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That would be stretching it.
“More like professional.” And prickly. And easily spooked.
Nan finished dividing the macarons and passed over his share. “Not the sort of description most men would give about a woman they found appealing.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“So what was it about her that drew you?” Nan took a sip of coffee, watching him over the rim of her mug.
The very question he’d been pondering for the past nine days.
“I’m not certain. It wasn’t as if she gave me any encouragement. We didn’t even talk all that much. But there was something intriguing about her.”
“Intriguing isn’t a bad place to start. It’s better than superficial sparks.”
There’d been plenty of those too—on his side, at least.
No reason to share that tidbit, though.
“It may be a moot point. She didn’t jump to accept my invitation for coffee, and I have enough on my plate anyway. Relationships complicate life.”
“They also make it worthwhile, even if they arrive at inconvenient times. Your grandfather and I never expected to finda ten-year-old under our roof in our fifties, but you ended up being one of our greatest blessings. My advice? Don’t close any door too fast. Some only open once.” She picked up the vanilla bean macaron. “Now let’s have our dessert.”
“I’ll second that.”
He went with vanilla too. May as well eat the blandest one first.
One bite in, however, his taste buds exploded. This macaron in no way fit the plain-Jane vanilla stereotype. The confection was bursting with intense flavor—vanilla, amaretto, and a hint of ... cinnamon?—that added complexity and depth.
Whoa.
“These are amazing.” Nan chewed slowly. “Who knew there would be so much goodness to savor inside?”
“I agree.”
And unless his instincts were off, the same would be true about Bri Tucker.
But getting past her defenses to test that theory would be a challenge.
Not that he minded challenges. Tackling them head-on had always been his MO, even when the odds of success were formidable.
So if she agreed to meet tomorrow, he’d give it one more try. Worst case, she’d keep her guard up and they’d go their separate ways after this case. Maybe they’d do that even if she did open up. Because unless they clicked beyond the electricity level, a relationship wasn’t worth pursuing. Sparks alone eventually fizzled.
Been there, done that, with Serena.
Nan was right, though. Closing doors that could lead to fascinating places and might never open again was a mistake.
So while it was possible Bri Tucker would slam this one in his face, he had nothing to lose by trying to nudge it open.
ddd
ITWAS TIMEto take care of the last person on my list.
Past time.
But was orchestrating two deaths so close together wise?
I paced over to the window, shoved aside the curtain, and scowled at the murky midnight sky.
