Beneath the Badge (First Responders 4)

She held up the pizza box. “I seem to remember you saying you liked extra sausage during one of our conversations, so I had them load it up.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to. I knew you’d be involved. Ally Jackson said the volunteer fire department is too.”

He nodded. “Pretty much all local resources are helping out and we’re coordinating in Kentville.”

“No luck?”

He grimaced. “I can’t really talk about that, you know?”

“Oh,” she said, a little embarrassed. Of course he couldn’t reveal any details of the case. “Right. Sorry.”

He took the pizza box. “This was really thoughtful of you.”

His words were warm but there was something about his face that seemed odd. Strained, and she got the weird feeling that he was anxious for her to leave. In her mind she’d pictured him inviting her to join him. She’d refuse, of course. She wasn’t trying to go back on her decision. It was just being…friendly. But he hadn’t invited her at all. He kept one hand on the door like he was ready to close it as soon as she took a step backward.

“Just figured you could use it after a hard day,” she said, pasting on a smile. “I guess I should get back…”

Movement over Matt’s shoulder caught her attention. “Hey, Parker, if that's pizza I smell you’re a God. I could eat a horse.”

Lindsay’s face flamed. The woman behind Matt was dressed in sweats and a hoodie and was rubbing a towel through her hair. Straight from Matt’s shower from the looks of it.

“Oh, hi,” she said, smiling. “I’ll go halvsies on the pizza, Matt. Let me get my wallet.”

“Jan, this is Lindsay, a friend of mine.”

Could her humiliation be more complete? This Jan thought that Lindsay was a delivery girl? She wanted to sink through the floor. Clearly Matt hadn’t waited too long to move on. Even in sweats Lindsay could see that the other woman was very pretty and in excellent shape.

“Hi,” Lindsay offered weakly, but at the sound of her voice she lifted her chin. She had her pride after all.

“Oh God. I’m sorry. I smelled the food and Matt has the box…”

“It’s okay.”

Matt looked from Jan to Lindsay and back again. “Lindsay’s the local vet and…and a friend.” It sounded as though he had a hard time saying the words. “She heard about today and figured it might have been a rough day.”

“That’s really nice,” Jan said, looping the towel over her shoulders.

“Jan’s ground search and rescue,” he explained. “From Halifax. We’re getting an early start in the morning, so I told her rather than drive all the way home and get up at the butt-crack of dawn, I have a big sofa and she could crash here for the night.”

It sounded a little weak to her—after all, she was sure that people involved in the search could find a hotel in the area. “I’m sure you must be worn out. I need to go. The puppies are staying at my place tonight, so enjoy.”

She took a step back, surprised at herself for coming up with the lie so easily. The puppies were fostered out and doing great. And maybe he was telling the truth about offering Jan a place to crash.

That didn’t mean there wasn’t something going on though. Men like Matt were used to finding comfort in strange situations, weren’t they? It was no secret that he used his charm like a weapon. And what better relief after a stressful day than…

She turned and gripped the stair railing, ready to make her escape. A good time without emotions. She wondered if she was thinking about him or the way she usually preferred things. Looking in the mirror right now didn’t seem all that fun.

“Hey, Lindsay…”

It was hard to read his eyes right now. He’d put up the walls she’d glimpsed before, giving no clue to his feelings. She wondered if it was about keeping her out, or keeping the case out. Either way, she had no idea what he was truly thinking. All she knew was that she wasn’t included.

“Thanks for the pizza. It really was thoughtful of you.”

“I’ll see you around,” she answered, and trotted down the stairs and back to her car before she could put her foot in her mouth any further.

It wasn’t just that she felt foolish. It was a different feeling, one quite unexpected and unwanted.