Page 130 of Hot Cops

“Another round?” Kelli suggested.

Sunnie nodded. “And fajitas. I’m starving.”

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

Landon satat the end of the bar with Miguel and Finn, watching the Orioles game. They’d been here all damn day. It was growing late, which meant that for the past two hours, he’d had one eye on the television and the other on the door.

He had spent the entire day trying to figure out what he’d say to Sunnie that might set her mind at ease, that wouldn’t cause her to freak out again.

Sunnie had told him countless times she wasn’t looking for a relationship, that she wanted to focus on her career. He respected that, but as far as he was concerned, she could have her career and him at the same damn time.

And that ridiculous list she’d rattled off this morning was full of nothing. Finn had already given his blessing, and Landon suspected—hoped—Aaron and Riley would do the same.

Which left the love part.

She’d never been in love, and he could understand why that might scare her. He’d seen honest-to-God panic in her eyes this morning and it had bothered him all day.

“Landon?”

Landon turned at the sound of her voice, thinking he’d misheard. There was no way…

Audrey stood behind him, smiling.

“Audrey?”

He stood up, giving her a hug, catching Finn’s shocked expression as Miguel mouthedThe Audrey?to Finn, who nodded just once. He and Miguel had been partnered up on the force a couple of months after Audrey left town, so the two of them had never met.

“I stopped by your place but you weren’t there. I hoped I might find you here.”

“Why didn’t you call and tell me you were in town?” he asked.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

She’d done that. And not in a great way. Two minutes ago, he’d been wishing Sunnie would hurry up and get home. Now he was hoping he could buy a few more minutes.

She smiled and said hello to Finn, and he introduced her to Miguel, the three of them exchanging pleasantries as Landon tried to figure out how he could politely tell her this wasn’t a good time.

“I was wondering,” Audrey said, turning back to him, “if I could speak to you alone for a moment or two?”

He wanted to say no, but he noticed her eyes were shiny and it looked like she might cry. Had something happened to someone in her family?

“Of course,” he said, gesturing to the only empty booth left in the pub, in the back corner. Audrey sat first, grabbing the side that faced the doorway, which left Landon at a disadvantage. He now had his back to not only the front door, but the stairs that led to the Collins Dorm. Short of constantly turning around, he had no way to know when Sunnie arrived home.

Sighing, he sat as well, but before he could ask what was wrong, Darcy—who’d just started waiting tables at the pub a few months earlier—was standing there. She said hello to Audrey, asked if she wanted anything to drink, then shot Landon a not-so-subtlewhat the helllook.

Finn had filled his kid sister in on Sunnie and Landon’s newfound relationship—skipping over the sex part, even though it was clear that was all Darcy was interested in hearing about—shortly after lunchtime.

Landon had carried his full pint over with him from the bar, so he waited…and just barely resisted muttering a curse when Audrey ordered a glass of wine and then asked to see a food menu. The last thing he wanted to do right now was have a drink and dinner with his ex-girlfriend. He and Audrey had parted on good terms, and while he wouldn’t mind catching up with her someday—preferably with Sunnie there—tonight wasn’t the night for that.

“How have you been?” she asked.

“Fine. And you?”

“I’ve been…” She paused, and he caught just a glimpse of the sadness he’d spotted earlier before she pasted on a smile and said, “Good. Busy with auditions.”

“Any parts coming your way?”

She shook her head. “It’s a very competitive atmosphere. Between waiting tables, taking acting classes, and auditions, I’m lucky if I get six hours of sleep every night.”

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