Page 60 of Deep Tide

“How’s Macey doing?” she asked.

“You’re changing the subject.”

“It’s called deflection. Get your terms right.” She scooted around him and grabbed another block of butter from the fridge, then took her biggest mixing bowl from the baker’s rack. “Seriously, if I need to talk about this, I’ll call my therapist, okay? You don’t have to worry.”

She unwrapped the butter and dropped it into the bowl to soften.

She turned around, and Owen was still watching her. She hoped mentioning her therapist would get him off her case.

“So, I heard you had a date with Sean Moran,” he said.

“Where’d you hear that?”

“Did you?”

“No.”

“Macey saw you two leaving the Hut last night.”

She tossed the wax paper in the trash and wiped her hands on her apron. “We grabbed a drink.” She tipped her head to the side and looked at him. “Is that why you stopped by? To ask me about Sean?”

“Partly.” He kept his arms crossed.

“Why do you care if I have a drink with him?”

“Why are you defensive?”

She felt a surge of irritation. “Because you’re butting into my personal life.”

He laughed. “You butt into mine all the time.”

“What have you got against Sean Moran? I thought he was Joel’s friend. You barely know him.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get involved with the guy.”

Leyla didn’t either, but probably for different reasons.

Owen rested his hands on his hips. “You know he’s a fed, right?”

“So?”

“So... his work is dangerous. I don’t like you hanging around him.”

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, so annoyed by that statement she didn’t even know where to begin.

“Owen. Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You sound like Dad. Or Joel. And do you even get the irony of what you’re saying?”

He frowned.

“Anyway, what do you know about his work?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

Leyla highly doubted that. And she felt another dart of irritation. Joel knew about Sean’s work. Owen knew about Sean’s work. But for some reason, Leyla had to be kept in the dark. It was more of the macho bullshit she’d been dealing with all her life.

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