My mouth fell open. Third attempt? Emily hadn’t mentioned anything about that on the phone. My eyelids did their nervous fluttering thing, and I stumbled back in surprise, dropping the plate of brownies. They tumbled all over the front porch like brown hockey-pucks.
“There you are!” Emily came to the door with a bright smile. It was so bright I wanted to tell her to tone it down since Bronson already figured out her little plan.
I’d agreed to this, but I’d also made it clear I wanted our meeting to be more on the down-low, not an obvious set-up. And it was becoming more and more obvious this was a definite set-up the longer we stood there. I scrambled to pick up the brownies and tossed them back on the plate. “I’m sorry, Em. Looks like these are ruined. I should’ve put them in a container.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, running a hand over her blonde ponytail. “I’ve got berries and whipped cream. That should suffice.”
I stood there looking between her and Bronson, feeling like a complete idiot.
“Well, don’t just stand there, Allycat. Come inside.”
Bronson snickered. “Yeah, Allycat, don’t be scared.” I didn’t miss the emphasis on cat or the way his eyes swept my face in an approving manner. He certainly hadn’t looked at me like that yesterday.
Emily took the dirt-filled brownies from me, and I slid sidewise through the door, trying to appear nonchalant but inwardly freaking out I had to brush past Bronson so closely. We all moved into the living room just as a door down the hallway shut and Ethan walked out.
He seemed surprised to see me, and then he turned to his wife. “Emily, didn’t I tell you not to meddle? If he wants our help, he’ll tell us.”
So much for subtlety. I wanted to strangle Ethan. Some men didn’t know how to be discreet. I glanced at Emily. Then again, some women didn’t either.
Emily looked aghast. “I’m not meddling.” She lowered her voice, and said in a whisper, “This isn’t a set-up. It’s just an opportunity. If they happen to click—”
“We can hear you,” I interjected. My face heated, and I snuck a peek at Bronson, who looked like he was about to burst into laughter.
Just then, there was a loud bark and his dog, Ace, ran into the room and stopped right in front of me, sizing me up with those big sweet eyes of his. He behaved as if he recognized me, and I found myself wanting to touch his fur. I would never be disloyal to Snow but showing a little affection wouldn’t hurt. I glanced at Bronson. “Is it okay if I pet him?”
“Go ahead. And thanks for asking. Most people forget he’s a police dog and they need permission.”
I stroked Ace’s head and smiled. “Hey, boy. Remember me?”
As if in response, he let out a bark and licked my hand. He drew close and leaned against my body.
Bronson cleared his throat. “He doesn’t normally warm up to people like that. Do you have catnip in your pocket or something?” He emphasized cat again as if it was now a running joke.
“Very funny.” I glanced at Emily. “If I’d known pets were invited, I would have brought Snowball.”
Bronson laughed, and the sound was deep and rich and very masculine. “I’d love to see this infamous cat. The one who deserved,” he held a hand over his mouth as if trying to hold back a snicker, “a cat bodysuit.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “Wait, a second. Have you two met before?”
I hadn’t had a chance to fill her in on the chaos from the previous day. “You might say that.”
“That’s not possible,” she said. “You tell me about every good-looking man you come across. How is it I don’t already know about this?”
Bronson’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t make the cut?”
“Emily, you’re embarrassing Allison,” Ethan said. “Look, she’s blushing.”
And he was no better for pointing that out. Goodness, why hadn’t I just stayed home? This was way more than I bargained for.
Ace barked loudly and nudged my hand as if he wanted me to pet him again. I was grateful for the distraction and began vigorously stroking behind his ears.
After a long moment, Emily must have surmised she wasn’t getting anything more out of me, so she turned to Bronson. “So . . . how did you two meet?”
“Allison was a person of interest in a drug bust yesterday.” He said it so casually you would have thought this occurred all the time.
A coughing fit overtook me, and I covered my mouth with a hand.
