The Cowboy Lawman

She headed for the door and Slade couldn’t think as fast as she seemed to be able to walk. He reached the door just in time to open it so that she could make a grand exit, smiling back at him and waving her fingers.

“You kids be good, and I’ll be back tomorrow to check on you, Mia.”

With that she was gone.

“She’s good.” Mia laughed as she said it.

He turned and Mia stood a few steps behind him with that look on her face that said she could handle anything. But if he looked closer, into dark eyes that shadowed and closed a person out, maybe she wasn’t handling things after all.

“You okay?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Do you want me to make a list of reasons why you wouldn’t be okay? Should I start with your partner dying in your arms? Follow that with an injury that might mean the end of your career, then we’ll talk about someone breaking into your house. Have I missed anything?”

She shook her head, “No, you cut right to the heart of it. Thanks.”

“Mia, we’re friends. I’m here. And I know that you’re going to try to bury all this and pretend nothing happened. It’s better to talk it out.”

“I know.” Her voice grew soft and she turned away. “We should fix lunch. I’ll bet Caleb is starving. Where is Caleb?”

“He’s in the kitchen.”

She nodded but kept her back to him. “Let’s get that boy something to eat.”

He reached for her left arm. “Mia, stop.”

She still didn’t turn. Back ramrod-straight and head high, she stood frozen beneath his touch. “Slade, I’m barely hanging on right now. I’m not sure who was in my house or what they were looking for. Butch is dead and Tina is hiding something.”

Her voice broke and he moved to face her. Her eyes closed and she shook her head when he rested his hand on her shoulder. He stepped back, giving her space to find strength. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

“Slade, I have to figure this out.”

“I’ll help.”

“You have your plate pretty full with Caleb, your mom and your job.”

He laughed a little at that. “And you volunteered to watch Caleb. I won’t hold you to that.”

“I want to watch him.”

“I don’t know.” He brushed a hand across his face, suddenly bone-tired and wishing he could have a do-over on this day.

“How do we move on, Slade? How do we stop holding on to the past? You’re holding on to Caleb because he’s all you have left of Vicki. I’ve been afraid to look at him, get attached to him, because he’s all I have left of my best friend. I should have been in his life, hugging him and being the person Vicki would have wanted me to be.”

“We did what we had to do to survive.”