is.”
The insurance agent returned then. “You’ve got good friends to help out on a night like tonight.”
“Yes, sir.” She didn’t bother telling him they were Mark’s friends or that she’d just met them all. It would raise too many questions.
“I’ve spoken to the officer who was here. He’s going to keep a close eye on the place over night so you won’t need to stay here. I’ll get an adjuster out here tomorrow for pictures and an estimate. Let me have your number, and I’ll get in contact with you as soon as we know something.”
Before she could speak, Mark rattled off his own phone number. “We’ll give you a call late tomorrow to follow up if we don’t hear from you first. We’ll try to get work started as soon as we can get someone out here so be quick with the pictures.”
“First thing in the light of day.”
Mark nodded. Before Gretchen could respond, the insurance agent was gone. She wondered if he knew she could speak for herself, even considered standing up for her own ability to speak but didn’t since being taken seriously as a woman was a challenge sometimes. Maybe Mark had just saved her some trouble.
As she watched the men finish up the temporary barrier, she considered what else she needed to gather. She went to the kitchen and grabbed her purse, her phone charger, and a few toiletries from the bathroom. She didn’t have a lot of valuable items in the house, but she gathered a few things together just in case someone broke in – her laptop, a ring from her grandmother, a photo album and Eddie’s baby book, a picture someone had taken of her with her sister in cap and gown at high school graduation, and a few items that Eddie loved. It might be an unnecessary precaution but she couldn’t be too careful.
When she returned, Mark was talking with his friends before they took off.
She thanked them, and Jack gave her a friendly half hug. Brent had already returned to his truck. Derek eyed her seriously before nodding and turning to go.
“Nice friends of yours to help.”
“They’re good guys. More like brothers than friends.”
She nodded. “I hope your Dad doesn’t mind you bringing home a stray.” She secured the front door best she could. Mark carried her bag to the truck, opening her door and ushering her in out of the drizzling rain with a lift to her bottom.
He rounded the truck and got in. “You know better than that.”
“Yes. I do. He’s offered more times than I can count to help me over the years.”
It went unsaid that he’d offered because Mark hadn’t been here. But he didn’t acknowledge that thought and neither did she.
He glanced at the house before starting the truck. “Who is he staying with?”
“With Laura. She has a son the same age he’s gone to the zoo with. He’ll be back tomorrow night.” Mark had met her when they were in school together.
She blew out a breath. Would Mark want to tell Eddie the news right away? She blew out a cleansing breath and took another look at her house as they pulled away. When would she be able to return to her home and her independence?
Chapter Five
Mark double checked the locks and looked in on his father. It was nice to be home for that. The older man was sound asleep, comfortable in bed, so he headed for the shower and the hot spray to wash away the damp and dirt from the storm.
Gretchen was settled in the living area just up the stairs from the kitchen. A mother in law’s apartment, his parents used to call it. He’d never minded the distance of the extra room before, but the truth was he would rather put her in the bed with him. He hadn’t been collecting her for his father’s piece of mind but his own. He was still plenty angry but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her.
He turned on the shower and stepped under the
The insurance agent returned then. “You’ve got good friends to help out on a night like tonight.”
“Yes, sir.” She didn’t bother telling him they were Mark’s friends or that she’d just met them all. It would raise too many questions.
“I’ve spoken to the officer who was here. He’s going to keep a close eye on the place over night so you won’t need to stay here. I’ll get an adjuster out here tomorrow for pictures and an estimate. Let me have your number, and I’ll get in contact with you as soon as we know something.”
Before she could speak, Mark rattled off his own phone number. “We’ll give you a call late tomorrow to follow up if we don’t hear from you first. We’ll try to get work started as soon as we can get someone out here so be quick with the pictures.”
“First thing in the light of day.”
Mark nodded. Before Gretchen could respond, the insurance agent was gone. She wondered if he knew she could speak for herself, even considered standing up for her own ability to speak but didn’t since being taken seriously as a woman was a challenge sometimes. Maybe Mark had just saved her some trouble.
As she watched the men finish up the temporary barrier, she considered what else she needed to gather. She went to the kitchen and grabbed her purse, her phone charger, and a few toiletries from the bathroom. She didn’t have a lot of valuable items in the house, but she gathered a few things together just in case someone broke in – her laptop, a ring from her grandmother, a photo album and Eddie’s baby book, a picture someone had taken of her with her sister in cap and gown at high school graduation, and a few items that Eddie loved. It might be an unnecessary precaution but she couldn’t be too careful.
When she returned, Mark was talking with his friends before they took off.
She thanked them, and Jack gave her a friendly half hug. Brent had already returned to his truck. Derek eyed her seriously before nodding and turning to go.
“Nice friends of yours to help.”
“They’re good guys. More like brothers than friends.”
She nodded. “I hope your Dad doesn’t mind you bringing home a stray.” She secured the front door best she could. Mark carried her bag to the truck, opening her door and ushering her in out of the drizzling rain with a lift to her bottom.
He rounded the truck and got in. “You know better than that.”
“Yes. I do. He’s offered more times than I can count to help me over the years.”
It went unsaid that he’d offered because Mark hadn’t been here. But he didn’t acknowledge that thought and neither did she.
He glanced at the house before starting the truck. “Who is he staying with?”
“With Laura. She has a son the same age he’s gone to the zoo with. He’ll be back tomorrow night.” Mark had met her when they were in school together.
She blew out a breath. Would Mark want to tell Eddie the news right away? She blew out a cleansing breath and took another look at her house as they pulled away. When would she be able to return to her home and her independence?
Chapter Five
Mark double checked the locks and looked in on his father. It was nice to be home for that. The older man was sound asleep, comfortable in bed, so he headed for the shower and the hot spray to wash away the damp and dirt from the storm.
Gretchen was settled in the living area just up the stairs from the kitchen. A mother in law’s apartment, his parents used to call it. He’d never minded the distance of the extra room before, but the truth was he would rather put her in the bed with him. He hadn’t been collecting her for his father’s piece of mind but his own. He was still plenty angry but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her.
He turned on the shower and stepped under the
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