“What about the store?” Griffin asked. “It’s not like you can have someone stationed at the door asking for ID before they go inside.” His hand gripped mine a little harder. “Maybe you should think about taking some time off.”

My mouth fell open. “You know I can’t.” I already felt insanely guilty for allowing Griffin to pay me for meals when we were living here, but he’d insisted that he should actually be paying me more with all the work we were doing around the farmhouse. I wasn’t sure Mia’s glitter drawings could really be counted as work. But the truth was, we needed the money. I was still paying the astronomical rent on the old house, and Mia’s gymnastics wasn’t getting any cheaper. I’d started tucking a little bit of money away for that cooking class I was hoping to take, but if I stopped my job at the store, it would all fall apart.

“Please.” Griffin squeezed my hand. “Think about it. You can get rid of the rental house and just store your belongings in the workshop here until this mess is over. You pay too much for that place anyway.”

My head was swimming. It was all just a little too much. “That place is our home, Griffin.”

He looked as if I’d struck him. It wasn’t that we weren’t comfortable here. If anything, we were too at home. But that little yellow house was where my family had made our way in the world from the moment we stepped out on our own. Out of the shadows and into the light. I wasn’t ready to let it go. Especially when the farmhouse wasn’t our forever. At least, not anytime soon.

I rubbed soothing circles on the back of Griffin’s hand. “That house has been the kids’ home for the past six years. I don’t want to lose that just to try and save a little money.”

Griffin’s jaw worked back and forth. “I get it.”

It didn’t seem like he did. Somehow, I wasn’t getting my point across, and I’d hurt him in the process. And I had no idea how to make it better.

Parker cleared his throat. “I’ll have deputies doing regular drive-bys and stop-ins. I know your friends have been stopping by, too. Let’s keep that up. And I spoke with Mr. Walters. He’s going to make sure you’re never on shift alone.”

“That sounds like a good plan. I’m just sorry everyone has to go to all of this extra trouble.”

Griffin’s hand spasmed in mine, and he released me. The withdrawal of the touch, his silent support, was physically painful. Griffin stood. “I’m going to grab a beer and check on the kids. You guys need anything?”

I stayed still and silent, but Parker shook his head. “I’m good.”