Page 78 of Peaks and Promises

I smiled. “I see they finally let you off the hook. How long were you out there?”

“Long enough to be hot and miserable.” He rubbed his jaw. “The beard made me itch.”

“You guys put on quite the show.”

“Leave it to my brothers to go overboard.”

“How long is the Christmas stuff going to stay up?”

“We’re taking it down tonight after dark. Zachary figures we’ll hit maximum hilarity if everything disappears as quickly as it came.”

“At least you won’t have to wear the beard again.”

He rubbed his jaw again. “No kidding.”

“I’m just waiting for one last table to finish up. Once I cash them out, I can go.”

“Take your time. Mom told me to tell you she took Nate to my sister Annika’s house. They have a son who’s twelve, I think. She thought they might get along.”

“That’s nice of her. Can I get you anything while you wait?”

“I’m good. Unless you need me to buy something so I can take up a seat.”

I glanced around the half-empty restaurant. “I think you’re fine. We have plenty of tables.”

His subtle smile sent a swirl of butterflies through me. Suddenly, it was like we were back in the diner in Arizona, exchanging what might have been flirtatious glances. Had he been flirting with me back then? I’d never been sure.

And he was just as hard to read now.

My table finished up and I took their payment. One of my coworkers said they’d clear the table, and I was free to go. I clocked out, grabbed my things, and went to join Reese.

A few heads turned when we left together.

He was parked right out front, and I climbed into the passenger side.

“I heard a few customers talking about you again,” I said.

“Yeah, that’s not surprising.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

He shrugged. “It’s just inevitable here. Tilikum loves gossip.”

“And I suppose the return of Reese Haven is big news.”

“Unfortunately.”

“They were talking about me, too. Saying you brought home a wife and child.”

He cast a quick glance at me. “I figured it wouldn’t take long for that to get around.”

“Seems like a good thing. At least no one’s talking about the new girl with the dangerous ex who’s hunting her.”

“Exactly.”

“Any word from your partner? Has he been to my apartment yet?”

“Not yet. But if I don’t hear from him soon, I’ll give him a call.”