A flustered Dixie executed a partial pirouette. “Look who’s here, boss. It’s Hailey Bailey.”
His eyes darkened when they landed on Hailey, then immediately lightened with concern. “What happened to your lip?”
Hailey breathed through the pain.Better. It’s an eight instead of a nine and a half.Without thinking, she touched the tender split that had scabbed over. “I, um, an accident.”
His narrowed eyes told her he didn’t buy it, but it didn’t matter because his pissed-off-o-meter was clearly topping its gauge. “Well, I hope you’re not here for a meal because as you can see from the notice in the window”—he twirled his hands in the air—“I’m closed for violations and can no longer serve food or drinks. I’d like to add that my reputation in this town, which has been stellar for decades, is now total crap. So thanks for that.”
Hailey sighed. This was exactly what she was afraid she’d face, and fatigue settled heavy in her bones. She didn’t have enough emotional fortitude in her well to fight back right now.
Dixie held up her hands in a placating plea. “Boss, you need to hear her out.”
“No, I really don’t.” He pivoted to leave, but Chance bounded from the back and headed straight for Hailey.
“He shouldn’t—” Hailey began but stopped herself.Shut it! You’re not an inspector anymore. Besides, this restaurant isn’t open for business, so whynotlet a dog romp around? He’s the brightest spot in here right now.
Pressing her lips together, she leaned down to give him a neck ruffle with her good hand. “Look at you, handsome boy. You look like an entirely different animal.”
Zeroing in on Chance, Noah snorted. “Traitor.” He swung his dark gaze to Hailey. “Oh, and the naming contest is off too, so feel free to call him Chance in public.”
“Boss, let her explain,” Dixie pleaded. “She didn’t have any options. In her sensible shoes—not those black pointy heels—you or I would have done the same thing she did.”
“Never mind, Dixie. It doesn’t matter anymore. Thanks for trying.” Hailey gave Dixie a sad smile and Chance one last pat. “Be a good boy, okay?” Hailey lifted her eyes to Noah, and her words dried up.
He crossed his magnificent arms over his gorgeous chest. “Under the circumstances, I need to call off our date Friday night.” If he fumed any more, steam would pour out of his ears.
Dixie’s eyeballs bounced between the two of them. “Date? You two had a date? Why doesn’t anyone ever tell me anything?”
Noah’s eyes remained fixed on Hailey as he answered Dixie’s question. “Becauseyoutell everybody else.”
Hailey returned Noah’s stare with a few more degrees of intensity. He wasn’t the only one who could be pissed off. Over the last twenty-four hours, her emotions had gone through a food processor and come out diced and minced; her faith in people was shredded and julienned.Herpissed-off-o-meter blew the top off the measuring stick.
“Thank God,” she snarked. “You just saved me the trouble of canceling it myself. I wasn’t sure how to politely say ‘I don’t want to spend my Friday night with a jerk.’”
“She quit her job,” Dixie threw in.
Noah blinked once, twice. A twister of emotions seemed to whirl behind his eyes in a fascinating kaleidoscope Hailey couldn’t decipher, though there were lots of angry reds in there.
She pivoted to leave. Chance’s whimper stretched her heartstrings to a breaking point. “Have a nice life,” she shot over her shoulder.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Noah ground out.
Hailey whirled and jammed her good fist on her hip. “Tell you what? That I quit?”
“No, that you were a food inspector.”
“When did I have the opportunity, Noah?”
“Gee, let me think. Maybe while we were curled up together in my truck for an entire night? Or the times I point-blank asked what you did for work? You lied,InspectorBailey. Is that what I’m supposed to call you now?”
“Ididn’tlie. I just didn’t elaborate because I was waiting for the right moment. And I’m not Inspector Bailey anymore. Weren’t you listening?”Of course you weren’t. You’re a man.
“You lied by omission,” he accused.
He was right, of course, but she forged ahead anyway. “Would you have done anything differently if you knew an inspection was coming your way?”
“Yes! I would have locked the doors and claimed an emergency so youinspectorscouldn’t come in here and go ballistic on my ass, looking to shut me down.” Mirroring her stance with his hands on his hips, he peered at her.
You inspectors. Ouch.“I wouldn’t say we go ballistic. But even if you’d shut the doors, the mice werestillthere and you weren’t aware of the problem. You wouldn’t have done anything about them because you didn’t have a clue. So the inspection would have happened the next day or the next, with the same result.”
