He had been an officer somewhere else, was all I’d managed to find out before I had started actively avoiding learning anything about him.
“A few too many homicides put me at risk of burning out early. Rather than let that happen, I made a change.” There was more to it than that, but he was entitled to his secrets. More importantly, I had no claims on them.
“What about you, never wanted to leave Tulip?”
“I left, for a while. And I like to travel when I can, but this place is home.”
“All done,” he announced, taking a step back to proudly admire at his handiwork. “Not bad, right?”
Inspecting the onions carefully, I had to admit, “You did a good job.”
“Man, I bet that physically hurt to say.”
“Not at all.” I smiled up at him. “Because it means I don’t have to do them over, which saves me some time. So, thanks.”
“Happy to help.” I believed him, but I also didn’t want to tempt fate by spending more time together.
“Good. You can take the rest of the day off, because I don’t have a plan for two people. But I’ll get with you soon about a schedule.”
“You will?”
I understood his skepticism and laughed.
“I will, because if I don’t, Janey will. I have to rearrange some things now that I’ll have some help.” But I was happy for the assistance actually, and that was what I would try to remember when I was tempted to call the whole thing off.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said, walking off with a charming smile and a smart-ass salute.
“Jackson?”
He turned with that panty-melting grin I remembered well from that night. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for your help today.”
“My pleasure.”
No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t anybody’s pleasure.
There would be no pleasure. Just barbecue.JacksonNothing like a nice long workout to get a certain sassy chef out of my mind—too bad it didn’t work.
Reese was still all I could think about, despite the clear ‘hands-off’ signals she was sending. She was mostly sending, because there had been a few times on Monday when I’d caught desire in her eyes. She might not like me, and Reese definitely didn’t want to work with me, but she wanted me.
Still.
It was something I could work with over the next few weeks. Though I had to wonder, if she still desired me, what the hell her problem was with me. Another question I’d have to find the answer to.“Jackson, there you are.” Elizabeth Vargas strolled up to me looking like she’d just stepped from the pages of some fashion magazine for the sophisticated woman of a certain age, completely standing out inside the gym. She wrinkled her nose. “Not very fresh in here.”
I couldn’t disagree. “It is a gym, what else should it smell like?”
“The underlying scent of chlorine could be a bit stronger,” she said primly and shook her head. “Anyway. You’re working with Reese for the cook-off, aren’t you?”
I dropped my gym bag at my feet and folded my arms. The meddling matchmakers had been at it all year, getting in everyone’s business in one way or another. “You know I am. Why?”
You had to be strong and firm with these busy bodies. It didn’t really help, but they were more covert when you made your displeasure known.
“I have something for her and since you’re right here, you can give it to her the next time you see each other.” She tried—really damn hard—to look innocent, like she wasn’t meddling. Or matchmaking. It wasn’t a good effort.
“You can’t just give it to her yourself? I’m sure you know where she lives. Or where her restaurant is.”Elizabeth stuck her nose in the air with a huff. “I have a very busy life, Detective, thank you very much. Just see that she gets these, and tell her I look forward to her feedback. And samples, of course.” She tossed a small sack on my gym bag.
“Of course.”
She mistook my words for agreement, tossing a wave my way before she sauntered toward the exit, certain her bidding would be done.
And dammit, it would.
I grabbed my bag and headed out, toward my car instead of Big Mama’s to pick up some dinner. It would have to wait until the task was done—only then could I relax, assured that a bunch of meddlesome but well-meaning ladies wouldn’t show up on my doorstep with a woman in a white dress. I headed home for a quick shower to soothe my muscles—there was no way I’d show up at Reese’s smelling like I hadn’t bathed in a week.
The house she lived in was unexpected, to say the least. Reese was a beautiful woman, with a fantastic body that she downplayed with simple hairstyles and no makeup, but she couldn’t hide it completely. Her home, though, was as pretty and feminine as she was, with a red door and matching shutters with flower boxes filled with herbs and vegetables. It was just like the woman herself. Cute. Small. Functional.