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“Ah. Playtime for me.”
“It would help me out, if you’ve got time for it.”
“Why don’t we have a drink, some food, and you can tell me more about it?”
Her first thought was to get everything down, write it out, then she realized she might have it more concise after rolling it around with him.
“Works for me. Oh, I nearly forgot. We got a Christmas present.”
She dug into her coat pocket, took out the box. “From Feeney. He warned me his wife’s made us a bowl, but this is from him to both of us.”
“I find his wife’s pottery charming.”
“Yeah, I know, since you actually find places for it instead of accidently breaking it or hiding it in some dark closet. Go figure. But I think you’re really going to like this.”
He opened the box, took out the glass, and simply stared at it.
“I had the same reaction. He said he wanted us to have it, to remember, to be able to see it when things got heavy. He said he was really proud of us. And like that. I didn’t really know what to say.”
“It means a great deal,” Roarke murmured. “A very great deal that he’d do this, think of doing it.”
“I know. And he got that. He said he thought we should keep it at home, because if I put it in my office, it was sort of like bragging.”
Roarke’s lips curved. “Trust Feeney.”
“I figure he’s right, that it should stay here. And I thought, not my office, not yours, because it’s ours together. I thought maybe it should stay in here because this is our space. Especially ours, I mean.”
“Yes. Especially ours.” After a glance, Roarke moved over to a table in the sitting area, set the gift down. “How’s that?”
“It’s good.”
She joined hands with him, started out. The cat raced ahead, ringing cheerfully. “Did Summerset put that stupid bell on him?”
“I put that stupid bell on him.”
“You?” She shot him a stunned glance. “Seriously?”
“It was a weak moment,” Roarke admitted. “Give him a bit of the festive, I thought. And now he’s ringing like a mad thing, most of it on purpose to my mind. He’s enjoying it.”
“The bow, too?”
“I said it was a weak moment. I had to put in several short appearances at a number of office parties today. Obviously, it lowered my resistance.”
“How much did you drink?” she wondered.
“Not at all, but I will now.” In her office he opened the wall slot, chose a bottle of wine. “A good, hearty red. How about a steak? All the mingling between meetings meant I missed lunch altogether. I’m starving.”
“I could go for steak. It’s the first thing I ever ate in this house. Why did I remember that now?”
“Holiday sentiment.”
“I love you.”
He set the bottle aside, stepped over to gather her in. “It’s always lovely to hear you say it.”
“I thought of it today when I was listening to, watching the Schuberts. They love each other. I could see it, clear as water, because I can feel it, all the way through me. So I don’t think they’re involved with Ziegler’s murder. Which is stupid because loving each other doesn’t mean one of them didn’t bash Ziegler then shove a knife in him.”
“But you don’t think so.”
