“What now?” I asked Mittens, who woke from her slumber at the sound and stretched.
I walked to the door, peeked out the sidelight. A shiver traveled down my spine when I saw Pete standing there, looking as handsome as ever, holding a small, white paper bag.
I opened the door slowly, hoping he couldn’t hear my rapidly beating heart. I wished I was wearing something other than a fifteen-year-old, bright orange Syracuse University sweatshirt paired with rainbow tie-dyed sweatpants—my go-to outfit when I was feeling blue.
“What now?” I asked, instantly regretting the edge to my voice that I was unable to control. My protective shields were raised as high as the roof.
He leaned against the door frame. “Hi. Can I come in for a minute?”
“I don’t know.” I gave him a tentative smile. “Did my nutty neighbor call you again with a complaint?”
“Nope.” He shook his head.
I bit my lower lip. “Do you have a search warrant?”
His eyes twinkled. “Ha! If I told a judge what I was interested in finding here tonight, he’d probably confiscate my badge.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, in that case…” I said as I opened the door wide. He took off his leather jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door. My typically anti-social cat started to rub against his leg. The feline has made her hatred of every guy I have ever brought home known instantly. If her hisses and extended claws didn’t scare them off quick enough, she’d poop in their shoes. Chad was once petrified to leave the downstairs bathroom because Mittens was sitting outside the door, ready to pounce. Poor fellow screamed like a little girl until I lured her away with catnip.
And now this. The traitor.
“She’s a cutie,” Pete said as he bent down to scratch her back. “Clara has been begging me for a cat for months. One of these days, she’s going to wear me down.” His features always softened when he spoke about his daughter. It was adorable.
“She sounds like she has you wrapped pretty tightly around her little finger,” I said with a smile. I forget for a moment I needed to keep my guard up around him. I didn’t want to get hurt again.
“She does,” he said. Then he started to walk into my living room and then plopped down on the loveseat.
“Hey,” I exclaimed with mock outrage, “I don’t remember offering you a seat?”
“I’m tired of waiting for you. Sometimes you have to take what you want.” He flashed me a devilish grin that undid me.
I let out a deep breath as I sat on the couch across from him. “Why are you here?” I asked wearily as I crossed my legs.
He cleared his throat. “Listen, I’m sorry if I’m out of line, but I didn’t know what else to do. You haven’t answered any of my calls or texts.”
I glanced at the coffee table between us where my phone sat, and guilt washed over me. It was rude not to reply, but the thought of a repeat of our playful banter, followed by another dismissal, was as appealing to me as eating a hot fudge sundae topped with sardines.
“Sorry.” I rubbed my arms. “It was kind of you to check-in, but I know you have been working very closely with Syd.”
“I have. And she’s terrific. She actually was the one to encourage me to come here tonight.” He narrowed his eyes. “Waverly, you do realize my calls had nothing to do with the case, right?”
“They didn’t?” I asked, although I wasn’t surprised after the #TeamPete member raked me over the coals this afternoon. If her lecture to me was any indication, I could only imagine the earful she gave him.
“What else would there be for us to speak about?” I asked while trying to keep my voice and my breathing even.
“I think you know. Ihopeyou know.”
I swallowed hard and my stomach fluttered.
“Come here,” he said as he patted the space next to him on my tiny couch. My legs didn’t listen to my brain. For the first time, I was glad I was too cheap to spring for a full-sized sofa after I replaced the purple one. I was sitting so close to him our knees were almost touching, and he smelled as good as he looked.
I pointed to the paper bag resting on his lap. “What’s in there?”
He handed it to me, and I peeked inside. I tilted my head to the side. “Sour gummy worms?”
“Sydney said you haven’t been eating since… I thought these might tempt you.”
I reached into the bag. “Not much nutritional value here, but these were always my favorite.”
