But that hadn’t really been what he was talking about, was it?
“So, why were you angry?”
“You pulled a sheet of paper out of your purse, something you’ve been carrying around for months, based on how folded and wrinkled it was. The information on that paper could help us identify Jackson when we find him, and you never even told me you had it.”
The sheet, on which she’d copied down Jackson’s words and sounds from his baby book. Johnny was right. She just hadn’t thought...
“And that characteristic you said Mark had, of biting his lower lip...again, an identifier that could be pertinent.”
Oh. She could see the validity of his concern. “From here on out, I tell you everything,” she said. But in her own defense...
“You didn’t involve me in every aspect of your quest, Johnny.”
“Of course I did,” he said immediately, still sounding peeved.
“No, you didn’t.” Because they’d each had areas they’d handled themselves.
“Like what?”
“The permits. Licenses. Testing. The first couple of months, other than when I helped with clothes and things, you did practically everything on your own.”
“I told you about the tests you had to take.” He sounded almost petulant again and she kind of felt like smiling.
“Johnny...”
They’d pulled into her driveway. He turned off the engine, even though he’d be starting it again to park next door in his own garage. Usually he kept it running. Usually she opened her door as soon as he stopped in her drive.
“You’re right,” he said, facing her. “I’m sorry. But what we’re getting into now, involving others, accusing someone who could turn out to be an innocent man of kidnapping... Like I said, I have to know everything if I’m going to hold up my end of our deal.”
Oh, God. He was in as deeply as she was. She heard it in his voice. Saw it in his eyes. They really were partners. For now, anyway.
She nodded. And knew that one of them had to rescue them from the moment before things got too complicated. His being so upset with her was enough of a threat to their partnership for one day. For a lifetime. “So...did we just have our first fight?” she asked, smiling at him.
He smiled back. “I guess we did.”
And they’d made it through. Her relief was potent. She felt like an idiot, sitting there grinning. She opened the door. Johnny got out, too, as he always did, to get her bag from the back. He set it down and pulled up the roller handle.
“I mean it, Tabitha. That list you’re making... I think we should do it together. Not only do I need to know everything that’s on it, but I can ask questions, help you clear your mind, so we get as much as possible down on paper. The more we have, the better our chances.”
We. The more we have.
The man was so dear to her, and an enigma, too. If she wasn’t careful she was going to become addicted to him.
“To tell you the truth, I’d rather do it together,” she told him.
; “Good. Then, my suggestion is that each night, when you get home from work, I’ll have dinner ready and we can work until you need to go to bed. That way you’ll feel more relaxed about remembering everything you can and actually be able to get some rest, too.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. She felt so...cared for. Beyond the casual friendships, which were all she’d had for so many years.
Still...
“I’m sure you have better things to do than cook dinner for me.” Although his grilled steak was the best she’d ever eaten.
He was getting back into his car, but stopped to give her a pure Johnny grin. “In the first place, I didn’t say I’d be cooking dinner, only providing it, and in the second, I’m a little bored over there now that the food truck’s running so smoothly. I’m spending half the time I used to on advertising. I’ve got the ordering and picking up supplies down to less than a day. And now that we’re staying in one place, I won’t have to search out venues and worry about permits for the next few weeks, either...”
“So...you want to start tonight?” she asked him. She didn’t have to be at work until seven in the morning, but had laundry to do. Grocery shopping. And her house hadn’t been dusted or the bathrooms cleaned in a couple of weeks.