“Yeah. Sure. Later.” When unicorns made an appearance at the county fair, I silently thought. “Have fun getting settled.” I glanced at Fish. “I’ll be chasing this story hard tomorrow.”
He nodded without hesitation. “Keep me updated.”
4 Four
Eliot was already seated at our usual booth when I walked into the diner. He wasn’t alone, though. Jake and his girlfriend Lauren sat across from him, and the chummy scene was enough to momentarily steal my breath.
My first instinct was to run. What was I so fearful of? I wasn’t self-aware enough to put a name to my emotions. Before I could decide what I wanted to do, Eliot lifted his head.
In the dull lighting, he reminded me of a wolf sniffing out his mate. It was as if he sensed me. He broke into a wide grin and wave when our eyes locked. All thought of fleeing disappeared when I registered the warmth emanating from him. It was as if the fist gripping my heart lessened, and I gladly joined him at the booth.
“Hey.” He leaned in and gave me a kiss. “It took you longer than I thought.”
I flashed a smile for Lauren’s benefit. I legitimately liked her. Given the fact that Jake’s last girlfriend had been a nut of epic proportions — going so far as to want to kill me out of jealousy — I considered her a huge upgrade. Still, I felt out of my element as I settled at the table.
“I got distracted,” I replied, realizing that talk of the new intern made for easy conversation that I didn’t have to worry about derailing our tenuous friendship with the other couple. “We have a new member of the editorial staff.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jake arched an eyebrow and sipped his soda. “Anyone good? I heard Gordon Walker was fired from Channel 7. I wondered where he would land.”
“It’s not Gordon. It’s an intern.”
“Uh-oh.” Jake’s lips curved. “Fish didn’t pair the intern with you as some sort of punishment, did he? I can see him doing that after the whole Ludington debacle. He probably wants someone to report to him on your every move because you refuse to spend time in the office.”
“He didn’t pair the new intern with me. I think he knows better than that. Besides, Duncan and Marvin are locked in a fight to the death to be named her mentor. There’s no room for me.”
Eliot’s energy was easy as he rested his arm on the back of the booth, directly behind my shoulders. His touch was light, but it caused me to relax further. “A woman, huh? I’m guessing she’s pretty if those two are fighting for her attention.”
“Marvin would date a circus freak if she put out,” I argued. “She’s definitely pretty, though. She’s also young.”
“How young?”
“I’m guessing she can’t drink. If she can, she can’t do it without showing her ID.”
“Does that make you jealous?” Jake asked. He seemed to be in a relatively good mood despite the horror his men had uncovered by the railroad tracks a few hours earlier. I wanted to question him about it, but if I started digging now, he would clam up. I needed to lull him so I could finesse the information out of him. We’d yet to order, so I had time.
“Are you asking if I’m jealous because Duncan and Marvin are fighting over a girl they’re old enough to have fathered?” The suggestion rankled. “I don’t get jealous.”
“It’s true,” Eliot supplied. “She rarely shows her claws. A lesser man might be insecure.”
“You’re not a lesser man,” I noted.
“I’m the king of men,” he agreed, winking. He seemed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I had to wonder if it was an act or if he was as keyed up as I was. If he was feeling anxiety of any sort, he was a master at hiding it.
“You’re ... something,” I agreed, smiling at the waitress as she delivered an iced tea. We were regulars at the diner and she knew my preferred drink.
“Do you know what you want?” she asked. “The others have already ordered.”
I faltered, surprised. “You ordered without me?” I demanded of Eliot, annoyed.
“I knew you were on your way.” He studied me for a beat. “I guess jealousy is out of the question, but when it comes to food, I’m walking a thin line, huh?”
The fact that he found amusement in my annoyance was another tear in my sanity. “I’m fine.” I glanced at the specials menu at the center of the table. “I’ll have two coneys with chili fries. No cheese.”
The waitress nodded. Before she could leave, I added to the order. “I want some chicken wings with ranch, too.”
Eliot’s eyebrows hopped. “Didn’t you eat lunch?”
“I had salad,” I replied irritably. “Erin is on this new diet and she suggested fattoush salads. I thought it sounded like a good idea at the time. They weren’t very filling, though, and then I had to go out on an assignment.”
“It’s okay.” He seemed surprised by my vehemence. “I’m not the food police. Don’t forget we’re taking chocolate cake home.”
“I could never forget that.” I slid my gaze to Jake as the waitress wandered toward the kitchen. “Do you have any additional information?” Even though I planned on waiting, I had to get a few initial questions out of the way. He would be suspicious otherwise as I wasn’t known for my patience.
“We included everything we’re releasing for the time being in the initial news release.”
“That’s not really an answer.” I folded my arms across my chest and regarded him as I leaned back in the booth. “Was it a mob hit?”
Jake’s expression never changed. He was a master at handling the media. Our past together, a childhood spent laughing, playing and later loving one another, worked against me where he was concerned. I could mess with law enforcement representatives from other townships and municipalities, but Jake was
