Page 87 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Aspen was leaning against the passenger door, eyes closed.

“Grace said you can stay with her. She lives near me, and Andrew lives across the lot from her. You should be safe there.”

Aspen’s eyes opened. “If you think it’s all right.”

“Safer than the hotel. I’d have you stay with me, but...” He shrugged.

She met his gaze and then looked away quickly, though he caught the small smile in the darkness. “Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

He felt a twinge of pleasure to know that, apparently, her mind had gone to the same place his had. Not that either of them would let their bodies follow, but the memory of their kiss suddenly felt like a solid presence between them.

He was looking forward to having a second kiss. But definitely not moments before she tucked into his extra bedroom. He wouldn’t get any sleep at all.

“Thing is, Grace won’t be home until ten. She said you could come by where she is and get the key, but… not that I have any right to say, but I’d rather you not be alone. You could just stay at my condo until she’s home.”

“If it’s no trouble.”

As if he wanted her anyplace but at his side. Shifting into drive, he said, “Pizza should be ready any minute, and I’m starving.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Garrett watched closely as Aspen bit into the pear-and-goat-cheese pizza. Her eyes widened in surprise, then closed as she savored the flavors. She swallowed, then opened her eyes. “Wow.”

“Told you.”

They were at his small kitchen table. Good thing he kept the place tidy so he hadn’t been embarrassed when she walked in. Not that it was impressive. Just a two-bed, two-bath, two-story condo, one of the smaller units in this development. The sofa was secondhand, as was the recliner. And the lamps. But they were all decent and clean. The walls were bare. He’d thought about getting artwork or something to hang, but he’d never gotten around to it. The nicest furniture in his house, a round maple table and matching chairs, had been a gift from Uncle Dean for Garrett’s last birthday.

Aspen had remarked on the set as soon as she’d seen it, guessing right away that Dean had made it, then gushing about its beauty.

She swallowed a second bite of the pie. “My dad’s restaurants serve flatbread pizzas. I ought to have the chef try to replicate these flavors.” A moment after she said the words, she blinked,and sadness tightened her lips at the corners. “I guess I could pass along the idea.”

“Did you sell them?” Garrett asked. “The restaurants? I assume, since you have no plans to go back to Hawaii…”

“Yeah. To one of the managers. He got a loan for some of the cost, and he’s paying me back the rest of it monthly until it’s paid off.”

“It was kind of you to extend him financing.”

She shrugged, sipping her soda. When she set the glass down, she said, “I wanted them to go to somebody who would love them as much as Dad did. Gene worked for Dad as long as I can remember. He’ll take good care of them.”

“And you didn’t want to hold onto them? I mean, they were your father’s, and your place of work.”

“A lot of people told me I should wait a year after his death before I made any life-altering decisions, and I tried to do that. But being in his kitchens, in the places he’d built and loved…it never felt right without him. It was just too painful.”

“Is that how you feel about Hawaii too? Or are you planning to go back someday?”

“I have friends there, but most of them have married and had families or moved away. I loved growing up in Kona, but this is a huge country. I’d like to see more of it, experience more of it. Maybe I’ll go back after college.” She didn’t seem too keen on the idea, though. Which didn’t bother him one bit.

“But you’re going to stay in the restaurant business,” he said. “That’s what you want to study, right?”

She finished off her slice of pizza, then took her time wiping her fingers on her napkin. Finally, she smiled at him. “Tell you the truth, I hate it.”

He snatched a slice of the loaded meat pie, but he set it on his plate without taking a bite. “Didn’t you tell me you’re going to get a degree in hospitality?”

“Maybe I’ll like it better if I get some training.”

“Why study it if you don’t like it?”

“What else can I do? That’s all I’ve ever done. It’s all I know.”

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