Page 62 of The Woman By the Lake

And that was something Riggs just wasn’t going to contemplate, deeply or otherwise.

“If you’re jazzed, you can read for a while,” he told his son quietly.

Nadia took her feet and made it easy, saying, “Great night, Ledger. I had fun, even though you trounced me three times. But thanks for having me over, and I demand a rematch on taco night.”

“Thanks for the cake,” Ledge replied on a victorious grin. “It was awesome. And you’re on because you’re easy to beat.”

She did a fake eye roll before she said, “My pleasure.”

Ledger moved to the stairs and Riggs called, “Be up in a sec, buddy.”

“’Kay, Dad.”

He looked to Nadia when she hooked a thumb to the door and asked, “Should I go? Or I can tackle the dishes while you guys sort that out.”

“You touch the dishes, I spank your ass.”

Her head jerked, and that look he sometimes caught in her eye, this one saying she wouldn’t mind that, he also wasn’t going to contemplate.

“And don’t go, unless you want to.” He indicated her nearly full beer with his head as he pushed out of the couch. “At least until you finish that.”

As answer, she lifted it and took a sip.

He felt one side of his mouth go up, then he followed his kid.

He found Ledger in his bathroom, brushing his teeth.

Riggs stretched out on his son’s bed, hands clasped behind his head, until Ledger came in wearing his sleep shorts and a tee.

Riggs rolled off and Ledger crawled in.

His boy had pulled the covers over himself before he said, “Just so you know, I approve. She’s pretty, makes good cake and lets me win card games.”

So Ledge had noticed the tell too.

Not a surprise, his kid was sharp.

That said.

“Nothing to approve of, buddy. We’re just getting to know our new neighbor.”

Ledge gave him the side eye, mumbling, “Right.”

Damn.

Ledger had read this wrong.

“Seriously, Ledge. She’s in MP working through some stuff. Then she’s gonna go back to Chicago. But everyone needs friends no matter where they are, or how long they’re there, so we’re gonna be that for her.”

Ledger took this in and replied, “You should go for it anyway, because she’s pretty, makes good cake and lets me win at card games.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Ledge.”

Ledger gave him a look Riggs had never seen, before he said, “Well, maybe you should work it to make it that way so she’ll stay, seeing as her cake was that good.”

This suggestion made him uneasy.

“Is there another conversation we should be having, kid?” Riggs asked.

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