Page 30 of Ranger Belief
She turned and eyed Jonah. “You sure? You’ve been running on fumes, and I know socializing takes a lot out of you.” They’d attended church this morning, and Jonah had been pretty quiet throughout the service. He talked less and less the more tired he became. “I don’t mind skipping it. We can have dinner with them another night.”
“A break from the case would do us both good.” His expression was warm, and when the breeze lifted a stray strand of her hair across her cheek, Jonah reached out to push it back. The move was unexpected. Not part of their usual friendship dance. Laney’s pulse jumped, and she froze at the suddencontact. His fingers left a trail of heat in their wake. Butterflies ignited.
Jonah seemed to take his time, moving slowly. Deliberately. His thumb brushed along the sensitive curve of her ear, and her breath hitched. “Arrange dinner with your sister, Laney. I’d be happy to go with you.”
FOURTEEN
Jonah wiped his hands on a dish towel before hanging it on a hook next to the sink. “More hot cocoa, Papa Earl?”
“No, thank you, son.” His lips quirked, one side drooping because of the stroke he’d had over the summer. “Two cups is all I can handle. Gotta watch my waistline.”
The older man cracked up and Jonah chuckled along with him. Earl Sullivan had always been a jokester. He was also rail thin. Too thin after the stroke, and could stand to put on a few pounds. At eighty-four, his hair was more gray than black. Lines etched in his ochre face spoke of happiness and hard work. He’d spent decades working in a factory, raising kids, and taking care of his wife. Since the passing of his beloved Mary three years ago, he’d been lost. Moving in with Marcus, Breanna, and baby Asher returned some of the sparkle to his eyes.
“How did your last doctor’s appointment go?” Jonah asked, leaning against the counter.
Papa Earl beamed. “Doctor says I’m a champion.” He thumped his chest with a shaky fist. “The most progress of any patient he’s seen this month. He wants me to continue on withmy physical therapy though. Said something about gaining more function or something or other.”
“That’s great news. You’ll be running laps around us in no time.”
“You can bet on it.” His expression grew serious. “I heard about the murders at the park. Nasty business. How you holding up, son? Working a case like that must take a toll on a man’s spirit. Not to mention having Laney mixed up in all this. That makes it personal.”
“I’ll feel a lot better once the perpetrator is behind bars.”
Papa Earl studied him for a long moment. His dark eyes were pensive. “One thing about my stroke…I’ve stopped beating around the bush. How long are you gonna keep pretending you aren’t in love with that girl?”
Jonah stiffened and then automatically glanced over his shoulder. Through a small cutout, he could see into the living room. Music was playing. Laney sat on the floor gently rocking Asher, his sweet face half hidden by a pacifier. Next to her, Breanna held a handful of paint colors. The two of them were deep in discussion about the right color for the living room. Scout snoozed nearby.
He swung his gaze back to Papa Earl. “Laney and I are just friends. That’s all we’ve been for a long time.”
“Doesn’t mean you don’t want more.”
“She doesn’t.”
“You sure about that? People change. They grow.”
The old man’s comments brought to mind the way Laney kept sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. Jonah hadn’t noticed until their awkward interaction in the car, when he thought something was on his face. Laney’s blush had confused him. But since then, he’d picked up on small tells that ignited a bit of hope that was unwise to feed. Testing the waters today by brushing the strand of hair away fromher face…hearing her breath hitch and seeing the way her eyes darkened…it was playing with fire.
“Laney’s not one to invest in romantic relationships.” Jonah gripped the counter. He’d already been a casualty of her inability to commit. “It’s not worth losing my best friend over.”
The older man grunted. Then he started to stand. Jonah deftly stepped forward and moved his walker closer. Papa Earl thanked him, gripping the metal frame tightly with his right hand. The other drooped at his side. “I’ll tell you what, son, time doesn’t wait for any man. And the worst thing you can have is regret. Don’t let your fear be the reason you hold back.”
Jonah’s brow crinkled, even as his heart skipped a beat. “Did…did Laney say something to you?”
“Heavens no. I know better than to stick my nose in women’s business. My dear Mary taught me that, may she rest in peace.” Papa Earl pegged him with a look. “But I've earned the right to meddle a little in a man’s business. Sometimes you boys need an old codger to point out what's plain as day.”
He laughed. The advice wasn’t something he’d take, but he appreciated how much Papa Earl cared. “Guess I should thank you for the kick in the pants?”
Papa Earl snorted, but his mouth twitched with amusement. “You won’t though. I was the same at your age. A know-it- all.” He shuffled toward the living room. “Time to take these old bones to bed. Goodnight.”
“Night.” He shook his head, bemused by Papa Earl. He collected the last of the dessert plates and mugs from the table. The sound of Earl saying good night to Breanna and Laney filtered through the cut-out.
While loading the dishwasher and wiping the counter, Jonah replayed the conversation with Papa Earl. Clearly, he wasn’t doing a good job of keeping his emotions in check. The last thing he wanted was for Laney to get a whiff of them. It would send herrunning so far so fast, their friendship might never recover. At the very least, it would make things incredibly awkward.
His focus needed to be on catching a killer.
Mind made up, he once again wiped his hands on the dish towel and hung it up before going into the living room. Laney looked up as he entered, her soft smile warming him straight through. She was still holding Asher. The infant was nestled against her chest, wrapped in a blanket with teddy bears marching across. His dark hair was so similar to hers, Jonah’s mind momentarily imagined she was holding her own child.
Like an ice pick, the thought shattered his resolve. Would Laney get married one day? Have kids of her own? Surely she wouldn’t run away from romantic relationships forever. Her last relationship with Mike had lasted longer than the others. At some point, the right guy would come along.
