Page 7 of Close Quarters

“I’m your boss, remember?”

Katie rolled her eyes. “We’re back to this now? Last night, you said I should be the boss.”

“Yes, but you’re not. Not yet.”

She huffed and put her hands on her hips. “Alex, just give me the damn keys. We’re wasting time.”

“Agreed.” He pulled open the door and hopped inside.

She stared at him.

He arched a brow at her. “Get in.”

Katie huffed again and stomped around the front of the vehicle to climb into the passenger seat. She snapped her seatbelt into place as he started the engine.

“The rest of the team is following us, yes?”

“Yeah. Devin’s driving them in one of the county’s transport vans.”

“Awesome. Let’s hit the road, then.” He put the van in gear while she fumed silently beside him. She thought they were past this boss-employee B.S.

Turning out of the lot, they started the hour and a half journey into the mountains to the Paulsons’ property. She stared out the window, watching the scenery while trying to ignore Alex in all his lumberjack glory next to her. Her anger that he pulled rank on her helped.

She didn’t know why it upset her so much. Maybe because she thought they moved into new territory last night, and now he was back to being her stick-in-the-mud boss again.

“That coffee in the cup holder there is for you.” His low voice broke the silence.

She glanced at the console between them to see two cups of coffee from Peppy Brewster sitting there. “Thanks,” she muttered and looked back out the window.

Alex sighed. “It’s going to be a long ride if you won’t talk to me.”

She shrugged. “I like the scenery.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. I’m getting the cold shoulder because you like the scenery. You can’t be that upset I wouldn’t let you drive.”

She looked at him then. “It’s not about that. It’s about you pulling rank. I thought you saw me as an equal. My bad, Dr. Randall.”

He groaned and rested his head against the seat. “I do see you as an equal. I just don’t like letting anyone drive me anywhere, so I pulled rank.”

She frowned. “Why didn’t you just say that, then?”

“Because it’s easier to not explain.”

Katie grinned, her ire forgotten as she sensed a story. “Make it up to me and enlighten me.”

He huffed, looking at her. “You’re not going to let me get away with just that explanation, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Fine.” He huffed again. “I was in a nasty car accident in my teens. A buddy and I were on our way to a party after a football game. He offered to drive, even though I planned on driving myself. But it would save me some gas money, so I let him. He got distracted, messing with the radio, and misjudged a curve in the road. We went over an embankment and down a hill before coming to a stop on the beach. The car landed in the surf. If there hadn’t been people partying on that beach, I would have drowned. As it was, my friend didn’t survive.”

Katie gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh my goodness. How badly were you hurt?”

“Broken pelvis and femur. And I had a severe concussion and two cracked vertebrae. My friend broke his neck in the crash. They said he died instantly.” Alex sighed. “But that’s why I don’t like to let anyone else drive. I figure if I’m going to crash, it’s going to be my own fault, or something I can’t see coming.” He looked at her again. “Am I forgiven?”

She fluttered a hand. “I suppose.” Her expression sobered. “I’m sorry about your friend.”

Alex shrugged and gave a short nod. “It was a long time ago, but thank you. So, are you going to talk to me now?”

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