Solomon walked away and this time, he didn't look back.
"I'm so sorry, Lexi," said Damien, looking at me. "I wish I could change everything."
"I believe you," I said, "but I don't forgive you. You hurt the man I love and he could have died. Maybe one day, I'll forgive you, but not yet."
"We need to go," said Garrett. He jangled his keys, but whether it was because he was uncomfortable or in a hurry, I couldn't be sure. "We've got a long drive ahead."
"Do you have somewhere safe to go?" I asked.
"I guess so, but I'm handing Damien off to another detective so even I won't know where he is until the trial date. I'll come by and see you when I get back."
"Drive safely," I advised, then I said to Damien, "and if anything happens to my brother on this trip, I'll make sure I use every resource I can lay my hands on to hunt you down." Then I turned around and walked away before all of my tolerance evaporated.
Solomon waited by the car. "You okay?" he asked.
"Relieved," I said. "You?"
"I don't know how to begin to process this. Perhaps I was the lucky one."
"How so?"
"I was all zoned out for days. You managed to do all the hard work."
"Call it team effort."
We got into the car and I smoothed the long skirt of my red dress. It felt nice to be dressed properly again. My hair was washed and styled. My make-up was perfect. Solomon was next to me. I felt damn good. I waited until Garrett's SUV pulled out, and counted a couple minutes, then pressed the gas and we rolled out of the dirt road and onto the highway. "We're going the wrong way," said Solomon after a few minutes.
"No, we're not."
"Montgomery is back that way. I thought you wanted to go home and relax? We suddenly have a lot of free time and a wedding we still have to plan."
"That's exactly right but we're not doing that at home in Montgomery."
"Where are we doing it?" Solomon paused while I giggled. "That's not what I meant," he said and he rolled his eyes.
"Remember that cabin you mentioned back at the hospital? A blazing log fire, cozy blankets, steaks and a nice bottle of wine?"
"Yeah?"
"I rented us a cabin in Lake Pierce. For the next two weeks, you are officially recuperating while we plan our wedding. Other than that, the rest of the rules of engagement for this vacation are all yours to make."
"Rules of engagement, huh?" Solomon nodded thoughtfully. He caressed my leg over the fabric. "I very much like this red dress but shall we start with clothing optional?"
"Interesting. I like your train of thought. However, we might get distracted from an important task we have yet to undertake."
“You mean me getting revenge on you for telling me I’d been in a coma for seventeen years?”
I held back a smile. “I hoped you’d forgotten about that. However, I meant something else.”
"You brought your mom's wedding binders, didn't you?"
I laughed. "No, but I thought about it! Instead, Francesca White from White's Wedding Planning is going to drive out to see us next week. She wants to give us the star treatment. She heard about what happened and she insisted on doing it. Our bags are in the trunk, our phones will be switched off, and you and I are going to enjoy the peace and quiet for once. Together. Alone."
"What are we going to do until next week?" asked Solomon.
"Until then, you must lie back and heal while I continue to do all the work," I said, flashing him a secretive smile. "You can add that to the rules too."
Solomon took my hand and kissed it. "Damn! Maybe I should get wounded more often!"
Lexi Graves will return!
Want to know when the next book is available? Sign up to the mailing list online at www.camillachafer.com.
Other books by Camilla Chafer:
Deadlines Mysteries
Deadlines
Dead to the World
Lexi Graves Mysteries:
Armed & Fabulous
Who Glares Wins
Command Indecision
Shock and Awesome
Weapons of Mass Distraction
Laugh or Death
Kissing in Action
Trigger Snappy
A Few Good Women
Ready, Aim, Under Fire
Rules of Engagement
Stella Mayweather Series (Urban Fantasy):
Illicit Magic
Unruly Magic
Devious Magic
Magic Rising
Arcane Magic
Endless Magic
Rules of Engagement (Lexi Graves Mysteries, 11) Page 26
