I look at Katie, who shrugs. We’re not meant to discuss the case. Something about it being an active police investigation and against policy, blah blah blah. Arguably, this could be seen as an academic collaboration. Consulting with peers to look at the evidence, if we choose to share it, but ethics rule it out. The fact that we’re drinking, eating, and playing board games is a bit of a no-no.
“You know we can’t talk about an active investigation,” I say.
Caleb laughs, taking a pull from his beer. “Oh, I know you don’t think we care about the case. We want to know how it’s been nearly a full week of you two working together and you haven’tkilled each other yet.”
“I’m sure there’s been a few near-misses,” Lottie joins in, poking Katie in the ribs until she laughs.
“Katie has been kind enough to let me sit in on the investigation. She’s shown me the ropes. It’s actually pretty fascinating work.”
The room descends into silence, all five faces staring at me like I’ve belched the alphabet.
I cough awkwardly, watching the blush rise up Katie’s neck. How was that the wrong thing to say? I cut through the tension the best way I know how, getting more alcohol.
“Time for another beer. Caleb, you want one? Alf, I assume you’re driving?”
“Yeah, bud, another one for me,” Caleb replies, rising to his feet to follow me to the kitchen.
“None for me.” Alfie frowns, and I spot Mia pushing him off the couch to follow us.
I pull open the refrigerator, letting the cool air calm my face. It doesn’t help for long, as when I turn, both Alfie and Caleb have their arms across their chests, eyebrows raised like a couple of meddling nanas.
“What?” I huff, pulling off the cap and taking a long pull.
Caleb points his finger at me, leaning across the island in the middle of the kitchen. “No.”
“No, what?”
“You know what. No. You can’t. Not withKatie,” he snips.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter, taking another large sip. “I just complimented her field of work.”
Alfie runs a hand along the back of his neck. “As much as I hate to admit this, Caleb is right. This dinner club is the highlight of the month. I don’t want to lose what we have here because you’re indulging a fifteen-year-long attraction when you will quite literally kill each other.”
Now I’m pissed.
Caleb can’t commit to anyone; he runs around like a twenty-two-year-old fuck boy, all because he can’t admit to Lottie that he’s been in love with her since college. And Alfie Adams finally pulls his head out of his ass after working with Mia for two years...or was it three? And it took a patient to abduct her for him to get his shit together and tell her he wants to be with her. If I wanted a lecture from the cast ofThe Muppets, I would have called Kermit. These two can fuck off.
“Katie and I are working together and have put aside our differences to solve a literal murder. We’re both adults, and we know what’s at stake here. I think we’re good.”
“I’m out. Maybe I can reason with Katie instead,” Caleb scoffs, pushing off the counter and toward the living room.
“Don’t you go near her with this shit,” I hiss, moving in front of him to block his path. “She’sgot a lot going on right now and doesn’t need this bullshit from you two. So let me assure you both. There is nothing going on between us, and there never will—”
The guy’s eyes widen as they stare behind me, and a loud clunk of glass hits the kitchen island. The hair on my neck stands on end, and I know it’s Katie. I know she’s standing right there, listening to every word I don’t mean.
Fuck.
“Good to know,” Katie says coolly.
“Shit, Katie, that wasn’t—” I backtrack immediately, knowing the irreparable damage this will have done to the small inch I’d managed to move in the right direction this week.
“We’re good. Not sure I remember asking for anything to happen between us, Jonesy. But that wouldn’t stop your ego from assuming I couldn’t possibly resist you.”
Alfie steps forward, his hands up. “Caleb and I misread the situation. We were asking Jonesy to proceed with caution for the sake of the group.”
“Proceed with caution...” she repeats, fire flickering behind her eyes. I’m just glad it’s aimed at him rather than me right now. His mouth gapes open, closed, open, closed. Like a flapping fish on dry land. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Alfie unsure of what to say.
“That came out wrong.” He squirms. Good.
