Page 85 of Under His Skin

The women tried to appear outraged. “We can’t help it if you get easily distracted,” Meg said.

“How about something less combative?” Reynolds asked. “Let’s ease Waverley into how crazy and competitive the Cavanaugh siblings can get.”

“Okay, okay. How about Pictionary?” Poppy offered.

“Do you remember how you nearly tackled Conner last time we played?” Tyler asked.

“How could he not know Gremlins?” she practically shouted as they all laughed.

Waverley smiled as the debate continued around her, enjoying the sibling squabbling that she’d never been a part of before. Reynolds squeezed her hand, and she stared down at their hands joined together, savoring the weight of his hand over hers.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.

* * *

Reynolds handed Waverley her coffee and the bag of fresh chocolate glazed donuts at the drive-thru at Genevieve’s Bakery the next morning before taking his own coffee and pulling away.

The car was filled with the aroma of yeast and coffee and a hint of a floral scent from Waverley’s body wash, all of which made him all kinds of hungry, and not just for the food.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Waverley said, scrolling through her texts on her phone as she took a bite of her donut. “Mrs. Dolowitz called last Friday. Oscar escaped again.”

He rolled his eyes. “I warned you that was going to happen.”

“Yeah, yeah. I told her to try buying a can of sardines, maybe heating them up so they’re good and fragrant, and leaving them outside on her deck that night. And guess who just texted me to say Oscar is home safe and sound after the very first night?” She started typing a note in her phone, balancing the donut in her mouth before saving and setting it down. “I’m going to add that little nugget of information to our website Q and As when I get in.”

He had to hand it to her. Her idea of updating his website with some very basic answers and suggestions to some of the most common questions that people called in with, questions that took more of his time than he had to give, was ingenious.

“You know, we should go to the hardware store after work and grab some paint samples for the office wall,” she continued.

“I’m not hiring someone to paint my office.”

“Of course you’re not. We can do it ourselves just as easily.” Her phone rang and she looked at the caller ID. “It’s my attorney,” she said, sounding surprised before answering it. “Hello?”

He waited patiently as she listened to the call, making out some words here and there but nothing specific. Whatever it was, it seemed big from the shocked expression on her face.

When she hung up, she was silent as she processed. He waited, taking a drink of the hot coffee and shoveling an entire donut in his mouth.

“Bad news?” he managed to ask through a full mouth.

She looked over at him. “The opposite. In light of my help in getting Spencer back into custody, along with Spencer’s cooperation in revealing where he’s hidden what’s left of the money, the government has agreed to return almost all of my assets. It’s more than enough to restore Ginny Johnson’s trust fund. She’s going to be okay.”

There were tears in her eyes as she said this before she leaned over and squeezed his arm with excitement, almost spilling his hot coffee on her.

“That’s great,” he said, but it was far from what he was feeling.

With all that money, Waverley didn’t have to work for him any longer. She didn’t have to stay in that crummy apartment or this tiny little town.

She could pick up and go back to Denver now. She could return to the life she was meant to have.

But he couldn’t say any of this to her. Not when she was feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

And who knew? Maybe she would stick around. Around this town, around his office. Around him.

Maybe this wasn’t the end of everything he’d just been beginning to believe could happen.

Chapter 27

“Now you just push this little button. That’s right,” Waverley said in encouragement and nodded as Reynolds followed her instruction. “Now we watch the magic.”

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