Her dark-haired friend came into the kitchen and leaned one shoulder against the wall but didn’t try to interrupt the happy reunion, which pretty much went the same way regardless of how long Alina had been away. Kathy’s presence didn’t stop Alina from talking to Molly like she was a two-year-old.
“Did you miss your mommy?” she said in her best baby voice.
Molly let out a soft bark, then butted her head into Alina’s hands, demanding more attention and pets. Alina couldn’t help but laugh. Then again, that’s what dogs were all about. They made you happy.
“You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”
Molly let out another soft bark. She wasn’t a noisy dog, but she always got talkative when Alina got all goofy. Alina had a sudden vision of Trevor watching her kneeling down on the floor, talking like this. He’d probably think she was a big dope.
“Molly wanted to come right over and find out how your first day on the new job went, but I told her she had to wait until you had a chance to clean up and relax a little,” Kathy said.
Alina gave Molly one last pat on the head, then stood. “Oh, so Molly’s the one who’s all eager to hear about my first day at the office, huh?”
Kathy smiled and nodded, her blue-green eyes teasing behind her glasses. “Definitely. But if you’re going to tell her about it, I guess I can hang around and listen in, too.”
Alina gave up on the idea of nuking a frozen pizza and instead grabbed a box of Cheerios from the cabinet, a carton of milk from the fridge, and a bowl and spoon, then headed into the living room with Kathy following close behind.
“So tell me! How was your first day?” Kathy asked eagerly, kicking off her slippers and getting comfy on the couch.
Alina almost laughed at the excitement in her friend’s voice but restrained herself. Kathy worked from home selling socks on the Internet and often said she lived vicariously through Alina’s covert adventures.
Kathy was more than a next-door neighbor and her best friend. She was Alina’s confidante, the only person she’d ever been able to talk to about her life in the CIA. She’d never told her friend anything classified of course, but Kathy was familiar with the stuff that had happened to Jodi and the other members of Alina’s team. She’d also known how much Alina had come to dislike her job at the Agency. In fact, Kathy had been the one to convince her to accept the DCO’s job offer.
Molly hopped up between them on the couch and did a few circles before lying down with her head near Alina’s hip. The dog immediately closed her eyes and went to sleep, happy as a clam now that she was with her mommy.
Alina dumped some cereal into the bowl, then added milk. “If I had to sum today up in one word, I guess that word would be…interesting.”
Kathy tucked her sock-covered feet underneath her. “Okay, interesting is a good start. Tell me everything—starting with what your new partner is like. You did meet whoever it is today, right? Is it a man or a woman? Or are you part of a team with several hunky guys? Please tell me that’s it.”
Alina did laugh this time. Kathy could be a bit melodramatic.
“Yes, I met my partner. His name is Trevor Maxwell.”
Kathy leaned forward expectantly. “And?”
“And what?” Alina knew exactly what Kathy was asking but figured she should make her friend work for it a little bit.
Kathy glared at her. “Don’t even try it. You know exactly what I’m talking about. What’s he like? Is he nice, good-looking, well built…married?”
Alina shook her head. “Kathy, he’s my partner.”
Her friend made a face. “Seriously? I sit at home all day looking at socks on the Internet, and you think I’m going to let you get away with that nonanswer? I’m not buying it. Spill!”
Alina laughed. “Okay, okay. I admit, I may have noticed that Trevor is attractive. He has dark hair that seemed permanently tousled and dark eyes. He’s maybe a year or two older than I am, isn’t married that I know of, and is funny in that sarcastic, dry-wit sort of way. Oh, and he’s definitely tall and well built.”
“How tall and how built?” Kathy asked.
Alina shrugged. “Six four, two hundred and twenty pounds maybe.”
“Whoa.” Kathy’s brows rose. “He sounds hot.”
Alina didn’t say anything as she spooned cereal into her mouth. She couldn’t help wondering what her friend would think if she knew Trevor had claws and fangs.
“So I’m guessing you two hit it right off?”
Alina grimaced. “Unfortunately, no.”
“Really? Why not? Did you two get into a fight or something?”
