“Holy shit, Sophia!” He returned to the bed. “Where did you find that kind of money?”
“Remember when I went to the house last night?”
“Of course.”
She told him about the letter and her trip to the jeweler.
“This could’ve been your ticket out of town,” he said.
“I realize that.”
He studied his feet for a few seconds before raising his head. “Why didn’t you take it?”
“Because you’re worth a lot more than money.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Then he said, “Even when you’ve lost practically everything?”
She was nervous about letting go of the security the money could’ve provided; she had to admit that. But she knew she was doing the right thing. “Even then.”
He sat down beside her and took her hand. “Are you going to turn it over to Chief Stacy?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I can bring myself to do that. But I am willing to call Agent Freeman.”
“Giving up that much money after...after what you’ve been through. That’s hard, babe.”
She put her head on his shoulder. “I can make it on my own.”
He slid an arm around her and kissed her temple. “You won’t have to.”
Straightening so she could look him in the eye, she said, “But I want to. I need to. For me.”
* * *
Agent Freeman wasn’t in. Sophia had to leave a message. Then she and Alexa started baking for Christmas. Alexa wanted to decorate sugar cookies for Royce, and Sophia wanted to try a new fudge recipe.
The call she’d been waiting for came when she was covered in flour, but she left Alexa to finish rolling out the dough—she figured it would be good practice for her, anyway—and washed her hands.
By the time she was able to answer, she was afraid she’d missed Agent Freeman, but that wasn’t the case. As soon as she managed to slide the bar that answered her phone, she heard his distinctive, deep voice respond to her hello.
“Mrs. DeBussi?”
She didn’t want Alexa to hear what she was about to say, so she carried her phone outside. “Thanks for calling me back,” she said as she closed the door behind her.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
He was all business again. Sophia smiled at that. He came off as a hard-ass, but she knew he was more tenderhearted than he let on. “I have some exciting news for you and for Skip’s investors.”
“You do?”
She could hear the surprise in his voice. “Yes. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.” His tone suggested he wasn’t used to having anyone act coy with him.
“I found my wedding ring.”
There was a slight pause. “And you’re calling me because...”
“It’s worth $200,000, remember? Get this, Skip was trying to liquidate it but, for whatever reason, that didn’t happen before our trip. Last night I came across a letter from a jeweler who has it. He even has a buyer lined up.”
Silence.
“Aren’t you excited?” she said.
“Mrs. DeBussi, I’m impressed that you made this call.”
Sophia wasn’t sure she’d ever felt so good inside. “Thanks.”
“And that’s exactly why I’m going to pretend I never received it.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I told you, if you weren’t in on the fraud you were the biggest victim of all, and I still feel that way. I know you’ve had one hell of a time. Now maybe you’ll be able to get by and care for your daughter. That’s more important than spreading that money out among hundreds of people so it really does no one any good.”
“You didn’t seem to feel I deserved anything before.”
“I was doing my job. But as far as I’m concerned, this case is closed. Merry Christmas,” he said and hung up.
Ted stepped out of the kitchen before she could fully absorb what had just happened. He’d joined her and Lex several times already. He said it was impossible to concentrate on his book when he’d rather be with them. “Was that the FBI agent—what’s his name, Freeman?”
“It was.”
“What’d he say?”
“He said the money’s mine.”
“No....”
“I swear. He said he was going to forget I ever even made the call.”
“Wow.” He stood behind her and slid his arms around her waist in an effort to warm her. Neither of them had bothered to put on a coat. “I’m sort of bummed about that,” he said.
“Why?”
“I like you better when you’re poor. Then I know you won’t be going anywhere,” he joked.
She glanced beyond him to see Alexa watching them through the window. When Sophia caught her eye, she blushed and ducked her head, but not before the sweetest smile Sophia had ever seen appeared on her face.
“I think my daughter’s figuring out that her mother has a boyfriend.”
Ted twisted around as Alexa looked up again, and her smile stretched from ear to ear. “Good,” he said. “Because I was planning to wait a few months before asking you to marry me, but that’s beginning to feel like a really long time.”
She let him turn her in his arms so they were facing each other. “We have to wait until spring,” she said. “We can make it that long, can’t we?”
“Why?”
“Because I want to type 80 words per minute by the time I get married.”
He started to laugh. “Seriously?”
“Stop! Yes. I have goals!”
“But now that you’re rich all on your own, neither one of us will have to sign a prenup.” He bent his head and whispered in her ear, “And if we get married right away, we won’t have to keep sleeping in separate beds.”
“Ah, now I see what you’re really after.”
“What can I say?” He nuzzled her neck. “Just looking at you drives me crazy.”
It felt so good to be loved and admired the way Ted loved and admired her. It was completely different from what she’d experienced with Skip. Ted didn’t hold her down; he buoyed her up. “There’s just one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not keeping the money.”
He straightened. “What will you do with it?”
“I’m not sure.” She rose on tiptoe to rub her cold nose against his. “But I have some ideas.”