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"In other words, mind my own business." She fends off my protest. "I'm sure Eric told you to keep me out of the loop for my own safety. He's very protective."
"Ah," I say as I remember Anders saying Beth often brought dinner for Dalton when he worked late.
She laughs. "If that means, 'Ah, so you two are an item,' the answer is a resounding no. Eric's a little young for me. And a little moody. A little difficult. A little demanding. A whole lot of other things, as you may have noticed." She hesitates before we sit. "You aren't interested in him, are you?"
"After that glowing recommendation?"
She smiles and shakes her head. "Eric's a good friend. As a romantic partner, though? I ... really wouldn't go there, Casey."
"I'm not. Believe me."
She nods. "Good. Lots of women like the bad boys ... then they realize Eric's not bad--he's just cranky."
I laugh.
"He's a good-looking guy, so he gets more than his share of attention. Rumour has it that when he was young, he took full advantage. These days, though, he's a lot more discreet. Given his position, it's difficult to get close to anyone." She goes quiet, her expression thoughtful, a little sad. Then she gives her head a sharp shake. "If you're looking for company, I'd turn toward Rockton's most eligible bachelor: Deputy Anders. Looks, personality, and a sweet, sweet guy. Who has definitely taken notice of you."
"Thanks, but I'm not looking. I..." I finger my necklace from Kurt.
"Left someone behind?"
"Kind of. But as a friend, Will seems great."
"He is, and if you're happy with that, he'll be, too. That's the thing about nice guys. Now back to lunch. If you're five minutes late, you'll hear it from the boss."
THIRTY-THREE
"We're going for a ride," Dalton says as I walk into the station.
"ATV?"
"Horse."
"I'd prefer ATV."
"Stables, Butler."
I salute. "Yes, sir."
We head out. He says nothing until we're halfway to the stables. Then, "You're happy today. Found what you wanted, I take it?"
"Maybe."
He no
ds. "You can tell me on the ride."
"Mmm, you said not to trust anyone."
"I think I like you better when you're not in a mood."
"This isn't a mood."
"Yeah, it is. A good one. Normally, you don't have a mood at all. You're just there."
"I'll ignore that jab, since I'm in a good mood."
"It's not a jab; it's an observation. And you are going to tell me what you found, because I'm your boss. That's why we're taking the horses, not the ATVs. So we can talk. Also, so we don't scare off the ravens."
