Chapter Nine
Reed was tired and not in the best of moods. He wanted to be curled up in bed with his wife, not sifting through letters sent to Bryson from some of the wackiest people in the world. People who had real mental health issues and needed immediate professional intervention and care. It wasn’t just the women fantasizing about reforming Bryson, it was the crazy monsters who fantasized about killing others in his name. Reed didn’t even want to think about how many of these nut cases who had stopped thinking about it and made it a grisly reality.
After their tender afternoon together, Reed wanted more of Kaylee. Impatient as hell with the entire situation, he hadn’t been the nicest to Amy this evening. To be fair, she hadn’t made it easy. She didn’t appear to be getting the message and he was going to have to be more direct with the female marshal.
Very direct. And if she still didn’t get it, he’d draw her a fucking picture. Thank goodness, she’d finally gone outside to speak with Mike who was on guard duty.
Stretching his stiff back, he tossed the last letter on his stack into a box. There were plenty more still to go through, but they were making progress. “I’m going to make a fresh pot of coffee. I could use the caffeine.”
“I’ll be in to get a cup in ten minutes,” Jared replied with a yawn. “Make it industrial strength.”
“Like tar,” Logan agreed. “I’m fading fast. Why can’t I be like the twins? A little sugar and they’re good to go for hours.”
“Because you’re not six anymore,” Ava teased him, kissing his cheek as she and Kaylee re-settled into chairs around the desk. They’d been off folding laundry or something like that for awhile, but Reed was glad to see his wife back. She was smiling too, and it was doing funny things to his heart. He loved this woman so damn much. It had to be obvious to the world.
“In other words, I’m getting old,” Logan laughed. “It happens to everyone I guess but I thought my loving wife would be the last one to remind me.”
“I’m getting old, too,” Ava laughed. “You’re not alone. Besides, I don’t want to think about the alternative.”
“Damn right,” Jared said. “Getting old is a good thing. That’s a birthday gift you don’t want to give back.”
Standing, Reed stretched his arms over his head, working out the kinks in his neck and back. “One pot of coffee coming up.”
Bravely, he dropped a kiss on the top of Kaylee’s head as he headed to the kitchen. As always, she smelled amazing and he was tempted to sweep her up in his arms and carry her to their bedroom.
Patience. I need more patience.
They’d made huge progress today but that didn’t mean that she was ready to do more. He needed to move slowly, or he’d scare her off and they’d be back where they’d started.
“A cup of coffee sounds good.”
Shit. He couldn’t seem to shake this woman.
He flipped the switch on the coffeemaker and turned around to find Amy. She certainly was persistent.
“It will be ready in about ten minutes.”
“I can wait.”
She could but she didn’t need to. Reed wasn’t attracted to Amy, but he didn’t want anyone else to think that he might be. Already they were talking about her behavior. She didn’t know it, but Jared was going to call Evan tomorrow and have her reassigned.
“You seem tense.”
Because you won’t get the message.
“I think we’re all tense. We want Bryson back behind bars so we can all go back to our regular lives.”
The problem with Amy was that she wasn’t a bitch or anything. If she had been, this would be easy. She truly seemed sympathetic.
“You’re not happy.”
Even when his relationship with Kaylee had been at its worst he’d been happy and grateful to have her for a wife and be sharing his life with her. That meant he needed to be blunt and kind of mean to Amy. Right now. He couldn’t let her harbor any thoughts that this could ever be more.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m very happy. Maybe you simply don’t recognize it when you see it.” He walked up to her, invading her personal space. As a cop he’d learned about intimidating with his size early on. “I’m only going to say this once so listen up. I’m not interested. I will never be interested.”
Whatever Amy might have said in response would forever be a mystery. Jared, Logan, Ava, and Kaylee stomped into the kitchen, their voices announcing their arrival before he could see them. They were debating the merits of two television shows and whether one was better than the other. Kaylee and Ava were bound to win whatever the argument. They always did.
To his surprise, Kaylee walked straight to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. A warmth spread through his chest and gut and a big smile bloomed on his face. The ice was finally beginning to thaw. Fuck, he should have encouraged her to talk with Ava a long time ago. Clearly a few days with her best friend had helped. Kaylee looked far more relaxed than she had in months despite the crappy situation they found themselves in.
“Hey, babe,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. “We’re almost done with the mail. You can go upstairs and get some sleep if you need to.”
She shook her head, her silky auburn hair tickling his arm. “No, I’m good. I want to finish. But we are going to need that coffee. Ava and I thought we might get a tray of snacks going, too. Coffee on an empty stomach isn’t a good idea.”
“I can help,” Amy offered. “Just tell me what to do.”
Before Ava could answer, Jared stepped in. “Actually, we need you to give Mike a hand outside. He’s due for a long break.”
Reed had half-expected Amy to argue but she didn’t hesitate, turning on her heel and heading back outside. He gave his friend a grateful look over Kaylee’s head. They had each other’s back.
Things were finally looking up. His wife didn’t hate him and Logan had a lead on Bryson’s whereabouts. If they could find the son of a bitch, Reed could take Kaylee back home. Their home.
He and Kaylee could start their life again.