Page 24 of Nocere

"Sure." I smiled as we embraced as our parting gesture. "See you tomorrow."

***

"Stiles, you need to come see me as soon as you can," I told Detective Stiles on the phone the next day.

"What've you got, Rose?"

"Just get back here." I hung up the phone and continued pushing red pins in the map of Seattle and the surrounding areas that I stuck to the wall. I stood on a chair, poking the last pin near the harbor.

"Rosie," Ainsley called out behind me and I nearly lost my footing.

"Christ, Ainsley. You could've warned me." I gripped my chest and turned around to face her. "Shit."

"I'm sorry." She let out a soft giggle before gesturing around the room with one hand held behind her back. "Did a file cabinet explode in here?"

"No." I pointed to the map behind me before jumping down. "Working on a case."

"Take a break for lunch with me?" she asked, her brows lifting toward her bangs.

"I can't. Stiles is on his way to see what I've found."

"He's not here yet and I brought food." She pulled her arm out from behind her back to reveal a hefty brown paper bag. "So... lunch?"

My stomach grumbled as if it heard her beckon. "Okay."

"Thought you might agree," she chirped, bouncing on her tiptoes before joining me at my desk which was the only spot not covered in a spread of files.

I sat in my chair and Ainsley pulled up a second to sit adjacent to me. She opened the bag and to reveal deli sandwiches, chips, and iced tea.

"Roast beef?" she asked and I nodded. "You're easy to please."

"I eat everything so that makes it easy." I unwrapped the sandwich and took an oversized bite.

"I'm happy you called me, Rosie. I'm sorry things went sour." Ainsley's words gushed in her usual way.

"It was me overreacting. For the most part," I told her, while ravenously devouring the sandwich. The introduction of food into my stomach made me realize I hadn't eaten since yesterday. Between coffee with Samirah, Alex on my sofa, and my case discovery, I hadn't stopped to think about anything else.

"We can understand it might've felt like we were in on some sort of romantic coup," she said, smiling at me from around her bite of chips. "But I hear you have a date."

"Going to Samirah's tonight."

"She lives close to Stella and Alice. Same complex."

"She texted me her address."

"So…are your bits all shaved and ready to go?" Ainsley snickered and I nearly choked on my food.

"Ainsley! No."

"C'mon. You can't tell me you wouldn't dive between her legs if the opportunity came up." She dropped her elbows on the desk with a harsh clunk. "Am I right?"

"You're making me uncomfortable." I huffed when my cheeks heated and I knew it meant I'd turned beet-red.

"I make everyone uncomfortable." She shrugged through her laughter. "Except Jordan, which is probably why we're together."

"Incorrigible." I smirked, and helped myself to some chips.

"Jordan said Alex is staying with you." Ainsley cocked a brow at me. "What's that about?"

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