Page 14 of Denial
“If I thought you’d listen, I would have.”
I would have preferred her hiring a skywriter to tell me she’d had enough. Anything other than going along with this plan.
“The thing is, your schedule is hard on all of us.” Spencer slides his arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “We’re happy to help you out when we can, but the late-night callouts require someone dedicated.”
“And as much as we can keep up on taking care of Nellie, the house is falling behind,” Cortney adds carefully.
Nellie’s dark hair is falling out of her braid. Without thinking, I tuck the loose strands behind her ear. When I look back up, Alice is watching me, the amusement usually present softening.
I clear my throat.
“So maybe there are dishes in the sink, and I have to do laundry between shifts, and Nellie’s clothes live in a clothing basket rather than a closet. It’s not the end of the world.”
Silas snorts.
“What?” I turn my irritation on my youngest brother.
“I’m sure you don’t remember the last time you ran through here with a duster or a mop.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could help you keep up?” Whitney interjects before I can punch him. “Someone to keep Nellie on track and pick up the slack so when you have time off, you can just focus on your daughter and not have to clean up?”
The reality she describes would be nice. The guilt eats me alive when I can’t do as much as I’d like in our free time because my days off are filled with chores and prepping for the next time I’m gone.
Not that I’m ready to admit that out loud.
It’s just…her?Why did it have to be this woman, of all people?
“She’s my friend, Sutton,” Whitney continues gently as if reading my thoughts. I find her imploring gaze steady on me.“My best friend. She can be a little unserious at times, but her heart is in the right place, and she’s trustworthy.”
A little?I sink my teeth into my lower lip to bite back the mockery.
My instinct says I should cuff Ms. Thompson again and release her once she’s out of my house.
But my gut… My gut sees the people I trust most in this world demanding I give this a try and begins to back down.
Fuck.
“While I appreciate this extremely subtle ambush, I think I’d like some time to get to know Ms. Thompson alone and decide for myself.”
That sounds reasonable enough. I can ask her a few interview-style questions, let her do a trial on Monday, and after my shift, I’ll find some reason we’re not a good fit and let her go.
A reason that has nothing to do with the fact that my handcuffs were around her wrists this afternoon, and her sass is liable to drive me to madness.
“Enough of this Ms. Thompson. Call me Alice.” She winks at me, but I don’t miss the way she steals a glance over at Whitney when she thinks I’m not looking. Something passes between them. Gratitude? The brief message escapes my understanding.
“That’s fair,” Mom says, gathering her bag like her job is done. “Let’s give these three some time alone.”
I roll my eyes.
For her, this is a mission accomplished.
For me? It’s the beginning of a nightmare.
My family files out with brief goodbyes. Something I’m thankful for after the long day I’ve had and the conversation ahead.
Nellie kisses her grandma and skips off in the direction of her playroom.
I don’t miss the way Whitney, Cortney, and Alice exchange words before the two familiar women depart, drawing a conclusive arrow to the masterminds.
