Since they couldn’t join Cat for lunch, Kayla invited her and Thomas for dinner before he started a new three-day rotation the following night. Ginger hadn’t heard from Evan since his text, but played his music all afternoon just to feel close to him. She, Kayla, and Cat prepared dinner as Mitchell and Thomas went out back. “The Fighter” by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood came on. She loved that song because the words were her and Evan’s story. As the song played Ginger’s thoughts drifted to how far they’d come in a month. Tears stung her eyes when Evan walked through the door looking as though he’d been in a wrestling match. The image couldn’t have been more perfect. When Ginger noticed he was walking straight for her, she turned, anticipating the connection before he wrapped her in his arms.

“Rough day?”

“Yeah, you could say that.” He moved his face only far enough to be understood when he spoke.

“Anything I can do to make it better?”

“You’re doing it.”

They were hugging when Mitchell and Thomas walked in. Mitchell asked, “Is this a group hug?”

Ginger laughed and Evan growled.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Mitchell said.

“I need a stiff drink. Y’all wanna join me?” Evan asked Mitchell and Thomas as he pulled away. Ginger watched the guys as she wondered what he found out today.

When dinner was ready, she walked toward the living room and heard Evan say, “The state lab connected the last picture of Ginger to the one of Harley. She doesn’t leave here unprotected until we have Frank in custody.” Ginger closed her eyes in resignation. When she opened them, she saw the anger wash down Evan’s face as he took a sip of his drink.

“I also found out just how sick Curtis really is. I’m glad you’ve been with Kayla because who knows what he would’ve done to her if you weren’t. I was ready to put my badge down permanently today just to beat the shit out of him. Mitchell, you need to promise me right now if anything ever happens to me, you’ll take care of Ginger and the baby.” Evan’s voice was worried as he leveled Mitchell with a determined stare.

“You don’t even have to ask, bro. Of course I’d take care of them, promise.”

The worry in his tone caused tears to sting Ginger’s eyes again. She wrapped her arms around herself because this was more than she wanted to know. She trusted he’d protect her and wouldn’t press him for answers because he’d tell her when he was ready. She wiped her eyes before she walked into the room. “Dinner’s ready. Y’all hungry?”

Mitchell and Thomas headed for the food, but Evan lingered with her. “How much of that did you hear?” He rubbed up and down her arms.

“More than I wanted to. Do I want to know any more?”

He pulled her in close as he said, “No, darlin’, you don’t. Just know you can always talk to me about anything, and if I’m not around go to Mitchell. If Thomas is available, he’s good, too, especially with the baby.” She could tell there was something he really didn’t want to tell her. “Deputy Smith took the last picture of you. The lab linked it and the one of Harley to the same phone. I was hoping for evidence to tie him to the other one, but right now there isn’t anything, but they’ll keep looking.”

“So what now?”

“Status quo. You can’t go anywhere without Mitchell or me.”

“Okay.” She tried to smooth the scowl from his forehead. “I know I can talk to Mitchell, or Thomas. I can also go to my family, but it’s you I need. Please quit talking about you not being around.” She pointed to her belly, “You helped make this little bundle, you’re helping raise this little bundle. Got it?”

“Just covering all the bases,” he said before he kissed her temple. “Now that you’ve gotten a clue about my shitty day, what did y’all do?”

“Laid around the pool, mostly. I tried to work on an article, but I didn’t have anything new to work with.”

He tilted her face so he could look into her eyes. “Hang in there, darlin’. I’m gonna catch the bastard.”

Dinner turned into a celebration since Cat told them she was promoted to a new position earlier in the week. Her new title was Compliance Officer, and her job was to look at every commercial cash transaction over twenty-five hundred dollars that drew red flags in their computer. Was the amount below the ten thousand dollar threshold? Was it a staged transaction? Was it a reoccurring transaction? It was a type of fraud department. Cat loved puzzles and a good mystery so her new job was like looking for a clue that created a mystery. “I feel like Sherlock Holmes in the modern world,” she said with a gleam in her eyes as she tilted her wine glass to her lips.

Evan listened with keen interest and his attentiveness made Ginger wonder if something happened he couldn’t share with her. “What are you supposed to do if you find a problem with one of these accounts?”

“We have protocols set up. I’m to notify my Senior Vice President, Mr. Jones, first. Then he’ll notify authorities as needed,” she said.

“Are these local accounts?” Evan kept a straight face as he nonchalantly asked the questions. He wasn’t in interrogation mode, but he was definitely fishing for information.

“The deposits are made here, but the accounts are all over the Southeast. None of the money so far has been deposited into an account that belongs to anyone here,” she said.

“I see. So you think you’re gonna like this job?”

“Yeah. I really do. I audited personal accounts before so now it’s just on a bigger scale. Maybe I’ll find out their dirty secrets,” she said as she wiggled her brows.

“You always were nosey, Cat,” Kayla said.

“I found out who left nasty letters in your locker in high school, didn’t I? Forget Sherlock. Maybe I should change my name to Catherine Holmes.” She laughed.

