Page 57 of Exposure of Murder

Ethan’s hands grew clammy, and his heart started pounding. Good Lord! He had a date, and he was reacting like a teenage boy. Next, he’d be thinking about what he was going to wear. Then whether he should buy condoms or not. Wishful thinking—unlikely they’d get that far. And just what would they talk about?

Then he realized when he said it’d been a year of not dating, Jane had said nothing when he mentioned it.

The cop part of his brain wondered about that, while the man felt a twinge of jealousy. How had Jane moved on so quickly?

But then again, it had been a good six months since her husband died, and he went a whole year without another woman after a broken engagement.

Bah, everyone grieved in their own way. If Jane wasn’t ready to date, she wouldn’t have said yes. He was being silly, letting his nerves get the best of him. This would be fun, a chance perhaps to start something new and exciting.

Thirty-One

Ethan’s hands trembled as he fastened the top button on his white shirt, the fabric smooth beneath his fingertips. Then he reached for the striped tie that he bought yesterday and looped it around his neck and knotted it. A gray herringbone tweed jacket lay on the bed, and he shrugged it on.

He stepped back to look at himself in the mirror. Glancing left, then right, he decided that he looked damn good. Not too dressy but not shabby-looking either. The muted tones of the outfit complemented his rugged features.

Glancing at his watch, Ethan realized it was only 4p.m.

Damn. He still had two hours to kill before he had to pick up Jane.

Ethan sighed, removing the jacket and casually draping it over a kitchen chair. He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. Popping the top, he took a long swig, the cold liquid easing his nerves. He walked into the living room.

Leah was curled up in the corner of the sofa, flipping through a magazine as the fading light cast long shadows across the room.

“Hey, don’t you look spiffy!” she said, glancing up at him. “Tonight’s the night, right?”

Ethan sat on a chair, leaned back, and blew out his breath. “Yeah. I’m a little early.”

“Nervous?” She chuckled.

He rolled his eyes. “I have been on dates before, you know.”

“Considering you’ve only gone out with Corrine, I would consider that one long date,” she quipped.

“Funny,” he replied. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Leah was a hoot.

“Where are you taking her?”

“I took your suggestions and made reservations at the Twisted Fork, then we’ll look at the Halloween decorations, then…” His voice trailed off.

“Then you’ll take Jane home and have your wicked way with her,” Leah filled in with a wicked grin.

Ethan almost spit out the swallow of beer he’d taken. “Jesus, Leah. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Who’s going to have their way with Jane?” Tanner walked in, wiping his hands on a towel, giving Leah a kiss on the head and sitting next to her.

“Our little guy’s going on his first big date,” she told him, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye.

“Be home by eleven,” Tanner teased.

“Fuck off, you two. I’m nervous enough,” Ethan muttered, giving them a side-eye.

Tanner and Leah burst out laughing.

“Seriously, bro, I hope you have a great time,” said Tanner. “It’s about time you got out and started dating and enjoying life. Jane is the perfect date for you.”

Ethan nodded and took another sip of beer. He figured he’d need more than one to calm his nerves but would refrain.

At exactly five fifty,Ethan knocked on Jane’s door. He realized he was still ten minutes early but couldn’t wait any longer.

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