Pilar was the one who spoke next. “You told her that you’d pitch her up or you asked her?”
He smiled at that. “I told her and then I had to leave so I could make it here on time for roll call.”
“Told her?” Kate’s tone was almost a laugh. “I don’t know Harmony well, but how do you think she’ll react to that?”
Pilar leaned in closer and gave him a strange, almost wincing look.
“I’m worried about you, partner.”
“Me?” He wanted to wave off her concern. “How so?”
“It sounds like you’re all but bulldozing the woman. She seems, at least to me, a… a softer person. Maybe you should be a little softer yourself.”
Crois looked between the two women and gave them a sly smile. “Do women really want a ‘soft’ man? I can’t see how that’s a plus.”
Kate covered her ears with her hands. “I’m not listening to you, St. Cyr.”
Ahhh…
They were back to St. Cyr again.
He turned to look at Pilar. “I really want to get to know her more. Is that so bad?”
Pilar shook her head.
“It’s not bad. I just think you come off as a comedian sometimes. You joke about a lot of things, women included. And Harmony is just as sweet and genuine.”
Genuine.
Pilar said it as a comparison to show how different they were.
And damn, it hurt.
If Harmony was genuine… than that left him on the other side of the coin.
“I’m not sure how I feel about this,” he looked at them in turn. “If neither of you think I’m good enough for her…”
He saw another look pass between the women he spent the most time with.
Kate still looked worried and he had the feeling it was worry for Harmony. He’d seen how Rock treated the EMT and he had the feeling that Kate likely felt the same way about her.
Pilar’s expression was a little more chagrin. “It’s not about being good enough, Crois. Center City is a big city. She’s a small-town girl.”
“I… I get it. But am I that big of an ass that you think I can’t take care of her? Have I ever treated you,” he turned to look at Kate next, “or you in a way that said I can’t be trusted?”
Pilar put her hand on his arm, and he could see the worry in her eyes. “I don’t think that’s what we’re saying. You’re both so different. It might end up being a clash of personalities.”
Crois stepped away from Pilar, keeping his back to the wall. “I don’t think I want to talk about this with either of you.”
He headed out the door, stopping to call back over his shoulder. “Are you riding with me today? Or do I go on my own.”
Pilar came up beside him, and he saw the hesitation in her expression.
“Crois?”
“Can we… can we just not talk about this?”
He heard Pilar sigh and he breathed a sigh of relief.
