Page 3 of Close Quarters

“What are you still doing here? I thought everyone was gone except for the handful of night shift employees.”

She sat up and rolled to the drawers that made up one side of her desk, removing her purse. “They are. I stayed to finish a few things. But it’s time for me to leave now, too.” She picked up her coat and shrugged into it.

“I’ll walk you out.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.” She really didn’t want to walk all the way to the employee parking lot with him. Part of the reason she antagonized him so much was to keep him at arm’s length. He did funny things to her insides whenever he got too close. Or smiled.

“I don’t mind. We’re going the same way, anyway.”

She searched her brain for a reason to walk alone, but anything she came up with was lame; he’d see right through her for the chicken she was.

“Fine. But don’t blame me when you get annoyed by the sound of my belly growling in the elevator.” She looped her purse strap over her neck and across her chest, then moved toward him and the door.

“You skipped dinner too?”

She glanced up at him in surprise. “Yeah. So did you?”

He nodded. “While you prepped equipment, I filled out forms. Excavating bodies on this scale means a lot of overtime. Among other things. But I’m done now and heading to Boone’s to grab a burger.” He looked down at her. “You?”

“That was my plan as well. One of their burgers with everything on it sounds amazing.”

“Want to join me?”

Her eyes went wide, and she ducked her head, punching the button for the elevator before he could make out her expression. Did he really just ask her to go somewhere with him outside of work? After all the grief she gave him every day? He must be a glutton for punishment.

She pasted a smile on her face and looked up at him. “Haven’t you had enough of me for the day?”

The elevator dinged, and they stepped inside. He glanced down at her, the crinkles popping out around his eyes as one corner of his mouth lifted. “I haven’t seen much of you today, so I haven’t gotten my quota in yet. I’m sure by the time we finish eating, I’ll be ready for a break.”

“Same, Doc. Same.”

“So, does that mean you’ll join me?”

She nodded. “Sure.” Why not? She was a glutton for punishment too.

They rode the elevator up to the first floor and walked through the lobby and down a corridor to leave the hospital by the rear entrance.

“I’ll meet you there,” she told him as they reached the employee parking lot.

He nodded, peeling away toward the doctors’ section, while she continued through the rows of cars to where she parked her little silver SUV this morning. It wasn’t her first choice for a car—that would be a Mini Cooper—but a tiny British car was not at all practical in Colorado winters in the mountains. One day, she was going to buy one anyway, even if she could only drive it a few months out of the year.

She climbed inside her car, tossing her purse onto the passenger seat before starting the engine. Putting the SUV in gear, she headed for the exit just as Alex turned onto the main road in his much more expensive black SUV. They made a handful of turns before they pulled up in front of the small diner downtown. She parked out front next to him and got out.

He joined her on the sidewalk, his posture more relaxed now that they were away from work. She tried not to stare. Was she going to get a glimpse of the real Alex Randall? The not stick-in-the-mud she’d seen him be with the sheriff? Did she want to see that man? Resisting “boss Alex” was hard enough.

Readjusting her purse strap over her shoulder, she followed him into the restaurant.

Alex held the door for Katie as they entered the diner. The vanilla scent of her shampoo assaulted him as she walked past. He fought the urge to step up behind her and bury his nose in her hair. How did she still smell so good after working thirteen hours?

He planted his feet, letting some space open between them, then followed her. He should have just gotten his food to go. What was he thinking, eating with her? She drove him crazy—for many reasons, not the least of which was her desire to run his lab.

It was too late now to change his mind, though. She was already halfway across the diner. He followed her to a booth by the windows lining the side wall and sat down. They reached for menus as a young woman walked up, a notepad and pen in her hands.

Alex smiled at the girl, remembering her from the many other times he’d eaten at the diner.

“Hi, Becca.”

She smiled back. “Hi, Dr. Randall. What can I get you to drink?”

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