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“Right. Of course,” she said, speaking fast. “It was a shock for sure, but everyone has been so great. Everyone’s stopped by to check in on me. Like you. Quinn and his guys still don’t have any leads, but I know they’re working on it.”
Joe suppressed a cringe. His girl was nervous. She hadn’t paused once to breathe between sentences.
“Well, I’m glad the community has supported you,” his dad said. “You’re one of us, Roxie. You always were and always will be. Now, my dear, could I bother you for a slice of pie?”
Rox lit up like a freaking Christmas tree. He was sure she was relieved to have something to do, something to distract her.
Taking another large sip of wine, she walked to the refrigerator. “What would you like, Doc?”
“What have you got?”
With her back to them, she rattled off the pies she had in the fridge. He caught his dad’s gaze and mouthed,Thank you.
His father nodded, a smile playing on his lips, and reached across the island to clink glasses with him. “I’ll have blueberry, my dear. As you know, that’s my favorite. If you’ve got any, why don’t you add a scoop of ice cream, too? I did go running this morning, after all.”
Joe’s smile grew. His dad was awesome. There was no other way about it.
“Oh hey, that reminds me,” she said over her shoulder. “Quinn, Alex, and baby Annie are coming over on Thursday for dinner. You gentlemen in?”
His father shook his head. “As much as I’d love to, I’ll be back in Seattle. I’m doing a stint at UW Medical Center for the next few weeks.”
“I can’t either, Rox,” Joe said. “We have a couple of Joint Base Lewis-McChord boys coming in that night for a training workshop on Friday. Cade, Gavin, and I are taking them to dinner.”
“Okay. More food for us then.” She placed two plates of blueberry pie à la mode in front of them. “Where are you guys going?”
“Watermark, probably.”
Roxie’s brows rose. “A Michelin three-star restaurant? Isn’t that a little fancy and romantic for a dinner with the guys?”
His father chuckled. “Yes, what exactly are you fellas planning to do with the JBLM boys again?”
“Ha-ha,” Joe said, deadpan. “I’m surrounded by smart-asses. The chef there takes a few classes at Cade’s, so he gives Cade a good deal on private dining rooms and other stuff.”
“Sure, okay.” Roxie wagged her eyebrows. “If you say so.”
He put his spoon down and stood. She yelped when he hauled her against him so they were chest to chest.
“Joseph Buchanan,” she warned, blushing furiously now.
“Don’t ‘Joseph Buchanan’ me, baby.” He kissed her on the lips, then nodded at his dad. “Like he hasn’t figured it out already.”
“I knew before you kids did.” His father laughed and took a sip of wine. “Took you damn long enough, son.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
The doorbell chimed. It was Thursday night, and Roxie and Alex had started on their lasagna dinner since Quinn had called to say he was running late.
“Hold that thought, Alex.” Roxie rose from the dining table and leaned close to Annie. Tickling the sweet little chubster’s drooly chin, she said, “Of course your silly daddy has to interrupt us right when we’re in the middle of a juicy story.”
Hurrying to the front door and swinging it open, she called out, “Since when do you use the doorbe—”
It wasn’t Quinn.
The attractive woman standing on the porch had long blond hair, was roughly Roxie’s height, and wore the most amazing pair of leopard-print Louboutins.
She shook her head and brought her attention from the stilettos to the woman’s face. “Sorry, I was distracted by your fabulous shoes. Can I help you?”
“No worries, I completely understand. I just splurged on them and have been staring at them ever since.” The woman smiled and held out her hand. “You must be Roxie.”
