“Hey, Jesse,” she says, scanning from my feet to my face. “You clean up nicely.”
Aiden smiles. “I’m going to check on the refreshments. I’ll catch you two in a bit.” He walks away, leaving me alone with Alex. Everything in me relaxes a few degrees in her presence, but I’m also more keyed up at the same time.
“I’m glad you came,” Alex says easily. “Did you want to grab something to drink?”
“No. I’m good.” I look her over. She’s wearing a red dress and tall brown boots. Her hair is down around her shoulders. She’s wearing more makeup than she does when we’re at work.
“You look beautiful.” I question the compliment as soon as I say it.
But then Alex sashays a little and says, “You think? Thanks, Jesse.”
The way she says my name—soft and familiar, like she’s been saying it all her life—curls low in my chest. She’s breathtaking. My pulse stumbles, searching for its pace; my thoughts stall—jumbled and uncertain. She has no idea the impact she’s having on me—and maybe that’s for the best.
“Come on,” she says. “Let’s mingle.”
I’d rather not, but when she steps away from me, looking over her shoulder to make sure I’m following, my body makesthe decision for me, following her into the living room to join Lexi and Trevor near the fireplace.
The tree glows with white twinkle lights. Instrumental carols play softly throughout the house. The murmur of conversation with occasional bursts of laughter fills the air. People move from group to group, carrying plastic glasses of drinks and dessert plates of appetizers or holiday treats.
Throughout the night, Alex keeps an eye on me, even when we’re separated and she’s across the room. Our eyes catch and she sends me a soft smile. I don’t know what it means. Maybe she’s just being thoughtful. Whatever her motivation, her attentive care calms me. I end up in conversations with people I’ve known my whole life. We talk about the gingerbread bandit, as people have been calling the thief, and about other things—plans for the holidays, the Christmas parade, and shared memories.
I’m grabbing a few mini quiches from a table when Alex stops next to me. “Are you having fun?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” I answer her honestly.
Instead of questioning me, she simply says, “I’m glad.” And then she smiles up at me. I stare into her eyes, wondering what she’s thinking—wishing I could ask her.
“Have people asked you about the gingerbread?” she asks.
“Yes. Of course. Nothing like this ever happens around here. And it’s not surprising that everyone has already heard.”
“They’re asking me too,” Alex says.
I nod. “Well, you are the detective on the case.”
“I am. Aren’t I?” Alex smiles brightly and shimmies her shoulders.
Our eyes lock again, and we just stare at one another, soft smiles on our lips. Then Laura comes bounding over. “I have to steal you for a minute, Alex. You need to settle something for us.” Laura looks at me. “Sorry, Jesse. Excuse us for a moment.”
Alex shrugs and allows Laura to drag her into the other room.
As time passes, I relax. I’m enjoying conversations, or just standing in groups listening to other people talk. Occasionally, Alex and I are in the same group of people. When she’s talking to someone else, or I am, our eyes seem to find one another. I’m not sure what to chalk that up to. Is it because we’ve spent so much time together on the job? Or is it something more?
I’m still watching her when Chris’ eyebrows lift, a knowing grin spreading across his face. He passes by me a few moments later. His quiet assessment lands like a bomb. “You’ve got it bad, man.”
“What?” I ask, ducking for cover, even though we both know what he means.
He chuckles, claps me on the shoulder, and moves on as if he didn’t just blow my denial to smithereens.
Lexi and Trevor walk through the kitchen. I’m leaning back on one of the counters while Duke entertains a group of us with a story. Trevor’s son is in his arms, draped lazily across his shoulder in that telltale posture of exhaustion. Lexi’s holding their daughter’s hand.
“We’re heading out,” Trevor says to Aiden and Em. “Thanks for hosting.”
Lexi turns to Alex. “Are you ready to go?”
“Sure,” she says. “Let me just grab my purse.”
Alex gives me the briefest glance and I can’t say what makes me blurt the next thing that comes out of my mouth.
