Page 60 of Rogue Wave

I was generally a cheery, upbeat person to begin with, but I’d noticed I’d been smiling a lot in the past week, and I knew Hank was the main driver of it.

I pulled my car up on the driveway and bypassed my house entirely as I made my way to Hank’s.

One did not let Luigi’s cool to a lukewarm temperature. It needed to be eaten promptly. Plus, I may or may not have ordered extra cannoli, which needed to be refrigerated.

Dougie and Hank were sitting on his porch drinking beers when I walked up carrying two bags of food, my purse, and my lunch bag.

“You look like you’re on a mission to make a few bad decisions,” Dougie said with a rueful grin.

I smirked right back at him. “I’ve learned that the best lessons usually show up dressed like bad decisions.”

Dougie’s smile only grew wider. “You’re like the female version of Ted Lasso.”

My smile softened as I set the bags down on the side table. “Aww. That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me.”

The grin on his face disappeared. “If that’s the nicest thing someone’s ever said to you, you’re hanging out with the wrong people.”

His comment caught me off guard. It was such a Dougie thing to say, but it still made my chest warm at the sincerity in his voice.

“Why’d they give you two bags?” Hank asked.

“Well, I added a few necessities that you forgot.”

The corner of his mouth tugged upward as he shook his head at me. “Necessities?”

“Yeah, and get used to it,” I told him. “Italian food is my favorite. It gives me life and keeps me from having murdery thoughts.”

“Well, I’ll let you two eat your dinner so you don’t have to arrest Hazel for murder,” Dougie joked as he moved his wheelchair down the ramp Hank had built. “Night, you two.”

We replied with our own goodbyes before I went to lift the bags from the table to take them into the house.

“Wait,” Hank said, blocking my hands and then sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me into him. “I want a taste of you first.”

His lips hit mine in a soft, measured way, like he was trying to savor the moment.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, and I started to feel dizzy. If Hank hadn’t been holding me up, my weak knees surely would have given out.

Woke up wrapped in Hank’s arms, saw a baby penguin, picked up food from Luigi’s for dinner, and now welcome home kisses from Hank.

Damn, my life was good.

17

“Every aquarium employee has been splashed by an animal that absolutely did it on purpose.”

—It’s science

Hank

I dragged my hand across my face in exhaustion, ready for this day to be over.

I loved my job, but some days, people just pissed me off.

As I hopped back into my car, Shadow sniffed me from the back seat, excited to see, me even though I’d only been out of the car for twenty minutes.

My phone buzzed and I smiled when I saw Hazel’s name on the screen.

“Hey, Rogue Wave,” I teased as I answered the call using her nickname, a feeling of calm and happiness coursing through me.