Deeper than happy.
Content.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, catching me off guard. Foolish butterflies. Marco and I couldn’t be anything more to each other than we already were. But it was hard to remember that when he was looking at me that way, especially in the wake of holding Lula’s baby and thinking about all that I’d planned for and lost.
“How are you doin’?” he asked quietly. “Really?”
“I’m okay. Eager to go home with you, though.”
Jerry glanced back and forth between us. “Tell me again why you two aren’t datin’?”
I laughed and took a step back. “Because we’re just friends. Sleeping together would only screw everything up.”
Jerry shook his head, muttering something about not understanding the youth of today.
The rest of the evening flew by, especially since a bunch of the construction workers came in for late dinners but didn’t linger to keep drinking. I called Hank when things settled down around nine to tell him I was spending the night with Marco and wouldn’t be coming home.
“There’s some breakfast casserole in the freezer,” I said. “Wrapped in foil. Just set it in the fridge tonight, then put the whole thing in the oven for a half hour at 300 degrees.”
“I’m perfectly capable of feedin’ myself,” he grumped. “Did Wyatt stick close to you today?”
“Closer than I liked. Why on earth did you force that man to agree to a blood price?”
“Because I needed him to know how much you mean to me, and if he’s puttin’ you in danger, then he better do everything in his power to keep you safe.”
Of course, I’d been thwarting him at every turn.
“Well, I don’t need him tonight. Can you call him off?”
“He made a vow and he’s bound to it until I release him. Did you run into any trouble today?”
“None, other than Wyatt himself—and don’t worry, he’s just being his usual overbearing, withholding self.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You don’t need to do this, girl. Makin’ Bart pay won’t bring Seth back.”
A lump filled my throat. “No, it won’t, but justice still needs to be meted out.”
“Just be careful what you wish for.” Then he hung up.
What was he talking about? Did he think he deserved some sort of punishment for the things he’d done?
I got busy after that and didn’t have time to dwell on it. Max sent Ruth home at ten, but first he told us that Ginger had agreed to help with the lunch shift. Molly would be there too, so Ruth wouldn’t have to come in until five.
By 11:30, the tavern was mostly empty, so Max decided to shut down early.
Marco was mopping the floor and Max was cleaning behind the bar, and I sat at a table to finish tallying my tips. Thankfully, I’d already done most of them before we closed.
Wyatt sat down in front of me. “I need to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said in a breezy tone as I kept my attention on my tickets.
“You plan to just ignore the fact that you pepper sprayed me?” he asked, incredulous.
Lifting my face, I said, “I gave you fair warning, then followed through.”
“You pepper sprayed him?” Max called out from across the room.
Marco stopped mopping to watch us.
Wyatt ignored his brother. “Where did you go after you left me in the parking lot gettin’ beat up by two old ladies?”
“If I wanted you to know, I would have told you.”
“Don’t you think I have a right to know given that you’re lookin’ into something that directly affects me?”
“You’re presuming I did something pertaining to Heather’s murder.”
“Well, didn’t you?”
“Again,” I said, “if I wanted you to know, I would have told you.”
“You heard her, Wyatt,” Marco said, walking over from across the room, still holding the mop. “Let it go.”
Wyatt spun in his seat to face him. “This is none of your business, Roland.”
“And as Carly herself told you, it’s none of yours either,” Marco countered, resting the mop on the floor and leaning against it.
“Marco,” I said, “thank for your intercession, but Wyatt was just leaving.”
“I’m not leavin’ until you tell me where you went,” Wyatt said, his hand clenching into fists on the table.
“Wyatt,” Max said in a low tone. “Enough.”
Wyatt stood, his face red. “Don’t let your pride get you killed.”
Then he stormed out the back door.
We all stood in silence for a few moments before Max said, “Will someone please tell me what’s goin’ on?”
Marco glanced at me, waiting for my cue.
“Wyatt came by Hank’s this morning,” I