Crazy

It didn't escape Garret's attention that Maggie was sitting like him, which caused a strange feeling he'd never experienced. On one had it almost felt good - she was so sweet and so childlike. On the other hand, it made him leery - Nate and Laura knew what kind of man he was, and surely they would not approve of Maggie trying to imitate him in any way, shape or form.

He subtly tried to shift positions so Maggie's attention wouldn't be so obvious. "I didn't come to keep myself safe," he responded evenly to Nate. He'd come to keep Victoria safe with him. And now that his plan had fallen through, he cared little whether he was a walking target or not.

The offer to stay until the rain stopped did come as appealing though. If he was completely honest...he really didn't want to go back out and walk at all. His feet hurt, he was physically tired, mentally exhausted, and had nowhere safe to land. But then...when had he ever? The feeling was nothing new.

He was about to open his mouth and decline, when Maggie's interruption made his eyebrows shoot up again. If she only knew that his manners were but a front to cover up a lying, heartless assassin. His good manners meant nothing other than the fact he'd been trained to behave in public. And he sighed.

He offered her a bit of a crooked smile and glanced back at his plate of half-eaten food. "Well, I'll at least finish my food." But he wouldn't promise any more.

"There's ice cream in the freezer," Laura added. She might not trust Garret, but she knew how hard her husband was trying to show Garret there was a different way to live. A good way. A loving way. A clean way. And that involved family time.

Garret cocked his head, his eyes squinting as he studied her. "Serious?" He looked back at Nate. "Your family is as crazy as you are, you know that?" He wouldn't answer Laura. He wanted to leave. He wanted to stay. He couldn't decide. His heart wanted to. His logic didn't. His spirit longed for this atmosphere. His mind said it was a mistake.