Page 101 of Guilty as Sin
What did she have to lose? How about everything?
Hailey had left at five, but the store had stayed busy until six. Once Lily made her announcement about the easement, Paige thought, Hailey could buy some more balloons, and maybe they’d do a big event. A sort of Grand Re-Opening. That would be exciting to see. If Paige were still here, of course, because that sale would be Lily’s. Lily’s choice, Lily’s to work out. Lily’s shop.
She went through the closing routine, feeling a little melancholy. She was almost done here. It had been surprisingly fun. Not her life, but fun all the same. And maybe more.
When she heard a knock at the front door, she jumped.
You’re carrying a weapon,she thought, looking up at the same instant to see who was out there.Oh. Jace.Not dressed in jeans and a T-shirt this time. Instead, he was wearing dress pants and a collared shirt she hadn’t known he possessed. She went to the door, turned the lock, and said, “You’re early. Plainclothes, huh?”
Jace stepped inside and waited for her to lock the door. “No. Dressed to take a pretty lady out to dinner by the lake.”
She looked into that dark, intense face and thought,What the hell,then wrapped an arm around his neck and said, “The lady appreciates it. She’d like you to kiss her, too.”
He did it. Still gently, but very, very nicely. His lips brushing over hers first, then settling in and doing it a little better, his arm going around her. He smelled like pine soap and warmth, and she inhaled his scent, tingled all the way to her toes, and got a little lightheaded. When his lips strayed over her cheek, she murmured, “I think people are looking. We’re sort of lit up.”
She felt the curve of his smile against her skin, the rasp of the scruff he’d trimmed once again just for her, and shivered. “I am, anyway,” he said. Which was true. He had her pulled up tightly enough against his body that she could say that without any doubt. It felt great.
Her phone rang.
Jace said, “Ignore it.”
She said, “Lily,” and he stood back with a sigh and said, “Lily.”
When she picked it up, though, it wasn’t Lily. She saw the area code first, then the number, and had to put a hand on the counter.
It had gone to voicemail. She muttered something nasty and pushed the redial number. This time, she gothisvoicemail. She swore again, hung up, and stared at the phone.
Jace said, “What?”
“Just a… just a minute.” Thirty seconds, and she pushed redial again. This time, she heard it. “Hello, Hollander.”
She couldn’ttell.She said, “Hello, Lieutenant.” She wanted to say, “Sorry I missed your call.” She wanted to babble. She forced herself to shut up instead.
“I just got the unofficial word from somebody on the Commission,” Lieutenant Iverson said. “I hope you’re healing well.”
She couldn’t breathe, and her hand was on the counter as if she needed it to hold her up. “Because the word I’m getting,” the lieutenant said, his voice as deliberate as ever, and she wanted to scream at him to justtellher, “is that you’re cleared. We should get the official notice on Monday. Congratulations.”
Her legs had started to shake, and Jace was there, pulling a stool out from behind the counter and pushing her down onto it. “Thank you,” she said through lips that had gone numb. “Pat? What about him? Clearing his name?”
A little satisfaction may have crept into the lieutenant’s tone. “I don’t have details yet, but the word I got was that you’re both cleared. Which is very good to hear.”
“Jasmine.”
“I’ll be talking to Jasmine, yes.” He didn’t have to say,Above your pay grade.She knew it was. She cared anyway. “This would be a good time to ask you about your fitness,” he said. “And for you to get back here so we can have that evaluated. Assuming we do get the official word Monday, I’d like to see you Tuesday.”
“Yes,” she said. “Thank you.”
“Hollander,” he said. “Take a minute. Take a day. Talk it over. Mental fitness is real. Make sure you’re ready, because you won’t fool the doctor, and you won’t fool the psychologist.”
“I know. I am. I will be.”
“Good. You’ll hear from me Monday.”
She didn’t hang up the phone. Instead, she set it on the counter, put her palms on her thighs, and tried to breathe.
When Jace said, “Want to tell me?” she jumped. She’d forgotten he was there.
“Oh.” She tried to laugh, but it came out choked. “I’m back. I’m going to be…” Her voice was shaking. “I’m going to be cleared. And Pat.” His face was there, suddenly, just behind her eyes. His voice, deep and sonorous, and she had to blink back tears. “Pat is, too. His name. His badge. My badge.”
