‘Yeah, well. Shelby’s pretty adamant that she’s going to just focus on her and Riley now, but Ashley looks as though he is really trying. And I could tell by the way she was looking at him that she still loves him. So, I guess, who knows? You can’t help who you fall for, huh!’
‘That you can’t,’ Holder said, coughing and clearing his throat, as if he was about to say something else. Only Lucy beat him to it, changing the subject as she glanced around the pub.
‘It’s nice in here,’ she said, eyeing the log burner in the corner of the room. The people scattered about on the wooden tables. The place had an ambience about it; it felt warm and cosy.
‘Well, you know. I like to keep it real. I’m not really into pretentious places that sell all that fancy French stuff that I can barely pronounce.’
Lucy laughed then, knowing that Holder was only messing, but finding it amusing that he still couldn’t let her lunch with Zack go.
‘Well, as it happens, between us, I have to agree. I’m more of a burger and glass of Pinot kinda girl. And this place is definitely more my thing. I can relax here; it feels homely.’ Lucy had been glad at the unexpected invite of dinner from Holder when they’d finished shift today. ‘And this certainly beats a microwave meal I have waiting for me at home. This is probably the best burger I’ve ever eaten.’
‘Told you!’ Holder grinned. Glad that he’d brought Lucy to his favourite pub rather than trying to impress her with a fancy restaurant. Though to say he hadn’t been tempted to compete with the likes of Zack Lownrey would have been a lie. ‘We should do this more often. Go out for a bite to eat every now and again. It’s nice.’ He laughed, trying to hide the awkwardness of sounding too forward.
‘Did you sort out all that business with the sarge?’ Holder said, changing the subject before shifting slightly in his seat, worried that he was bringing up something uncomfortable for his colleague when he saw a fleeting look of surprise on Lucy’s face. Though she did a good job at quickly composing herself.
‘Yeah. Kind of.’ Lucy smiled but didn’t offer anything more than that.
Holder knew that Lucy was very private about her personal life and her past, and whatever it was that she had going on in her life right now, she was keeping very close to her chest. She hadn’t mentioned the E-fit that he’d found in her house, or the numerous meetings she’d had with their boss. But Holder knew that something was up. Only he didn’t want to appear as if he was prying. ‘I’m only asking because, well… you do know you can talk to me. I mean, I know I take the piss sometimes and that I like to have a laugh and a mess about, but I can be serious too.’
‘Thanks.’ Lucy nodded, grateful at Holder’s gesture. ‘I know you can. And it’s not that I don’t want to talk about it, it’s just…’
She was staring into her glass now. Deep in thought about her own predicament. She’d thought about nothing else since they’d arrested Imelda George. Finally able to put the focus on her own life for a short while, until she threw herself in to the next case that got thrown their way.
‘Let’s just say that it’s complicated,’ she sighed, seeing the way that Holder was looking at her.
As if he was trying to read her thoughts. Trying to work her out. But she knew he wasn’t prying. That he was genuine. The fact that he actually cared and wanted to know if she was okay made her feel weird inside. Warm? Or that could be the wine.
‘Maybe I’ll tell you about it one day,’ Lucy said finally, not wanting to get into any of that right now. The week had been a long one; the last thing she wanted was for tonight to feel heavy too.
Holder nodded, knowing that whatever it was, it would keep until Lucy was ready to share it with him.
‘One day is good enough for me,’ he said. ‘Right, finish that last glug of wine, Balboa. And I’ll drop you home. Sarge wants me in at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Unlike some of us who are lucky enough to have a day off.’
‘Balboa? What’s that? My new nickname?’ Lucy couldn’t help but laugh at her new nickname. ‘It’s better than Lewis Hamilton, I guess. Which we won’t go over again, because obviously we both know that women can indeed drive…’ Despite herself she was unable to help but bring up the very first argument she’d had with Holder when they’d first met. Which she’d won, of course. ‘And now what? Balboa? As in Rocky? Because I took Imelda George down.’
‘Yeah, because of your almighty left hook!’ Holder laughed. ‘Even though you landed yourself a punch too from that drunk driver. Hey, it’s been a busy week!’ Holder grinned, before adding cheekily, ‘or maybe it’s because I think you’re a bit of a knockout.’
‘A bit of a knockout! Woah, Steady on.’ Lucy couldn’t help but laugh then as Holder turned bright red at his sudden admission. ‘I’ll have to start dishing out the nicknames too. Cheddar.’
‘Cheddar?’ Holder said, rolling his eyes at Lucy’s weak attempt of a nickname, secretly mortified that he’d said anything at all. ‘Jesus, that’s lame. What, because I’m dishing out the cheesy chat-up lines?’
‘Is that what you’re doing? Chatting me up?’ Lucy giggled, thoroughly enjoying winding the man up. Normally she was on the receiving end of his teasing. ‘Wow, how long has it been
