He had a to-go cup of coffee in one hand and held it out to her. “Thank you for scaring five years off my life.”
She took the coffee he offered her. “I… I’m sorry. I’m a little out of it. The allergy pill really knocked me out last night.”
“Lucky,” he muttered. He didn’t look at her. He surveyed the room. Continuing to speak before she could parse thelucky. “The sheriff wants us both to come into the station this morning.”
It was so silly to want to just…put her mouth to his and see what he would do. Which was definitely a pre-coffee, post–allergy pill thought. Not a sane one in response to what he’d just said.
“Why?”
“I assume to go over what the FBI have told him about Albennie’s return. And what that means for your surveillance and so on.”
“Oh, right.” Important stuff. Not kissing stuff.
“You might want to get dressed. And brush your hair.”
Her free hand flew up to her hair. She couldfeelthe rat’s nest at the back of her head. Usually she slept like the dead after an allergy pill. Apparently last night she’d slept like the restless dead. And since her hair had still been damp from the shower, it was no doubt a hopeless mess.
His mouth curved, for the first time a spark of something behind the cop facade. “I mean, it’s a real cute look and all, but it looks like you’ve been up to something.”
She could feel her cheeksheat. She wished she was the kind of woman who had the guts to say something likeI wish we’d been up to something. But she wasn’t Rosalie.
She was just tongue-tied.
“Go on and get ready, Franny,” he said, very gently, but his mouth was still curved. Amused at her in a way that never felt condescending.
She nodded and went for her room, because this was important police business stuff.
Then she remembered his text last night.
Didn’ttrusthimself.
She blew out a breath. Well, she was just going to have to concern herself with both. She had to contain multitudes.
She tried to find a suitable outfit for the police station quickly so she wasn’t leaving Royal waiting, but her mind kept wandering because he’d sent that text and he’d…
He liked her. He was interested in her. It wasn’t imagination or wishful thinking. He’dkissedher. She hadn’t forced him to do that. And he didn’t strike her as someone who…would go against his own truth to soothe someone else. Hewasa soother, but it was like…honest soothing.
She shook her head, pulled on some jeans since the police station was freezing. A T-shirt, a jacket she tied around her waist. Her hair was hopeless, but she tried to detangle it a little bit before using a rubber band to create a messy bun that looked purposeful instead of wild.
Then she grabbed the cup of coffee and guzzled down as much as she could.
A latte. Because he knew what she drank. Because he liked her. Didn’t trust himself around her. And maybe there was a hope that could all mean something, but they had to step over this wholekidnappingbusiness first.
And it was about to be over. It had to be, right? Albennie was coming home. The surveillance would be over. And maybe she and Royal could…go out on a date or something.
Because helikedher, and whether that worked out or not wasn’t important in this moment. What was important in this moment was not talking herself out of what he’d made perfectly clear.
That and going to the police station.
She went back out into the main part of the apartment. Royal stood at her window, looking down over Main Street, but he turned when she came in.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. They just stared at each other. And she hoped he was reliving that kiss at least alittle, because that’s where her brain had gone.
“There are things you should know about me, Franny. Things that would change the way you look at me.”
He was so serious. Even more serious than his usual. Her heart tripped over itself, but when she spoke her voice was calm. Even if her heart wasn’t. “Do I look at you a particular way?”
“Yeah, you do. Like you think I’m good or brave. I’m not.”
