“That’s the best thing I’ve heard you say since I got here.”
“Besides, didn’t you say we should work this out together? A weekend away, just the two of us, would be a place to start, wouldn’t it?”
“I’d vote for that. But are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Yes, it’ll be better being with you.”
“Okay then, why don’t we wait until we get back to Portland to tackle all those questions the hamsters are throwing at you?” he suggested. “How about one weekend of enjoying each other before we get too wrapped up in settling all the details of the next couple decades?”
“I think I can ignore my hamsters and their squeaky wheels and stupid questions for a weekend. As long as you can provide a diversion for me.”
“Oh, I think I can manage that.” He motioned to the waiter for the check. “And, just so you know, in answer to one of the questions, Theresa said if I fuck it up, not to bother coming home.” He grinned at her. “She’d rather keep you in the family than me. She also said to remind you what you promised. She wouldn’t tell me any more than that.” He didn’t have to ask the question, his expression did.
“She made me promise I wouldn’t look for all the reasons this wouldn’t work and make them happen, the way I usually do. She said to just let it unfold naturally. As you can tell, I’m struggling with it.”
“Try it for the weekend, you might like it.” He signed the credit card slip. “Can we get out of here? You’re right. I’m beginning to feel the time difference and my four AM wake-up.”
“Yeah, I imagine you are.” She reached across the table, touched his hand. “Do you want to get your suitcase from the hotel where you’ve checked in and stay at my house instead?”
“I can’t do that,” he said, shaking his head.
“Oh, do you want me to stay with you?” He didn’t answer. “Right, you said you were tired. You want to be by yourself tonight. I’ll drop you off. Just tell me where.”
“That won’t work either.”
“I don’t understand.”
He grinned. “I never checked into a hotel. We came straight from the airport to police headquarters.”
“You’ve been waiting for me to ask you to stay with me, haven’t you? And I’ve been slow at doing it.”
“I was hoping you would ask. If you want to … ”
“Where’s your suitcase?”
“At Sam’s desk.”
“So the entire Portland Police Bureau knows, too.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to keep it under wraps. You should have told me.” The grin and affectionate expression had been replaced by tensed shoulders and a thin-lipped mouth.
“No, no, no. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry. That was rude. You have every right to bite my head off.”
He sat back in his chair, his body more relaxed now. “I’m not particularly interested in biting your head off. Nibbling your mouth, yes. Maybe your ears. Definitely your breasts.”