Page 54 of Dear John

“I think it’s that the shine has worn off.”

“Kavanaugh?”

I nodded. “It’s not just in bed. I mean, the sex is great, but outside the bedroom…I caught him yesterday adding in a security fence.”

“Like a privacy fence?”

“Nope. This one electrocutes people when they touch it.”

“I’ve had enough of electrocution.” Her eyes widened as she shoved her hair out of her face. “Was he going to tell us?”

“Maybe when one of us ended up in the hospital. I made him take it down.”

She pursed her lips in thought.

“What?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking if it was still up, I could shove Bowie into it and he’d end up in the hospital. At least I’d get a good night of sleep.”

“You could always send him home,” I suggested.

“How? He literally got hit by a car for me.”

Unfortunately, she was right. “I’m just hoping Kavanaugh finds a job soon. He’s constantly working out or repairing something around the house.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

I gave her the stink eye. “Yesterday, I was in the middle of a meeting with a client and he interrupted to find out if I really liked the roses outside or if he could tear them out to add in security wire in front of the porch.”

“Then I guess there’s nothing left for it. We’ll toss his things out the front door and yell fire. He’ll run outside and we’ll lock the door.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” I agreed, walking over to my computer. “What are you doing today?”

“Oh, you know. Taking care of client-type things, wrangling a man with one leg, and thinking about opening my own popsicle stand. You?”

“I was going to sit on the porch and drink until I can no longer stand.”

“We’re all out of alcohol,” she shrugged. “I drank it last night.”

“It doesn’t have to have alcohol.”

“Well, everyone should have goals.”

I nodded and opened the email I’d seen earlier. My eyes widened as I read the uplifting words. “Riley!” I hissed, waving her over. “Look at this.”

She read through it, then gaped me. “Are they for real?”

“I hope so. Do you know what this means?”

“That you’re going to take me and run away?” She turned to me, a pleading look on her face. “Please say you will.”

“And we’ll just leave the men here? Do you know what we’ll find when we come back?”

“Maybe they’ll leave,” she said excitedly.

“Are you kidding? The whole place will be like Fort Knox! It’s hard enough to get out the front door as it is!”

She got a gleam in her eye I knew all too well. “I’ll play you for it.”

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