Page 85 of Long Road Home

“Mostly she calls me.”

“To rat me out?” Kenna’s lips curled up.

Jax shook his head and pulled her close. They could talk about this more later when there was some privacy. For now he gave her a hug, his lips on her forehead. They stayed there for a long second before she squeezed his arm and stepped away.

“I’ll find wood and make a fire.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kenna rocked back on her heels and stood, the fire beginning to flicker to life. Pilsborough could stoke it if he cared enough to tend it constantly. Some people did, but she preferred those logs you buy in a paper bag, where she only had to light the bag and then just watch it.

Gingrich had a beat-up table in front of the couch. Under the surface was a kind of shelf. On it were old dusty magazines and more books that weren’t on the shelf. She’d already sent him a text commenting on the amount of paperbacks he had in here. And not the kind that were purchased but never read.No one asked me about my e-book app.These had been well-appreciated.

Destain’s jaw had slackened, and he was almost snoring.

Kenna took two steps toward Jim to go around the coffee table over to Jax in the kitchen, who was spooning out chili into bowls. Jim’s eyes opened, that protective instinct he’d learned keeping him aware so he was never vulnerable.

She spread her fingers out and eased past him. The prisoner didn’t move.

Apparently Destain and Pilsborough weren’t worried hewould turn violent, or try to escape, despite the fact he had been originally convicted of murder.

Kenna’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She’d brought her earbuds from the car, so she put them in and answered Maizie’s call. “How’s things?” She wandered to the bedroom area and sat down, setting the phone beside her.

“Uh…”

“You can just tell me the update.” After taking out her hair tie, Kenna flipped her hair forward and ran her fingers through it, about the best she was going to get right now.

“I mean, I’m fine. I just didn’t know you were going to ask me that.”

“I’m fine, too.” Kenna flipped her hair backward, sitting upright again, and retied her ponytail. “In case you were curious.”

“Speaking of fine…”

Kenna chuckled. “Jax?” He was walking toward her with a steaming bowl and a spoon. “I see what you mean.”

Maizie laughed. It was a beautiful sound, given all the girl had been through.

Jax handed her the bowl. She mouthed,Thank you, and he winked.

As he walked away, she wondered how she’d gotten this far with a man again. At the same time, as it seemed so clearly obvious that she would feel this way, she also couldn’t see where she’d taken the steps in his direction. She hoped it was God leading her. And that He wouldn’t leave her to despair again like the last relationship. Still, it was a risk she hadn’t anticipated.

Kenna took a bite of the chili. “Yeesh, this is spicy and terrible.”

Across the room, Jax sat at the table with Pilsborough. Jimwas eating. Destain hadn’t woken up yet, and no one disturbed him.

“What’s the update, Maze?” She took another bite.

“It’s all much easier from a distance.” Maizie sighed. “I was talking with Elizabeth about it a couple of days ago, before you got hurt. How it’s more like watching a TV show or hearing a story. You, and Jax. She said it does me good to see something healthy that’s not moving at warp speed. Apparently, that’s a bad thing?”

Kenna swallowed a bite. “Head spinning isn’t always a bad thing. Relationships go at all different speeds.”

“She said yours was good for me. So I can see normal, even if it’s not typical.”

“And you have each other’s numbers now?”

“Mm-hmm,” Maizie said. “Is that okay?” She sounded worried enough.

“It’s fine,” Kenna said. “You’re amazing, and the FBI might not know it, but theydefinitelyneed your help.” She heard a relieved chuckle. “How is Cabot?” There might be work to talk about, but Kenna wasn’t going to forget to ask about her dog.

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