Page 70 of How I Love You

Tucker and Colt shared sardonic smiles before nodding at her, promising they would. This wasn’t their first rodeo, though, and they knew they were supposed to let the local PD know they were watching a house or a person in case someone else called in about them.

“Why not go tonight?” Hope asked.

Colt looked at her, impressed. “Tonight, huh?”

I watched as his lips quirked into a slight smile—small enough that no one else might’ve noticed, but I did. And I knew Hope saw it too, even if she didn’t react. I tucked that little moment away, wondering if she felt the same strange energy I did between them. It was like a thread pulled tight, waiting to snap.

Before I could dwell on it too long, Tucker cleared his throat. “The idea’s solid,” he admitted, his gaze flicking to me for a second, then back to Colt. “But you know why we can’t.”

Colt smirked, casting me a knowing glance.

“Um, hello? Care to tell the rest of the class?”

“He wants to go during the day because then Austin will be at the gym with Travis, and you’ll be at work.”

Tucker exhaled through his nose. “Thanks. Nice.”

I gaped at Tucker. “Really? I thought you said I could come.”

“I didn’t, actually. You assumed I would.”

Austin, sitting at the other end of the table, didn’t seem to mind this turn of events nearly as much as I did.He was probably used to being sidelined thanks to Tucker’s protectiveness, but I sure wasn’t. “That’s silly. Let’s go tonight.”

Tucker shook his head, pushing his empty plate aside. “And what about Austin? I’m not bringing him on a stakeout.”

“Colt can stay with Austin,” I said with a shrug. “Come on! I wanna go on my first stakeout. It doesn’t sound nearly as dangerous as comin’ right up to the door with you.”

He sighed.

That was the crack in the armor I needed. I straightened up in my chair, my fingers tightening around my fork as I shot Tucker a playful glare. “Sounds settled then,” I said, casually leaning back. “But I’ll only go if you let me bring my crochet hook and scarf.”

Austin gave me an incredulous look. “How are you planning to crochet in the dark?”

Keeping a straight face, I shrugged. “I’ll just use the overhead light in the car. It’s not a problem.”

For a second, the room fell silent. Tucker and Colt both stared at me like I’d just announced I was planning to streak in the middle of a blizzard. Their expressions were so priceless that I almost couldn’t hold back the laugh bubbling up inside me.

Then Tucker blinked. “You can’t be serious.”

I wasn’t, but I bit the inside of my cheek, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. “Oh, completely. Unless you’ve got night vision goggles. That would probably work better.”

Before Tucker could process my ridiculous suggestion, Austin chimed in, his eyes bright with excitement. “He totally does.”

That was it. I couldn’t keep the laughter in any longer. “Perfect! It’s settled, then. I’ll bring my crochet, and we’ll call it a date.”

Tucker groaned, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching like he was fighting back a smile. He crossed his armsover his chest, casting a sidelong glance at Colt, who was shaking his head with an amused smirk of his own.

“A date, huh?” Tucker finally muttered, raising an eyebrow at me. “Only you would think of turning a stakeout into a date with a side of crafting.”

“Gotta make use of the downtime somehow,” I shot back, grinning. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to cramp your serious stakeout style with all my chatterboxin’. This way, I’ll be quiet and occupied.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Hope said, laughing from her side of the table. “Gotta keep things light while we wait for somethin’ to happen.”

Colt nodded. “Just don’t let her crochet anything too suspicious-looking. Don’t wanna give ourselves away.”

I shot him a mock glare, then turned back to Tucker, feeling a warmth spread through me at the easy banter and the way the tension in the room had lifted, if only for a moment.

“Guess that’s settled,” Tucker said with a sigh, his eyes locking with mine. “But try not to be too distracting, will you?”

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