Page 61 of Bachelor Cop Finally Caught? (Hot off the Press! 2)

His scowl was fierce. “They’re going to have to get past me first.”

Coming from someone else, the statement might have sounded like melodramatic bravado. But Dan had said the words simply and sincerely. He took his responsibilities very personally.

“That’s all I’ve got for you today,” he said, opening a folder on his desk. “Things have settled down a bit since Eddie’s been locked up.”

She closed her notebook. “Thanks for the update.”

“What other big stories are you pursuing today?” he asked lightly, half his attention seeming to be on his paperwork.

She smiled. “Nothing earth shaking. They’re opening the new wing of the hospital this afternoon. Six whole new rooms. I’ll be there to hear Dr. Frank make a speech.”

“I ran into Don Pettit this morning when I had breakfast at the Rainbow Café. Can’t remember how it came up, but he mentioned you’ve changed your mind about putting your house on the market.”

He’d spoken in an ultracasual tone, but Lindsey sensed that the comment wasn’t quite as offhanded as he pretended. “I changed my mind because I’ve decided to stay in Edstown.”

“It take it that means you’ve also changed your mind about pursuing a job in a bigger news venue? You talked about Dallas or Atlanta before.”

Frowning, she studied his face, trying to read his unrevealing expression. “I know I talked about it, but that’s all changed now.”

“Maybe you should give it a little more thought before you make a final decision. How long are you going to be content writing articles about the usually mundane things that go on around here? You could be covering real news.”

“Murders? Other serious crimes? Political scandals? Interviewing wheeler-dealers and tabloid celebrities, maybe? As interesting as that might be for a while, I’m quite content for now to write about small-town life.”

“You only moved back here a couple of years ago because your father needed you. I’d hate to think you were staying only because of a new sense of obligation.”

She didn’t care for this conversation at all. “I’m not obligated to stay here,” she said firmly. “I’m choosing to stay this time. There’s a difference, you know.”

He didn’t reply.

Turning the table on him, she said, “You could be chief of police in a bigger market, you know. You’d have state-of-the-art police equipment, a highly trained force of officers, much more interesting crimes to investigate than a few home break-ins and domestic squabbles. Why are you staying?”

“That’s different,” he muttered.

“How?”

“I’m settled here. Have been for years. I’m sitting comfortably in a rut that I have no real desire to climb out of, even if I was confident that I could go anywhere I wanted. You’re younger than I am, less rooted, more ambitious. I’d hate for you to have any regrets in years to come that you didn’t go as far as you could have.”

She reminded herself that Dan had her welfare at heart. That his concern for her future and her happiness meant he really did care for her despite his awkwardness in expressing himself.

Which didn’t mean that she liked having him sit there and all but urge her to move away.

She stood, deciding that this was the wrong time and place to get into an in-depth discussion about their future. “We can talk about this another time. We both have to get on with our work—mundane though it may be.”

“Look, Lindsey, I didn’t mean to annoy you,” he said, rising.

“I’m not annoyed,” she lied. “Just busy. See you later, okay?”

“Do that.”

She walked to the door and put her hand on the knob. “And, Dan…?”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe you’d better decide if you really want me to stay,” she said quietly.

She figured he knew as well as she did that they couldn’t keep their relationship undefined and under wraps indefinitely.

Chapter Fourteen

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