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“Whatever.” He heard the smile in his voice. “Text me your address.”
Cal did, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t counting the minutes, since he knew exactly how long the drive was. Would she stick to the speed limit? What time had she actually left? Would she encounter any traffic? Likely not.
He also happened to be watching out the window when she pulled her car into the parking lot. He continued watching when she climbed out, looked up to check out the numbers on the town houses, then headed toward his. She wore a navy dress, long boots, and a light-brown scarf. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
“Breathe normally,” he whispered to himself. It was a pretty big deal for Steph to be coming over to his place—he supposed it was part of their relationship progressing, or at least he hoped that’s what it meant. Somehow their conversation had changed Steph’s mind about them, and he was determined not to take any backward steps tonight.
Let her take the lead. In everything. Keep the ball in her court. For real.
When Cal opened the door to her knock, he again told himself to be casual, normal. But then she stepped close and hugged him. His breath left his lungs, and relief shuddered through him. He’d missed her more than he’d allowed himself to feel.
“Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi.” She drew away enough to look up at him and smile. “Were you watching out the window?”
“Uh, yes?”
“I thought I saw movement.” She stepped back and unwound the scarf about her neck. “You’re funny. Now show me your place.”
“Okay …” Just like that, he was giving her a tour.
“So this is where all the magic happens,” Steph said, walking into his home office. “Nice computer stuff.”
Cal had a couple of processors and monitors set up. He watched her walk about the room. It was strange to have her in his space, but he liked it.
“What’s the hardest case you’ve ever investigated?” Steph turned to face him from where she stood by the windows. The sun had already set, leaving a pale orange sky behind her, and making her hair a deeper red.
“I don’t think I could pinpoint just one,” Cal said. “Anything that involves kids is always rough. They get caught in the middle of divorces and are used as pawns. Nothing about that is fair.”
“I don’t doubt it.” She exhaled and moved to his desk. “You have a lot of security badges.”
He did. A pile of them sat in a small box on his desk. “Makes me look official, trustworthy, I guess. No one really reads the fine print.”
She picked up one and turned it over. “What’s the most dangerous situation you’ve been in?” Her eyes lifted to his.
He liked that she was truly interested, but he could only talk about his clients in general. “I haven’t been hired to rat out violent criminals, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t consider myself in physical danger, just maybe in danger of being noticed, and the work getting delayed or having to quit the case because the actions of the person will change if they know they’re being tracked. Or they’ll flee the state or country.”
“Huh.” Steph set down the badge and folded her arms. “So you could find out anything about me without me knowing it?”
Where was this going? “I could—but I don’t think I have reason to. You’ve been an open book, plus I doubt you have any dark secrets.”
She straightened. “You’re right. I’m pretty boring.” She threw him a smirk, then headed past him and walked into the kitchen. “What kind of ice cream do you have?”
Cal laughed and turned to follow her. “Interrogation is over? You don’t want to ask me about my dark secrets?”
She had opened the freezer door. “Do you have any?” She pulled out a carton of ice cream and turned to face him, her ponytail swinging.
“None that I can think of—you know the most about me out of everyone.” He walked around the island and grabbed a couple of bowls from the cupboard, then two spoons from a drawer.
He took the ice cream carton from her and began to dish it up.
Steph leaned against the counter near him and watched him work. “What are your flaws?”
He met her blue gaze. “Isn’t that relative?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Maybe. But I want to know why you’re not in a relationship or married. You acted surprised that I wasn’t.”
Cal slid a bowl of ice cream toward Steph, then picked up his own. After taking a bite, he said, “So you want to know what complaints other women have had about me?”