Ginger noticed the concerned look on Mitchell’s face as a flush crept across Kayla’s, and Thomas’s jaw was ticking. “Mak?”

“Oh, shit! I think I’ve had too much wine. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” Cat begged.

Kayla looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “Sally Crawford. It was a long time ago, Mitch. We’ve moved past it,” she said with a smile as she wiggled her left fingers. “You’re fine, Cat. This is your celebration dinner.”

The music changed and broke the awkwardness of the moment. “Good Night” by Gloriana came on, and Cat leaned toward Thomas. “Do you remember the first time we heard this song?”

The memory settled in Thomas’s eyes as a smile spread across his face. “Yeah. If I remember correctly, you had too much to drink that night, too. You and Kayla went to a party and called me to pick you up since you couldn’t drive. We dropped Kayla off first because you were on my way back to school.” He stroked a finger down her face. “That night we shared our first kiss.”

“What? You never told me that! Either of you,” Kayla said.

Thomas and Cat ignored her and from the look on their faces, they’d be leaving soon.

Evan hadn’t taken his hand off Ginger throughout dinner. She watched his eyes and knew he was replaying conversations in his head. After the day he’d had he needed a break, and she knew exactly how to give it to him.

The sun had almost set by the time Thomas and Cat left, but Ginger wanted to go for a walk. When she and Evan stepped outside, the sky was brilliant shades of pink, purple, and orange. It was absolutely beautiful. As they walked toward the hill overlooking the river, he asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Today was a good day. Mitchell and Kayla went to the store and bought grapes when I took a nap. They’re wonderful!” she said with excitement dancing in her eyes.

He laughed. “I’m glad you’ve found something new to eat. Are you drinking enough water?”

“Yes, babe. I’m doing just what the book and doctor say to do.”

“Are you resting enough?”

She stopped and pulled his face to hers. “I’m good. We’re good.”

“I just feel like I’m missing out.”

“On what, nausea? Babe, there’s nothing to miss, right now. We read the book every night. There’s a lot going on, we just can’t see it.”

“I know, but I want our children to know I’m here, too. That I’m protecting them.”

“This one knows. He or she feels your hand every night. I tell him every day where you are and you’re out making our town safe to grow up in. Our future children will know because they’ll have an older sibling to tell them.” They stopped on the hill to look toward the sun setting across the river. He stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her and chin rested on her head.

“You called the baby he.”

“I also called the baby she.”

With humor in his voice he said, “You said him twice. See, you know it’s a boy, too.”

“Whatever you say,” she giggled. For his sake, she hoped it was a boy because he’d freak if it was a girl. It’d serve him right, though.

“Darlin’, do you mind if I call Ben real quick?”

“No, do you want me to leave?”

“Absolutely not. I haven’t been with you all day, but I need to give him some information.”

“Sure.”

He placed the call and Ben answered quickly. She heard his voice, but the words sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher. As Evan began to speak, Ginger turned in his arms while she held his gaze. She fisted his shirt and pulled down as she bent her knees. Evan’s eyes widened as a playful smile lit up her face.

“I know it’s Friday night, and I’m with my girl.”

He followed her lead and sat on the ground. As soon as his ass made contact she pushed him back as he tried to listen to Ben, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her. “Um. I have some information for you then I’m gonna enjoy my night.”

Ginger straddled Evan’s legs as she worked his belt then unfastened the button and slid the zipper over the bulge in his jeans. “Yeah, um, a couple of my officers gave me enough information today for you to investigate the bank.” Ginger took his cock into her mouth, and he swallowed hard. Her mouth moved up and down his cock as a moan worked its way up her throat. While she watched him, she rose on her knees and slid her panties to the side before she guided his finger to her core. The heat in her eyes couldn’t be mistaken for anything but love. As she slipped his finger out and moved it to his mouth, he opened to lick her juices from it while she lowered herself onto his hard cock.

She knew he hadn’t expected the erotic scene she was giving him by the look on his face. As she slowly rode him, she saw his control start to falter. “Ben, yeah man, I need to go. I’ll call you when I leave for the office in the morning,” he rushed to say. His eyes rolled back in his head as his lids closed when he disconnected the call. Ginger’s arousal from watching him flooded her pussy, and she now understood why he thought watching her was an aphrodisiac because she couldn’t get enough. He cupped her ass as she moved. “Darlin’, please tell me you’re close.” She finally let out the moan she’d been holding in. His eyes focused back on her while his fingers gripped her ass tighter and his arms helped her ride him harder. She whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut as her inner muscles contracted. “That’s right, darlin’,” he said through every thrust as he came deep inside her. With both of them panting, they couldn’t move. He pulled her down on top of him and finally calmed enough to speak between breathes. “Holy shit. That was hot as hell.”

Ginger smiled as her breathing began to slow. “So, you’re saying you enjoyed that?”

“Hell yeah. You seemed to enjoy it, too.”

“Mmmm, I don’t want to move.”

“If we don’t, we’ll get eaten by bugs.” Evan said with a chuckle.

They righted themselves then walked toward the house arm in arm. “So you’re working tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but we can still sleep in. I need to meet the weekend volunteers and Ben.”