“Oh, I almost forgot!” Cat slapped her forehead with a palm and walked back to the desk, where she grabbed two envelopes from the surface. She held both out to Kelsi, who reluctantly accepted them from her, letting her drop them on top of the case files in her other arm.
At that moment, Dylan stepped out of his office, coffee cup in hand, on the way to the break room. He smiled when he saw Kelsi, but she saw the moment his eyes dropped and he noticed the flowers. They narrowed slightly and his lips thinned. His feet shifted direction so he stopped in front of them rather than continuing to the break room.
“Flowers, Red?” He flicked his eyes to Cat. “Did Cat buy those for you?”
He was fishing, and she knew it. Her own eyes narrowed at him in turn. Cat, bless her heart, didn’t notice the tension.
“Nope! They were dropped off this morning by one of the deputies downstairs. Said someone brought them by the front desk for her. He didn’t sign anything I could see, but he did leave a card for her.” She plucked the top envelope from Kelsi’s arms, waving the florist’s stationary in his face.
“He?” Dylan’s voice was rough, coming through gritted teeth, and a vein pulsed in his forehead.
“I’m assuming it’s a he. I mean, I guess we can’t be certain until she opens that envelope, but they’re roses. The universal flower of love. It’s probably that hot cop she went out with last weekend.”
Cat giggled and flounced back over to her chair so she could recline and elevate her feet. They did look slightly swollen now that Kelsi could see them more clearly.
“Open the card and let’s see, Kelsi.”
“Right. Of course. And who can blame him for wanting to send Kelsi flowers?” Dylan said.
Kelsi’s cheeks heated under his gaze.
He leaned closer to her, lowering his voice so that Cat couldn’t hear it, and whispered in her ear, “If he really wanted to impress you, he would send you hydrangeas.” He walked into the break room, leaving Kelsi gaping after him, floored by his intensity. A moment later the coffee pot whirled to life.
She didn’t know how he remembered her favorite flowers. Kelsi bit her lip, trying—and failing—to puzzle him out. She prided herself on being able to connect complicated dots, but this man made less sense to her than a Jackson Pollock painting.
While Kelsi was distracted, Cat had apparently gotten impatient and opened the envelope, because a high-pitchedsqueal came from her. It startled Kelsi enough that she almost dropped the case files and vase in her arms.
“I knew it!” Cat exclaimed, waving the florist’s card at Kelsi with a broad grin before dramatically clearing her throat. “K—that’s cute, he has a nickname for you already—I had an amazing time the other night. I’ll be patiently waiting to see you again. Yours, Sheridan.” Cat quirked an eyebrow at her. “Patiently waiting?”
“I asked to take things slow, and he said he can be patient,” Kelsi mumbled to Cat.
Kelsi’s face was flushed, and Cat mockingly fanned her with the card as if to cool her down. She cut a glance at the break room, knowing full well that their conversation was not at all private and Dylan was able to hear every word.
“Hey, tomorrow night we’re going to the Crow’s Nest.” Cat’s voice drew her attention back to her bubbly friend.
“Tomorrow night?”
“Yes, tomorrow.” Her head bobbed up and down, setting some curls bouncing around her face. “Put on your boots—we’re going to have a fun night full of line dancing and cowboys.”
Kelsi laughed and, before she could think better of it, agreed to go.
Cat winked at her. “You should totally invite Officer Hottie to join us, too.”
A loud clunk came from the break room as the coffee pot was put back in the machine.
“Sure, I’ll text him now.”
They were friends, right? She could invite him out with them and have it be normal. Even if he’d sent her romanticflowers. And said he would be patient.Ugh.Why were adult relationships so hard? Did she want to see where things could go between them? She thought so, but her traitorous heart reminded her of the blue-eyed man she hadn’t been able to get out of her head since he’d strolled back into her life. Kelsi had to shut that down quickly. His flirting was messing with her, but down that road was only more pain.
Mind made up, she sent the invite to Sheridan. His response chimed in her phone quickly.
Sheridan: Can’t wait. See you there. ;)
She showed her screen to Cat, who gave a saucy shimmy, saying, “It’s a date!”
At that moment, Dylan emerged from the break room. Cat stopped him quickly.
“Dylan, wanna join us? Crow’s Nest tomorrow?”
