Page 421 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He said, “Ever feel like you still don’t know how to deal?”

Relief washed over her face. “Yes.”

Jacob wouldn’t mind another kiss, but if he stayed out here much longer, he wasn’t going to be able to walk back to the bed. He’d have to sleep out on the kitchen on the floor. Or have Russ drag him down the hall.

He shifted to get up. Addie moved one arm over her shoulders and supported his weight. It hurt, but she wanted tohelp him, so he figured it wasn’t worse than going by himself and falling.

“Bed?”

Jacob’s gaze met hers.

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t…”

He wanted to laugh, but it would be too painful. “It’s fine. I’m damaged goods now.”

They made their way slowly into the hall.

“That’s not why I reacted.” Addie stilled. “I would never think that about you. It’s just that. This time…”

“You’d want to do things differently.”

“I think that means I need to go to church and figure some things out first.”

Jacob smiled through the pain. “I think that’s a great idea. Especially if I can take you. We can go to lunch after.” No way could it be construed as a date, but he wanted to spend the time with her.

“That sounds good.” She helped him not fall onto the bed.

Jacob gritted his teeth and tried not to let her know how much his stomach hurt.

“Sorry. Sorry.” She fussed with the blanket.

“I feel useless.”

“You need to heal.”

“You just tucked me in.” He frowned.

“Please don’t worry about anything.”

“I’ll call Hank. Find out how I can?—”

Addie stiffened. “Do me a favor, Jacob?” She avoided his gaze. “Let Hank go for right now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Addie slipped off her coat and hung it on the tree by the glass entry doors.

“Morning.”

She smiled at Stella, one of the two agents sent over from Seattle. “Hey, how’s it going so far?”

“I’ve been here about ten minutes more than you.” Stella had a pixie cut, high cheekbones, and the figure of a woman who did spin class six times a week but ate enough to fuel her life. She was muscled and glowed.

“How was class this morning?”

Stella made a sound akin to “phew,” and sipped from a smoothie. Yet another normal thing that made Addie glad for the time she’d spent with Jake last night. A sweet moment, even in the middle of all this.

“You know,” Stella said, “I wasn’t all fired up to come to Benson, but it’s not bad here.”

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