Page 41 of Sleigh My Heart

Her phone shook in her hand. She slammed it on the counter and dropped her head to her chest. Did she just invite herself to his house?

She stared at her reflection. Yes. Yes, she did. “Ugh! This could go very bad.” She pushed off the counter. Her back hit the towel rack, and she exhaled. This wasn’t a booty call. She would drop off Ava, listen to what he had to say, and get the heck out of there.

Someone knocked on the door. She jumped. “I’ll be right out.”

She splashed some water on her face, washed her hands, then opened the door to find her sister-in-law.

“Is everything okay?” Liz’s gaze roamed Michelle’s face.

“Yeah, I’m good.” She patted the towel to her cheeks then looped it over the bar.

Brown eyes studied her a few moments longer, then she nodded. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

“I know. And I’m good. Really.” Michelle didn’t know who she was trying to convince, Liz or herself. By the look on her sister-in-law’s face, Michelle could take a polygraph test and Liz wouldn’t believe her.

Liz leaned against the hall wall, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. She didn’t say anything else, just watched with the eyes of a hawk, taking in every broken breath, twitch of the hand, and drop of Michelle’s gaze, and damn it, Michelle knew it and couldn’t stop any of it from happening.

“Fine. Come into my office.” Michelle said as she backed up and let Liz in. Her sister-in-law closed the door behind her and waited.

Michelle dropped her hip on the counter. “I was talking to Nick.”

Liz listened. Her open expression had Michelle spilling her guts.

“… And I will take her home. His home. It’s so…” she couldn’t say it.

“Personal.” At Michelle’s nod, Liz placed a hand over hers. “It’s only natural to feel unsure as you move forward with Nick.”

“We aren’t—”

Liz held up a hand. “By forward, I meant your new relationship—working, friendship, or otherwise. You are building new pathways with each interaction. First by working together, and second, your friendship.”

“We aren’t friends. Not anymore.”

One perfectly shaped brow shot up. “Is his daughter not out in the kitchen right now baking cookies with your mother?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“And did you not sit at the hospital with him for most of the afternoon?”

Michelle sighed. “Yes.”

“And did you not let him weasel his way into your investigation?”

“How did you… Oh that’s right, I told you gals, but I don’t see how that counts.”

“Bullshit. You are a strong female cop. You wouldn’t let him in if you didn’t want him in.”

Shit, she was right.

“You already let him in. Only you can decide how far.” Liz patted her hand then walked out.

Liz was right. Michelle had let Nick in. Oh, he wormed his way in with the ease of a special ops guy infiltrating a compound. With stealth. That reminded her, she still needed to check on his position in the military.

The woman staring back at her from the mirror was older, wiser. She wasn’t the same girl as when he left for basic training. Then again, Nick wasn’t the same boy. And he was back.

Chapter 11

The doorbell rang. Nick had been home long enough to feed the ferrets and grab a beer from the fridge. He wanted three fingers of whiskey, but he wouldn’t delve into the hard stuff with Ava home. He set his beer on the counter and opened the door.