Page 133 of Hard to Hold
“It’s not,” Wolfe replied, leaning down and pressing his mouth to mine. “It’s not hard. Not hard at all.”
I wished I could believe him, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were slipping out of my grasp. One second I felt on solid ground, the next as though the earth was crumbling beneath me.
I wanted to hold on to them. Not just in the moment, either.
More importantly, I wished Rhys would commit to us both.
Because without him being all in…
It wouldn’t even matter.
Rhys
I was up before Amy and Wolfe the following morning. I'd set my phone alarm to wake me after they’d fallen asleep. I'd slipped out of my own house, leaving them asleep in my bed, and knowing they were there, in my home, in my bed… It had been difficult to leave. Not because I didn’t want them there. On the contrary, I realized as I was slipping out of the house that I wanted to wake up to them every damn morning, to go to sleep next to them every night.
Like Wolfe, I had realized I was all in.
At some point last night—or maybe it was this morning, I wasn’t sure—I had realized they were it for me. I would never want anyone else the way I wanted them.
Not that I had time to dwell on the state of my love life. I had agreed to meet Joanna Tannenbaum this morning regarding her unofficial Jane Doe case. She’d called about ten minutes ago to say she was running late and I tried not to let it bother me. Around these parts, people tended to be early, not coming up with excuses. But not everyone was from a small town.
So, I had agreed to meet her over at the diner, where I now was with a cup of coffee and slightly less patience. I knew it was a risk being out in the open, but since Wolfe would be at church, I figured it was as safe as any place in town.
I knew instantly when the white Ford Taurus pulled into the parking lot that Joanna Tannenbaum had finally arrived. I watched as she climbed out of her car, smoothed down her shirt, and straightened her sunglasses. She wasn’t quite what I'd expected. Then again, I hadn’t really known what to expect, but the woman who resembled a supermodel more than a detective certainly hadn’t been it. Her blond hair was hanging over her squared shoulders, and the shoulder holster and badge weren’t concealed.
When she stepped inside, she removed the dark shades and peered around. She caught Donna’s attention, and a second later, she was being pointed in my direction.
I stood and held out my hand to greet her. “Mornin’.”
Her grip was firm. “I’m sorry I’m late, Sheriff.”
“Not a problem.” I motioned for her to sit and once she did, I took my seat.
Donna strolled over. “Can I get you some coffee?”
“Yes. Please. That would be great.” She turned toward me, then lowered her voice. “Thank you again for meeting with me.”
I nodded. “You mentioned a Jane Doe case.”
“Yes.” She turned toward Donna when the woman set a white mug in front of her, then poured the coffee. “Thank you.”
Donna nodded, then disappeared.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do this over the phone, but it’s”—she held my stare, her expression serious—“sensitive.”
“How so?”
She swallowed hard, then reached for her purse. A second later, she pulled out a picture and pushed it across the table.
I stared down into the familiar brown eyes of the woman I'd left in my bed just a short time ago. She looked different though. Her hair was board straight and dark. She wasn’t smiling as she stood next to…
Leaning forward, I snapped my eyes to the detective. “Is that Chief Kelly Jackson?”
She nodded and took a deep breath. “About a year ago, Chief Jackson’s girlfriend conveniently went to Pennsylvania to take care of her ailing grandmother.”
No, she didn’t, but I didn’t say as much. I figured Detective Tannenbaum knew that already since she was sitting in front of me.
“It just so happened it was at the exact same time that a Jane Doe was left in a drainage ditch not far from here.”
