Page 61 of Lone Star

“Yeah,” he said, after a long moment, and shrugged his jacket into place. Checked the pockets; put a reassuring hand on the hilt of the gun at his waist. “Figure that’s the best place to start.”

His gaze came back, clamped-down, hard to read.

Not as hard to read as she knew her own to be. “Okay. Sounds good.”

He lingered. “Chelle…”

She lifted her brows.

After a moment, he twitched a fleeting smile and said, “Be careful today. Call you later.”

“You, too.”

He didn’t come kiss her. She couldn’t remember the last time that had happened.

She stared at the door a moment, once he’d gone through it. Last night had been – chilly. Very civil, no arguments. But they’d slept back-to-back, without even accidentally touching, and he’d not kissed her since Fox arrived.

To be fair, she hadn’t kissed him, either.

She waited until she thought he must be gone, then went out into the main part of the clubhouse.

Jenny had gotten up before her, and, unasked, gotten TJ dressed. He was in his booster seat, now, eating eggs with his hands and making a mess. When Michelle headed that direction, Jenny waved her off.

“Go eat in peace. I already had my breakfast.”

Michelle sent her a silent thank you and went to collect a plate.

Darla heaped it full, though she wouldn’t be able to eat even half of it. The tea she craved, though, and held it carefully in one hand as she left the kitchen and surveyed the common room.

Eden and Axelle sat across from one another; Eden caught her eye, and then motioned her over.

Michelle headed that way with a stomach tight with apprehension.

“Good morning,” Eden greeted, all smooth politeness. It seemed sincere. That was the thing with Eden: she never betrayed the way she really felt about a person, save with Fox, and the way she usually felt about him seemed to beirritated.

“Good morning,” Michelle replied, and hoped she’d managed at least a fraction of her old composure; that she’d held on to at least some of who she’d been when she first met Eden, years ago. The competent, calculating, trusted weapon of her family’s own design.

The thought jolted her. Moved through her as a tiny inner earthquake. Her tectonic plates shifted, and she knew her eyes widened.

Eden lifted her brows, and traded a quick look with Axelle, who shrugged. “Candy came by and offered us some advice,” she said, turning back to Michelle. “Places he thought might be good starting points for an investigation. I wonder if those are the same places you would start.”

Michelle’s heart pounded. She clutched tight to her plate and mug to keep from dropping them. “He’s the native Texan,” she said, “he’d know better than me.”

Eden grinned, small and tight. “You’ve been here for a few years now. You mean to tell me youdon’tknow the city by now?”

Axelle pushed her plate away, folded her arms on the table, and looked at Michelle with frank, unselfconscious curiosity.

What was happening here? Why did she feel like she was being tested? Like she was being…

“Doing anything important today?” Eden asked.

…invited.

Whatwasshe doing today? Taking care of TJ. Probably more laundry. Making a dozen phone calls to TLC and wishing she was there in person to keep an eye on things because she was neurotic as hell.

She took a breath. “I’m not doing anything.”

Eden’s grin widened. “Want to come with us?”

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