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“Hey, let me take you home,” I said.
“Wow! That’s bold of you. Like I’m just going to”
I cut her off, irritated. “Not my home, Avon. I’m taking you to the apartment and then I’m leaving.”
She laughed. “That won’t be necessary, Chief. I know where it is.”
Austin returned to the table and put what looked like a piña colada down in front of her.
“What’s up, Grady?” he said. “You here to ruin the fun?”
I wanted to punch the Southern drawl out of him, but instead I glared down at him, taking advantage of my significant size advantage.
“Go prowl somewhere else, Lawson.”
His expression was a mix of amused and confused. “You on duty as police chief? Cause I don’t think you can just tell me what to do whenever you feel like it.”
“That’s just who he is,” Avon said. “He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
My smile at Austin wasn’t a friendly one. “I do mean something by it, and what I mean is fuck off. She’s not leaving here with you.”
“Hey, we’re just two people enjoying some drinks together.”
I scoffed. “You’re the worst fuckin’ liar ever.” I looked at Avon. “Get your stuff. We’re leaving.”
“I’ll go with you because I’m ready to leave, not because you ordered me to.”
She slid down from the high-top chair, wobbling as one of her heels slipped on the floor. Austin lunged for her waist, but I pushed him back with a hand on his chest, offering her my other arm for support.
“What the hell?” Austin narrowed his eyes at Avon. “You’re just leaving with him?”
“I think…” She gripped my forearm as she regained her footing yet again. “Yeah, I need to go. I’m texting Harper. Thanks for the drinks.”
“Cockblocker,” Austin muttered under his breath.
“Dickhead,” I said, my tone loud enough for all of us to hear. “You got anything else to say to me?”
“Fuck you, Grady.”
He turned away, immediately turning back to swipe the fresh piña colada from the table and walked toward the back of the bar. I had no doubt some other woman would be getting that drink.
“You okay to walk?” I asked Avon.
“I’m fine,” she said, sounding aggravated. “I slipped one time.”
“Yeah, okay.” I shook my head as I walked behind her, prepared to catch her if she fell again.
She made it out the door, turning in the direction of the apartment once outside.
“My truck’s over here,” I said.
“I thought we were walking.”
“Nope. Definitely not in those shoes.”
She smiled and said, “I bought boots, you know. My cousin Harper insisted I wear these tonight.”
“That’s good. On the boots and on you meeting Harper.”
She sighed, her breath making a cloud in front of her. “This entire town knows I don’t know my family here, don’t they?”
“People like to keep up on the gossip around here.”
I offered my arm as I stepped into the road, which had a dirty slush coating it. Avon put her hand on my forearm again, and the pounding in my chest returned.
Well, shit. It wasn’t indigestion—it was her.
Since I had no interest in getting involved with a woman, it was a good thing she was leaving Monday. I liked my life as it was, living alone. Unless the station cat, Radar, counted. He came home with me sometimes.
“This is yours?” Avon asked as I unlocked my truck.
“Yep.”
“Are you compensating for something, Chief?”
“Nope, just needed a big truck because I’m a big guy and there’s a hell of a lot of snow here.”
She grinned at me as I opened the door and she held the handle to get into her seat. “I was just kidding.”
After closing her door, I went around to my side and got into the truck, turning on the heat and the heated seat on her side.
“That feels good,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “I didn’t realize this place would be North Pole–level cold.”
“You meet Laura yet?” I asked her.
“No, she’s out of town until Tuesday. I’m hoping she and Harper can come visit me once I’m home.”
She sounded both apprehensive and disappointed about not meeting her aunt, so I moved on quickly.
“No love for the Beard?”
After a note of laughter, she said, “It’s…unique. But definitely not for me.”
It was a quick drive to the Chronicle building, where I parked out front and went around to open her door.
“Harper and I dropped my boots off here earlier,” she said as she took out the keys to the building. “I think I’ll sleep in them tonight. My feet are frozen.”
“Is it warm enough in the apartment? I know a lot of the older downtown buildings are drafty.”
“It’s fine,” she said, opening the door. “And I only have two more nights here.”
I nodded. “Guess I have to leave you here so you can lock up behind me.”
“Thanks for the ride, Grady. And for not arguing with me for five whole minutes. That can’t have been easy.”
