CHAPTER 458

He couldn’t believe Jessie had kept the wallet. She’d seemed embarrassed when she’d opened his present. Too late Brandt learned such a labor-intensive gift was appropriate for a girlfriend. Or a lover. Or a wife. None of which Jessie was to him. Luke had been a real prick about it, too, teasing him mercilessly.

Ragging on Jessie. They’d both ignored Luke, and Brandt figured Jessie had probably thrown it out to keep the peace with her husband. Warmth expanded in his chest even as he called himself ten kinds of fool for feeling that spark of pleasure.

He scrutinized the inside of the truck cab for anything else that might belong to her before he zipped up the purse and jogged back to his pickup.

Jessie had wedged herself in the corner. Relief swept over her when he tossed the purse in her lap.

“Thank you.”

“You wanna check to see if anything is missing?”

“No. Just take me home.”

He let her be, even when he wanted to assure her that Mike’s reaction was a result of booze and pot, not a re