“I know, Rose. But the DA keeps shoving more and more responsibility on me, which is making it hard for me to spend as much time with you as I’d like.” His voice lowered. “I’ve waited months to be with you, so I begrudge the fact my job is getting in the way.” He paused. “I would consider quitting, but I’d have to leave Fenton County to find another job. I know you’re committed to your business and the farm, and I’m not about to move away from you.”

“Mason.” My voice broke. “I don’t want you to make yourself miserable because of me.”

“I’m not miserable because of you. Don’t think that.” I heard his frustration again.

“It’s okay,” I assured him. “You know I understand your position, and I don’t want you to move away from me either. Especially now. I’ll bring you lunch and we’ll eat in your office.” I smiled to myself and said in a husky voice, “And we can shut your door.”

“I like that thought,” he said. “It’s the only thing that’s going to get me through this deposition.”

I stopped at a stop sign and looked down at my faded jeans, worn long-sleeved T-shirt, and jacket. “Too bad I won’t have time to change into something nicer before I come see you.” Of course, he’d already seen me today, so it wouldn’t exactly be a surprise.

“Rose, you could walk into my office wearing rags and you’d still be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

I laughed. “You’re just trying to butter me up because you want me to bring you apple pie from Merilee’s Café.”

“How can you say that?” he asked in mock dismay. “You know I think you’re beautiful. And if you don’t, then I’m falling down on my job.”

“So does this mean you don’t want the apple pie?” I teased.

He laughed. “Now, don’t get hasty.”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Any other requests?”

“Surprise me. The rest is superfluous as long as I have you.”

My heart overflowed with emotion. I knew he meant every word. I suspected he’d go the rest of his life without another piece of pie if it meant being with me. “When should I come by? Does one work?”

“Can you make it one-thirty?”

“Done. I’ll see you later, Mr. Assistant DA.”

“Tell Bruce Wayne I said hi.”

I hung up, already missing him, which was crazy since I’d woken up next to him in bed and then saw him again at the bank. Turned out I was a greedy woman. I wanted every moment I could get with Mason. I had half a mind to go kick the district attorney’s behind myself.

When I pulled up in front of the Timberland house ten minutes later, Bruce Wayne was wrestling with an overgrown shrub. He’d already dug up two others without me. He stuck his shovel in the ground and looked up at me through his shaggy bangs. “Everything okay, Miss Rose?”

Bruce Wayne had to be ten years older than me, putting him in his mid-thirties, but he still insisted on calling me Miss.

We had first become acquainted when I was on the jury for his murder trial, which was incidentally when I’d first met Mason, who’d been the prosecutor for the case. I’d had a vision of the real murderer, but I couldn’t tell anyone that, other than my then-boyfriend, Joe. A state police detective at the time, he’d encouraged me to trust the system. But I knew what it felt like to be suspected for a murder that I hadn’t committed, so I’d done everything in my power to make sure Bruce Wayne didn’t pay for someone else’s crime.

And he never forgot that.

So when I was desperate for manual laborers to help with a big landscaping job at Jonah’s New Living Hope Revival Church, Bruce Wayne had agreed to help. And the huge surprise to all of us was that he had a really good eye for landscaping…and he loved it. He had become a loyal and dedicated employee, but more importantly, a friend.

“I’m sorry I’m late, and I’m sorry I didn’t call,” I said. “This morning got a bit crazy.” I gave him a goofy grin. “I was in a bank robbery.”

Bruce Wayne took his hands off the shovel and stood up straighter—not straight, it was a rare day when he didn’t hunch his shoulders—but still noticeably more erect. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“They took the deposit bag, Bruce Wayne.” I grabbed the edge of my jacket and twisted it in my hand. “It was filled with all the O’Leary money.”

“Oh, shit.” He grimaced. “Excuse my language.”

“No.” I laughed even though my eyes were tearing up. “I think this warrants an ‘oh, shit.’”

A goofy grin tipped up his mouth.

My own smile slid into a frown. “Violet has overextended us with the open house, so we’re in trouble.”

Bruce Wayne squirmed. “If you can’t afford to give me my paycheck—”

“You stop right there, Bruce Wayne Decker,” I said, my voice firm. “Paying you is at the tip-top of our list of priorities, and I won’t hear another word about it. Understood?” I didn’t know how I’d pay him, but I’d figure out a way.

He looked down at his feet. “Yes, ma’am.”

I pushed out a huge breath. “Since David lost his job at the Piggly Wiggly last week, I’m sure you need every penny you can get. Especially with the holidays coming.”