Chapter 7

• Patrick placed the pillow behind Rhonda as she sat at the kitchen table. “Is that comfortable?”
• Rhonda nodded.
• Cora was pouring coffee into large mugs. She stopped as Patrick reached around and flipped the one mug upside down and replaced it with a smaller one he’d picked up out of the rack. He didn’t say a word as he did this. She turned with her own mug and watched him place the smaller cup in front of Rhonda. She probably couldn’t hold the larger mugs
• Rhonda smiled up at him. “Who is going to be two steps ahead of my needs when you go back to work, Patrick?”
• He shrugged and sat down. “I’m sure you’ll manage fine.” He glanced briefly at Dade and then gave Cora a solemn look.
• Cora turned back to peek in the oven. “You should move closer to us, Rhonda, one more woman to keep these men in line would be good.” She turned back to her.
• Rhonda looked up from the cup she was focusing on. “It’s a thought. I’m going to die of boredom when Patrick leaves.”
• Dade got up and looked into the oven over Cora’s shoulder. “I’m going to climb in there in a minute with it, honey, it smells so good.” He winced when she swatted at him playfully.
• Leaning back against the counter beside her, Dade looked at Rhonda for a minute. “You could move into my place. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it just yet.” He motioned to the large ovens with a jerk of his head. “All I do know is I’m never moving that thing again, so Cora and I will be living here.”
• Rhonda took a sip. “Are you going to rent it?”
• Dade shrugged. “It’s a thought. Just seems silly to have it sit there empty and you alone an hour away.”
• Rhonda looked at Patrick quickly and then back down to her cup. “I wouldn’t mind being closer to the women.” She smirked. “Pat is great company, most times, but he’s not big on…girl stuff.”
• Patrick patted his chest jokingly. “Because I’m a man.”
• Rhonda grinned at him. “Is that why? I never noticed.”
• Cora pulled the pan from the oven and set it on the pad in the middle of the table. She grinned as Dade began cutting into the food before she had let go of the dish. “It would be great to have you closer.”
• Patrick held up Rhonda’s plate for Dade to put some of the fluffy food on it. “You’ll have more room to roam as well, and more space when you go back to work.”
• Rhonda sat and watched him add toast and potatoes to her plate. “The work part better be soon. My savings are running a little low.”
• “I’m sure it will, you’re almost able to grip your pencils enough now to do some, right?”
• She shrugged as she focused on the fork in her hand.
• Dade looked at her for a moment before he dug into his food “So what do you do, Rhonda?”
• She looked up and smiled. “I’m an illustrator, freelance mostly, books, ads and the odd commission.”
• Dade grinned. “I can’t even draw a stick man.”
• Rhonda set the fork down and picked up the cup, it shook in her hand. “I can’t build anything, so that’s fair.” She set the cup down and gave him a serious look. “You let me know when you come up with a rental fee and I’ll see if it’s something I can juggle until I can get some work done again.”
• Dade paused in eating and shrugged. “First month or so I’d imagine would be kind of free, as I have several repairs and things to do.” He smirked. “Always too busy doing things for everyone else, just never got around to finishing my own.” He dipped his head and continued to eat.
• Cora smirked at Rhonda. “You’ll understand when you see the two half painted rooms and the lumber piled in his basement.”
• “Maybe I could help with some little things then, I have more than enough time,” Rhonda offered.
• Dade nodded and took a sip of coffee. “Helping me pick colors that don’t turn to a mutated yuck when I put them on a wall would help.”
• Cora chuckled. “Picking those colors when you and Steven were drinking probably wasn’t the wisest idea.”
• Patrick laughed and leaned on the table. “You really do need to avoid the drink, Dade.”
• Dade smirked. “Maybe.”
• Patrick studied Rhonda for a minute. “So, the move will be good then? I won’t have to worry about you finding trouble when I’m away.”
• Rhonda laughed. “Oh, I’m sure when I’m up to trouble I’ll be able to find it.”
• He scowled at her.
• “This is wonderful. You could stay there tonight after the reception and check it out.” Cora said rising to rinse her plate.
• Rhonda ate the last bite and chewed it slowly. “I think I will.” She rose slowly and carried her plate to the sink.
• Cora watched Patrick look at Dade before turning to her, his expression clearly conveyed a thank you. Dade smirked and winked at him before rising with his own plate.
• “We’d better get moving.” Patrick said quietly as he stood.
• Cora glanced at the clock. “Oh. I didn’t realize the time.” She pointed to the door. “Dade, you two get the stuff from the hallway, we have to get over to help the girls soon.”
• Dade shrugged and leaned against the counter smirking at her. “I’m not going anywhere until I get a damn kiss at least.”
• Rhonda grinned as she followed Patrick out of the room giving the couple a few minutes privacy. “Did you set that up, Detective?”
• He stopped and looked down at her. “You think I need to set things up so Dade can kiss his woman?”
• She grinned. “No, you twit, the moving.”
• He shook his head and sighed. “You’re so suspicious of me. Would it have been so bad if I had, if I wanted to see you around people that care about you?”
• Rhonda sighed and looked up to see the gentle expression on his face. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t be, and if you did, thank you.”
• Patrick smiled down at her and reached to run the back of his large hand softly across the faded scar on her cheek. “You keep thanking me and I’m going to start thinking I’m one of the good guys.”
• “You are, aren’t you?” She smirked.
• “Guess that depends what day it is and whether I’m working or just a normal man.”
• “I don’t think I’d ever call you normal.”
• Dade came through the door grinning. “Come on we’ve got to go and get all these people married so tonight gets here faster.”
• Patrick shook his head and turned to follow him.