Page 71 of Callahan

Fuck.

I hated lying. Partly because it went against every moral fiber in my body, and partly because I was really, really bad at it.

I decided to try to skirt answering directly.

“Well, I slept in the glider chair in the nursery part of the night.”

He turned around to look at me.

“Why?”

“I took over burping Conor after he ate, so Lainey could go back to bed. But I ended up falling asleep with the little guy on my chest. I guess he must like me because he slept through his next feeding time.”

“That happened the first night you stayed, too, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

Brian pulled the camera from the box.

“You’re right—it sounds like Conor feels comfortable with you. That’s good. Plus, it means you were able to help Lainey. She needs a break every now and then.”

“I agree.”

“Hopefully Conor takes a bottle easily, and she can let the O’Briens babysit. That way she can take some time for herself. Maybe she could even go on a date.”

I felt my spine stiffen at the idea of her going out with anyone but me.

“A date? With who? She said no one in town would go out with her; people would consider it bad taste to date Shawn’s girlfriend.”

He tucked a drill in his toolbelt, then the camera under his arm, and paused with his foot on the first rung of the ladder.

“She’s probably right. I guess she’ll just have to date someone from out of town.”

Without another word, he climbed to the top to install the camera, leaving me on the ground to mull over what he’d said.

Who would she date? Was he talking about me?

He couldn’t possibly be talking about me.

Could he?

I wasn’t so sure when he came down and, after handing me the directions on how to link the camera to the app, declared, “I think you should stay with her until we catch whoever sent that letter.”

I nodded toward the camera he’d put up. “Isn’t that the whole point of installing that?”

“That camera’s a lot like a restraining order. Worthless if someone’s really determined to cause her harm. I don’t want to take that chance; do you?”

Gee, continue staying with Lainey—with Brian’s blessing? Twist my arm.

Still, I didn’t want to come offtooeager.

“Maybe she’ll agree to stay at your place.”

“Maybe. But I doubt it. It’s easier for her to be here, close to the bakery.”

“Yeah, that’s true…”

Aw, darn. We’ll have to stay here together.

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