Dani’s biggest worry about Jason’s memorial was how Megan was going to handle it. After their time at the firing range the other day, Dani knew pretty well how much all of this was eating her up inside. But she also knew that Megan needed today. She couldn’t move forward with her life until she said goodbye to her brother, as sad as that was.
Cole had called that morning and asked if Dani wanted a ride, and Dani had said yes, mostly because she still felt bad about the way things had ended the other night. He’d put a stop to things, but he’d made it clear it was because of the precedent she’d set with that word—mistake. It didn’t mean that she hadn’t gone to sleep that night, immensely frustrated, thinking about how Cole could’ve been in her bed, weighing her down with his solid frame and sending to her peak over and over again.
He picked her up at her house, and Dani hurried outside as soon as he arrived.
“I was hoping to see the boys today,” Cole said. The disappointment in his voice was heavy, which worried Dani. Did he suspect they were his? She shuttered aside her paranoia by focusing instead on how incredibly hot he looked in a charcoal-gray suit and his black Stetson.
“Oh. I’m sorry. Elena took them to see Aunt Dot.” Cole was getting attached to them and she knew they were getting attached to him. It was dangerous territory that made her wonder about the wisdom of spending more time with him. Still, looking at his face and his soft and tender eyes, she couldn’t deny that there was this pull deep inside her that made her want to be with him.
“Okay then. I guess I’ll see them some other time.”
Dani got settled in the truck and decided she should change the subject. “You’re looking sharp, Sullivan.”
He smiled and pulled out of the driveway. “Thanks. You aren’t looking too shabby yourself. Although I like seeing you in brighter colors. Like red.” He cleared his throat and cast a quick glance at her.
“Yeah. I noticed.”
“Can you blame me?”
Dani just stared out the window, not knowing how to answer. She’d known exactly what she was doing when she went to his house that night. There was just some part of her that wasn’t willing to admit it. At least not out loud.
“Are you going to respond?” Will asked.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Cole. Did I wear the dress to get your attention? Yes. Absolutely. Did I wear it so you would kiss me? No. That was not the point.”
“Then what was the point?” Cole took the turn into Aaron’s neighborhood.
Dani looked down at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap. Could she own up to this? Now seemed as good a time as any. “I wanted you to see what you were missing.”
“Well, mission accomplished.”
Dani was ready to put this subject to rest. She had nothing else to add, and she’d already come clean. “Is Will going to be there today?”
“I’m sure he will be. He and Megan have been spending so much time together.”
“They’re in such a weird predicament. Technically still married, needing to pretend like everything is fine.”
“Definitely makes for a situation only the two of them can understand.”
Dani sighed, just thinking about Megan’s lot in life. “I’m glad we’re doing this. I think it will be good for everyone.”
“It was sweet of you to suggest it.” Cole pulled into the driveway on Aaron Phillips’s impressive estate and stopped before the brick mansion standing sentry on the manicured grounds.
They made their way to the grand arched front door, greeted by Kasey Monroe, Aaron’s executive assistant turned nanny, and now, his fiancé. “Thanks you two for coming. Everyone is out back. Savannah is chasing the puppies so she can put them in the mudroom.”
Cole and Dani walked inside. Savannah was indeed running around with one dog tucked under her arm and in hot pursuit of the other, all while wearing a lavender dress with a full skirt and Mary Janes.
“Does she need help?” Cole asked.
“No. She’s the dog whisperer. I just try to not get mad when they eat my shoes.”
They followed Kasey out to the backyard, which was just as stunning as the one at Cole’s house. “Megan, Will and Aaron are over by the koi pond under the tree. We’re going to do everything over there. I’ll go get Savannah.”
Dani and Cole wound their way past the pool to the serene setting.
Megan pulled Dani into a hug right away. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Of course. You know I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
“You, too, Cole,” Megan added. “It means a lot that you came. I know it was important to Will that you were here.”
