Page 61 of The Proximity Effect

“Yes,” both Evan and Liam said in unison.

“Absolutely not.” I hadn’t thought about Peggy in years and didn’t know if I had the chops to still do it without laughing.

“Come on.” Liam nudged me with his elbow. “Remember all the fun we used to have doing it?”

“I remember having dignity.” Memories of our college shenanigans flashed through my mind. “Though dignity is overrated, and technically, this is a business strategy.” My smirk widened as I justified it to myself. “We’re protecting our chef from harassment. Very professional.” The words ‘our chef’ came out more possessively than I’d intended.

Evan clapped me on the back with enough force to make me stumble forward half a step, his grin so wide it practically split his face. “This is going to be epic. Go get him, tiger.” He wiggled his eyebrows in that insufferable way that made him look like a cartoon character, and I fought the urge to smack him.

Ten minutes later, I sat next to Declan at the bar, nursing a whiskey and holding my phone to my ear. The things I did for... well, I wasn’t quite ready to define what this thing with Tessa was yet.

He glanced at me, then did a double take, his eyes narrowing in recognition. I gave him a polite nod.

“No, Peggy.” I kept my voice loud enough for only Declan to hear and leaned back in my seat, getting into character. “The cucumber was too small… Yes, I tried the zucchini too.” I paused, noting how Declan’s shoulders stiffened. “The eggplant? No, that’s for Tuesday’s dinner.”

Declan’s hand tightened on his wineglass, and from across the bar, Evan was practically stuffing his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing, and Liam was grinning.

“Mm... I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Do you want to watch me take it like a good little boy?” I lowered my voice suggestively. “Yes, ma’am.”

Declan shifted uncomfortably, trying to focus on his drink. I bit back a laugh, keeping my expression neutral. This was harder than expected, but I was soldiering on.

“What about a butternut squash?” I rubbed my chin in consideration, and Declan’s face turned an interesting shade of pink. “It might hit the spot if you know what I mean… What?… No, I already tried the rolling pin. The wood is a little too rough, and you know how sensitive I am back there.”

Declan choked on his drink, sputtering and coughing as red liquid dribbled down his chin and onto his sweater. It gave me a vindictive sort of satisfaction I hadn’t felt in a long time, even with all my wins in court.

“Maybe I should special order something?” I sighed dramatically and traced my fingertip around the rim of my glass as I stared off with what I hoped was a wistful expression. “I don’t know if anything will compare to that time with the trafficcone.” I let my voice drop to a husky whisper on the last two words. “Although I think your fist would be satisfying enough. It would really stretch me out.”

Declan stood up so quickly his barstool wobbled. “I think I’ll turn in for the night,” he announced to no one in particular, his voice slightly higher than usual. He gulped down the rest of his wine and practically ran from the bar.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Evan and Liam materialized beside me, both of them shaking with laughter.

“A traffic cone?” Liam wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes as he braced himself against the bar. “That was inspired. Absolutely inspired.” His shoulders shook, and I had to admit, seeing him laugh was worth it.

I set down my phone and grabbed my drink. “I was going to mention a garden gnome next.”

“The Archer we know and love is still in there somewhere.” Evan threw his arms around me in an exuberant bear hug, nearly knocking me off my barstool.

I gave him two pats on the back before extracting myself from his octopus-like grip. “Don’t get used to it,” I warned, straightening my tie. Though, I had to admit it had been more satisfying than I’d expected.

Our old dynamic had been resurfacing all day like there hadn’t been a decade of silence. But more than that, it was a reminder of who I used to be. The Archer who laughed easily and who didn’t take life so seriously. That part of me had been buried for so long, I’d almost forgotten it existed.

Tessa emerged from the kitchen, arms laden with what appeared to be enough food to feed a small army. Her cheeks were flushed from the kitchen heat, and her hair had escaped from her messy bun in wispy tendrils that made my fingers itch to tuck them back into place.

“Am I interrupting something?” She glanced between the three of us, taking in our barely contained amusement.

“Archer needed a hug after being pegged,” Liam managed with a straight face that deserved an Oscar nomination.

I choked on air while Evan dissolved into another fit of laughter.

Tessa’s eyes widened comically. “I... what... you know what? Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

She looked at us like we’d all lost our minds. Maybe we had. It felt good though, like slipping into an old, comfortable sweater I’d forgotten I owned.

“Let’s get out of here. The snow’s really coming down now.” I took some of the bags from her, our fingers brushing. Even that brief contact sent a jolt through my system.

After grabbing our coats, we went outside where the snow was falling, creating a dreamlike quality to the world.

I helped Tessa onto the back of my snowmobile, trying not to focus on how she pressed against me as her arms wrapped tightly around my waist. The quarter-mile ride to the cabin was both too long and not long enough. Tessa’s warmth against my back was a stark contrast to the biting cold of the wind, and I found myself wanting to take longer but also not wanting her to freeze.

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