Page 212 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Callie grabbed her purse from beneath the counter and smiled when she saw Nate pulling the Tahoe into a parking spot by the bakery. She put on her coat and stepped outside, smiling again as they met in the middle of the sidewalk. “Hi.”

“Hey.” He kissed her. “How was your shift?”

“Slow.” She pulled her sunglasses from her purse and slid them on in defense against the late-fall sunshine. “The cold start to the day kept people inside, but Molly should be busier now that it’s starting to warm up.”

He hooked his fingers in her belt loops, keeping her close. “What are you up to this afternoon?”

She settled her hands on his arms, sliding them slowly up and down the sleeves of his jacket. “I’m thinking about setting up a surprise spa day for your sisters and me. Massages, facials, manis and pedis.” She moaned, imagining several blissful hours of pampering.

He raised his brow. “Sounds fancy.”

She shook her head. “Just relaxing. Now that the show’s over, I’m ready to indulge a little before the three of us dive into side-room remodels and business plans.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again, always happy when Nate stopped by for a quick visit. “How have things been at the office?”

“Quiet.”

“That’s never a bad thing.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Do you want to walk with me to the truck?” She broke their connection and started toward the pickup, ready to head home and make her phone calls. Ever since Molly rolled her shoulders and mentioned something about needing a serious session of deep tissue massage, Callie had been eager to put her impromptu plan into action.

Nate blocked her as she moved to open the door. “I was thinking we could take a ride—talk a little.”

“That sounds great,” she said, reaching for the handle again. “How about we go out for dinner—”

He stepped in her way a second time. “I was thinking we could go now.”

Her eyes widened behind her tinted lenses. “Right now?”

He shrugged. “It’s quiet, warming up, and the sun’s shining. Kind of a perfect storm.”

She and Nate hadn’t spent much time together over the last couple of weeks. Whether she made spa appointments now or in an hour wasn’t bound to matter much. “All right.”

He took her hand and walked with her to the Tahoe, then opened her door for her. “Mary’s Bluff?”

“Sure.” She got in for the ride to the quieter side of the island, taking in the spectacular ocean view she hadn’t seen for several days. Long runs along Highway 1 hadn’t been a top priority lately. But the bold blue water ceased to hold her attention as she studied Nate instead—his rigid posture and big hands gripping the steering wheel. Her case. Last night Nate had been his usual easygoing self. Today he appeared to be Sheriff Carter—obsessed with Samantha Fletcher and the Little Girl Lost case. “Let’s go out for dinner tonight,” she said, bringing up the idea again.

He looked at her. “Yeah, we can do that, but I’m on call.”

She shrugged. “We’ll take our chances. We can ride separately in case you have to go.”

“If that’s what you want.”

She sent him a decisive nod. “I’ll make us reservations at the Inn—something early. I’d like to thank Cletus and Annie again for such a lovely evening.” She reached for his hand, bringing his knuckles to her cheek, nuzzling. “The show’s over and the media’s gone. We can finally get back to our lives.”

He made a sound in his throat as he pulled parallel into the lookout by the bluffs. “Sounds good.”

She tensed as she detected the small change in his tone and realized that this wasn’t just an opportunity for them to catch up. “You found something.”

He steamed out a breath as he killed the engine and met her gaze. “We’ve had a couple of developments.”

She nodded, finding herself annoyed that he hadn’t just said so in the first place. “Okay.”

“Let’s take a walk.” He took off his seat belt and got out.

Sighing, she got out and met him at the front of the Tahoe.