We head to his SUV, and he opens the passenger door for me.
As he turns the vehicle onto St. Charles, I ask, “Can you wear earbuds when you’re on duty?”
He smirks. “Nope. Sure can’t.” His eyes slide sideways briefly. “Not even when we’re at the house and the alarm’s set.”
“Ah. Well then it won’t be any more awkward to listen to Meg and me while we shop?” I aim for nonchalant, but I can feel the heat creeping up my cheeks.
He’s too professional to let me see an eye roll, but the slight stiffening of his shoulders lets me know this will be his version of hell. Good. If I have zero privacy, he can be just as uncomfortable as I am.
I love what a badass my internal dialogue is. Such a façade. I open my mouth and ask, “Do you want a coffee? Meg can grab it for us since she’s already at the shop.”
“Yeah. Just a large black coffee.”
I busy myself texting Meg to grab that and a café au lait for me.
We barely pull up to the coffee shop when Meg darts out the door, head down and walking fast. Ruiz hops out to open the rear passenger door for her.
“I’ll pass it up. Let’s just get out of here. Shit, they’re coming down the street. Just go, go,” she mutters.
Ruiz shakes his head but follows her orders and smoothly pulls out as the Earls head down the street.
Meg’s phone is ringing, and she shoves the drink carrier up between the seats at me while fumbling her phone free.
I raise an eyebrow at her. “I guess you’re spilling first.” I hand Ruiz his coffee as I place mine in the passenger cup holder.
My phone dings.
James: Take care of her for us
Another ding.
David: Make sure she eats. We’ll be at the Opera House.
I silence my phone and slide it back into my purse.
“Do you mind if we grab breakfast or something? I haven’t eaten yet,” I tell her.
“That sounds more like David than you,” she grumps.
“Well, you sound a bit bitchy, which means low blood sugar. So what I sound like is the voice of reason.”
I don’t need to say anything to Ruiz. He has already pulled into a drive-through.
By silent consent, neither of us speaks until we finish our breakfast sandwiches.
Ruiz is en route to the store while I turn in my seat. “You snuck out? Was it that bad?”
She groans and buries her face in her hands. “Opposite. Totally opposite problem. I’m not sure I can tell my mom I’m sleeping with two guys.”
“On the plus side, if you don’t call them by name or have them both out at the same time, she might not catch on. Mine don’t look alike, so I’m not sure how that’s going to work.”
“Mom already knows you have two boyfriends. She’s been keeping an eye on them.”
My nose crinkles as I frown at the thought of Madame knowing. Nope. Not going there.
“Well, if she’s okay with it for me, she’s okay with it for you.”
“It will look like I got the choreography because I’m sleeping with David.”
