Page 94 of The Deadly Shallows

“You’re a natural with them,” Kenzie said, smiling.

“You want a big family?” Finn asked, grinning. “Maybe six, or even eight kids?”

Noah grimaced. Finn was clearly razzing him. He had no clue about the situation. Unlike Gabby, who was clearly working to keep her expression unaffected. She was a good secret keeper when she needed to be.

Finn narrowed his eyes in Gabby’s direction when she didn’t join in the fun, but she simply shook her head, and he let it go.

Noah held his breath, waiting for Brooke’s reply to Finn’s question.

“I’d love a family,” she said, tickling Owen, whose laughter was such a precious sound. “Probably not that big of one. I’m thinking more like maybe two or three.”

Noah swallowed. There was his answer. He needed to tell her the truth so she could end things before either of them got in any deeper.

Who was he kidding? His heart was in all the way. He shouldn’t have let this happen. He should have been stronger, but he’d failed. Now he’d break both their hearts.

FORTY-SEVEN

Austin scooted back from Rissi’s desk. She had generously let Austin use her space after she and Mason left for the night. Austin tilted her head from side to side, working out the kinks. Stretching her arms, she looked over her right shoulder. Emmy and Logan both sat at his desk, Em’s chair rolled over beside him. Those two . . .

She shook her head. So much existed between them. At the very least, friendship, but she suspected there was much, much more, and her intuition had only failed her once. Though that failure had nearly cost her everything, the suffering that had resulted propelled her forward, leading her to this very moment—to her profession, her PI firm, and now to Caleb. She knew him well enough to know that he didn’t kiss women just to kiss. He didn’t date just to date. In fact, he basically didn’t do anything without intense meaning behind it.

She inhaled, trying to keep her focus on work, and not on the kiss still lingering on her lips. Shifting to her left, she expected to see him hard at work, still researching disposal companies, while she acquainted herself with the foam companies they’d be visiting tomorrow. But he wasn’t there. She swiveled the chair around, looking at the open kitchen door. Perhaps he’d gone to grab a bite or another cup of coffee. It had been a long day.

“He’s outside,” Logan said.

Heat flushed her cheeks. So it was obvious she was looking for Caleb. Great. They’d both worked so hard to act natural, like nothing had happened between them—no earth-shattering kiss—but perhaps they hadn’t been as subtle as they’d hoped.

“Is he leaving?” she asked, a flutter of anxiety rising inside. He wouldn’t do that without saying good-bye, so why had she even asked?

“Nah,” Logan said. “He steps outside every night we’re working. Hangs out there for a good twenty minutes for his break.”

“Why?” she asked, unable to stem her curiosity.

“He says for fresh air,” Emmy said, shrugging a shoulder. Clearly, she didn’t buy that.

“But . . . ?” Austin nudged. She’d basically just given up any pretense of having no feelings beyond that of colleagues or friends. At least to someone as astute as Emmy.

“I think he goes outside to think,” Emmy said.

That made sense. Austin swiveled back around. When she needed to clear her head and look at a case afresh, she went for a walk. Caleb going out for fresh air probably accomplished the same thing.

Stay in your chair. She tried to will herself not to move—well, sort of tried—but she couldn’t help it. “I could use some fresh air myself.”

She strode straight to the door, refusing to look at Emmy and Logan, knowing both were grinning. The wintry night air slapped her face, waking her afresh as she shut the station door behind her. She scanned the parking lot.

“You need me?” he asked, his voice coming from behind Logan’s truck.

“I just wanted some fresh air,” she said.

He leaned around the truck. “Hey,” he said, pleasure and a twinge of surprise lacing his husky voice.

“Hey.” She shoved her hands into her knee-length cardigan sweater as she approached. “I hope it’s okay if I join you,” she said, suddenly feeling vulnerable and hating that feeling, but loving the sight of him waiting for her.

“Please,” he said as she rounded the hood of the truck to find him leaning against the cab, his left knee bent, his boot anchored against the step-up rail. “Just getting some fresh air.” He smiled, then gazed up. “The sky is pretty amazing tonight.”

She looked up. He was right, but amazing didn’t come close. Stars blanketed the crisp black sky. White glimmering dots on a beautiful canvas, like snowflakes on the ceiling. “Wow,” she breathed. God’s handiwork was gorgeous.

He looked over at her and frowned. “Where’s your jacket?”