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“I really want to punch that guy,” Jack grumbled.
“Get in line,” I said before reaching over to my purse.
“I was two seconds from driving over there and showing him a piece of my mind.”
I huffed. “I took care of it. Besides, that would have put quite the wrench in this process.”
Jack strung together a chain of very colorful curse words.
I hung up on him and laughed the whole drive home.
Chapter 25
Jack
I satdown at the table, unfolded a napkin, and placed it on my lap.
I’d spent hours after Whitney hung up on me talking things through with the chief, trying to figure out the best strategy now that we knew where there was smoke there was fire.
But I couldn’t concentrate that afternoon, my attention drifting to Whitney and her impressive sleuthing skills.
My skin vibrated the entire time she spent in Coach Ramstrom’s house. My nerves were wrecked from worrying about her and whether or not she’d get out safely.
One thing I did know for sure, we worked well together.
We always had, and this mission reminded me of that.
What’s more, I had fun. I couldn’t recall the last time I had fun. Life had become an exercise in achievements.
Go pro.Check.
Start the vineyard.Check.
Buy a house.Check.
Complete the police academy.Check.
Years spent going through the motions but still falling short of fulfillment.
Whitney filled that hole. She made me feel whole in a way I hadn’t felt in a decade.
It made me a little nervous for our dinner, but excited as well. I no longer feared the worst because that had already happened. I’d charge through the nerves until she saw the same thing I did.
We were meant to be together.
That this thing between us was very real. It had always been there—all our lives it was there. That invisible force pulling us together.
Whitney just needed to acknowledge it. Not let fear take the reins.
Just then the door to the Italian restaurant opened, a woman clad in red rushing in. I watched as Whitney searched for me among the tables, a shy smile appearing when she found me. I stood, giving her a hug, pulling her closer when I felt her chilled skin. “Did you forget your coat?”
Whitney threw her head back. “Ugh, I spilled coffee on it right before coming here. I thought I could manage.” She shivered against me.
I peeled off my suit jacket, wrapping it around her toned shoulders. “That should help.”
She gave me a wry smile. “Thank you.” As I pulled out her chair, I noticed her tilt her head to smell my jacket. I chuckled, and she turned beet red.
“Oh, shut up.” She playfully smacked my arm, and I feigned injury.
