Page 28 of One Night to Fall
“I know. I may have overreacted,” he concedes but I shake my head.
“I should never have said it. Harlan’s lucky to have you. We’re all so damn lucky to have you.”
“The mug is a little cheesy,” he teases, and I roll my lips inward to hide my smile.
“It is, but that doesn’t make it any less true.”
Taking the basket from my hands, he places it on the hood of the car and leans against the side next to me.
“It’s been almost a year, and I still wake up sometimes and wonder if this will be the day he realizes I’m too much,” Reid admits softly. “You caught me on one of those days.”
“I can assure you that’s not going to happen. He was about to rip my face off the second he saw me.”
Reid grins. “He’s hot when he’s all riled up, isn’t he?”
“Hot for you.” I nudge him with my elbow. “But seriously, he loves you and he’s willing to move mountains, burn bridges, and?—”
“You’re really on a roll tonight, aren’t you?”
“In my whole life, I can’t remember a time when we weren’t talking.” I swallow hard. “I didn’t know it could hurt like that.”
“Oh, you big softie,” Reid says, throwing his arm around my shoulders and pulling me in for a hug. And I pretend I don’t see him wiping a tear away because my eyes are wet too. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Are you ready to talk about the other thing?” I don’t have to be a detective to know he means Adrian.
“No, you’re all I can handle tonight,” I tell him honestly.
“Okay, well, if you need me, I’m here.”
“Thanks, Reid.”
“Just make sure you don’t do it again. I can only protect you so many times from Harlan.”
“Noted.”
ADRIAN
JESSE: I’m sorry—Reid and I got into it and he wasn’t talking to me
ADRIAN: Is everything okay now?
JESSE: Yes
JESSE: I just need some time
ADRIAN: Okay…
JESSE: I’m just shit for company
ADRIAN: Are you going to get drunk in the field again?
JESSE: No
ADRIAN: Do you want me to come over there?
JESSE: No
