“Uh-huh, I heard.” I stifled a groan in the presence ofMadam Mayor.
“Mayor, maybe you should list off the reasonswhyI’m such a catch. You know, to remind Kinsey of what she’smissin’out on.”
“Oh, well, you’re gainfully employed as one of RiverCanyon’s finest, for one. You’re good with your hands …” Patrick bit his lipand quirked a brow at that, and I rolled my eyes. “Your parents didsucha wonderful job at raising an incredible man. Not sure what happened to thatbrother of yours, but you win some, you lose—”
I cleared my throat, unapologetically interrupting with ahard glare right up at one of River Canyon’s finest. “Officer Kinney, don’t youhave a department full of hungry cops, waiting for their lunch?”
“Ah, darn, that’s right.”
Patrick Kinney drummed his hands against the counter andremoved himself from the Mayor’s grasp, hoisting the bags of deli sandwichesand macaroni salad, chips and sodas against his chest.
“You ready, Graham?” he called to the stocky officer at theother end of the deli.
“Oh, you done proposing already?”
“Yep. I was justtellin’ her how muchI can’t wait for her to finally be Kinsey Kinney.”
He shot me a grin that emphasized the dimples beneath hisstubble. It was the grin he’d flash before shoving me into the pool at hisparents’ house, the grin he’d use before attacking me with tickling fingers. Isaw that lanky boy standing in front of me in hisTeenage Mutant NinjaTurtlest-shirt and cargo shorts, and not the muscled man in his RiverCanyon Police Department uniform, and I felt it: my smile.
“Shut up,” I grumbled through my betraying lips.Traitors.
“Wait, have I missed something here? You’re gettingmarried?Ohmy Lord, I had been hoping for a happily everafter, but so soon?”
Connie’s face lit up with surprise, while my own facescrewed up with irritation at the smirking cop, as he walked away to leave mealone with the giddy woman and her little dog, too.
“See you later,Kins.”
He said it as a promise, as a prelude of things to come,and my stomach knotted around the words.
Patrickinney.
Their shiny shoes hit the wooden planks and the littlecopper bell above the door tinkled their departure. Once the squad car pulledaway from the storefront, my elbows hit the counter and my fingertips dug intomy scalp while Madam Mayor began her excited ramble about flower arrangementsand table settings.
I was so screwed
CHAPTER 2 |
Pudgy Arms & Special Voices
Five o’clock.
Mom and Dad stopped by after a shopping trip at the FischMarket, the little mom and pop grocery store owned by Connie Fischer’s husband.
Even the River Canyon supermarket had a cutesy name, and ifyou bought booze two days in a row, they would ask if you needed someone totalk to.
Not that I know this from experience or anything.
“Hey, can I get you guys something to eat?” I asked, as theyapproached the counter.
I watched as Dad gingerly touched the displays of wrappedbrownies, cookies, and other baked goods. He sighed, eyeing the case ofunsliced deli meats, and baskets of breads. He smiled sadly at the chalkboardmenus and coffee pots, and I hoped they smiled back.
He turned to me, shaking the melancholy away with histwinkling eyes. “No, honey. We just thought we’d stop by, and—”
“Have you seen Patrick?” Mom interrupted her husband. Sheleaned against the counter, searching my eyes with urgency. “Pleasetellme you’ve seen him.”
I groaned, immediately turning from the counter in searchof a distraction. Spotting a rag, I grabbed it and began to wipe down the meatslicer.
“Of courseI’ve seen Patrick,Mom.”
