Page 30 of The Beat of her Heart

Giselle shrugged, trying to keep her face neutral. “Figured we shouldn’t be late.”

Addie smiled and gestured to her daughter. “This is Sophie.”

Sophie gave Giselle a shy smile. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Giselle said, glancing at the little girl before looking back at Addie. She had to admitthatseeing Addie with her daughter made her feel oddly at peace. It was nice, in a way she didn’t know how to explain.

They stood there for a moment, the quiet hanging between them as Sophie fidgeted by Addie’s side. Then Addie opened the back door and helped Sophie into the car seat, buckling her in before sliding into the passenger seat herself.

Once they were settled, Giselle pulledout of the driveway, her eyes flicking to Addie in the passenger seat.

“How was your week?” Addie asked.

“We work the same cases,” Giselle said flatly.

“Right.” Addie nodded, her fingers tapping lightly against her knee. “That was a joke, Giselle. That was meant to be a joke.”

“Maybe you could’ve told it better,” Giselle replied. When Addie didn’t reply, she sighed. “That was a joke, too.”

Giselle tried to focus on the road, but it was hard with Addie sitting so close.

After a few minutes of silence, Addie glanced back at Sophie, who was happily humming to herself in the backseat.

“She’s excited about the party,” Addie said.

Giselle nodded again, not trusting herself to say much. She didn’t want to get drawn into a conversation that would make this car ride any more complicated than it already was.

But as they drove, Giselle found herself stealing glances at Addie and the way her smooth tan legs looked under her summerdress. She could tell Addie noticed her glances.

They were halfway to the party when Addie suddenly turned to her.

“Are you okay?” Addie asked, her brow furrowed slightly.

Giselle’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, her eyes flicking back to the road. “I’m fine.”

But it wasn’t true, and Addie could probably tell.

Giselle wasn’t fine. Not with everything that was happening inside her head, not with her thoughts always circling back to Addie, to that kiss they’d almost shared. The rest of the ride passed in silence. Giselle knew that whatever was building between them couldn’t be ignored for much longer.

But right now, all she could do was focus on the road ahead and hope that the party would distract her from the growing feelings she didn’t want to face.

10

ADDIE

“Ilike your car,” Sophie said.

Addie glanced at her daughter with a smile on her face. But Sophie wasn’t looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on Giselle.

“Glad to hear it.” Giselle’s lips twitched into something that almost resembled a smile.

Sophie grinned, then turned her attention to her stuffed animal, content to play quietly and ignore the adults in the front of the car.

Addie could sense Giselle retreating into herself, shutting down as soon as the conversation had a chance to grow. It was frustrating.She wanted to know more about Giselleand break through that icy wall, but Giselle wasn’t giving her much to work with.

They drove in silence for a few minutes, the sound of the road filling the car. Addie stared out the window.

Finally, Addie turned to Giselle. “So how do you like it here?”

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