Page 43 of Seized by the Lawman

He brought his glass to his lips and took an easy swallow. At this point, it didn’t matter that she knew. In fact, he was relieved. Maybe Carson finally told her. “I figured you would. I planned to tell you myself once the month was up.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, that’s why you agreed to this? You were sucking up to the boss.”

“Do you need me to answer that question?”

“I feel you do.”

“Then the answer is, at first, yes. One, when I agreed to the assignment I didn’t know you were his daughter. Two, I’d never turn down an assignment.” After his latest conversation with Carson, Nix knew a lot more about the situation, but it wasn’t his place to tell Melly. He couldn’t risk causing more of a rift between father and daughter. They were both stubborn, but they cared and loved each other. “Making love with you wasn’t part of the assignment. I need you to understand that.”

The corner of her mouth played with a frown. “I want to believe that.”

“You should. I wasn’t being deceitful with you when it came to my job, and your father. He asked me not to tell you because he knew you wouldn’t like it. I think there’s something more important we need to be discussing.” He leaned in. “Our little surprise.”

She exhaled a long breath. “Yes, we will, but it’ll have to wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“I’m having dinner.”

“Alone?”

There was a long hesitation. “No.”

Nix chuckled, then looked down at her. She was serious. “Is it a dinner date? With a man?”

“Well, he’s not a squirrel. Yes, dinner with a friend. I-I probably shouldn’t have stopped, even told myself not to, but I saw your truck in the parking lot and had to get a few things off my chest. Now I’ve got to go.” She stepped passed him, but he caught her.

“I don’t like this,” he admitted.

“So now you’re trying to tell me what I can do?” Her eyes took on a fiery glare.

“No, I’m not trying to tell you what you can do, but let’s not forget you are carrying my child.”

“And that doesn’t make you my caretaker,” she huffed and headed for the door.

He easily caught up to her. “But it does give me the right to be concerned.”

“Then so be it. Be concerned and we’ll talk later. I promise we will.” She reached for her phone that was buzzing. She clicked a button and he heard her say, “Yes. You can’t miss it. It’s the steak restaurant with the cowboy neon sign. I’ll be there in five.” She gave Nix a small wave before she stepped through the door.

Nix stood there for a good thirty seconds staring at the closed door. So, she was meeting someone at the steakhouse and she was being awfully vague. Logic told him to respect her privacy and talk to her later, and yet a more personal feeling told him he had every right to be curious.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. “Looks like she left,” Jamison said. “Are you hungry?”

Nix frowned and started to suggest they grab a pizza, but then he smiled. “Hey, are you in the mood for a steak?”

“Hell, when aren’t I in the mood for a steak?”

Nix nodded and led the way through the door, not allowing himself to feel any guilt. After all, a man needed to eat.

The restaurant was only a few blocks west of the bar. It was a night nice out, every star in the sky twinkled, and on nights like this the entire town was out and about. The steakhouse was a popular place for their juicy selections of local meat as well as their freshly made pies of every variety. Any other evening, Nix would have foregone the crowd and chosen a place less packed, but tonight he couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into a thick cut steak…and find out who the hell Melly was off in a hurry to see.

Nix pulled into the parking lot and spotted a parking space when a sleek silver BMW darted around the corner, shooting out in front of Nix’s truck and slid right into the only available spot. Frowning, Nix growled and found a parking space across the street in the furniture store’s lot and he and Jamison headed for the restaurant about the same time the driver of the BMW slid out. Nix wasn’t surprised. He always believed a fellow picked the vehicle that fit him and the tall athletic built man with the shock of dark hair, tanned skin, and expensive clothes looked like he belonged in the city, not out here in the country.

As they passed, the city slicker gave Nix a flash of a smile and a simple nod of greeting. He let the man go ahead because it wasn’t as if Nix was in any hurry. “Hey, Jamison, do you know who that is?” The man looked familiar, but he certainly wasn’t from the area.

“Never seen him before.”

The place was swarming. All the tables were taken so Nix and his buddy chose two stools at the bar. Before he sat down, Nix scanned the room, looking for the one person he came to see. Melly.

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