Page 5 of Shadow Justice

“And yet you reject them all.”

“I like my life the way it is.”

Roni’s expression softened. “I know you do. I also know your life has a bad habit of becoming work, Blue, sleep, repeat.”

“That’s not fair. Sometimes I have laundry.”

“Be still my heart.”

Holly busied herself rinsing a pitcher that didn’t need rinsing. “Dinner sounds good.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“I can drive.”

“You can, but then you’ll claim an emergency with inventory and bail. I know your tricks.”

“I have never once used inventory as an excuse.”

“Holly.”

“Fine. Twice. But both times we were low on oat milk, which is basically a municipal crisis.”

Roni grinned, triumphant. “Seven on Sunday.”

Holly shook her head but smiled despite herself. “I’m counting down the minutes.”

Roni took another sip of coffee and glanced around the shop. “By the way, Granddad asked if you’re still making those lemon scones.”

“I am.”

“Good. Reid ate two yesterday and pretended he wasn’t impressed.”

The pitcher slipped in Holly’s hand and clinked against the edge of the sink.

Roni had the observational skills of a herding dog. “Whoa, there. You okay?”

“Fine.” Holly set the pitcher in the drying rack and reached for a towel. “Your brother never admitted liking anything that wasn’t black coffee, steak, or a legal argument.”

“He’s expanded. He now also likes pretending he doesn’t like my dogs. He came by the daycare yesterday and sat on the floor with a Great Dane puppy in his lap for twenty minutes. A man that size should not be able to look that pathetic, but here we are.”

Holly pictured it before she could stop herself. Reid Fleming, tall, dark, and serious, sitting on the floor while some enormous puppy melted against him. Her mind had always been traitorous where Reid was concerned. It kept old memories in unlocked rooms.

His hand on the small of her back. His mouth against hers in the dark. His voice, rough and careful, saying her name as if it mattered.

The morning after, when he was already gone.

She folded the towel with more precision than cotton deserved. “How’s he settling in?”

Roni watched her a beat too long. “Okay, I think. He’s helping with Granddad, working at Shadow Point Security, and doing that Reid thing where he says everything is fine in a tone that suggests it’s a law.”

“Sounds like him.”

“He asked about you.”

Holly’s fingers tightened around the towel. “Did he?”

Roni dropped her voice. “‘How’s Holly?’ Like he was asking about road conditions and not the woman I’ve been trying to set him up with since approximately forever.”