She sighed. “Anthony already did but it didn’t feel right. I told him not to share anything with me unless there was a red flag.”
“You like him.” It was a statement, not a question.
“I do.”
“And that worries you?”
“It does.”
“Why?”
“It’s been a while.” Rachel finally looked up at him. Wrapped in terrycloth and without a swipe of makeup, she looked unusually vulnerable.
“Is that why you’re doing business instead of him this close to Valentine’s Day?”
“So charming.” She scoffed and shook her head. “It’s pretty new. I don’t want to dive in too deep too fast.” He could totally understand that. It sounded like his own internal argument from that morning. She sighed. “What do I do?”
“You’ve never needed anyone to tell you what to do. Don’t start now.”
“You’re supposed to be my friend. Aren’t friends nosy and always meddling and giving unsolicited advice?”
He half smiled.
“I’m soliciting.” She was fishing. He just wasn’t sure why.
After a few silent seconds, she leaned back on the couch and then turned her head toward him. “After Howard died, you were the one who stood by my side, helping me when I didn’t know what to do. You were my rock during the worst time of my life, and you weren’t getting paid to do that. So I know you genuinely cared, either for me or because of Howard. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what the driving reason was back then because you’ve proven to be a friend to me in all the years since. I’m asking you because I trust you and know there’s no ulterior motive. What do I do?”
Bull took a deep breath. He sure as hell wasn’t the ideal person to dish out love advice. “I’m not the authority on relationships. You know that.”
“Bull…” Rachel said on an exhale.
“I know Howard wouldn’t want you to be miserable. His biggest thrill was making you happy.”
Her entire face brightened, and her eyes misted with emotion. “He was something special…wasn’t he?”
“Yes, he was.” He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs, clasping his hands between his legs. “I don’t like getting involved in other people’s lives. That’s not my style.” Because I don’t want anyone meddling in mine.
“I know.”
He nodded, glad to have made that clear. “Has he ever asked you for money or favors?”
“No. He has his own money.” She shuffled in place beside him, sitting alongside him, attentive. “He’s never raised his voice at me, and he doesn’t talk about work whenever we’re together.”
Bull nodded, not really sure what else to ask without being intrusive. He couldn’t base an assessment through the filtered lens of someone who could be biased. “Take things slow until it feels right. You took charge of an enterprise by trusting your decisions. Keep doing that.”
“You’re not helping.”
He shrugged. “Then dump him.”
“Still not helping,” she said, bumping his shoulder. “I’m kidding. Believe it or not, that did help. I think I just needed to say it out loud without worrying about the listener’s hidden agenda.” She rubbed her hands together. “Tell me about phone sex person.”
He groaned. “I didn’t have phone sex.”
She leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms, her expression transitioning into the boardroom version of Ms. Davenport. “Mr. del Toro, don’t you dare jump ship off our personal boat of vulnerability now. You know it rarely leaves the dock.”
Huffing out a laugh, he shook his head. “His name is Ben.”
“You like him,” she said, mirroring his tone from earlier.
“I do.”
“And that worries you?”
“It does.” He glanced over to her at her question. “He deserves better.”
She stared at him. “I’m going to smack you. You’re a good man,” she said, her tone firm, brooking no argument. “Don’t let those voices in your head get to you.” She patted his knee and stood, ending the conversation.
They grabbed the extra pillow and sheets from the second bedroom and set up the pullout bed in the living room couch. A thin mattress wasn’t ideal, but during his time in service, he had slept in far worse conditions than he cared to remember.
“Good night, Bull.” She lingered in the threshold to her bedroom. “Thanks,” she said, disappearing into her room.
He set his gun nearby and tucked the pillow under his head as he faced the front door.
A vision of Ben and his smile invaded Bull’s mind as an unexpected peace settled within. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, letting the thoughts of Ben finally lull him into sleep.