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Zack had leftto pick up something to eat for himself and Laurel. Travis had eaten and fed the kids, as well, so Laurel was able to talk with her children for a while, read them a story, and reassure them that everything would be all right before she put them to bed.
She wished she could believe that everything would be all right.
“Is Tobi on call?” she asked Travis, walking into the living room.
“No, she’s running late, though. She should be home before too long.” He got up and said, “Want something to drink?”
“Do you have anything besides water?”
“Cokes. Actually, I think Tobi made some lemonade.”
“Lemonade sounds wonderful.”
Travis grinned and left the room, returning a short time later with a glass of lemonade for Laurel and a beer for himself. He sat down beside her on the couch.
“Thanks.” Laurel still wanted to go back to her apartment but she knew Zack was right. Tomorrow would be soon enough to see what was missing and assess the damage beyond the broken glass in the door to the balcony. She’d noticed that before she’d run, but she hadn’t really seen much else. Besides two men, one of them with a gun, she thought sourly.
After the police arrived she’d been able to peek into the apartment, but that was as far as she got. No disturbing the crime scene. Adam Wells was one of the responding officers who Laurel knew and she’d asked him to put the groceries that needed to be kept cold into the refrigerator. He’d promised he would, even though she suspected he thought it a strange thing to worry about. But then, he’d probably never had food left to rot in his apartment.
Travis interrupted her reflections. “Have you figured out yet that Zack really loves you?”
“What?” That was out of the blue.
“Zack is in love with you. When he saw the bullet holes in your door he almost lost it. Not that I blamed him. Jesus, Laurel, you could have been shot. Even killed. You and the kids.”
“Believe me, I’m well aware of that.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“He loves you. I’ve known him a long time, almost our whole lives, and I’ve never seen him be this goofy in love with any other woman.”
“Oh, Travis.” She set down her glass and put her head in her hands for a long moment before raising her head and looking at him. “I’m beginning to believe it. But leaving aside the robbery—which scared the hell out of all of us—what’s he supposed to do when I’m pregnant with his twins? He almost has to act like he loves me.”
“Oh, yeah? It didn’t seem to bother Stan to leave you with two kids to raise on your own.”
“That was a low blow. Zack is nothing like him.”
“That would be my point.” Travis hugged her. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought up the bastard. I’m an asshole.”
“Don’t expect me to argue with that statement.”
Travis laughed. “I won’t.”
“But aside from those asshole-ish tendencies, you’re a very good brother and uncle and I’m lucky to have you.”
“About time you realized that,” he said.
Laurel punched him in the arm, lightly. “That’s another thing I love about you. You’re so modest.”
“I can’t argue with that,” he said and they both laughed.
Laurel sobered quickly. “I still can’t quite believe I was robbed.” Not to mention, shot at. “Why would they pick my apartment? Out of all the other apartments, why mine?”
“Random chance. Or most likely because they thought you’d be gone. Did you ask the cops if there’s been a rash of burglaries recently?”