Dani looked over at Will and Aaron, who were immersed in what appeared to be an intense conversation. That was the nature of Aaron, though. Everything about him was strong and at full force.
Kasey appeared, holding Savannah’s hand. Savannah was really starting to shoot up. It wouldn’t be long until the little girl was as tall as Kasey. “I think we’re all ready. The puppies have been secured.”
Aaron and Will broke up their conversation and acknowledged Cole and Dani with a nod. Aaron stepped closer to Megan and whispered in her ear before scooping Savannah up into his massive arms and taking a spot right next to Kasey.
Megan removed her sunglasses and made eye contact with everyone in attendance. “Aaron and I have asked Will to deliver the eulogy today.” She cast an adoring look at Aaron. “My brother and I aren’t quite ready to talk about it yet. We just want the chance to honor Jason and the life he shared with us.”
Megan stepped back and made room for Will to stand in front of the koi pond. The sunshine filtered through the leaves of the trees overhead, casting beautiful dappled light onto the stone patio.
Will cleared his throat, and Dani could see the pain in his eyes. “We’re here today to honor the life of Jason Phillips, a brother, a father and an incredible friend. I will keep this short, because I know that words won’t bring him back. I didn’t write any of this down, but Jason always spoke from the heart, and I want to do the same for him.” Will stood a little straighter. “This has been hard for all of us. The loss we have experienced is great. But we still have today. And we still have each other. Jason would’ve wanted us to cling to what we have, not think about what we have lost.”
Will looked at each one of them. “What’s keeping me going right now is being able to see Savannah, Aaron and Megan. I see Jason in all of you. Aaron, I see your brother’s strength and intensity. That tenacity has shown in the investigation into his death. You uncovered details that have helped Cole and the entire team.”
Aaron’s jaw quivered, and Kasey leaned in to him.
“Savannah, I look at you, and I see the hope and youthful spirit that your dad always had. He and I were only a little older than you when we met. I will never forget that day.” Will’s voice faltered, in a way that made Dani wonder if he could continue, but he collected himself. “We were the very best of friends. We both loved horses, and we loved living in Texas. We’d get in some trouble from time to time. But your dad wasn’t afraid to admit it if he’d made a mistake. That’s an important life lesson. You have to own your mistakes and move on.”
Dani swallowed hard and looked over at Cole. Had she made a mistake with keeping the boys from him? She’d been so certain when she was in New York that she hadn’t, but as she spent more and more time with him, that certainty was giving way to questions.
Will turned to Megan and reached out for her hand. “Megan...”
“Don’t you dare make me cry, Will,” Megan said. “I did not put on waterproof mascara today.” Everyone laughed quietly.
He stepped closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay to cry. It only means that you loved him.”
Megan looked into Will’s eyes and shook her head. “I did love him. I loved him so much.”
Will set a finger under her chin and kept her face tilted upward. “That love is still here, Megan. It lives inside you. I see it every time I talk to you. I see it when you laugh. Don’t ever let go of that. Hold on to it forever. For Aaron. For Savannah. For me.” Will broke down and pulled Megan into his arms.
Dani leaned into Cole, and he tugged her closer. The entire scene was so overwhelming, reminding Dani just how precious loved ones were. Will and Megan had lost so much because of Rich. Will had his identity stolen. Megan had a sham marriage. They had to continue living a lie until Rich was caught. But losing Jason was obviously the breaking point for both of them.
It made Dani realize how lucky she was to have Cole to lean on right now. She closed her eyes and inhaled his warm and manly scent, allowing herself to be comforted as he trailed his warm hand up and down her arm. It felt so good when he was being protective. It felt so right in his arms. He could be her rock when he wanted to be. But did he want that? Was it possible for them to work out their differences?
Megan sniffed and wrenched herself from Will’s arms. They were holding hands, still standing close. “Okay, everyone. If Jason was here, he’d tell us that this was enough sadness for one day and we should go inside, toast to him and eat.”
