Page 91 of Keller

"From glasses guy?"

"His name is Keller."

"From Keller." She draws out the syllables. "You finally got out of your way. That's my girl."

We turn onto a quieter street. Shotgun houses line both sides, their paint faded and peeling. A cat watches us from a porch railing, unbothered.

"We've been seeing each other more. He spent the night with me last night."

"You're going to have to give me more than that, Quinny. We have three miles, no need to keep it short."

"Honestly, it's been building since you and I talked. Little by little, as much as I've been fighting it, I can't help how much I like being with him."

"Love is inconvenient like that."

"I wouldn't call it love, but, yeah. It could get sticky if things go sideways with my analysis of Stone Intermodal, but I can't stress about that any more. Let the chips fall where they may."

"Nice pun. Okay, so tell me about last night and your pajama party. I'm guessing the no-pajama party…"

"You're dumb. He brought over Elephant Thai take out."

"Immediate winner there. I'd marry just for that. Keep going."

We pass a church with stained glass windows catching the afternoon light. Blues and reds spill across the cracked sidewalk.

"So we settled on a new series to watch together. Lincoln Lawyer. I started it a while back but never got into it, and I thought he might like it."

Leah snorts. "Uh, huh. Now you have a show together. Things are progressing quickly."

My stride falters for half a second. I recover, but she catches it.

"You're totally cooked." Her grin stretches wide.

I exhale. The words sit right there, waiting. I've been holding them back for days, turning them over, examining them from every angle.

"He's such a good guy, Leah. I mean, the fact that I'm looking into his family's company, that they could be corrupt, possibly even somehow linked to his father's murder, feels so wrong. Itdoesn't even exist in the same lens that I see him through." The admission comes out quieter than I intend.

Leah slows her pace. I match her.

"Those two things are not connected, Quinn. You've got to stop that. I can't say it enough, but you need to just enjoy him. Whatever happens with his family's company, with your job, that's out of your hands."

"Actually, it isn't. But I get what you're saying. I'm looking for things, not creating them. If his brother did or didn't or does or doesn't do things that warrant an investigation, that is what it is."

"Exactly."

"You're right. I'm cooked." I look at her. "I can't stop thinking about him, wondering when I'll see him again. I held back for so long, and now it's like I'm falling at warp speed."

Her expression softens. She bumps her shoulder against mine without breaking stride.

"Then lean in, baby, and enjoy the ride."

I smile to myself, excited about all of it. She's right. I need to be all in and enjoy him and us and whatever this is that's happening.

We pass a corner store with iron bars over the windows. The smell of po'boys drifts from somewhere nearby.

Leah raises a brow. Her breathing comes faster now, cheeks flushed from the pace.

"What is going on with the investigation? I thought you said last time you talked you thought everything seemed to be lining up?"