took a seat on the sofa beside her. “I figured you would move to Savannah with me.”
“Oh. Yeah. I plan on it.” Her voice softened. “I wasn’t thinking there for a minute.”
As the eldest daughter, she had inherited the title of Matron Whitaker. Had their finances not suffered, she would have brought a man into her family, into her house, and given him her last name. Instead, she had agreed to give up that title in favor of becoming Matron Pritchard. Losing her identity had to hurt, but his hands were tied. That was one line in their marriage contract he would not strike.
“You’re welcome to stay here, as long as you can handle your duties remotely.” He hadn’t meant to make the offer, but her expression begged him for some glimmer of hope he provided on reflex. “My parents are in good health, and there’s my little brother to consider too. We’ve got a packed house.” He tucked into his meal. “That doesn’t mean I can’t make room for you, and your dad, but you’ve got options.”
“Dad won’t leave this house.” She toyed with her food, pushing it across her plate. “As much as I’ll miss him, I won’t miss it. I’m looking forward to a fresh start, away from all the memories.”
“There’s no rush,” he assured her. “We can take this as slow as you like.”
“I appreciate that.” Her timid smile told him she was still trying, and he couldn’t ask for more than that. “I could use more time for Dad to adjust to the idea of me leaving, though. I’ll need to set up housekeeping too, since I won’t be around to clean or cook for him.”
“I’ll make it happen.” He didn’t imagine the relief in her expression, or the quick spark of temper behind her eyes for letting someone else shoulder a burden that was hers. “You can pick the housekeeper, and I’ll vet them.”
“Ah.” She stabbed a dumpling with her fork. “You don’t trust my judgment, but you want brownie points for framing the offer as if you do.”
Prickly, prickly. Handling her when money was involved might require wearing gloves. Maybe multiple pairs.
“The person you choose for the job is up to you. I won’t interfere with that decision. I just want to make sure we’re leaving your dad with someone we can trust to take care of him.”
We.
Just like that, she and he were a we.
The room spun around its edges, and his throat grew tight. This was moving too fast. Way too fast.
And Grier had no idea. No goddessdamned idea.
She would hate him for this, but not half as much as he despised his cultivated reputation for the message it would send her. That she was just another girl, just another kiss, just another warm body.
You’re better than me, Grier, better than I ever will be. I hope you know that.
“Giving up control is hard for me.” Adelaide kept nudging her food back and forth. “You don’t deserve me snapping at you.” She angled her head toward him but not her eyes. “You’ve been very kind, about everything.”
“We’re in this together.” For better or for worse. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Together,” she whispered, as if trying it on to see how it fit.
The phone in his pocket buzzed, and he checked the caller ID. “I have to take this.”
“No problem.” She ditched her fork for the remote. “I’ll get the movie set up before our food gets cold.”
Standing, he walked across the room for a modicum of privacy. “Boaz.”
“We got another one.” Chambers exhaled across the receiver. “This one down at the railroad museum.”
“I’ll be right there.” Boaz itched to get moving. “Hold the cleaners off as long as you can.”
Adelaide rose as he ended the call. “Work?”
“Yeah.” He scrubbed a hand over his prickly scalp. “Looks like I can’t stay after all.”
“No problem.” She tossed the remote aside. “I’ll walk you out.”
An honest laugh escaped him. “That eager to get rid of me?”
“No,” she said, dragging out the word like she was still making up her mind. “I was remembering what you said about a case keeping you in town. I didn’t want you to think you had to stay on my account.”
An hour or two made no difference to the dead. Boaz could have blown off work, plopped back down, and gotten to know Adelaide better on her home turf. That was what he should have done, but he was a coward.
When Adelaide stared at him, his future looked back, and