“It’s probably time to let the dogs out of the mudroom, too,” Kasey added. “There’s no telling what they got into.”
“Free the puppies!” Savannah wiggled out of Aaron’s arms and bolted inside the house.
“You okay?” Cole asked Dani, pulling her aside.
She nodded. She wasn’t really okay, but she had to be for Megan. “I’m good.”
Dani and Cole went inside and had a quick bite to eat and a glass of iced tea with everyone. The mood was subdued, although Savannah kept things lighter, playing with the Newfoundland puppies on the floor. Dani couldn’t take her eyes off the young girl, only two years older than Colin and Cameron. Clearly, Savannah was in a good situation, living with her uncle and Kasey, who were engaged to be married. But it still made Dani’s blood boil to think about what Rich had done. And for what? Money? Was any amount of money worth taking a parent away from a child? It wasn’t right. In fact, it was unthinkable.
Cole leaned closer to Dani. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I am. I’m just ready to get back.”
“You guys taking off?” Megan had apparently heard Dani’s answer.
Dani produced a sheepish smile. “We are. Is that okay? Do you need us for anything?”
Megan got up from her seat. “I’m as good as I’m going to get at this point. Thank you for suggesting this. It was nice. Now we just need to catch that bastard Rich. I need to put this all behind me.”
Dani hugged Megan, and they said their goodbyes, but Dani was haunted by what her best friend had said. I need to put this all behind me.
* * *
“Ready?” Cole asked after Megan walked away.
“Yes. I’m wiped out,” Dani said.
“Me, too.” This small gathering for Jason made Cole’s charge feel all the more urgent. He had to get this case resolved as quickly as possible. Everyone had suffered too much at the hands of Rich, and every day that went by was another chance for Rich to get away.
They headed into the foyer. Will was on the phone. He held up his finger, presumably to asking them to wait.
“Well, Case, don’t worry too much about me,” Will said. He had to be speaking to TCC president, Case Baxter. “I’ve just been busy with work. You know how it goes. I appreciate the call, though. Thanks.” He hung up his phone and cast Cole a look. “That was Case Baxter asking if I was okay. He said I seemed out of sorts when he saw me leaving my office at the TCC. Less than an hour ago.”
The blood in Cole’s veins went to ice. “Rich.”
“It has to be.”
Dani covered her mouth. “Oh my God.”
“You didn’t tip Case off that it might be Rich, did you?”
Will shook his head. “No. I think I covered pretty well.”
“Good. I guess I’m glad that he’s still around, because that means his stash is likely still somewhere in the county. We just need to find it. That’s the key to catching him. And I need to get my hands on the security tape from the TCC. Maybe it’ll tell me something about what he’s up to.”
“Do you think I should tell Megan?” Will asked.
Cole thought on that. Sheriff Battle had a deputy regularly patrolling her street, making sure she was safe. Plus, Megan was so independent and pissed off, knowing her, she’d probably go looking for Rich herself. “Let’s keep this between us for now.”
Will nodded, seeming distracted. “I don’t like knowing that Rich is around. I worry for Megan’s safety.” He looked off toward the other room. “I just want to protect her.”
“Of course you do,” Dani said. “You said some lovely things about Jason today. I know it meant a lot to her.”
“It’s literally the least I can do,” Will said. “I’m sure you’ve struggled with wanting to help, too.”
Dani nodded. “I absolutely know what you mean.”
Cole could see how much this was weighing on Will. “Okay, buddy. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow, okay? And don’t worry. We’ll get him. I promise.”
“I know we will. I know.”
Dani and Cole said their goodbyes and headed outside. Cole was trying to tamp down his frustration over not having caught Rich yet. He really wanted to think about something fun like spending time with Dani, although he was fairly sure she’d turn him down. After all, he’d been the one to stop things the other night.
“Cole.” Dani stopped with a hand on his shoulder just as they got to the car. “Slow down a second. You’re walking a million miles a minute.”
