suddenly weary. Her four mostly sleepless nights must be catching up with her. “Darcy’s never mentioned him. Then again, she didn’t share a whole lot with me. She spent most of her free time hunkered down in her room. I felt like I was trespassing when I searched it after she left.”
“Speaking of that—I’d like to stop by your place and take a look too. A fresh eye might catch something helpful.”
A visit from Dev? That would add one bright spot to her otherwise depressing day.
“Okay. When?”
“I’d prefer to stop at your place before I go to Nikki’s. Forty-five minutes?”
“That’s fine.” She rose and headed toward her bedroom. The jeans with the hole in the knee and her ratty college sweatshirt with the frayed cuffs might be fine for hanging around at home alone, but she didn’t want to look like a refugee from the homeless shelter they’d visited if she was going to have company.
“I know it’s early for dinner, but I missed lunch and I’m starving. There won’t be any chance to eat once I start rolling tonight, so if I grab a pizza on the way to your house, will you share it with me?”
Her step faltered, and her pulse did an odd little skip as she entered the hall. His suggestion was purely practical, of course. The man had to eat, and this arrangement would save time. Still . . . it would be nice to spend a few extra minutes in his company.
“Sure. I’ll provide the drinks.”
“Sold. Any pizza topping you don’t like?”
“I can do without green peppers.”
“Duly noted. I’ll see you soon.” The line went dead.
Pressing the off button, Laura continued down the hall.
How about that?
Dinner with Dev.
But as appealing as that prospect was, she wished the circumstances were different.
Because until Darcy was back safe and sound, the worry in her heart didn’t leave nearly enough room for fanciful thoughts about a handsome PI.
Mark stirred the pot of soup on the stove and backed up slightly to study Darcy, who was seated on the couch in the living room playing a game on her laptop. She’d dispensed with the heavy-handed makeup she’d worn when she’d shown up that first night in the shelter and looked the way she should—fresh, young, unsullied.
He intended to keep her that way too. She had great potential, despite the mistakes she’d made with pot and alcohol. It was just as he’d told her earlier—the trick was to catch people in time. Before they reached the point of no return. If you did that, you could save them.
That’s why he’d failed with the others.
And with Lil.
His hand spasmed, and he tightened his grip on the spoon. He’d tried so hard to help her turn her life around. He’d begged. Pleaded. Done his best to please her. But in the end, he’d failed her. She’d gone over the edge.
Just as the others had after her.
“Mark?”
The soft, tentative voice pulled him back to the present. Setting the spoon aside, he looked up. Darcy stood in the doorway, watching him warily. She must still be spooked from his reaction this morning when she’d startled him. That had to be remedied. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him.
He wanted just the opposite.
But first, he needed her to feel safe. Otherwise, with Star gone, she might suggest going back to the homeless shelter.
Smiling, he leaned back against the counter and tried for a relaxed, unintimidating posture. “Sorry. I was lost in thought. Did you ask a question?”
“I wanted to know if I could help with dinner.”
“I appreciate the offer, but the soup’s about ready and the bread is in the oven. You could set the table, though.”
“Okay.” She crossed the room toward the utensil drawer.
“Wait!” The word came out too harsh, and he softened his tone. “Did you wash your hands?”
Her gaze darted from her own hands to his and back again. “An hour ago. I’ll do it again, though.”
“Great. No sense spreading germs around during the flu season.”
He watched
“Speaking of that—I’d like to stop by your place and take a look too. A fresh eye might catch something helpful.”
A visit from Dev? That would add one bright spot to her otherwise depressing day.
“Okay. When?”
“I’d prefer to stop at your place before I go to Nikki’s. Forty-five minutes?”
“That’s fine.” She rose and headed toward her bedroom. The jeans with the hole in the knee and her ratty college sweatshirt with the frayed cuffs might be fine for hanging around at home alone, but she didn’t want to look like a refugee from the homeless shelter they’d visited if she was going to have company.
“I know it’s early for dinner, but I missed lunch and I’m starving. There won’t be any chance to eat once I start rolling tonight, so if I grab a pizza on the way to your house, will you share it with me?”
Her step faltered, and her pulse did an odd little skip as she entered the hall. His suggestion was purely practical, of course. The man had to eat, and this arrangement would save time. Still . . . it would be nice to spend a few extra minutes in his company.
“Sure. I’ll provide the drinks.”
“Sold. Any pizza topping you don’t like?”
“I can do without green peppers.”
“Duly noted. I’ll see you soon.” The line went dead.
Pressing the off button, Laura continued down the hall.
How about that?
Dinner with Dev.
But as appealing as that prospect was, she wished the circumstances were different.
Because until Darcy was back safe and sound, the worry in her heart didn’t leave nearly enough room for fanciful thoughts about a handsome PI.
Mark stirred the pot of soup on the stove and backed up slightly to study Darcy, who was seated on the couch in the living room playing a game on her laptop. She’d dispensed with the heavy-handed makeup she’d worn when she’d shown up that first night in the shelter and looked the way she should—fresh, young, unsullied.
He intended to keep her that way too. She had great potential, despite the mistakes she’d made with pot and alcohol. It was just as he’d told her earlier—the trick was to catch people in time. Before they reached the point of no return. If you did that, you could save them.
That’s why he’d failed with the others.
And with Lil.
His hand spasmed, and he tightened his grip on the spoon. He’d tried so hard to help her turn her life around. He’d begged. Pleaded. Done his best to please her. But in the end, he’d failed her. She’d gone over the edge.
Just as the others had after her.
“Mark?”
The soft, tentative voice pulled him back to the present. Setting the spoon aside, he looked up. Darcy stood in the doorway, watching him warily. She must still be spooked from his reaction this morning when she’d startled him. That had to be remedied. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him.
He wanted just the opposite.
But first, he needed her to feel safe. Otherwise, with Star gone, she might suggest going back to the homeless shelter.
Smiling, he leaned back against the counter and tried for a relaxed, unintimidating posture. “Sorry. I was lost in thought. Did you ask a question?”
“I wanted to know if I could help with dinner.”
“I appreciate the offer, but the soup’s about ready and the bread is in the oven. You could set the table, though.”
“Okay.” She crossed the room toward the utensil drawer.
“Wait!” The word came out too harsh, and he softened his tone. “Did you wash your hands?”
Her gaze darted from her own hands to his and back again. “An hour ago. I’ll do it again, though.”
“Great. No sense spreading germs around during the flu season.”
He watched
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