“Me too. We shouldn’t make a habit of it though.”
“And why is that?”
“Because a couple of months from now, you’ll be getting ready to leave. Maisie will be sad when you go. I don’t want her to get too attached.”
“Sorry to break it to you, but I think Maisie is already attached. To Stella, for sure. Maybe even to me. You can’t stop her from caring about people.”
I glanced down the street, pressing my lips together. “It’s not that simple.”
She sighed. “It’s your call if I spend time with your daughter or not. But I thought you and I got along really well today too. Just admit it, Ashford. We’re friends. You like me.”
“Are you sure you want to be friends with me? It’s not that great.”
“I beg to differ. I think you’re a pretty nice guy. When you choose to be.”
I wanted to smile at her the way she was smiling at me. Wanted to reach out.
But I couldn’t let myself. Because if I reached for her, what if I didn’t want to let go?
“I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Sure. See you at the Big Blue Monster.”
“Thewhat?”
“That’s what I call it. Blue bricks. And those two windows on the second floor look like eyes.”
My smile broke through my defenses. “I never thought about it. But they do.”
“Admit we’re friends,” she said in a sing-song voice.
“I’ll consider it.”
“And I’ll consider that a win.”
She and Stella went inside the building. I wasn’t happy to see that there was no lock on the outer door. Would the owner of the Ponderosa get angry if I came over here and installed one?
Hmm. It would be a pain in the ass. But I was seriously considering it.
I crossed the street, but I didn’t leave yet. A light switched on in a third-floor apartment. Was that hers?
She was home safe. It was getting dark. I should probably go.
Instead, I stood there with my thoughts going around and around in the same circles. Wanting something that I shouldn’t,couldn’t, have.
When I turned to go, I caught sight of a figure standing beneath a tall cottonwood tree. The person wore a long blue jacket in a fabric that caught the fading light when he shifted. A hood shadowed his face.
A navy blue rain slicker. Just like Emma had described seeing at the park. The person who’d been watching her and Maisie.
What the fuck?
“Hey, you,” I called out, starting toward him. “Excuse me.”
The guy bolted, dodging out of sight.
“Hey!”
I cursed, my muscles tensing to follow. But he hadn’t done anything illegal. And while I’d been hanging out with cops today, I wasn’t one myself.
