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make it look like he’s the one that’s being wronged. He can’t just let this go because it has to look good for his career.”

“Great,” Booth said. “Exactly what we need right now. More media attention. This shit is going to hit the fan.”

It was.

I could feel it now.

Scrubbing my face, I looked over at Booth. “Do you still want to go to the specialist appointment in Dallas tomorrow?”

He glanced over at Dillan who, despite being strangled all over again, didn’t look worse for wear.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m going.”

“That’s good because I’m opening my shop tomorrow,” she said. “And it’ll get you out of my hair instead of hovering over me every second of every day.”

Booth’s jaws clenched together.

“That’s…”

“I’ll check on her,” Bourne said. “I’m on dayshift tomorrow covering for Kanutson.”

Booth sighed and turned back to me. “I’ll pick you both up at six.”

***

Bourne

“Please tell me that is not a massive dildo suction cupped to my truck,” Booth said as he walked out of the hospital that night with his hand in Dillan’s.

Dillan started to snicker, seeing the massive thing sticking up off the roof of his truck, softly bobbing in the wind.

“That’s bad,” she said. “But at least you saw it before you started to drive around town with it.”

There was that.

“I’m going to kill her,” Booth said.

“No, you’re not,” I disagreed.

I climbed up onto the tailgate and reached for the dildo, finding it incredibly hard to get it off the roof.

“This has some hella suction,” I said to no one in particular.

It finally popped free, and I tossed it down into the bed of the truck before heading to my truck, laughing under my breath the entire way there.

It was only when I was in the cab heading back to Delanie’s place that I realized that was the first time I’d smiled in a while.

Because, for the last three hours, I was once again jealous of my brother’s life.

I wanted the wife, the kids, and the two-car garage.

I wanted that same thing. Now.

I just wasn’t sure that Delanie wanted the same things on the same timetable.

And that really sucked.

Chapter 12

Sometimes I think I got this. Other times I realize that it’s got me.

-Fact of life

Bourne

“Yo, Jason,” I called.

Jason, who was heading out of work after working for me last night so I could work today’s shift for Kanutson, offered me his hand.

“Hey, brother.” Jason grinned, shaking my hand. “Your shift sucks, by the way. I’m not sure why you’d willingly choose to do it.”

I snorted. “Says the person that has to sit there and twiddle his thumbs half the time.”

Jason shrugged. “It is what it is.”

I scratched the back of my head as I said, “You got an hour or so this morning to do me a favor?”

Jason looked at me skeptically. “I have a brand-new wife at home that’s probably still in bed. What in the world could be more important than that?”

I grinned. “I guess not much. But I was hoping for a favor. Hoping to use your skills for a bit to help me find a few things out.”

Then I told him about Delanie’s father, and his likelihood of taking this further. When I was done, Jason looked pissed.

“Sounds like a real winner,” he muttered. “But yeah, I can poke around for a bit. See what I can dig up. I was joking about my wife, anyway. She was up and working this morning at five. I can run by her office and see what I can dig up.”

Jason’s wife worked for their family business. C&C Investigations.

Jason had previously worked there himself for a year or two before he realized that he didn’t want to find evidence of cheating husbands for desperate wives anymore.

Then he’d started working for the police department and was slowly working his way toward detective.

But Jason had some serious skills. He seemed to find shit where there was only the tiniest flicker of dust.

He could make water into wine, and all that jazz.

Which was why I asked him.

“I’ll pay you in beer and pizza,” I thanked him.

Jason rolled his eyes.

Just like I knew he would, he said, “You’re not paying me, man. How many times have you helped me out?”

That was true.

Though Jason wasn’t my best friend or anything, he was a good friend. And I had helped him out when he needed the help.

Just like he would do for me if I ever needed it.

Kind of like right now.

“I wanted an excuse to kiss my wife anyway.” Jason slapped me