Oh yeah. I had a thought about them the night before.
Tess turned. “There you are. How was the trip?”
I grinned and took the stool next to her. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
She felt my forehead. “No fever. It figures you’d have a horrible reaction. Remember when you tried penicillin in kindergarten?”
I nodded. The allergic reaction had been very unpleasant. I leaned toward her. “Thank you for coming last night.”
“Of course.” She smiled and touched temples with me. Today her blonde hair was up in a ponytail, and she also wore a NAVY T-shirt with what looked like jeans she’d probably worn the night before. In fact, Tessa looked just right in Nick’s shirt. I returned her smile.
Nick dished up eggs and handed us plates already ladened with bacon and buttered toast. “How are you feeling?”
Basanelli looked good in the morning with wet hair curling around his ears, mellowed brown eyes, and barefoot. Yeah. I studied him with new eyes. There was so much potential with him. Plans started to form in my mind. “Much better. I think I owe you both an apology and a thank you.”
He poured orange juice into three pretty blue glasses that no doubt had come from his mama. “I’m just glad you came here and didn’t drive to Las Vegas or something.”
I chuckled and accepted the juice before turning to Tessa. “He braided my hair last night when I was done throwing up. How impressive is that?”
Her green eyes danced, and she looked toward Nick. “You know how to braid hair?”
A slight red wandered across his very Italian cheekbones. “I have many female cousins, and believe me, I spent my share of time babysitting when I was in high school. I can also paint fingernails like an expert.” The grin he shared with my older sister warmed me throughout.
Oh, this might have been a good thing after all.
I dug into the eggs. “I take it you two have some sort of agreement not to discuss the case and the fact that you want to put her in jail, Nick?”
He lost the grin. “We aren’t discussing the case. Period.”
Tessa ducked her head and ate more eggs, not noticing that his gaze had strayed to her again.
I hid my smile and finished my breakfast. Nicolo Basanelli was a bloodhound on a case, and I had no doubt he would’ve discovered the truth no matter what. But having him being especially inspired by my very pretty sister was a good bonus at the moment.
Nick studied me. “How are you feeling? I still think we should consult a doctor.”
“I’m fine.” Truthfully, I felt okay now. “No aftereffects, and I’ll be careful next time.”
He shook his head. “Did you eat the entire pan of brownies?”
Tessa tried to stifle her laugh but then gave up. “We had to throw those poor flowers away.”
Heat filtered into my face, but it was nice to hear Tessa laugh, considering the week she’d just had. “I’ll get you new ones.” I took my empty plate to the sink. “I have to get going. Don’t let me keep you guys from relaxing.”
Tessa jumped up and brought her plate over. “I need to go, too. I’m still a defendant, you know.”
Well, that was true. And now I was starting to care about Basanelli’s future—just in case my sister was in it. “All right.” I fumbled a little and managed to thank Nick again before heading out with my wet clothes safely tied in a plastic bag.
Tess’s car, a newish Volkswagen Bug that she’d leased, sat next to mine. “Don’t even think it,” she said, nudging me toward my car.
I gave her my most innocent look. “What?”
“Nothing.” She didn’t bite. “I let mom know we wouldn’t make the family barbecue today in Silverville because we both have to work. Wasn’t sure if you’d feel up to going.”
“I don’t,” I admitted. I loved my family, but being around a lot of people right now didn’t sound like fun.
She nodded. “I really do have to go to work, and then I’m staying in Donna’s guest room if you want to come by for dinner. The police haven’t released my apartment yet.”
I paused by my door. “Thanks for coming, Tess.”
