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I pushed the Thermos toward her. “You can have it all,” I told her, trying to brighten the pall that had fallen over the room. “Consider it an apology for this morning’s coffee.”
She managed a faint smile. “It’s the thought that counts.” Her hand snaked out to grab the Thermos though when I went to take it back. “But I’m taking the coffee.”
“I just need the Thermos back,” I added, remembering Leroy’s insistence on returning it. “Otherwise, he might never let me have another cup of coffee.”
“That would be a tragedy,” Cadence replied in complete seriousness. “I’ll wash and return it in the morning.”
“You’re not going to be able to sleep tonight,” I remarked, gesturing to the coffee. “Not if you drink it all.”
She shrugged, but it was Nico who answered. “No sleep. Bad dreams.”
I glanced at Cadence but she didn’t explain. “The door’s always open,” I offered and she gave me a strange look.
“Seems like a bad policy for an officer of the law.”
“What can I say?” I rolled my shoulder. “I’m a trusting guy.” She arched an eyebrow and I winked. “I also sleep with a gun on the nightstand.”
“Bang, bang!”
“Shit,” I muttered, startled by Nico’s loud squawk. I looked at him and he tilted his beak, one beady eye staring me down. “172,” I said, “Abduction.”
“172 Abduction,” he repeated, ruffling his feathers.
“Last one,” I warned. “77 – Possible ambush.”
“Officer down,” Nico cried, flapping his wings. “Officer down.”
“97,” I said quickly as Cadence stood up. She started to clear the table and I rushed to stop her. “I’ll get these.”
“You cooked. I’ll clean,” she said firmly, her mouth set. “You have a dishwasher I hope.”
I smiled, nodding to the only black appliance in the room. “It’s the only thing less than ten years old in this house.”
She started loading it, commenting, “They left out the fact that you like to fish.”
“Hmm?” I looked at her in confusion and she explained.
“The mailbox. All that talk and not one person at the salon mentioned how much you like to fish.”
“Oh, that. I didn’t put it there,” I denied. “I like to fish, just not that much.”
“Another thing you haven’t gotten around to changing?”
“Basically.”
“Haven’t you lived here like two years?” She questioned, wiping the table down with an efficiency that made me think she’d waitressed at some point in her life.
I opened my mouth and then closed it with a shake of my head. “It’s really weird how much you know about my life.”
“Yeah. I’d be mad if someone knew my entire life story without me actually being the one to tell them,” Cadence replied, biting her lip.
“I’m not mad,” I replied quickly. “It’s just strange, but not in a bad way.” I took a chance and touched the side of her arm, keeping the contact brief. “It comes with the territory.” She gave me an inquiring look. “Small town,” I elaborated. “I’m used to everyone knowing all of these things. But you’re new, so hearing you say it is –”
“Strange,” we said at the same time.
“But a good kind of strange,” I assured her. “I promise.”
“I believe you,” she said softly, a tiny smile curling on her mouth. “But I bet you say that to all the girls.”
I shook my head. “Only the new ones.” A laugh puffed from her lips. “Your secrets are safe with me.” Her expression turned serious and I mimed zipping my lips, pulling a reluctant smile from her. “I don’t need to go back to the barber shop for at least six weeks.”
Her teeth nibbled on her lower lip as she shook her head at me. “It’s getting late.”
“The southern way to start saying goodnight,” I claimed, following slowly as she started walking backwards to the door. “Followed by, ‘I should be going.’” Cadence nodded, picking up her Thermos. “Then, ‘It was good seeing you.”
She pressed her lips together, but her eyes glittered in amusement.
“We’ll do it again soon.” She nodded and I kept talking as we walked to the door. “Give me a hug. You be safe on the road.” A smile almost broke through, but she bit her cheek, fighting it. Nico flew by my head as I opened the door for them. “I’ll need to follow you back to your vehicle, but I have to take my shoes off first,” I told her, hearing a muffled snort as I proceeded to yank off my boots. “It’s just we want to make it official.”
“Barefoot is essential,” she murmured and I nodded.
“Of course. Somebody is always standing barefoot in gravel and I’ll have to say something about the temperature.”
“And that’s when I chime in and tell you to get out of this heat,” she replied as I hobbled across the gravel drive to her RV.
I pointed at her. “You got it.” Entirely too fast we were at her door and she opened the door to let Nico fly in. “And of course there’s another round of goodbyes at the door.”
