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“Hah,” she snorted. “On account of you bein’ a private eye?”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out. “You’re kind of a cheeseball, you know that?”
She shrugged unapologetically. “I do, and I embrace it. Really, though, the lack of privacy around here is hard on a good day… but it can also be pretty great. Charlotte Oakians have each other’s backs in a way that just doesn’t happen in a big city.”
I tried not to get caught up on the nickname for the town’s residents and shrugged, brushing off her point. “Maybe. But it’s still not my style.”
Before I could elaborate, Norma returned with our food, taking her time to chat with Dakota about someone named Phoebe’s dance classes. The conversation went on so long that I was halfway through my meal by the time Norma left us alone again.
“See? I wouldn’t last a day in this town if I weren’t here for a job,” I said.
She grinned at that. “I had a feelin’ the girls were right when they warned me away from you. But hey, can’t blame a girl for tryin’.”
I paused mid-chew, nearly choking. “I’m sorry, what?”
“The girls,” she repeated, her tone nonchalant but with an edge of teasing. “I told them over pizza how hot I thought you were, but they told me not to catch feelin’s for you since you’re leavin’ as soon as you’re done with this case.”
I choked on a piece of potato, wishing I hadn’t taken a bite while she was answering. My brain scrambled to catch up. I’d hoped it would give me a second to stall in case I needed it. She was usually bold, but this? I just hadn’t expected her to say something quite so… direct. Flirtatious? Clearly. But coming right out with all of that? Didn’t see it coming one bit.
“So,” she went on while I chugged water to wash down the potato, “in the off-chance you were worried about that—don’t. I promise I won’t fall in love with you and make you stay here forever.”
My hand froze mid-air. Water flooded my windpipe, burning as I tried to swallow it down without losing what was left of my dignity. I choked again, harder this time, and it was all I could do to keep from spraying her in the face with it. She looked so amused—no, entertained—by my near-death experience.
She laughed, her face a cross between concern and wild amusement. Her eyes sparkled with the kind of mischief that made me both want to laugh and run in the opposite direction. “Are you aspiratin’ that water, or is that a blush on your cheeks?”
“Neither,” I rasped, my voice sounding like sandpaper. “Did you really just say all of that?”
“Well, why wouldn’t I?" She grinned, eyes dancing. "After all, you know as well as I do that Gertie interrupted what probablywould’ve been quite a kiss. And if either one of us wants a chance to try again without her buttin’ her nose in, I figured it’d be best to let you know you don’t have to be scared.”
Scared?
I swallowed thickly, a little afraid to ask but feeling like I had no choice. “Scared of what?”
She shrugged, smiling as she speared another forkful of salad, like she was discussing the weather and not completely dismantling my defenses. “You know, scared I’d try to strangle you with all my roots.”
The laugh burst out of me so fast I didn’t have a prayer of keeping it inside. It felt like the first real laugh I’d had in… well, a while. Her eyes absolutely lit up, her smile widening as she watched me from across the table. She looked so pleased with herself, and I couldn’t even blame her.
“You should smile more,” she said softly, the teasing tone gone, replaced with something warmer. “It’s nice.”
“I agree,” an elderly woman said as she walked by our booth on her way to the door.
I blinked, startled. Where had she come from?
“Takes him from a nine-point-five to an eleven in my book,” the woman added over her shoulder, as if this was an everyday observation.
I scowled at the woman’s back, flicking my gaze back to Dakota, who was shaking her head, clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “Amen, Mrs. M,” she called out, her tone bright.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Now,shemight scare me a little.”
Dakota nodded gravely, her face the perfect picture of seriousness. “Smart man.”
12?/?
dakota
“Then what?” Hope asked, walking me to work the next day. She had the day off, but I knew no matter how much I wished I could call out again to run around town looking for pirate treasure, it wasn’t the right thing to do.
“Then, we just ate our food,” I replied.
