Page 69 of Her Braun
"Will do."
Gibson hung up the phone as the bathroom door swung open.
"Who was that?"
He turned around and saw Kay walk into the room drying her hair. Otherwise she was dressed.
"I know I look a mess, but I'm suddenly starving. You mentioned breakfast?"
He didn't try to hold back the dark shadows in his expression. He couldn't. He was so thankful that she'd been out of town. "That was Jacob Rafferty."
Kay's hands slowed and then dropped to her sides. "The detective?"
He nodded. "He wants to know if we can come back on an earlier flight."
Kay's towel dropped from her hand, and he closed the distance between them to take her gently in his arms. "Gibson?"
"Someone damaged your car last night. Your tires and the upholstery-"
"They were inside my car?"
He heard the wavering tone of her voice and felt her start to shake. "Yeah. They tore it up inside. Jacob's there dealing with it now."
Kay nodded.
Once.
Twice.
And then she startled as if someone pinched her. "Oh! What about James? My neighbor, Mister Langston? Oh my god. I hope he's not blaming himself for this!"
Gibson tightened his hold on her and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. Trust Kay to worry more about her neighbor than her car. "He's really upset, honey. But I'm sure Jacob's trying to tell him the truth, that he's not responsible."
She shook her head, and her hands lifted to grasp his arms. "You know he's not going to listen to that. We have to... I mean I need to get back as soon as I can."
She started to pull back from him, but while he didn't let her go, he did let her lean back away from him.
"Kay?"
She was shaking and he had a feeling she was equal parts angry and frustrated.
"Kay, baby, look at me."
She looked up at him and he could see the pain she felt in her eyes.
"I'm going back with you if we can find two seats on an earlier flight. I'm not letting you go through this alone."
She was practically vibrating with energy. "You don't have to. I'm just... I'm just in so much trouble. I wouldn't blame you for turning around and walking away."
"Wait. Hold on."
She shook her head, and her hands lifted, and she tried to remove his arms from around her. "Why would anyone want to be with someone who's just a magnet for this kind of thing?"
Her words cut him to the quick.
"What?"
She lowered her chin, and he lost sight of her eyes.
