The smell of their steaks cooking refocused their attention to plating their food and sitting down, finally.
Toward the end of the meal, he asked her about her day at the station, which immediately put Shannon on the defensive. His questions were answered with vague or one-word answers, until he finally put down his knife and fork and sat back in his chair with his hands folded in his lap.
His face was serious. “Tell me,” he said.
She knew better than to try to hide something from him. But the evening had been so wonderful she didn’t want to spoil it. She trusted him with the truth, hoping she’d not miscalculated.
“I met with Jared today to put in my resignation.”
“And?” He watched her, not resuming his eating.
“And I didn’t quit.”
“But that wasn’t the plan, Shannon. You promised you would quit. I haven’t asked you about it until today. And today you chickened out?”
“No, I decided to give him three months to find a replacement.”
There. She’d said it. She continued eating.
“Impossible. There is no possibility he could replace you in a year or even two.”
“Not just me. He’s going to fire Bunny.”
“And keep Clarence.”
“Yes, I told him to.”
“That’s another bad decision. Who cares if he must replace all three of you? In my opinion, neither Bunny nor Clarence is doing anything for the station. In fact, they’re hurting it. You’re the only bright spot there.”
“They have a new hire who’s going on maternity leave. Sylvia. She’ll be good.”
“This manager of yours hires a new anchor person who’s pregnant, leaves an aging beauty queen in the position to boss everyone around and scare half the crew, and coddles an aging Casanova who drools and vomits over himself at the sight of dead fish. Have I got that right?”
Shannon wanted to laugh because Marco was spot on and making very funny sense, too. “You make it sound like it’s the Little Shop of Horrors or something.”
“That’s an apt description,” he said brightly, holding up his fork and stabbing another slice of steak. “You’re needed here, beside me, to help me with our plans. Our plans, Shannon. They’re not my plans. They’re ours.”
“Yes, I understand that. But, Marco, I told him I’d give him three months and we agreed I’d cut back my hours. It’s what I thought was the right thing to do. He’s been good to me, Marco. I can’t just leave him in the lurch. I’m sorry if you’re angry with me.” She placed a hand on his. “Please understand.”
“Oh, I understand all right. This postpones everything I’m doing then. Am I to believe you’re okay with that?”
“No. Like I said, I’m cutting back my hours. No evening or afternoon anchor fill-ins. Just weather and an occasional story in the morning, working with Sylvia, not Clarence. He and Bunny can duke it out in the evenings. I’m out of that scene. I’ll be with you more. I’ll be home or back at the office three, four hours earlier, and if you have a trip, I’ll take off from the station, no problem. He agreed to that. All of that.”
His face got dark again.
“Marco, what is troubling you so?”
He put down his fork again and pushed away from the table but remained seated. “I’ve spoken to our new Security Chief. He’s worried about your stalker.”
“I’m not going to jog in the morning. Not alone, anyway.”
“That’s a start. But in addition to the classes, we’re going to beef up our security in general—everywhere. Our office is too open. We need to run it like the station does. And I need to keep you protected.”
“You think there’s a threat to me?”
“We do believe there’s a credible threat. Yes.”
His eyes were cloudy again. They quickly diverted from Shannon’s questioning gaze and didn’t connect.
“What else?”
Marco threw his napkin on the table. “Dammit, Shannon. Can’t you see I’m trying to take good care of you? It’s my job to do that, but it’s just something that I couldn’t live with if—”
“If what?”
“If someone were to try something.”
“As in harm me?”
He stood, walking to the large slider overlooking the beach. The moon danced amongst the large puffy white clouds in the night sky. She followed the trail of a string of cotton balls as they blew past them both. He knew she loved this house. Was he saying she’d need a posted armed guard at her back patio? Front door?
“I get the concern and the need to get all the information, but why does this make you angry? I don’t understand your reaction. I’m asking normal questions, Marco. And if there’s a plot against me, why should I be left in the dark? Shouldn’t I be told these things?”
He turned around and nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”
He retook his seat, held her hand, and began again to say something he did not want to tell her, and that made her fearful.
“We’ve analyzed it, Shannon. We think Rebecca might try to harm you. We have no proof, just theory. Promise me you’ll alter what you do, and perhaps we’ll assign a guard for you as well. If I can’t be there around you twenty-four seven, someone else has to be.”
“Did you run into Rebecca today?”
He rubbed the knuckles on Shannon’s hand, and nodded.
“And she admitted it, that she might harm me?”
“It was an indirect implication. I’ve already done some of the research, and it isn’t enough to get a restraining order against her.”
“So she isn’t on some island with her future Mr. Ex-Rebecca like you told me.”
“She means to delay our project. No, she’s not given up. Now do you understand why I need you where I can watch over you? Don’t you see how important it is?”
Shannon couldn’t believe Rebecca would rise to that level, but if Marco did, that would be proof enough. He was the expert.
No wonder he was in such a dour mood when he arrived home.
“So what do we do?”
“We can go into all that tomorrow, Shannon. I’m still working on it. And frankly, I’m tired.”
So much for romance, she thought. Just when it all was feeling so perfect, limitless, with so much to live for, to work for, so much good that they could do together, someone would try to dash those dreams and get to him in the worst possible way. Rebecca had figured out his Achilles heel.
And was crazy enough to try to use it.
“But why, Marco? What’s she about?”
“I think she’s mentally unbalanced. I’m not sure how, but I’m going to get her exposed and try to take care of it that way. Clinically. But I won’t lie to you. It’s a slippery slope, and we must be very careful, or it could cause a lawsuit. She’s still got a lot of my money to throw back at my face with attorneys. We’ve been duped, I’m afraid. She’s been summoning her troops.”
Shannon was crestfallen. She picked up the dishes, rinsing them in the sink, and began putting them in the dishwasher. He came up behind her, encircling her in his arms, and whispered, “I’ll figure out a way. I promise to love and protect you, and I’ll spare no expense figuring this thing out. I don’t want you to worry. I just need you to play smart and keep your eyes and ears open. Remember what I told you about evil? Well, evil doesn’t sleep. Crazy people don’t sleep, either.”