Page 70 of Carver’s Craving

I blinked.

“Maybe we should leave you two alone?” Cody rose.

I cleared my throat. “Carver’s got your number, right?”

Lorcan nodded.

“So he gives me yours, we connect, and I arrange a time to help Zia.”

“Yeah?” Cody eyed me cautiously. “Because I shouldn’t have—”

I waved him off. “I’ve got the time. You might have to help me with a ride or something—”

“We’ll work it out.” Carver squeezed my shoulder.

After giving him an appreciative smile, I returned my attention to Cody. “Let’s make this work.”

Chapter Nineteen

Carver

Styx talked the entire drive home.

Mostly chitchat about everyone he’d met tonight. And he’d met everyone. The chair next to his, which had initially been empty, had become a location for the rotating crew. Each member headed over, sat, talked to Styx, and then moved on so the next person could join. I couldn’t ever remember this happening before.

Lorcan had been the last new person to join the team—a year ago. About the time he met Cody. I’d only been around for a short time, and Walter had a bad reaction to one of his meds, so I’d skipped going to the pub that night. I knew Lorcan from the worksite, of course, and had gotten to know him better in the year since.

Certainly, I hadn’t expected an invitation to his house for Christmas.

Not to say he and Cody hadn’t extended an offer before. They had. Just not, like, a major holiday.

“Are you okay?” Styx’s voice broke through my reverie as I pulled into my driveway.

“Uh, sure.”

He laughed. “I don’t think you’ve heard a word I’ve said.”

“That’s not true.” My headlights cut across the front windows. A warm light came through the slit in the drapes. “You were talking about—” I wracked my brain. “Agatha’s husband. Jim.”

“Right. Ten minutes ago.” Again, he chuckled. “I was asking about how Cody and Lorcan met.”

I cut the engine. “You know…I have no idea.”

He snapped his fingers. “You admit there’s a story there.”

I rolled my eyes as I unfastened my seatbelt. “There’s always a story. You and I have a story.” With that, I got out of my SUV. I popped the hatch and rummaged under the casually draped blankets.

Mission City wasn’t a hotbed of crime, but I hadn’t wanted to advertise the fact I had two guitars in the back of my SUV. Partly why I’d parked so close to the cop shop. “Grab one?”

He took the acoustic case.

I grabbed the electric one. “I didn’t buy an amplifier, but—’

“Sheesh, Carver.” He shut the hatch. “I don’t even know how to thank you for these and you’re apologizing for not buying more? I have no idea how I’m going to pay—”

I halted.

He did as well.