AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She forced a smile as she came up on the table. “Dr.Reeves.”
He lifted dark brows, one corner of his mouth bending down in a frown. “Kit.”
A blush heated her cheeks. He knew exactly what he was doing. She was trying to push him into the friend/colleague zone, and he wasn’t having it.
He’d have to deal.
This wasn’t a date.
She looked down and noticed the Lab mix at his feet. “Siggy.”
The dog had been looking adoringly at Sam but turned his gaze on Kit. Or, more correctly, on Snickerdoodle. The two nosed each other, and then Snickerdoodle flopped to the ground beside Siggy with a big doggy sigh.
Sam came around the table to hold her chair and she barely resisted the urge to glare as she sat down. She held the bag out to him. “From my mom. She made you one of her coffee cakes.”
Sam took the bag with a wary smile. “It’s awfully heavy for a coffee cake.”
“There’s an apple pie in there, too. And some cinnamon rolls.”
“Wow. I’ll have to thank her.” He set the bag on the extra chair and studied her. “You look... rested.”
She’d been holding her breath, expecting him to say nice or pretty. Rested was better.
Liar.
He smirked a little while pouring her a cup of coffee.
He was smug. She hated that she liked it.
She liked a lot of things about Sam Reeves.
Friends. They could be friends. Couldn’t they?
“How’s Rita?” he asked, yanking her out of her mental negotiation.
“Peppy when we’re watching, withdrawn when she thinks we’re not. Pop’s already got her scheduled for therapy.”
“I figured as much. Harlan called and asked me for a recommendation.”
Which must have been how he and Betsy had known Kit was meeting Sam this morning. “Rita’s been through so much,” she murmured. “I hope this person can help her.”
“My boss is good. If anyone can help Rita, she can.”
“Dr.Carlisle?” Kit asked in surprise.
“She specializes in counseling victims of crime.”
There was something he wasn’t saying, and she suddenly knew what it was. “She talked to you after what happened to you and your girlfriend.”
His girlfriend, who’d been murdered in front of his eyes.
“Not immediately after. I was in Scottsdale then. But she guest lectured in one of my classes at UCLA. I had follow-up questions and we hit it off. I did an internship with her when I was going for my doctorate and she offered me a place in her practice once I was finished. I think you and I have this in common. We both work with our mentors. Me with Vivian and you with Detective Constantine.”
Kit’s heart squeezed painfully at the reminder. “Not anymore.”
He frowned. “Is Baz okay?”
She nodded. “But he’s retiring. The heart attack scared him. He said it made him see what was important. His wife and daughter and granddaughter.” Not me. Which was selfish and awful, but there it was.