“I am?”
She cocked both eyebrows at him. “You are. Which means that you’re just as worked up about all this as I am.”
“Well, of course I’m worked up about it. This case means a lot to a lot of people.”
“It does. Including my best friend. Megan needs justice, Cole. You have to let me do it. You have to let me go with you on the sting.”
“Dani, we’ve talked about this. I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” He turned and rounded to his side of the car.
Dani climbed inside. “Just hear me out. After sitting in that room and thinking about how much Jason is missed, seeing that little girl and knowing she doesn’t have her daddy anymore? You know I lost my dad. No girl should have to grow up without a father. It’s not right.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but I’m still not sure.”
“Look. You know me. I am cool as a cucumber under pressure. And going to a party and trying to lure a man into saying something he shouldn’t? I’m practically built for this job. I’m very good at getting men to do things they shouldn’t.”
Cole laughed quietly. “Yes. I’m aware of your superpower.”
“And I know you’d never let anything happen to me.” She took his hand. That one touch sent a jolt of electricity right through him.
“Is now the part where you get a man to do something he shouldn’t?”
Dani smiled, which only made him do the same. He couldn’t help it. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
She was right. She was perfect for this job. And in theory, it was a simple one. Plus, he knew Bird and Stanton. They would never let anything happen to a civilian. Even more so, he would never let anything happen to Dani. He would stand in front of a barrage of bullets for her. He did want the chance to live up to his promises to her. He knew he’d let her down all those years ago. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“Is that a yes?” Her voice was bubbly and excited.
“Yes. That’s a yes.”
She clapped her hands and rubbed them together. “Awesome. Tell me everything I need to know.”
Cole started the car. It felt good to know she still had confidence in him. “We leave Tuesday afternoon. I have a private plane chartered.”
“Fancy. Is that really necessary?”
“Yes. Sheriff Orson knows everything that happens within a hundred-mile radius of his county. He thinks I’m a major big hitter. He has to know that we’re flying into that tiny airstrip in our own plane.”
“Will he be able to trace where the plane came from?”
“The FBI is taking care of that. They’ve set up a false identity for me, and the plane is registered to that name.”
“Sounds like you have it all figured out. What else is left to do before we go?”
Cole and the FBI had indeed gone over every contingency. He certainly felt prepared. Still, he’d have to be at the absolute top of his game. There was no room for mistakes. “I’ll brief you on everything on the plane. But we are going to have to go dress shopping. You’ll need something suitable for catching the eye of a very bad man.”
“I have dresses. No need to go shopping. I attended several black-tie events in New York.”
“Well, then, maybe we just need to go through your closet.” Visions of Dani filling out slinky dresses popped into his head—the pleasing contours of her hips, the swell of her breasts, the sexy bow of her lower back as it led to her butt. His body was buzzing just thinking about it.
“You don’t trust me to pick out my own dress?”
He did trust her to choose a gown, absolutely. Still didn’t mean he didn’t want to be there for it. “I need to make sure that it passes muster on the sexy scale. It needs to be really sexy.”
“How sexy?” Dani’s voice was soft and husky.
“Super sexy.” Cole glanced at Dani just as she ran her tongue over her plump lower lip. Cole thought he might fall over.
“We could go look now if you want. Elena won’t be back with the boys for a few hours.”
“So that big, beautiful house of yours is empty right now?” A few hours...the idea was exhilarating. It was terrifying, too. They’d both demonstrated their ability to stomp on the brakes when clothes started to come off. They’d both shown their hesitation with letting the other in. Trust was a funny thing, fleeting and so easily broken.
“It is. What are you implying?” The flirtation in her voice was sending electricity straight to his groin. She knew damn well what he was suggesting.
“Just want to know whether or not I’ll be able to get a parking spot in your driveway. That’s all.”
“Oh, okay.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. She slapped his thigh with the back of her hand. “Drive the car, Sullivan. We’ve got dresses to pick out.”