Page 53 of Mistletoe and Malice
“Sorry to interrupt. Riley, Avery’s here. In your suite.”
“Thanks.” She glanced at Colton again before stepping out of the room.
He sank slowly into the leather loveseat in front of the fireplace. “Can you believe that?”
“She’s a pistol.” Paul took a seat in the armchair adjacent to the loveseat. “But if I can ask, how did she know about Theresa?”
“I told her. Saturday night. We split a sandwich the other night when neither of us could sleep, and she asked about the blonde in the picture on my wall.”
A crease appeared in Paul’s forehead. “Wait a minute. She was at your place?”
Colton winced. Hadn’t meant to let that slip. “Saturday afternoon. Before we found the mess at her house. I neededto pack up some clothes, so we stopped there first. Mack was aware.”
“Mack was? Huh. I would have never expected that from you, taking a principal to your home.”
“Probably wasn’t one of my brighter ideas.” Except would there be a foundation in Theresa’s name now, all because Riley saw that picture? Could this all be of some divine direction?
“Which is exactly what worries me about this thing.”
Colton popped his head back. “What thing?”
“This … thing,” he answered, waving his hand between Colton and the door. “Between you and Riley.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees with his hands folded between them. “Riley’s a beautiful, smart, articulate woman with a great sense of compassion for her fellow man. I know she was a surprise to you. She was to all of us, and we’ve all come to respect her. Very much.”
“Cut to the chase, Paul.”
He took a deep breath and let it out. “Maybe you’ve crossed the line here. Maybe you’re too close.”
“We’ve all been on assignments where we were positioned inside the principal’s home.”
“I don’t mean in proximity alone.”
He stared at his long-time friend and co-worker. “You think I’m falling for her.”
“I think you might be on your way. It’s certain she has for you.”
“In little more than a week?” That couldn’t be. None of it. “I don’t think so.”
“A week of spending practically every waking minute together. Even in the middle of the night, apparently.”
“Nothing to see here, Jamison. Riley has a need to fix what’s wrong. This thing with the bone marrow is simply because she can’t stand the thought of anybody else dying waiting fora transplant.” He swallowed and turned his attention to the fireplace. “And you know my opinion about getting involved with a principal. You’re way off base, my friend.”
Paul shrugged and stood again. “Okay. You know I would never question your professionalism, unless I believed it endangered our client.”
“Duly noted.”
While he didn’t agree with it, he appreciated his co-worker’s candor. Because if anything happened to another woman on his watch, he’d never be able to live with the guilt.
Not again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Iguess we should get down to business.” Sitting in the chair next to Riley’s desk, Avery fairly glowed.
Riley returned her beaming smile. “Guess we should. But I’m happy for you, Ave. I truly am. John’s terrific.”
Riley had spent the last five minutes listening to her friend gush about her first kiss from her new beau and how wonderful it was to find such a fine man of God after praying for one for so long. It gave Riley hope that one day, she too might find her soulmate.
“That’s an understatement. But you’d better not get me started again, or we’ll never get this publicity blitz planned for your new project. Okay. Media. I assume you want print ads …”
