Page 73 of Mistletoe and Malice
“But your place over these last few weeks has been right next to me, and I feel safe knowing you’re there. Not only as part of my protection detail, but as my friend. And I don’t put parameters on friendships.”
“But our relationship is a professional one. I need to keep that in mind, or I’m no good to you.”
Her heart squeezed. Of course that’s how he viewed their relationship. It made perfect sense. She was the job.Hisjob. And like he’d told her that first night, he was good at it. She didn’t know how she would’ve handled the last four weeks without his steadfast presence. His constant protection.
“It meant a lot to me, praying with you. Really, Colton, I won’t forget it.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“Iwon’t forget it either, Riley.” Colton’s voice pressed through the tightness in his throat.
Praying with her … her hand clutched tightly to his … the two of them alone with God. It changed him. Like something inside him opened up that morning. Opened up, then filled with something he couldn’t describe. Something … spiritual. Something he hadn’t experienced in over four years, since the day he’d blocked God out of his life for taking something precious from him.
Tilting her head, she studied him for a few seconds. “It seems you and God are back on speaking terms.”
He nodded, but how could he explain? Since the last time they’d bumped into each other here in the middle of the night, when she’d reached out to remind him how much God loved him, he’d felt pulled back toward the faith he’d left behind. A coming home, of sorts.
His Bible still lay in a desk drawer in his study where he’d put it the day after Theresa’s funeral. But he found one in theHudson’s library a few days ago, and while Riley worked in her suite, he pored over Scriptures he remembered from times past.
“I’ve been getting back in touch, I guess you could say.”
“I’m so happy to hear that.”
He couldn’t help but return her smile, this woman he was trying to keep at arm’s length but who invaded his dreams. Dreams that teased him with something he could never have.
It sure didn’t help running headlong into that dream in the middle of the night.
He gave himself a mental shake. “Yeah, it’s time. All that anger wasn’t doing anything for me. Just standing in the way of whatever God wants to bring into my life.”
She regarded him for a moment with those emerald eyes he couldn’t look away from. “So, we’re okay? You and me?”
The earnestness of her question shattered his resolve to keep her at a distance.
“Yes.” Before he could talk himself out of it, he reached over to take her hand on top of the table. “We’re fine, Riley.”
Relief flooded her face.
He let her go and glanced over to the island, where her Bible lay unopened. “I messed up your quiet time. I should leave you alone.”
“No, it’s all right. I had my quiet time this morning, but I can’t stop thinking about Shane’s case and how things aren’t happening as quickly as I’d hoped. Figured some time in the Word would help me clear my head.”
He sat back in his chair and studied her for a moment. “Wanna talk through it? Maybe two brains can figure out what’s missing. Or at least where to go next.”
“You sure you don’t want to get back to bed?”
“I’m here. If it’ll help quiet whatever’s happening in your head, let’s do it.”
Sitting back in her chair, she folded her arms across her middle. “Okay, here’s what we know. According to Judge Mulaney’s testimony at trial, he’d given Caitlyn an ultimatum five days before her death. Either dropthe no-good fortune hunteror lose their financial support.”
“Is that the word he used? Ultimatum?”
“I believe he saidchoice, but the meaning was clear. If she didn’t dump Shane, she’d be estranged from her family. Shane said he told Cait he didn’t want to come between her and her parents, but she’d claimed to be done with her father’s overbearing ways, choosing to be with him.”
“His word against theirs.”
“Which is precisely what his former defense attorney said the day we met. Who would take Shane’s word over a sitting district judge?”
He sat up and clasped his hands on top of the table. “Which begs the question, why didn’t they file for a change of venue, since her father’s a judge in the same county?”
