some errands. I came to sit with you and keep you company. “
I huffed. “You came because she told you that you had to. I don’t need to be babysat.”
“You need something to soothe that grumpy ass of yours. I brought pizza. I thought you’d enjoy it.”
I laughed. “You brought pizza because you would enjoy it. The same with the beer.” I knew I was pouting. “I can’t even have one.” Then just to tick him off, I added, “She is gonna be so pissed when she finds out you’re eating pizza and drinking beer at lunch.”
“I’m not gonna tell her—and neither are you.”
I burst out laughing. “This is Laura we’re talking about. ‘The General’ ring a bell? She’ll know what you brought the second she walks in the door. And what’s even worse is she’ll know you hid it in your truck until she left so she wouldn’t find out.”
“Damn it.” He stood, grabbing the box. “I’ll get rid of the evidence. The key word here is deny, Jackson. Deny, deny, deny.”
I smirked. “She has a nose like a bloodhound.”
“Fuck!” Panicked, he glanced around the room. “Light some of those smelly candles! She’ll never figure it out.”
“Like she won’t wonder why the two of us are sitting here, enjoying the candlelight, Hank?”
He sat down, dropping his head into his hands. “We are so fucked.”
“We? I think you mean you. You are so fucked. I didn’t do anything.”
“You ate some!”
“Did I?”
“You know you did!”
I looked around. “There’s no evidence.” I looked down at my shirt. “No crumbs.” I sniffed my hands. “No pizza smell.” I smacked my lips. “My breath is minty fresh.”
“You fucker. That’s why you cleaned up after we ate.”
I grinned at him. This was the most fun I’d had since I got home.
“I might be persuaded to help.”
“Name your price.”
“Get your daughter to move in right away.”
“She’s already here.”
“Only because I’m laid up. I can’t pin her down to stay.”
“What’s in it for me?”
“Besides the lack of a lecture that will last longer than it took you to scarf down that pizza?”
“Yeah, besides that.”
“I plan on marrying her and then working on those grandbabies for you. She’ll be so busy with them, you’ll be free to eat pizza anytime you want.”
I lied like a rug, but it worked.
“Deal.”
“Okay. Grab the Febreze and crack a window. I’ll light a candle. Put all that shit in your truck.”
“Done.”
Laura got home an hour later, walking in carrying groceries. She glared at me as she came toward the couch. “You should be resting.”
“I am.”
“I mean lying down. Have you had your meds?”
“I did. But I wasn’t tired. Hank and I have been playing cards.”
“Did you have lunch? I left some sandwiches.”
Luckily, Hank had noticed those. They were in his truck, along with the evidence of the lunch he had brought with him.
I nodded. “They were great, thanks.”
She sniffed the air delicately. “Why do I smell Febreze?” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “And why do you have a candle burning?”
Hank stiffened, and I frowned at her. “I’ll explain later.”
Her toes began to tap. “Explain now.”
I crooked my finger, and she hunched down. “Hank’s a little, ah, gassy. He made his famous chili last night. I sprayed the couch and lit the candle. It was really bad, baby. Don’t say anything—he was pretty embarrassed.”
I knew Hank could hear me, but the bastard couldn’t say a word.
Laura looked at me, and I nodded, keeping my face impassive.
She straightened. “I’m going to make coffee.”
Hank glared at me. “You’re fired.”
“Okay. I’ll call her back and tell her the truth.” Then I laid down my cards. “Gin.”
“You are going to pay for all this, Jackson. Somehow, someday, I will get you.”
I smiled at him. “Game on, my favorite father-in-law-to-be.”
Chapter 7
Jackson
I woke up from my nap, yawning and stretching. After Hank left, Laura insisted I lie down. It really didn’t take much to convince me—I was rather tired, so I agreed easily. She had helped me to bed, then puttered around, chatting as I fell asleep. I was hoping when I woke up, she’d be beside me, but I woke up alone.
I glanced around the room, confused. All the lights were out, except one burning in the corner, the dim bulb throwing more shadows around the room. In the middle of my night table sat a bell. Frowning, I reached for it, wondering where the hell it had come from. I certainly didn’t own any bells. Did Laura buy it? Had I been calling her so much that