Page 44 of Dining for Love

“Hey, Reid,” Matty says, coming into the exam room and giving Midnight a perfunctory scratch beneath her chin. She flicks her tail in response. “How’s she been?”

“Willa? Good, I guess?”

Matty quirks a knowing smile at me, already beginning his inspection of the fuzzball that’s growing on me. “I meant the kitten, officer.”

My neck heats in response. Busted. “Right. Midnight’s been good. Putting weight on the leg, all that jazz.”

“You’re letting her walk around a lot, right?” he asks with a nod at the sling I’m wearing.

“Yeah. But I still take her on rounds with me. It’s nice.” Another thing I definitely could not do in Miami: just roll up to one of the Bunnies’ strongholds with a kitten in tow. That would not go over well.

Matty takes off the cast, checks the leg, then wraps it in gauze and another bandage. “This one is a lot more forgiving. Her bones are healing up nicely, so this will give her a lot more range of motion. She’s doing great. You and Willa make a good team.”

I say nothing. I’ve already said too much.

“You like her, don’t you?” Matty asks, studying me.

I stiffen. “Midnight’s a great little partner.”

Matty scoffs. “Come on, Reid. I’m her best friend. You think I don’t know what’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on.”Not that I wouldn’t like it to be.

“She’s special, Reid.” Matty’s voice is tight, holding a warning in it. His worry for her is touching, but it’s also a little insulting.

I pin him with my best glare, but Matty is wholly unaffected. “I know she is. Believe me.”

Matty finishes with his inspection of Midnight and gives her a final scratch. “She’s not seen a lot of the world, Reid. And in some ways, that’s beautiful. But she’s skittish. Never really understood why. She’s got a lot to offer someone.”

My throat tightens. I hear everything he’s saying, and more importantly, I hear everything he isn’t. “I know,” I repeat. “I’m well aware of everything she has to offer, Matty.”

“God knows I’ve tried to get her to leave this town. She could be so much bigger than she is here. But she doesn’t want to leave.” He stares at me, making sure I understand what he’s saying.

I hold his gaze, exhaling softly. “Yeah, I know.” They’re the only damn words that I can manage to get out right now.

He nods. “Okay. I love her, man.”

My blood heats at his words, confusion and a ridiculous sense of irrational jealousy flooding my veins. “Wait a minute. You two?—”

“No way,” he says, again looking at me and seeing far more than I’d prefer. “It’s never been like that. Never will be. She really is my best friend. No more, no less.”

The way my shoulders sag in relief should be concerning, not going to lie. Instead, I attempt some deep breaths to calm down.

“But if you break her heart…” He makes a slashing motion across this throat with his finger.

I laugh. “I’m standing here with a loaded gun in my holster, andyou’rethreateningme?”

He shrugs. “I said what I said.”

Midnight meows on the table between us, and I’m pretty sure she agrees with Matty.

On the way home, with Midnight curled up in the sling on the passenger seat of my truck, Dad calls.

“Hey,” I answer through my truck speakers.

“Long time,” Dad says.

“Been busy,” I give him. “But you’re right. I should have called.”

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