Page 82 of Operation Protector
And that mental image alone was enough to enable Colby to stride out of the dining room, the famous lawyer at his side, looking as if he owned the world.
Chapter 37
“So,” Quinn said as they leaned back on the couch after watching the video Teague had shot, “do you think we got to her?”
Ali watched Colby as he sat there, slowly shaking his head in wonder, staring at the now-blank screen. She had a feeling she knew just what had him so gobsmacked.
“Could we watch that moment when she spots Colby again?” she asked. “It just does my heart good.”
Hayley laughed and rewound the video. The moment when Liz’s eyes widened was wonderful, and the next instant when her jaw dropped, heedless of the fact that she was out in public, was even better.
But the best of all was the moment when fear flashed in her normally cold, gray eyes. That was absolutely priceless.
“As well you should be afraid,” she murmured.
Colby heard her, because his head snapped around to look at her. “So… I’m not imagining that?”
She reached out and took his hand, squeezed it. “That scared look in her eyes? No, you are not. Isn’t it wonderful?”
He laughed, then looked up toward the ceiling, biting his lower lip. He closed his eyes, and she wished she knew what was racing through his mind at that moment. When his eyes abruptly snapped open and he looked down, she saw that Ziggy was pawing at his leg, trying to climb up. But before the pup could do it, and even before Colby could reach down for him, Cutter was there.
He picked Ziggy up just like Quinn and Hayley had told them he had when he’d brought Ziggy to them, and plopped the wiggly bit of black-and-white fur in Colby’s lap. Colby simultaneously patted Cutter and picked Ziggy up. He held the squirmy pup against his chest, and Ziggy reached up to swipe his chin with a pink tongue.
Even my puppy loves him.
For a moment she allowed herself to think beyond this crisis, to a time when things would settle and they could just be together. When this horrendous strain was behind him and Grace, and they could actually be happy. But then Quinn spoke, yanking her back to reality.
“We’ll be watching her carefully. Teague’s on her now. I suggest you remain here, Colby, so she can’t corner you at your house. I have a feeling she’s going to react rather strongly once she gets over the shock.”
Colby nodded. Ali reluctantly glanced at her watch. Hayley noticed, and nodded.
“Yes,” she said, “you need to be close by when Grace gets home from school, to make sure she doesn’t take any heat from this.”
She felt Colby stiffen, and reached over to grab his hand. “I won’t let her hurt Grace. If I have to go kick down the door or make up a story and call the sheriff.”
“We’ll call them, if necessary,” Quinn said. “We’ve already alerted Carly that things may be starting to move.”
“Good,” Colby said flatly. “Grace’s safety comes before anything else.”
“I’ll come with you,” Hayley said. “I think we can get away with another visit from your old friend.”
“Thank you,” Ali said, meaning it rather fiercely. She had the feeling things might start happening fast, and if she couldn’t have Colby at hand, Foxworth was the next best thing.
They only had a few minutes, so her goodbye with Colby was much shorter than she would have liked. But he blew all other thoughts out of her mind when, hugging her close, he whispered, “I can’t wait until this is over and we can just be us together.”
“All three of us,” she whispered back. She felt a ripple go through him, and knew she’d found the right response. And she meant it with all her heart.
They made it to her place ten minutes before Grace usually got home. Irene was still at the house next door, which usually meant Liz herself was picking her up from school.
“I hope that’s not a bad sign,” she muttered.
“We won’t assume,” Hayley said. “She does pick her up frequently, and she was already out. But we won’t assume it’s nothing, either.” She gave Ali a reassuring smile. “Now, show me this new greenhouse of yours. I’ve been thinking about one myself.”
“I still can’t quite believe he did it,” Ali said with an almost embarrassed smile as she led Hayley to the newly installed—and filled—structure, Cutter at their heels.
“I can. Because I can see how he feels about you.”
“Sometimes I can’t believe it’s even real,” she admitted, not even bothered by the fact that Hayley clearly knew how close she and Colby had become.
