He growls and squeezes my hip before quickly sitting to hide his erection. I bend down and kiss his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” I murmur. “I’ll take care of that.”
The meal is fantastic, and everyone seems to feel the same. Not one of the Tuffman children complained, so that’s success in my book. It’s been the perfect, relaxing day. I think we all needed this. Connor and I aren’t the only ones that have had problems lately. McKenzie and Mary-Anne are seeing counselors now, and we are all doing what we can to support them, doing whatever we can to help them heal. They have a long road ahead of them, but McKenzie already seems a little . . . lighter. I think finally making the secret known that she’s been carrying for so long has helped. Grayson will start special education Pre-K this year, and once Wendy and Jeff can get insurance, hopefully, they can get him more therapy. Dusty is still warding off my sister. Poor guy. Lexi loves nothing more than a challenge and Dusty is doing a damn good job of it. But when he doesn’t know I’m looking, I’ve seen the way he watches her. I think he may be a little more interested than he lets on.
After the meal, everyone helps clean up, except Lexi, and a pretty intense volleyball game is happening in the backyard. Connor and I decline to join in, wanting to play a little game of our own in private. I’m grabbing the last of the dirty paper plates from the table when he leans toward me and growls.
“You have two minutes to get that sexy ass of yours inside.”
“Yes sir,” I say, with a grin.
“I have to grab something. I’ll be right there.” He takes off for the garage, and I hurry inside hoping to have enough time to check myself in the mirror. I toss the plates in the trash and rush to the bathroom, running my fingers through my hair. I’ve missed feeling this giddy for someone, feeling so . . . alive. There was a time I thought maybe I’d never experience that again. After a few attempts, I’ve just perfected my sexy pose for when he enters when I hear a loud pop. It’s so loud I nearly jump out of my skin. What the hell was that?
I walk briskly out of the bathroom and when I reach the back porch I see the backyard is empty. Where did everyone go? My heart starts pounding when I hear someone yelling, but I can’t make out who it is or what they are saying. But whoever they are, or whatever they’re saying, they sound distressed. I rush down the steps, the screen door smacking closed behind me and round the corner of my house, stopping dead in my tracks. Connor’s about twenty feet away, his back is to me, and he’s standing right in front of Mrs. Jenson.
Mrs. Jenson is here.
And she’s holding a gun aimed at Connor.
My heart is in my throat as dread and fear choke me. Please don’t shoot him, is all I can think, Please, God, please don’t let her hurt him.
“We would have been married forty-one years today,” she says through gritted teeth. Then her gaze moves to me. “You!” she shouts as she whips the gun at me. Connor immediately moves to stand in front of me as Mrs. Jenson stares at me, wide-eyed with rage, her frail arm shaking from the weight of the gun.
“No, Connor,” I gasp, but he ignores me and reaches back, pulling me to him, my front to his back.
“You ruined my life,” she sobs, balling her free hand up into a fist and biting it in what appears to be an effort to contain her emotion.
“Please put down the gun,” Connor says, to her calmly.
“My husband is dead,” Mrs. Jenson continues, her voice hoarse. “I can’t show my face in this town ever again with the lies you’ve spread about him.”
“Mrs. Jenson,” Connor pleads calmly, lifting his hands in the air as he walks toward her. I grab the back of his shirt and pull him back.