Luke swallowed. “I’d like that, sir.”
Sir?Maybe I really was in theTwilight Zone.
I watched, thunderstruck, as Violet and her dad made their way to the door.
Hallie came up to me, her arm brushing mine. “I told him that a little show of deference might get him further than he thought.”
I tipped my head to meet Hallie’s gaze. “You do realize that if my son starts dating the pastor’s daughter, I’ll have to start sleeping with a shotgun under my pillow. Drew’s bad enough.”
Hallie laughed, another of those completely uninhibited ones that hit me like a damn meteor. “Shouldn’t have birthed such charming boys, then. It’s really your fault. Their dad has the same problem.”
She moved off before I had a chance to say a word, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
* * *
I balancedthe beer on the arm of the Adirondack chair as I stared out at the dark forest. The cold was grabbing hold and digging in, but I needed it. It was the only thing that had a prayer of clearing my head.
Dinner was done. The dishes were washed. All the kids had headed to bed. And I needed to breathe.
Hallie had made lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. The kids and I scarfed it down. And Luke had talked at dinner. About thebookhe was reading. An epic fantasy that Hallie had also read. Their conversation flew back and forth as if they were speaking another language.
I had simply sat there in awe. Because Hallie was slowly but surely giving me my family back. Charlie hadn’t had a single nightmare this week. Drew was getting his homework done before I had to ask five times. And Luke was talking. There’d even been a smile or two.
I should’ve been happy. And I was. But I was also on edge.
The door sounded behind me, and I glanced up. The lights from inside backlit Luke’s lengthening frame.
“I thought you’d already hit the hay,” I said.
He shook his head. “Why did Hallie really move into the main house?”
Shit.I’d known by his expression this morning that he had questions. “Like I told you guys, I’m working a case. There might be some late nights. It’ll be easier this way. Hallie can go to sleep instead of waiting up for me.”
Even through the dark, I felt Luke’s glare. “I’m not six like Charlie, Dad.”
I bit back a curse. “I know you’re not—”
“So, tell me the truth for once.”
This was a little more of the son I’d grown used to. Combative, angry. The difference was he was speaking outright. I could respect that. But I also couldn’t give him the details regarding what was going down for a million different reasons.
“That is the truth,” I said, searching for my calm.
“Bullshit,” Luke clipped.
“Language,” I warned.
“I might be cursing, but at least it’s honest. Do you ever tell us the truth about anything?”
Luke turned on his heel and stalked into the house, slamming the door behind him.
I stared at the spot where my son had been. Sure, I did what I could to protect my boys, but I always tried to level with them, as well. They knew what I did. They knew that the outcomes of my cases or searches sometimes weren’t good. I just didn’t go into detail.
I had no clue what Luke was talking about.
Another slam sounded from deeper in the house, and I winced. Turning back around, I stared at the trees as if they had the answers. They never did.
I took a pull from my beer. The answer wasn’t in a bottle either, but at least it tasted damn good. But I’d never have more than one. I wouldn’t let myself. Not when I was the sole parent.
