Page 18 of Sleigh My Heart

Michelle bit back a grin.

“I didn’t see any cameras outside the welding repair place earlier.” Nick said around a bite of burger.

“Me neither. So, let’s cruise down that street, starting with the direction of the mall.” She turned and headed toward Billie Dee’s.

Nick’s phone pinged. He glanced at the screen and grimaced.

Michelle cut her gaze to him before focusing on her driving. “What?”

“It’s from HR. Cliff Garmen missed his last three shifts.”

“Do they have an address? We can swing by and see if he’s there.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think it will help us.” The creases between his brows deepened.

“Why?”

“It’s Trudy’s Bar.”

“Wait, what? Does it say that?”

“No, but unless they tore it down and put up housing since I was gone, that’s the address.”

No doubt he was right. They’d snuck into the local dive bar more than once in high school. It was the only building on that block.

At the stop sign, she glanced at his phone. Yup, that’s it. She’d been called to the establishment for drunk and disorderlies over the years.

“Feel like a little day drinking?” Nick asked.

“To the bar.”

His cheek flexed.

Stupid inside joke. It slipped out before her brain could engage. Locking her lips, she watched the road.

This is work, girl. Not a stroll down memory lane. She cut a quick glance his way, and her internal scolding flew out the window.

His mouth had spread into a full smile.

Crap, she was so screwed.

They parked in the fire lane ten feet from the front door, just in case they needed a quick getaway. Trudy’s wasn’t the most cop-friendly place. She ran a hand over the edge of her vest, then opened the door.

The bright sun and crisp air faded away as the door closed behind Nick and Michelle. A haze of cigarette smoke clung to the stained ceiling tiles.

Nick’s large body shadowed hers as he filled the void at her back. That one simple movement sent warmth rolling through her, calming her. Yes, she could handle herself, and the bar was fairly empty this time of day, but knowing he had her six unknotted something inside her.

It tugged at other things, too… memories… of them in a tight embrace, slow dancing in a crowded bar. This bar.

Some things change, but not Trudy’s.

The bartender glanced up—the man himself. Trudy had a little less hair and a lot more gut since she’d seen him last, but it was definitely him.

He ran his gaze over them before dropping his attention back to the rag he swiped over the bar.

“I see this place hasn’t changed.” Nick slipped his hands into his pockets as he turned to survey the decades-old building and its patrons.

“Some things never do.” Michelle slipped off her gloves as they walked toward the bar. She’d been there a few times over the years, always in a work capacity, breaking up fights the owner and his Louisville slugger couldn’t handle.