Right now, it feels like Lissa’s the only part of my life that makes sense.
She brushes her hands over my shoulders, smoothing the creases out of my polo shirt. “Thanks for coming out here, honey. I know you must be tired.”
“Yeah, but it’s no problem. You look amazing today, by the way.”
Lissa laughs. “Thank you, but we both know you’d rather be eating at Watchfire since Ames has butternut soup on the menu.”
“Nah. Greenvale’s menu has good stuff too,” I say lightly, even if she’s kind of right.
But the unexpected mention of Ames throws me off a little.
I need someone who’s in my corner and will suck my di?—
She beams. “Exactly! You should expand your horizons, honey.”
I blink at her for a second before I realize she’s talking about… soup.Fuck.
“So how bad was the fire?” As she takes her seat, she scoops her long, blonde-streaked hair back. “Your message said it was a long night.”
“Yeah, chimney fires are tricky. You think you’ve got ’em knocked down, and they flare back up. We were out until three.”
Lissa reaches across the table for my hand and squeezes gently. “I don’t care what you say, you work way too hard. It’s not sustainable.”
I laugh lightly. “Nah. I’ve sustained it for… going on eleven years.”
“Yes, but you’re chief now. Doesn’t that mean you get to delegate a little? At least the late-night calls? My father runs the bank, and he still gets personal time.”
I force my smile to stay in place. “We’ve talked about this, Liss. Small-town life means there’s not a lot of backup. But I love my job. I like being the one looking after my people. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Her smile dims a little. “I know, but?—”
“It does work up an appetite, though.” I smile again, harder this time. “I’ve got a disciplinary review with one of the probies this afternoon, and I need sustenance.”
“Sounds good. Let’s feed the beast.” She laughs, letting the topic go, and signals to the waiter.
Once he’s gone, Lissa leans forward and bites her lip, probably tasting vanilla. “Okay, I admit, I had an ulterior motive for asking you to meet me today. I havenews.”
“Oh?” I smile back, charmed by how sweet she is.
This is why I can count on one hand the times Lissa and I have ever argued. She’s adorable and easy to be around.
“You know how membership at this club is really exclusive, and you usually need, like, five letters of recommendation to even begin the application process?”
I blink at her. I don’t know where I thought this was going, but it wasn’t to Greenvale Country Club. “I… didn’t, but okay.”
“Well, Daddy talked to the board, and they approved your membership! You’rein. Officially. Isn’t that wonderful?” Her smile is bright as the crystal chandeliers overhead, suffused with genuine happiness. “And Daddy’s covering your first-year dues as a wedding present!”
“F-first-year dues? Wow. That’s… generous.”
Even if I don’t know exactly what the annual dues are, I can say confidently that it’s not pocket change. There’s a reason why a lot of the members are high-level corporate types, like Lissa’s banker father or her real-estate-dealing ex-boyfriend.
There aren’t any mid-level public servants on the membership roster here, as far as I know.
Or thereweren’t.
Lissa reaches out her other hand, holding mine in both of hers. “It’s going to besogood for us, Rob. We’ve talked so much about wanting a family, and now this. Our kids will grow up here at the club just like I did. Sledding in the winter, golf lessons in the summer, the Christmas fundraiser. It’s such a special community. And it’s notjustparties. Joshua said he’d be keeping an ear open in case there are any house listings that might be right for us.” She pulls up the menu to take a quick peek.
Maybe my tiredness makes me slow, maybe her casual mention of her real estate agent ex-boyfriend throws me off, or maybe I just don’t want to understand. “Listings, like for houses? Why would we need that? I already have a house.”
