“Most days, yes.But when the mayor doesn’t come in to work and she has to do his job too, she tends to skip lunch.”Rose topped off his coffee with unhurried efficiency.“My guess is Lucas stayed home today and she’s swamped at the office.”
“Ah.”Gray looked up at her.“Could you pack two lunches to go?”
Rose smiled warmly at him.“Turkey club or the soup and sandwich special?”
“What does Bonnie usually get?”
“Turkey club.Extra pickles.”
“Two of those, then.”
The municipal building's second-floor hallway was quiet when Gray knocked on the open office door at noon.Bonnie was at her desk.A half-eaten granola bar languished on top of its wrapper, forgotten, by her elbow.She looked up at the sound of his knuckles on wood.
“Oh.”She blinked.“Hi.”
“Hi.”He held up the paper bag.“Rose sent lunch.”
She looked at the bag.Looked at him.“Rose sent it?”
He shrugged modestly.“It might have been my idea.”
He set the bag on the corner of her desk and pulled out the manila envelope.“I also brought the completed facility certification forms.”
She took the envelope with the slightly dazed expression of a person recalibrating.“You didn't have to bring those here.I could’ve picked them up.”
“You brought them to me.It only seemed fair for me to bring them back.”He nodded at the bag.“There are extra pickles on your turkey club.”
“Rose told you about the pickles?”
“She did.”He glanced at the granola bar.“When did you last eat a real meal?”
“That's what Cassidy keeps asking me.”
“Cassidy is smart young lady.”He pulled one of the visitor chairs over to her desk and sat down.“I’m sitting here and watching you eat your lunch so I can tell your daughter you ate a proper meal.”
“I’m busy right now,” she tried.
“I have nowhere to be this afternoon,” he replied mildly.“I’ll sit here until you’re ready to eat.”
Amusement coursed through him as she scowled at him.She really didn’t like to lose.He would bet she was quite the cutthroat when she played Monopoly.
She glared at him for a moment more before huffing in surrender.She reached into the bag and pulled out a sandwich.“You’re aware,” she said, “that Ruth is going to hear about this within the hour?”
“The diner staff has been remarkably discreet so far,” he replied.
“Rose has been remarkably discreet.Irma has the self-control of a golden retriever who just spotted a tennis ball.”Bonnie took a bite of her sandwich and closed her eyes briefly.“Oh, that's good.I forgot how hungry I was.”
“Better than a granola bar?”
She wagged her finger at him.“Don't you start with me.Cassidy already has that nagging base covered.”
He unwrapped his own sandwich and took a bite.
“I have a question,“ Bonnie said.
“Sure.”
“You're a geneticist and a really smart guy.Surely, you could have a fancy career in that field.Why the fire science degree?Why reopen the fire station?”
