“All I’m asking is for her to tag along on a few interviews and look over the case file,” Kellen reminded him.
“You’re asking her to find a killer. Don’t make it sound like you’re having her swing by the grocery store for pork rinds.”
Kellen steepled his fingers. “I’ve never seen you this worked up over a girl before, Santiago.”
“She’s not justagirl. She’smygirl.”
“Can’t say I blame you. Sure is easy on the eyes.”
Nick slammed his cup down on the desk, sending coffee sloshing over the rim.
“Down boy,” Kellen said with a shit-eating grin. “I’m just returning the favor of pissing you off. This is what it was like with Beth.”
Nick clenched his teeth. They’d been through hell together, and it hadn’t gone well for their friendship. They hadn’t talked about her since Nick’s last day on the force. Before…everything, Weber’s little sister and Nick had acted out a flirtation that had her older brother’s blood pressure spiking every time they were in a room together.
“I was just messing with you, man. It was harmless. I wouldn’t have taken your sister out. There are rules.”
“You don’t do rules.”
“Yeah, well, even when I try to do them, I don’t get them right,” Nick complained.
Kellen waited.
“When you’re in a relationship, isn’t part of the fun being able to tell the other person what they can and can’t do?”
“Yeah, when you’re the woman.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t give me that. You’re telling me that Riley has the right to tell me not to pick up pretty girls at the bar. But I can’t forbid her from working a homicide?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you, brother.”
“Fuck. That’s not fair.”
“You can forbid her from picking up guys in bars. But unless you two agree on it, neither one of you can tell the other one what jobs to take. I thought you already learned that with Nature Girls.”
Without his knowledge, Riley had gotten herself a job as a server at a seedy bar that Nick was watching to get to the owner. She’d pranced around in a mini skirt and belly-baring shirt, serving up cheap booze to the dregs of Harrisburg society to get him information.
He’d thrown multiple temper tantrums over it.
Nick groaned. “This is bullshit. It’s for her own good.”
“Try explaining that to her?” Kellen asked.
“Yes.”
His ex-partner stood and shrugged into his suit jacket. “Did you? Or did you just tell her how it was?”
“What’s the difference?”
Kellen grinned. “Man, I gotta tell you it feels good to see you being an idiot up close and in person again.”
“Bite me.”
Kellen rose and nodded toward the door, and Nick followed him.
“Look. All I’m saying is women are more inclined to listen to your Neanderthal demands if you can give them a good reason for it. If you can make a compelling case.”
“So I either pour my heart out to her like a big, dumb baby or I give her veto rights over my work life?” Nick summarized.
