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Rachel nodded. “As weird as it sounds, I feel closer to her there. I could picture her working behind the counter, serving coffee. She always liked the fancy kind.”
Griff grinned. “Not you.”
“Not me.” Rachel gave him a crooked grin. “I’m pretty basic in what I wear and what I eat and drink. Lindsay was more the adventurer, trying new places and new food and drinks.”
“Basic is good.” Griff touched her cheek. “You don’t have to compare yourself to others. You’re special just as you are.”
“Thank you.” Rachel grimaced. “Right now, I’m sure I smell special—like a smoking engine. See you in a few minutes.”
Rachel left before she was tempted to lean into Griff’s hand and beg him for a kiss.
They’d been on three dates before he’d deployed, and they’d kissed several times, mostly standing in front of her apartment door. They hadn’t gotten past kissing.
In the past six months, Rachel wished she’d invited him into her apartment and her bed, thinking that after making love, she’d have known if he was as good in bed as he was at kissing. Her curiosity would have been satisfied, and she wouldn’t have been as depressed about never seeing him again.
Standing in front of him a moment ago, Rachel had recalled how good a kisser he was and wished she’d had the guts to ask him to do it again.
On her way through her bedroom, she grabbed fresh undergarments, a forest green ribbed-knit sweater and jeans. Once in the bathroom, she closed the door and locked it. After a brief second, she unlocked it. If the man was even slightly tempted to come in while she was showering, she wouldn’t tell him to leave.
Her shower went uninterrupted, much to her disappointment. She quickly dried her body and wrapped her hair in the towel.
She felt like a new woman with a clean body and hair. After she slipped into her clean clothes, she brushed her hair and left it damp. It would dry in soft curls if she didn’t bother to straighten it.
Rachel and Lindsay had looked so much alike. Though they’d had different fathers, they’d looked very much like their mother with her dark curly hair and green eyes. Rachel’s stepfather had called Rachel, Lindsay and his wife “his girls.”
He'd been a good man who’d loved his girls.
Rachel went back through her room, dug out her hiking boots, pulled on socks and then slipped into the boots. They weren’t sexy like Sharon’s high heels, but she could run in the boots. She’d break something if she attempted to walk in four-inch heels.
She found her spare key in her nightstand, slipped it into her jeans pocket and stepped out of her room.
Griff stood in the living room, looking out across the parking lot. His blond hair was damp and slicked back from his forehead. He wore a black T-shirt, black jeans and his black leather jacket. With his hair slicked back and damp, he looked like a sexy gang member.
He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Do you close the blinds at night?”
Rachel nodded. “I hadn’t up until a few weeks ago. Now, I close all the blinds. I don’t like the idea of someone watching me all the time.”
“Do you recognize the car directly across the parking lot from my truck?”
“I’ve seen it before. Why?” she asked.
“It wasn’t there when we arrived. Now, it is.” Griff glanced down at his smartwatch. “Let’s drop the gift at the sheriff’s office and let them process it for latent prints.”
Rachel scooped up the bag containing the blue box and strode to the door. “While they’re processing the gift for prints, we can grab a bite at Maddie’s Diner.”
Griff’s stomach rumbled loudly.
Rachel chuckled. “Let’s do this.”
“Excuse me.” Griff stepped in front of her before she could get far. “Let me take point.”
She held up her hands. “Sure. Lead the way.”
Griff opened the apartment door and stepped outside onto the landing. He studied the same shadows Rachel had found and said, “Wait here.”
She wanted to tell him not to be ridiculous, but she let him do his thing and waited just inside her doorway.
Griff descended the steps to the ground and circled the trees and bush. As quickly as he moved through the brush, he probably wasn’t finding anything noteworthy.
