“God forgive me, Joe, but I’m relieved.” Not wanting Janie to hear the conversation, Eliza whispered on the phone extension in her bedroom.
“I feel the same way, Eliza. At least that’s one we don’t have to worry about anymore. I knew you wouldn’t mind if I called you at home to let you know.”
“ ‘Mind’? Are you kidding? Now I won’t have to worry if my skirt is too short tomorrow,” she joked lamely.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, Eliza,” Joe warned, “but I know I’ll sleep a little better tonight than I have been lately.”
“Do the police have any idea who killed him?”
“Nothing so far, but in my book, whoever it was did us a favor.”
When Samuel called that evening, Eliza tried to keep her voice even as she told him about Meat’s demise.
“Good. I’m glad,” he said adamantly. “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”
Eliza was troubled. It was clear that Samuel was falling for her, hard. And she guiltily acknowledged to herself that she had encouraged him. She had wanted to have a man with her during this tense time and, out of her own need, she had used him. Not maliciously, but she had. She had told herself that she was helping him through a tough time, but the fact was he had been helping Eliza through hers.
Samuel was a lovely man, but the timing just wasn’t right He was coming off the harshest blow of his life and it was natural he would be grasping for something or someone to hold on to. She, on the other hand, still had not resolved her feelings about Mack. This wasn’t the way to start a solid relationship. Plus, she had to admit, they didn’t exactly have wild chemistry between them. Samuel was pleasant to be with, but she felt no excitement at his touch. Eliza knew she needed that, to go forward.
She had to tell him. But how could she? She didn’t think Samuel could take another hurt right now. The longer she waited, though, the harder it would be.