Time and matter screeched to a sudden and complete stop. “Nope.” I tiptoed over to the corner, removed my shoes, and slipped into my boots. I still was wearing my coat, so that was convenient. “Give it five minutes and tell her I called you, saying I had a meeting with a client and won’t be in until much later.” I had no compunction about lying. If I had a nemesis, it was Jolene O’Sullivan. “I’ll see you later.” Totally ignoring his panicked expression, I hightailed it out of there.
Oliver could handle her. She didn’t have any questions for him, and he didn’t know anything about my current cases, anyway.
I ran into Clark at the stairwell. “Hey.”
“Hey,” he said, pausing at the top. Snow covered the shoulders of his leather jacket and melted on his dark bald head. “Where are you going?”
“Meeting with a client,” I said breezily, walking down several steps.
He partially turned. “We usually have our office meeting Monday morning. I wanted the scoop on the Santa case.” He rubbed a bruise he’d gotten at the family barbecue on his bicep. He and Uncle Sean had been playing pool, and a ball had skipped. Uncle Sean was a mountain of a man, played great golf, and was a menace at the pool table. Clark kept trying to teach him. I admired that, but he was bruised every week. I’m sure he was looking forward to golf season even more than was Uncle Sean. “Anything new?”
I couldn’t set him up. “No, and Jolene O’Sullivan is in our small conference room.”
Clark reared back. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Probably the Santa case? Or my getting shot at?” Although I hadn’t told my family, I had fully informed Clark, just in case.
He pivoted on his hiking boot and strode down the stairs to reach me. “I don’t have anything pressing right now in the office. How about we have our meeting over coffee?” Taking my arm, he hustled us down the stairs to the sparkling, snowy, and unshoveled sidewalk outside of our office building.
My heart soared. I loved that I wasn’t the only coward in our firm. “I would be delighted, Clark Bunne.”
We shuffled down the street toward Smiley’s Diner, which was only one building down beyond Duke’s Jewelry store. I glanced in Duke’s window past the painted snowy scene. “Any idea what I could get Aiden for Christmas?”
“What did you get me?” Clark asked, following my gaze.
I kept my arm in his, considering his balance was excellent and the tread on his boots top-notch. One thing about Clark, he believed in good footwear. “I’m not going to tell you. Speaking of which, are you coming to the family Christmas party next Thursday?”
“Yes to the family party and no to Christmas morning. I’m headed over to Seattle to see my sister.” He opened the door to Smiley’s Diner, and heat and the smell of cinnamon rolls wafted out. “Any idea what Sean got me? I’m worried it’s the first year’s tuition for welding school or something like that.”
I stepped inside and inhaled deeply. My stomach growled. “That’s a good worry.” Uncle Sean had pretty much taken Clark into the family, and Sean didn’t like lawyers. Oh, he thought I was going through a phase, but he wanted to set Clark on the right path, any path but law, as soon as possible. “What did you get him?”
“A golf laser rangefinder with flag acquisition, pulse vibration, and fast focus system,” Clark said easily. “He says he can eyeball distance, and he’s way too stubborn to buy a rangefinder, but if I give him one, he’ll feel obligated to use it. Let me tell you, he needs it, and I’d like to win the Miner’s Tournament next spring.”
Now that was an excellent gift. I’d gotten Clark a new putter that he’d been eyeing at the golf course. Uncle Sean told me about it. “What did you get me?”
“A bulletproof vest,” Clark said dryly, sliding into a booth.
I wasn’t entirely sure he was joking.
Chapter 17
After sharing a cinnamon roll with Clark, then having coffee, then sharing another cinnamon roll, I pulled out a notebook and started to scratch some thoughts on paper. Clark rearranged his morning meetings to visit the offices of clients and left me, while I hoped the coffee in our conference room had gone ice-cold for Jolene.
Tessa finished serving a table of retired guys all arguing about the next election and popped my way, topping off my coffee. “Who are you hiding from?”
I looked up, my eyes focusing. “Jolene.”
Tess nodded. “Good choice. I’m meeting Bosco for lunch later if you want to meet up.” Bosco was the youngest brother to Quint and Rory, and he worked in the Navy but got to come home sometimes. He was stationed out of Fairchild Air Force Base, which was east of Spokane.
“I’ll try.” I pushed my notes away. “Could I borrow your car again this morning?”
She tucked a tip into her holiday-themed apron. “What’s wrong with your car?”
“It’s in the shop,” I said easily. It was. Getting bullet holes taken out and the carburetor fixed. “Aiden dropped me off at work earlier.”
“Why don’t you two just move in together?”
I shrugged. “We’re still finding our way, and I like having my own place. He dominates whatever space he’s in, and right now, I like my cottage to still be mine.” Was that the next step? I wasn’t ready for a next step. I was still tripping over this one.
