Page 35 of Keeping Collette

“I won’t ask how you’re doing, because I can hear it in your voice. Are you home?”

“I am.”

“Can I come over?”

“Sure.”

He wasn’t the least bit offended by her one syllable responses. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Bye.”

He caught her murmured goodbye before the call disconnected. Perhaps she had taken Astrid’s advice and stayed at home, and it had been the worst thing for her, although he had no right to judge what Collette was doing, or how she was handling her grief. Everyone’s journey was different. But he would do what he could to help her through it. Turning up with the coroner’s report may not be the best idea, but he would take it anyway and gauge how she was before deciding to show it to her.

“Everything okay?” Jag asked as he headed toward the front door.

“Yep, going to see Collette.”

Jag nodded. “Tell her if she needs anything, all she has to do is ask.”

“I’ll let her know. Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

He took a couple of steps before stopping and turning back to his friend. “Keep an eye on Hound will you? What Julian told us has hit him hard, considering his familial connection to the location.”

“I’ve got his six.”

Like he’d done with Hound, he gave Jag a chin lift and headed out the door. He had no idea what state Collette was going to be in when he got there, but he was going to make sure she was aware she wasn’t alone.

Chapter Seventeen

Collette looked around her place. Every surface shone. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. She’d been in a daze ever since she’d woken up and saw the message from the detective looking after Courtney’s case advising her the coroner’s report was in, stating if she wanted a copy, all she had to do was make an appointment and he’d share the findings with her.

She had no idea if that was normal protocol or not, but she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it.

When Deal had called, she’d been buried deep in her grief and focused on her cleaning, so she didn’t have to think too much about what she was going to do, and had only given him short answers.

But it was as though the call had snapped her out of her stupor, and she’d looked around to find that she was cleaning her kitchen for the third time that day. She’d thrown the cloth down and headed to the shower, hoping the water might clear her mind. It had, but now that she was standing around waiting, the anxiety of what she was going to do had returned.

It would be so easy to ask Deal to come with her. To hold her hand while she listened to the detective relay all the awful aspects of her sister’s death. She wouldn’t though, she’d relied on him too much.

What must he think of her? Like, really think?

He’d been nothing but sweet and gentle with her. Beneath it all, every time he’d touched her, her skin tingled, and she longed for more. Which had seemed so wrong to her, considering that her sister was dead and likely a victim of a serial killer.

Good things shouldn’t be happening for her. Not that she could say that Deal felt anything when he touched her. It was likely all one-sided, yet all the sweet little kisses he’d given her, on her cheek, on the top of her head, all suggested he felt something.

Collette deliberately didn’t think about the kiss they’d shared at the convenience store when they’d been trying to get information about Courtney. Even though Deal had kissed her like he couldn’t live without her, it had all been for show, but a small part of her wished it had been real.

A knock at the door pulled her from her memories of Deal’s kisses, and what they might mean. Straightening her spine and rolling her shoulders, she plastered a smile she wasn’t feeling, on her face. “Hi.” Her greeting was overly effusive, and Deal’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Hi, yourself.” He held up a paper bag. “I come bearing a brown bag of goodness.”

The aroma of the contents hit her, and her stomach grumbled in appreciation. When was the last time she’d eaten? She couldn’t remember. It had to have been a while ago. “Come in.” She stepped to the side. Deal paused beside her, looking at her for a second before leaning down and brushing his lips against her cheek.

Her eyes drifted shut at the sweetness of the gesture. Collette was grateful that she was holding the door, because her knees had gone a little weak—and not from lack of food.