manipulation of image was probably a strategic move on Robert’s part to make him seem warmer. Not that it did.
Beth stretched out on the den sofa and stared at the phone Mark brought her. Had to be for Joe. But why did he need a separate phone? He had her cell.
Clearly, he didn’t want to use it.
Which, with Joe, could mean anything at all. Her glance stole ceilingward. Keep him safe. He might be out of my reach, but he’s not out of Yours, and I do worry about him .
Where was he?
The phone ringing awakened Beth. She reached for her cell. It was silent— the special phone . Jerking it up, she pushed the Talk button. “Hello.”
“Hi, gorgeous. You okay?”
Joe . “Not really.”
“I’m sorry about Clyde. Mark says Nora’s holding up. Is she?”
“Yeah, but it ripped my heart out to see her weeping.” Beth swiped at her eyes. “Did Mark tell you Robert’s missing?”
“Not missing, no. Just that he hadn’t yet called home.”
“He should have called in before we left the club. Still no word, so Sara’s a basket case.”
“Which means you’re one too.”
“I’ve had calmer days.” Beth scrunched a throw pillow under her head. “But I’m feeling better now that you’ve called.”
“Really?”
Clueless man had no idea what he did to her. “I’m not sure why but you have that effect on me.”
“Glad to hear you’re not totally immune to me.”
She laughed. “I wish.”
“Now that’s just mean.”
“It’s not.” She tested the truth. “I just never compete for a man’s attention.” Didn’t he realize how many women were after him?
“Ah, you’re being compassionate to other women.”
“Excuse me?”
“They can’t measure up.”
That was a different take than intended or expected, but no way was she taking that comment seriously. “See? Calming.”
“Did you want to talk about anything specific, or just talk?”
“Honestly, I just needed to hear your voice.”
“Careful, gorgeous. I might just start believing you care about me.”
“I’m a caring person.”
“Yes, you are, or you’d be at home and not at Sara’s.”
She stilled. “How do you know I’m at Sara’s?”
“She’s in crisis. Where else would you be?”
“Joseph.”
“Okay, okay. You caught me. I called Crossroads to check on Nora, and Lisa told me you were at Sara’s. But I already knew you would be, and that’s the truth.”
Beth’s lips twitched, wanting to smile. “You’re kind of adorable.”
“Hold that thought a minute, and tell me about the missing Robert.”
She filled him in and answered his questions as best she could. “Are you coming for Clyde’s funeral Tuesday?”
“I wish I could be there now.”
He couldn’t. A pang of disappointment rippled through her. “Me too.”
You’re being stupid, Beth. He’s gonna break your heart .
Maybe my heart needs breaking. Maybe I need to know I’ve still got a heart capable of breaking. Otherwise, isn’t Max defining my life? Shouldn’t I define my life? “Why did I need this phone?”
“So we can communicate in a way no one else knows exists.”
“Okay.” Was that important on his end or hers? Probably both. “So you’re still tied up?”
“More or less. But I’m only a phone call away from you. Remember that.”
Odd conversation. “All right.”
“I haven’t forgotten you wanted coffee. Next time you see me, I’ll bring you a cup.”
There was a message there. What it meant, she had no idea. “I’ll hold you to it. Two sugars, one cream.”
He laughed. “I remember, gorgeous.”
Gorgeous . It sounded so natural coming from him, tugged her into baring her soul. “Joe, I’m scared.”
“I know. But that’s not a bad thing considering the circumstances. Fear can be healthy. It keeps you on your toes. But you can’t give in to it, or your enemy’s already won.”
“How do you fight it?”
“Think steel. Just focus on the solution and think steel.”
Shadow Watchers . They
Beth stretched out on the den sofa and stared at the phone Mark brought her. Had to be for Joe. But why did he need a separate phone? He had her cell.
Clearly, he didn’t want to use it.
Which, with Joe, could mean anything at all. Her glance stole ceilingward. Keep him safe. He might be out of my reach, but he’s not out of Yours, and I do worry about him .
Where was he?
The phone ringing awakened Beth. She reached for her cell. It was silent— the special phone . Jerking it up, she pushed the Talk button. “Hello.”
“Hi, gorgeous. You okay?”
Joe . “Not really.”
“I’m sorry about Clyde. Mark says Nora’s holding up. Is she?”
“Yeah, but it ripped my heart out to see her weeping.” Beth swiped at her eyes. “Did Mark tell you Robert’s missing?”
“Not missing, no. Just that he hadn’t yet called home.”
“He should have called in before we left the club. Still no word, so Sara’s a basket case.”
“Which means you’re one too.”
“I’ve had calmer days.” Beth scrunched a throw pillow under her head. “But I’m feeling better now that you’ve called.”
“Really?”
Clueless man had no idea what he did to her. “I’m not sure why but you have that effect on me.”
“Glad to hear you’re not totally immune to me.”
She laughed. “I wish.”
“Now that’s just mean.”
“It’s not.” She tested the truth. “I just never compete for a man’s attention.” Didn’t he realize how many women were after him?
“Ah, you’re being compassionate to other women.”
“Excuse me?”
“They can’t measure up.”
That was a different take than intended or expected, but no way was she taking that comment seriously. “See? Calming.”
“Did you want to talk about anything specific, or just talk?”
“Honestly, I just needed to hear your voice.”
“Careful, gorgeous. I might just start believing you care about me.”
“I’m a caring person.”
“Yes, you are, or you’d be at home and not at Sara’s.”
She stilled. “How do you know I’m at Sara’s?”
“She’s in crisis. Where else would you be?”
“Joseph.”
“Okay, okay. You caught me. I called Crossroads to check on Nora, and Lisa told me you were at Sara’s. But I already knew you would be, and that’s the truth.”
Beth’s lips twitched, wanting to smile. “You’re kind of adorable.”
“Hold that thought a minute, and tell me about the missing Robert.”
She filled him in and answered his questions as best she could. “Are you coming for Clyde’s funeral Tuesday?”
“I wish I could be there now.”
He couldn’t. A pang of disappointment rippled through her. “Me too.”
You’re being stupid, Beth. He’s gonna break your heart .
Maybe my heart needs breaking. Maybe I need to know I’ve still got a heart capable of breaking. Otherwise, isn’t Max defining my life? Shouldn’t I define my life? “Why did I need this phone?”
“So we can communicate in a way no one else knows exists.”
“Okay.” Was that important on his end or hers? Probably both. “So you’re still tied up?”
“More or less. But I’m only a phone call away from you. Remember that.”
Odd conversation. “All right.”
“I haven’t forgotten you wanted coffee. Next time you see me, I’ll bring you a cup.”
There was a message there. What it meant, she had no idea. “I’ll hold you to it. Two sugars, one cream.”
He laughed. “I remember, gorgeous.”
Gorgeous . It sounded so natural coming from him, tugged her into baring her soul. “Joe, I’m scared.”
“I know. But that’s not a bad thing considering the circumstances. Fear can be healthy. It keeps you on your toes. But you can’t give in to it, or your enemy’s already won.”
“How do you fight it?”
“Think steel. Just focus on the solution and think steel.”
Shadow Watchers . They
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