Page 40 of Justice for Daesha

“Sounds more like a boyfriend.”

She shook her head, her blond hair swaying. “No. Absolutely not. It would be too much like dating my brother. Ick,” she said and made a gagging sound.

At least he didn’t have to worry about that. He filled the rest of the drive back with small talk, especially about what they’d spend the next day doing. Sunday was the only day both of them had off unless the band was booked somewhere, and he wanted to make it count.

Just like the night before, Daesha showered and fell into bed, exhausted, but Amos couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking about that logo and the dream he’d had the night before. He knew the dream meant nothing, but it had helped trigger his recognition of the logo.

Pulling up the website wasn’t an option, and besides, waiting until Monday wouldn’t hurt a damn thing. Dorinda would still be just as dead, the logo would still be just as important, and the Kelso guy would still be oblivious to the fact that somebody was onto him. But he didn’t dare let her know what he suspected.

If his suspicions were right, it would break Daesha’s heart.

* * *

Sunday was a beautiful day,and they spent part of it in bed, part of it on the sofa watching TV, and part of it planning some fun for the following weekend. She cooked vegetables while he grilled, and they both worked in the kitchen, cleaning up and straightening. When they were finished, they sat back down in the living room, and Amos decided it was time to talk. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

“Um-hmmm?”

“You have rehearsals on Thursdays, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And we both have to go to work on Friday morning.”

“Yep.”

“But Thursday night rehearsals aren’t nearly as physically draining as the shows, right?”

“Exactly.”

“So how ‘bout this? I gather up my clothes on Thursday morning before I leave and I go to my house that evening. I can do all my laundry and get it ready for the next week, and I can pay my bills too. I’ll just stay there, and the next morning, I can put my clothes in the car, go to work, and come back here after work.”

She took his hand and leaned up against him, looking up at him from under her brow with her lower lip stuck out. “I’ll miss you,” she pouted.

“I’ll miss you too, but I think it might be good for us, don’t you? It’ll let us know if we really want to be together all the time or if we need some space.”

She sat bolt upright. “Do you need space?”

“No, but I’m just saying?”

“Because I don’t need space. I’m happy with the space I have as long as you’re in it.”

“And I’m happy too. But I’ve got to be one hundred percent positive this is what I need to do before I close up my house and decide what to do with it.”

“You think it might be a mistake?”

He shook his head. “No. But I think we need to make sure it’s not just in case, that’s all. I mean, Jack and I built that house. Selling it is something I’ve got to be one hundred percent positive of before I could ever do it.”

She lifted her shoulder and let them drop as she sighed out. “Okay. I get it. But I’ll be miserable until you come back.”

“We can text and call. I mean, you’d better call, or you’d better answer whenIcall!” he said and laughed.

“Well, then, okay. I don’t really like it, but it’s not like I’ll be home sitting around while you’re sitting around elsewhere.”

“Exactly. So that’s the plan. I think we’ll know in just a few weeks if we need to move forward with me moving in here.”

“Okie dokie.” She leaned back into him and sighed as his arm wrapped around her. Amos hugged her close. She was his. He was hers. In that respect, things wouldn’t change a bit.

* * *

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