“Are you assuming because I have tits that I want to watch a chick flick?” I asked.
“Uh, no…”
“What did you base your decision on then?”
“Well, my mom and my ex loved this movie. They talked about it all the time,” Elijah said, managing to sound both defensiveandfearful.
“Don’t lump me in the category with any of your exes,” I warned him. “I’m sure your mom is really sweet, but chick flicks aren’t for me. I had to suffer through hours of them with my mom last night to makeherfeel better aboutmenearly discovering a dead body last night. Just be glad I talked her down from coming over here tonight.”
“I’m sure your mom is a lovely person,” Elijah countered.
“She is, but she would’ve crimped our style.” I tipped my head toward the second story where the magic had happened.
“So, what would you like to watch?” Elijah asked, holding the remote toward me. He picked up his stew and started eating it while I took over surfing duties.
“This!” I announced when I came to one of the movies I had loved watching with my dad.
“Lethal Weapon?”
“What’s wrong with it?” I asked him.
“Nothing; it’s a great movie. I’m just surprised you think so.”
“Because I’m a woman?”
“No, not really. Well, maybe. I guess I’m basing it on my universe where women don’t care for action movies.”
“Perhaps you need to expand your universe.” I thought about what I said and how awkward it sounded. I basically encouraged Elijah to go out and meet more women.
“Nah,” Elijah said, hooking his free arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him. He kissed my temple then dropped his arm from my shoulders. “I like myuniversethe way it is right now.”
I wasn’t convinced that he truly meant what his words implied. Elijah owed me nothing, but I hoped I wouldn’t have to see a parade of women coming and going from his house anytime soon. In fact, my churning stomach at the mere thought of another woman curling up next to him on the couch told me that I was more invested than I had realized. I tried to mentally put some distance between us when I straightened away from him, but it didn’t work. I felt his pull like a huge invisible magnet.
We settled into comfortable silence while we ate our savory stew and watched the shenanigans of Riggs and Murtaugh. I expected Elijah to interject and tell me which parts were not how real cops did things, but he just laughed along with me.
“Ready for dessert?” Elijah asked halfway through the movie.
“Dessert?” Hell, I thought we already had dessert before dinner.
“Miss Emma said that you love pecan pie and added two pieces in the bag. She said it won’t make up for the rough couple of days you’ve had, but she hoped to put a smile on your face.”
“That was so sweet of her,” I said, rubbing my hands together gleefully. “Emma makes the best pies.”
“This is a very nice town,” Elijah said. “You look out for one another here.”
“You mean when we’re not killing each other?”
“Thom Renzo hasn’t lived here in several years, Maegan. Maybe his trouble followed him here from Kentucky.”
I wanted it to be true, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Wouldn’t the killer flee back to where they came from instead of hanging around and risk getting caught? I hated wondering if the person that stood across me at the counter or was on the other end of the phone line was the person who ended Thom’s life. That person apparently wanted to pull me into the murder investigation by dropping off evidence behind my building and putting the only witness inside my house. It wouldn’t be the first time that our town was shocked when one of our citizens turned out to be a killer, which meant my negligence was unacceptable.
“I know why there was no forced entry at my house tonight,” I said guiltily.
“Let me guess,” Elijah said dryly, “you had a key hidden beneath the doormat.”
“No, but just as stupid. It was under the planter on my porch.”
“Stay here,” Elijah said, jumping to his feet. He ran out the front door without even stopping to put shoes on.
