Page 29 of The House Beyond the Dunes

“Doubtful. I’m like a cat. Come and go.” I grin. “Catch any bad guys lately?”

A brow raises as Sully sips his beer. His eyes are a vivid blue, and his gaze is totally focused on me. A cop would wonder why I stay on the move. Drugs, an abusive ex, or debt?

I lean a fraction closer. “If you’re undercover, bro, you’re blown.”

A smile reveals even white teeth. “I’m like everyone else, hiding out until the holiday weekend storm passes. No agenda. And I’m in construction.”

“Right.” My eyes narrow. “Everyone has an agenda.”

“No agenda. But if I get lucky, I wouldn’t complain.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “There’s a redhead at the other end of the bar. She’s got ‘take me home’ written all over her.”

He glances at the woman, who’s now talking to Blue Button-Down. “She’s busy.”

“Blue Button-Down is going for a blonde.”

“Why do you say that?” He regards me with genuine curiosity.

“Not my first rodeo.”

He sips his beer. “The redhead looks a little like my ex-wife, so that’ll have to be a hard pass.”

“Divorced. Because you’re married to your job.” There’s no hint of a wedding band shadowing his left hand, so it’s likely been a while since his divorce. But my guess is that he didn’t wear the ring on the job anyway. Maybe it was a noble move, but protective brick by protective brick he constructed a wall between his public and private lives. Finally, that wall grew so thick, the wife left. Maybe that’s what he means by construction.

He taps a gold pinkie ring against the mug. He’s not the fussy type, so safe bet the ring belonged to a father or grandfather. “That’s what she said.”

“Maybe you should be talking to her, not me.”

He raises his mug, pauses before the glass reaches his lips. “She got remarried last Saturday.”

Ah, he’s here for a soft shoulder to cry on, but then aren’t they all? “Ouch.”

“She tried.” The bitterness is barely detectable. “I’ll always give her credit for that.”

“But she couldn’t compete with the job, a mistress no wife can beat.”

“Balancing two lives rarely ends well.” He takes a sip.

“So I’ve heard.”

Nikki passes behind me and catches Bourbon’s attention. She refills his glass. Bourbon’s gaze lingers on her as he says something that makes her smile. Nikki is eating up the attention.

Sully extends his hand. “You know my name. Remind me of yours again?”

I take his hand. Calloused fingers wrap around mine. “Stevie.”

His gaze holds mine for a beat and then shifts to Blue Button-Down, who’s now talking to a blonde. “Looks like you know your man.”

“Consider me a student of human behavior.”

His brow arches. “Or you’re playing me, and you know Blue Button-Down?”

“Nope. Never saw the guy before.”

He taps the ring on the side of the mug. “What was his tell?”

“He’s been secretly ogling that blonde for at least a half hour while talking to the redhead.”

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