When I just keep staring at him, Shane reaches out to give me a hearty pat to the back.
“Look, I know this case now involves your girlfriend, and I get you’re concerned, but everything is going good, okay?” he says. “You don’t need to worry.”
“Shane, I’ll stop worrying when you solve the fucking case.”
“That’s valid,” he says through a chuckle. “But you’re going to have to learn to relax, brother. Otherwise, you’re going to make your elevens worse than they already are.”
“My elevens? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Your elevens, Dom.” He reaches out to tap his index finger right between my eyebrows. “It’s from all that scowling you do.”
“Fucking hell.” I slap his hand away on a laugh, but before I can volley a sarcastic retort his way, my phone pings inside my suit jacket. I pull it out to find a text message from a sender that makes me forget all about Shane’s usual bullshit and smile from ear to ear.
Hannah:You know, if you decided to pick up some Chicken Lettuce Wraps from P.F. Chang’s on your way home from work and bring it to my house, I wouldn’t be mad at all.
I don’t waste any time texting my girl back.
Me:Oh, really . . .
Hannah:Uh-huh. And if you wanted to add an order of Crispy Honey Chicken with brown rice, I wouldn’t be mad about that either.
Me:And what do you think Sherry would want to eat, you know, if I just-so-happened to stop at P.F. Chang’s before I came over to your place?
Hannah:She’s a big fan of their Teriyaki Chicken.
Hannah:P.S. There’s probably a fun prize involved if you bring P.F. Chang’s here ...
I smile as I type out another message.
Me:I do like prizes. Especially fun ones. But I’m also kind of picky about my prizes ...
Hannah:Well, this is a REALLY fun one, Dom. You’re going to love it.
Me:On a scale of 1 to “I get to put my mouth on your pussy” where does this fun prize land?
Hannah:If you add a happy little cock sucker named Hannah in that scale of yours, then you’re probably going to love it.
Fuck me.
Me:You know, Hannah, I thought you were this sweet, innocent girl, but I’m finding out that, deep-down, you’re a dirty dirty girl.
Hannah:Oh, Dom. You have no idea.
Me:Tell the happy little sucker named Hannah, I should be home around 8 with P.F. Chang’s and a hard cock.
When I look up from my phone, sliding it into my suit jacket as I do, I find Shane just standing there with a stupid grin on his face.
“What?”
“Let me guess,” he says. “That was Hannah.”
I roll my eyes. “I know you’re a nosy bastard who loves to be all up in my business, but how about we head to the station now so you can, you know, interview those possible CMA suspects, and I can try to track down some information on this victim’s currently MIA husband.”
“So that’s how it’s going to be?” he questions as I head down the stairs of the front porch. “You’re just going to act like you’re not balls-deep in love with that girl?”
I laugh, but I also keep walking. I’m not denying that my feelings for Hannah are getting pretty fucking deep, but I’m sure as shit not going to get into that with Shane.
When I admit out loud that I’m in love with her, Hannah will be the first one to hear it.
