Now, it was their turn to roll their eyes. I might have milked my less-than-near-death experience for as long as possible. It had lost its effectiveness even with Derrick.
Eh, it was nice while it lasted.
“We should get to the agency so we can question Helen.”
Derrick nodded in agreement, brushing the crumbs from his fingers. Vivian cleared away the plates, still giving me the eye for betraying her secret recipe. I smiled anyway. It was nice to share breakfast with Derrick and my best friend. After everything we’d gone through, I relished the quiet moment.
I helped her to finish the dishes while Derrick arranged for a carriage. She nudged me with her hip and flicked water in my face.
“What was that for?” I wiped the droplets away.
“I’m happy for you, Tess, and I’m proud of you. I hope you finally see in yourself what we see.”
I stacked the plates in the cupboard and leaned against the counter. “All right, go ahead, I know you’re dying to say it. I’m shocked you’ve waited this long.”
Vivian blinked her eyes innocently. “I don’t have the slightest idea what you mean. Here I am, congratulating my friend who, against all odds, managed to repair her relationship. It’s almost as if she was given sage advice…from a goddess, perhaps?”
“Goddess? Please, try a meddler. You know, one day, our roles will be reversed, and I plan to return the favor twofold.”
She snorted. “We’ll see.”
More water hit my face. “Stop that!”
Viv grinned and pulled me into a hug, then dried her wet hands on the back of my dress. I laughed and did the same.
***
The agency waiting room was quieter than usual. Estelle greeted us from her post as we walked in.
“Good morning, Detective. The director wants to speak with you first thing. He’s waiting in his office.” Her eyes flashed with interest. “Tessa, it’s nice to see you. Does this mean…?”
Derrick nudged me past her desk without an answer. Estelle’s chest deflated with a sigh. Still, I caught her eye before we turned down the hall and gave her a wink and a thumbs-up. Relief washed over her features, and she beamed.
“I thought I told you to go easy on her.” I elbowed Derrick as we walked to his office.
“I did. She’s on probation for a week.”
“That’s not fair. She was trying to bring us together. It was sweet.”
He paused in front of his door. “Regardless of her intentions, she sent you into an unfamiliar building. It was reckless. You could have been hurt.”
“Come on, Detective.” I smoothed my palms over his shirt and played with his collar. “She sent me into a room full of tea. That’s hardly a den of peril.”
“I don’t care if the room was full of puppies.” He caught my fingers. “Stop playing with my collar, you’re not getting your way. She stays on probation until the end of the week.”
“Fine, be surly about it.”
“I will.” He pulled me into his office and shut the door, then backed me against the wall. His fingers slid through my hair, tugging the strands until I tilted my head to meet his gaze. “I’m feeling very surly at the moment. You’re not following the rules.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Which rules, Detective?”
“You know which one.” He ground his hips into mine, and I sucked in a breath.
“Didn’t I tell you to write them down if you want me to remember them,Detective?”
“Tessa, I’m warning you, I have five minutes before I need to go and meet the director, and seeing as we’re alone, I want to hear you say it.Now.”
“You’re looking at me the way you looked at the cranberry scones, Derrick. Never thought I’d be jealous of a—”
