He glanced at Rory, nodded at her, and then winked. He moved toward the door and quickly exited.
She watched him go. Detective Pierce had called earlier after interviewing Mark, who had an alibi from a woman he’d picked up at a bar for the time of the attack. Pierce had seemed satisfied with the explanation, and Marlie would’ve known had the assailant been Mark.
Rory kept on typing away.
She sighed. “It’s like we don’t talk any longer, Rory. Here we are at a nice restaurant, already ordered food, and you’re on your phone.”
He blinked and looked up, his blue eyes narrowed. “Smart aleck.”
She shrugged. “If you’re forcing your presence on me, you should at least be present.” Yeah, she was feeling a mite unsettled and cranky.
He set the phone to the side and focused on her. “Alrighty, then. How about you tell me what’s going on between you and my younger brother?”
“By just one year,” she retorted, wishing he’d go back to his phone.
He lifted one eyebrow, looking so much like Bosco that she wanted to sigh.
“How many of you Albertini brothers have brown eyes, and how many blue?” she wondered.
He grinned. “Three brown, two blue, one greenish-blue, and we all have brown to black hair. Now. You and Bos. What is up?”
“Nothing,” she said honestly. “We decided to be friends.”
Rory waved a hand in the air. “Don’t be obtuse. You’re more than friends, and you both know it. But I wanted to talk to you about that—just you and me for a couple of minutes.” Any amusement fled his hard-edged face.
Fascinating. She leaned her chin on her hand. “Are you going to warn me off your brother?” She’d never been warned off by a family member before.
“Maybe.” Rory’s eyes held a darker blue rim around the blue iris. “Jennie messed with his head. When he’s on a mission, away from home, he has to concentrate so he doesn’t end up dead. If you can’t handle his life, then get out of it now. Please.”
Wow. That was direct. She reached for her water glass and took a sip. “Okay. Here it is, bossy butthead.” How was she going to put this? “Your brother tossed me into the friend zone, and if he wants me elsewhere, he’s going to have to ask nicely. If he does, andifI decide that I want to be more than friends, then you have nothing to worry about. I respect his job and would never want to change him.”
Rory sat back. “He could die.”
She shrugged. “I lost both of my parents, and they were just driving in a car. We could all die.” She fiddled with the wrapper from her straw. “Bosco loves his job, and it seems like a part of him, and anybody with him would need to be all-in. I get that.” Changing the guy would be a mistake. He was pretty great as he was, and if danger came with that, then so be it. “But again…just pals.”
Rory grinned. “Okay.”
She waited. “That’s it?”
“Yep.” Rory sat back as Tessa placed a club sandwich in front of him and a Cobb salad in front of Marlie.
Tessa looked them over. “Are you giving her the third-degree? If so, stop it. Bosco can take care of himself.”
“Nope.” Rory unfolded his paper napkin to set on his lap. “We’re all good. They’re both playing the we’re-just-friends dance, and they’re both really dumb, but I’m appeased. Tell Nonna that Operation Bosco is a go.”
Marlie coughed. “Operation Bosco?”
Rory lifted a shoulder. “When an Albertini man falls, it’s fast and hard. Bosco has dropped but doesn’t know it yet. He’s not the brightest among us.”
Tessa punched him in the arm. “You’re all morons.”
Marlie slowly nodded. “I can’t say that I disagree.”
Rory happily dug into his sandwich.
Tessa straightened and a smile tipped her upper lip. “Speaking of which, Serenity just walked in.”
Rory dropped the sandwich and turned toward the door, tension instantly vibrating from him.
