She was a friend, and he couldn’t tell his friends police business. But he should have figured the news would get out, and he hated that he’d caused her worry.
“That’s a relief.” An audible sigh echoed over the line.
“To prove to you how fine I am, why don’t I take you dinner tonight?”
“Out, as in we eat somewhere other than in one of our houses?”
He laughed. “That was kind of the idea.”
“That might cross the friends line. It’s one thing to hang out and watch a movie while we eat on the sofa, but going to a restaurant sounds, I don’t know, too much like a date.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?” He hadn’t intended to ask for a date, but now that the idea was out there, that’s what he wanted.
A pregnant pause sounded. “I don’t know.”
Unexpected disappointment filled him, but it wouldn’t deter him. “Then we’ll have dinner out as friends who are sick of take out and want their food fresh.”
“Or you know, we could actually cook.”
He gasped. “Where’s the fun in that?”
His reply had the desired effect, and Tiffany laughed. “Our bank accounts would thank us.”
“True.” He cranked up the a/c. “The offer stands. If you want to go out, I’ll pick you up. If you want to stay in, that’s fine too. Or if you don’t want to see me, I’ll cry myself to sleep, but I’ll be okay.”
She broke out in laughter again. “We can go out. Where to?”
“Your choice.”
“How about that new salad place in the downtown shopping center?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Salad?”
“They have sandwiches, too. Besides, you did say you wanted fresh food.”
“That I did.” He smiled to himself. Really, he’d been thinking of a thick, juicy steak, but he’d caught in his own words. Are you off yet?”
“I’ve been off since noon. The training this week put me over hours, so I took a half day.”
“Pick you up around six-thirty?”
“Perfect.”
He ended the call, the stress of the day already leaving him. Talking with Tiffany had that effect on him. They were comfortable with each other, had easily slidden into their old friendship.
The only thing that worried him, was had it been too easy?
