“Mrs. Patterson.” Cara’s voice. Warm, friendly, with a thread of strain underneath that most people probably wouldn’t catch. “How are you?”
“Wonderful, wonderful. I was just telling Deputy Thorn here about your books. He should really read them.”
A pause. I can feel her eyes on my back. The weight of her attention like a physical thing.
“I’m sure he’s very busy,” she says. There’s an edge to it now. A warning.
“Nonsense! A handsome young deputy needssomethingto do on those long winter nights.” Mrs. Patterson actually winks. I can hear it in her voice. “Chapter seven is particularly?—”
“Keep the change.” I put money on the counter without counting it. Turn.
She’s standing three feet away.
Different sweater than this morning. Blue instead of cream. She changed because the other one smelled like me.
Couldn’t even stand having my scent on her for a few hours.
Her cheeks are pink. Hair loose around her shoulders. She’s looking at me with those big brown eyes, and for a split second, I’m eighteen again. Standing in her grandmother’s backyard. Watching her laugh at something Theo said. Wondering how I got lucky enough to have her look at me the way she was looking at him.
I shut it down. Hard.
“Ms. Donovan.”
She flinches. Just barely. Most people would miss it.
I don’t miss it.
“Nate.” She takes a breath. Squares her shoulders like she’s bracing for impact. “Can we?—”
“Deputy Thorn.” I cut her off before she can finish. “And I was just leaving.”
I walk past her. Close enough that her scent wraps around me. Close enough that I have to clench my jaw to keep from stopping, from turning, from doing something stupid like asking what she was going to say.
Her scent shifts as I pass. Goes sad. Hurt.
Not my problem.
The bell chimes. Cold air hits my face. I take a breath. Then another. Let the winter air burn away the honey and citrus still clinging to my senses.
Liam’s leaning against the cruiser, eyebrows raised.
“That was fast.”
“Let’s go.” I round the car to the passenger side. “I’ll drive.”
He doesn’t argue. Just tosses me the keys and climbs in.
I pull out of the parking spot too fast. Ease off the gas. Getting a speeding ticket in my own cruiser would be a new low, even for today.
We drive in silence for three blocks. I can feel Liam looking at me.
“You want to talk about it?” he asks.
“No.”
“Okay.” He settles back in his seat. “So. Ms. Donovan.”
“What about it?”
