Not five minutes later, the the door opened again and Gina stepped inside.
"Is it safe to come in?" she called out.
Any other time, I might have joked around, reminding her I had sharp knives and hot oil.
Today, I gave her a smile and said, "Perfectly safe." For now. "Are you ready to get back to work?"
"As nice as the idea of a paid holiday was, I was already getting bored," she said with a laugh. "I see we have some help." She looked around, nodding toward Jules, who stood on the ladder, and Cass, who was handing a lightbulb up to him.
"I figured it was time you had someone helping you on the floor," I said lightly. "Don't want you overworked anymore."
"Have I told you lately you're the best boss?" she asked sweetly. "Did they figure out what happened to Erin? Or should I say, who?"
I picked up a spoon and started to stir the risotto. "The cops don't have a clue. They think the killer was someone she knew." I watched Gina carefully for her response.
"Someone she knew," Gina echoed. Her expression was guarded. "Is it possible it was someone you also know?"
"It's possible, but I have no way of knowing," I said. "It might have been someone we all know, so be careful."
"You know me." She started to wind her hair up into a bun at the back of her head. "I've never been the type to take candy from a stranger."
I managed a short laugh. "That's true. You have more street smarts than most people I know." Like me, she was born and bred in the city. There wasn't much that rattled us or took us by surprise. Badassery was in our blood.
"Hell yeah, I do." She fastened the bun into place. "So, how are you doing? I was surprised when you said you were opening the restaurant again so soon. Are you doing okay?"
"I needed to get back to normal," I said. "Or close to normal, given its me we're talking about." I gave her a self-deprecating smile.
"Are you staying at your place alone?" She frowned. "I mean, you did say the killer might be someone you knew. What if they come after you next?"
"I'm staying with a friend," I said simply.
A slow, knowing smile crept onto her lips. "Cass? Or Boner?" She cocked her head. "Or are you staying with Archer?” She must have seen something in my expression, because her smile widened. "Nice work, girl, he's a hottie."
"It's only temporary," I said, my tone evasive. I shouldn't be talking to anyone about where I was staying right now. Not even her.
"That's how it starts," she said. "The next thing you know, you're picking out wedding dresses."
I dipped my head and looked at her from between my eyebrows. "I'm not going to be picking out wedding dresses anytime soon."
For so many reasons, including the fact I'd have to choose one of the men in order to marry them. Why choose one when I could have them all?
"Right," she drew the word out for added disbelief. "It's nice to see you back in the kitchen. Right where you belong. I should go and make sure everything is ready for the lunch service."
"Yes, thank you," I said. I watched her walking away with a sway in her hips and a tickle of unease on the back of my neck.
Cass gave his job over to Gina and joined me in the kitchen.
"Something is off," he whispered. "I can't put my finger on it." His brown eyes looked troubled behind the shiny lenses of his glasses. His hair was clipped back today, off his face, showing me all of his expression.
"I know what you mean," I whispered back.
I ran Jules' story about the staff at the lighting store hunting down more bulbs over and over in my head. I had no reason to think he wasn't telling the truth, but something was not right.
He could have met up with someone before or after he bought the lightbulbs. Made a phone call. Sent off a text.
Something.
I didn't want to believe he was working with Eros, but apart from being Cass' brother, what did I know about him? We'd hated each other on first sight, and now he was around all the time, insinuating himself into everything from our living arrangement to working here.
