“You really didn’t have to come all the way down here.”
He gave me a look. “I thought maybe you’d like company.”
I scratched at the back of my head. “Everything’s okay. I just talked to Roxy. And we have our first official client.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and jutted his chin toward the door. “It sounded like things were great when you came in.”
I laughed. “Oh that?” I didn’t know how to explain my behavior to myself so I certainly couldn’t explain it to him. I searched around quickly for an excuse. I glimpsed my bandaged fingers. “I just hit my hand on the door as I was coming in.” I held up my knuckles.
He studied my face too closely. He had freaky best mate X-ray vision, so I knocked my smile up a notch and busied myself by grabbing my hiking boots.
“Feel like a hike? Are you tired?” I asked him.
“Nah. That sounds good. By the way, I’m actually not rooming with you.” He gestured to his stuff.
“You can crash here. I don’t mind.”
He hesitated a split second before saying, “Just waiting to check in. The person at the front desk gave me a key to your room. I’m not trying to tell them how to run their business but they may want a little better security.” He grabbed the poncho he packed. Then he reached back into his suitcase and tossed one to me. Probably a good idea. Skip always had my back.
“What would I do without you, Skippo?” I swung an arm around his shoulders as we made our way out to the hall.
“I shudder to think.”
“I’m glad to see you, mate. Really, I am,” I said seriously. I hadn’t realized how lonely I was feeling until I saw him. For him to drop everything … I really was lucky to have a friend like him.
He cleared his throat and pushed the button for the lift. “What’s this about our first client?”
I explained to him about the meeting with Vincent.
“Sounds like a big deal. And you’re working with Roxy?” We’d just made it to the trailhead as a drop of rain hit my nose.
“Yep,” I said.
We slid our ponchos over our heads as we walked.
“Would it be better if I took the lead on this one?” he asked coolly.
Yes.I thought immediately but I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t lose an opportunity to be with her as much as possible for the brief time I was in Green Valley.
“Nah. She and I are good. We talked today actually. Completely on the same page now.”
“Good. She’s a straight shooter.”
“That she is,” I said more than a little forlorn.
“She’s okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Wants us to be coworkers only. Keep things simple while I’m in town,” I explained.
“Sounds reasonable.” He shot me a skeptical glance.
“Very much. We could even become friends.” I rubbed my chest, the mystery heartburn returning.
“You’d be okay just being friends?” he asked as we crossed a small wooden bridge over a stream.
“Better than nothing at all,” I said.
Rain started to fall harder. “Maybe we should head back,” he said.
