“We?”
“It’s a family affair. You could have come.”
“It sounds like Savannah had enough company.” She tilted her head. “So, does it give you any ideas?”
“Huh? Oh.” He leaned back, grinning. “It gives me the idea that my brothers are doing a fine job making families. No need for me to horn in. What about you? You thinking about settling down and hatching a brood?”
“Hatching a brood?” She had to laugh. “No.”
Shane took a peanut from the plastic bowl on the table, cracked it. “So, what do you do when you’re not shrinking heads or chasing ghosts or giving lectures?”
“I live in a hellhole, remember? There’s always plenty to do. Muggings, murders, orgies. My life’s very full.”
He skimmed a hand over hers. “Anyone in particular helping fill it out?”
“No. No one in particular.” She smiled sweetly, leaned forward. “How’s Darla?”
He cleared his throat and bought himself a little time by sipping his beer. “She’s fine. Dandy.”
It wasn’t worth mentioning that he’d nudged good old Darla along, despite her invitation to fix his supper—and anything else he might like. “Any progress on the hunt?”
“That’s not a very subtle avoidance of the topic.”
“I wasn’t trying to be subtle.” He laid his hand over hers again, snagging her fingers before she could draw them away. “Find any good ghosts lately?”
“Actually, I did.” She had the pleasure of seeing the smile fade from his eyes.
“That’s bull.”
“No, indeed. I have some very nice documentation of an event. Registered a forty-two-degree temperature drop in less than two minutes.”
He took another drink. “Your fancy equipment needs to be overhauled.”
His reaction amused her, intrigued her. “You’re very resistant. Do you feel threatened?”
“Why would I feel threatened by something that doesn’t exist?”
One brow cocked up under her fringe of bangs. “Why would you?”
“Because I—” He caught himself, narrowed his eyes. She was smiling blandly and, he noted, very much in control. “Is that how you analyze your patients?”
“Do you feel like a patient?”
“Cut it out.”
“Sorry.” She threw her head back and laughed. “It was irresistible. I don’t really do individual therapy, but you’d make a terrific subject. Want to try word-association?”
“No.”
She arched both brows this time. “You’re not afraid, are you? It’s very simple. I say a word, you respond with the first thing that comes to mind.”
“I’m not afraid of some silly parlor game.” But he was irritated, just enough to jerk his shoulders. “Fine. Shoot.”
“Home.”
“Family.”
It made her smile. “Bird.”