Page 279 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Hey, Emily. Where’ve you been?”

“A wedding.”

“You should’ve asked me. I would’ve been your plus one.”

“I was fine alone.” But she wasn’t alone, she’d been with Wade. It might not have been a date, but it sure felt like one.

“You know I want to take you out. I don’t know why you keep playing hard to get.”

“I’m not playing games.” She sighed. “It’s not a good time for me to get involved with someone new.” It was the truth. Not when her heart belonged to Wade.

“I won’t stop asking.”

“Goodnight, Bob.”

She hurried up the walkway and went inside, closing the door firmly behind her. She leaned against the inside of the door and thought about what it had felt like to be wrapped in Wade’s arms. The frantic beeping of the new alarm system reminded her to put her code in before they sent the cavalry.

It wasafter midnight when Emily’s doorbell rang. She looked through the peephole before disarming the alarm system and opening her front door.

“I didn’t expect to see you again tonight.”

“We have unfinished business.” Wade strolled into her kitchen and took a seat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.

“We do?”

“I told you we’d talk after the reception.”

“I hadn’t realized you meant tonight.”

“Now you know.”

She settled onto the stool beside him. “Let’s talk.”

“Do you realize the danger you put yourself in by going on the news and provoking a serial killer?”

“It was a spur of the moment thing. That reporter, Candi Callahan, asked me to answer some questions, and I agreed. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You weren’t. What were you even doing out by Boulder Field? The killer warned you to stay away from there.”

“I’m a park ranger. I can’t stay away from our biggest tourist attraction because some sicko tells me to.”

“How about doing so because I asked? Not as the detective on the case, but as someone who cares for you.”

“I’m sorry.” She felt her chin tremble. “But I have to do my job.”

He released a bark of laughter. “At least I know where we stand.” He ran his hands over the wrinkles in his slacks. “I should’ve known expecting you to put your life ahead of your job was too much to ask, but I had this crazy notion that you might consider playing it safe since you know what it’s like to lose someone you love.”

“That’s not fair.” She couldn’t believe he would bring Nora into their conversation.

“Isn’t it?” He strode to the front door. “Set the alarm when I leave.”

“Don’t leave angry.”

“What choice do I have, Em? Your mind is made up, and I’m not going to change mine.” He walked out and closed the door firmly behind him.

She pulled the door open and followed him outside. He didn’t turn around. Instead, he climbed into his truck and drove off.

She couldn’t stop the flow of tears, so she curled up on the couch and let them overtake her. If she’d listened to her mindinstead of her heart, she wouldn’t be in such a state. Wade’s words came back to her. He’d said, ‘You know what it’s like to lose someone you love.’ Was it possible Wade still loved her? Was that his way of telling her how he felt without coming right out and saying the words?

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