Help Me Heal

Chapter 44

The next morning, after working late the night before, Kalinda had needed to leave Hank's place before 7am for an early start. Hank reflected that although the working hours of a private detective were not ideal, they were a lot friendlier than what Intelligence often required.

To his surprise, Hank heard the front door open only a few minutes after Kalinda had left. He knew it wasn't her returning because she didn't have a key yet. He was now saving that until she moved it. Erin was the only person the new arrival could be.

"You're home early," he called through from the kitchen, where he was at the table eating breakfast and enjoying his first coffee of the day. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, fine!" Erin called back. He could hear her taking a coat off. "Jay had to be up early for work, so I got up early too and went to the gym. Is Kalinda not here?"

"No. She was on an early start too."

"I see. So, how was your night?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen, adding a smile and a squeeze on his shoulder as a good morning greeting.

"Very good thanks," he replied, enjoying the images of Kalinda in leather pants, naked from the waist up, that his memory was only too happy to recall. Damn, she was gorgeous, and she knew what to wear to excite him. The sex had been great, at least from his point of view. Whether the performances his body was capable of at his age had the same effect on her, he wasn't entirely convinced. "There's coffee," he said, trying to divert the conversation.

"I see that. Do you need another?"

"No thanks, just starting this one."

"What did you get up to last night?" Erin asked as she poured herself a coffee.

"Not a lot. Just relaxed and talked over dinner. Oh, speaking of, Kalinda said she talked to her landlord about you and Jay getting the apartment she's in if she moves in here."

She sat down opposite him. "How did that go?"

"Let's say the guy wasn't overjoyed by the idea, but he agreed to it. Told Kalinda to put you in touch with him if you want to go ahead. Unfortunately he said he's not willing to give you the reduced monthly rate that Kalinda got."

Erin had a big smile on her face. Hank liked seeing that. "Didn't expect him to. I'm going to have to get Kalinda's number from you so I can call her and thank her. She's really helped us out there. That apartment is better than the dumps we could afford. Everything nice was way out of our budget, but Kalinda told us what the regular rate would be for that place and we could afford it, just. It's ideal."

"Sounds like a plan coming together," he said, feeling as happy for Erin and Jay as he did for himself and Kalinda.

"Yes. How are you feeling about Kalinda moving in here? I mean, obviously you're happy, but it wasn't long ago you were upset about Camille. I'm not trying to put a downer on this, I'm sorry."

Hank held up a hand to reassure her. "You're fine. I think what you're trying to ask is am I conflicted?"

"Right," she said, obviously glad that he understood.

"A little," he admitted. "You know I still love Camille. Always will. This was our home, at one time. But you were right when you told me she would want me to move on rather than be lonely and miserable, and Kalinda makes me so happy. Saying that doesn't come easily to me for some reason, I don't know why. But it's true, she makes me happy and I love her deeply. Keep this strictly between the two of us. Don't even tell Jay. Once Kalinda has moved in, I intend to propose to her."

Erin showed no surprise at the news. "Good for you. You guys are perfect together. I have no doubt she'll say yes. Have you planned out how you're going to do it?"