Emily gasped. “Ally would never do drugs.” She looked at me. “What happened?”
I continued to cough and held up a finger to indicate I needed a moment. She turned back to Bronson. “Explain, please.”
He ran a hand over the back of his head and smiled like he enjoyed this far too much. “It appears she approached the suspect thinking she was about to buy . . .” He snickered. “A cat outfit.”
Emily and Ethan studied him, waiting for the punch line.
“Apparently, the cat’s name is also slang for Cocaine,” Bronson said.
The coughing had finally ceased, and I cleared my throat. “I told the man I was there to purchase the item for Snow, meaning my cat.”
“And he thought you meant drugs?” Emily asked, an incredulous expression on her face.
“Yep.”
It took a few seconds, but then it registered for Ethan as well. “No way!” He let out a yelp of laughter.
“What a strange coincidence you and Bronson met that way.” Emily glanced at Bronson and me. “It’s a good reminder God is a better matchmaker—”
“Emily,” I grit out. “How about if I assist you in the kitchen? Don’t you need help with dinner?”
“No, I’m good.” She bent down to pet Ace, and when she glanced up at me, she must have seen the expression on my face. “On second thought, I could use a little help. Come with me.”
Emily and I made our way down the hall to her kitchen while she nudged me in the ribs like a high school girl.
“Cut it out,” I whispered, trying not to laugh. “You need to learn how to play it cool. This isn’t helping.”
She appeared remorseful for all of about ten seconds. “Get over it. Maybe it started out as a quiet evening with friends, but now that the cat’s out of the bag, you should make the best of it.” She snickered at her own joke.
We stepped into the kitchen and she went to the sink to wash her hands. The scent of a roast wafted from the oven.
“Three times, Em? Really? Bronson looks capable enough to find his own date.”
“He is capable, but his last girlfriend was really needy, and I feel bad for him. She sucked the life out of him, and it seems like he’s given up. He needs to settle down and find one woman to date.” She glanced at me. “He has a good heart, loves the Lord, and you couldn’t ask for a better man—besides Ethan, of course.”
“Well, he might be a nice guy who just isn’t the type to commit.”
“No, I see him with a wife and kids one day.” She filled a pitcher with ice tea. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention you were the third try, but I was afraid you wouldn’t come if I told you.”
I glared at her and shook my head. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have. This is a bit much, Emily. The man nearly arrested me yesterday and today I’m the set-up?” I gave her a pointed look. “He rolled his eyes when he found out I was here for dinner.”
“He’s not annoyed with you. If anything, he’s irritated with me. I probably should have given both of you a heads-up, and maybe that makes me a bad friend, but excuse me for wanting to find a great guy for you.” She pulled out cucumbers and tomatoes from the refrigerator and handed me a cutting board. “Mind cutting these for a salad? The vegetables have already been washed.”
Unbelievable. How she switched so easily from “great guy” to “slice the cucumbers,” I didn’t know. She put clean dishes from the dishwasher away in nearby cabinets, glancing at me with brown puppy dog eyes.
Not ready to make up quite yet, I picked up a knife
and began slicing the cucumber a little too forcefully, glancing at her sidelong. “I know you mean well, it’s just—”
“Wait, a second.” She stopped mid-sentence. “You’re not upset you’re the third person I thought of for Bronson, are you? I would have had you over the first time but you were on vacation—”
“No. I don’t care. I just wasn’t prepared for this awkwardness. I thought tonight would be casual—no pressure.”
“It is casual. Nothing to get bent out of shape over. And trust me, he’s going to like you. Especially after the last two.”
My eyes widened. “What happened with the last two?”
Emily pursed her lips. “Cammy may have been a little over the top. She came on too strong—ate off his plate and acted like they were already a couple. But you can’t blame the girl, she’ll be thirty next month. Her biological clock was ticking.”
“You know I’m twenty-eight, right?”
She smiled. “Yes, but you wouldn’t be that aggressive, and I’ve never known you to be desperate.”
