“Do you live in the city?” Hudgens probed before taking a bite.
“Milwaukee. I stopped by for that big department thing. PR likes having a relative make a statement here and there.”
“Anyone can tell you’re siblings.” Hudgens circled her hand to encompass them both. “The hair, eyes, shape.”
“I guess that’s a compliment to my figure after two children,” Abby laughed. “I’ve got the Baker genes. What’s good on the menu except drinks and cake?”
“I don’t know. We ordered the pancakes,” Rodriguez said. It made sense since it was a good carb base for their drinking.
“What do you think ‘Heart of Targ with Gagh’means?” Abby mused.
“Worms,” Noah and Hudgens said at the same time.
They ignored the looks from the other three occupants that clearly said they were the nerds at the table.
“Worms?” Rodriguez checked the menu. “It says ‘organic buckwheat noodles.’”
“It’s a Star Trek joke,” Noah explained. “The Klingons eat this worm dish called ‘gagh,’ often with some meat from a targ, a pig with fangs.”
“And spikes all over its body,” Hudgens added. “I think it’s pork on the menu.”
“About the menus…” Abby held up her menu which had the corners cut off, making it eight-sided. “Why are their corners missing?”
“Battlestar Galactica,” Noah said.
The conversation turned to a much safer discussion of catching or Googling all the sci-fi references in the food. Hudgens was the best at the game, apparently quite a sci-fi geek, but Knight constantly cross-checked every answer. The women of Firehouse 15 finished before the Baker siblings’ food arrived and were hunting for the bill.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” Noah offered. “Let me pay for lunch.”
The lieutenants exchanged a glance.
“It’s because we ordered an alcoholic’s worth of drinks. If you pay, you’ll see what sops we are.” Hudgens shrugged when the other two shot her death glares. “What? The Chief likes honesty.”
Noah tried to soothe any skepticism. “I’ve got it, ladies. Please, my treat.”
Not one to turn down a gift when she saw one, Hudgens was on her feet immediately, shuffling them off. “We appreciate this, Chief. Thank you. We’re leaving right now.”
He watched them go. Then he realized Hudgens forgot her purse.
“Be right back.” Noah popped it under his arm and went toward the door.
Hudgens was backtracking through the restaurant, slight worry on her face, which faded when she reached him with her purse. “Thank you, Chief.”
“I’m sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable.” He handed it over and noticed her heels made her almost eye-level with him.
She gave him a blinding smile. “You don’t have to apologize for anything. You’re busy being robotic-y and professional and really hot and everything, but you don’t have to be sorry every time you might be having fun.”
“Still, I’m sure it was strange,” he tried again.
She blew by his comment without a pause. “We were being naughty, and we got what we deserved. It’s natural to be curious about who you’re bringing into that unmade bed of yours.”
The room was spinning slightly as he tried to follow her train of thought. “Umm… okay.”
“I knew what you wanted because it took me far less than five seconds to figure it out. Or is it ‘fewer.’ I can’t remember. Less or fewer doesn’t matter. I saw your eyes—which are so pretty and are very, very blue… azure… cerulean… sapphire. Either way, that’s all it took,” She gave him another huge grin.
“Because my eyes are blue?” Noah was reeling that she was imagining him in bed.
She had no qualms about making it worse. “Because of how those blue eyes followed me. Simple heterosexual male attending morning yoga with his pretty blue eyes.”
