He rose from his seat. If he was feeling worn out from this whole ordeal, he couldn’t imagine how overwhelmed and exhausted his father must be.
Cole glanced back at the bed only to discover Jed was already asleep. He stepped out of the room and leaned against the nearest wall. It would take a long time to process this talk with Jed. Even longer to discover whether the tentative truce would last.
With Jed taken care of, Cole turned his attention to Erin. He was ready to head over and see what remained of the feelings she had for him, if he’d done enough work on himself and his life to be worthy of her. Or whether Erin was so set on not being hurt that she’d shut him out of her life completely—no matter what he had to say.
Nineteen
Her doorbell rang and Erin walked over, looked out because she’d grown so much more cautious recently, and let Evan in.
“Hi,” he said, clasping her hand. “You’re looking well.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming straight from work. I know it’s been a long day.”
He loosened his tie and followed her inside. “Seeing you isn’t an inconvenience.”
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked you to come over.” She gestured for him to follow and she headed for the kitchen, where she’d left her tea.
“Yes, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you as well.” Evan stepped up beside her.
She was still supposed to be resting, but she was allowed to get up for short periods of tim
e, and Evan was one guest she didn’t want to face lying down. “Can I get you a drink?” she asked.
“No, thank you. Erin—”
“Evan—”
They laughed. “You first,” she said.
“Okay, I was a jerk that night at Joe’s,” he said. “Your private life is none of my business and I reacted from a . . . jealous place. I’d like to put it behind us. We don’t need this affecting our work or relationship at the office.”
She wrapped her hands around her mug of tea. “I agree. That’s sort of what I needed to talk to you about too.”
“So I’m forgiven?” he asked, looking boyishly charming.
She shook her head and laughed. “Yes, you are.”
“Good.” He braced his hands on her shoulders in thanks, then released her. “So what did you want to discuss?”
She wasn’t ready to quit the district attorney’s office until she’d spoken to Nash and was certain the job, salary, and benefits worked for her. But she did want to discuss a current case with Evan, and given how they’d left things between them, she’d known they had to talk in person.
“It’s about Victoria Maroni.”
“Aah.” He nodded. “Something else I’m sorry for. I shouldn’t have left you alone in that hallway where she could get to you.” He appeared contrite, embarrassed.
“I was never your responsibility.”
“But I knew you were in danger, that you had a bodyguard—”
She shook her head. “And my brother and his wife, both police officers, were mere feet away. Forget it, please?”
He inclined his head. “Thank you. Again.”
“There is something you can do for me.”
He cocked his head to one side. “What’s that?”
“Make sure part of any deal you make for Victoria includes mental health help?”