“What happened with the other one?”
“Well, after Cammy flirted shamelessly and Bronson didn’t bite, I invited Lily over, knowing she’s more on the quiet, shy side.” She set a large salad bowl with spinach leaves in front of me.
“And?”
“Turns out she wasn’t as shy as I thought.”
“Okay . . .” I put the sliced cucumbers in the salad bowl and began sectioning the tomatoes.
“Perhaps it was nerves, but let’s just say by the end of the evening she’d flung herself into his lap and didn’t want to get up.”
“Great. He probably thinks I’ll tackle him after dinner now.”
She looked at me with a disconcerted expression. “But we both know you won’t, so there’s no problem.”
She had that right. Now that I knew both women had practically thrown themselves at Officer Dreamy Eyes, there was no way I’d give him the satisfaction of thinking I’d do the same. Yes, he was unbelievably good-looking, but he would never know what I thought. He probably had enough of an inflated ego as it was. As long as I didn’t have to stare into his eyes, I’d be able to appear nonchalant like all of this was no big deal.
“Make sure you don’t sit me across from him. I don’t want to have to stare at him all night.”
She snickered. “No problem.”
I glanced at the clock on her wall. One hour. If I could just make it for one hour, I would politely excuse myself afterward and remind everyone I had to get up early for work the next day.
When dinner was ready, I helped Emily carry everything to the dining room table. She’d given Ethan and Bronson a heads-up earlier that dinner was ready, so they stood nearby laughing and talking about sports.
“Smells delicious, honey.” Ethan moved to sit in his usual seat.
“Not that one,” Emily said. “Ally prefers to sit next to Bronson this evening.” She pulled out a chair. “Sit here instead.”
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe she’d outed me like that, especially since my intent had been to keep my distance. She’d made it seem like I specifically asked to sit next to him, and now it appeared like we’d been plotting in the kitchen. I discretely kicked her in the shins and gave her a playful but annoyed smile.
“Put your claws away, Allycat. Bronson won’t bite. I promise.” She glanced at him with a smirk.
Bronson wiggled his eyebrows, and I laughed. The gesture was funny, considering the circumstances. At least he didn’t seem too uptight.
We all found our seats and Ethan bowed his head. “I’ll say the blessing.”
Emily grabbed Ethan’s hand, and he took mine as well. I grit my teeth and took Bronson’s because not taking his hand would have been rude and immature. He had a strong grip, and his skin was warm to the touch. Ethan prayed over the meal, and just as I was about to release Bronson’s hand, he squeezed my palm. I glanced at him and he winked.
Whoa. Those eyes should come with a warning: Look at them for longer than a second and any woman between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five might pass out.
Emily passed around a platter with sliced roast beef, carrots and potatoes. “So, Bronson, tell us how work is going.”
“Good. Ace and I are doing our part to rid the city of crime.” He said it in a teasing way as if he and Ace were superheroes.
He smiled, and I had to look away—those dimples were so cute I wanted to lean in and dip my finger in the crevices. What was my problem? I needed to pull myself together, but he sat so close I felt the heat emanating from his body. I wanted to scoot over, but at the same time . . . I didn’t. Emily caught my eye and gave me a knowing grin. I would have stuck my tongue out at her if I could have done it covertly.
“It’s so nice to have hardworking law enforcement officers guarding our city,” Emily said. “You’re such a man of integrity.” She took a sip of water and glanced at Bronson. “Tell us that story, the one where you saved the lives of all those girls.”
Bronson shifted in his seat. “You know what happened. We discussed it in full the other day.”
“But Allison hasn’t heard the story.”
Bronson glanced at me, appearing slightly annoyed. “Last week we got a warrant to search a drug dealer’s home, and in the process, discovered three underage girls hidden in the basement. Turns out, they’d been kidnapped and were about to be transported for sex-trafficking.”
