Page 63 of Dining for Love

Jessica interrupts. “So, you’re the temp they brought in to keep my spot warm,” she jokes, holding a hand out to Reid.

He takes it. “Yes, ma’am. You must be Jessica.”

“And you’re Chief’s nephew,” she finishes.

“Also known as Reid,” Ox says.

Jessica takes her daughter from Goldie and bounces her. “You think you might wanna stick around, Reid? This motherhood thing has thrown me a bit and I’m thinking about going part time. I bet Chief would be open to keeping you.”

My stupid, stupid heart absolutely soars at the words. I push the thought down, because it’s too much to hope for. Two months of Reid and his dimples. That’s all I get.

“Too soon for that kind of conversation,” Reid hedges, his eyes sliding to mine for the briefest of moments as he speaks.

My heart flares again.

“Wanna hold her?” Jessica asks. “I hear you’re usually walking around with a cat, but since the cat isn’t around…”

“I’m not the greatest with babies,” Reid starts, but it’s too late, because Jessica’s already plopped the baby in his arms. He’s hilariously uncomfortable, going stiff as a board and as still as possible, and he looks like he’s somewhere between horror and awe as he regards the tiny package.

Matty laughs. “You’re making the rest of us guys look really bad, Reid.”

Ox crosses his arms thoughtfully. “I don’t know. She’s not crying, so it’s a win in my book.”

As if on cue, the baby breaks into a howl. Reid startles, and Jessica lunges to grab her daughter.

“Is that sweat on your brow?” Ox asks, peering closer at Reid.

“Don’t ever let me hold a baby again,” he says to a chorus of laughter.

Jessica and Agatha move away and Reid turns to me. “You enjoying yourself?”

I smile. “We’ve barely gotten started, but yeah. You? How’s your first First Friday Art Walk shift going? Any nefarious activities I should be on the lookout for?” I tease.

He grins, one of his dimples popping out as he does. Ugh, why does he have to be socute? “Not yet, but it’s early. Gotta watch out—when the sun goes down is when the riffraff comes out.”

I laugh, then yelp as someone knocks me from behind. As I flail forward, grabbing Reid for balance, the guy keeps walking without a backward glance.

Reid gets me upright, then his hand flies to his holster as he turns to watch the man. “Are you okay?” he asks, turning back to rake his glance over me.

“I’m fine, Reid.” But my voice is shaky. Reid turned into a different person right in front of my eyes. “It was an accident.”

“Ox.” Reid’s voice brooks no dissent.

Ox nods, and Reid takes off, jogging in the direction of the man who seems to have disappeared into the crowd.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” I tell Ox, but he shakes his head.

“Don’t assume you know everything about him, Willa.”

His words send chills down my spine. “What…what do you mean?”

He presses his lips together. “That’s not something I can talk about. But trust that if Reid says it’s a problem, then it’s a problem.”

After a beat, Matty says, “On that note, why don’t we all keep going? I’d really like to see the new, uh, spoon maker.”

Ox nods at us. “Be careful.” His tone is far more serious than I’ve ever heard, and it sends a chill down my spine.

I don’t see Reid anywhere after that, and I can’t shake the sense of unease that clings to me for the rest of the night.

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