Nash checked the calendar on his phone. “I can come if you need me.”
Cole shook his head. “It’s Stefanie’s boat. She’ll make the call.”
Stefanie’s muscles tensed. It definitely felt like a trick question. “Okay, great. I’ll think about that. Thank you, sir.”
“Oh, no ‘sir’ is necessary.” Cole waved her formality away. “We’re all just one big family here.”
Once he’d left, Stefanie closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. Even if he wasn’t working with Dmitri, that interaction with Cole bothered her in a big way. Joey touched the small of her back. “It’s okay. You did great.”
Nash’s eyebrows shot up. He snorted. “You’re not that nice to me, Joey.”
Joey quickly moved his hand and cleared his throat.
Stefanie shook her head. “Ugh, remind me never to refer to my coworkers as ‘family’ after putting that much pressure on them.”
“Maybe he meant it in a good way?” Nash tilted his head.
Stefanie waved her hands as she spoke. “Oh, I’m sure he did. Let’s just say that if I refer to my employees as family, I’ll make sure it’s after treating them the way I would want to be treated.”
Nash tilted his head towards the lab. “Okay, fam. Let’s go. We’ve got a lot to do before Saturday.”
The morning in the lab spent finalizing the bracket design for their mysterious customers did more to calm Stefanie’s soul than any of Joey and Nash’s well-intended platitudes. Before the day was out, they had modified some parts they had in the lab to create an adjustable bracket system for the mystery box. On her way out, Stefanie eyed Cole’s closed office door.
Joey whispered in her ear. “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?”
“No. Maybe.” Stefanie sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I have to go teach a class tonight anyway.”
“Can you call in injured? You can beat me up at your house if you want.” Stefanie closed her eyes. She’d been really counting on the stress relief. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to scare you, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Stefanie opened her eyes. “Fine. But I will take you up on your offer.”
“I get to put on pads first, right?” Joey grinned.
Stefanie tapped a finger against her lip. “Hmm. Depends on if you bring me more lasagna from your Nonna-approved location.”
“I can do one better than that.”
An hour later, Joey knocked on Stefanie’s door with a full grocery bag in hand. Stefanie opened the door, her relief at his presence palpable. “Hey you. What’s in the bag?”
“Dinner.” Joey grinned at her surprised look. “Give me an hour and I’ll make lasagna so good, you’ll forget your own name.” His version wouldn’t be as good as when Nonna Gina let her famous sauce simmer for hours, but it would be close. Even the guys at the fire station, many ridiculously talented cooks in their own right, approved of the recipe.
Stefanie’s mouth twitched. “I thought I was going to spar with you tonight.”
“Ah, you can after you’re full. I intend to fill you with carbs to gain a tactical advantage.”
“Where’s Alexis?” Stefanie looked behind him.
“Setting up some things behind the scenes at the harbor. Getting Waffle used to the competing yummy smells of fish alongside a classified list of other smells.”
Joey pulled out his phone, selected some music, and began unpacking the groceries. He fished out a bottle of red wine and Stefanie quirked an eyebrow. “Drinking before sparring?”
“Only if you want. We won’t go overboard – the last thing we need is a preventable training injury.” He grabbed a bottle opener and uncorked it, pouring a glass for each of them and then reserving some for the sauce. He moved fluidly around the kitchen, preparing a recipe he knew by heart. He’d occasionally have to search for a kitchen essential, but Stefanie’s kitchen was orderly and sensible, like the woman who owned it. He’d expected for her to have her work laptop open or working on one of her art projects, but she sat at the kitchen countertop on her stool, wine in hand, watching him. He flipped a kitchen towel on his shoulder and gave the water with the lasagna noodles a stir. They would finish cooking in the oven but needed enough time in the water to get the job started.
“The sauce smells heavenly. Do you want any help?” Stefanie took a sip of her wine.
Joey shook his head. “Nope. All part of my plan to relax you.”
“Helping relaxes me.”
Joey grinned. He held out the wooden spoon. “I’ll arm you as long as you promise not to whack me in the head with it if I misbehave.”
Stefanie got a pretty blush on her cheeks and he gave her the wooden spoon. A pang of guilt hit him, and he froze in place. Her touch on his arm was so soft, at first, he didn’t recognize it. “Want to talk about it?”
He took a breath. “I’m…not sure you should have to deal with that.”
“I don’t mind. You’ve got to be thinking about it. With everything. But I also don’t mind if you don’t want to talk about it.” She starting stirring the tomato sauce. “So, firefighting on the weekends, CIA during the week. Does that leave you with any time for hobbies?”
Joey strained the noodles. He rummaged for a dish and Stefanie was sensitive enough to not help him. “A few. I mostly work on my property. I have a couple of acres outside of town. No livestock – I travel too much for that. But there is a small barn and woods, and there’s always something to clear or chop down. Keeps me out of trouble.” He leaned with his back against the sink for a moment. She was stirring the sauce quietly, giving him space. “I’ve felt responsible…for Rory’s death for a long time.” He cleared his throat. “And not just because we were dating. Professionally. I was digging up information on her operation and felt like I should have seen a pattern, recognized one of
