weekend.”

“Why? I never knew him.”

“But James did. You should go to represent the Teams.”

Since when had manifesting solidarity mattered to Ruby? “We’ll see. What would you do tomorrow if we don’t leave till Saturday or Sunday?”

“I’ll take Corinna to Macy’s tomorrow for their Black Friday sales. Maybe I can get all our Christmas shopping done early.”

“Hmm.” She’d never been one to do anything early. “Just be careful out there on the streets. Remember this city is bigger than what you’re used to. You know how easily you get lost.”

“Macy’s is a mile and a half away, Tony, and Corinna will be with me. I can’t possibly get lost.”

“Well, keep your phone turned on so I can find you.” The best thing he’d ever done was put Ruby on his cell phone plan. It gave him peace of mind to know he could find her anywhere with the Find My service.

“Stalker.” Ruby’s slurred reply was scarcely comprehensible. In the next instant, her slow, shallow breaths suggested she was sleeping.

CHAPTER5

Corinna heaved a sigh, prompting Ruby to look over at her from the driver’s seat. With the heater in Corinna’s little car on the fritz, Ruby had decided to drive her Range Rover. “What’s wrong?”

Corinna lifted the phone in her hand to show her a text. “Robert was just told to take the day off.”

On the verge of pulling her SUV away from the curb at Mama Anna’s, Ruby considered her sister-in-law’s long face. “You want to cancel our shopping trip so you can be with him?”

“No, no. Tony wouldn’t want me to ditch you.”

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