Page 5 of Enemies in Paradise

So instead of apologizing to him, I replied, “And only creepers pretend to spill coffee down a woman’s shirt so they canhelpher clean it up.”

Even in the dim lights of the dance floor, I could see a dark shadow of maroon cover his face.

“Why are you such a--?”

Bear’s cousin, Seb, pulled him away, and his words got lost in the music. But I could fill in the blanks.

Both interactions—at the wrap party and at the wedding—surprised me because Georgia always talks about how sweet Bear is. Maybe he is to her, but that hasn’t been my experience.

And the look he’s giving me right now is anything but sweet.

“Did you need something?” He asks again, no apology in sight for what his dog’s done to my pants.

“I was just going to have a look inside here.” I play it cool.

Georgia didn’t say Icouldn’tgo inside, after all. Just that I should wait. Also, it’s not locked.

“Is there a reason you’re poking around my place?” Bear bends down and pets his dog, not quite glaring at me, but not smiling either.

“Your place? I thought it was your grandpa’s place.” I keep my tone neutral, refusing to be intimidated by him.

“I’m the one who uses it and maintains it, and I guarantee Grandpa wouldn’t be any more impressed than I am for some out-of-towner poking around.” He scratches his dog’s ears, matching my tone without looking at me.

“You maintain it? That’s how you describe the state this building is in?”

Bear stands so quickly that I flinch. My eyes dart to the shop door where, I hope, Georgia will reappear. She doesn’t.

When my gaze comes back to Bear, he’s giving me a strange look. He takes a few steps back, widening the distance between us, and allowing my breath to return to normal.

“I’m thinking about buying the property and moving into this apartment,” I say, mustering my confidence.

“It’s not for sale.” Bear’s bark is sharper than Molly’s, and the dog eyes me like I should listen to him the way she does.

But I’m not Bear’s pet.

“That’s not what Georgia said.” I shove my hands into my coat pocket and widen my stance without breaking eye contact or moving from in front of the door. Making myself look bigger is one of the first things I learned to do as a female police officer. “She’s the one who’s insisted I see it, in fact. Zach is the agent I’ll work with to buy it.”

His jaw works back and forth while he stares through me. “Is she here?”

I open my mouth to answer when the shop door opens and Georgia steps out. Molly darts to her, and Georgia crouches down to greet her, cooing, “Hi Molly Dog. How’s my girl?”

The dog does not, I notice, jump all over her and get mud on Georgia’s pants.

Georgia rubs Molly’s ears and sends Bear the adoring look of a big sister. “Hey Bear.”

“Um, hi,” Bear says, shifting his weight and glowering at me. “What’s this about the shop being for sale? Does Grandpa know? Because he hasn’t said anything to me about it.” Bear clicks his tongue for Molly, but she stays at Georgia’s feet.

Georgia stands and crosses her arms—not in a confrontational way. Closer to a mom who’s about to scold a naughty child.“Bear, Zach told you a while ago Grandpa was thinking about selling.”

“Grandpa said I’d get first chance to buy if he did.” His voice reflects none of the softness in his eyes, and his face is still set fast as cement.

When Georgia raises an eyebrow, he shifts his weight like he might crack, but the moment passes and their stare off continues. “When did he tell you this? A couple years ago?”

Bear doesn’t answer, but I can see that Georgia’s right.

“My car is in there,” he says, finally. “I use this place all the time. You and Zach know that. So does Grandpa.”

He pummels Georgia with blame and accusations without looking at her.

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