21. Open And Warm And Welcoming

21

OPEN AND WARM AND WELCOMING

" H ope your Christmas wasn't too lonely," Jack said to her later that night.

"No," she said. No way she was saying that it was one of the most fun holidays she'd had in her life.

There was nothing uncomfortable about Jarrett's family.

They were open and warm and welcoming.

They included her in every conversation and never asked much personally. She'd later found out that Jennie's brother lived on the island too and that he was married to another Bond relation.

That Jennie's parents had passed also and the only family she had was Griffin. She didn't ask any questions about that.

One thing she learned was the more you asked of people, the more they asked of you.

It was just easier this way.

"Did you cook anything special?" Jack asked. He always asked about food and she found it funny.

"No," she said. "Just regular food. I snacked on and off and made a salad for dinner. How about you?"

"That's sad," Jack said.

She wasn't about to say she had eggs and toast with Jarrett for breakfast early and then later at his mother's had blueberry pancakes and fruit. There were muffins and a few quiches. Lots to choose from and she picked at a few things, but it wasn't anything really special either in terms of fancy cuisine. No, this was perfect for her.

She was too stuffed for lunch. Jarrett had actually brought her home and they'd hung out for a few hours and then he left. They both had to work tomorrow and neither of them was getting into the habit of staying together every night.

It was too soon for that. Fornowthey were together every Friday and Saturday night. The fact he stayed last night was an extra night and it was nice but nothing she was going to get used to either.

"I'm sure it's better than what you ate," she said. "Want to share that?"

"Not really," Jack said, laughing.

"You picked up food yesterday and then ate it again today leftover?" she asked.

"Isn't that what I normally do?" Jack said.

"It is. What did you do today? Work?"

"Some," he said. "It's just another day for me."

"At least you didn't think to come see me," she said.

"I was tempted, but I know you're working tomorrow and did yesterday too. You're not overdoing it, are you?"

"No," she said. "I'm busy. I'll cut back a day soon, but right now it's nice being flexible. The thing I hate the most is the big breaks, but it's nice to come and go too."

Sometimes she had atwo-hourappointment in the morning and then not another one until four in the afternoon. Now that she had a life outside of work it might be good to sit down and play with her calendar some and see if it made a difference.

One more day off a week was the first step. She had appointments for a lot of January already so she could take a day that might be open now.

Blocking out some nights would help too. Maybe starting later and just working one to two nights.

It would work out, she knew. She'd been told it'd be slower in the winter anyway. Come summer people would walk in or schedule last minute on vacation.

She'd figure it out then. The summer was a long way away in her mind.

"You're not too bored there?" Jack asked. "Not feeling isolated? I know the ferry schedule isn't as much and winter is just getting started. Any snow yet?"

"Some flurries today but nothing major. I'm not bored. You know me. I don't require a lot. A nice quiet life and that is what I'm getting."

"I'm still thinking of the transfer," Jack said. "I'm nervous."

It was not like him to be this way.

Yes, this was the first time she'd been away from him and maybe she really scared him with her fall, but that was almost two months ago.

Something had to be going on.

"Jack, is there something I need to know about?"

"No," Jack said.

"Don't lie to me. I can hear it in your voice. What is going on?"

"I don't want you worried. There is no reason for you to be. There is a bit of talk that some of the Dustin Family is trying to set up shop again."

The family that called the hit on her father. The successful hit.

Her heart was pounding. "Where?" she asked. "In the Northeast? Is that why you want to come here?"

"No," Jack rushed out to say. "New Mexico."

"Close to the border," she said. "Guess they aren't working with the Russians anymore?"

"Oh, they are," Jack said. "But why not build their empire? Most are behind bars, but those that didn't get caught or there was nothing concrete on them, they are expanding."

"I thought you'd want to get your vengeance," she said. "You don't want to go there?"

"No," he said firmly. "I can't draw attention to myself for fear they'd come after you again."

"And you think moving closer to me isn't going to do that?" she asked. Even though she never got any personal threat herself. Jack had said it was sent to him. She didn't know what to believe, but she was scared enough and after what happened with Leo it was best to hightail it out of town and start over.

"It's more about getting away from them. If they think I will go after them, they will look closer. They had it out for your father. It was something he was working on that he should have let go and you know that. I'd rather they know that I'm not picking up where Luke left off."

She did know. It hadn't been her father's case anymore, but he couldn't let it go and even hid it from his partner. That secret cost her father his life.

"Nothing we can do about it," she said.

If she hadn't found that damn USB in Pillow's bed, most of them wouldn't have been caught.

Her father had more than enough evidence but continued to push and shouldn't have.

She'd found it cleaning out her father's house with Jack. Her father's place had been broken into and trashed after his death.

It was so hard to go in there and pack up what she could. The cat had gotten out and was hidingattheneighbor's. She took Pillow home with her, but the older cat couldn't live without her father.

When she went to wash Pillow's bed she found the evidence the marshals all needed.

She was smart enough to not look at what was on it and handed it over to Jack immediately.

That was when the threats started, or so she'd been told.

Thoughnone of it came out until after her accident.

She supposed it didn't matter. It was the right thing to do with other threats looming over her head.

"No," Jack said. "If what I'm hearing is true, I might be putting in for a transfer. It wouldn't hurt to get closer to you."

"There are a lot of states that aren't that far away," she said. She didn't need him just a ferry ride away.

She felt she was finally finding some happiness in her life and the last thing she needed was that kind of interference.

"I'll see," Jack said. That was something at least. "Not too sad today, I hope."

"No," she said. "I had a few moments." Which was the truth. "But overall, it's good."

"Good," he said. "Sorry if I brought up anything to upset you."

"You didn't," she lied. She didn't want to think about what happened to her father and what caused her to be here.

"If you say so," Jack said.

Which meant he didn't believe her. A game they both played.

It worked for them.

He cared for her. She cared for him.

He was the only thing she had left of her father. The person she could talk to when she was missing her dad. She knew Jack felt the same way.

It was this bond they shared. That was why she'd told Jarrett it was complicated.

She was going to have to figure this out with her boyfriend and her father's old partner too.

Today just couldn't be the day.