"See you when you get home."
She carried a silver tray of goodies with her outside, the summer night air cloaking her in a warm embrace. The stars twinkled brightly, and she tried to steady her worries.
No job. Soon no home. Ronnie back in town bringing old pain. Her sister's ability to make Tilly feel small.
"Nice night," a deep voice interrupted, causing her to let out a scream and drop the silver tray. She watched in horror, then shock, as it fell, about to clatter loudly against the sidewalk, when a hand slid out and lifted it fluidly. She stared at the barely disturbed treats still intact.
"How?" She stopped herself and licked her lips.
"Didn't mean to startle you," his voice drawled. The southern dip did things to her. Annoyance was at the top of that list.
"Well, you did. When a woman is alone at night, and you say something to her when she doesn't know you're there? Pretty startling."
His lips pursed the slightest. "My apologies. May I walk you to your car?"
She considered that for a moment. Should she let him? What was the danger? He was the chief of police, after all. There was a store full of her friends and half the town ten feet away.
But also, he was something else, and that part of her that had been avoiding him was unsure.
"I won't bite," he said, and when his lips pulled up in a half smile, she couldn't help but let out a shocked laugh.
"Was that a joke?"
He shrugged a large shoulder. "A promise."
Oh. Something curled in her belly.
"Tilly!"
She jumped and cursed. "What is the matter with men?" she mumbled as she turned at the voice, frowning when she saw Ronnie crossing the street. She looked up at the sky and raised a fist with pursed lips. What the hell had she done to have the universe play with her like this?
"You alright?" the chief asked, watching her have a word with the higher powers.
"Oh fine," she said with a touch of sarcasm and a sigh. "Just seeing if the universe is trying to use me to set a record."
He was about to say something, but then straightened and his face shuddered as he looked behind her.
When Ronnie wrapped his arms around her in an unexpected hug, she stiffened. He didn't seem to notice as he pulled away with that lazy smile. "Running into you twice in one day. Must be the universe telling me something."
She almost laughed. Almost. Because she was certain the universe was talking to her, not him.
"Uh, Ronnie, this is Chief Landry. He's new to Salem," she pointed to where the chief stood, his face back to that deceptively passive look. She could see him watch Ronnie carefully.
She could feel it, that sudden heightened sense of awareness when you're discerning friend or foe.
"Nice. Nice mustache, man." He turned back to Tilly. "Wanna hang out?"
"I, uh..." she shook her head, thoughts tangled together as she tried to find something coherent up there.
"I'm walking her to her car," Landry said easily. "She's had a long day and needs a bubble bath. Nice to meet you, you'll excuse us." He dipped his head politely, but his voice was low and edged in warning.
"Right," Ronnie said, drawing out the word, his eyes looking the man up and down, trying to draw his number. The chief had half a foot on Ronnie. His decision was made when he turned toward Tilly and asked, "Do you want me to take you home? I can hang with you at your place. I'm just crashing on a friend's couch until I get my own spot."
Ah. There it was.
"Actually, I'm not going home." His look of shock at her rejection was foreign, like he had picked it up on his travels. But really, she'd just never said no to him. "Maybe another time," she added gently. Her tremulous smile put his shock at ease, and he nodded.
"Yeah, sounds good."
