famous brownies, and Grace washed up behind them.
“Thanks for all your help, Michelle.” Her cheeks blushed at Alistair’s comment. He stood and walked around the table, reaching for her hand and holding her tight to him. While it didn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the room, nobody said a word about the embrace.
Thea packed her car early the next morning. They’d all attempted to get some sleep, but she couldn’t. She’d taken Grace home and helped settle Lucas. Then she’d gone to her apartment and unpacked her suitcases for the Caribbean honeymoon that would never happen and tossed in jeans and sweaters for the lake. There were suitcases with her clothes and some of Dex’s stuff. Funny, she’d never been able to make herself clean out his side of the closet.
She’d called the lake this morning and given a large grocery order to the local market. They’d meet her at the house at noon. That would give her plenty of time to settle in, shower, and be waiting for Dexter when he arrived.
On the drive up, she hoped they could keep the rescue under wraps for at least two days. It would give Dex and Russ some time to adjust before the onslaught began. It would also give the accountants at the company more time to go over Lloyd’s records. Now she knew it would give Alex and his design team time to go over the information Dex and Russ gave him about the plane’s hydraulic system and how it had been tampered with. He told him he was bringing home the proof.
Now it was up to Alex to see if Lloyd fit into the picture. If he’d sabotaged the plane, she’d, she’d…Thea didn’t know what she’d do, but it would be something. For now, she turned up the car radio and carefully navigated the backcountry roads to the lake house, their special place.
Thea had never been more nervous in her life. Even on the day they married, she’d been calm and happy. She’d never felt wedding - day jitters, for she knew Dexter was her mate. They’d both known right from the start at that first meeting when she caught sight of him across Alistair’s office. She’d simply known he was her match in all ways.
Things were going according to plan. Her groceries were delivered and stored, supper was started, and the chocolate cake and brownies were ready when he wanted them. As was Thea, showered and dressed, waiting for him. Alex had called her an hour ago and said Dexter was on his way. He and Russ had been brought from the private plane directly to her father’s house to clean up. They’d all had a few moments together , and he’d seen his parents. Now he was being driven to her.
She wandered around the house that had been in Thea’s family for generations , and only technical updates had been made to the old place. It was a large white clapboard structure with a wall of windows facing the Pennsylvania Lake. It had several bedrooms and baths upstairs, but the downstairs master suite was theirs. The large fireplace was made from fieldstone and continued up through the two-story home. Its pine - covered walls and floors held a high shine. The furniture was old and comfortable, plaids and nubby tweeds with soft cotton pillows and throws.
The kitchen was open to the dining room, which opened to the living room. The view from all three rooms was magnificent. To the left side was a small hallway with a den and a guest bedroom and bath. Across the other side of the home was their master suite. It , too , was rustic in style but elegant with comfort. The large king-size bed faced the lake and was covered with layers of down-filled blankets and pillows. The bath was updated to include a large steam shower, and outside on the private deck was a hot tub. Thea had made sure the large fluffy towels were clean and soft and that all of Dex’s favorite personal items were waiting on the shelf. His old clothes were hanging in the closet beside hers.
It seemed a longer wait than the last two years. Russell had been dropped off at his old
Learning to Kill: Stories