“Wow. I heard about that on the news. You were the one who found them?” I asked, a little starstruck.
“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly as if he didn’t care for praise or attention. He forked a piece of roast beef and took a bite.
“Those poor girls.” Admiration swelled within my chest. “That’s really commendable. You must feel proud you’re making a difference.”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t the only one there. My unit helped. I’m just glad the girls are safe now.”
“Give yourself credit. You’re a hero, man.” Ethan chuckled. “Don’t get all humble on me now.”
“I was just doing my job.” He didn’t sit up taller or say it in a puffed-up manner as others would have done in the same situation.
Earlier, I’d thought him a bit cocky but now he seemed anything but. Clearly, he took his job seriously and didn’t let it go to his head.
Ethan dished salad onto his plate and passed the bowl to me. “Bronson, how’s that volunteer program at church going? The one you told me about the other day.”
Bronson chuckled. Leaning closer, he whispered, “They’re trying to make me look good in front of you.”
His warm breath tickled my ear, and he didn’t pull away right after but lingered for just a second. I flushed and picked up my napkin to fan myself but stopped before I looked like an idiot. Without thinking, I drew closer to him this time and whispered, “Apparently, they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be single and put on the spot.”
Bronson laughed and whispered, “They can put me on the spot any day if it means I get to sit next to a pretty girl like you.” He smirked. “Even if that girl just so happens to have a cat wearing clothes.”
He’d loosened up considerably, and I found I liked this playful side of him.
“Do you have something against felines?”
“Nope. Just think dogs are a superior choice.”
He did not just say that. “Listen, cats are superior—”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Emily asked, leaning in our direction.
It wasn’t as if she couldn’t hear us since the table was small and we all sat close together. I smirked and gave her a look. “Nothing.” I loved her to death, but she wasn’t getting anything out of me today.
Ethan leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. “Ally, didn’t you tell Emily you need a law enforcement officer to speak to the students at the college?”
My eyes widened. They were tag-teaming us. “Yeah, I did text her earlier about it.”
I glanced down at my food, trying not to shake my head at how hard they were trying to throw us together. I didn’t really want to ask Bronson for help because I was pretty sure he would say no, anyway. But Emily and Ethan weren’t going to let me slide out of this one. I cleared my throat and glanced at Bronson. “I don’t know if you’d be interested or not, but I’m a career counselor at a local private college, and I’ve been helping the criminology department with a career day event. They need someone in law enforcement to speak to the students.”
He didn’t appear annoyed at the suggestion like I thought he would. “Give me the details and I’ll see if it fits in with my schedule.”
Emily speared a carrot and was about to take a bite when she stopped, fork held in the air. “Bronson, you should give Allison a demonstration of Ace’s skills.” She bit into the carrot. “Sometime . . . not today.” She smiled. “Next week maybe.”
That girl. I was going to throttle her.
Bronson shook his head slowly as if considering the idea. “Sure. Anytime this week would be fine.”
“Great,” Emily said, clapping her hands excitedly. “It’s a date.”
5
“If this continues, I’ll call the police.”
I hung up my phone and stiffened. That was the second crank call I’d received today, and it was much like all the others—no response except heavy breathing on the other line. It was beginning to creep me out.
I glanced at the Psychotria elata plant on my dining room table and thought of Walter. That thing had to go. I couldn’t look at it one more second. It was trash day, and I’d already put my trash bin on the curb, so I picked up my purse, grabbed the plant and headed outside. I tossed the plant in the trash just as Barry approached.
“Hey, Barry. How’s it going?”
He frowned, glancing at the plant inside the dumpster. “I came over to see if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”
“Oh, that’s nice of you, but I’m really busy.” I didn’t want to assume he had romantic intentions, but I still didn’t feel comfortable hanging out with him alone, especially after Mrs. Chapman’s warning. “I’m supposed to meet with a K-9 officer today. He’s going to show me how he trains his dog, Ace, to search for drugs.”
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