Her head tilts back to see her eyes searching mine. “You’re not afraid of what people will say?” she asks.
“Baby, people are going to talk, no matter what. Might as well give them something to talk about.”
By the time we finish showering and get dressed, the plows have made another pass. The snow’s piled high along the road, but the worst of the storm’s over. It’s that quiet after where everything looks clean and sharp, like a fresh start.
Tessa stands by the door, dressed in the same clothes she had on yesterday, cheeks pink from the cold seeping throughthe seams. Her hand is resting on the knob like she’s not sure whether to open it.
“You ready?” I ask.
Tessa nods slowly. “I think so.”
I grab my coat and step closer, sliding my hand to the small of her back. “I’ll make sure you get home safe.”
She glances up, a smile tugging at her lips. “You always do.”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “But this time, I’m not handing out lectures about whatever infraction you’ve committed.”
Her eyes soften. “You’re serious about this? About us?”
“As a heart attack, Pope.”
“Let’s see if you’re still singing that tune when it's time to face my parents.”
Linda and Jack Pope don’t scare me. Much.
“Please, your parents love me.”
“That was before you defiled their daughter,” she teases.
A growl vibrates low in my gut, and she laughs at me. “You’re evil,” I say, brushing a kiss against her forehead before pushing the door open.
Outside, the sunlight hits the snow and throws it back in a thousand tiny sparkles like glitter.
“How is your driveway already plowed?” Tessa asked as we climb into my patrol vehicle.
“Perk of being a public servant.” I pause for a moment while starting the SUV. “I’m kidding. I actually pay a buddy to do it for me. Everyone was out early this morning while you were still sleeping, baby.”
I wait until we turn out of my driveway and come up to the tracks in the road where the tow company pulled Tessa’s car out.
“Nathan, where’s my car?” she asks immediately.
“Baby…”
“Chief. Where. Is. My. Car?”
“At the auto shop.”
“Paid someone to do that too, did ya?” She eyes me very suspiciously.
“Maybe.”
“Oh my God,” she reaches over and smacks my shoulder. “So much for ‘we’ll take care of it in the morning.’”
“I did take care of it. This morning.”
“How bad is it?” she sighs.
“Won’t be driving anywhere until it’s fixed. Luckily, Dawson owes me a favor, so it shouldn’t cost much and your insurance should cover everything except your deductible.”
