Page 33 of Keeping Astrid

“Hey,” she breathed out, anything else seeming impossible to say.

Beside her, she heard Angel huff out a quiet laugh. “Here’s your girl, all safe and sound.” He directed his words to Growler, but she felt there was a deeper meaning to them, as if he was assuring her she was safe and sound now that she was with Growler.

“Thanks. Any troubles?” Growler asked gruffly, holding out his hand for her. Astrid took it and stood beside Growler while he continued his conversation with Angel. She couldn’t help but notice that he hadn’t released her hand.

“No, everything went well. Got a good feed out of it as well.” Angel patted his belly.

Astrid looked up at Growler, wanting him to know that if he’d been there, she would have fed him as well. “I normally take the extra I cook to the homeless shelter, but after my last visit there.” She lifted a shoulder in a “you know why” gesture. “I let the crew eat it. They don’t normally, so they were more than happy today to sample my food.”

Growler nodded. “Good decision. Thanks again, Angel.”

“Anytime. Take it easy.” He started the engine, and Growler closed her door, guiding her back a couple of steps as Angel reversed out of her driveway. The second the vehicle hit the street, Growler turned them toward the house.

“What did you do today?” she asked once they were inside.

“Went into the office and reviewed the case with Cass and Ox. Went over the footage she had of the chase. Checked out the parking lot near the shelter.”

Astrid shivered as memories of their near miss and the event that started this ride she was on swept over her. Surprisingly, she hadn’t had any nightmares about the chase ordeal. Maybe it was because of Growler being in the house with her. Or the memory of the kiss they’d shared that had soothed her frayed nerves. Either way, she didn’t want to relive either episode, but she knew she would have to.

“What did you find out?” she asked. While she may not think she wanted to know how things were progressing, it was for her own safety and well-being that she kept herself up to speed with what was happening.

“Come outside. I’ve got some drinks and snacks set up, and we can go over a couple of things.”

If Growler had set up a snack station for them, it couldn’t be all that bad. Maybe it was a celebration, and while she’d been cooking and smiling at a camera, he’d been able to track down the asshole who was scaring her and had dealt with them. That would make her very happy, but then again, if it was all over, it would mean that she wouldn’t need personal security anymore and Growler would go and help someone else. Astrid didn’t like that idea much at all.

How could she not want the threat to her life gone?

She should be happy it was a possibility. And she was. It was just that she liked having Growler around, even though she’d initially balked at the idea. If he hadn’t been with her when she was being followed, then the outcome could’ve been very different.

“Hey, Comet?” Warm fingers brushed up and down her arms, pulling her from the vortex her thoughts were creating. “Talk to me. Sit.”

He held out a chair for her. On the small glass-topped table in her courtyard sat a pitcher with lemonade, and he’d created a charcuterie board for them—which looked exactly like one she’d prepared in one of her first videos she’d ever made.

“This is impressive. You been holding some culinary skills back from me?” She popped a grape in her mouth.

“I can’t lie. I copied you.” Growler sat down and poured her a drink.

Astrid laughed. Some of the tension that had shrouded her only a few minutes ago, lifted a fraction. “I thought I recognized it. You did a good job.”

“I had a good teacher.” He winked, and fissures of pleasure pooled low in her belly.

For the next few minutes, they ate. This was the best way to finish a day. Thoughts from earlier returned. Would this be the last time she was going to spend the evening with Growler?

“What’s going through your mind?” Growler scooted his chair closer to hers, his knee brushing against hers. “A minute ago, you were relaxed. Now you’re tense.”

Of course, he’d pick up on her change of demeanor. The guy was a former SEAL. She was sure part of his training was to be able to read people to help get the information they needed to complete their missions.

“When I got home, you said you had found out some information. But then you blow me away with this spread.” Astrid waved her arm over the table. “I don’t know what to think. Is the threat over? Or is the news really bad, and this was a way to soften the blow?”

Was it the case he wanted to talk about, or was it something more?

Was it her? Was he about to tell her that Angel would be her new bodyguard?

Her stomach dropped at the thought. She didn’t want that. She wanted Growler.

Astrid couldn’t voice what her real fears were because she had no idea how Growler felt toward her. All she knew was she was beginning to fall for him. How ridiculous and unbelievable considering she’d only known him for a short time. Not to mention the circumstances of why they were spending so much time together.

Although her dad had told her he’d known the moment he saw her mother at a restaurant with her friends that she was it for him. It had taken him a few days before he convinced her to go on a date, but after that, they were inseparable.

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