“Come on,” she whispered to the sweet dog. He followed her happily into the house. “I’ll slip you a biscuit or two before Angus gets back here.” It was nice to have an animal in her home again. If she stayed, after telling Mal everything, then maybe she’d get another cat. Or even a dog. The backyard was fenced and had plenty of room.
She had just finished placing tea and biscuits in the front room when Angus knocked on the door. “Come in.”
He walked in and wiped his boots on the mat before giving a look to his dog, who’d sprawled out in front of the fireplace. “You gave him a biscuit.”
“I’ll never tell. Please, sit.” He was just too big standing here. As big as Mal, for sure.
He took a seat, and she poured him some tea. “Did you fix the car?” she asked.
He shook his head, accepting the warm cup. It looked tiny in his big hands. “No. I checked everything I knew, and I have no clue what’s wrong with it. You said the mechanic could be here in a few days?”
She nodded, her blood chilling. Oh, she’d decided to stay, but not having any way to escape just in case gave her the willies. “Thank you for trying.” Taking her tea, she sat in her bold, multicolored chair by the fireplace with the dog.
Angus overwhelmed the bright blue sofa with his sheer size. He took a sip of tea. “Delicious.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t seem like much of a tea drinker.”
He smiled, and a surprising dimple winked in his left cheek. “You’ve converted me.” He ate a couple of biscuits. “I was wondering why the two houses are so close and share a backyard.”
She slowly started to relax in his presence. “Two sisters built the homes after they were widowed. Margie and Mertie Maloni. Margie passed on, and Mertie moved to Florida.”
He nodded. “I figured it was something like that. Do you enjoy living so far away from town?”
“Yes. I’m not that great with crowds.” The dog snuffled, and her heart warmed. This was nice. It was also an opportunity. “You and Mal work together, but I don’t think I really understand what it is you do.”
Angus sipped thoughtfully. “We’re in requisitions.”
Yeah. Right. “What exactly does that mean?” For some reason, questioning this man she barely knew was easier than pinning Malcolm down.
Angus’s eyes lightened. “It means we acquire things for the government. You know. Paper, pens, clips.” Amusement curved his lips.
She smiled, feeling like they shared a joke. “Right. I see.”
He set his empty cup down on the table. “Mal is good at his job. Very. You don’t have to worry about him.”
The reassurance was sweet, considering they both knew Mal was doing something other than counting pens for some boring agency. “I appreciate that, but calls in the middle of the night mean that danger is near.” She bent over and grasped the teapot, pouring him another cup.
“Does it?” He accepted the cup. “If it did, I couldn’t tell you. But again, Mal’s safe. Very.”
This whole government secret stuff was kind of sexy. “If you say so,” she murmured.
Angus nodded. “I do. What about you? Mal says you’re a virtual assistant. That must keep you busy.”
“It does.” She sipped her favorite lavender tea.
“No need for adventure outside these walls?” Angus leaned forward slightly.
She shook her head. “No. I understand how that’d bother some people, but I like my home. It’s cozy, warm, and safe.”
He looked around, studied the several locks on the door, and then glanced at the sleeping dog. “It is at that.”
The locks probably seemed like overkill. But for a woman living alone, it wasn’t totally bizarre.
Angus chewed another biscuit and then swallowed. “I like your place. The colors are so vibrant and bold. It’s energizing.”
It was the direct opposite of the family’s muted color scheme. She stiffened at the remembrance. “Thank you. I like it, too.” They needed to talk about something other than her. “So, how did you get into government work?”
He sipped more. “My sister and I were in foster care most of our lives. It was always one official or another moving us around. They had the power and we didn’t. City, county, state. All of them.”
